General
Awareness Instinct
The need we have as humans to know and understand things that are going on beyond our direct experiences
Fox News
FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news.”
Transparency
revealing as much as possible about sources and methods used so that readers can understand that no info is withheld and everything is verified.
DOUBLE POINTS IF BOTH DEFINED CORRECTLY
Shield Laws and Sunshine Clause
Shield laws allow reporters to protect the identity of sources without fear of jail time
sunshine clause occurs when someone claims the good name and character of a person is being discussed
Negative impacts of balance and fairness
Balance:
Can lead to distortion (often there are more than two sides to a story, and sometimes balancing them equally is not a true reflection of reality.
Fairness:
Can be misunderstood if it is seen to be a goal unto itself
Role of the empower
Providing audiences tools and information so that they can act for themselves
Making info interactive, organizing events to bring community together
The NY Times
Our mission is simple: We seek the truth and help people understand the world. This mission is rooted in our belief that great journalism has the power to make each reader’s life richer and more fulfilling, and all of society stronger and more just...”
Control the Drive for Live
Don’t cut corners on content, writing or editing just to make time for a few seconds live on camera.
Elements of libel related to fault
Plaintiffs must prove fault before a news organization can be held accountable for libel
Proof must show that a reporter or news organization was reckless in gathering/accounting for parts of the story
What are the two types of libel and what are their definitions
Defamation: libel that occurs based on written information
Slander: libel that occurs based on spoken words
Civic Journalism
A movement that occurred in the 1990s that argued that journalism should not just point out problems but also examine the possible solutions and answers to those problems
New Journalism
Movement of younger generations in the 60s and 70s that created alternative publications. Telling stories in ways younger generations wanted to read them
3 ways to craft the writing of a news story and their definitions
Inverted Pyramind- Start with the most important information and each paragraph descends in order of importance
Hourglass- Starts with the most important information (what’s most relevant or timely).Then there’s a turn/twist a couple of paragraphs in. The ending summarizes and leaves us with a true “the end”
Nut Graf- It is an actual paragraph (usually 2nd to 4th paragraph in a story) that lays out for readers the ”so what?”. It tells readers exactly how this impacts them.
4 categories for invasion of privacy and their definitions
Intrusion
Trespassing, secret surveillance, and misrepresentations
Public disclosure of private facts
Medical history of comments of a sexual nature about a person
False light
Any part of a story that portrays someone in an inaccurate way
Appropriation
The unauthorized use of someone’s name or image to sell a product or service
3 categories of privilege and their definitions
Fair report privilege:
Journalists can report on ANYTHING said in official government proceedings even if they are defamatory or slanderous
Opinion privilege:
Most cases of opinion (editorials) cannot be considered libelous
Fair comment and criticism:
Journalists can criticize performers, politicians, and matters of public interest
Reasons for journalistic isolation
1. Journalism becoming professionalized
2. Tone became more subjective and judgmental
3. Business strategies to enhance profits by going after certain markets
Tom Brokaw
You convey something that the public either trusts or it does not trust and it has to do with the content and how you handle the news, but it also just has something to do with your persona.”
Journalism being ______ and _______ is key to ________
Proportional, comprehensive, accuracy
Omar Jimenez
CNN correspondent covering the Minneapolis protests, arrested during the fact
Three questions readers ask themselves about stories in which deception is involved ?
Is the info sufficiently vital?
Was there any other way to get the story?
Did the journalist explain their reasoning for using deception?
Jason Blair
Jayson Blair was an investagative reporter for the New York Times who was caught committing plagiarism and violating the standards and values of the newspaper in order to further his carrer.
those who were suspicious of him serve as an example of the watchdog principle
Kovach and Rosenstiel
“The primary purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with the information they need to be free and self-governing.”
Stakeholders
See the readers as people who have a vested interest in the events and the story often unfolds from there
NY Times v. Sullivan
This case provides a solid defense against libel regarding public officials.
The Supreme Court Ruled that it possessed the First Amendment right of the media to publish anything related to the conduct of public officials
Robert A Caro Publication And big break
Publication: Newsday
Big break: investigating why corperation executives were keeping the F.A.A from making/expanding schools in an area (wanted to build an airport for their private use)