Media Ethics

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the key issues in contemporary media ethics, using their own experiences from their home countries. Students will learn relevant media theory that they can apply to understand ethically problematic phenomena and engage in discussions about these issues in an online seminar format, based on their essays.

In the seminars, we follow the principles of a safe space, meaning no opinions, experiences, or feelings are excluded as long as they are expressed respectfully. We encourage expressing personal positions without attacking others, even if they have different views or worldviews. The seminar promotes diversity and a wide range of perspectives on ethical issues, from conservative to liberal. The goal is to foster productive discussions and develop well-reasoned arguments based on theory.

All the seminars are on-line and you can enter the class-room here: https://www.tinyurl.com/konzumotal-zoom.
The reading assigments are available here.

Schedule

Jan Motal teaches media and applied ethics at the Department of Communication at the Cyril and Methodius Theological Faculty of Palacký University in Olomouc. His home institution is the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University, where he leads the Center for Media Ethics and Dialogue. He is active in various professional organizations, serves as a member of the expert panel of the Independent Journalism Foundation, and is on the editorial board of Deník N. He co-organizes the conference on documentary ethics within the MFDF Jihlava. He regularly publishes in the media, such as in Deník Alarm, Deník Referendum, and others. He is a member of the art group Dílo. In 2024, his book Radical Theology was published. Contact: honza.motal@gmail.com