Short Essays

1. What ethical rules for journalists matter most to you personally and why? Be sure to reference specific rules from the code of ethics. (50 to 100 words) 

The rules that matter most to me are to Act Independently which is based on avoiding conflicts of interest, either real or perceived this also means refusing gifts, favors or advertisers. The idea here in ethical journalism is to advocate to the public.

2. After you read the two Pew Research articles, do you think journalists should go through formal training? Explain your rationale (100 to 150 words). 

The Pew Research studies show that the public largely defines a journalists by their adherence to specific standards these are based on accuracy, transparency, and fairness instead of if they hold a certain degree or credential. I think that having strict formal training would exclude diverse voices, have less traditional media creators as well as also independent commentators who serve extreme public interest roles.

3. What was the primary message or takeaway you got from watching the John Oliver video? (50 to 100 words) 

The takeaways from watching the John Oliver video is that vital investigative reporting requires significant financial resources, yet consumers increasingly expect news to be free. When digital platforms combined content without funding original journalism, local accountability vanishes. To keep democracy and hold powerful institutions accountable, the public and media industry must find sustainable business models that prfioritize deep, factual reporting over clicks and sensationalism.