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Putting the value back in the news

Posted by: | September 11, 2012 | No Comment |

News value stems from how much prominence individuals give to a chosen media outlet. For most consumers of the news, value is obtained from independence and accuracy. If a news outlet is reporting something that is false, they have lost the trust of their audience. For the consumer, that value is lost and the news outlet will no longer gain that consumer. In independence, most individuals wish for their news outlet to not be biased in their reporting.

However, with the growing amount of information on the internet and from various news sources, it has become difficult to determine what is accurate and what we deem is valuable news. If we believe a certain ideology, we can search out opinions and articles that tell us what we want to hear. If we believe President Obama was not born in the United States, a simple Google search allows for us to find information that tells us so to reaffirm our own beliefs. In doing so, one has given value to a particular news source or a set of information, regardless of whether it is true or not.

Is news on the divorce between two celebrities valuable news, or is it just entertainment? Is that valuable to a society? Do individuals value it?

News value is in found when it enriches our greater understanding of the world and the issues we are facing. Whether it be a report on a new art exhibit or about the upcoming 2012 Election, it provides value to our society both culturally and as citizens.

Our news gives us information, observations on our world culture, and information on issues that we didn’t now about before. How people view their news gives it value. If we think that the BBC has in the past provided us with good news, that we deem is accurate, then we are going to give value to it for when we are looking for news.

In short: the value we give to our various news outlets is in how highly we rank a news outlet for reliability in our every day lives.

 

under: Comm 455
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Impact of Media: Exposed

Posted by: | September 11, 2012 | No Comment |

The combination of the words exposed and media in a single sentence often conjure thoughts of naked celebrities and nail-bitingly insignificant scandals.  The impact of media has further reaching implications, however, than the latest tabloid headline.  It has the impact of exposure.

In the 1950s and 60s the U.S. was in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement.  As people took sides to stand on in the fight for racial equality, advocates for civil rights knew the importance of involving the media in their campaign, as this clip from CBS News shows.

Without the aid of the media to bring the issue of civil rights to Americans, it may have taken years longer to accomplish.  It was critical to success, especially in the south, that they have the exposure of the media to show Americans what the Civil Rights Movement was about.

under: Comm 455, newspapers, Uncategorized
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9/11 and modern day yellow journalism

Posted by: | September 11, 2012 | No Comment |

When students hear the term “yellow journalism,” the first thought that comes to mind is the sensationalized coverage of the 1895 Spanish American War. However, this practice is neither confined to that time period, nor is it extinct. On the 11th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Americans relive the horror of that fateful day. Most of us were not actually in Washington, D.C. or New York City when it happened. We experienced it through the eye of the camera lens, watching it all unfold as we stared in disbelief at our television screens.

This horrific tragedy, like any event, was a prime target for exploitation. Within a matter of days, the footage of planes flying into buildings was accompanied by Islamic extremists brandishing weapons and burning American flags. The terms terrorism and Islam became synonymous. A new wave of patriotism and war cries swept over the country.

Fast forward a few years later, after the war in Afghanistan had been waged, there was a new target on the map. The Bush Administration, with the help of media outlets, made a connection between September 11th, the war on terrorism, and Iraq. The majority of the American public was swiftly, easily tricked into this war by not only a self-motivated administration, but a manipulative media.

Still think yellow journalism is a thing of the past? Think again.

under: Comm 455
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Words were first spoken, and stories of “real truth” with them

Posted by: | September 11, 2012 | No Comment |

It has been argued in several circles of journalism that journalists are storytellers. The evidence that propels journalists as storytellers comes to us from as far ago as the fifth century B.C. It was in that time that rhetoric was born, where the well respected citizens were relied on to tell the truth of their ownership of a certain olive grove, and the best story won.

Rhetoric, and journalism, after the use of all their devices, both reach their audience as a story. Rhetoric is different only in that its main purpose is to persuade. It is heard as a story and it falls heavily on the listener to interpret the central idea. But isn’t that what we do as journalists now? Of course we use the written word, but don’t we have to shape that written word into a story that, while containing the truth, persuades our listener to care, and to continue reading?

Journalists will deny their position as storytellers. But why? We’ve already discovered in class that the first news came to us in the form of a story, so why argue against a basic tenet? A good journalist knows that the truth is all that matters, but how would they present the truth and all of its characteristics without first telling a story?

Maybe Plato put it best when he complained that rhetoric gives the impression of truth, rather than the truth itself. The “real truth,” then, has always had a home in good journalism, and has never been in question.

As journalists, we have always been storytellers. What has always separated us from other storytellers is a curiosity and desire to report the facts as they unfold in the world we live in, so that our audience might have a better chance in it.

under: Comm 455
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No news is bad news

Posted by: | September 11, 2012 | No Comment |

The wait for urgent news causes universal anxiety. Once the anticipation has become too much to bear, we reassure ourselves with a universal anecdote; “no news is good news.”  Is no news really good news? The effect of censorship on news during the French Revolution tells us otherwise.

News publications during the French Revolution needed approval from the King. There were strict rules regarding what news could be distributed. Religion, government authority, and finance articles could not be printed. The punishment for distributing news about these topics was death. This strict government censorship led to the establishment of libelles.

Libelles were underground news books that printed scandalous stories of little substance and truth. Though they were unreliable sources of news, they were seen as more reliable than the government controlled publications. The omission of significant events in government approved publications led to the belief that underground publications were more reliable. Though these underground publications were seen as more reliable, they were still hard to come by.

Since obtaining news was so difficult, the French began to rely on word of mouth. Word of mouth is very unreliable, anyone who has played a game of telephone can attest to that. During this time, news consisted of very little truth and rumors caused uproars and riots among the middle and lower class.

This begs the question; does censorship lead to revolution? There certainly seems to be a connection between censorship and civil unrest. Syria, Iran, and North Korea top the list of 10 most censored countries.

Recent effects of government censorship on the stability of a country can be seen in Syria. As seen during the French Revolution, oppression paired unreliable news leads to revolution. The revolution in Syria has been accompanied by a media blackout, a severe form of government censorship and oppression. Freedom of the press is not granted in Syria, leaving citizens with inadequate and unreliable news.

Freedom of the press is granted to Americans by the first amendment. 

This freedom is important because it encourages a marketplace of ideas, self-governance, and liberty. These ideals help maintain a level of social stability in America. Civil unrest occurs when government infringes upon rights such as freedom of the press.

The French Revolution is one of the first examples of the effect of censorship on the stability of a civilization. This revolution shows us the importance of a free press and why the first amendment has been so important in shaping the success of America.

 

under: Comm 455
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CNN, Fox News reporting of healthcare ruling puts credibility in question

Posted by: | September 11, 2012 | No Comment |

Get it right the first time!

That is what Jon Stewart of The Daily Show practically meant when he emphasized the huge blunder that CNN and Fox News had committed when they wrongly reported on the Supreme Court ruling of the Affordable Healthcare Act.  Thanks to electronic news these days, it is easy for mistakes like this remain imprinted in “electronic history”.

At 10:07 AM, Fox News and CNN reported that “individual mandate” provision of the law had been struck down.

*Photo from gossiponthis.com

*Photo from gossiponthis.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the Fox News report was retracted shortly after, CNN erroneously kept reporting that the law was “unconstitutional” for the next seven minutes.

CNN and Fox News tried rapidly to fix their error, but the damage was already done as blogs and social networks lit up with posts and comments about their mistakes. There are now many YouTube videos that show the exact report as well, which will increase the chance that a massive audience will be exposed to the incident.  This was not possible in the earlier periods in history when everything was ‘word of mouth’

The mainstream media’s misstep is another reason why “context and accuracy” matter more than the speed of news.  In a highly-connected news environment, inaccurate stories travel just as fast as the accurate ones. It is true that many people may forget what happened that day, but the networks will have trouble removing this imprint from Internet history.

 

under: Comm 455
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Roman Actas come full circle into modern journalism

Posted by: | September 11, 2012 | No Comment |

A form of the earliest newspapers, the Roman Acta Diurna were a daily posting of news from the Roman officials. Unlike the flimsy and disposable modern newspaper, the Actas were carved onto stone and metal and published in the forums for public viewing.

The first Acta was published sometime around 131 B.C. during the Roman Republic. After a few days, the tablets were taken down. No known originals survive. The earliest Actas described legal proceedings and trial results, but they were later expanded to include information like births, deaths and marriages.

Photo courtesy of http://warandgame.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/juliuscaesar.jpg

The Acta Senatus were a military notices originally kept secret from the public. However, in 59 B.C., Julius Caesar made the records available to the public. This practice was continued on by some later rulers, but they were often censored.

Some even argue that the Roman’s were ahead of their time with the Acta Diurna and the Acta Senatus. According to Mark Pack of the The Dabbler, the simple and effective tactics the Romans used for their Actas are still applicable in modern internet journalism. His article, “The Acta Diurna, or how the Romans had an internet saavy approach to information” details the effective ways the Romans combined hard news with human interest, making the information free and public and easy for the content to be shared far and wide.

under: Comm 455
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Women in the media: promoting social change

Posted by: | September 10, 2012 | 1 Comment |

Women are a popular topic in the upcoming 2012 election. Looking at the role women have historically played in the media  and the role they are fulfilling today can bring us perspective on how the media can influence public opinion, especially with issues concerning women. The media, especially during election season, can have a huge impact on opinion, social progress, and ultimately the candidate who wins the presidency.

Women in the United States represent 51 percent of the population. Why is it then, that women are so much less represented in the media than men? Women who have been involved in journalism throughout history have impacted society in a positive way, making it important for more women to become journalists.

Women lack representation in the media

 

Of all the people interviewed on the news, only 24 percent are women. Women, however, have brought about great social change by contributing to journalism.  Although journalism has up until recently been completely male dominated, women who wrote to promote social justice and equality made a huge impact on society.

The work of Ida B. Wells shows how important women can be to journalism and the well-being of society. Wells was editor and co-owner of Memphis Free Speech and Headlight and used this platform to express her views against lynching and racism. Wells’s contributions made a national movement for black women possible, as she was one of the only black women who signed a petition which ultimately led to the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Ida B. Wells worked to end racism and discrimination against women through journalism

Wells also helped to integrate the women’s suffrage movement, as she refused to obey orders that instructed the black suffragettes to march together at the back of the unit during Alice Paul’s suffrage parade of 1913.

Feminist activist Gloria Steinem also worked to increase women’s participation in the media. In the 1960s, women in journalism were not allowed to write on serious topics and were instead told to focus on writing about makeup, hairstyles, fashion, and getting attention from men. In 1971, Steinem helped create Ms. magazine, a feminist publication run by women. This was groundbreaking in a time where birth control was illegal for unmarried women and job discrimination against women was still present.

Gloria Steinem helped to increase women’s participation in media by:

  • Helping to create Ms. magazine.
  • Co-Founding the Women’s Media Center.
  • Exposing women’s mistreatment in her writing, like in 1963 when she went undercover as a playboy bunny for Show magazine.

Current cover of Ms. Magazine

 

Women in journalism continue to contribute to social change today, and a variety of programs  are dedicated to increase women’s participation in the media.

under: Comm 455
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Printing and moveable type

Posted by: | September 10, 2012 | No Comment |

Moveable type was first used to print by Bi Sheng in China around 1041 A.D. His system of printing was very labor intensive, however. Creating the large ceramic slabs with the details of each character in the Chinese language proved near impossible. Korea tried methods similar to Sheng’s just a few centuries later, but ran into a similar problem of practicality with too much work and too many components.

It was in 1450 that Johannes Gutenberg first used his letter press. The European language used limited characters, an important factor in the construct of the proper type pieces out of lead and tin. In 1455, the “Gutenberg Bible” solidified the success of printing and the printing press began to spread across Europe.

The invention of the printing press revolutionized communication and book production leading to the spread of knowledge. Today, practically all movable type printing ultimately derives from Gutenberg’s movable type printing, which is often regarded as the most important invention of the second millennium.

Gutenberg Printing Press

under: Comm 455
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The man that started investigative journalism

Posted by: | September 10, 2012 | No Comment |

On April 11, 1836, 23-year-old prostitute Ellen Jewett was found brutally murdered in her bed. With a bloody gash in her head, and her body left charred from arson, police arrested clerk Richard P. Robinson. Usually this would be the end of the case, but as most journalists are, James Gordon Bennett was curious wanted to look into it further. So began investigative journalism.

James Gordon Bennett Sr. of the New York Herald

At the time, it was considered inappropriate and unprofessional for journalists to go beyond reporting the news on the surface.

“Bennett’s great strength as a journalist was his alertness to news and the energy and ingenuity he brought to the pursuit of news” (Stephens, 230). Although the crime appeared to be committed by Jewett’s male companion, Bennett decided to dig deeper. What he found would redefine the career of a journalist.

Revisiting the crime scene, Bennett found that all the signs pointed to the innocence of Robinson and the possible involvement of the victim’s landlord. Although no arrest was made, Bennett’s investigative reporting in the Herald was admired and opened doors for the investigative journalism era.

Thanks to Bennett, journalists were considered just as important as the police when it came to reporting crime and readers were considered the jury. This still exists in today’s world.

However, the transformation of journalism from print to internet to social media has made it possible for anyone to become an investigative journalist.

under: Comm 455
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The origins of propaganda

Posted by: | September 10, 2012 | No Comment |

Persuasive literature and media have been used since the inception of written language.  However, it wasn’t until 1622 A.D. that it was finally given a name: propaganda.

It was in this year that Pope Gregory XV created the “Congregatio de Propaganda Fide,”or “The Sacred Congregation for Propagating the Faith.”  It is unsurprising that the term “propaganda” is now used as the common name for persuasive messages and media, since the goal of a propaganda campaign is to propagate an idea to the masses.

It is also unsurprising that such material did not receive a formal name until after the advent of the printing press, which allowed persuasive material to circulate through a greater area and reach a much larger audience.

Propaganda has historically been used in times of war to rally support for the home nation and to inspire feelings of hatred among it’s citizens for the enemy forces.  The use of propaganda became particularly intense during World War I and II.  A collection of British wartime propaganda can be seen here.

To help clarify the blurry line between material considered to be propaganda and material that is considered advertising, Edward Filene established the Institute for Propaganda Analysis in 1936.  The goal of the IPA was to increase American citizens’ awareness of propaganda and commonly used techniques.

The seven methods established by the IPA include bandwagon, card-stacking, glittering generalities, name-calling, plain folks, testimonial, and transfer.  All of these have become the standard identifiers of propaganda and are all based in the appeal to the pathos, or emotions, of the target audience.

Quiet! Know your place - shut your face!

 

under: Comm 455
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Printing On Time to Posting Online

Posted by: | September 10, 2012 | No Comment |

Since Johannes Gutenberg’s Printing Press—invented around 1436—prints of all kinds have been massively produced. Following this invention, the newspaper was able to spread the news in the form of printed paper.

The time in between Gutenberg’s Printing Press and our modern society of blogging, tweeting and online publications has come to be known as the Gutenberg Parenthesis—meaning an interruption of the ‘word of mouth’ spread of news.

The first English newspaper was the London Gazette, founded in 1666. It was the Industrial Revolution 200 years later that allowed for a continued rise in newspaper production. In fact, in 1850 there were 2,526 different papers in the United States.

Nowadays, however, newspapers are becoming more and more unnecessary in such a technological world. The Internet has replaced traditional forms of publications, greatly affecting the nature of newspapers. We no longer heavily rely on the likings of such an outlet. Our society has turned back to the word of mouth just as it was 500 years ago, before the printing press.

Not only is there less of a need for different positions that newspapers employ—copy readers, editors, reporters, etc.—but the Internet also presents the benefits of instant publication. Newspapers, and individuals alike, have the ability to research a story, write it out, and publish it straight to the Internet. Printing means a newspaper must wait to publish a breaking story until they go to press.

Just a Few Job Positions in a Newspaper:

  • Reporter/Journalist
  • Chief Editor
  • Copy Editor
  • Section Editor
  • News editor
  • Photo/Graphics Staff

It’s been a long time, but we’ve almost finally come full circle. One day in the near future it may seem as if the printing press never existed and there was only ever word of mouth and the Internet.

under: Comm 455, newspapers
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