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EMS30 – NEWS AND BIAS UNIT

MR. RICHARDS

How does this quote apply to news media?

“It is the responsibility of intellectuals to speak the truth and expose lies” – Naom Chomsky

Where do most people in Toronto get their news?

TV

Radio

Print (papers, magazines)

Social Media

Other?

Who decides what is “news worthy” and what isn’t?

News companies and conglomerates must tip-toe on a very thin rope

On either side of that rope is:

Journalistic integrity (the public has a right to know the ‘truth’)

Commercial implications (advertisers, investors and the public all have different interests and want to see certain things get published, and want to also see specific omissions)

What is news?

Today we live in a world that is staggeringly over-run with information

Therefore, not everything that happens is ‘newsworthy’

Journalists and their bosses must decide what to cover and what to ignore

In general, there are about seven criteria that make an event newsworthy. They are…

1. Important People

“Lead Singer Injured In Freak Accident”

Celebrities such as movie and pop stars, politicians, and world leaders make good news simply because of who they are

With the explosion of reality TV and social media, this phenomenon is more true now than ever before

2. Concerns A Specific Audience

“Ontario Students Protest Bill 115”

An event might concern an entire city, province, country or several nations

Headlines such as the one above concern a specific group of people

Would a mother with two teenagers react the same in Alberta as a mother in Ontario?

3. Has Wide Appeal

“President Barack Obama Elected For Second Term”

This news is interesting to the entire world

The US is a global powerhouse and has either friendly or strained ties with most of the world’s countries

They’re all interested to know how this new president will affect them

4. Human Interest/Drama

“4 year-old Boy Survives Heart Surgery”

People like stories about other ordinary people in challenging or heartbreaking circumstances

These stories are interesting because they enable us to imagine how we would feel if such an event happened to us

5. Bad News (If it bleeds… it leads)

“60 Dead In Russian Train Accident”

War, flood, famine, earthquakes and other disasters are emotional events and as a result, the audience is drawn to them

6. Unusual Events

“Monkey Wearing Fur Jacket Shows Up At Toronto Ikea”

An event that’s out of the ordinary, whether it’s funny, tragic or just plain weird is interesting to the public

7. Uniqueness

“First Man Jumps From Stratosphere”

When a story concerns something that is unique or a “first”, such as a world record in sports being broken, it almost always makes the news

These stories challenge the audience’s imagination and can excite a sense of pride in human achievement

Class Activity / Blog Entry

In partners, have a look at some of the papers provided in class

Find an interesting article on a polarizing (has two very distinct sides) issue and answer the questions below:

1. Under what criteria does this news story fall?

2. Who does the story affect? Why is it “newsworthy”?

3. Whose voice is “silenced”? Which side is not being presented? How many perspectives are being published?

4. How has this article impacted your view on the issue? What type of effect did the article have on you?

Presentation

Present your findings to the class on Thursday

/ 5 depth/clarity/preparedness

/ 5 voice, presentation technique

Blog Entry #1 for January 2013

1. Find an alternate news source on the issue (social media, video broadcast or radio) and post the link to your blog

2. Explain how this alternate perspective differs from your first article

3. Where do you stand, personally on the issue after reading the two perspectives? Which one to you is more credible and why?