The journalistic principle of serving the public interest has been understood as serving one's own public, social class or nation. With the global reach of media, journalism's public becomes the citizens of the world. How are ethical principles of objectivity, balance and independence understood in a global context? How can journalism help citizens understand local, national, and global problems such as poverty, environmental degradation, technological inequalities and political instability? Students examine Canadian and international media, evaluate the news process, consider the role of reporters in this process, and learn basic news writing.