Includes bibliographical references (p. [231]-233) and index.

Part I. Locating ethical journalism in the western tradition : Introduction to ethical thinking ; The political case for moral reasoning in journalism ; The philosophical case for moral reasoning in journalism ; The economic case for moral reasoning in journalism ; The principles of ethical journalism ; How to solve moral dilemmas: balancing competing elements -- Part II. Case studies: tough calls from the front lines of contemporary journalism : Objectivity vs. bias : How close is too close when the subject is a little girl? ; Keeping cool when you get a hot quote ; First-person journalism: the challenge of perspective -- Fairness and balance : The hostile interview: what sets real journalism apart from fake news? ; A candidate's past: news, political manipulation, or mere pandering? ; When a journalist balks at talking about journalism in front of the camera ; The graffiti artists: turn 'em in, get the story, or both? -- Conflicts of interest : When your own newspaper is in the news ; Primary authorship: can you lie about your day job? -- Privacy vs. the public's right to know : Private citizens in the courts: when to name names ; Sex in an elevator: legitimate news or sophomoric titillation? ; Suicide: important news or a grotesque invasion of privacy? -- Sensitivity vs. responsibility to inform : Offensive cartoons: inciting anger or inspiring serious debate? ; When journalists put themselves in harm's way ; The grisly war photo: powerful information, but what about taste? -- Verification and attribution : Memogate: the reporting scandal that trumped the real story ; Anonymous sources: from Deep Throat to the Clinton-Lewinski affair ; Anonymity in feedback from the public: how open should forums be? -- Avoid deception : The casting couch: is entrapping a libidinous actor serious news or simply a ratings stunt? ; The exploding truck: it if doesn't have pictures, it's not good TV ; Is it okay to use deception to reveal shady world politics? -- Correction and clarification : The brilliant student with the dark past: how much is relevant in follow-up reports? ; Fact-checking candidates' claims on the busy campaign trail -- Conclusion : What is a journalist?

"Despite the fact that the public's trust in the news media is at historic lows, and despite the fact that hardly a month goes by without another report of unethical behavior by news professionals, journalism professionals and teachers remain dedicated to ethical issues - perhaps more so now than at any other time in history. News companies are developing rigorous codes of conduct; journalists and editors are vigorously reporting on ethical lapses by their peers, and many journalism schools are creating standalone courses in journalism ethics and hiring faculty members who are devoted to ethics research and instruction

This book, which is written primarily for the working (or soon-to-be-working) journalist, serves as an introduction to the underpinnings of journalism ethics, and as a guide for journalists and journalism teachers who are looking for ways to make ethical choices beyond "going with your gut."

Moral Reasoning for Journalists serves the four primary constituencies of journalism ethics: working professionals, journalism students, teachers of journalism, and citizens who are concerned about the morality of the professional news media. Using more than two-dozen actual cases from around the world to examine and apply those principles of ethical journalism, Knowlton and Reader also suggest an easy-to-follow, commonsense approach to making ethical decisions in the newsroom as deadlines loom."--BOOK JACKET