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EMS30 – NEWS AND BIAS UNIT . MR. RICHARDS . How does this quote apply to news media?. “It is the responsibility of intellectuals to speak the truth and expose lies” – Naom Chomsky . Where do most people in Toronto get their news?. TV Radio Print (papers, magazines) Social Media
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EMS30 – NEWS AND BIAS UNIT MR. RICHARDS
How does this quote apply to news media? • “It is the responsibility of intellectuals to speak the truth and expose lies” – Naom Chomsky
Where do most people in Toronto get their news? • TV • Radio • Print (papers, magazines) • Social Media • Other?
Who decides what is “news worthy” and what isn’t? • News companies and conglomerates must tip-toe on a very thin rope • On either side of that rope is: • Journalistic integrity (the public has a right to know the ‘truth’) • Commercial implications (advertisers, investors and the public all have different interests and want to see certain things get published, and want to also see specific omissions)
What is news? • Today we live in a world that is staggeringly over-run with information • Therefore, not everything that happens is ‘newsworthy’ • Journalists and their bosses must decide what to cover and what to ignore • In general, there are about seven criteria that make an event newsworthy. They are…
1. Important People • “Lead Singer Injured In Freak Accident” • Celebrities such as movie and pop stars, politicians, and world leaders make good news simply because of who they are • With the explosion of reality TV and social media, this phenomenon is more true now than ever before
2. Concerns A Specific Audience • “Ontario Students Protest Bill 115” • An event might concern an entire city, province, country or several nations • Headlines such as the one above concern a specific group of people • Would a mother with two teenagers react the same in Alberta as a mother in Ontario?
3. Has Wide Appeal • “President Barack Obama Elected For Second Term” • This news is interesting to the entire world • The US is a global powerhouse and has either friendly or strained ties with most of the world’s countries • They’re all interested to know how this new president will affect them
4. Human Interest/Drama • “4 year-old Boy Survives Heart Surgery” • People like stories about other ordinary people in challenging or heartbreaking circumstances • These stories are interesting because they enable us to imagine how we would feel if such an event happened to us
5. Bad News (If it bleeds… it leads) • “60 Dead In Russian Train Accident” • War, flood, famine, earthquakes and other disasters are emotional events and as a result, the audience is drawn to them
6. Unusual Events • “Monkey Wearing Fur Jacket Shows Up At Toronto Ikea” • An event that’s out of the ordinary, whether it’s funny, tragic or just plain weird is interesting to the public
7. Uniqueness • “First Man Jumps From Stratosphere” • When a story concerns something that is unique or a “first”, such as a world record in sports being broken, it almost always makes the news • These stories challenge the audience’s imagination and can excite a sense of pride in human achievement
Class Activity / Blog Entry • In partners, have a look at some of the papers provided in class • Find an interesting article on a polarizing (has two very distinct sides) issue and answer the questions below: • 1. Under what criteria does this news story fall? • 2. Who does the story affect? Why is it “newsworthy”? • 3. Whose voice is “silenced”? Which side is not being presented? How many perspectives are being published? • 4. How has this article impacted your view on the issue? What type of effect did the article have on you?
Presentation • Present your findings to the class on Thursday • / 5 depth/clarity/preparedness • / 5 voice, presentation technique
Blog Entry #1 for January 2013 • 1. Find an alternate news source on the issue (social media, video broadcast or radio) and post the link to your blog • 2. Explain how this alternate perspective differs from your first article • 3. Where do you stand, personally on the issue after reading the two perspectives? Which one to you is more credible and why?