Speakers Bureau Speaker
John Craft, Phoenix
Dr. John Craft is a Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications at the Walter Cronkite School at Arizona State University. He was director of the graduate program at the Cronkite School for fourteen years, during which time he taught a variety of graduate courses in the public relations sequence, as well as undergraduate broadcast management and production. In addition to his academic career, his professional work includes video production, programming, and management positions in public television at the station level, working as a county school administrator, a stint in cable television franchising, and establishing and managing a video services department for the public relations division of a major hospital chain.
Presentations are suitable for high school as well as adult audiences.
Journalism Ethics
In this presentation, the five pillars (government, religion, education, commerce, and communication) of contemporary U.S. society are examined as a means to pass the ethical and moral values of one generation to the next. The ethical values of our society are traced from the 5th century Greek philosophers, through the writings of Milton and Locke, down to the philosophies that guide the journalist as he/she reports the news. In addition to the brief history and descriptions of philosophical thought, Craft involves the audience in discussions of "right and wrong" current examples in the media. In an era in which surveys indicate that use of the mass media, and trust in the messages that the media is providing, are declining, it is important to discuss the processes that the media use in providing the images and beliefs that we hold about our society.
Mass Media and Society
In our complex and diverse society, most must of us rely on the mass media in order to know and understand events that are happening beyond our immediate environment. But many of us are becoming increasingly distrustful of the images of our world that the media portray for us. This presentation will examine the role that the media is expected to play in our democratic society, and specific incidents of success and failure. Controversial media problems will serve as the fodder for discussion, which happen with some regularity and are well known. For example, the 2004 incident with "CBS News" (which led to Dan Rather’s downfall), or the 2005 incident of Newsweek publishing the Quran story without a named source or second source, might be used to spark discussion.
