what is news?
DESCRIPTION
An overview of what journalists do and why they do it.TRANSCRIPT
What is news?
An overview of what journalists do and why they do it
Definitions of news
• Timeliness
Definitions of news
• Timeliness• Impact
Definitions of news
• Timeliness• Impact• Proximity
Definitions of news
• Timeliness• Impact• Proximity• Controversy
Definitions of news
• Timeliness• Impact• Proximity• Controversy• Prominence
Definitions of news
• Timeliness• Impact• Proximity• Controversy• Prominence• Currency
Definitions of news
• Timeliness• Impact• Proximity• Controversy• Prominence• Currency• Oddity
Two broad types of news
• Hard news
Two broad types of news
• Hard news– War
Two broad types of news
• Hard news– War– Natural disaster
Two broad types of news
• Hard news– War– Natural disaster– Politics
Two broad types of news
• Hard news– War– Natural disaster– Politics– Economics
Two broad types of news
• Hard news– War– Natural disaster– Politics– Economics– Crime
Two broad types of news
• Hard news• Soft news– Celebrities
Two broad types of news
• Hard news• Soft news– Celebrities– Arts and
entertainment
Two broad types of news
• Hard news• Soft news– Celebrities– Arts and
entertainment– Human interest
Two broad types of news
• Hard news• Soft news– Celebrities– Arts and
entertainment– Human interest– Sports
Two broad types of news
• Hard news• Soft news– Celebrities– Arts and
entertainment– Human interest– Sports– Lifestyle
Sources of news
• External events
Sources of news
• External events– Disasters
Sources of news
• External events– Disasters– Accidents
Sources of news
• External events– Disasters– Accidents– War
Sources of news
• External events• Planned activities
Sources of news
• External events• Planned activities– Meetings
Sources of news
• External events• Planned activities– Meetings– News conferences
Sources of news
• External events• Planned activities– Meetings– News conferences– Demonstrations
Sources of news
• External events• Planned activities• Enterprise– Public records
Sources of news
• External events• Planned activities• Enterprise– Public records– Tips from sources
Sources of news
• External events• Planned activities• Enterprise– Public records– Tips from sources– Connecting the dots
Fairness and neutrality
• A journalist must strive to be independent
Fairness and neutrality
• A journalist must strive to be independent• The rise of objectivity
Fairness and neutrality
• A journalist must strive to be independent• The rise of objectivity• The problem of “balance”
Fairness and neutrality
• A journalist must strive to be independent• The rise of objectivity• The problem of “balance”• Opinion journalism
Fairness and neutrality
• A journalist must strive to be independent• The rise of objectivity• The problem of “balance”• Opinion journalism– First obligation is to readers/viewers/listeners
Fairness and neutrality
• A journalist must strive to be independent• The rise of objectivity• The problem of “balance”• Opinion journalism– First obligation is to readers/viewers/listeners– Opinionated but not partisan
Elements of a news story
Elements of a news story
• Who?
Elements of a news story
• Who?• What?
Elements of a news story
• Who?• What?• Where?
Elements of a news story
• Who?• What?• Where?• When?
Elements of a news story
• Who?• What?• Where?• When?• Why?
Elements of a news story
• Who?• What?• Where?• When?• Why?• How?
What is journalism for?
• “The primary purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with the information they need to be free and self-governing”
– Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
What is journalism for?
• “The primary purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with the information they need to be free and self-governing”
– Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
• Why such a high-minded definition?
First Amendment
• “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.”
First Amendment
• “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.”
• Does this suggest a social obligation on the part of the press?
First Amendment
• “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.”
• Does this suggest a social obligation on the part of the press?
• Can that obligation be enforced by the government?
First Amendment
• “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.”
• Does this suggest a social obligation on the part of the press?
• Can that obligation be enforced by the government?
• Is the press the only entity that can exercise that First Amendment responsibility?
Journalism as a profession
• Does the First Amendment allow for journalism to be considered a profession?
Journalism as a profession
• Does the First Amendment allow for journalism to be considered a profession?
• Does the First Amendment offer special protections for journalists?
Journalism as a profession
• Does the First Amendment allow for journalism to be considered a profession?
• Does the First Amendment offer special protections for journalists?
• Do the media have common elements?
Journalism as a profession
• Does the First Amendment allow for journalism to be considered a profession?
• Does the First Amendment offer special protections for journalists?
• Do the media have common elements?• Can wrongdoers be sanctioned?
Jack Kelley
• Foreign reporter for USA Today
• Fabricated details of war reportage
• Lost his job and is out of journalism
Mike Barnicle
• Columnist forThe Boston Globe
• Survived repeated instances of plagiarism and fabrication
• Lost job, but remains in journalism
Credit
• Much of this presentation is based on an essay by Deborah Potter titled “What Is News?”