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Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Journalism and Media Ethics Resources

The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics offers articles, case studies, videos, and other resources on ethics for journalists and others in the media field.

Hands typing on a computer keyboard

While the usual festivities and celebration surrounding the annual Academy Awards, otherwise known as the Oscars, commenced on the silver screen, perhaps what has emerged to be an awakening for Hollywood was gaining traction behind the scenes.


Prototype of Source Diversity Dashboard Charts Examples for journalists and media. The Source Diversity plugin displays monthly DEI annotated data for all the articles from the news site or a given author. The display includes top-quoted persons as well.
Journalism Source Diversity Dashboard and Monitor

A new application helps journalists track the diversity of the expert quotes used in article drafts, providing real-time updates and helping reporters ensue equitable representation of the communities they cover.

Hollywood letters on a hill
Ethical Casting in a Racially Realized Hollywood: A Framework 

While the usual festivities and celebration surrounding the annual Academy Awards, otherwise known as the Oscars, commenced on the silver screen, perhaps what has emerged to be an awakening for Hollywood was gaining traction behind the scenes.

Collage showing reporters and journalists conducting interviews.
How Might Political Journalists Hold Leaders Accountable to Their Moral Values?

Why do people disagree so passionately about what is right and how can journalists unpack political speech and reframe their questions to get past those disagreements?

Sculpture of Lady Justice holding a sword and unbalanced scales
Applying Moral Foundations Theory to Journalistic Interviewing

Why do people disagree so passionately about what is right and how can journalists unpack political speech and reframe their questions to get past those disagreements?

Image of journalists at their desks in a newsroom

A set of videos and articles appropriate for training and college courses come out of the Center's annual Executive Roundtable on Digital Journalism Ethics.


Male journalist in a suit and tie, holding a microphone while he speaks

Links provide access to media codes of ethics and other resources for journalists.


Glasses with grey frames on top of a notebook

Reporters, editors, media organizations, and the general public can find resources on news curation, news literacy, data visualization, inclusion and other issues in media ethics.


Image of a man wearing a leather briefcase and holding a book.

What online photos can be borrow without violating copyright? Should newspapers publish the names of the victims of sexual assault? What can reporters do about headlines that over-hype their stories? 


Young woman in black shirt interviewing a peer

Is it ethical for a student journalist to cover a friend’s organization? If the university asks for a story to be removed or changed, is a university (student-run) newspaper editor obligated to comply? If students who are sources for a story wish to remain anonymous, should a student journalist still use their quotes?


Don Heider and Michael Isip in Conversation on Ethics of News in the Age of Disinformation

Leaders in the field of digital journalism talk about the ethical issues in their field, including journalism's mission in the public square and whether technological approaches can solve ethical dilemmas.