Taking a step back to April of last spring, I was sitting in my Communication Advisor’s office discussing a change of major and deciding what classes would be well suited for me. As I switched from broadcast to advertising, I had already taken a considerable amount of journalism classes, but there was one journalism class I had not yet taken: COMM 409.
I was eager to take the class because of the positive comments coming from upperclassmen. Everyone whom I asked, always had good things to say about the class and highly recommended that I take it. Thankfully, my advisor was persistent and was able to include COMM 409 in my new advertising track schedule. News media ethics are not just applicable for journalism students; they are applicable for students in every major and concentration. The lessons learned are relevant for every person no matter what their field.
One of my favorite ethical lessons from this semester was learning about Aristotle’s Golden Mean. I think it’s important for everyone, not just newscasters and journalists, to live by Aristotle’s Golden Mean. By using his method, the greater good is being benefitted. People won’t act with too much or too little, but just the right amount. If there’s ever a time where one is stuck in a dilemma and unsure of what to do, Aristotle’s Golden Mean will almost always help to find a solution. In fact, we often find ourselves in daily situations where we don’t know what to do. This method is useful for our daily lives.
I also enjoyed learning about ethical decision making in photojournalism. Today with social media, cell phones, computers, and quickly advancing technology, it’s easy to get caught up in all of the glitz and glamour. As journalists and citizens, it is our duty to seek the whole truth. We should not just accept every photo or video that comes across our newsfeed as true and believable. We should investigate and be sure what we are seeing is true. Expanding beyond that, when is it okay or inappropriate to capture photos and videos for the news? Photos should not cause unnecessary harm, be misleading, or be manipulated. I will move forward by questioning and determining the authenticity of things I see online.
The case study of Shattered Glass impressed me the most. As a 20-year-old student preparing to enter the workforce, I understand the pressure of wanting to succeed and go beyond expectations. Stephen Glass wanted to continue his booming career, but he unfortunately did so in unethical ways. I liked this case study because it was easily relevant to my personal life. It reminded me to stay true to my roots, morals, and values. It may be nice to bend the rules to get ahead every once in a while, but in the long run, putting in the hard work will pay off.
This upcoming summer, I have an internship with PepsiCo as a Sales Management Intern. With the ethical values, systems, and methods this course has taught me, I feel prepared to enter into the sales field as an honest and consistent intern. I will pride myself in putting in a strong effort while ensuring I stay true to who I am and what I believe in.
I can say with confidence that the upperclassmen I spoke with were correct. COMM 409 will instill and remind you of what is truly “right” and “wrong” in life. My parents taught me to live by the Golden Rule. This class has reaffirmed the lessons my mom and dad preached to me growing up. I appreciated our class discussions the most. It is so interesting to see how different our opinions can be, but how similar they can be on certain topics and case studies. I am grateful for the perspective on ethics this course has given me, and I look forward to applying these lessons to my daily life.