Selection and Presentation of the News

How can news be understood as socially constructed?

• news does not simply exist naturally

• news is selected and shaped by media organisations based on values, bias, and agendas

What is the difference between the selection and presentation of news?

• selection is what stories are chosen

• presentation is how those stories are framed and represented

What did Galtung & Rouge (1970) argue about news?

they identified news values that influence which events are selected for media coverage

What are news values?

a set of criteria used by media organisations to decide whether a story is newsworthy

What were Galtung & Rouge’s (1970) news values?

• negativity

• threshold

• extraordinariness

• unambiguity

• personalisation

• reference to elite persons

• reference to elite nations

What does threshold mean as a news value?

the more people affected by an event, the more likely it is to be reported

What does extraordinariness mean as a news value?

unusual or dramatic events are more likely to be reported

What does personalisation mean as a news value?

news stories focus on individual experiences rather than abstract issues

How did Jewkes (2004) update news values?

Jewkes argued modern news values include celebrity, graphic imagery, and stories involving children

How does Jewkes explain modern news selection?

media prioritise stories that attract attention, emotion, and audience engagement

How is news linked to social construction through selection?

editors choose stories based on news values, not objective importance

What is citizenship journalism?

news content created and shared by members of the public rather than professional journalists

How has globalisation affected news?

news is now instant, global, and available across multiple platforms 24/7

What is agenda setting?

the media influence what audiences think is important by emphasising certain issues

What is norm setting?

the media reinforce social norms by promoting conformity and discouraging deviant behaviour

What is a moral panic?

exaggerated public fear about a group or issue, often created or amplified by the media

What are some criticisms of moral panics?

• with the creation of new media, moral panics are now less common (McRobbie & Thornton)

• individuals are accessing more media, leading to them becoming more desensitised

• individuals have more control over content themselves through citizenship journalism

What is deviancy amplification?

the media exaggerate deviance, leading to increased social reaction and further deviance

Which sociologist developed the concept of deviancy amplification?

Cohen

What are some consequences of churnalism?

• less accurate reporting

• a narrower range of news sources

How does government influence news selection?

through ownership influence, regulation, and indirect pressure

What are spin doctors?

political communicators who manage and shape how events are presented to the public

How does advertising influence news according to Marxists?

the media depends on advertising revenue, shaping content to attract audiences for profit

What is the propaganda model (Herman & Chomsky)?

the idea that media content reflects the interests of powerful elites and corporations

How do pluralists criticise the propaganda model?

they argue media is diverse and no single group controls news output

How does the media select news according to Marxists?

stories are chosen to reflect elite interests and maintain existing power structures

How does the media present news according to Marxists?

news is framed to support dominant ideologies and powerful groups

How has new media changed news selection?

audiences now influence what becomes popular through sharing, clicks, and engagement

How has new media changed news presentation?

increased use of clickbait, visuals, and emotional framing to attract attention

What is the key difference between Marxist and pluralist views of the media?

• Marxists see the media as biased and controlled by elites

• pluralists see the media as relatively objective and diverse

What is the heirarchy of crediblity?

some individuals are seen as more credible sources of news, referred to as “primary definers” (e.g., politicians, business leaders, spin doctors) - their opinions are seen as more valid