Table of Contents

General Introduction
Chapter 1. What Makes a Story "Newsworthy?"
Joshua Halberstam: A Prolegomenon for a Theory of News
Berny Morson: The Significant Facts
Chapter 2. Morality, Competence, and Journalistic Excellence
Stephen Klaidman and Tom L. Beauchamp: The Virtuous Journalist: Morality in Journalism
Stephen H. Daniel: Some Conflicting Assumptions of Journalistic Ethics
Chapter 3. Publication and Free Speech
John Stuart Mill: Liberty of Thought and Discussion
Judith Andre: "Censorship": Some Distinctions
Chapter 4. Privacy, News Sources, and the Refusal to Testify
W. A. Parent: Privacy, Morality, and the Law
Philip Meyer: The Reporter's Refusal to Testify
Chapter 5. Political Power and the Media
Charles Green: The Role of the Media in Shaping Public Policy: The Myth of Power and the Power of Myth
Fred Smoller: Network News Coverage of the Presidency: Implications for Democracy
Chapter 6. Objectivity and News Reporting
Walter Lippmann: Stereotypes, Public Opinion, and the Press
Theodore L. Glasser: Objectivity and News Bias
Chapter 7. Multiperspectivism and the Problem of News Distortion
Herbert J. Gans: Multiperspectival News
Jay Newman: Some Reservations about Multiperspectival News
Chapter 8. Logical Foundations of News Reporting
S. Holly Stocking and Paget H. Gross: Understanding Errors and Biases That Can Affect Journalists
Howard Kahane: Devices of News Slanting in the Print Media
Edward Jay Epstein: Organizational Biases of Network News Reporting
Chapter 9. Philosophy and Journalistic Education
Anthony Serafini: Applying Philosophy to Journalism
Franklin Donnell: What Can Philosophy Do for a Journalist?
Each chapter ends with Discussion Questions:

Reviews

"Very interesting in approach."--Steve Weigenstein, Drury College
"A high-minded, yet easy to read text. Thought provoking. Very 'class discussion' oriented."--Betsy B. Cook, Otterbein College
"Excellent....I can see it having applications both in television broadcasting and media law."--John Langley, Northeast Missouri State University
"There is a need for readers like this, that turn the thoughts of journalism students--and journalists--toward ethical analysis. It will prove a useful addition to the literature for the growing corps of teachers of press ethics."--Richard P. Cunningham, New York University
"Provocative readings, which should be noticed and used by journalism educators, on major conceptual issues of journalistic theory and practice. The discussion questions at the ends of chapters, asked in a way that demands critical analysis, are particularly well done."--Deni Elliott, Dartmouth College
"An extremely useful collection of contemporary and classical essays on media issues--especially appropriate for the class on editorial writing, media and society, or media ethics."--Phil Tichenor, University of Minnesota
"Should be read by every serious student and professor of journalism. Extremely helpful. Very, very instructive, and very current."--Ed Rooney, Loyola University, Chicago
"A valuable beginning in the necessary effort to link journalistic practice with moral and philosophical considerations. We must hope that others will follow his lead."--Michael Beatty, Cleveland State University
"Very readable....Provides convincing arguments for the importance of honesty, openness, attention to multiple view-points, and promotion of empathy as well as a sense of community."--Public Relations Review
"This volume is welcome...its potential to enrich a variety of courses within the journalism and mass communication curriculum is limited only by the ingenuity of the instructors choosing to adopt it."--Journalism Quarterly
"A coherent overview of areas of institutional concern that lend themselves to thoughtful conceptual and moral analysis."--Ethics