News

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News

• Chapter 10

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The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting the
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press or of the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the government for a redress of grievances.
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The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting the
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press or of the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the government for a redress of grievances.
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The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting the
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press or of the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the government for a redress of grievances.
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The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting the
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press or of the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the government for a redress of grievances.
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Associated Press -- http//www.ap.org/

• In 1844 Samuel Morse had invented the telegraph.
• AP was started in 1848 N.Y. papers sharing
  stories
• By 1861, the Civil War was major continuing
  story.
• The Inverted Pyramid tell the most important
  information first, in case the telegraph wires
  were cut before the story was complete
• Who
• What
• Where
• When

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What is news?

• Chet Huntley News is what I decide is news.
• It becomes news only when it is reported.
• The individual journalist often makes that
  decision.
• Recent UD grads are often making those decisions.

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Typical American value system

• Ethnocentrism foreign enemy troops
• Democracy Capitalism
• Small town pastoralism Mayberry, Kuralt
• Social order concern
• Pp. 257, 258

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Bias?

• Persistent perception BUT
• 1971 1983 studies by Johnsone, Weaver, and
  Wilhoit p. 259
• Comparing Gallop research with journalists
  demographics
• U.S. journalists mirror U. S. society.

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Why the bias perception?

• News, by its very nature is concerned with
  change.
• Change is usually more interesting than status
  quo.
• Change is threatening.
• Journalists view their role as that of watchdogs
  on the government.

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Variables Affecting News

• News Hole
• News Flow
• News Staffing
• Perception of the organizations audience
• Availability of Material
• Competition
• Advertiser Influence
• Corporate Policy
• Source Pressure

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OTHER TOPICS
Gatekeepers
Web news resources
Investigative Journalism
Soft News
Criteria Accuracy, Balance, Fairness
Interpretation Original Content / Packaging