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Learn about the key attributes of objective journalism such as accuracy, fairness, objectivity, and clarity. Discover news values like impact, prominence, and conflict to enhance your reporting skills. Enhance your understanding of what makes news and how to present it effectively.
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Resume & Cover Letter Workshop 25 minutes
The Attributes of Objective Journalism Dr. Kristen Landreville August 27, 2010
Why Do People Consume News? • World and Community Awareness • Depth • Less Entertainment • Nonlinearity • Relevance • Why do YOU read (or not read) newspapers?
What is News? • Class Discussion: • What is news to you? • What is NOT news to you? • What about cable news vs. network news? • What about bloggers vs. journalists? • What about comedic news vs. traditional news?
What is News? • Impact: __________ • The more people affected by an event, the bigger the story will be. • An increase in property tax in a given community will be relevant in THAT community, but not as much in other communities. • Prominence: __________ • Bill Clinton’s sexual affair with a young White House intern
What is News? • Proximity: __________ • Local butcher shop closes after 75 years in business • Columbine shootings: CSU students recount experiences: Former Rams student retells events of Columbine massacre
What is News? • Timeliness: __________ • Examples of stories that need immediate attention: • A fire breaks out at a five-story apartment building • Cowboy football player survives car accident • Examples of stories that are up and coming (e.g., seasonal): • Where to travel for spring break • Great snowboarding or skiing locations around Wyoming
What is News? • Conflict: __________ • Citizens for and against the Mosque near Ground Zero continue to protest • Novelty: __________ • Man ticketed for walking iguana • Go to CNN.com • What is the main story and news values does it reflect?
News Values Accuracy, fairness, objectivity, & clarity
Accuracy • Accuracy is tied with credibility. • Every detail must be correct. • 24-hour news cycle puts stress on accuracy.
Accuracy • Precision also fosters accuracy • Instead of saying a basketball player is “unusually short,” we would state the players height: 5 foot 1 inches. • Or instead of saying, “A boat hit the pier,” we would say, “A tanker (or ferry or barge or whatever) hit the pier causing $500,000 in damage.”
Fairness • From the Washington Post “Deskbook of Style”: • No story is fair if it omits facts or major importance or significance. So fairness includes completeness. • No story is fair if it includes essentially irrelevantinformation at the expense of significant facts. So fairness includes relevance. • No story is fair if it consciously or unconsciously misleads or deceives the reader. So fairness includes honesty – leveling with the reader. • No story is fair if reporters hide their biases or emotions behind such subtly pejorative words as “refused,” “despite,” “admit,” or “claim.” So fairness requires straightforwardness ahead of flashiness. • No story is fair if innocent people are hurt.
Fairness • A story cannot be accurate without being fair • All sides of the story must be presented in a story • Seek out diverse opinions from like-groups as well. • Example: Some Muslims might not want a mosque built by Ground Zero. • Example of Unfair Story: • http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/29/president-says-hes-worried-muslim-rumors/ • Note headline and url name • See the actual survey report at http://people-press.org/
Objectivity • Journalists must arrive at the best obtainable version of the truth • All journalists do have their own biases (beliefs, spirituality, political views, etc), but these biases should not be evident in his or her writing • Draw boundaries if necessary • If you’re a strict vegetarian and think people who eat meat are destroying the planet, then remove yourself from a story about the beef industry.
Objectivity • Language use is a big part of objectivity. • Example: Abortion story • Are the health-care workers called “physicians,” “abortion doctors,” “reproductive health workers,” or “baby killers”? • Are the people outside the clinic with signs called “demonstrators,” “activists” or “protesters”? • One misplaced adjective can ruin objectivity: • Gerald Silver, a politician running for governor, said today… • Gerald Silver, the dynamic politician running for governor, said today…
Clarity • Research and knowledge of the topic are essential. • If you don’t get it, you won’t write it well, and you’re audience won’t get it either. • Stories should: • Be simple and understandable on a middle-school reading level • Explain complex issues or processes with ease • Be complete so that readers should not be left with any questions • Be specific and not assume readers have read all of the previous stories about the subject/event
As a Journalist … • Your basic obligation is to the reader. The next obligation is to the company you’re representing. • Don’t allow your story to be released until you understand everything • Never assume anything • Plan your stories, interviews, etc., but be prepared to make major changes. • Make every word you write count – space is limited.
For Next Time… • Monday: The Basics of Online Journalism • Readings: • Foust: Ch. 1-2 • Briggs: Ch. 1-3
