Bernard Debatin, Ohio University
Online journalism is a new and growing field with a variety of ethical challenges and conflicts. So far, little research has been done on the ethics of online journalism, and general ethical standards and protocols have not yet been established. The ethical challenges and dilemmas of online journalism are unique–or at least more pronounced, intensified, or amplified–than in other media because of the distinctive media logic of the hybrid medium Internet and its conditions of use. Practical strategies and ethical recommendations for online media professionals will be proposed.
Bernhard Debatin is an Associate Professor at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University, where he also serves as the Director of Tutorial Studies in Journalism. He is co-editor or author of six books and several extended research reports in the areas of media ethics, communication research, online journalism, and philosophy. He has published over 50 articles in scholarly books and journals. Debatin teaches online journalism, media ethics, and other conceptually and theoretically oriented courses on mass communication in the School of Journalism.