An overview of what journalists do and why they do it.

1. What is news?
An overview of what journalists do
and why they do it

2. Definitions of news
• Timeliness

3. Definitions of news
• Timeliness
• Impact

4. Definitions of news
• Timeliness
• Impact
• Proximity

5. Definitions of news
•
•
•
•
Timeliness
Impact
Proximity
Controversy

6. Definitions of news
•
•
•
•
•
Timeliness
Impact
Proximity
Controversy
Prominence

7. Definitions of news
•
•
•
•
•
•
Timeliness
Impact
Proximity
Controversy
Prominence
Currency

8. Definitions of news
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Timeliness
Impact
Proximity
Controversy
Prominence
Currency
Oddity

9. Two broad types of news
• Hard news

10. Two broad types of news
• Hard news
– War

11. Two broad types of news
• Hard news
– War
– Natural disaster

12. Two broad types of news
• Hard news
– War
– Natural disaster
– Politics

13. Two broad types of news
• Hard news
–
–
–
–
War
Natural disaster
Politics
Economics

14. Two broad types of news
• Hard news
–
–
–
–
–
War
Natural disaster
Politics
Economics
Crime

15. Two broad types of news
• Hard news
• Soft news
– Celebrities

16. Two broad types of news
• Hard news
• Soft news
– Celebrities
– Arts and
entertainment

17. Two broad types of news
• Hard news
• Soft news
– Celebrities
– Arts and
entertainment
– Human interest

18. Two broad types of news
• Hard news
• Soft news
– Celebrities
– Arts and
entertainment
– Human interest
– Sports

19. Two broad types of news
• Hard news
• Soft news
– Celebrities
– Arts and
entertainment
– Human interest
– Sports
– Lifestyle

20. Sources of news
• External events

21. Sources of news
• External events
– Disasters

22. Sources of news
• External events
– Disasters
– Accidents

23. Sources of news
• External events
– Disasters
– Accidents
– War

24. Sources of news
• External events
• Planned activities

25. Sources of news
• External events
• Planned activities
– Meetings

26. Sources of news
• External events
• Planned activities
– Meetings
– News conferences

27. Sources of news
• External events
• Planned activities
– Meetings
– News conferences
– Demonstrations

28. Sources of news
• External events
• Planned activities
• Enterprise
– Public records

29. Sources of news
• External events
• Planned activities
• Enterprise
– Public records
– Tips from sources

30. Sources of news
• External events
• Planned activities
• Enterprise
– Public records
– Tips from sources
– Connecting the dots

31. Fairness and neutrality
• A journalist must strive to be independent

32. Fairness and neutrality
• A journalist must strive to be independent
• The rise of objectivity

33. Fairness and neutrality
• A journalist must strive to be independent
• The rise of objectivity
• The problem of “balance”

34. Fairness and neutrality
•
•
•
•
A journalist must strive to be independent
The rise of objectivity
The problem of “balance”
Opinion journalism

35. Fairness and neutrality
•
•
•
•
A journalist must strive to be independent
The rise of objectivity
The problem of “balance”
Opinion journalism
– First obligation is to readers/viewers/listeners

36. Fairness and neutrality
•
•
•
•
A journalist must strive to be independent
The rise of objectivity
The problem of “balance”
Opinion journalism
– First obligation is to readers/viewers/listeners
– Opinionated but not partisan

37. Elements of a news story

38. Elements of a news story
• Who?

39. Elements of a news story
• Who?
• What?

40. Elements of a news story
• Who?
• What?
• Where?

41. Elements of a news story
•
•
•
•
Who?
What?
Where?
When?

42. Elements of a news story
•
•
•
•
•
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?

43. Elements of a news story
•
•
•
•
•
•
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?

44. What is journalism for?
• “The primary purpose of journalism is to
provide citizens with the information they
need to be free and self-governing”
– Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel

45. What is journalism for?
• “The primary purpose of journalism is to
provide citizens with the information they
need to be free and self-governing”
– Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
• Why such a high-minded definition?

46. First Amendment
• “Congress shall make no law … abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press.”

47. First Amendment
• “Congress shall make no law … abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press.”
• Does this suggest a social obligation on the
part of the press?

48. First Amendment
• “Congress shall make no law … abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press.”
• Does this suggest a social obligation on the
part of the press?
• Can that obligation be enforced by the
government?

49. First Amendment
• “Congress shall make no law … abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press.”
• Does this suggest a social obligation on the
part of the press?
• Can that obligation be enforced by the
government?
• Is the press the only entity that can exercise
that First Amendment responsibility?

50. Journalism as a profession
• Does the First Amendment allow for
journalism to be considered a profession?

51. Journalism as a profession
• Does the First Amendment allow for
journalism to be considered a profession?
• Does the First Amendment offer special
protections for journalists?

52. Journalism as a profession
• Does the First Amendment allow for
journalism to be considered a profession?
• Does the First Amendment offer special
protections for journalists?
• Do the media have common elements?

53. Journalism as a profession
• Does the First Amendment allow for
journalism to be considered a profession?
• Does the First Amendment offer special
protections for journalists?
• Do the media have common elements?
• Can wrongdoers be sanctioned?

54. Jack Kelley
• Foreign reporter for
USA Today
• Fabricated details of
war reportage
• Lost his job and is out
of journalism

55. Mike Barnicle
• Columnist for
The Boston Globe
• Survived repeated
instances of
plagiarism and
fabrication
• Lost job, but remains
in journalism

56. Credit
• Much of this presentation is based on an essay
by Deborah Potter titled “What Is News?”