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Presentation
Presentation
The course unit on Social Responsibility of the Media addresses the ethical, deontological, and legal obligations governing journalism in a rapidly transforming media ecosystem. The emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence - capable of producing content autonomously and at near-zero cost - introduces new challenges: who is accountable for content produced by algorithms? How can sources be verified in an environment of deepfakes? What ethical boundaries should guide the use of AI in newsrooms? Drawing on the intersection of ethics, deontology, and law, the course examines the Journalist's Statute, the Code of Ethics, and the role of the ERC and other regulatory bodies. The simulation of real-world cases and the elaboration of well-grounded deliberations constitute the methodological core of the course, preparing students to practise their profession responsibly in a media environment undergoing accelerated change.
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Class from course
Class from course
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Degree | Semesters | ECTS
Degree | Semesters | ECTS
Bachelor | Semestral | 5
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Year | Nature | Language
Year | Nature | Language
1 | Mandatory | Português
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Code
Code
ULHT24-7043
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Prerequisites and corequisites
Prerequisites and corequisites
Not applicable
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Professional Internship
Professional Internship
Não
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Syllabus
Syllabus
Syllabus Social Responsibility and the Media: traditional vs. digital media; mediatisation; disinformation and the contemporary information ecosystem. Ethics and Communication: normative ethics vs. applied ethics; morality and transparency in the media context. Journalistic Deontology: principles, rules and codes of ethics; self-regulation and regulation. Conflicts of Rights: freedom of expression (Art. 37 of the Constitution); the right to one's image, reputation and honour in the digital age. Media Regulation: ERC, CCPJ, Deontological Council; right of reply; pluralism and diversity. Journalism as a Profession: the Journalist's Statute; professional titles; incompatibilities, duties and sanctions. Internal Regulation Structures: editorial boards, codes of conduct and ethical guidelines in newsrooms. AI and Journalism: authorial responsibility, source verification, deepfakes and the ethical use of AI in newsrooms.
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Objectives
Objectives
By the end of the course unit, students should be able to: Know and apply the laws, ethical and deontological rules governing the practice of journalism in Portugal, including the Journalist's Statute and the Codes of Ethics; Understand the role of media regulation and self-regulation institutions, critically evaluating their functioning; Identify and analyse conflicts of rights in journalistic practice, namely between freedom of expression, the right to one's image, and the public interest; Reflect critically on the impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on journalism: authorial responsibility, source verification, deepfakes, and the ethical use of AI in newsrooms; Produce well-grounded deliberations on real media cases, drawing on legislation, ethics, and sound judgement; Develop autonomy of judgement to practise the profession with civic responsibility and deontological awareness in a rapidly changing media environment.
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Teaching methodologies
Teaching methodologies
Theoretical content is systematically illustrated with real and recent cases drawn from the media and the public sphere, making learning concrete, current, and directly relevant to professional practice. In each class, students are challenged to decide and deliberate on concrete ethical and deontological dilemmas, simulating the controversial decisions they will face throughout their careers - now equipped with the conceptual and normative tools needed to substantiate them. Continuous assessment is ensured through questionnaires and surveys conducted in class, some of which carry direct weight in the final grade, enabling regular and transparent monitoring of each student's progress. To guarantee the authenticity of individual work and counter the uncritical use of Artificial Intelligence, students are regularly assessed orally, both in class and in practical assessments, valuing independent thinking, substantiated argumentation, and autonomous ethical reasoning.
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References
References
CAMPONEZ, Carlos. Deontologia do jornalismo: a autorregulação frustrada dos jornalistas portugueses (1974-2007). Lisboa: Edições Almedina, 2011. CAMPONEZ, C., MIRANDA, J., & FIDALGO, J. (2022). Para uma história crítica das instituições de autorregulação do jornalismo em Portugal. Livros ICNOVA. Obtido de https://colecaoicnova.fcsh.unl.pt/index.php/icnova/article/view/127 FALCÃO, M., FALCÃO, D., & TOMÁS, S. T. (2016). Direito da Comunicação Social: Coletânea de Legislação Fundamental. Edições Sílabo. SIEBERT, F. S., PETERSON, T., & SCHRAMM, W. (1956). Four Theories of the Press: The Authoritarian, Libertarian, Social Responsibility and Soviet Communist Concepts of What the Press Should Be and Do. University of Illinois Press.
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Assessment
Assessment
Descrição dos instrumentos de avaliação (individuais e de grupo) Testes, trabalhos práticos, relatórios, projetos... respetivas datas de entrega/apresentação... e ponderação na nota final.
Exemplo:
Descrição
Data limite
Ponderação
Teste escrito (presencial) dd-mm-yyyy
50%
Trabalho Individual - Uma Deliberação dd-mm-yyyy
25%
Participação oral, questionários em aula e assiduidade 25%
Informações complementares
Trabalho Individual - Uma Deliberação
O estudante assume o papel de membro de um órgão regulador (ERC, CCPJ, Conselho Deontológico ou Conselho de Redação) e elabora uma deliberação fundamentada sobre um caso mediático real e polémico, à luz da legislação, da ética e do bom senso. Extensão: 7.000 a 10.000 caracteres (sem espaços). Formatação: Times New Roman 12, espaçamento 1,5, texto justificado, sem espaço extra entre parágrafos. O recurso à Inteligência Artificial implica desqualificação da UC.Participação e questionários
Os exercícios em aula são realizados via Google Forms ou outras plataformas adequadas. Alguns têm peso direto na nota final . A avaliação oral regular visa garantir a autenticidade do trabalho individual de cada estudante.Arredondamentos
A nota final só é arredondada após a soma de todas as componentes, incluindo o bónus de assiduidade quando aplicável.
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Mobility
Mobility
Yes
