1. When a journalist has accidently defamed someone, the person can still sue. Defamation is defamation, even if it is innocent or unintentionally done. I would let the lady have a full page ad for free if it ment my newspaper wouldn't be taken to court for defamation.
2. Having chosen a career that relies on media coverage for success, i don't think celebrities or anyone iin the lime light should be allowed to claim defamation as easily as the average person. If celebrities sued for every would which affected their reputation etc they would be constantly in court arguing cases of defamation.
3. If a source gave me false information and my paper was being sued for defamation i would reveal her name in order to defend my paper against allegations.
Points of Interest:
- There are many things you can do to avoid defamation including ensuring your notes are organised and correct in case you end up in court, try to avoid arguments, starting or retaliating, with interviewees, make sure you do your best to cover both sides of your story to make sure balance is achieved or at least attempted, never assume anything, double check spelling of names etc...
- Dead people nor governments can sue for defamation. A person cannot defame themselves. People can sue if statements about people reflect badly on them.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Chapter 16 Week 13
1. If offered a free dinner i would ring my editor and tell them about the conflict of interest because not telling the editor could reult in suspension (p397). As outlined in the AJA Code of Ethics, journalists should do their best to avoid bribes or any forms of conflict of interest and inform their bosses when in the situation.
2. According to the AJA Code of Ethics (p400), journalists are not to 'allow advertising or commercial considerations to undermine accuracy, fairness or independence'. So in this case I woul write about the experiences of the trip as I found them, be it positive or negative.
3. If I made an error in an already published story I would write a follow up article correcting my mistake, because I believe journalism to be a duty to inform above being a duty to get payed more despite incompetance.
4. Journalists should consider public interest above all when deciding whether to print a story (p382). In this case, on an emotional level I would want to withhold printing the story due to the circumstances where the main person would be affected greatly by the story. However, i also think it is in the public's interest to know about the story.
Points of Interest:
- When it comes to journalism, it is extremely important not to be bias, or give any clues as to what your opinion of the story is in your writing. The readers of your article need to be able to make up their own mind about how they feel about the story, without being swayed by a writer's opinion.
- There are three types of facts (as outlined by Henshall & Ingram)
- facts that have been proven to be true
- facts that are probably true although they have not been proved
- facts that could be true, although they appear to be lies
2. According to the AJA Code of Ethics (p400), journalists are not to 'allow advertising or commercial considerations to undermine accuracy, fairness or independence'. So in this case I woul write about the experiences of the trip as I found them, be it positive or negative.
3. If I made an error in an already published story I would write a follow up article correcting my mistake, because I believe journalism to be a duty to inform above being a duty to get payed more despite incompetance.
4. Journalists should consider public interest above all when deciding whether to print a story (p382). In this case, on an emotional level I would want to withhold printing the story due to the circumstances where the main person would be affected greatly by the story. However, i also think it is in the public's interest to know about the story.
Points of Interest:
- When it comes to journalism, it is extremely important not to be bias, or give any clues as to what your opinion of the story is in your writing. The readers of your article need to be able to make up their own mind about how they feel about the story, without being swayed by a writer's opinion.
- There are three types of facts (as outlined by Henshall & Ingram)
- facts that have been proven to be true
- facts that are probably true although they have not been proved
- facts that could be true, although they appear to be lies
Friday, October 19, 2007
Chapter 13 Week 13
1. One of the main problems with cnovergence in relation to journalism is that most journalists are not trained in all the fields that are required for a converged news room.
Media companies need to make sure journalists are properly trained in all areas of mixed media before convergence is a success.
2. An issue with convergence is that some people don't feel comfortable working with certain medium. For example, if a print journalist was told they had to go and report on TV and they were not comfortable with the idea of being on national television, the company may even lose their journalist.
I believe the media would lose alot of journalists and potential journalists to this situation because if the felt really uncomfortable they may not want to continue being journalists, or prevent the potential journalists from actually becoming one.
3. As it says on p313 in the text book, the success of convergence will ultimately depend on journalilsts and news consumers.
So with the seemingly negative atitude of journalists towards convergence, I think the concept will fade away leaving print journalists on paper and TV journalists on screen.
4. If cross-media ownership laws become less strict then media companies will eventually go broke, especially newspapers (p303). If newpapers publish exactly what is in their papers on their websites, they won't be making any profit to support themselves because the public will begin to read their news on the Internet... for free... thus in the long term, sending the paper broke.
5. Despite the invention of the TV, people still use the radio, and despite the invention of the web, people still use TV (p301). So I think that in the future radio and TV will still be used and web will probably be upstaged by a new form of communication technology.
6. I belive it is important to be able to do a few different things in relation to journalism such as being able to write, take photos, operate a video camera, etc because sometimes you may need to use other resources to make a better story.
I think it is a very good idea to have options at uni that allow potential journalists to be multi-skilled.
7. People are definatley becoming increasingly dependent on the Internet, however I doubt the human race would die out of the Internet were to disappear one day.
Points of Interest:
- When writing for the Internet writers must realise that many of the site's readers do not speak english as their first language so it is important to use simple language, without much use of jargon, cliches, Australianisms etc.
- With convergence, journalists will need to know about the Internet and the things that come with it such as website production and the jargon used in the web world.
Media companies need to make sure journalists are properly trained in all areas of mixed media before convergence is a success.
2. An issue with convergence is that some people don't feel comfortable working with certain medium. For example, if a print journalist was told they had to go and report on TV and they were not comfortable with the idea of being on national television, the company may even lose their journalist.
I believe the media would lose alot of journalists and potential journalists to this situation because if the felt really uncomfortable they may not want to continue being journalists, or prevent the potential journalists from actually becoming one.
3. As it says on p313 in the text book, the success of convergence will ultimately depend on journalilsts and news consumers.
So with the seemingly negative atitude of journalists towards convergence, I think the concept will fade away leaving print journalists on paper and TV journalists on screen.
4. If cross-media ownership laws become less strict then media companies will eventually go broke, especially newspapers (p303). If newpapers publish exactly what is in their papers on their websites, they won't be making any profit to support themselves because the public will begin to read their news on the Internet... for free... thus in the long term, sending the paper broke.
5. Despite the invention of the TV, people still use the radio, and despite the invention of the web, people still use TV (p301). So I think that in the future radio and TV will still be used and web will probably be upstaged by a new form of communication technology.
6. I belive it is important to be able to do a few different things in relation to journalism such as being able to write, take photos, operate a video camera, etc because sometimes you may need to use other resources to make a better story.
I think it is a very good idea to have options at uni that allow potential journalists to be multi-skilled.
7. People are definatley becoming increasingly dependent on the Internet, however I doubt the human race would die out of the Internet were to disappear one day.
Points of Interest:
- When writing for the Internet writers must realise that many of the site's readers do not speak english as their first language so it is important to use simple language, without much use of jargon, cliches, Australianisms etc.
- With convergence, journalists will need to know about the Internet and the things that come with it such as website production and the jargon used in the web world.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Chapter 12 Week 12
1. I think ABC should become privatised in order to minimise the amount of pressure from the government in their journalism. If the ABC became privatised it would not be able to be so bias in its journalism s its content would be controlled by commercial media as well as being controlled by politicians.
2. If I had to choose between the man with good looks or the woman with better skills with the given circumstances, I would probably choose the man, mainly because of the female dominance which was already present in the news rooms.
Honestly, his good looks would have an influence because I beliece that the public will prefer to watch and listen to an attractive person. A major part to consider, which was not mentioned in the question in the text book was the applicant's persnality, which would, I think, be the most important characteristic they could possess, everything else can be learnt.
3. I think the best communicator is TV because such a large audience watch TV. Even when watching other programs, they still end up seeing the headlines of the day, during ad breaks etc.
Points of Interest:
- Radio has two aspects which separate it from television and print... speed and portability. While print news has a waiting period of at least one day, and television has a dely as well, radio can have a story on air seconds after the event has occured.
- Because radio journalists only have the ability to appeal to a single sense, hearing, they must ensure they get it right. Radio announcers must have 'the voice' for the job in the hope to appeal to an audience.
2. If I had to choose between the man with good looks or the woman with better skills with the given circumstances, I would probably choose the man, mainly because of the female dominance which was already present in the news rooms.
Honestly, his good looks would have an influence because I beliece that the public will prefer to watch and listen to an attractive person. A major part to consider, which was not mentioned in the question in the text book was the applicant's persnality, which would, I think, be the most important characteristic they could possess, everything else can be learnt.
3. I think the best communicator is TV because such a large audience watch TV. Even when watching other programs, they still end up seeing the headlines of the day, during ad breaks etc.
Points of Interest:
- Radio has two aspects which separate it from television and print... speed and portability. While print news has a waiting period of at least one day, and television has a dely as well, radio can have a story on air seconds after the event has occured.
- Because radio journalists only have the ability to appeal to a single sense, hearing, they must ensure they get it right. Radio announcers must have 'the voice' for the job in the hope to appeal to an audience.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Chapter 11 Week 11
1. I would run the story because of my editor's wishes, but also becuase as a journalist, i feel it is my duty as a reporter to inform the public of any wrong doing by government organisations such as the police.
2. If it was completely guaranteed no one would find out about the article, I would find out about the article, I would not print it. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if someone died because of an article I wrote.
3. It is simply not ethical to accept bribes no matter what the case is. I would never accept the celebrity's offers and would probably be more inclined to print the story because of their stupidity.
4. If you could reveal corrupt behavious involving bribes without having to reveal the source of the information i would definately print the story. Bribes are simply not acceptable.
Points of Interest:
- One of the most important tools of a journalist is their contact book. Being on other important people's contact books ensure that they get told important information when it happens.
- The job of a journalist is to inform the public of news and events, to tell people things they don't already know. Therefore it makes sense that a journalist needs to be well informed on a wide variety of subjects in order to be good at their job.
-Journalists also need to be well organised and had good time management skills. A journalist is not going to be successful if they are constantly losing notes and always skimming deadlines.
2. If it was completely guaranteed no one would find out about the article, I would find out about the article, I would not print it. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if someone died because of an article I wrote.
3. It is simply not ethical to accept bribes no matter what the case is. I would never accept the celebrity's offers and would probably be more inclined to print the story because of their stupidity.
4. If you could reveal corrupt behavious involving bribes without having to reveal the source of the information i would definately print the story. Bribes are simply not acceptable.
Points of Interest:
- One of the most important tools of a journalist is their contact book. Being on other important people's contact books ensure that they get told important information when it happens.
- The job of a journalist is to inform the public of news and events, to tell people things they don't already know. Therefore it makes sense that a journalist needs to be well informed on a wide variety of subjects in order to be good at their job.
-Journalists also need to be well organised and had good time management skills. A journalist is not going to be successful if they are constantly losing notes and always skimming deadlines.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Chapter 10 Week 10
1. In the situation where I must choose between loyalty to my editor or loyalty to a source, I think I would choose to be loyal to my editor, especially in this case where my job could be on the line. Withholding information from an editor can lead to big problems for a journalist, as discussed on page 223 of the text book.
Even if the story I produce within the time limit wasn't as good as it could be, my paper would still be the first with the story, which I think is more important in a world where people are wanting their information faster.
2. I would tell the editor the information I already had about the phone calls and the potential result if the story is published. As mentioned above from the textbook, it isn't a good idea to keep information about stories from your editor.
3. Sub-editors simply review and edit other journalist's work (text book p226). In this situation I wouldn't rely soley on the 'drunken' source's words, but call an authoritative person to make sure the story wasn't going against any wishes of the judge.
4. If I was in an argument wih my editor and a police reporter about the angle of a story I would try to organise a meeting where we could all discuss the issue at hand.
The police reporter would probably know more about the story than the editor so it would make more sense to take the angle suggeseted by the police reporter, however the editor is my boss, so i would probably end up following my editor's wishes.
Points of Interest:
- Like every other career, newspapers have an order of importance of positions in the news room. The news hierarchy: editor in chief, editor, deputy editor, news editor, chief of staff, journalists.
- A media release should be seen as a story idea only, which will be treated like any other assignment, rather than as a ready-made news story. Media releases are more advertising events more than reporting on them, which is what newspapers and journalism is for.
Even if the story I produce within the time limit wasn't as good as it could be, my paper would still be the first with the story, which I think is more important in a world where people are wanting their information faster.
2. I would tell the editor the information I already had about the phone calls and the potential result if the story is published. As mentioned above from the textbook, it isn't a good idea to keep information about stories from your editor.
3. Sub-editors simply review and edit other journalist's work (text book p226). In this situation I wouldn't rely soley on the 'drunken' source's words, but call an authoritative person to make sure the story wasn't going against any wishes of the judge.
4. If I was in an argument wih my editor and a police reporter about the angle of a story I would try to organise a meeting where we could all discuss the issue at hand.
The police reporter would probably know more about the story than the editor so it would make more sense to take the angle suggeseted by the police reporter, however the editor is my boss, so i would probably end up following my editor's wishes.
Points of Interest:
- Like every other career, newspapers have an order of importance of positions in the news room. The news hierarchy: editor in chief, editor, deputy editor, news editor, chief of staff, journalists.
- A media release should be seen as a story idea only, which will be treated like any other assignment, rather than as a ready-made news story. Media releases are more advertising events more than reporting on them, which is what newspapers and journalism is for.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Chapter 14 Week 9
1.
2. I believe people read newspapers primarily for information. Although newspapers are also a form of entertainment, i think their main purpose is to inform to public of events occuring in their world. My opinion of this issue therefore, makes me think that newspapers should focus more on publishing news stories rather than feature articles, which provide a more entertaining purpose. If the readers of newspapers are getting their information in a clear enough way, i don't think increasing the amount of features will increase sales, especially when in today's society people are wanting communication to be more efficient etc.
3. Ideally it would be better for Australia if newspapers increased the amount of Australian writers and Australian news included in them, however, the current content of newspapers is mainly determined by the demand of the public and it seems the public are interested in foreign stories and writers. So until Australians can demand Australian made news, newspapers will continue to provide them with the news that sells papers.
4. I would like to be a full-time feature writer because I enjoy adding flair to my writing, which newspaper reporting does not really allow.
5. Feature writers write in a literary voice, being descriptive, emotive and appealing to the senses while informing about the subject. Journalists must write in a factual, subjective voice, clear of bias language, emotion and descriptive language.
Points of Interest
- There are a number of introductions writers use for their features such as anecdotal, descriptive, situation, essay, chronological, summary, narrative, shocker, ironic and a teaser.
- There are also a number of 'closers' which journalists use to end their stories including circular, summary, poetic, looking ahead, 'that's that' and 'see what I mean'.
- When I was waiting for one of my first communications classes I started talking to a mature age student whose daughter had done the same degree as me and had become a writer of travel features... after talking to this lady about her daughter's experiences I decided that that was what I wanted to do. In the text book it says that travel features involve a great eye for detail, careful listening and the ability to explain things in an interesting way. The text book also mentioned as part of the AJA Code of Ethics, that a travel writer must tell readers of any freebies or deals which make their trip cheaper etc.
2. I believe people read newspapers primarily for information. Although newspapers are also a form of entertainment, i think their main purpose is to inform to public of events occuring in their world. My opinion of this issue therefore, makes me think that newspapers should focus more on publishing news stories rather than feature articles, which provide a more entertaining purpose. If the readers of newspapers are getting their information in a clear enough way, i don't think increasing the amount of features will increase sales, especially when in today's society people are wanting communication to be more efficient etc.
3. Ideally it would be better for Australia if newspapers increased the amount of Australian writers and Australian news included in them, however, the current content of newspapers is mainly determined by the demand of the public and it seems the public are interested in foreign stories and writers. So until Australians can demand Australian made news, newspapers will continue to provide them with the news that sells papers.
4. I would like to be a full-time feature writer because I enjoy adding flair to my writing, which newspaper reporting does not really allow.
5. Feature writers write in a literary voice, being descriptive, emotive and appealing to the senses while informing about the subject. Journalists must write in a factual, subjective voice, clear of bias language, emotion and descriptive language.
Points of Interest
- There are a number of introductions writers use for their features such as anecdotal, descriptive, situation, essay, chronological, summary, narrative, shocker, ironic and a teaser.
- There are also a number of 'closers' which journalists use to end their stories including circular, summary, poetic, looking ahead, 'that's that' and 'see what I mean'.
- When I was waiting for one of my first communications classes I started talking to a mature age student whose daughter had done the same degree as me and had become a writer of travel features... after talking to this lady about her daughter's experiences I decided that that was what I wanted to do. In the text book it says that travel features involve a great eye for detail, careful listening and the ability to explain things in an interesting way. The text book also mentioned as part of the AJA Code of Ethics, that a travel writer must tell readers of any freebies or deals which make their trip cheaper etc.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Chapter 9 Week 9
1. It is usually safer to leave quotes as they are because meaning can change when quotes are 'corrected'. I would probably leave the quote as is, but try to make it sound more clear and consise. Try paraphrasing or using partial quotes in order to make the quotes more effective and useful.
2. Journalists should never resort to making threats to people in order to get information, it is simply unethical.
3. Journalists get their information by relating to their source, so some sort of relationship is formed through this procedure. The extent of the relationship is important to consider though, because journalists can become bias when they become emotionally attached to a story they are writing about. The relationship should remain professional in order to be ethical.
4. Becoming emotionally involved with a source can be bad for a journalist because is can result in a bias araticle.
5.George Bush regularly makes mistakes in his speeches. Whether to correct the mistakes would depend upon the topic of the article being written. Whether is was a serious or not so serious piece for example.
Points of Interest
- Journalists have to be very careful when quoting sources as a mis written quote can result in the journalist going to court having to explain why the edited someones quote etc.
- Journalists have to ensure sources and interviewees understand when things are on or off the record, this concept can become confusing for some people. If a source is unclear on what is on or off the record a journalist can get into trouble if the source sees a public quote that they thought was off the record.
- A good interviewer can put themselves in the interviewee's place without becoming emotionally involved. They can empathise and understand the position of the interviewee. It is important not to express opinion in your writing when you are a journalist. Your writing is supposed to allow the public to decide their opinion for themselves.
2. Journalists should never resort to making threats to people in order to get information, it is simply unethical.
3. Journalists get their information by relating to their source, so some sort of relationship is formed through this procedure. The extent of the relationship is important to consider though, because journalists can become bias when they become emotionally attached to a story they are writing about. The relationship should remain professional in order to be ethical.
4. Becoming emotionally involved with a source can be bad for a journalist because is can result in a bias araticle.
5.George Bush regularly makes mistakes in his speeches. Whether to correct the mistakes would depend upon the topic of the article being written. Whether is was a serious or not so serious piece for example.
Points of Interest
- Journalists have to be very careful when quoting sources as a mis written quote can result in the journalist going to court having to explain why the edited someones quote etc.
- Journalists have to ensure sources and interviewees understand when things are on or off the record, this concept can become confusing for some people. If a source is unclear on what is on or off the record a journalist can get into trouble if the source sees a public quote that they thought was off the record.
- A good interviewer can put themselves in the interviewee's place without becoming emotionally involved. They can empathise and understand the position of the interviewee. It is important not to express opinion in your writing when you are a journalist. Your writing is supposed to allow the public to decide their opinion for themselves.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Chapter 8 Week 8
1. I would chose to b, if the story i was investigating was of personal interest to me, otherwise i would choose a if i wasn't really interested in the story.
2. I think reporting about a crime story etc would be extremely exciting so i would probably take the risk to investigate the story.
3. I would give up my private questions if it meant i could get more information out of the other journalists. I may have a great question, but so might the other reporters.
4. The 'public' technically own the government-held information, although the government have a large say into what is allowed to be shown to the public and what isn't.
5. I would consult the news values and decide which were going to be more important in drawing in an audience and getting an interesting story.
Points of Interest
- Opinion polls are a scientific way of determining peoples viewpoints by questioning a representative sample of the population. However, opinion polls should not be taken too seriously as it doesn't consider all opinions of the public, it only shows a sample of people's opinions which could have been selected according to their opinions.
- Australian FOI laws are modelled on those of the US. FOI is extremely important in the field of journalism because it allows journalists to have access to government documents.
- Sources of news: tip offs, promotional activities, pre-schedualed public events and following up stories.
2. I think reporting about a crime story etc would be extremely exciting so i would probably take the risk to investigate the story.
3. I would give up my private questions if it meant i could get more information out of the other journalists. I may have a great question, but so might the other reporters.
4. The 'public' technically own the government-held information, although the government have a large say into what is allowed to be shown to the public and what isn't.
5. I would consult the news values and decide which were going to be more important in drawing in an audience and getting an interesting story.
Points of Interest
- Opinion polls are a scientific way of determining peoples viewpoints by questioning a representative sample of the population. However, opinion polls should not be taken too seriously as it doesn't consider all opinions of the public, it only shows a sample of people's opinions which could have been selected according to their opinions.
- Australian FOI laws are modelled on those of the US. FOI is extremely important in the field of journalism because it allows journalists to have access to government documents.
- Sources of news: tip offs, promotional activities, pre-schedualed public events and following up stories.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Chapter 7 Week 7
1. Every newspaper aims to attract a different educational level of readers. The Australian aims to attract a more educated audience such as university graduates, while my local paper the Herald, aims to attract an audience of a lower educational level. The Herald uses simple jargon to appeal to its target audience.
2. The job of journalists is to report news to the public. Journalists should not be able to interpret news stories too much as the readers should be able to read a non-bias report and form an opinion of their own. If a journalist puts forward their opinion, many readers will simply agree with that opinion.
3. It is important to be able to differentiate between Australian and American language. While formal language should not be lost to colloquial language such as "g'day", it is important to continue to write and speak traditionally when reporting news.
4. There a many corrections published every day in newspapers proving that newspapers do have some commitment to accuracy.
5. I would contact the people affected by the inaccuracy and appologise and assure them the mistake would be fixed in the next paper to be published.
Points of Interest:
- News stories are usually written in the past tense, while feature articles are usually written in the present tense. News stories are stories which inform readers of things that have happened therefore it is obvious that they should be written in the past tense, because the events being reported have already happened, they are in the past.
- News language is not conversational, news writing requires precision and efficiency. It is important for news articles to be clear, consise and accurate. News articles must give accurate account of events without any hint of the opinion of the writer's opinion on the matter, therefore news writing should not be conversational ie. 'yesterday i saw a fat man eat an icecream', instead it should be written 'yesterday a man ate an icecream'.
- A journalist must know their readers in order to write their stories in a way that appeals to the readers interests. The main aim of newspapers is to sell papers. The writer must know the readers interests etc. Then the writer must use this knowledge to appeal to their potential readers by writing in a style which is relatable to potential readers.
2. The job of journalists is to report news to the public. Journalists should not be able to interpret news stories too much as the readers should be able to read a non-bias report and form an opinion of their own. If a journalist puts forward their opinion, many readers will simply agree with that opinion.
3. It is important to be able to differentiate between Australian and American language. While formal language should not be lost to colloquial language such as "g'day", it is important to continue to write and speak traditionally when reporting news.
4. There a many corrections published every day in newspapers proving that newspapers do have some commitment to accuracy.
5. I would contact the people affected by the inaccuracy and appologise and assure them the mistake would be fixed in the next paper to be published.
Points of Interest:
- News stories are usually written in the past tense, while feature articles are usually written in the present tense. News stories are stories which inform readers of things that have happened therefore it is obvious that they should be written in the past tense, because the events being reported have already happened, they are in the past.
- News language is not conversational, news writing requires precision and efficiency. It is important for news articles to be clear, consise and accurate. News articles must give accurate account of events without any hint of the opinion of the writer's opinion on the matter, therefore news writing should not be conversational ie. 'yesterday i saw a fat man eat an icecream', instead it should be written 'yesterday a man ate an icecream'.
- A journalist must know their readers in order to write their stories in a way that appeals to the readers interests. The main aim of newspapers is to sell papers. The writer must know the readers interests etc. Then the writer must use this knowledge to appeal to their potential readers by writing in a style which is relatable to potential readers.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Chapter 6 Week 6
1. If a balancing statement is not included in an article, a journalist may be charged with defamation. The statement from a source should be included, even if it may be suspected to be untrue.
2. One principle of journalism is that both sides of a story are told. If a balancing statement cannot be found, the journalist should state in the article that they attempted to get a balancing statement.
3. Obviously the journalist must be careful not to be physically injured at the scene. They must also be careful not to place blame unless completely sure and able to prove it. The story should be written asap.
4. There are four modes of reporting:
- straight traditional (inverted pyramid)
- narrative (real characters act)
- p.o.v. (visible point)
- radical clarity (no assumptions)
Points of Interest:
- 'transitonal devices' or 'word bridges' glue words together.
- Quotations should be used sparingly.
- Stories must be written accurately and in the right chronological order.
2. One principle of journalism is that both sides of a story are told. If a balancing statement cannot be found, the journalist should state in the article that they attempted to get a balancing statement.
3. Obviously the journalist must be careful not to be physically injured at the scene. They must also be careful not to place blame unless completely sure and able to prove it. The story should be written asap.
4. There are four modes of reporting:
- straight traditional (inverted pyramid)
- narrative (real characters act)
- p.o.v. (visible point)
- radical clarity (no assumptions)
Points of Interest:
- 'transitonal devices' or 'word bridges' glue words together.
- Quotations should be used sparingly.
- Stories must be written accurately and in the right chronological order.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Chapter 5 Week 5
1. I read the front page of newspapers because it's the first thing i see in the paper. If i am interested in any of the frontpage stories i will continue reading through the paper. The main puropse of me reading newspapers is usually because of uni requirements or if i need to fill in some time while im waiting for something eg. at a cafe.
2. I spend more time watching TV because i can watch TV and do other things at the same time such as cooking dinner etc. If i had the paper delivered i would definately read it more, because i have to go to the shop to get my paper i tend to forget to buy it.
3. The main aim of news values is to gain reader attention to news stories. If a trick introduction is going to get more attention to a story than using the main news values in the introduction then i would use the trick introduction.
4. When trying to write a story that i can't get right I start from scratch, a few fresh starts usually get me a better story. I could also try writing from a different angle.
5. If an editor tried to change my story in a way that wasn't correct i would talk to the editor about the piece and see if a compormise could be reached.
Points of Interest:
- I found it interesting to think about the reasons why I watch television news more than reading newspapers. When newspapers are so readily available to me why do I choose to watch the television? I prefer to watch television news because I can get all the information I need from one thing, including visuals. I also like the idea that I can get all the news I want while engaging in other activities such as puzzles or cooking dinner. In a world where time is so precious, television allows its audience to multi-task.
- Writers must try to avoid false advertising.
- Introductions should be kept "short and simple". Introductions should be kept “short and simple”. The most important part of a news story is the introduction. The purpose of the introduction is to capture the reader, to make them want to keep on reading. The introduction must be clear and concise so that the audience knows exactly what the main theme of the article is about. The introduction should also be kept short and simple. If the introduction is too complicated then the reader might think it is a waste of time to read, especially if they have to re-read every par in the article in order to make sense of it. The first par of the article should be no more than 25 words and include the main topic of the story. But importantly ensure your first par draws in the reader.
2. I spend more time watching TV because i can watch TV and do other things at the same time such as cooking dinner etc. If i had the paper delivered i would definately read it more, because i have to go to the shop to get my paper i tend to forget to buy it.
3. The main aim of news values is to gain reader attention to news stories. If a trick introduction is going to get more attention to a story than using the main news values in the introduction then i would use the trick introduction.
4. When trying to write a story that i can't get right I start from scratch, a few fresh starts usually get me a better story. I could also try writing from a different angle.
5. If an editor tried to change my story in a way that wasn't correct i would talk to the editor about the piece and see if a compormise could be reached.
Points of Interest:
- I found it interesting to think about the reasons why I watch television news more than reading newspapers. When newspapers are so readily available to me why do I choose to watch the television? I prefer to watch television news because I can get all the information I need from one thing, including visuals. I also like the idea that I can get all the news I want while engaging in other activities such as puzzles or cooking dinner. In a world where time is so precious, television allows its audience to multi-task.
- Writers must try to avoid false advertising.
- Introductions should be kept "short and simple". Introductions should be kept “short and simple”. The most important part of a news story is the introduction. The purpose of the introduction is to capture the reader, to make them want to keep on reading. The introduction must be clear and concise so that the audience knows exactly what the main theme of the article is about. The introduction should also be kept short and simple. If the introduction is too complicated then the reader might think it is a waste of time to read, especially if they have to re-read every par in the article in order to make sense of it. The first par of the article should be no more than 25 words and include the main topic of the story. But importantly ensure your first par draws in the reader.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Chapter 4 Week 4
1. The reports on this tragedy dominated the front pages of newspapers for months. Journalists used the impact of the event as the main news value, also using the poluarity of Thialand and other regions as holiday destinations for Australians.
2. Conflict, proximity and human interest are news values that would have been important when considering the angle of this story when writing a report. These values bring alot of attention to the story. Readers are often more interested in a story of conflict than a story of peace.
3. b. Prominence relates to a person who is highly recognisable on any scale. Prince Charles is known on an international level therefore writing a story based on his opinion is going to be better than a story written about an Australian mayor who is only nationally known.
4. News is any information that is out of the usual.
5. Kipling's 'Six Strong Serving Men' are very important when writng a news sotry. In most cases some of the 'Serving Men' are more important than others depending on the angle of the sotry.
Points of Interest:
- Kipling's 'Six Strong Serving Men' are: who-what-when-where-how-why. These Six strong serving men are important to consider when writing a news story, or any story really. In all circumstances where i have had to write a news story i always plan my story around who-what-when-where-how and why to make sure i cover all aspects of the story.
- Each 'Serving Man' should be addressed in a story.
- News is 'anything you find out today that you didn't know before' Turner Catledge. To me this quote means that news is kind of undefinable, apart from the fact that it is some kind of information you didnt know before, new information or knowledge. The quote says that news isn't what someone says should be news.
2. Conflict, proximity and human interest are news values that would have been important when considering the angle of this story when writing a report. These values bring alot of attention to the story. Readers are often more interested in a story of conflict than a story of peace.
3. b. Prominence relates to a person who is highly recognisable on any scale. Prince Charles is known on an international level therefore writing a story based on his opinion is going to be better than a story written about an Australian mayor who is only nationally known.
4. News is any information that is out of the usual.
5. Kipling's 'Six Strong Serving Men' are very important when writng a news sotry. In most cases some of the 'Serving Men' are more important than others depending on the angle of the sotry.
Points of Interest:
- Kipling's 'Six Strong Serving Men' are: who-what-when-where-how-why. These Six strong serving men are important to consider when writing a news story, or any story really. In all circumstances where i have had to write a news story i always plan my story around who-what-when-where-how and why to make sure i cover all aspects of the story.
- Each 'Serving Man' should be addressed in a story.
- News is 'anything you find out today that you didn't know before' Turner Catledge. To me this quote means that news is kind of undefinable, apart from the fact that it is some kind of information you didnt know before, new information or knowledge. The quote says that news isn't what someone says should be news.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Chapter 2 Week 3
1. I think the most important media function is to inform. Informing the public of current affairs and news is a very important part of journalism because the public demand to know what is happening in their world.
2. When profits and ratings are involved in determining what is reported on, the material chosen to report on is done so in a bias manner due to the person deciding 'what's newsworthy' being swayed by making money and increasing theiraudience.
3. The presence of bias in regards to what is newsworthy is a big problem in the media. Newsworthyness should reflect public interest, not the interest of the one gaining profit.
4. Investigative journalism involves gathering information. Australian newspapers are not very commited to investigative journalism as it is alot more time consuming than other forms of journalism. The large amount of time required for this reporting means increased cost to the newspapers which editors are not usually willing to pay. Legal issues such as defamation action also play an important role in the decision to abandon investigative journalism.
5. I think in all aspects of the media, journalists should stay loyal to their readers. This kind of problem brings in thoughts of the influence of the fourth estate in the media today. Advertisers can be replaced, whereas the newspaper's readers once lost are lost forever.
Points of Interest:
- The success of a media outlet is measured by its audience. As i learnt in the text book this week, all media forms strive to achieve mass audiences because their success depends upon it. Media forms get their funding from advertisers etc who are wanting publicity through the certain medium, therefore the media outlet needs to attract large audiences in order to keep their funding coming. This means that a media outlet with a large audience is more successful than that with a smaller audience because advertisers are going to support those who reach alot of people rather than a small amount of people.
- The media's entertainment sections are there purely for enjoyment and to add a little lighthearted edge to the 'hard' stories reported on. Although many people deny reading and caring about the entertainment sections of the newspaper, it is one of the most popular sections featured in all papers. The public interest of celebrities etc is so massive that hundreds of magazines make success of writing only about that. Many people find the entertainment sections a leisurely activity. I think it is iimportant to have a mix of hard news, soft news and entertainment within newspapers, the world would be a very depressed place if all we ever read about was war and natural disasters.
- Australian laws in regard to journalism and reporting are alot stricter than in America. For example, in Australia a journalist can be charged with defamation if they don't follow strict rules when writing about people or places. It is just as important for the laws of journalism to be applied to protec t the public as it is to apply the AJA Code of Ethics to protect journalists and the public. The laws may be stricter, but they keep the balance between writer and reader.
2. When profits and ratings are involved in determining what is reported on, the material chosen to report on is done so in a bias manner due to the person deciding 'what's newsworthy' being swayed by making money and increasing theiraudience.
3. The presence of bias in regards to what is newsworthy is a big problem in the media. Newsworthyness should reflect public interest, not the interest of the one gaining profit.
4. Investigative journalism involves gathering information. Australian newspapers are not very commited to investigative journalism as it is alot more time consuming than other forms of journalism. The large amount of time required for this reporting means increased cost to the newspapers which editors are not usually willing to pay. Legal issues such as defamation action also play an important role in the decision to abandon investigative journalism.
5. I think in all aspects of the media, journalists should stay loyal to their readers. This kind of problem brings in thoughts of the influence of the fourth estate in the media today. Advertisers can be replaced, whereas the newspaper's readers once lost are lost forever.
Points of Interest:
- The success of a media outlet is measured by its audience. As i learnt in the text book this week, all media forms strive to achieve mass audiences because their success depends upon it. Media forms get their funding from advertisers etc who are wanting publicity through the certain medium, therefore the media outlet needs to attract large audiences in order to keep their funding coming. This means that a media outlet with a large audience is more successful than that with a smaller audience because advertisers are going to support those who reach alot of people rather than a small amount of people.
- The media's entertainment sections are there purely for enjoyment and to add a little lighthearted edge to the 'hard' stories reported on. Although many people deny reading and caring about the entertainment sections of the newspaper, it is one of the most popular sections featured in all papers. The public interest of celebrities etc is so massive that hundreds of magazines make success of writing only about that. Many people find the entertainment sections a leisurely activity. I think it is iimportant to have a mix of hard news, soft news and entertainment within newspapers, the world would be a very depressed place if all we ever read about was war and natural disasters.
- Australian laws in regard to journalism and reporting are alot stricter than in America. For example, in Australia a journalist can be charged with defamation if they don't follow strict rules when writing about people or places. It is just as important for the laws of journalism to be applied to protec t the public as it is to apply the AJA Code of Ethics to protect journalists and the public. The laws may be stricter, but they keep the balance between writer and reader.
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