1.3 How the media cover a current event or issue

1. 1.3 How the media cover a current event or issue The New Zealand Herald and the coverage of the February 22nd, Christchurch earthquake.

2. Feedback on essay • What did you do well in your essay? • What do you need to do to improve your mark? (read the ‘Criteria’ which is on your feedback sheet). • How will you make these improvements?

3. What you have to do in the exam. Demonstrate understanding [A], in-depth understanding [M] or comprehensive understanding [E] of the media coverage of a current issue or event. • Understanding = • In-depth understanding = • Comprehensive understanding = PAIR AND THEN SHARE – what do these terms actually mean?

4. NZ Herald types of news • Feature articles – an article written by a journalist (on the paper or sources from a news agency – eg NZPA) about a current event. • Editorial – an article written by a journalist on the paper looking at in-depth aspects of a current issue • News article – An article written by a journalist or a member of the public expressing views that aren’t necessarily those of the newspaper • Letter to the editor – A piece written by the editor about a current event or issue in the newspaper • Opinion piece – Letters from the public expressing their opinion about a current event or issue in the paper.

5. Which news values apply to the Christchurch earthquake? • The natural disaster was newsworthy for many reasons. • Pick several of the news values on the next slide, and evaluate the newsworthiness of this event.

6. News Values • Timeliness and exclusivity: news values emphasise what is new. Breaking news attracts ratings • Prominence and personality: the more famous the subject, the more attention it is given. Elite countries and people receive more coverage. • Proximity: news that occurs close to home is more ’important’ and ‘meaningful’ than news in other places. • Pertinence and predictability: how will the news affect the audience? News that fits the media and their audience’s expectations of news is more likely to be covered than news that challenges them. • Simplicity: some news stories are too complex to be told in particular media forms. Audiences expect news to be unambiguous. • Continuity and currency: ongoing news or sporting events encourage the audience to seek the next instalment and are newsworthy because they establish audience loyalty. • Unusualness: the uncommon is more newsworthy than the familiar. When a dog bites a man it is not news, but when a man bites a dog, it is. • Conflict: bad news, good versus evil, debates and fights increase newsworthiness. • Visual impact: are there images or video footage? • Logistics: can the story be sourced in time without blowing the budget? • Promotional value: does the story boost the status of the media outlet?

7. a), describes, with supporting evidence, TWO different aspects of how the media covered the selected current media issue or event. The aspects involved may be: • Aspects could be: • Depth and duration –in how much detail? For how long was this story covered? • Placement – where in the paper.. Eg front pages, A2,3,4 – first section / business section / sport section? • Point-of-view – whose perspective are we reading? Journalist, people involved, business, politician • Style – language and tone

8. a), describes, with supporting evidence, TWO different aspects of how the media covered the selected current media issue or event. The aspects involved may be: Supporting evidence from the NZ Herald could be: • Feature articles • People’s names / accounts / etc • Quotes • Dates / article headlines / pull out quotes • Pictures –caption / name of building/street/person in the picture – describe the photograph • Sections / page numbers / references • Any other reference to TV programmes – One News / Campbell Live / Telethon. Social Media – Facebook pages.

9. (b), explains the impact on society of the media coverage of the particular current issue OR event. • What impact on the rest of NZ / world could the coverage of the earthquake have? • Families overseas find out about the damage through news coverage – web sites • Giving accurate information to the people affected in Christchurch • Economic impact – businesses in the CBD can’t operate – these have been profiled on ONE and TV3 news and in the NZ Herald. • The Budget for NZ has had to be adjusted for the cost of Christchurch’s damage. • Affects people psychologically – depression and post-traumatic stress, on going after shocks – Campbell Live and Close Up • Migration of Cantabrians out of Christchurch and relocations in other parts of NZ

10. Impact on society can be good or bad GOOD • Information about what is happening • Shared sense of compassion and grief • Gravity of the situation is conveyed • Charity and support can be organised BAD • People grieving are put in the public eye • Sensationalises / over-kill / too much

11. Facebook page 29/8/11

12. Telethon article – 29/8/11

14. Moon Man Ring says another big quake coming 5:30 AM Sunday Aug 28, 2011 NZ HERALD The self-described weather expert has warned that another big one will rock the area next month in a recent post on his website. Ring denied he was out to scare people. "I'm sure if people want to be scared, then they won't want to read the website if they identify it as the cause of their fear," he said. People were free to ignore him and "it's up to individual choice what people read" on his website. Ring's predictions have sparked outrage and panic after he claimed to know earthquakes were coming in Christchurch through a study of the moon. Ring was blamed for causing thousands of people to flee the city last time he published his quake predictions. But he denied any complicity in the exodus. "I've never tried to get people to leave Christchurch ... just to stay out of buildings that look a bit suspect." Ring's latest website posts warn against rebuilding Christchurch. Ring claimed he simply provided another weather prediction service like Niwa or the MetService. Despite his predictions causing unease, Ring said he has been misunderstood. "It's complacency I'm trying to fight." By John Weekes