Media Writing and Ethical Considerations

One thing I always share with my new students in the COMM 1130 Media Writing course (more popular here at University of Utah Asia in Spring term) and in COMM 1610 Introduction to News Reporting (Fall term) - the alternative all those in the journalism emphasis are encouraged to take) is that writing as a journalist is a challenge. Why? Because journalists are empowered to be the gatekeepers of information the public has the right to know (about) . As an explanation of just how complex things can get, I will share how the two English language newspapers handled informing the public on Feb. 25, 2022 (the date shared in AP style). First, I will reveal that it was not a great day for the sharing of good news - what in fact transpired was a resurgence of COVID-19, as perceived through an increase in the number of confirmed cases. A Korean governmental agency releases data every day, providing the latest COVID-19 statistics as public record. But looking back in retrospective, after updatin...

Your blog posts should be about the sharing of knowledge with others... that is what defines the purpose for/of EDUCATION. It is a service provided, and (many) institutions of higher learning have lost sight of this primary rationale for their existence. Some will posit that their existence is based on the need for research - and they are the most qualified for such a pursuit. This is what I feel has made for a definite trend of increased egocentric tendencies, particularly amongst the younger members in our digital society. Generation Z is very egocentric - to the point they think the world revolves around them. They come first. What? There are others? They can wait. But I must be served now. You may be disappointed when you figure out I am the Soup Nazi. You'll find the link to that later, for those dedicated enough to read on (the deserving few). To that end, muy pronto, por favor . [for my Korean students - Spanish translation: really fast, please.] Perhaps Arnold Schwarznegger...

What I mean by "keeper" is that the third blog is often time the one that lets readers know they should be following along - that what this blogger has to offer is worth reading. Good writing that is easy to understand and follow, and a subject matter that is of interest. This is (often times) easier said than done. There are so many topics that have been covered so much so that people are tired of hearing about them - like COVID-19 and vaccinations. Yes, the media have a social responsibility (and ethical obligation) to keep covering the issue, sharing updates with the public. But that same responsibility (and the courtesy to be read it/tolerate it) doesn't extend to bloggers. The blog author has to strategically keep in mind what their "target population" is going to want to see/read. Hence your "Understanding Your Audience" exercise, which was designed to challenge you into thinking about the diverse characteristics of your prospective audience (for...