Ethics and the Media

Now revised and containing several new chapters, this book provides a comprehensive set of ethical principles and methods of reasoning for a new era of digital, global media. It describes the turbulent state of media ethics in ordinary language and through clear examples, and provides a pragmatic theory of truth and objectivity for engaged media. Concrete guidelines are articulated for identifying fake news and for reporting responsibly on social media racism, extreme groups, and anti-democratic demagogues, showing how citizens and journalists can work together to detox a polluted public sphere. The book examines global media ethics, where norms guide the reporting of global issues such as climate change and immigration, and considers what constitutes responsible journalism. It will be valuable for both students and practitioners of journalism and media ethics, and can also be used as a citizen’s guide for evaluating media reports.

Author Biography

Stephen J. A. Ward is Emeritus Professor and Distinguished Lecturer of Ethics at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. He has written ten books on media ethics, including the award-winning The Invention of Journalism Ethics: The Path to Objectivity and Beyond (2004). He is founding director of the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin, and he helped to found the UBC School of Journalism.