JTC 411 explores professional ethics and the intricate relationship between media systems and social systems. Through rigorous analysis, students delve into ethical considerations across various forms of mass communication, including journalism, public relations, advertising, entertainment media, and social media. The course fosters critical thinking skills, enabling students to create evidence-based arguments and ethically justifiable decisions in mass communication scenarios. Additionally, students examine major ethical frameworks from diverse philosophical sources and apply them to real-world dilemmas, enhancing their ability to create and consume media content with ethical awareness. By evaluating differing viewpoints and assessing codes of ethics within the industry, students cultivate a deeper understanding of moral responsibility as individuals and future mass media professionals.
Textbooks and Materials
Section 801
Optional
- Doing Ethics in Media: Theories and Practical Applications, 2nd Ed. (2021)
Roberts, Chris & Black, Jay
ISBN: 978-1138041110
Not available at the CSU Bookstore
Instructors
Linnea Ward
linnea.sudduth@colostate.edu
Linnea Sudduth Ward is an instructor in the Department of Journalism and Media Communication. Dr. Ward's recent research interests focus on people's communication about and perceptions of social norms across contexts like technology platforms and culture. For example, her dissertation research considered how a group of "trailing wives"--or, women who move for their partners' needs rather than their own--used social media to practice resilience.
Dr. Ward's personal academic experiences deeply influence her approach to online course instruction. Throughout her time as an undergraduate and graduate student, she completed several online courses. As a result, she is particularly passionate about integrating varied learning activities into courses, providing substantial feedback on course assignments, and clearly outlining course expectations (particularly, grading expectations). Additionally, given her personal interest in popular culture, Dr. Ward enjoys integrating movies and television shows into coursework.