ASSIGNMENTS:

PART 1: Due date Tuesday, 8 December 2020 [12 noon]

A referenced 1,000-word essay on either of the following subjects:

1. Media ethics are predominantly rules-based with a deontological [Kantian] approach

moderated by the ‘greater good’ found within the utilitarianism of Bentham. Discuss
this proposition with concrete examples.

OR

2. Journalists should consider the ethical implications of their stories and images they
use; but does the commercial pressure to break stories and increase audience reach
lead to internal conflicts?

OR

3. Journalists and policy makers often suggest ‘public relations ethics’ is an oxymoron;
but there are those who suggest the approach of Edward Bernays was consistent with
Kantian ethics. Discuss which version you prefer with detailed reasoning.

PART 2: Due date Tuesday, 12 January 2021 [12 noon]

A referenced 1,500-word essay on either of the following subjects:

4. Explain in detail the different approaches to press regulation in Britain and Ireland.

OR

5. How can we balance press regulation with press freedom in a democratic society –
especially with regard to privacy and differentiating between the ‘public interest’ and
an ‘interested public’?

Submissions are to be uploaded to Moodle by 12 noon on the date prescribed. Essays must
use Harvard referencing and be accompanied by a bibliography.

Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will:
 Demonstrate independent critical judgement and analytical skills in dealing with the
ethical contexts related to professional media practice.
 Apply ethical standards to their own work.

The following Assessment Criteria will be applied:

The marking standards will be appropriate for this course. Clarity and coherence will be
necessary and a sense of balance and an awareness of the moral choices to be made.

All late assignments are penalised as per Faculty regulations.