Media Ethics: Coverage of Political Terrorism

Four students from Howard Good’s fall 2010 Media Ethics course explore the media’s responsibility in covering political terrorism. This video examines various accounts of book-burnings throughout history and how they have affected the world, with a focus on Pastor Terry Jones’ recent “Burn a Quran Day” mission. It suggests the overpowering role underlying agendas have in the media, and the potential harm they pose in society. The students refer to the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics to examine the role of the media in the public’s extreme reactions to current events.