COM 110 - Role of Media in a Democracy

Four examples of investigative or watchdog journalism:

• Read the following Pulitzer Prize articles to give you an idea of the importance of investigative journalism.
  • Read this article on mentally ill and
  • this article on the widow-maker airplane and
  • this article on the Food and Drug Administration's approval of prescription drugs
  • When reading these stories notice the effort involved in uncovering the facts and providing context. Also note the service that journalists provide to the public as well as the need to hold government agencies and corporations accountable.
  • In addition, in 2004 Seymour Hersh reported in The New Yorker on the prisoner abuse and torture committed by U.S. personnel at the Abu Grahib prison in Iraq. Click here for details.

• Then go to the WebCT homepage, click on the "Discussion" link for Week 2, and post your response to this question: Should these stories have been reported? Should it have been reported in a time of war? Should journalists defer to government officials in times of crisis and not jeopardize support for our nation's leaders? Or should reporters be even more vigilant watchdogs during crises and hold public officials accountable for their actions? Every media consumer, and certainly every student preparing for a career in the media, needs to deeply consider the role of the media as it reports on our nation's military and civilian leaders.