Hollywood loves stories about journalists, but doesn’t always get the details right. Too often in popular movies, journalists are essential to the plot but their ethical models are lacking at best. This can create distrust for real journalists and a misunderstanding of the profession’s ethical foundations.
Your assignment is to write a 3-5 page paper comparing and contrasting the ethical models depicted in at least two of the movies listed below. You’ll need to do more than just watch the film — I’m looking for you to evaluate the actions of the characters against professional codes of ethics and the ethical principles we’ve discussed in this class. What ethical conflicts did the characters face, and how did they overcome them? What did the characters do well? What ethical mistakes did they make?
I’m looking for a double-spaced paper with 1″ margins and 12-point Times New Roman font in MLA style. Don’t forget to cite your sources properly. Along with the (at least) two films you’ll evaluate, I’ll be looking for additional sources including at least one professional code of ethics and at least two other secondary sources. Those sources can come from our class readings or additional research materials.
Two Movies:
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Runaway Bride (1999)