MEDIA ETHICS DIVISION CALL FOR PAPERS

The Media Ethics Division welcomes faculty and graduate student research paper submissions on all topics related to media ethics. The Division’s work spans many scholarly and professional boundaries, and the papers it selects reflect that diversity. The Division encourages submission of all media ethics-related research regardless of its overall orientation (theoretical, philosophical, methodological, pedagogical, and practical) or professional context (journalism, advertising, public relations). Authors using interdisciplinary methods are enthusiastically encouraged to submit. All submissions will be evaluated in the paper competition for top paper status. Papers should be in APA format, no more than 25 pages of text in length, and must conform to all requirements in the AEJMC Uniform Call for Papers. Manuscripts uploaded with author-identifying markers (e.g., title page, running head) will be disqualified.
 
Special Call: This year the Division is holding a special call for papers addressing the theme: “Is ethical theory still relevant today?” Modern communication and the digital age have made mass communicaiton instantaneous; bloggers regularly break stories, regardless of their level of journalistic training and standards, and target publics in public relations and advertising are increasingly segmented and often divisive. Is ethical theory still applicable in such a rapidly changing context? How do journalists and organizations weigh their competing responsibilities? Can moral philosophy still be applied in an ever-changing media landscape? How should we relate ethical theory to the professions? Papers addressing these questions and themes related to ethical theory in a modern communication context will be given top priority in acceptance and conference planning. Top ranked papers addressing the special theme will be recognized, and authors will present in a special convention session. Authors should mark title page “Ethical Theory Relevance Theme.”

Carol Burnett Award: The Media Ethics Division teams with the University of Hawaii and the Carol Burnett Fund for Responsible Journalism to sponsor a special paper competition for graduate students. Graduate students are invited to submit papers on any topic related to media ethics. The winning paper will receive the Carol Burnett/University of Hawaii/AEJMC Prize of a $350 cash award. The runner-up will receive a $150 cash award. Authors of the top two submissions will receive a small travel assistance stipend and must present their research at the convention in Boston. The winner and runner-up agree to be present to accept the award at the KTA Awards Luncheon. Burnett competition papers MUST be marked “Burnett Competition” on the title page. Students wishing to have their papers considered for both the Burnett Competition and the special paper call on ethical theory should mark their title page with both, i.e. “Burnett Award and Ethical Theory Relevance Theme.”

Professional Relevance Award: Special recognition will be given to the paper that is judged to be most relevant to working professionals. The recipient will be selected from the general paper competition. Authors can mark the title page “Professional Relevance” for best consideration.

Top Faculty Paper: Special recognition will be given to the top faculty paper judged to be the highest rated paper from faculty authors. The recipient will be selected from the general paper competition. At least one author of any top paper must be available to present at the convention.
 
Questions should be addressed to the Research Chair: Shannon A. Bowen at sbowen@syr.edu or office phone 315-443-5331.
 

Celebrate the Career of Cliff Christians at AEJMC

At 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4, media ethics scholars will gather for a sumptuous dinner to celebrate the career of Clifford G. Christians, who is ending his 35th year as a faculty member at the University of Illinois’ Institute of Communications Research.  The celebration at Legal Seafood, located at the Prudential Center beside AEJMC’s convention site, the Sheraton Boston Hotel, follows Tuesday’s preconvention workshops.  AEJMC’s annual convention begins the following morning.

Christians won the AEJMC Presidential Award for distinguished service to journalism and mass communication education in 2003 and AEJMC's Paul J. Deutschmann Award for Excellence in Research the following year.  He has published a dozen books, including Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning, now in its eighth edition, and the recent Handbook of Mass Media Ethics.  More books are in various stages of development.

Joining the celebration simply requires mailing a check for $85 to John Ferré, Department of Communication, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292.  (Send inquiries to him at ferre@louisville.edu.)  The private room at Legal Seafood serves up to 50 people, so the first 50 paid reservations will be assured a place.  When sending your $85 check, please (1) include your e-mail address, so that Ferré can return an electronic confirmation/receipt and (2) specify your choice of entrée from the following set menu:

First Course
New England Clam Chowder

Second Course
Classic Caesar Salad

Entrée (served with rice pilaf and seasonal vegetable)
Legal’s Signature Crab Cake Dinner
Wood Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon
Wood Grilled 8 oz Filet Mignon
1.25lb Steamed Lobster 

Dessert
Triple Chocolate Layer Cake

Beverages
Fountain drinks, iced tea, lemonade, coffee
People can buy alcoholic drinks from the restaurant’s bar and bring them into the private room.

If you would like to give a tribute to Cliff at the dinner, please contact Lee Wilkins at wilkinsl@missouri.edu.  Wilkins will be the evening’s master of ceremonies.

Pre-Convention Teaching Ethics Workshop

This year's AEJMC Pre-Convention Teaching Ethics Workshop will focus on International Media Ethics and effective application of theory in ethics courses, along with honoring retiring ethics professor Clifford Christians. The workshop will be in Boston on Tuesday, Aug. 4.

Dr. Christians is the Director of the University of Illinois Institute of Communications Research and throughout his career he has lectured in more than 20 countries around the globe. He will provide the program’s keynote discussing the international theoretical perspectives underlying mass media. Lee Wilkins, editor of the Journal of Mass Media Ethics, will explore ways in which professors might engage students in an international media ethics exchange. The remainder of the program will focus on ways that faculty members can teach specific philosophers and theorists from a global perspective, with special emphasis being given to discussing Confucius, Freire, Aristotle, Locke, Levinas, Bok, Kant and Mill.

This is the 25th year of media ethics teaching workshops, which University of Missouri Professor Emeritus Edmund Lambeth launched at the University of Kentucky in 1984.

As with workshops in previous years, time will be devoted to discussion among and between presenters and workshop attendees. Accordingly, participants are asked to plan to attend the entire 12:30-6:00 p.m. workshop.

The workshop fee, which includes drinks and snacks, is $50 for faculty and media professionals and $40 for graduate students.

Space is limited to the first 30 registrants. You may register for the pre-convention program with your convention registration or contact the AEJMC convention headquarters at (803) 798-0271. For additional information on the workshop contact William Babcock at wbabcock49@gmail.com or Virginia Whitehouse at gwhitehouse@whitworth.edu.

Workshop program:

· 12:30-12:45 Welcome & Introduction  (William Babcock)

· 12:45-1:30 Theoretical perspectives underlying international media ethics (Clifford Christians)

· 1:30-2:00 Engaging students in an international media ethics discussion  (Lee Wilkins)

· 2:00-2:15 Break, drinks & snacks.

· 2:15-2:45 Combining theorists: Confucius, Freire and ethical roles  (Virginia Whitehouse)

· 2:45-3:15 Aristotle (Lee Ann Peck)

· 3:15-3:45 Locke (Patrick Plaisance)

· 3:45-4:00 Break, drinks & snacks

· 4:00 – 4:30 Levinas (Maggie Patterson)

· 4:30- 5:00 Bok (Deni Elliott)

· 5:00 – 5:30 Combining theorists: Kant, Mill & Friends in the control room (William Babcock)

· 5:30-6:00 Wrap-up (Virginia Whitehouse)