- CBS - First and definitive news documentary on American Television - reported in depth using a narrative tool - tell American audience what was happening in the world - investigative mode of journalism (E R Murrow)

1. storytelling 2. information gathering

Quiz 6 Flashcards by Olivia McKenley

Cause of the decline of newspapers

increased political polarization
lower voter turnout
higher local government expenses

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

pew research center: america gets news

order
25% website/app
social media
cable tv
local tv
network tv
radio
3% print

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

2021 Capitol Insurrection

violence and hatred against the media
- erin shaff violence
- noose made from camera cable
- “murder the media” apparel
confidence in the news is at the local level

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

American journalism evolution

beginning = 1690s boston paper that was banned after one issue for anti-british sentiment

1st amendment (1791)

telegraph + associated press (1846) –> news could travel fast

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

historical foundations of print journalism

penny press (1830) –> shift away from partisan news
- more mass audiences
Centrist

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

centrist

moderate in their politics and advertiser friendly on the business side

Ex: time + Newsweek
William Greider of the Wash Post

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Ethics of Objectivity and Impartiality…how

inverted pyramid
two-sides to every story standard
detached 3rd person writing voice
use of quotes from experts
(Can’t guarantee a lack of bias)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Stories become visual

1950s
John Daly the host of “Whats my line?” game show becomes a news anchor for ABC
- Blurred division between the informational and entertainment

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

“See it Now”

CBS
First and definitive news documentary on American Television
reported in depth using a narrative tool
tell American audience what was happening in the world
investigative mode of journalism (E R Murrow)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Why did TV news gain popularity?

More personal and viewers feel a personal regard for the anchors

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Unique characteristics of tv

viewers often watched news based on what they thing of the anchors
the power of a story is often based on the strength of its visual images

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The loss of traditional gatekeepers

internet emergence led to new organizations
CNN
HuffPost = left
Drudge Report and Fox = right
(non partisan ethic of mainstream journalism)
Buzzfeed, Vox, and Vice –> breaking stylistic conventions and targeting younger audiences
new search engines for information like google, microsoft, tiktok, youtube (citizen journalism)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Citizen Journalism

regular citizens share news/facts with the public without the jurisdiction of a publication
- used by mainstream new organizations to set their agenda

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Information Glut

Neil Postman (1995)
transforms news and information into a form of garbage…experts are piling up mountains of new data which adds to the problems and anxieties of everyday life
- too many channels of communication
- little thoughtful discussion
- unchecked data

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Problems of journalism

information glut
no agreement on a basic set of shared facts (2021 insurrection caused by the false facts of conservative media outlets)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Reuven Frank of NBC’s attributes of news

the attributes of fiction/drama
- rising and falling action
- structure + conflict
- a beginning, middle, and end
- problem and denouement

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

news does both

storytelling
information gathering

what is news?

process of gather information and offering selected frames of reference that help the public make sense of important, unusual events in everyday life

“The Elements of Journalism” by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel

obligation to truth
first loyalty to citizens
discipline of verification
maintain independence
independent monitor of power (watchdog)

How is journalism different?

reported, constructed, and edited by journalists who follow certain professional standards and ideals

dictators who have attacked news media with claims of “fake news”

China
Russia
Serbia
Syria
Hungary
Venezuela

Characteristics of News(worthiness)

prominence
Deviance
novelty
proximity
Conflict
human interest
timeliness
consequence
usefulness

Gwen Ifill

1955-2016
Washington Post, NYT
Politics and City Hall
Dealt with racism
Presidential debate + 1st nationally televised US public affair program

Qualities of a good journalist

1. curiosity 2. persistence 3. thick skin 4. Attention to detail 5. ability to listen 6. Impartiality 7. Critical thinking/skepticism 8. A love of words 9. A student/reader of history 10. Defender of democracy 11. Gallows of humor

Ways to report

1. Direct observation 2. Interviews 3. First-hand information 4. Public records/databases 5. Online searches 6. Academic journals 7. Press conferences/releases 8. Leaks

Interviews

the primary method of insight into a story - requires sufficient preparation and awareness of answers - different types of interviews

tips for interviews

1. identify yourself 2. be transparent with your aims 3. know what you are looking for (neutrally) 4. put your subject at ease 5. save the controversial questions 6. Follow up question: why? 7. paraphrase their points 8. Final questions/anything to add 9. Listen

types of questions

close ended --> short-answer, yes, no, when, where, who? open-ended --> thoughtful conversation, why, how?

Good quotes/soundbites

1. short + punchy 2. illustrate + amplify 3. color + emotion

First Hand information

primary source --> a first hand account - eye witness, personal documents secondary sources --> second-hand accounts (not ideal for news) - newspapers, web, encyclopedias

public records/databases

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) --> allow the public the right to access public records of all federal agencies Accurint + Lexis Nexis

Online searches

Sources: google, court records, obituaries, social media, etc good: .gov bad: .com or .biz --> selling something

Academic journals

engage in a process known as peer review. Experts from certain fields critique studies before publication

Press conferences

calls together reporters to deliver the information they want to be publiciczed - offer journalists the opportunity to ask questions - propaganda related or journalists pummeling figures

On the record

(most transparent) Can quote Can attribute

on the background

can quote cannot attribute --> revised attribution

on the embargo

Can quote Can attribute ONLY after a certain period of time has passed

off the record

Cannot quote Cannot attribute stays confidential + not published

Leaks

the pentagon papers (?)

Anonymous sources

- we do it because the figure could be exposed to potential harm, job loss, or other consequences - must talk to editor before use

questions to ask about anonymous sources?

1. how do they know the information? 2. whats their motive to tell 3. have they proven reliable in the past 4. can we corroborate what they say

Absence of Malice

Film based on the NYT vs Sullivan case that said individuals could only win a defamation suit if they could prove the reports were published with actual malice (disregard of if the info is false)

Dos and Don'ts of reporting

1. identify yourself as a reporter 2. tell the source about the story 3. let source respond to criticism 4. never pay for info 5. new sleep with source 6. confirm on or off the record 7. seek recording permission 8. never provide story before publishing