The basics of defining news, objectivity and standards. Based on "Reporting for the Media," by Bender, Davenport, Drager and Fedler (10th edition).

1. What is news?
Thinking about journalism and
the decision-making process

2. Dog bites man

3. Man bites dog

4. Characteristics of news
• Timeliness

5. Characteristics of news
• Timeliness
• Impact

6. Characteristics of news
• Timeliness
• Impact
• Prominence

7. Characteristics of news
• Timeliness
• Impact
• Prominence
• Proximity

8. Characteristics of news
• Timeliness
• Impact
• Prominence
• Proximity
• Singularity

9. Characteristics of news
• Timeliness
• Impact
• Prominence
• Proximity
• Singularity
• Conflict or controversy

10. Types of news
• What is hard news?

11. Types of news
• What is hard news?
– Police and fire reporting

12. Types of news
• What is hard news?
– Police and fire reporting
– Government

13. Types of news
• What is hard news?
– Police and fire reporting
– Government
– Disasters

14. Types of news
• What is hard news?
– Police and fire reporting
– Government
– Disasters
• What is soft news?

15. Types of news
• What is hard news?
– Police and fire reporting
– Government
– Disasters
• What is soft news?
– Human-interest feature stories

16. Types of news
• What is hard news?
– Police and fire reporting
– Government
– Disasters
• What is soft news?
– Human-interest feature stories
– Not necessarily tied to the news cycle

17. Types of news
• What is hard news?
– Police and fire reporting
– Government
– Disasters
• What is soft news?
– Human-interest feature stories
– Not necessarily tied to the news cycle
– Often aimed at tugging on the emotions

18. Public (civic) journalism
• Listen to our readers
about their concerns
to shape coverage

19. Public (civic) journalism
• Listen to our readers
about their concerns
to shape coverage
• Movement died out
under criticism from
traditional journalists

20. Public (civic) journalism
• Listen to our readers
about their concerns
to shape coverage
• Movement died out
under criticism from
traditional journalists
• Reborn as digital tools
empower the
“former audience”

21. Objectivity
• Ideally, it means acting
as a disinterested
observer reporting facts

22. Objectivity
• Ideally, it means acting
as a disinterested
observer reporting facts
• Too often it has come to
mean a mindless
pursuit of “balance”

23. Objectivity
• Ideally, it means acting
as a disinterested
observer reporting facts
• Too often it has come to
mean a mindless
pursuit of “balance”
• We need tough, neutral
journalism aimed at
seeking out the truth

24. Special considerations
• Offensive details, especially in photos

25. Special considerations
• Offensive details, especially in photos
• Sensationalism for its own sake

26. Special considerations
• Offensive details, especially in photos
• Sensationalism for its own sake
• Rumors — sometimes yes, sometimes no

27. Special considerations
• Offensive details, especially in photos
• Sensationalism for its own sake
• Rumors — sometimes yes, sometimes no
• Names of rape victims are usually withheld

28. Special considerations
• Offensive details, especially in photos
• Sensationalism for its own sake
• Rumors — sometimes yes, sometimes no
• Names of rape victims are usually withheld
• Names of juvenile offenders withheld

29. Accuracy
• If a person says his name is “John Smith,” ask
him to spell “John” and “Smith”

30. Accuracy
• If a person says his name is “John Smith,” ask
him to spell “John” and “Smith”
• It could be “Jon Smythe”

31. Accuracy
• If a person says his name is “John Smith,” ask
him to spell “John” and “Smith”
• It could be “Jon Smythe”
• Keep asking questions until you understand
what’s going on
– Passing along information that you don’t quite
understand leads to fuzziness and errors

32. Credits
• This presentation is a summary of Chapter 5 in
“Reporting for the Media,” by John R. Bender,
Lucinda D. Davenport, Michael W. Drager and
Fred Fedler (10th edition)