I can understand the ethical and legal responsibilities of a journalist.

 Discuss current events ◦ What is happening in your world, country, community?  Why is it important to be aware of what is happening all around you?

Respond to 1 of the following prompts… 1.If you could only take 3 people with you on a trip around the world, who would you take and why? 2.If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?

Ethical and Legal Responsibilities

 Find and write the definitions for the following terms: ◦ Ethics ◦ Credibility ◦ Libel ◦ Objectivity ◦ Slander ◦ Plagiarism

 Political Function-cover activities of government, watch for scandals and wrong doing, etc.  Economic Function- provide info about products, goods, services, business, industrial, and agriculture news  Sentry Function- cover information in the areas of police, health, etc. – What is happening today and what’s likely to happen tomorrow.  Record-Keeping Function- reflect accurate record of local, national, and world news (what bills passed, who won and lost in sports, who was elected on school board, etc.)  Entertainment Function- comics, feature stories, etc.  Social Function- simply passing information on to others is a reflection of the social function.  Marketplace Function- provide a forum in which all sorts of ideas are presented (the marketplace of ideas) focuses on city/state agendas (do we need wider streets, what can we do about traffic, do we need to cut down these trees, etc.)  Agenda Setting Function- The mass media has the power to determine what we talk about-bring certain issues to the forefront.

 What is ethics? ◦ Doing the right thing…  Credibility- the audience must have the ability to believe and trust the journalist. Serve the audience’s best interest.  Examine the code Journalists’ Code of Ethics starting on page 541.  With your group at your table create your own journalists’ code of ethics. What do you think should govern the MCHS newspaper’s journalists?  Discuss with the whole group to create MCHS Journalists’ Code of Ethics

 Credibility- the audience must have the ability to believe and trust the journalist. Serve the audience’s best interest.  Accuracy- Everything must be correct (names-middle initials included, addresses- street vs. drive, etc.) Even the smallest mistake reduces credibility.  Objectivity- you must strive to be fair and neutral observers- you can not put your own personal feelings in news stories.

 Good taste- Do not invade others privacy, never glorify bad behavior, etc.  Right of reply- If you print criticism of someone, give that person the right to respond.  Fairness to all- everyone in your audience has equal right to fair treatment.  Plagiarism- Do not pass off the work of others as your own.  Attribution- Identify where the information came from so the audience can judge for themselves the value of the information.  The truth- Never fake anything!

 Libel is printed false defamation of character- to defame a person or organization and reduce their reputation. ◦ (Spoken false defamation is slander.) ◦ Any publication of information that harms a person or organization requires great care. – In scholastic situations it should be avoided at all costs.

 Even with the First Amendment, there now are limits on scholastic journalism.  Read the excerpt on page 44. Discuss. Think about it this way…you work for MCHS Tribal Tribune and Mr. White and other administrators are your publishers (who have the final say).

 Complete activities 4 and 5 on page 53.  Don’t forget to complete your First Amendment creation. It’s due Friday/Monday (A/B)