Fall 2022, Vol. 34, No. 1

Table of Contents, Fall 2022

BY DAVID J. GUNKEL

Image by Andy Kelly on UnsplashImage by Andy Kelly on UnsplashShould we recognize AI, robots, and other seemingly intelligent artifacts as another socially significant entity with some claim on us, or are they nothing more than mere things? This essay compares standard methods for deciding questions of moral status with an alternative model, the relational turn, which shifts the emphasis from internal properties of the individual entity to extrinsic social circumstances and relationships.

BY DAVID BEARD

Image by Marcela Laskoski on UnsplashImage by Marcela Laskoski on UnsplashWhen does the mixing of media--such as images and audio from disparate places--go beyond creativity into an ethically problematic distortion of reality? Remix theory invites us to think about the creation of such montages as a remix and to assess the ethics on those terms. Remix theory also invites new thinking about what it means to be a media professional serving the community.

BY TAYLOR BLACKLEY

Image by Hugo Jehanne on UnsplashImage by Hugo Jehanne on UnsplashJournalists covering violent or destructive events such as war and crime experience trauma which frequently goes unacknowledged by their institutions and colleagues. Likewise, traumatized interviewees can be further traumatized unless journalists practice due care. Media institutions and academia need to increase awareness around trauma and act ethically to reduce harm.

BY MICHAEL BUGEJA

Image by Headway on UnsplashImage by Headway on UnsplashA powerful way to engage students in media ethics is requiring them to create a digital portfolio with a personal ethics code. Such a project showcases the application of moral principles while emphasizing digital prowess in preparation for internships and first jobs. The project can also play a major role in a department's assessment, placement, and accreditation efforts.

BY DEX PARRA & SCOTT R. STROUD

Image by OpenAIImage by OpenAIArtificially intelligent neural networks that generate images from phrases input by humans, such as DALL-E 2, present numerous ethical challenges. Among these are questions of confused ownership rights, the proliferation of deep fakes, and the reproduction of offensive stereotypes.

BY HAILEY WAMMACK, KAT WILLIAMS, & SCOTT R. STROUD

Markus Winkler on UnsplashMarkus Winkler on UnsplashAs journalists become the target of cancel culture, how do we evaluate questions of justice? Can a journalist make some mistakes that are "unforgivable"? 

BY CLAIRE COBURN, KAT WILLIAMS, & SCOTT R. STROUD

Image by Braden Collum on UnsplashImage by Braden Collum on UnsplashWith new modern-day journalism accelerating deadlines but the processes of verification remaining slow, journalists can make mistakes when rushing stories to publication. What ethical values conflict in journalists’ desire to be the first to break a story?