JOURN 1100 MIZZOU MATHEWS - EXAM 2

Define the concept of news values

A set of criteria that journalists use to make judgments about the kinds of information and events that self governing people need

EX: timeliness, impact, currency, proximity, prominence, conflict, novelty

Define the concept of newsworthiness

A piece of information interesting enough to the general public to warrant reporting

Identify the news value: Timeliness/Immediacy

Underscores fact-checking, verification, meeting deadlines, diverse perspectives and integrity

Identify the news value: Impact

The influence or effect the news story has on the public. Transcends numerical figures.

Identify the news value: Currency

The ongoing nature of a story. How long news will be relevant.

EX: Controversy or new trends

Identify the news value: Conflict

Most common and overused element, infuses the story with action, and is central to dramatization

EX: Crime, political conflict, sports, tension of any kind

Identify the news value: Proximity

Not only geographic (Cultural, identity, psychological). International news tends to focus too heavily on isolated events rather than offering comprehensive explanation

Identify the news value: Prominence

Fame. Noteworthy figures frequently attract attention simply by virtue of societal status. Includes organizations. Statement or action is news dependent on who says or does it

Identify the news value: Novelty

Doesn't have to meet any other news values but it is still in the news. Unique angles to a story. Human interest stories.

What is the difference between proactive and reactive news?

Proactive news is a planned and strategic approach to releasing news in order to shape a narrative while reactive news is a response to current events/breaking news as it unfolds

What is Reactive news?

Traditional news/breaking news: you hear something you report it. Fast content

What is Proactive news?

Evergreen content. Relies on research and seeking out stories, thinking ahead, finding and giving context. Slow content.

Classify and describe basic newsgathering routines and the stages of a story: Access and observation

- Finding events and info to turn into a story.

- Gather information.

- Typically organized around beats

- Based on building sources (Often built around a beat)

Classify and describe basic newsgathering routines and the stages of a story: Finding stories

- Ask "Why?" Be curious

- Be a part of a community, go where there are people

- Do research on events, important things and people

- Talk to people.

Classify and describe basic newsgathering routines and the stages of a story: Selection and filtering

- Process of determining newsworthiness

- Involves multiple layers of people in a newsroom

- Good news is important (most avoid news because it is overwhelming. Select stories about ordinary people. Select stories about quirks, pastimes and passions)

Classify and describe basic newsgathering routines and the stages of a story: Editing and processing

- Shaping the story

- Applying consistency standards

- Line-editing stories

- Verification of stories

- Fact-checking

Classify and describe basic newsgathering routines and the stages of a story: Distribution

- Promoting the story

- "News Sharing": people share news across multiple channels and platforms

Classify and describe basic newsgathering routines and the stages of a story: Interpretation

Analytics to measure what audience likes. This can lead to new stories.

Outline typical newsroom hierarchies and explain the roles of the different members of those hierarchies

Top: Publisher

- Editor in chief

- Every branch listens to their own editors. The branches are News, advertising, circulation, production and administration.

Explain how the economics of news affects journalism

News in America is not affected by government funding but, rather, advertising revenue.

Define the key concepts involved with the economics of news and explain their application to journalism: Fixed cost

Does NOT vary with quantity: it is the cost to make 1 copy (Making one copy is most of the cost)

Define the key concepts involved with the economics of news and explain their application to journalism: Variable cost

Varies with quantity: the cost to print (Printing after the first copy is made is low cost)

Define the key concepts involved with the economics of news and explain their application to journalism: Public goods

Service given to help the general public needs

EX: Non-excludable goods and Non-Depleatable goods

Public goods: What are Non-Excludable goods?

Everyone receives and deserves it

EX: Public parks

Public goods: What are Non-Depleatable goods?

No limit to the amount of people

EX: No limit on how many are allowed to enter a park

Define the key concepts involved with the economics of news and explain their application to journalism: Private goods

Product produced privately

EX: Excludable goods and Rivalrous goods

Private goods: What are Excludable goods?

A product that will be taken away if not paid for

EX: Newspaper won't be delivered if you don't pay for the subscription

Private goods: What are Rivalrous goods?

One persons consumption reduces the next persons

EX: Took the last copy of the newspaper

Define the key concepts involved with the economics of news and explain their application to journalism: Exernalities

Side effects of economic transactions on those external to the transaction.

EX: If a news story covers a shooting, the area can become safer without you buying the paper. (Positive)

EX: Early AIDS epidemic stigma (Negative)

Define the key concepts involved with the economics of news and explain their application to journalism: Free riders

People who consume news for free

- Free riders lead to market failure which can lead to the loss of positive externalities

Explain how journalism is a public good, unlike private goods.

- Impacts all of society. Watchdog and Externalities prove this. Not limited

- Positive and negative externalities present

- Journalism has a free rider issue

- Journalism is here to help the public, not hurt it.

Identify the different models of fnding journalism and explain their commonality in U.S. Journalism: Government Subsidy

Direct government payment. THE US DOES NOT FINANCIALLY SUPPORT JOURNALISM.

Identify the different models of fnding journalism and explain their commonality in U.S. Journalism: Political party funding

(Early America-1830s) When newspapers were emerging in revolutionary America, they were very partisan but started to seperate from parties in the 1830s

Identify the different models of fnding journalism and explain their commonality in U.S. Journalism: Advertising

(1830s-current) As news seperated from political parties and became non-partisan, they needed funding so advertising filled this spot. Main US journalism funding. (Parallel tracks... news traded political forces for market forces for revenue)

Identify the different models of fnding journalism and explain their commonality in U.S. Journalism: Indirect revenue

More common for new organizations.

EX: Most new organizations don't pay the same postal rates as normal citizens.

Explain the decline of the advertising-based revenue model, its impact, and the possible alternatives.

With the growth of social media, most businesses spend their advertising on social media ads and no longer news ads which is hurting journalism. This is leading to a decrease in journalism funding

Explain the changing relationship between journalists and their audiences

With the rise of social media, the audience has more control of what news they see, and have become their own gatekeepers

Contrast the Lippmann and Dewey approaches to the public and journalism: Lippmann

- People are busy and need journalists to translate events to them.

- Low expectations from citizens (Study trick: Lippmann=Low. Both L's)

- Journalists should do work for the people

- Simply inform

Contrast the Lippmann and Dewey approaches to the public and journalism: Dewey

- People yearn for news and need tools to participate and that people can act alongside journalists

- High expectations from journalists

- Inform and empower

- Study trick: Dewey=DIY (The people want the tools to do it themselves)

Identify and evaluate the expectations citizens are said to possess in relation to journalism

- Ideal citizens consume the news.

- Educated consumers. Open-minded.

- Demand high standards from journalists

- Protect press and speech freedoms

- Participate in democracy and empower others to participate too

Define trust and explain its connection to journalism

Assured reliance. Believe without question... requires a degree of risk

Explain how technology has changed the nature of the journalist-audience relationship

Has led to the depletion of trust. More misinformation is present.

Differentiate between "broadcast" and "Internet" models of communication and explain their implications for audience empowerment: Broadcast model

Was one main source that went out to the masses (one sends, many receive)

Differentiate between "broadcast" and "Internet" models of communication and explain their implications for audience empowerment: Internet model

Starts with the masses and goes out to the masses (Many send, Many recieve

Identify technological changes in journalism and explain their origins and impacts

- Newspapers/printing press

- Radio

- Television

- The Internet

- Social media

Explain how and why bloggers (and citizen journalists) paved the way for modern news influencers

- First exposure to public citizens being able to share their feelings and thoughts. Topic heavy and anyone could do it.

- Empowered citizen journalists, giving ordinary people a platform to share news and perspectives

Explain the lasting impact of blogging on journalism

- Allows regular people of the community to share

- Less control over verification

- Paved the way for news influencers

- Led to positive collaboration between journalists and citizens to correct mistakes and ensure wide-spread coverage of those who need it.

Explain the impact of social media on how journalism is produced and consumed

- Less control over verification which leads to misinformation and polarization

- Higher expectation to always get news out immediately

- Faster spreading rate of misinformation and true information.

Explain how social media has changed how people consume news

- News influencers are a prominent figurehead in the spread of information

- News influencer don't break the news, they react to it.

- Parasocial relationships: key to success through "bonding" with news influencers

Explain the perils of social media for journalists and journalism organizations

Social media never stops, it is in constant demand. Female journalists and journalists of color are being harrased. Many organizations don't have policies to protect journalists online.

Journalism went from a political force to a market force

True

What revenue models does the Texas Tribune use?

Foundations, individuals, website sponsorship, events, membership and earned

According to the Art Carey article "The case for writing good news," the "relentless presentation of problems and issues" leads to what?

Crisis fatique

Which news value centers on politicians, leaders, or otherwise noteworthy people?

Prominence

Reactive reporting is reporting on causes and consequences.

False

Who is the top boss in a newspaper operation

The publisher

Which news value is most prominent in a story about an Arizona homeowner having 20 rattlesnakes in his garage?

Novelty

Journalists sharing their stories via social media would be classified into what stage of news routines?

Distribution

The "Patterned, repeated practices, forms, and rules that [journalists] use to do their jobs" are referred to as routines.

True

Proximity is measured strictly as a story's physical distance from the audience.

False

Which of the choices is a characteristic of a news organization?

Hierarchical structure

According to Dr. Meredith Clark's secondary reading, impact is more than...

A simple matter of asking how many or how much

Which is an example of a positive externality in journalism?

Fewer people get sick as a result of a newspaper investigation on poor food safety practices at a local restaurant

What is an alternative name for "fixed costs," which describes the expense of producing a published work?

First-copy costs

Gabe Bullard wrote in the article "With Cuts to Federal Funding, How Will Public Media in the U.S. Survive?" that "stakes of losing support for social media are more than the loss of news." What are the other losses he mentions?

Decreases in voting and other forms of civic engagement

Why do newsrooms seperate news departments from sales/advertising departments within the same organization?

To remove the possibility of pressure from advertisers on news content

In terms of the economic challenges facing news media, there is no "magic bullet"; rather, funding journalism requires multiple approaches.

True

Our textbook mentions The Texas Tribune, a digital news organization focused on state government and politics that is one of the first and most important startup journalism sites. What type of business model does the Tribune use?

Mixed model (multiple funding sources)

What is a cost involved in creating journalism?

Payroll

Which of these best reflects the idea that journalism is a public good?

It serves society

What is NOT a feature that would qualify a work of journalism as a public good?

The work is excludable

Which is one reason for the decline of advertising-based revenue model?

Classified ads became supplemented by internet companies such as Craigslist

What is one ramification of the democratization of news?

Increased competition for attention, as audience-generated content now rivals professional journalism for credibility and reach

How did the City Bureau newsroom set out to produce journalism that was collaborative with the community?

Hosted weekly events to bring together Chicago's South and West side residents

What is a characteristic of the Walter Lippmann Model?

Citizens are busy and, therefore, need journalists to translate events for them

The type of software that can tell news organizations sophisticated data about, for example, the number of visitors to their website, the amount of time they spent on it, and whether they came to the site via a search engine or social media is known as:

Analytics

Which of these did we identify as an ethical obligation of news consumers?

Demand high standards from journalists

According to our secondary reading by Jacob Nelson, Zeve Sanderson and Seth Lewis - titled "People trust themselves more than they trust the news. They shouldn't" - Why can audience members' attempts to "fact-check" the news sometimes make people more likely to believe misinformation?

Because people often seek confirmation of what they already believe or want others to agree with.

Our textbook argues that one of the most important skills associated with engaged journalism is:

Listening

What is meant by the "democratization of news"?

Consumers are no longers restricted by the gatekeeping role of journalism and now maintain "their own gate"

A person might ask: Isn't all journalism responsive to the public? It is, yes, but what does the idea of engaged journalism recognize?

That news workers may not have always lived up to these ideals, and that there also are a host of new ideas and technologies that can help them do journalism in more and better ways

Prior to the internet, what word best characterized the kind of feedback journalists would/could recieve from audiences?

Limited

The footage of the assassination of JFK and of the police beating of Rodney King illustrate which of the following?

That citizens contributing to news is not a new phenomenon

In a reading for this week, what tension do Mark Coddington and Seth Lewis identify in how newsrooms handle journalists' use of social media?

Journalists are pressured to use social media but recieve little guidance or support in dealing with its risks

Instead of breaking the news of the day, news influencers respond to the news of the day

True

According to the Gretel Kahn reading, amid the growing tension between news organizations and platforms (such as Google and Facebook), news leaders are striving to create a news ecosystem that is more independent and less reliant on Big Tech companies

True

According to the latest Pew Research Center data, how do many U.S. adults who regularly get news from influencers perceive their impact?

About two-thirds said influencers helped them better understand current events and civic issues

How did the practice of blogging change journalism?

It increased the number and kind of voices featured

How do news influencers reflect the shift toward "participatory news," as described by Alfred Hermida?

They exemplify how citizens now take active roles in producing, shaping and distributing news content.

In general, which of these would most likely be classified as a "citizen journalist"?

A TikTok content creator who focuses on breaking news

What can traditional news organizations learn from news influencers?

How to deliver news in a approachable and personal manner that connects with audiences

How might social media affect the work and safety of journalists?

It might increase the risk of harrassment, including threats and doxing, while creating pressure to constantly update news.

What is a news beat?

A specific matter of asking how many or how much

What does Dr. Meredith Clark say an outlet should do if it seeks to remain viable?

Examine its values

Which term describes a piece of information determined to be important or interesting enough to share with the public?

Newsworthy

According to the Art Carey article, what is something Carey wants to see more often to offset the "depressing news on the front page"?

The news of feeling

What is an externality?

An activity that affects other parties without being reflected in the cost of goods or service

One of the characteristics of a public good is that it is non-excludable. In what way can journalism be said to be non-excludable?

Journalism has been described as a form of public trust, and journalists provide news as a public service; therefore, it is intended for all members of society to have access to regardless of privelage

What kind of system is the American media system?

Commercial system

Journalism has low fixed costs and high variable costs

False