Extra! Extra!
Read all about it! Print Media and Traditional Reporting Factual: What did early media and journalism look like? Conceptual: Why has an emphasis on newspapers declined through the years? |
Invention of the printing press
Print newspaper Radio Broadcasting Television Internet
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Editorial Writing University of the Pacific - "How to Write an Editorial" Geneseo.edu - "Writing an Editorial" UIL Texas - "Editorial Writing" California Public Schools - "Writing an Editorial"
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After exploring the resources in the left-hand column, make a list of the characteristics of an editorial. Use the questions below as a guide:
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Use the attached organizer to guide your basic analysis of an editorial
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Arguments/Positions for an Editorial
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Media Topics
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Sensationalism and Media Bias
Definition: the presentation of stories in a way that is intended to provoke public interest or excitement, at the expense of accuracy.
"News stories are called 'sensational' when they appeal primarily to the emotions of the reader, especially fear or disgust.
Stories about crimes and disasters are especially likely to be sensational in tone. The facts may be essentially true, but the presentation of the story may be so sensational as to distort what really happened or its relative importance" (NY Times).
Definition: the presentation of stories in a way that is intended to provoke public interest or excitement, at the expense of accuracy.
"News stories are called 'sensational' when they appeal primarily to the emotions of the reader, especially fear or disgust.
Stories about crimes and disasters are especially likely to be sensational in tone. The facts may be essentially true, but the presentation of the story may be so sensational as to distort what really happened or its relative importance" (NY Times).
Important terms when looking for sensationalism:
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Read the first sentence (not the headline) of the NY Times article and answer the following questions:
Now scan the rest of the article and identify for the sources. You don't have to read the whole article to find the sources.
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Super Typhoon Usagi
- What words in this sentence are facts? What words in this sentence make the story sensational? What words in this sentence tell you the source of the facts?
- Is there a photo? How does it enhance the story? What did the photographer want you to see or feel?
- Why do sensational news stories appeal to us?
- Can a story be both accurate and sensational?
- Why sensationalism? Think about sensational headlines or titillating half-truths on television. What is the commercial motive behind constructing stories in this way?
Homework due Friday
Watch the video with Jon Stewart on Fox News and take notes. Be ready to discuss his views on sensationalism and media bias.
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Media Bias: The skewed presentation of a story from a particular ideological position
Ideology: a system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.
Agenda: a list of items to be discussed
Types of bias
Background Story: A 25 year old female primary school teacher from New Zealand has just been arrested by the Indonesian police for carrying drugs. She was carrying 6kg of marijuana in her guitar case, but claimed that she did not know it was there. She fought loudly and aggressively with the customs agents when they wanted to search her bag and resisted the authorities when they approached her. The young woman's brother is currently in jail for dealing drugs and her father died 5 years ago from a drug overdose. The young woman was traveling to Bali to meet her friends for a holiday. They had reservations at The Grand Hyatt hotel, one of the most expensive and exclusive hotels on the island, and planned to stay for two weeks. The woman has just been apprehended and is currently sitting in a jail in Bali. Your Task: You have been hired to report the story for your news station. As a group, you must decide how to present the story using bias techniques. You must adhere to the political and religious ideology/agenda of the newspaper for which you write. Newspaper 1: The Bali Times Newspaper 2: The New Zealand Herald |