The Moral Justification for Journalism
Sandra L. Borden · 2010
Abstract The chapter proceeds in four parts. The first section addresses the liberal assumptions of the First Amendment and how these contribute to moral minimalism in journalism. The second section discusses various conceptions of citizenship and relates these to a communitarian framework for understanding civic participation. The third section explains how journalism can contribute to the common good by exercising and promoting epistemic responsibility. The fourth section discusses the implications of this argument for what counts as excellent news, which journalists are responsible for offering to citizens to aid their flourishing.