MIDTERM:

Part1:Givenleadsentencesthenhavetotellwhatsrightorwrongaboutthem
canrewritesentence,bulletpointtheproblemsorexplaininsentences
9Questions(36pts)
Part2:MultipleChoice
questionslimitedtocertainchaptersfromNewEthicsofJournalism
anythingfromslidesisfairgame
11questions4ptseach
Part3:Essay
givenahypotheticalsituation
howyouhandletheethicaldecisions
(mustsayhowarrivedatdecisionandwhy)
noparticularlength
20pts
Formidterm:readchapters1,2,14&EpilogueinNewEthicsofJournalism

Whatisnews?
Newinformationaboutanything
Recenthappenings
Reportsofsucheventscollectively
Anewspaperorbroadcastnewsprogram
Alternativedefinitionsofnews
Newsis
personal
consumerscustomizenewsandinformationtofittheirinterests
Newsis
social
consumerssharenewsandinformationwithotherintheirnetworks
Newsis
local
bygeography,yes.Butalsobycommunitiesofsharedinterests
Newsis
mobile
consumersreceive,report,ordiscussnewsalmostanywhere,anytime
ExampleofNewsworthyStories
GwynethPaltrowdumpsabucketoficewateronherheadtoraisemoneyfor
ALSresearch
becauseitinvolvesacelebrity
ISISpostsanonlinevideoshowingthebeheadingofanAmericanjournalist
becauseabeheadingisunusual
8DeterminantsofNewsworthiness
Importance(tothegreatest#ofviewers)

 Interest(regardlessofimportance)
Controversy
TheUnusual(Manbitesdog!)
Timeliness
Proximity
Celebrity
CaughtonTape
AmericansRegularnewssources
Onlineisup1850%
Cableisup18%
DefiningCharacteristicsofMedia
Radio
thealertingmedium
effectivenesscomesfromtheimmediacyofelectroniccommunication
Print
theinformingmedium
hastheuniqueabilitytohandlecomplexityanddetailthattheelectronic
mediacannot
luxuryoftimetoassemblecoherentandmeaningfulanalysesofevents
Television
theinvolvingmedium
engagestheemotionsofviewersinawaythatnoothermediumcan
combinestheeffectsofpictures,sound,narrative,andelectronic
immediacy
Internet&SocialMedia
alerting(Twitter),informing(website),involving(YouTube)medium
EvolutionofTVNews
TheOldDays:16mmFilm
Pros:portability,easeofmaintenance,softerfeel
Cons:filmprocessingtime,splice&tapeediting,nonreusablemedium,
noelectronicoutput
TheOldDays:NewscastProduction
Nosatellitecoordination
NoIFBcommunication
Noconcernaboutsuitabilityoflivematerial
Mostlystackingandtiming
Producernotgenerallyconsideredamanagementtrackposition
Evolution:ENG&videotape
Pros:
Electronicoutputforliveshots
Easeofediting
Harderfeel(sharperedges,clarity)
Nofilmprocessingrequired

 Reusablemedium
Cons
Originallyverybulky(notportable)
SatelliteNewsGathering(SNG)
GeosynchronousOrbit
Transponder
multipleunitsonsatellitesthateachreceive,amplify,&retransmit
telecommunications
Window
slotoftranspondertimereservedforusebypurchaser
BeingToldvsBeingThere
BeingToldEra(VietnamWar)
23dayselapsedbetweeneventsandmessages
Manygatekeepers
Spotlightonanchors
Timeforanalysis&newsjudgment
Lossofimmediacy
ForcesShapingCOntentintheEraofBeingThere
Technology
Economics
Ethics
BeingThere(IraqWar)
RealtimeNoDelay
Nogatekeepers/filters
Anticipationofnewsnotnewsitself
Increasedimportanceofcorrespondents
Participantsratherthanobservers
Immediate&engaging,butnotnecessarilyinforming
WritingForBroadcast

Print

Broadcast

Informationprocessedbytheeye

Informationprocessedbytheear

Limitedspace

Limitedtime

Unlimitedreviewmedium

Onepassthrough

Detailed/Formal

Conversational

InvertedPyramid
LeadSentence
5Ws+H
Leastimportant>lessimportant

 EconomyofWords
Straightlinemeaning
SoundsGood
PassestheSoWhat?Test(WGAS)
FamiliarTerms
Dontwritedowntoyouraudience!
7PartsofSpeech
Verbs(journalistsmortar)
actionverbs
transitiverequireadirectobject
expressanactionthatisperformedonsomeoneorsomething
ex:Jacobhitshisroommate
intransitiveverbsdonottakeadirectobject
expressactionsthatdonotrequirearecipient
ex:Colleensingsinthechoir
advantagesofactivevoice
straightlinemeaning
economyofwords
moreaccuratereporting
moreappealingtotheear
Adjectives(careful!objectivity)
Nouns(journalistsbricks)
Conjunctions(careful!lengthy)
Adverbs(careful!objectivity)
Pronouns(careful!clarity)
Prepositions(careful!lengthy)
TypesofTVNewsStories
Reader(RDR)
lessthan30seconds
usedonlywhenpicturesarenotavailable
talkinghead
AnchorVoiceOver(AVO)
2040seconds
usedasaquickupdatetoearlierstory,orvideoheadlineofless
importantstory
AnchorVoiceOverwithSoundbite(AVO/SOT)
2060seconds
providesgreaterdetail,commentsfromwitnesses,officials,ornatural
sound
soundbitesgenerallylessthan10seconds
provideincues&outcuesforvideo&bites
Package(PKG)
50seconds2minutes

anedited,selfcontainedvideotapereportofanewseventorfeature,
completewithpictures,soundbites,voiceovernarration,andnatural
sounds
narrativestory(beginning,middle,end)
backboneofcontemporaryTVnewscasts
providesdepth&complexity
LiveShots(LIVE)
immediacy,energy,pace
oftenusedasawraparoundforpackages
canincludeinterviews
scriptedinadvance
ScriptWriting
Usetherighthalfofthepageforscript
Usethelefthalfofthepagefortechnicalinstructions
WriteinALLCAPS
Indenteverysentenceasifitwereanewsparagraph
HardLead
Example:Goshenswatersupplysystemhasabigleak..butthecityhasnoidea
wherethebrokenpipeis,orwhereaquarterofallthewateritpumpseachdayis
disappearing
SoftLead
Example:Anybodyseen90milliongallonsofwater?Ifyouhave..callthecityof
Goshen...theyrelookingforit.
MervBlockScriptWriting
Dontburyastrongverbinanoun
Abombexplosionvsabombexplodes
Dontcharacterizenews
Good,Bad,Interesting,Shocking,Right,Wrong
Dontstartwith:
Asexpected.
Inasurprisemove
Anewdevelopmenttonight..
Yesterday
Dontstartwithadependentclauseorparticipialphrase
Dontstartwithaquotation(oranassertion)
Attributionprecedesassertion!
Dontputanunknownorunfamiliarnameinyour
leadsentence
Dontstartwithapronoun
Dontuseanyformofatobeasthemainverbina
leadsentence
Dontmakeafactualerror!
MackieMorrisTheDazzlinDozen
Writefactuallyandaccurately
Writeintheactivevoice

 Write(leadsentences)inthepresentorpresentperfecttense
Keepwritingsimple
Becompleteandclear
Sticktotherulesbutdevelopyourownstyle
Writetobeheard
Avoidinterruptives
Usecommassparingly
Usenumberssparingly
Avoidambiguouspronouns
Letthepicturestellasmuchofthestoryastheycan
SearchStrategy
QuestionAnalysis
identifyconcepts
definelanguage
drawdisciplinaryboundaries
refinescopeofquestion
identifycontributors
IdentificationofPotentialContributors
InformalSources
InstitutionalSources
Private:
businesses&corporations
union&labororganizations
religiousinstitutions
colleges
Public
municipal&citygovernment
state&federalgovernment
hazards:
institutionalbias
selectivedisclosureofinformation
Library&DatabaseSources
Interviews
individual
group
investigative
newsconference
Selection&Synthesis
standards&ethics
evidence&credibility
audiencefactors&taste
Message
InformalSources

 Professionalnetworks
Supervisors,colleagues
Citizennetworks
clients,neighbors,friends
Casualfiles
newspaper,magazines,pressreleases,fileclippings
Observational
Routine
Participant
Unobtrusive
Hazards:
impressionistic
opinionbased
fragmentary
possiblyinaccurateorselfserving
EthicsvsLaw
vastmajorityofmediaethicscaseshavenolegalcontext
Law
limitedsourceofethicalvalues
malaensevsmalaprohibita
GuidingPrinciplesforJournalists
SeektheTruth&ReportIt
Kant:RulebasedThinking
MinimizeHarm
Mill:EndsBasedThinkingConsiderConsequences
Aristotle:GoldenMeanvirtuouspositionbetweenallornothing
ActIndependently
Rawls:VeilofIgnoranceIgnoresocialdifferentiations
BeAccountable
AlltheaboveGoldenRule?
PotterBox

Noconclusioncanbemorallyjustifiedwithoutacleardemonstrationthat
anethicalprincipleshapedthefinaldecision
TheElementsofJournalism
Journalismsfirstobligationistothetruth
Itsessenceisadisciplineofverification
Itspractitionersmustmaintainanindependencefromthosetheycover
Itmustprovideaforumforpubliccriticism&compromise
MoralDevelopmentScores
Journalistsare4thhighest
Juniorhighstudentsarethelowest
TheoriesofMoralDevelopment
TabulaRasa=BlankSlate
childrenstartwithnoinnateunderstandingofright&wrong
taughtgoodthings=turnoutgood
taughtbadthings=turnoutbad
LawrenceKohlbergModelofJustice
peopledevelopintheirconceptionofmoralreasoningthroughaspecific
seriesofsequentialstages
basedonhowpeopleunderstandjustice
motivatingforceisinternalpsychologicalconflict
LevelOne:PreConventional(Egocentric)
Stage1:
Punishment&ObedienceOrientation
right=obediencetoauthorityfigures&avoidpunishment
Stage2:
Instrument&RelativityOrientation
Right=meetingonesownneeds&desires(w/oregardfor
others)
LevelTwo:ConventionalorSocialStages
Stage3:
Interpersonal&ConcordanceOrientation
Right=Socialapproval
Stage4
:Law&OrderOrientation
Right=accordw/laws&rules(maintainsocialorder)
LevelThree:PostConventionalorPrincipled
Stage5:
SocialContractOrientation
Right=harmonyw/socialprinciplesbehindlawswill
challengelawsoutofstepw/deepersocialvalues&
principles
Stage6:
UniversalEthicalPrinciplesOrientation
Right=adherencetoonespersonallyarticulatedyet
universalethicalprinciples
ex:MLKJr.,Ghandi)
TheAmericanLegalSystem
Dividedinto2typesofcases
CriminalLaw

Involvesthecommissionofanoffenseagainstthestate
Burdenofproof:Beyondareasonabledoubt
Goals:
punishthewrongdoer
deterotherfromsimilarbehavior
provideretributionforthevictim
CivilLaw
Involvesonpartysuinganotherforawrongthathasbeen
committed
BurdenofProof:Preponderanceofevidence
Goals
compensation,notsimplypunishment

NewEthicsofJournalism
1. SeektheTruthandReportIt
a. bevigorousinpursuitoftruth
b. honest,fair,courageous
c. beaccountable
2. BeTransparent
a. whyimportantintheerawherewelivenowversusbefore?
i.
internetisatruthserum(chapterinbook)
ii.
(page14)lesspartisan,moreindependentvoice
iii.
definitionofnewshasmuchmoretodowithdemandratherthansupply
b. whyshouldpeoplebelieveyou?howwasitdone?
i.
anyparticularbiasshouldbeoutfront
ii.
attributionisimportant
c. clearlyarticulateapproach(pointofview?)
3. EngageCommunityasanEndnotasaMeans
a. understandneeds
b. seekcompetingvoices
c. importantinbuzzfeedera

Chapter1:
DistinguishingConsensusformTruth
example:homosexualityusedtobeamentalillness,notseenthatway
now
TheProfessionalizationofNews
internetdestroysthenonpartisancentrismofjournalism
nomatterhowmanynewsoutletscontinuetohewmoderate
centrism,thereisnolongeranywaytokeeppartisansand
fabulistsoutofthepublicsphere,noristhereanywaytorevoke
accessafterheinousaffrontstotruthtelling
TheInternetisatruthserum

 Chapter2
Reporting=ademocraticcraftoflearning,knowing,andsharingknowledge
Processofjournalism
beginwithahypothesis
guidedbytheavailableevidence
Aworldfilledwithuncertainty(ethicalquestions)makesithardtobeaconcrete
truthteller
Inprofessionalenvironments,newideasaboutthenatureoftruthreplaceold
onesthroughargumentandconsensus
Anethicforthedigitalage
establishcredibilitybygoingthroughasetofintellectualexercises
screeningtips
weighingtheevidence
fittingthepieces
evaluatingthestory
Classexampleofethicalcasestudy:
Namingrapevictims
Rulesbasedthinking,weareinbusinessofgivinginfo
actindependently
minimizeharminlongrun(valuejudgements)
treatingrapecasesdifferentlythanallothercrimes
arguingthatwearecontributingtostigmatizationbynotnamingrapevictims
issueoffairness...suspectgetsnamedwithoutanyargumentofwhetherornot
treatsuspectsandvictimsthesameway(Transparency)
wereportfactsnotmakejudgements
publicdoesnothavearighttoknownames,maybejustaninterest
ontesttellstepbystepofhowcametodecision(USEPOTTERBOX)