Fabricating.

As we wind down our discussion on media law and you start thinking about writing your own stories in the next couple of weeks, it's important that we also focus on media ethics. We all know lying is "bad" and journalists need to seek the truth.

It's the whole point of journalism. Find the truth, and tell the public. Whistle blow. Be a watchdog.

You learned about Stephen Glass and how he fabricated 27 of 41 stories he wrote before ending his career as a journalist. And you listened to the This American Life episode "Retraction," which focuses on a more recent incident of fabricating stories. (If you were absent from class that day for mono, a broken ankle or knee surgery -- good grief, kids --- listen here or read here.)

Your blogging assignment for this week is to respond to those stories. Consider these questions:

• Why did Glass (Stephen not Ira -- they aren't related) and Daisey lie? 
• How did that turn out for them?
• What happens to the publication that prints or airs those fabricated stories?
• If you had read or listened to those stories on your own, how would you feel to find out they lied to you?
• Should you believe anything these "journalists" say?
• How can you avoid doing that with your own writing?