I loved this class, and I could not recommend it enough. Professor Newton is an extremely engaging lecturer, not to mentioned a master of his craft (he previously worked as a journalist for the LA Times and it was awesome to hear about his experience). I took this class as a requirement for the comm major, and it was my first upper div - and Newton really made sure that all students were eased into the class and came out the other end well-informed about the ethical deliberations involving journalism. The content is also extremely interesting and applicable. The midterm and final exams are each five in-essay questions about content we have covered in the class - very straightforward and not meant to trick you. The only downside is that it is difficult to miss class, because Newton does not use nor publish slides and you kind of have to take notes in the moment as he makes points. But loved this class so much and Newton was such a kind and understanding professor.

Take. This. Class.

Newton is one of the kindest professors I've ever come across. He is a super intelligent journalist who worked for the LA Times. He doesn't use any slides, but his lectures are so engaging that my attention never strayed. His style mainly focuses on a journalistic theme and then he goes through various examples of that theme. He does grade on participation and will often ask the students' thoughts and opinions on the ethical situations. He is very open about his political preference, but he is super fair minded if you have a different opinion or approach.
The only drawback of this course is that the grade is made up completely of your midterm and final, and then 10% based on participation. Obviously, this means the class has a super light workload, which is nice. However, that means that it can be easy to mess up your grade based on the midterm and final alone. The format of the exams is that he will provide 9 question prompts and you choose 5 to answer with short essay responses. The questions weren't difficult and mostly graded on your ability to logically defend your position and use examples and principles discussed in class. The only part I struggled with was the time limit. You have a little bit more than class time to finish the exam and I always was rushed at the end. But take really good notes on the examples and main concepts discussed and you should be fine.

100% recommend the class. The class functioned in person, however the midterm and final were online and consisted of short answer responses. Overall, professor newton is extremely flexible and understanding and the course content on journalism was truly enjoyable. Easy A class and I felt like I learned alot.

Professor Newton's class was exceptional! This course examines issues in journalistic ethics and their impact on society at large. He covers a number of topics in journalism from using anonymous sources, defamation, conflicts of interest, and the business of journalism. This is a low stakes course, meaning there is minimal reading and the lecture material is pretty straight forward. This course was a balance during the fall quarter when I took four classes. If you're taking four classes or a south campus student who needs an elective, and that needs to balance out your schedule, take this class! However don't pass if off to not show up to class or to disregard the readings. Professor Newton is an exceptional professor and he will probably be one of those professors you will remember well after you leave UCLA. Your grade is made of two exams: midterm and final, both worth 45%. The exams consist of short essay answers about topics covered in lecture or the readings. The other 10% of your grade is attributed to participation. And the participation was not like other classes where you're regurgitate what the instructor says. The class engaged into some really deep discussions about a variety of issues that we deal with in society, politics, and ethics. For me, the discussions gave the course substance and brought back an element we are missing during the absents of in-class meetings during Covid-19. Rather you are seeking a future in journalism or not, this class will help you to develop a critical lens in how to interpret ethical journalism in todays news.