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Credibility, the News Media, and Public Trust

Critical Thinking

Course Description

A central conflict in journalism: sustaining credible practice in a time of wrenching change. Understanding change offers the chance to resolve this conflict in favor of credible practice. Focus on media trust and credibility, as well as trust in institutions, and their sources and consequences from theoretical and practical perspectives.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Evaluation of graduate students differs significantly from that of undergraduate students. Not only will graduate students be assigned more readings and additional projects, they will also be graded with higher expectations than undergraduate students. Specifically, graduate students will be assigned an additional research or applied project depending upon the discretion of the instructor. Research projects may involve secondary research reviews and synthesis, whereas primary research studies will involve collection and analysis of data. Applied projects will consist of an original professional-level project delivered as a written report and/or oral presentation.

Athena Title

Cred News Media Public Trust

Equivalent Courses

Not open to students with credit in JOUR 5420E or JOUR 7420E

Graduate Prerequisite

Permission of department

Semester Course Offered

Offered fall

Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students should gain a theoretical and practical understanding of news media trust and credibility in relation to their audience.
  • Students should be able to identify major concepts related to media trust globally and discuss their applications in a contemporary setting.

Topical Outline

  • Credibility and the news business model.
  • The business model under pressure: Demographic, economic, and technological change.
  • Journalism under pressure: Conflicts over identity, purpose, and method.
  • Credible practice: Evolving standards.
  • Five cases illustrating decisions that affect credibility.
  • Five exercises examining practices that affect credibility.

Institutional Competencies

Critical Thinking

The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.


Syllabus

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