Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 19

This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com).

m). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
nerdy-notes.com
uploaded by user Umarzilla






Class: JRN 101
Lecture/Exam: Full Semester Package
School: SBU
Semester: Fall 2011
Professor: Miller/Sanders


























This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
Lecture 1
Professor: Reiner
Poll almost half believe that the press in the U.S. is just right

What is freedom of the press?
The bill of rights, the 1
st
10 amendments (1
st
amendment - most known) of the constitution bill
of rights

1
st
amendment: memorize it
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people
to peacefully assemble, and to petition the Government for the redress of grievances.

Construed that congress cant, but states can

The Alien and Sedition Acts by John-Adams Sighs Them into Law in 1798
Short term series of laws which expired in 1801 when he left office

1931 The Supreme Courts first great press case- Near v. Minnesota established no prior
restraint.
Different Supreme Court justices had different opinions

**No Prior Restraint**= is censorship in which certain material may not be published or
communicated, rather than not prohibiting publication but making the publisher answerable for
what is made known. Prior restraint prevents the censored material from being heard or
distributed at all; other measures provide sanctions only after the offending material has been
communicated, such as suits for slander or libel. In some countries (e.g., United States,
Argentina) prior restraint is forbidden, subject to certain exceptions, by a constitution.
Prior restraint often takes the form of a legal injunction or government order prohibiting the
publication of a specific document or subject. Sometimes, a government or other party becomes
aware of a forthcoming publication on a particular subject and seeks to prevent it: to halt ongoing
publication and prevent its resumption. These injunctions are considered prior restraint because
potential future publications are stopped in advance.
Freedom of the Press is the right of the press to be wrong 1
st
amendment Attorney Alan
Dershowitz
Defenses:
truth
privilege
fair comment

The Fourth Estate

The Fourth Estate
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.

*The press as Watch dog CBS revealing Abu Ghraib coverage (prison during saddam
hussain era)
The watch dog as its own censor Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961
James Rester famous journalist knew CIA was surreptitiously wanting to overthrow
Castro president told not to and he didnt shows self-censorship

*There are 2 exceptions to the censorship rule:
1) Obscenity
Very hard to prove must be established at local levels varies according to local
community nearly impossible at national level
2) National security
Threat to national security of USA then publish can be stopped
In U.S history, govt NEVER did but has been attempted
The pentagon paper case of Daniel Ellsberg Leaks Secret Defense Documents
Vietnam war withholding info from ppl was unconstitutional, he believed
The Washington post exposed secret CIA prisons
Wikileaks the role of the press in national security secret documents made public

2 case studies speaks to the ongoing issue of how much the press can reveal
Nison Administrations tried to stop the Daniel Ellsberg but failed by Supreme Court
G.W. Bush war on terror 1 way to fish war - by money transfer of funds

Other conflicts
The right to know
The right to know vs. privacy
A free press vs. a fair trial

Lecture 2
The Power of Information
Era much change
Midst of a 2
nd
economic recession
Decisions based on facts or information
Have no bias
Information is power, valuable, and valuable
The more you know, the more empowered you feel

Daniel Pearl

There is a universal need to receive and share information
People Kill
-and risk death-

People kill to keep information; people die to give information
The battle to control information is also universal and changing with technology

The person who beholds the information may be the one who stays in power

CPJ has documented 25 journalists killed in 2011
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
Seven out of ten journalists are murdered, many on the orders of govt officials [few are ever
solved]

Syria is the next place in the Arab world where tumult is there and social media is playing out rly
important

The power of Info: Three Themes

*News does 3 things: alerts us, diverts us, and connects us
Alerts us:
hurricane, we need to be warned and need to collect supplies by news caster
high alert: terrorist activity on 9/11
Diverts us:
Celebrity news magazine. News about something but diverts, takes our mind off
things
Sports news also diverts us
Connects:
Sports both diverts and connects us
9/11 connects us, a tragedy of a certain scale that touches in a certain way; the
commemoration
Earth quake, tsunami, stuck in a mine
Touches us as a member of a community


Why do people kill or risk death over information
Information can prevent mass murder

Most dangerous place to be a journalist: Mexico [drug cartels decide what is news]

Lecture 3
Can you trust the Daily Show to give you the news?

Media: vast topic
News Media: covers journalistic enterprises
Good journalism = news

10-15 years ago, news is much easier and straightforward
Now much complicated

Primary Goals. Categories:

Entertainment:
Something affording pleasure, diversion, or amusement, often a performance of some kind.

Advertising:
Attracting attention by paying to have advertisements placed on billboards, in newspapers and
broadcasts or on websites.

Promotion: A subset: Publicity
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
The measures, process or business of securing public notice. Information designed to enhance
an image. (Portray something in a certain [usually good] light)
Different than advertising. Also does something called spin. (spin room)

Propaganda:
Information, idea or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group,
movement, institution or nation. It is often biased or misleading, in order to promote an ideology
or political point of view. (Most often used by govt)

Raw Information:
Unsupported information



What is News?
Information of some public interest that is shared and subject to journalistic process of
verification, and for which an independent individual or organization is directly accountable.


Verification
Independence
Accountability







What makes news different:

Verification
Process that establishes or confirms the accuracy or truth of something.
Based upon facts and information and sources of information that can be reliable.
Ex: residents drinking dirty water. Source: records of different water companies

Independence
Freedom from the control, influence, or support of interested parties, coupled with a conscious
effort to set aside any preexisting beliefs and a system of checks and balances.
Cant be on the companys payroll
Journalists must not have a relationship (esp monetary) to their subjects
Organization Independence
ABC owned by Disney, so they wont give a bad story about Disney

Accountability
Responsibility to be held responsible of what they publish


HW:
Due By Wednesday, upload the grid on safeassign
Complete and upload youtube assignment
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.


Lecture 4
What is considered News worthy?
Private Screening for our students
page one: inside the New York Times
7:30pm on Thursday, October 13 staller Center Theater Tickets not required
Extra Credit given

What is News and Who Decides?
August 28, 2011 Hurricane Irene Newsday, NY times and NY Post all posted story about the
hurricane but treated it differently

A more typical News Day: Differences in News Decisions:
All on Sept 16, 2011:
Newsday over $100mil for hurricane Irene
Same day New York Times how to fight war on terror
New York Post Brad Pitt and yellow cabs advertising certain ads

Reasons for different front pages on the same day:
NY post NY metropolitan area, and NY times more international
Each attracts a different audience
Sustaining a reputation and pleasing the audience

Definition of News:
News is whats on societys mind its collective conscious/unconscious
News is what an Editor Thinks is news
News is information powerful people dont want you to have
Dog bites man (not news); Man bites dog (news) because it is out of the ordinary
News is information about a subject of some public interest that is shared and subject to
the journalistic process of verification

4 factors that determine News:
1) Universal News Drivers
2) Editorial Judgment (what the editor thinks is news)
3) The Audience (what kind of audience)
4) Profits and Competition


Factor 1: Universal News Drivers
Importance
Timeliness (how quickly to obtain a news)
Proximity
Magnitude (how strong the news is)
Prominence (something happens to someone big)
Conflict (war, political conflict)
Human Interest (something happening that connects us; heartwarming stories)
Change: [Progress and Regress] (big change, something flips)
Relevance (matters to us)
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
Unusualness (ex: the magnitude that happened a month ago very unusual)

Factor 2: Editorial Judgment
Whats interesting vs. whats important (everybody has a different view)
Who is the audience?
Do you give the audience what it wants or what it needs?
What is the competition doing?
News Presentation

Factor 3, Audience
What it Needs vs. What it Wants

Audience Dictate (thats you), Local and National news broadcasts demonstrate and different
definition
Local fires and crimes are #1 source of local news. if it bleeds, it leads
How the internet Redefines News Judgment Power shifts from editor to consumer (us)

Factor 4: Competition & Profit

Hw:
Read chapter 10 in virtual textbook
And complete the news drivers hw

Lecture 5
Journalism is divided into 2 categories: news journalism and opinion journalism (and is valid).
News sections have opinion department. Wall Street jrn, nytimes, nypost all have opinion
pages.
Newspapers create spaces for opinions and those who write the opinions are considered
journalists.

Both have 1 thing in common: facts based upon facts

4 Qs:
1) How can you tell the difference btwn news reporting and jrn
2) Why should you care which is which?
3) What is the value of opinion jrn?
4) How do you tell the difference btwn opinion jrn and counterfeit opinion jrn?

Alert, divert, & connect
What does it mean to know your neighborhood? Differentiate information, not all is the same

Proximity (where it happened ex: in town)

A brief history of opinion journalism
Alexander Hamilton states the NY post and attacks Thomas Jefferson

The rise of objective press; the advertiser model newspaper publishers needed to attract a
wide variety of readers and advertisers (for $)

The opinion quarantine and the editorial (physically separating news and opinions)
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.

Newspaper editorial: the editorial page, written by staff
Wall street journal has a conservative editorial page
NY times has a liberal editorial page

People giving reviews about books/movies opinion
Columnists in newspapers have their own name on their piece of writing and are on the
opposite of the editors page. Some are Liberal/conservative columnists. They are giving their
own personal opinion.
Columnists are like lawyers, argue sides

An opinion niche?
Are the cable news channels
Inheriting the role of Alex Hamiltons NY post? Not mass media, partisan newsletters?

Q1: how do we tell the diff btwn news reporting and opinion jrn?
Opinion: judgment, view, appraisal formed in the mind of a subject matter

How can you tell if its news reporting or opinion journalism?
Opinion landmarks: Language
First person statements
Exaggeration or superlatives
Emotional or dramatic description
Tone (sarcasm, irony, parody)

The importance of labeling
Editorial
Reporters notebook
Reviewer
News analysis
New-page column
Op-ed contribution

Editorial cartoonists and caricature cartoons are opinion journalism

Q2: why should you care which is which?
The goal of news reporting is to give you the info you need for you Fourth Estate role.
The goal of opinion jrn is to help you make up your mind about that info

Q3: what is the value of opinion journalism?
Gives you new insights
Challenges your assumptions
Helps you make a decision or judgment

Opinion journalism is valuable when:
You are well-informed
You are open-minded
You are active, not passive

Q4: how do you spot counterfeit opinion jrn? (evidence vs. emotion)
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
Fact-based vs. Emotion-based; logic vs. belief

News vs. opinion: a summary
To tell the dif btwn news n opinion, analyze language & labeling

Start with the news: know the news before you seek opinions about the news

Moynihans maxim: youre entitled to your own opinion, but youre not entitled to your own
facts.

Alternate views can sharpen your thinking

Lecture 6
Can balance be the opposite of fairness?

Fairness: marked my impartially and honesty. Free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism;
being fair to the evidence.

Finding Fairness:
Fair play
Fair language
Fair presentation

Fair play: obvious efforts to include relevant perspectives
Fair language: avoids loaded words
Fair presentation: avoids prejudicial photos

Bias: a predisposition that distorts your ability to fairly weigh the evidence and prevents you
from reaching fair or accurate judgment.

News judgment or bias? Choosing not to cover a story is not de facto proof of bias

Ratings or Bias?
LaToyia Figueroa and Natalee Holloway: Differences in coverage

Fair, Unfair, or Biased?
School Bus aide busted dealing methadone

The news literacy definition:
Bias: a pattern of unfairness

Common flaws in bias claims:
The news media is biased is an over-generalization. Some outlets, maybe.
Opinion journalism by an organization doesnt necessarily prove theres a slant in the
news coverage
Guilt by association is a fallacy

The stronger the emotion, the more likely bias will be charged:
Politics
Race and gender
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
Social issues
Religion

How to Spot Bias:
Look for evidence of a pattern of unfairness over time
Compare a variety of news outlets especially to search for a bias by omission
Take note of the self-interest

Responses to cognitive dissonance
Selective Distortion & Retention
Responses to cognitive dissonance
Source misattribution

Confirmation Bias (we only seek out info that we seek and avoid what we dont want)
We tend to pursue info that only reflects our point of view

Implicit.org
Project implicit

Lecture 7
Journalisms first obligations is to the truth (and to the pursuit of the truth)

What is truth? What do journalists mean by truth?
Often the surest way to convey misinformation is to tell the strict truth Mark Twain
What I tell you three times is true Lewis Carroll
Truthiness Colbert

Truth and verification
Disinterested pursuit of truth

What do journalists mean by truth?
Is getting the facts right the truth?
Is being objective the same thing as being truthful?
o Being objective can lead to the truth
Is being fair the same thing as being truthful?
o Fairness doesnt necessarily lead to a conclusion which is accurate
Is there one truth we can all agree on?


Journalism and Science

Like scientists, journalists do not believe in absolute truth. Truth is provisional. It changes over
time.
What is true today may not be true tomorrow, like science. (New planet, molecule, etc)
Like scientists, journalists strive for a pragmatic truth, a truth that helps explain the world and
helps you function day-to-day
Like science, journalism employs a system of peer review


This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
A reader needs to follow stories all the time; cant dip into a random story and think he knows
everything: the reader can perceive the wrong way.
Lesson for the news consumer: follow the story over time

Journalism truth: the best obtainable version of the truth on any given day?


Seeking Truth
The journalists discipline of verification (gather, evaluate, weigh, show how it all fits in one
picture)
Gather, assess, and weigh evidence
Place facts in the Big Picture (context)
Explain how they know(and what they dont know - transparency) it allows you to
have a clear curtain so you can see right through it, mistakes and the process

When searching for the truth, not all evidence is equal
Direct evidence vs. arms length evidence



How journalists pursue the truth:
A hierarchy of evidence
Photographs and videos
Documents and records
Personal observation
Eyewitness
Have to collect all of it, weight it, and decide what to count on

Why does verification break down?
Journalists rush to get the story first, jump the gun (want to be first rather than get it
right)
Facing deadline, some journalists get sloppy or provide incomplete reports
People (sources) give reports incorrect informationor outright lie
Verification is difficult, even when sources are helpful

Katrina people in the freezer big news. The reporter reported a body in the freezer, was told.
Did the reporter open the freezer?

A big day: Two Key Lessons:
Follow the story
Ask yourself: has the reporter opened the freezer?

Lecture 8
Says who? The importance of sources
What kind of information is being given?
Assertion vs. verifying information (proving vs. I think)

Smart questions about sources:
What is her/his self-interest?
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
Does anyone else say no?
Is it verified fact or assertion?
How would this source know?
Who, exactly, is this source?

Why sources matter?
Ex: threats and responses: intelligence; defectors bolster US case against Iraq, officials say
U.S. invades Iraq to capture WMD but find none
Judith Miller got sources from small group of people, Iraqi dissidents, who wanted regime
change in Iraq.

Judging the reliability of sources IM VAIN
Independent sources are better than self-interested sources
o New about people related/interested with me; dont have anything at stake
Multiple sources are better than single sources
o If 4 people tell you the same source and corroborate it, then it is most likely
reliable
Sources who Verify are better than sources who assert
o I think, I heard, someone told me, Im sure assertions
o I know because someone told me, who is that someone, did you see, do
you have the document, the witness, did you open the freezer verified
Authoritative/Informed sources are better than uninformed sources
o Authoritative governmental, might not always be reliable.
Named sources are better than unnamed sources
o Those who give names are better than anonymous sources but the anonymous
ones are also reliable.

Very, very few sources match all the criterion of reliable sources


Judging the Reliability of sources:

Independent sources are better than self- interested sources
-Self-interest vs. selfishness

Multiple sources are better than single sources
Even if there are indirect sources
-How many witnesses

Sources who verify are better than sources who assert (opinion)
-Studies and proofs, such as scientific evidence that verify evidence.


Authoritative/Informed sources are better than un-informed sources
-Authoritative, Primary information you go to department of health services to find out about
the death of birds rather than the department of commerce.

Named sources are better than unnamed sources
-The most famous unnamed sources in history Deep Throat, the amazingly good anonymous
source
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
What to look for in anonymous source: Why is there person asking to be anonymous, what
reason (credible) is the person giving. Is the person in a position to have this information?

Evaluating Anonymous Sources:
Transparency
Characterization
Corroboration (evidence/sources)


Assignments: next week on
11/7: print and bring your deconstruction workbook to class. And, please continue to bring to
class from now on
For recitation 11/9: complete the Walter reed readings and assignment

Lectures 9, 10
A deconstruction worksheet
How to judge reliability
1) Summarize the main points: does the headline and the lead support the main point(s)?
2) How close does the reporter come to opening the freezer? Is the evidence direct or arms
length?
a. How close and what evidence, and how much of that evidence was direct,
eyewitness, video/audio recorded, documents, etc.
3) Evaluate the reliability of the sources using IM VAIN
4) Does the reporter make his/her work transparent?
a. The journalists decisions and the reports/information he/she was and wasnt able to
get
5) Does the reporter place the -
6) Are the key questions answered?
a. Who what when where why how
7) Is the story fair?
a. Fair to the evidence that is being presented that represents the various sides of
the story (not the same as balance which is number/quantitative measure)

What can a news consumer do with this information?
Take actionmake a decisionmake a judgmentpass it on


Context: facts that surround n event or elements of a news story and provide meaning or
significance.
Transparency: is the openness about methods
Examples of transparency:
a) Could not be reached
b) Requested anonymity because she feared losing her job
c) A reporter attempted to contact the family at home, but no one came to the door
d) The information could not be independently verified
Want to know that the reported attempted
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.

Deconstruction
1) Summarize the main points of the story

How to find the main points of the story: Find the headline and lead (usually the first sentence,
one to two sentences, sometimes in the second paragraph)

2) Look at the evidence
How close did the reporter come to opening the freezer? If not, did a reliable source open it?

Evidence: information that proves or disproves something
Inference: taking information that is accepted as the true and then dealing a conclusion that may
or may not be valid (concluding with no evidence)

Lecture 11
30% of final looking at television stories and evaluating the trustworthiness being presented,
Technique in presentation, etc.

Two questions about the power of images:
How is photo journalism diff from words on a screen or page?
What burden does that place on you when you are seeking reliable information?

Evaluation system:
Course evaluations start early gives you plenty of time to complete them
Please do give us your thoughts

First Wednesday after thanksgivings, there is test, same format. Lecture 7-11

The space challenger explodes
Tiananmen Square standoff

American soldier Mogadishu, Somalia
Vietnamese Children Fleeing Napalm Strike, Nick Ut. 1972
Bosnian woman committing suicide after being a victim of rape
Dystonia

The ethics of photojournalism graphic photos prompt difficult decisions

When looking at photographs, look at the photos and captions carefully
Check photo credit
Check photo caption
Note: file footage, photo archive
Look for these words
o Photo enhancement
o digital photo manipulation
o photo composite/illustration

TVs power to verify
Entertainment techniques cross over into news reports:
Scary details; loaded words
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
Dramatic music
Quick cuts
Sound effects
Flashy graphics

Lecture 12
Deconstructing TV news how to evaluate television news
Speaking of Evaluation: pay it forward
Online evaluation site is now open anonymous

Advantages of TV news
It makes you a witness to important events in real time
o Can put you there (obviously not literally) but figuratively
It can be a powerful tool for verification
o With all of the potential abuses that are possible in TV journalism, (editing
pictures, videos, speaking out of context) it is brutally honest. Forces the reporter
to find people to put on TV set. What you see is what you get.
It gives you a personal storytelling
o It can bring personal feeling from home
It creates a national experience
o Now there are many more networks

Disadvantages of TV news
It is limited by time
o TV is a slave of time unlike newspaper which is a slave to space. Large
international news gathering organizations employing 100s of people figuring out
how to boil down all the information into 22-minutes every day.
It may rely on personalities, emotions, opinions, not facts
o It is an entertainment medium. In order to give itself some type of possibility of
not changing the channel, it will air on the side of personalities, emotions,
opinions, not facts (making more entertainment than only facts)
If there arent strong visuals, TV shortchanges complex stories or avoids them altogether
o Ongoing debate about TV journalism is the use of music (emotionally
manipulative and what does it have to do with news). Creating simulations of
certain events (ex: death of bin laden)
Cable may sensationalize minor stories to fill air time
o Cheapest way to fill airtime: someone behind a desk sitting and talking talking
heads instead of people being paid to travel all around the world to give news.
Filling air time any way it can: fire, helicopter, videos. Opinion is also major in
cable news.

Lessons for the TV consumer
Be active, not passive
o Its an oxymoron but it means: you are either doing something else or watching
or you are sitting on a chair/couch but not engaged unlike sitting actively, but
need to be intellectually engaged to whether youre seeing is god journalism. Be
as intellectually active as possible.
Dont get all your news from TV
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
o It can inform vast number of people in real time but because of the very nature of
the medium, it can only give us a general approximation of what is going on in
the world. To get in depth understand, analyses, nuance, then you must
supplement with other type of news.


Type of TV news reporting
Breaking news
o Real breaking news, who is the first to tell us
Planned major events
o We know is the pope will come to U.S, presidential debate, president is
traveling.
Taped stories for broadcasts
o Taped events, interviews and come back to station to produce, edit and
format
Live reporting
o Then there are those live reports. Reporter live on the seen along with
taped events. Can be hazardous to health.

Evaluate video and audio
What are the main points of the story
Does the evidence support those points?
o Are those sources reliable?
o Does the reporter make his or her work transparent? Open the freezer?
Are you being manipulated by video, audio or production techniques?
o Is the story fair
Does the reporter put the story in context?


Deconstructing TV news:
Live evidence: video tapes of the rats at the restaurant.
Story was not fair because KFC/Taco Bell didnt have a say.
No transparency
Evaluating sources:
Direct evidence
Reporter


Deconstructing TV news (important)
FEMA trailers making residents sick? (post hurricane Katrina)
o In charge of coming where theres a natural disaster. FEMA provided
trailer but there was a downside of symptoms.
Evaluate these sources:
o She is self-interested: health of her little boy
Dr. Needle
o Authoritative source
o Independent source
Plant worker (making the trailers)
o Informed source
o May be independent
o Assertive (unless you see some type of documentation)
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
Transparency in story: board executives declined interview.
o Then have reports of the groups who tested the trailers and found 94% is
above the limit. We dont know how significant the testing samples are.
Who conducted the test? The reporter doesnt tell us, just tells us the
group it is a self-interested source; cant discount it but should realize
that this information came.
o FEMA, EPA document: direct evidence.
o Reporter came in with his own air tester: opening the freezer.

Rules of the TV news consumer. Be aware of the sinners
Show and refer to only one point of view
o Make sure that more than one POV is shown, more than 1 eye witness,
human sources, no emotional manipulation

Assignments:
1) Study for your exam
2) Your final essay will be available on BB this evening for review (20% of the final test)

A good letter:
Reads like a litter, not a research paper
Demonstrates youve learned to spot and ignore junk news
Demonstrates you know how to find reliable news
Demonstrates you know how to use news for:
Making a decision
Taking action, or
Making a judgment
Your writing should reveal your process of evaluating news reports.

(Dont repeat the course, needs to be in the form of a letter, and needs creative thinking and
analysis)

Lecture 13
Wednesday test reminder/review
This lecture will not be on the test
News on internet advantages
o Fast
o Convenient
o Democratic
o Participatory
o Customizable
o Multimedia

3 Qs today:
1) What are the advantages and disadvantages of finding info on the Web?
2) How do you identify reliable info on the Web?
3) How can you minimize the disadvantage and maximize the advantages?

News on the web disadvantages
Emphasis on speed over accuracy
Blurring of lines between news, opinion, and advertising
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.
o Abundance doesnt guarantee youll choose quality
o Disinhibition effect makes comment sites troll habitat (instigators who fool people)
o Underfunding of newsrooms erodes quality of journalism
o With no filters there are also no barriers to partisans

Evaluating web pages: via
Dates for the page creation and content updates are provided
about us check and make sure

o .com can be purchased by any person or company from any country
o It is suggested that .com be reserved for commercial sites.
o .org can be purchased by any person or company from any country
o .org is often used to denote organization but specifically non-profit organization
o .net can be purchased by any person or company
o .edu is restricted; it can be used by regionally accredited, degree granting institutions.
o .gov is restricted, only for government.


www.Snopes.com - check for authentic sites
www.Politicast.com
www.factcheck.org

1) Info on the web: advantage and disadvantage
2) How to identify reliable info on the web
3) How to minimize the disadvantages and maximize the advantage

Rank and popularity do not guarantee reliability



Big concepts/themes of lectures 7-12

Bring with you a copy of message machine the article which you have read no
highlights/notes there will be questions on that article

Truth and versions/kinds of truth/journalistic truth bears resemblance to other kinds of truths

Be able o cite examples from stories and article you have read

Be familiar fundamentally with the concept of transparency, *context* (need to be able to
recognize context, what signifies it and transparency)

Advantage and disadvantages of news on TV (visual journalism)
Power of still images/photo journalism things it should/shouldnt do

Ethical decisions whether a specific photograph should be published or not

Fairness, balance and bias 3 different things and how can you recognize each of them
What is the differentiation?

Check uploaded documents
This document is the property of Nerdy Notes (www.nerdy -notes.com). Permission is granted to v iew this document only to authorized users; under no
circumstances are y ou allowed to distribute, store or transmit this document without the express, written consent of Nerdy Notes, Inc.

Bring deconstruction guide to final, not to next test; bring message machine
Understand the basics of sourcing
Reading a short article need to understand the different kinds of sources
Different weights the sources have including the types of evidence.
Weight to anonymous sources and other types of sources, what gives more weight than others

Вам также может понравиться