Two Important Ethical Lessons
During this class we analyzed several cases regarding ethics in journalism that helped us understand the proper decisions that need to be taken when covering a story. Two of the ethical lessons that stuck with me the most where naming the victims and the implications and importance of covering a diverse society.
Naming the Victims was the subject I had for my class presentation. Doing research on this subject I learned how delicate of a topic it is. How one should think of the victim and also the good of the public, balancing both, being ethical and serving the audience.
The other important aspect I learned in this class was the importance of covering a diverse society. Being an international student, this specific subject resonated with me, since I sometimes feel that other cultures are not represented enough or represented as they should be. United States is a country filled with diversity, something that needs to be represented properly.
Case study
The case of Stephen Glass was another ethics case that impressed me in this class. I finally understood and saw a better picture of the consequences that come when someone violates the rules against plagiarism and fabrication. Glass is an example to other journalists of what could happen if we cross that very thin line between a very good but real story and a very good but fake story.
I was also impressed by how Glass acted when he was accused of plagiarizing and fabricating. He never fully held himself accountable for what he did, he kept covering one lie with another just to keep his stories afloat, something that of course did not work.
Impact on future career and life
After taking this course I believe I will be a much better public relations official because I will be more aware of the consequences of my actions regarding ethical decisions. I know that the things I have learned in COMM409 apply to all aspects of communications because I have had to use these skills in other classes and I know I will keep using them in the future.
As of my personal life it is always important to not only think of your consequences but also the consequences your actions might have on others. After taking comm409 I believe I am more openminded and I try to understand where others are coming from before trying to judge or take a decision.
Reflection on course
I enjoyed this class because it taught me aspects of ethics that I had never considered before. It was helpful because we had the chance of analyzing cases and applying the knowledge, we had to understand the ethical issues more in depth. It helped open my eyes to different ideas and perspectives that maybe before I would not have considered or looked into.