Last week brought two major shifts in the media landscape: Jon Stewart announced that he would leave The Daily Show, while NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams was suspended for six months following the discovery that he had misled viewers about being in a helicopter hit by a grenade in Iraq. Discuss these events in the context of media ethics and the role of journalists using the resources below.

Video | PBS NewsHour - NBC Suspends Brian Williams; Jon Stewart Signals Departure

PBS NewsHour reports on the decision to suspend Williams as well as Stewart's choice to leave The Daily Show.

Twitter Chat | KQED Do Now - Why is it Important for Journalists to be Truthful?

 

In our monthly collaboration with KQED Do Now, we're asking students to answer the question: Why is it important for journalists to be truthful, and how can journalists gain the public's trust? Ask your classes to respond on Twitter using the hashtag #DoNowEthics .

Text | The New York Times - Brian Williams Suspended From NBC for 6 Months Without Pay

 

This primer explains the events that led up to Williams' suspension.

Text | Pew Research Center - Principles of Journalism

 

The Pew Research Center asked journalists around the country what defines their profession and what goals journalists should aim to accomplish. Here is what they found.

Text | Poynter - Still slip-sliding: Gallup poll ranks journalists low on honesty, ethics

 

Polls have generally shown that the public tends to rank journalists relatively low on honesty and ethical standards. Poynter looks at some of the trends in those rankings as well as some possible reasons.

Text | Poynter - Brian Williams and the culture of ‘I, we and us’

 

Brian Williams' mistake may have been that he reported on himself instead of sticking to the story. Here, Poynter's Al Tompkins looks at the role of first-person reporting and how it played a part in Williams' career.