Journalism in Representative Democracy
Course Catalog Description
Course designed to acquaint students with concepts and functions of journalism in American democratic society. Stresses the basic issues and problems facing journalists and the mass media.
Course Overview
Journalism in Democracy serves as the cornerstone of the journalism degree by providing an overview of the work journalism accomplishes for democratic societies from sociological, cultural, historical, legal, ethical, consumer, and practice perspectives. The course will examine the core tenets of journalism and discuss contemporary journalism's importance, possibilities, and limitations.
Course Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes are for you (whether taking the course as a journalism degree requirement or elective for another program) to become a thoughtful practitioner, articulate advocate, reasonable critic, and informed consumer of journalism by understanding its relationship with democracy.
-
Questions You will be Able to Answer in Detail at the End of Each Week
What happens when the pool of journalists diversifies?
Does democracy need journalism?
Does lifestyle journalism count as “real” journalism?
Who is a journalist and who gets to define the term?
Is news found or crafted?
Who is paying for this?
What happens when the people formerly known as the audience can talk back?
Does TikTok change journalism?
Do you help or take a picture?
Will we get in trouble if we publish this?
Is objectivity even a thing?
Is artificial intelligence + big data going to replace all journalists?