MCM 406 Paper Assignment

This paper is worth 100 points.

Note: please have your choice (explained in writing) approved by me before you begin. I’m pretty flexible, but choices must clearly have something to do with the mass media, and must not be a case we already covered in class.

Spelling, grammar, and writing quality count.

Due date: 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 11. Please upload into Drop Box on D2l.

Case study using ethics worksheet. a. Identify an actual media case which includes ethical considerations. The case may involve national or local news media, advertisers, public relations practitioners, or media entertainment in magazines, movies, books, etc. The sweep is broad, though the case must in some way involve one of the media: newspapers, magazines, books, TV, radio, movies, records or the web. It may involve advertising, public relations, or journalism. Try to choose an issue based on your degree concentration. It will make this project more fun to do. The choice must NOT be something we already used for a class case study. Keep the case within the last year.

To find ideas, read, read, read, listen, listen, listen, or watch, watch, watch. You can find oodles of ethically-sensitive cases out there, if you’re looking. I won’t give you possible choices here–as this is an advanced-level class, it’s time for you to take the initiative!

b. Identify the ethical issue posed by the case, and collect background information on this issue.

c. Complete the ethics worksheet, decide how you would, or would have, handled the case.

Length: Using the ethics worksheet as an outline, description of the case should be at least one page. The rest of the paper should add two to three pages. Total length of paper should be at least three pages but not more than four pages, double-spaced, typewritten.

Your paper should be set up using the ethics worksheet questions as a guide.

Objectives: To recognize an ethical issue based on an actual situation; to understand how ethics philosophers and writers have considered your chosen issue; to critically analyze a case, acknowledging uncertainty. At the end of your work, you’ll be the expert on this issue, so I expect to read in your work a lot that I don’t know already.

Ethics Worksheet for Case Studies (Based on worksheet by Thomas H. Bivins, University of Oregon.) 1. What is the ethical issue/problem, in one sentence? State this in the form of an ethical question a media practitioner would need to consider. 2. What facts have the most bearing on the ethical decision you must render in this case? Note: facts do not include ethical judgments at this point. 3. Are there any other external or internal factors to be considered? (Economic, political, etc.) 4. Who are the claimants and in what way are you obligated to each of them? (List all affected by your decision.) 5. What are the effective ideals? Note: ideals are values and behaviors based on them. • For you. • For the client/organization/profession. 6. Do any of these ideals conflict? In what order would you honor them? 7. What are your options, and which would be favored by each affected party? (List at least three.) 8. Which options could cause harm to any claimant? 9. Would honoring any of the ideals listed above invalidate any of your options? 10. Are there any rules, principles or codes (legal, professional, organizational, or other) that automatically invalidate any of your options? 11. (BONUS) Which ethical theories support or reject which options? Explain. Consequential: • Mill’s “Harm Principle.” • Utilitarianism or risk-benefit analysis. Nonconsequential: • Ross’s duties. • Kant’s “Categorical Imperative.” Other duties (religious, etc.). 12. Determine a course of action based on your analysis. 13. Defend your decision in writing.