Class 1 Elements of Journalism 8/28

What goes into journalism

What do journalists do

What are the different kinds of journalists

What is journalism

Journalism may have definitions but they're not generally exclusionary

Not everyone does journalism in the same way

Journalism is an action; it's a process

It requires thought, research, insight, communications, ethics, responsibility, decision making, and knowledge

One of the first places to start is to understand how other journalists view the act of journalism.

one of the best places to get a better understanding of Journalism are The Elements of Journalism, book in 2001

10 different principles, the first obligation is to the truth

Its first loyalty is to citizens

Its essence is a discipline of verification

Its practitioners must maintain independence from those they carry over

It must serve as an independent monitor of power

Talking heads what you see is a type of journalism but not the kind that most pratice,

Most practice involves going out to find the truth first and then reporting it. Therefore, those people are involved in the first step: journalists go out, discover the truth, report it, and then the process moves forward.

It must provide a fourm for public criticism and compromise

it must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant

it must keep thje news comprehensive and in proportion

its practitioners have an obligation to exercise their personal conscience

Citizens, too, have rights and responsibilities when it comes to the news.

The primary purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with the information they need to be free and self-governing

The necessary information is not always interesting or compelling

But journalists serve the public or at least they should

People have varying levels of interest in any issue

people who are involved

have a direct stake in the issue

interested people

no direct stake but interested nonetheless

uninterested people

no direct stake and not interested, but can be drawn in the parameters are already set

When working with a mass medium, you need to have something that appeals to a diverse range of groups.

It's essential to find new ways to attract the audience if the information is deemed high priority.

How should journalists and citizens react to niche media that allows individuals to pick and choose what they are most interested in and ignore everything else?

First and foremost, the important element of journalism

Without truth, what is the point of journalism

But what is the truth

Is it possible to be 100% objective

For that matter, is it possible to be 100% subjective

Journalists have a role as gatekeepers for information

Journalistic are require to sort out the multitude of informaation

What questions to ask

who should be asked

what facts are most important

what information should be included in the story

although an abosolute truth may be impossible it is what journalists must strive for when presenting information

This is the information i took in

What im telling you is the truth

For whom do journalists work

work for citizens

organizations

themselves

someone else

With objectivity potentially impossible, the selection of information should be for the citizens

Corporate influence and other factors may pull the loyalty in other directions

The need for profits is important for ownership, but it can take away from the citizens' interests.

Some organizations have attempted to separate the news side from the business side

The authors outline some points that allow journalists to best serve the citizens

The owner/corporation must be committed to citizens first

Hire business managers who also put citizens first

Set and communicate clear standards (within the organization)

Journalists have final say over news

Communicate clear standards to the public

The essence of journalism is a discipline of verification

Related to the obligation to the truth

How is it possible to broadcast the truth without verifying it

The authors outline some elements involved in verification:

(important)

Never add anything that was not there.

Never deceive the audience.

Be as transparent as possible about your methods and motives (with the public and sources).

Rely on your own original reporting.

Exercise humility (do not trust a “gut feeling,” verify it).

Journalists must maintain independence from those they cover.

Easier said than done.

Citizens must be able to trust that the information is as unbiased as possible.

Even commentary writers should prize the facts first and the opinion second.

“It is important to make a distinction between journalism of opinion… and the work of partisans delivering news…. One is clear in its intent and remains committed to all the principles of other journalists. The other purports to be one thing–neutral–while using the language and form of balance to create something else, a kind of propaganda.”

Independence is also necessary from factors such as class, race, ethnicity, religion and gender.

Some of this is impossible for a single person to do, so it is important to have a diverse news staff that can communicate and work together when necessary.

Journalism not only is about describing events but uncovering new information.

Investigative reporting focuses on this practice.

Popular phrase describing investigative reporting: “Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”

Over-simplification of the situation

Much like a whistleblower, but with a printing press.

Also termed a “watchdog.”

Journalism must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.

Journalism should allow all voices to be heard, not just the extremes.

By having a platform and loyalty to the citizens, journalism should help give voice to the voiceless.

This tenet does not only mean allowing citizens to write/broadcast their opinions, it also means to represent a diversity of views.

Websites should outline commenting guidelines and hold the users to a standard of civility.

think about how do we serve the public better and how do we give them a voice better in such a way that we do these sorts so this is an area I believe that good editor is moving forward should be thinking about this kind of thing pretty regularly someone were able to figure out how to give voice to the voiceless without allowing the trolls to propagate I think they would be a very successful person

Journalists must make the significant interesting and relevant.

Consider the Theory of the Interlocking Public

How do you write for all three groups?

Typically, journalists often write for the most interested and least interested. Should it be this way?

This is related to the loyalty to the citizens.

They may not know what is important, how/why it affects them, why they should care, etc.

Resist the urge to simply “give the audience what they want.”

Due to economic pressures, it is easy to fall into this trap.

Avoid “infotainment.”

Don’t package entertainment as news.

“The infotainment strategy is faulty as a business plan because, when you turn your news into entertainment, you are playing to the strengths of other media rather than your own.”

This doesn’t mean that the news cannot be entertaining

News as storytelling/narrative

“If we think of who as character, what as plot, where as setting, and how as narrative, we can blend information and storytelling. News becomes not just data but also meaning.”

The rest of the chapter has numerous different ways to consider switching up your writing.

Consider getting the book out of the library.

Journalists should present news comprehensively and proportionately.

Another function of journalists is as gatekeepers.

Journalists must decide how much coverage to give to a particular story/issue based on their understanding of how it will serve the public.

Editors play a significant role in this decision.

Journalists have an obligation to exercise their personal conscience.

This does not mean a personal, political conscience.

Journalists must be willing to stand up for the citizens and speak out in the newsroom.

Journalists must consider their actions and how they will affect those involved.

This is not an easy task, especially if it will mean conflict, smaller profits, missing a story, arguing with a superior, etc.

Citizens, too, have rights and responsibilities when it comes to the news.

Citizens must keep their news providers and producers accountable.

What does this all mean

Throughout this semester, you will be doing journalism

This means that you have to think like a journalist

You’ll have to identify stories and sources, find out necessary facts, distill information down into a short pieces, and create high-quality articles

I assume that if you are in this class, you have an interest in journalism with the potential for it as a career

Keep these in mind

When writing stories, consider the audience

When interviewing sources, consider how journalism is a monitor of power

When identifying stories, think about what information the public needs to know

Remember that journalism is an action, and that you are actively engaging in it

Think about what other angle that might I consider that hasn't been discussed

Whos voices haven't been heard is whose voices have been haven't been for why haven't even heard so remember that you were going to be doing this as an action you're activel these elementy engaging leaders all important things to get there and just because these things have been done this

ON THE RECORD

Say name and exact quotes

OFF THE RECORD

level of anonymity

showcase credibility

ON BACKGROUND

can’t reveal any info

important for verification

nevertheless, all of which is still privately investigated by the editorial team, fact checkers, legal team, etc, to confirm the validity of info.