Mixed Media: Moral Distinctions in Advertising, Public Relations, and Journalism

Mixed Media offers students of journalism, advertising, and public relations the tools for making ethical and moral decisions within their professional disciplines.

The fourth edition of this popular text features more recent ethical theories that acknowledge and address intersectionality within the communicative landscape, including issues of gender, race, ability, and age. The author also takes into account today’s rapidly expanding technology, touching on subjects such as free speech, censorship, cancel culture, and misinformation, and considers how each of these is affected by online and social media. Other updates to the text include expanded coverage of citizen journalism, the increasing media use of artificial intelligence and virtual reality, power in communicative structures, and public interest, as well as refreshed examples throughout. As in previous editions of the book, special attention is paid to key ethical decision-making approaches and concerns in each media industry, including but not limited to truth telling, constituent obligations, persuasion versus advocacy, and respect for the consumers of public communication.

Mixed Media is key reading for students of all branches of Media and Communication Ethics.

The author’s own website, featuring lecture notes, case studies and links to further reading, can be accessed at www.j397mediaethics.weebly.com.

Tom Bivins is the John L. Hulteng Chair in Media Ethics and the head of the Graduate Certificate Program in Communication Ethics in the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon, USA.