RTV 4931 – Summer 2009

Ethics and Problems

Note: This is a draft syllabus and subject to change.

Instructor:   Dr. Johanna Cleary, Telecommunication Department

                        3062 Weimer Hall

                        (352) 846-0226 (office)

                        jcleary@jou.ufl.edu

Dr. Cleary’s Blog: http://www.voyages-venue.blogspot.com/

Class Meeting Times:

Class session times and locations will vary. Please consult the syllabus. Students will be required to read and prepare some assignments outside the four weeks of classes in France.    

The final papers will be due within 30 days of our return from Europe. Final grades will be assigned at the conclusion of the Summer C session.

Required Books:

In The Hot Zone: One Man, One Year, Twenty Wars by Kevin Sites. New York: Perennial, 2007.

The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008.

Travelers’ Tales: France edited by James O’Reilly. San Francisco: Travelers’ Tales, 2002.

There is also a required course pack for the class which is available through OBT on 13^th Street in Gainesville.

Other Resources:

Prior to leaving for France, you should routinely keep up with news about the U.S. media and ethical issues, as well as stay informed about issues in these countries. Some recommended resources include CNN’s Reliable Sources, aired at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays. Some other helpful sites include the Electronic Media website at http:/www.tvweek.com, the BBC at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/998481.stm/, Broadcasting & Cable at http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ and the Radio-Television News Directors Association’s website at http://www.rtnda.org/.

About the Course

Course Objectives:  Broadcasters face ethical questions every day. This course is designed to help you work through those questions and provide a framework for making ethical decisions. Events in France and around the world can provide insight into media ethics for people working in the U.S. The class will include discussion, lectures, media visits, guest speakers and case studies to explore important topics related to broadcast media ethics.

What You Will Learn in this Class: 

• ethical theories as they relate to the media.
• perspective on current media controversies and issues, especially as they relate to issues of diversity.
• strategies for making ethical decisions as broadcast professionals.
• insight into how ethical issues are addressed by media professionals around the world.

Class Policies

Classroom Atmosphere:  Each of you plays a role in shaping this course. I encourage you to be actively involved in class discussion and activities. You are expected to be good ambassadors for our University and country while guests in France. Please be respectful of the contributions of all others, including the guest speakers, and help create a class environment that is welcoming and inclusive.   

Cell Phones, Pagers and Computer Use in Class:  As a matter of courtesy to your fellow class members, please turn off all cell phones and other electronic devices prior to the start of class.  It is not appropriate to instant message during class.

Attendance:   Like the field of broadcasting, this class is fast-moving and demanding. Your attendance and participation are important to making this class a success and attendance is required for every session, including the pre-trip planning sessions. Roll will be taken for every class meeting. Absences or tardiness will negatively affect grades. 

Missing Deadlines or Assignments:  In the communication field, completing assignments on deadline is vital. The same holds true in this class. If you believe you have an exceptional reason for missing a deadline, please discuss it with me immediately. However, a missed deadline will generally be counted as a missed assignment. 

Honor Code:  As a student at this university, you have accepted a commitment to the Honor Code, and the principles of academic integrity, personal honesty, and responsible citizenship on which it was founded. As an instructor at this university, I am also charged with its enforcement and take that responsibility very seriously. 

The Honor Code’s Preamble reads in part:  “…the students of the University of Florida recognize that academic honesty and integrity are fundamental values of the University community. Students who enroll at the University commit to holding themselves and their peers to the high standard of honor required by the Honor Code. Any individual who becomes aware of a violation of the Honor Code is bound by honor to take corrective action. A student-run Honor Court and faculty support are crucial to the success of the Honor Code. The quality of a University of Florida education is dependent upon community acceptance and enforcement of the Honor Code.”

Please join me in supporting the Honor Code by signing the pledge on all written work.  Consult me if you are uncertain about your Honor Code responsibilities within this course.

Course Assignments

Course Grading

Grading Scale:             A                      92-100%

•                   90-91%

                                    B+                    87-89%

                                    B                      82-86%

                                    B-                     80-82%

                                    C+                    77-79%

                                    C                      72-76%

                                    C-                     70-71%

                                    D+                    67-69%

                                    D                      62-66%

                                    D-                    60-62%

                                    E                      below 60%

Your final grade will be determined by your performance on the following assignments:

Team Presentation                             (1 x 15 percent)

Class Participation                              (1 x 15 percent)

Course Book Review                           (1 x 20 percent)

Policy Memo                                       (1 x 25 percent)                     

Comparative Position Paper               (1 x 25 percent)

Total                                                    100 percent    

The team presentation will focus on your research about media issues in France, the United States, and the world at large. You will be assigned to a small group which will prepare a presentation highlighting media issues in the two countries. This is a group project and will be graded accordingly. The presentations should be 15 minutes long. Appropriate handouts and other AV material are encouraged.

The class participation grade is based on your active involvement in all activities. Your input is crucial to making the class a worthwhile experience for all of us. You are expected to attend all classes, be prepared with all assignments, be active in all discussions and to interact with guest speakers.

Writing Assignments:

This class meets the Gordon Rule 4,000-word designation. The Writing Requirement (Gordon Rule) ensures students both maintain their fluency in writing and use writing as a tool to facilitate learning. There are three in-depth writing assignments for this class. Your written assignments will be evaluated with respect to grammar, punctuation, and usage of standard written English, as well as clarity, coherence, and organization. You will receive feedback on all written assignments prior to the last class meeting.

The book review asks you to write a paper focusing on ethical issues faced by the authors of the course books. You should write about the problems faced,  explain an approach to solving the challenges based on strategies we discuss in class, and offer your reaction to what the authors decided to do. Consider including references to the philosophers we discuss, codes of ethics, and other traditional ways of making ethical decisions. (Be sure to properly cite outside sources you reference.) Your review should be at least 1,000 words and approximately 4 pages, double spaced. This assignment is due at the start of class on Monday, May 11.

The policy memo assignment asks you to draft a statement addressing an area of media ethics relevant to the area of the communication field you want to pursue. For example, if you want to be a news photographer, you could consider writing a policy memo that governs staff behavior on news assignments, sets forth a policy on “freebies” and discusses when the identify of subjects should be protected. This assignment should reflect your own work and thoughts. You are encouraged to reference other material, but that should be clearly acknowledged and appropriately cited. The memo should be approximately 7 pages and at least 1,750 words, double spaced. Examples of memos written by previous students are available on the class website. This assignment is due Monday, June 29. A detailed outline is due May 15.

The comparative position paper asks you to identify one common ethical issue faced by the U.S. media and communication professionals in France. You should: 1) identify how the issue has been addressed by practitioners in each country, 2) state your position on the issue, and 3) outline the arguments for and against this approach. You should include your own research, information you gather while on media visits and from observing the local media, and your own experience. All sources should be thoroughly cited and you should use an accepted academic style such as MLA or APA. This is an individual assignment and should reflect only your own work. The paper should be approximately 5 pages and at least 1,250 words, double spaced, plus references. Examples of memos written by previous students are available on the class website. This assignment is due Monday, June 29. A detailed outline is due May 21.

Disclaimer

While it is my intention to follow this syllabus and schedule as closely as possible, I reserve the right to make adjustments as needed.

Specific readings will be assigned for each topic. Please come to every class prepared to discuss the readings in detail.