Journalism exam 2

Definition of journalism

Professional activity of gathering, creating, and presenting news, information, and stories

News-ness

The audiences’ perception of whether a piece of information qualifies as news

(tweet, article, etc.)

Objectivity

Being based on facts rather than personal beliefs/biases

the problem of bothsidesism (false balance)

When journalists present opposing viewpoints as equal, even when evidence overwhelmingly favors one side

ex: Climate Change debate

Interpretive journalism

Offers in-depth analysis, context, consequences rather than simply presenting information

Literary journalism

factual reporting combined with fictional techniques (scene setting, character development, etc.)

Advocacy journalism

Journalism that openly supports a cause, viewpoint, or goal—persuade audiences toward a position

Media convergence

Blending different forms of media

ex: using twitter for news updates

Technological convergence

Different technologies combine ( watching TV on a phone)

Industrial convergence

Companies merge across platforms (Disney owning TV, film, streaming)

Cultural convergence

Audiences interact with and remix media (fan content)

News desert

Communities without access to local journalism

Ghost newspapers

Newspapers that still exist but have very limited staff, resources, and content

News avoidance

when people purposefully avoid the news because they feel overwhelmed, disinterested—leads to lower civic engagement and awareness of current events

Fact-checking journalism

Journalism focused on verifying public figures for accuracy—will call them out for misleading or false information

Investigative journalism

Reporting that uncovers hidden truths, corruption, and wrongdoing. (exposing political corruption)

Solution journalism

Investigates how people/organizations are responding to problems

(ex: a report on how a city is turning waste into useful material)

Data journalism

Journalism that uses statistics, analysis to explain stories. using charts, maps, etc.

Citizen journalism: the role of social media

When everyday people report news using phones/social media rather than professional news outlets. Allows for real-time sharing of events, but accuracy is questioned.

Open-source investigations

Method of journalism that uses publicly available information (satellite images, social media posts, online records) to investigate events and verify. used in conflict; fact-checking

Primary source

Original, first-hand information

(Interviews, speeches, original documents)

Secondary source

Interpretations of primary sources

(news articles, academic papers, documentaries)

Strategic communication

Focuses on persuading/influecing audiences to support goal/brand. Marketing, PR team ,etc.

Advertising

Type of strategic communication: paid messages designed to promote something

(Nike commercial promoting running shoes)

Public Relations

Type of strategic communication: managing a companies image & relationship with the public

Oftentimes connects brands with social issues, gives emotional meaning

TNSA Framework

Used to analyze communicative messages

Time: when the message is released

Narrative: the story or framing being used

Source: who is delivering the message/the credibility

Audience: who the message is targeting

Persuasion

Trying to influence someone by using honest, transparent reasoning

(ex: “this product is environmentally friendly based on certified date”)

Manipulation

Influencing someone in a deceptive or hidden way

(ex: hiding side effects or misleading consumers with false claims)

The ELM model

Explains how people are persuaded

Central route: carefully thinking about arguments & evidence, leads to long-lasting attitude change

Peripheral route: people are influenced by appearance, emotions, popularity, leads to temporary change

Thin persuasive AI

simple, surface-level persuasion

(targeted ads based on only browsing history)

Thick persuasive AI

Advanced AI that adapts, predicts behavior, personalizes messages

(TikTok shaping what you watch based on behavioral data)

Sports communication

the use of media, storytelling, and messaging in sports to engage fans, promote athletes, build team brand

Social impact storytelling

Storytelling used to raise awareness and inspire action on social issues

(A documentary on homelessness to encourage donations or policy change)

Social media marketing communications

Marketing strategies that use social media platforms to promote brands, drive sales & awareness

(a brand using instagram influencer to promote product)

Data privacy: first party cookies

Created by the website you are directly visiting

(amazon remembering items in your cart)

Data privacy: third party cookies

created by external advisors or trackers across different websites

(seeing ads for shoes after browsing on a different site)

Magic bullet theory

Idea that media messages are directly injected into passive audiences, who are immediately influences

Two-step flow theory

Information flows from media to opinion leaders to the public

(an influencer shares their opinion on a news event, their followers are more persuaded by their opinion than the original event)

Agenda setting

Media doesn’t tell people what to think, but emphasizes certain issues/aspects

(ex: a news outlet starts to heavily cover inflation, so audiences believe it’s the most important issue)

Equivalency framing

Same information presented differently, but logically equivalent

(ex: 90% survival rate vs 10% mortality rate)

Emphasis framing

Highlighting certain aspects of a topic

(ex: reporting on immigration by focusing on economic impact)

Adaptive framing

Adjusting framing depending on audience/platform

(Climate story framed scientifically for researchers)

Cultivation theory

long-term exposure to media shapes people’s perception of reality

Hostile media phenomenon

People perceive neutral media as biased against them; both liberals and conservatives think news is biased against them

Presumed media influence

People believe media affects others more than themselves; “nothing bad will happen to me”

Algorithmic bias

When algorithms reinforce existing biases based on how they were trained, not purposeful

(ex: A hiring AI favors male candidates because historical data had more men in leadership roles)

Automation bias

People over-rely on technology systems, never question if they’re right

(always trusting GPS)

Echo chamber

An environment where people are exposed to mostly information that reinforces their beliefs

(ex: social media feed only showing political opinions matching the viewer’s)

Spiral of silence

People are less likely to express their opinion when they think its uncommon, fear of isolation

Knowledge gap theory

People with higher socioeconomic status gain knowledge faster than others, creating a gap; access to and education to understand information

Media literacy

Ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media

Knowing when to question media/check sources, being able to protect yourself online because you understand it

Government regulations on media

Laws & policies by the government to control media content and practices

Self-regulation of media

when media organizations set their own ethical standards; internal fact-checking and code of ethics

Data privacy

The right and ability to control how personal data is collected, used, and shared.

Data disaffection

When people feel powerless about how their data is used, causing them to stop caring about privacy protections

Early forms of social media

Platforms that allowed user interaction & content sharing

Reddit, Myspace, AOL instant messanger

Centralized model of social media structure

A few major platforms control data and content flow

Decentralized model of social media structure

Control is distributed across users or networks

Digital access: “the politics of good enough”

idea that rural internet policies aim for “good enough” internet access, reflecting political and economic compromises

Ideological polarization

Differences in beliefs or policy views between groups

(ex: democrats and republicans disagreeing on policy)

Affective polarization

Emotional dislike/distrust between groups

(democrats strongly disliking republicans as people)

Artificial persuasion

the use of AI systems to influence human attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors

(ex: TikTok’s algorithm subtly shaping what content users see to influence opinions)

Ai in social media marketing communications

The use of AI to target, personalize, and improve advertising on social media

(ex: instagram showing personalized ads based on browsing history)

AI and health

Use of AI in healthcare. AI chatbots giving medical advice, predicting disease, assisting in medicine development, personalized health ads

Questions of ethical?