- Selection and omission of specific details
- Placement of a story
- Choice of sources
- Word choice and tone
- Headlines
- Photos and camera angles
- Captions
- Names and titles
- Statistics
Bias Detection
Hacking Story
Friday, October 23, 2015
A Closer Look at Bias in the Media
Bias Detection
Hacking Story
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Interviewing Tips and Less is More
Although everyone in the class still needs more practice with writing hard news leads and writing stories that follow the basic inverted pyramid structure, it's time to move towards other forms of journalistic writing, beginning with basic feature writing. Features rely more heavily on quotes and interviews, so we need to spend some time in and out of class considering and practicing what makes a good interview.
It's true that the best interviews are like good conversations. That is, in most cases the interview should be a comfortable give-and-take session where you and the person you interview talk with each other, not ateach other. Of course, if the interviewee is hostile or defensive, this may not be the case. But the three best things you can do to have a good interview are:
1) Prepare thoroughly by researching the topic and/or the person and list questions.
2) Take good notes and record the interview if possible.
3) Listen very attentively.
Being a good listener is the most important thing you can do. One of the biggest mistakes many inexperienced reporters make is worrying so much about what question to ask next, that they don't realize something important or unexpected that the interviewee has just said.
Here are a couple of short videos I would like you to watch. The first is some good advice about interviewing from former network anchor Katie Couric. The second is from National Public Radio's Scott Simon.
There's an old saying in journalism: "Less is more."
Forget about the times you wrote as much as you could about something in order to impress the teacher or give your reader the impression that you really know what you're talking about. In journalism brevity is key. Hard news stories must be concise or you'll confuse and lose the reader. While feature stories allow writers to be more descriptive and more creative, that doesn't mean you should necessarily start writing a lot more. Right now we're focusing on short profiles so that means first do thorough reporting and interviewing, then pick the very best information to write your story. Don't give the reader all of the information. While your words may be sacred to you, you have to be able to cut what's not necessary and edit wordy phrases.
Think of it as fat-free writing.
Click on the links below to see three more examples of 300-word stories by Brady Dennis, then comment on which you like the best and why.
Looking for a laugh
One minute and $123 dollars
As time goes by
It's true that the best interviews are like good conversations. That is, in most cases the interview should be a comfortable give-and-take session where you and the person you interview talk with each other, not ateach other. Of course, if the interviewee is hostile or defensive, this may not be the case. But the three best things you can do to have a good interview are:
1) Prepare thoroughly by researching the topic and/or the person and list questions.
2) Take good notes and record the interview if possible.
3) Listen very attentively.
Being a good listener is the most important thing you can do. One of the biggest mistakes many inexperienced reporters make is worrying so much about what question to ask next, that they don't realize something important or unexpected that the interviewee has just said.
Here are a couple of short videos I would like you to watch. The first is some good advice about interviewing from former network anchor Katie Couric. The second is from National Public Radio's Scott Simon.
Forget about the times you wrote as much as you could about something in order to impress the teacher or give your reader the impression that you really know what you're talking about. In journalism brevity is key. Hard news stories must be concise or you'll confuse and lose the reader. While feature stories allow writers to be more descriptive and more creative, that doesn't mean you should necessarily start writing a lot more. Right now we're focusing on short profiles so that means first do thorough reporting and interviewing, then pick the very best information to write your story. Don't give the reader all of the information. While your words may be sacred to you, you have to be able to cut what's not necessary and edit wordy phrases.
Think of it as fat-free writing.
Click on the links below to see three more examples of 300-word stories by Brady Dennis, then comment on which you like the best and why.
Looking for a laugh
One minute and $123 dollars
As time goes by
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Is Teacher's Speech TOO Free?
 | ||
"blog" by Kevin Lim Creative Commons |
This week a court ruled that a teacher's right to free speech can be limited. Read this article and then explain why you agree or disagree with the court's decision.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Some Ethical Issues to Consider as we Begin
 |
Creative Commons photo by Denise KrebsWelcome to Waldsmith's Dispatch, a blog I will use throughout the semester to post additional thoughts, links to stories and video, etc. to stimulate additional discussion or to reinforce concepts we are reviewing in Journalism class.Because we are so very fortunate to live in an open society we are able to enjoy the five freedoms that the First Amendment provides all American citizens. Two of the five protections guaranteed by the First Amendment -- freedom of speech and freedom of the press -- help ensure that we provide citizens with a "marketplace of ideas" free from censorship. |
But these same freedoms also lead to ethical questions, particularly for journalists. Here is a link to ta story from The New York Times that covers the story we discussed in class this week.
This article from an editor explains why Al Jazeera, an arabic language news network, will only use the term "refugee" when referring to those fleeing Syria. Word choice, especially in times of crisis and conflict, is an important consideration for the ethical and responsible journalist.s This article looks at a global issue, but in reality, even student journalists encounter such ethical dilemmas. Read this article to learn how student editors at the Playwickian voted not to use the term "redskins".
Please share your thoughts on any of these three ethical issues.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Bias in the News
 |
| Creative Commons photo by DonkeyHotey |
Even if your work is free of bias, you need to be a critical observer of the news media and have a greater understanding of bias in reporting. Because it happens. All the time. Bias can occur in many ways, particularly through:
- Selection and omission of specific details
- Placement of a story
- Choice of sources
- Word choice and tone
- Headlines
- Photos and camera angles
- Captions
- Names and titles
- Statistics
On a related note, some words over time are dropped by journalists when they become offensive to people. For example, a number of news organizations are refusing to print or broadcast the term "Washington Redskins". Here is a brief article that explains the controversy. Do you think journalists need to avoid terms that may be offensive? Or do you think they shouldn't spend so much time worrying about being "politically correct"?
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Interviewing Tips & Less is More
Although everyone in the class still needs more practice with writing hard news leads and writing stories that follow the basic inverted pyramid structure, it's time to move towards other forms of journalistic writing, beginning with basic feature writing. Features rely more heavily on quotes and interviews, so we need to spend some time in and out of class considering and practicing what makes a good interview.
It's true that the best interviews are like good conversations. That is, in most cases the interview should be a comfortable give-and-take session where you and the person you interview talk with each other, not ateach other. Of course, if the interviewee is hostile or defensive, this may not be the case. But the three best things you can do to have a good interview are:
1) Prepare thoroughly by researching the topic and/or the person and list questions.
2) Take good notes and record the interview if possible.
3) Listen very attentively.
Being a good listener is the most important thing you can do. One of the biggest mistakes many inexperienced reporters make is worrying so much about what question to ask next, that they don't realize something important or unexpected that the interviewee has just said.
Here are a couple of short videos I would like you to watch. The first is some good advice about interviewing from former network anchor Katie Couric. The second is from National Public Radio's Scott Simon.
There's an old saying in journalism: "Less is more."
Forget about the times you wrote as much as you could about something in order to impress the teacher or give your reader the impression that you really know what you're talking about. In journalism brevity is key. Hard news stories must be concise or you'll confuse and lose the reader. While feature stories allow writers to be more descriptive and more creative, that doesn't mean you should necessarily start writing a lot more. Right now we're focusing on short profiles so that means first do thorough reporting and interviewing, then pick the very best information to write your story. Don't give the reader all of the information. While your words may be sacred to you, you have to be able to cut what's not necessary and edit wordy phrases.
Think of it as fat-free writing.
Click on the links below to see three more examples of 300-word stories by Brady Dennnis, then comment on which you like the best and why.
Looking for a laugh
One minute and $123 dollars
As time goes by
It's true that the best interviews are like good conversations. That is, in most cases the interview should be a comfortable give-and-take session where you and the person you interview talk with each other, not ateach other. Of course, if the interviewee is hostile or defensive, this may not be the case. But the three best things you can do to have a good interview are:
1) Prepare thoroughly by researching the topic and/or the person and list questions.
2) Take good notes and record the interview if possible.
3) Listen very attentively.
Being a good listener is the most important thing you can do. One of the biggest mistakes many inexperienced reporters make is worrying so much about what question to ask next, that they don't realize something important or unexpected that the interviewee has just said.
Here are a couple of short videos I would like you to watch. The first is some good advice about interviewing from former network anchor Katie Couric. The second is from National Public Radio's Scott Simon.
There's an old saying in journalism: "Less is more."
Forget about the times you wrote as much as you could about something in order to impress the teacher or give your reader the impression that you really know what you're talking about. In journalism brevity is key. Hard news stories must be concise or you'll confuse and lose the reader. While feature stories allow writers to be more descriptive and more creative, that doesn't mean you should necessarily start writing a lot more. Right now we're focusing on short profiles so that means first do thorough reporting and interviewing, then pick the very best information to write your story. Don't give the reader all of the information. While your words may be sacred to you, you have to be able to cut what's not necessary and edit wordy phrases.
Think of it as fat-free writing.
Click on the links below to see three more examples of 300-word stories by Brady Dennnis, then comment on which you like the best and why.
Looking for a laugh
One minute and $123 dollars
As time goes by
Friday, September 26, 2014
Attribution and Anonymous Sources
It's a simple formula: Lack of attribution = lack of credibility = lack of readers.
There is nothing difficult about attribution. It's simply saying who or what your source is, whether it's a fact, an opinion or a quote. As we've discussed in class, attribution is the soul of journalism because without it, your article or broadcast is not believable. Reporters need to protect themselves. In the event that the information proves to be false, at least the reporter can truthfully say that her source was wrong, not her. And attribution establishes credibility by showing readers or listeners where they can go if they challenge anything in the article or if they want to obtain more information from your sources.
Getting the story first is nice. Getting it fast is nice too. But getting itright supercedes everything else. Without journalistic integrity, reporters or publications have nothing to offer readers or listeners. Recently an Irish college student conducted a media experiment that, unfortunately, major news organizations failed. The results were alarming and should make everyone -- especially aspiring journalists -- remember to not only attribute their own facts, but to check and re-check any unattributed information they obtain online. Click here to read an article about the hoax. Your thoughts?
On a separate note, All the President's Men is a classic illustration of the watchdog role of journalism and how no one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law. More than 30 years have passed since Watergate. Given the technology we have today, as well as the greater emphasis on homeland security, do you think Woodward and Bernstein's job would be easier or more difficult if they were investigating the same series of events today?
One thing's for sure. Deep Throat, their anonymous source for many of the stories, was instrumental in helping them uncover the Watergate scandal. For years Deep Throat's identity remained a mystery until Mark Felt, former associate director of the FBI, admitted in 2005 that he was, in fact, the parking garage informant. While some praise Felt for his courage, others consider him a traitor for leaking classified information to reporters. Click here to see this point of view.
Do you think Deep Throat was a hero? Or was he maybe someone who disliked President Nixon and used Woodward and Bernstein for his own agenda? How do you feel about the value and trustworthiness of anonymous sources?
There is nothing difficult about attribution. It's simply saying who or what your source is, whether it's a fact, an opinion or a quote. As we've discussed in class, attribution is the soul of journalism because without it, your article or broadcast is not believable. Reporters need to protect themselves. In the event that the information proves to be false, at least the reporter can truthfully say that her source was wrong, not her. And attribution establishes credibility by showing readers or listeners where they can go if they challenge anything in the article or if they want to obtain more information from your sources.
Getting the story first is nice. Getting it fast is nice too. But getting itright supercedes everything else. Without journalistic integrity, reporters or publications have nothing to offer readers or listeners. Recently an Irish college student conducted a media experiment that, unfortunately, major news organizations failed. The results were alarming and should make everyone -- especially aspiring journalists -- remember to not only attribute their own facts, but to check and re-check any unattributed information they obtain online. Click here to read an article about the hoax. Your thoughts?
One thing's for sure. Deep Throat, their anonymous source for many of the stories, was instrumental in helping them uncover the Watergate scandal. For years Deep Throat's identity remained a mystery until Mark Felt, former associate director of the FBI, admitted in 2005 that he was, in fact, the parking garage informant. While some praise Felt for his courage, others consider him a traitor for leaking classified information to reporters. Click here to see this point of view.
Do you think Deep Throat was a hero? Or was he maybe someone who disliked President Nixon and used Woodward and Bernstein for his own agenda? How do you feel about the value and trustworthiness of anonymous sources?
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