1. Ethics & Functions of the Press

2. Political function “watchdog” of government Provide information to audience to make political decisions Cover the details of government activities Watch for scandal and wrongdoing

3. Economic Function Through ads, press informs public of items for sale Ads pay for the newspaper and news broadcasts

4. Sentry Function Press must report not only what is happening today, but also what is likely to happen tomorrow. Examples: technological changes, youth culture, new lifestyles, change in criminal justice, habits of energy

5. Record Keeping Function Accurate record of local, national and world news Election results Laws passed Price of oil Obituaries Sports scores Bankruptcy Marriage licenses Divorces Running for office Births (if reported)

6. Entertainment Function Diversions from stress Comics Entertaining features Pictures Jumble Crossword horoscopes

7. Social Function Substitute of simpler relationships of the past Replace the neighborly conversations of the past More focused on local news

8. Marketplace Function Forum of ideas to be presented Editorial section Citizens use to achieve a goal Agenda-setting Function They don’t tell us what to think, they tell us what to think about What we talk about and address (H1N1, MRSA) Who sets the agenda for the media?

9. Ethics Values placed on right and wrong; honesty, fair play, justice High standards are set for journalists because there are no set laws—other than libel and slander—for journalists to abide by.

10. Emphasis on ethical standards, which gains respect from the audience and other journalists Legally, you can’t keep a bad journalist from reporting—however, it affects circulation and ratings. It is up to reporters to earn credibility for themselves through the observation of the Code of Ethics

11. Staying neutral while reporting on a story Can be very difficult to do in an emotional/political/ religious story

12. Spoken defamation of character Falls under the libel laws Best defense against libel/slander is truth and good reporting

13. As long as attribution is given, any statements given in a public forum (congress, senate, courtroom) are immune from libel charges

14. Giving an opinion based upon facts Comments must be limited Reviews of entertainment(movies, plays, concerts)

15. Once the government creates and allows a forum, it cannot control the ideas that are expressed there.

16. Good Taste Things to avoid: Sensationalism Profanity Glorifying Crime Handle sex & crime stories with caution! Right of Reply If you print or air criticism of someone, you should allow them the chance to reply in the same story !

17. Fairness to all Everyone should be treated equally in news stories Ex: gender, religion, politics, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Plagiarism Do not claim others’ works as your own. Must give attribution to all sources Attribution—giving credit to original author of work

18. “Only when the decision to censor a school-sponsored publication, theatrical production, or other vehicle of student expression has no valid educational purpose” Principal= the publisher & acts on behalf of the citizens of the district Original case: story on divorce blocked due to invasion of privacy—unnamed student could be easily identified