Discussion Questions
Chapter 1
1. American democracy today differs in many ways from the structure laid out by the founders. For
example, virtually all citizens – not just rich, White, landowners – now have the right to vote. Further,
2. The title of the chapter lists three ways to look at the role of American journalism: The mirror, the
watchdog and the marketplace. Which do you think best characterizes the role journalism plays in our
3. Legal scholars have argued that democracy needs a press that provides information dissemination,
accountability, representation, deliberation and conflict resolution. Are some of these needs more
4. Are the concerns raised by the Hutchins Commission still present today? Are they even more
problematic than they were more than 60 years ago? How would you respond to people today who
make threats similar to those made by the commission – that media risk losing freedoms if they do not
fulfill their functions?
Chapter 2
1. Think back to the Rolling Stone example at the start of this chapter. How might the magazine’s search
for a “perfect” victim to be the face of the campus rape problem have shaped or skewed how they
2. Unlike physicians, lawyers, teachers and electricians, journalists do not need to be licensed or pass a
3. What news outlets or organizations do you consider the most accurate and credible? Which do you
see as lacking credibility? What drives this perception? Is it the kinds of stories they cover? Is it because
4. What do journalists mean by “transparency”? Is it simply crediting sources or something more? Why
5. Are standards of journalism the same for newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the Internet?
If not, should they be? What about journalists and news outlets that use Twitter – should they be held
Chapter 3
1. Do you think it’s challenging for journalists to attune to all aspects their jobs while mastering new
reporting and delivery tools? Is it easier or harder for journalists who have been out of school for several
2. Information, news and journalism are not synonyms. But how do they differ? Do audiences
3. Are certain mediums better at conveying stories with certain types of news values? For example, is
emotion easier to convey through words or moving images? Is timeliness best suited for online? As
media organizations converge, how might delivery format affect the types of information conveyed
4. Similarly, how is medium related to the newsgathering process? Do broadcast journalists gather
information differently than print reporters or online journalists? If audiences rely more heavily on print
5. What pressures might journalists have to use Twitter and other media platforms in the same way the
general public does? If many people are reporting a rumor, what’s wrong with retweeting it? Why
should journalists be held to a higher standard?
Chapter 4
1. Some say that profits and good journalism are constantly in conflict. Do you agree? Can they co-exist
2. Are media businesses owned by families more immune to market pressures than publically owned
3. How do you react to advertising on websites you visit? Do you find it an annoyance? Would you
rather pay directly for the content or endure increasingly intrusive online advertising? Will the
4. In a digital delivery environment, executives can easily track where audiences go for information and
how long they stay there. Is this good or bad for the media business? For journalism? Can it be good for
both?
Chapter 5
1. In recent years, we’ve been exposed to news reports of publications cutting back circulation and
production days, journalists being laid off and sharp cuts in media operations. Why might news about
2. What are the risks to the role journalism plays in democracy when news organizations eliminate
reporters devoted to investigative journalism? Can this role truly be filled by other journalists as they
3. What do you do when you encounter a paywall (or even a registration requirement) when you click
into a site you’ve been referred to on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or e-mail to read a story? Will you
4. Go to http://features.journalism.org/nonprofit-news-outlets/ and find the community nearest to you
with a site – or just one that interests you. What content is covered? What is the quality of the writing
5. In what ways might general news organizations, which have been aiming to serve large audiences for
many years, work to build smaller but more deeply engaged audiences? Should core products be divided
and given their own identity?
Chapter 6
1. Why did The New York Times take such effort, give so much space in its paper and give so much
attention to unraveling the lies and plagiarism committed by Jayson Blair? How and why was the
2. Tragic, dramatic events like the Isla Vista mass shooting attract reporters from across the nation,
sometimes even the world. What do the protests in Isla Vista tell us about the kind of ethical issues that
3. How are ethical challenges journalists face in their daily work similar to those faced by average
citizens in daily life? How are they different? Couldn’t journalists use their innate sense of right and
4. Doing good journalistic work often means that a journalist contributes to causing some sort of harm.
Many cases involve weighing competing harms. Does that mean journalism is an inherently unethical
5. How much of a role should potential consequences play in your final decision making? Immanuel Kant
would argue they should play no role at all. Utilitarian thinking would suggest they should be at the
6. Ethical decision-making is – or ought to be – a collaborative process involving discussion with
colleagues and stakeholders so that many voices and perspectives can be considered. What, if any,
potential disadvantages are there to a collaborative decision-making process? Should the final decisions
rest with one person at the top of the organization?
Chapter 7
1. What impact do you think the context in which the American press operated under British rule had on
2. Think about criticisms leveled against President Barack Obama (or earlier, against President George
W. Bush) on social networks, blogs, talk shows and other platforms. Think of the worst of these that you
3. About half of those responding to a First Amendment Center/American Journalism Review survey said
5. We read regularly reports of celebrities and politicians engaged in extra-marital affairs. The lines
Chapter 8
1. Wikileaks became famous before Edward Snowden for obtaining and posting to the Internet a large
set of top-secret documents. The person who leaked those documents, former Army private Chelsea
Manning, was sentenced to a 35-year prison term for violating the Espionage Act, the longest prison
2. FOX News’ slogan is “Fair and Balanced.” Is it really possible for journalists to be completely fair AND
balanced? Can you think of times where balance doesn’t equal fairness in reporting of a story?
3. Do you agree with James Risen and Dan Gillmor that journalists ought to be activists when it comes to
press freedom? What might that activism look like? What, if any, limits on that activism should there
be?
5. What do you think is the future of American journalism? Are you optimistic that journalism can
continue to perform a vital role in U.S. democracy? What challenges do you think are ahead? What