Unit 3 Exam Prep

Question 1

Criteria of newsworthiness

Answer 1

• How close it is
  o Geography and psychology
• Impact/consequences
• Timeliness
• Human interest
• Prominence/personality
• Novelty
• Conflict

Question 2

Routines of production—how news organizations organize work / report news

Answer 2

• Use of “beats”: to assign journalists to gather news in the places where events routinely happen that Fit the Criteria of Newsworthiness

Question 3

“Rationalize” news gathering: to use human and financial resources efficiently
(i.e. cost effective)

Answer 3

• When they talk about the routines of production, they are trying to rationalize production
• To gather news in the most cost-effective way (effective use of human and financial resources)

Question 4

purpose of journalism?

Answer 4

• To provide citizens with the info they need to make the best possible decisions about their lives, their communities and societies, and their governments

Question 5

journalisms first obligation is to the truth

Answer 5

a. Journalism should be as transparent as possible about sources and methods so audiences can make their own assessments

Question 6

loyalty to citizens

Answer 6

put public interest above their own self-interest

Question 7

discipline of verification

Answer 7

multiple sources, transparent approach to evidence

Question 8

keep news proportional

Answer 8

don’t inflate one story above the others

Question 9

citizens have rights when it comes to news

Answer 9

provide citizens with the tools to find info for themselves

Question 10

meaning of objectivity

Answer 10

the method is objective

Question 11

Framing?

Answer 11

• A photographer has to choose what they take a picture of—in journalism, you cant capture everything that is happening in the story—you have to pick and choose (only a problem when there is a consistent pattern

Question 12

framing of content

Answer 12

o journalists decide what elements to include within the “frame” and which elements to exclude

Question 13

initial audience migration to the internet

Answer 13

2008 financial crisis led to advertising revenue decline, in 2020 dropped even more

Question 14

print journalism vs. online journalism

Answer 14

print: limited space for ads = higher charge for ads

online: unlimited space=not able to charge as much for ads

Question 15

news aggregators (Google or Facebook)

Answer 15

compiling news from other sources without compensation

Question 16

quality measured by engagement

Answer 16

o Must please advertisers or can’t do quality journalism for the citizen
o Because we need advertising revenue—quality is defined as ENGAGEMENT

Question 17

news deserts

Answer 17

whole areas of the country where there is no news outlet
o a place where there is limited access to the type of critical news and information that one needs in order to make informed decisions

Question 18

ghost newspapers

Answer 18

there is no reporter at the St. Cloud times, but the paper still comes out. The reporter that puts it out lives in Michigan.
o Looks like the same organization when it was fully staffed, but reduction of staff means no one is there to report

Question 19

passive news gathering increase

Answer 19

let the news come to you through press releases

Question 20

junk journalism

Answer 20

motive to cover news that attracts attention to increase profits (neither significant or relevant) as opposed to the kind of news we “need” to govern ourselves

Question 21

how to be news literate

Answer 21

• PULL news to you, don’t settle for pushed content
• Stuck in an algorithm? Search for the opposite of something to mess it up
• Seek national and international views of same topic
• Seek quality news from Mainstream AND alternative/ethic organizations
• Seek out HIGH QUALITY news organizations who practice the principles outlined in Journalism Essentials, but acknowledge they frame stories from very different political perspectives

Question 22

Why don’t newsroom diversity initiatives work? Blame journalism culture.

Answer 22

Efforts to diversify newsrooms fail because people focus on filling a quota versus fixing the deeper cultural bias
* We need to change the perspective news organizations, which have been dominated by white views

Question 23

Stoica: Newsrooms Are Not Racist But

Answer 23

• Focused on British journalism, non-white journalists feel excluded and not truly welcome at their place of work
• Diversity initiatives have to go beyond hiring and focus on creating a culture of equity and support

Question 24

overcoming systemic racism article

Answer 24

calls for transparency and accountability

Question 25

too many white people are racially illiterate

Answer 25

whites have to recognize their complicity in these systems

Question 26

off-label article

Answer 26

social media sites try to moderate offensive content, become inconsistent

Question 27

Measuring the Local News Landscape-Penny Abernathy

Answer 27

* Penny Abernathy calling attention to economic crisis facing local news outlets * Research shows news organizations are going away, loss of reporters, loss of news stories due to loss of staff * When getting news digitally, it might not be concerning your area * Often happening in poorer, rural communities without good access to internet access * In Minnesota, subsidies trying to build out access to internet

Question 28

When Information Meets Scarcity- a Q & A with Kiera Butler

Answer 28

* “if our society were better able to address human needs—people wouldn’t be so susceptible to bad information” * “Its not enough to meet people info needs, if their other basic human needs aren’t also being met”