This week's seminar presentation was on 'Online: a 'new' journalism, content and the rule of the search engine. This topic was very interesting and engaging in regards to affects this has on journalism itself. The presenters outlined the affects as being:
* Immediacy of online media
* Technological convergence
* 'Double Dipping'
* Social interaction
* People powered news
The technological determinism and Dystopian apprach were also mentioned. An example of a utopian view is citizen journalism by Clune. 'A letter to love-stricken FairFax journalists". The presenters also used examples from Sally jackson's 'online media can't bridge quality' ( this was based on the sacked staff of the Sydney Morning Herald & The Age). A final example was you-tube 'Has the internet killed journalism?'. The presenters were very in depth and detailed with the information they presented a lot of time and effort was placed into the presentation. Overall all presentation seminars in the tutorial group 9am - 11am on Wednesday has been of a high callabra.
There are many flaws and advantages of online journalism. With all of this cast aside do you believe that 'new' online journalism will be the way to the future and possibly take over print media?
The reading this week was thoroughly informative and captavating in its own right. Suellen Tapsall discusses this through her chapter "The media id the message". With the convergence of communications and information technologies, the growth of online media, and the relative decline of both print and broadcast news journalism in Australia have encouraged statements made based on the future or - lack thereof - 'traditional'news media. By 2010 we may see many journalists become multi- skilled.
Online news journalism and multiple- media newsrooms became realities in the late 1990s. In Australian by May 1999 more than 1.5 million households were connected to the internet. Katz argues that newspapers have traditionally been slow to change and react outside challenges, and the latest prophecies of doom have little impact on many news editors. Traditional print media - primarily newspapers are most under threat, with newspapers portrayed as 'relics of the past'.With the rise of technological convergence and the shift to digitisation it has called into question the future of radio and television journalism.
Technological determinism also known as media determinism is the most popular and influentail theory of the relationship between technology and society.Technology is pictured as a Tsunami- a massive, inescapable wave waiting to sweep all in its path. Its directions and effects are unpredictable and immeasurable. Individual theorists consider the impact of technology- driven change to be either positive or negative.it is important to note that technological change drives social change. The optimistic technological determinist view of the future of journalism and the news media would for example see the technological convergence as the solution to current problems inherent in the news. The pessimist, on the other hand, might cite the mechanisation of news-gathering and sub-editing processes as further ammunition in the hands of those debasing and devaluing traditional news practices, such that content is simply regurgitated and the journalists becomes little more than a word- processor.
The technological imperative diverts attention away from the questions of whether or not technology is necessary or desirable through an acceptance that is unstoppable. This means that journalists and news organizations are challenged to articulate their plans to cope in the converged digital media age, rather than considering whether or not on-line, virtual, or converged media forms are preffered or even desired options. For Australian journalists, this disempowerment further compounds existing pressures that in themselves result in feelings of powerlessness or inability to effect change and maintain quality of news product.
All media are forced to package information in a way thta engages the audience, but for television especially, the line between entertainment and information has blurred considerably. The recognition of the necessity for diverse media forms of news and acceptance of further fragmentation of news markets and need for niche products provides the best hope that journalism across all media will survive as a meaningful service. Journalism will continue to struggle for respectibility and acceptance, and attempts to maintain and increase audiences are most likely ro fail in the long term, unless journalists, and their publics, are convinced that there is a genuine and passionate commitment, at all levels of the news organisation, to the delivery of news in the public interest.
So i leave you this week on this final note. Online journalism, the way to the future for journalists? Can you see yourself becoming a multi - skilled journalist of the future?. Thats all i have time for this week i hope you enjoyed this week's riveting blog entry. Until we meet again,
I'm Shanna Bull.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Week 9 - 'Moral Minefields: Legal and ethical dilemma'
This weeks seminar presentation was on the topic ‘Moral mindfields: Legal and ethical dilemma’. The presenters evoked a strong understanding of the topic and displayed a solid presentation with effective and interesting information, a case study, sound communication skills and a thorough powerpoint and constructive questions to the class which raised excellent discussion. This topic was very intriguing. I learnt a lot from the presentation and the set readings on a topic I knew little about.
It is interesting to take into account just because something is legal doesn’t necessarily mean it is ethical. The presentation highlighted the vast variations between ethics and law. The case study of Barack Obama distinguished the differences between law and ethics and ethical dilemmas associated with journalism.
I was searching Google and I found a relevant story (although it happened in 2000) about moral minefileds: legal and ethical dilemmas faced with Siamese Twins. The title is called “Judging a moral Minefield”, I personally found it to be very interesting.
Google Dictionary defines law and ethics as : - Law is a system of rules usually enforced through a set of institutions. It affects politics, economics and society in numerous ways.Ethics is a major branch of philosophy, encompasses right conduct and good life. It is significantly broader than the common conception of analyzing right and wrong.
The set readings this week is on “A question of legality”, By Mark Pearson. This chapter is very clear and goes into great depth about this topic to enable greater understanding for the reader. "Where there is no publicity there is no justice. Publicity is the very soul of justice. It is the very spur to exertion and the surest of all guards against improbity".
So said the famous 18th century Utilitarianist and philosopher, Jeremy Bentham. A quote occasionally revisited in more recent times to remind ourselves of the inextricable binding of these two disciplines. Even so, the law and journalism have been difficult bed partners for almost as long as history has been recorded. Each cannot exist without the other, the relationship often swinging from deep hatred to all-embracing love.
Sally Walker (1989) defines journalism law as those related to defamation, court reporting, contempt of court and parliament, obscenity, media regulation, freedom of information legislation, intellectual property, trespass, and breach of confidence, among others. A common technique used by judges and educators to view the legal position of the journalist is to frame it in terms of the range of rights and responsibilities of journalists. Journalists are given special privileges in the courtroom such as the provisions of special seating, note-taking and access to court documents that would not be afforded to the ordinary citizens. Journalists are afforded such rights if they perform them responsibly. When they begin to perform them irresponsibly, the balance of the law normally shifts in favour of the other citizens whose rights are being infringed. It then comes down to the notion of is it in ‘the public interest’.
Sub Judice contempt is particularly precarious for journalists because the law imposes heavy restrictions on publications the instant an individual has been arrested in relation to a crime. The law of Sub Judice contempt is very precarious for journalists due to its design to prevent the practice of the ‘trial by media’, where excessive media commentary on a case stands to prejudice the deliberations of prospective jurors and the recollections of witnesses. Journalists in Australia have been jailed for both Sub Judice contempt and disobedient contempt. As one can see this is a highly serious matter.
Freedom Of Information Laws (FOI) is a law designed to allow greater public access to information held by the government departments.This important area of media law representa a balance between certain rights and interests.
In Australia,the Freedom Of Information Act 1992 was passed at the federal level in 1982 applying to all "ministers, departments and public authorities" of the Commonwealth.
There is similar legislation in all states and territories:
• Australian Capital Territory, the Freedom of Information Act 1989
• New South Wales, the Freedom of Information Act 1989
• Northern Territory, the Information Act 2003
• Queensland, the Freedom of Information Act 1992
• South Australia, the Freedom of Information Act 1991
• Tasmania, the Freedom of Information Act 1991
• Victoria, the Freedom of Information Act 1982
• Western Australia, the Freedom of Information Act 1992
Freedom of information laws protects the essential public interest and the private business affairs of persons. The rights of this act apply to all citizens not just journalists. There is a down side to the FOI , it can be quite costly as an application is $30 and processing charges for allocating the documents are $15 per hour.
The basic idea of defamation law is simple. It is an attempt to balance the private right to protect one's reputation with the public right to freedom of speech. Defamation law allows people to sue those who say or publish false and malicious comments. Anything that injures a person's reputation can be defamatory. If a comment brings a person into contempt, disrepute or ridicule, it is likely to be defamatoryThe fact is, nearly everyone makes defamatory statements almost every day. Only very rarely does someone use the law of defamation against such statements. There are two types of defamation : Libel and slander. Most media organisations avoid making retractions. Sometimes they will defend a defamation case and pay out lots of money rather than openly admit being wrong. Media owners have resisted law reforms that would require retractions of equal prominence to defamatory stories.
Journalists must be fair and accurate in reporting to reframe from being sued for defamation. Defamation can be clearly defined as a civil or wrong committed by publication and generally involves the indication of a person’s reputation. There is a criteria to establish defamation which consists of there being a publication and identifiable person or persons. Journalists and other media workers are often in the business of publishing defamatory articles and sensationalizing stories about other people and what they do. Before doing so journalists need to ask themselves, is the material potentially defamatory and if so, are there any defences available.
Journalists must behave in a certain way in their reporting and publishing and have a corresponding range of responsibilities to society to do so. Journalists must understand the law and their rights and privileges in it. Journalism Law is an integral form of adoption that journalists must understand. Journalists relationship with media law consists of a variety of rights and responsibilities.
That’s all I have time for today. Stay tuned next week for the final blog. It;s going to be one you won’t forget. I’m going to take you into the world of Online journalism and indulge into ‘new’ journalism content and the rule of the search engine. It’s going to be a blast. Till then thanks for listening.
I’m Shanna Bull
It is interesting to take into account just because something is legal doesn’t necessarily mean it is ethical. The presentation highlighted the vast variations between ethics and law. The case study of Barack Obama distinguished the differences between law and ethics and ethical dilemmas associated with journalism.
I was searching Google and I found a relevant story (although it happened in 2000) about moral minefileds: legal and ethical dilemmas faced with Siamese Twins. The title is called “Judging a moral Minefield”, I personally found it to be very interesting.
Google Dictionary defines law and ethics as : - Law is a system of rules usually enforced through a set of institutions. It affects politics, economics and society in numerous ways.Ethics is a major branch of philosophy, encompasses right conduct and good life. It is significantly broader than the common conception of analyzing right and wrong.
The set readings this week is on “A question of legality”, By Mark Pearson. This chapter is very clear and goes into great depth about this topic to enable greater understanding for the reader. "Where there is no publicity there is no justice. Publicity is the very soul of justice. It is the very spur to exertion and the surest of all guards against improbity".
So said the famous 18th century Utilitarianist and philosopher, Jeremy Bentham. A quote occasionally revisited in more recent times to remind ourselves of the inextricable binding of these two disciplines. Even so, the law and journalism have been difficult bed partners for almost as long as history has been recorded. Each cannot exist without the other, the relationship often swinging from deep hatred to all-embracing love.
Sally Walker (1989) defines journalism law as those related to defamation, court reporting, contempt of court and parliament, obscenity, media regulation, freedom of information legislation, intellectual property, trespass, and breach of confidence, among others. A common technique used by judges and educators to view the legal position of the journalist is to frame it in terms of the range of rights and responsibilities of journalists. Journalists are given special privileges in the courtroom such as the provisions of special seating, note-taking and access to court documents that would not be afforded to the ordinary citizens. Journalists are afforded such rights if they perform them responsibly. When they begin to perform them irresponsibly, the balance of the law normally shifts in favour of the other citizens whose rights are being infringed. It then comes down to the notion of is it in ‘the public interest’.
Sub Judice contempt is particularly precarious for journalists because the law imposes heavy restrictions on publications the instant an individual has been arrested in relation to a crime. The law of Sub Judice contempt is very precarious for journalists due to its design to prevent the practice of the ‘trial by media’, where excessive media commentary on a case stands to prejudice the deliberations of prospective jurors and the recollections of witnesses. Journalists in Australia have been jailed for both Sub Judice contempt and disobedient contempt. As one can see this is a highly serious matter.
Freedom Of Information Laws (FOI) is a law designed to allow greater public access to information held by the government departments.This important area of media law representa a balance between certain rights and interests.
In Australia,the Freedom Of Information Act 1992 was passed at the federal level in 1982 applying to all "ministers, departments and public authorities" of the Commonwealth.
There is similar legislation in all states and territories:
• Australian Capital Territory, the Freedom of Information Act 1989
• New South Wales, the Freedom of Information Act 1989
• Northern Territory, the Information Act 2003
• Queensland, the Freedom of Information Act 1992
• South Australia, the Freedom of Information Act 1991
• Tasmania, the Freedom of Information Act 1991
• Victoria, the Freedom of Information Act 1982
• Western Australia, the Freedom of Information Act 1992
Freedom of information laws protects the essential public interest and the private business affairs of persons. The rights of this act apply to all citizens not just journalists. There is a down side to the FOI , it can be quite costly as an application is $30 and processing charges for allocating the documents are $15 per hour.
The basic idea of defamation law is simple. It is an attempt to balance the private right to protect one's reputation with the public right to freedom of speech. Defamation law allows people to sue those who say or publish false and malicious comments. Anything that injures a person's reputation can be defamatory. If a comment brings a person into contempt, disrepute or ridicule, it is likely to be defamatoryThe fact is, nearly everyone makes defamatory statements almost every day. Only very rarely does someone use the law of defamation against such statements. There are two types of defamation : Libel and slander. Most media organisations avoid making retractions. Sometimes they will defend a defamation case and pay out lots of money rather than openly admit being wrong. Media owners have resisted law reforms that would require retractions of equal prominence to defamatory stories.
Journalists must be fair and accurate in reporting to reframe from being sued for defamation. Defamation can be clearly defined as a civil or wrong committed by publication and generally involves the indication of a person’s reputation. There is a criteria to establish defamation which consists of there being a publication and identifiable person or persons. Journalists and other media workers are often in the business of publishing defamatory articles and sensationalizing stories about other people and what they do. Before doing so journalists need to ask themselves, is the material potentially defamatory and if so, are there any defences available.
Journalists must behave in a certain way in their reporting and publishing and have a corresponding range of responsibilities to society to do so. Journalists must understand the law and their rights and privileges in it. Journalism Law is an integral form of adoption that journalists must understand. Journalists relationship with media law consists of a variety of rights and responsibilities.
That’s all I have time for today. Stay tuned next week for the final blog. It;s going to be one you won’t forget. I’m going to take you into the world of Online journalism and indulge into ‘new’ journalism content and the rule of the search engine. It’s going to be a blast. Till then thanks for listening.
I’m Shanna Bull
Week 8 - 'In the public interest: Puvlic v Private'
This weeks seminar presentation was on "The public interest: Public v. Private". The topic was highly engaging and thoroughly and thoughtfully presented. The presenters displayed a solid knowledge thus understanding of their choosen topic, this was particulary evident through in depth research skills, clear and effective delivery,engagement and enthusiams with questions asked raised to the class, good usage of powerpoint and overall a very well done presentation that clearly highlighted the importance of public v. private. The examples also added interest and a new level to the presentation.
Celebrity blogs was a particular area that was touched upon in the presentation. Celebrity blogs are by passing own media. They have more control of what they do and what they chose to display about themselves. There are also private things shown on some blogs. Celebrity blogs are quite popular which celebrities such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O'Donell, Moby and to mention Donald Trumph.
Privacy laws was an important aspect of the presentation and one that must be indulged into. An example used in the presentation was Dan Horowitz, American criminal defence attorney who won landmark cases for Michael Flately and pro-athletes. It is important to note that privacy laws defines journalism in a way that will reduce the media's capacity to report freely. It is now easy to defame people, privacy laws should be tightened to give the public greater protection from prying reporters. It is paramount for journalists to have a thorough knowledge of the provisions of the Privacy Act.
Autonomy is one of the key terms of the professionalization approach. This was also mentioned and discussed in the presentation. It means freedom to shape journalists' work without being controlled by internal and external powers. Besides expertise, commitment to the job and responsibility are used as the main indicators for professional orientations. This aspect is particularly crucial, insofar as journalism differs from "real professions" by its legal preconditions. Just because a journalist may reveal one thing does it in turn mean you have to reveal the other?.There is also this freedom for press issue- how far do we go?
A journalist should look and see if it is in the publics interest.
The set reading for this weeks topic was based on "Public interest, private lies", by Ian Richards. Firstly, what indeed do public and private mean? Hanson (1970) argues that, historically, the emergence of city-states and theories of sovereighty led to the idea of a distinctly public realm, and that the emergence of a notion of democracy involving citzenry and a public arena led to the associated notion of 'the private'. While there is still an ongoing debate over what these notions mean, the literature contains many echoes of parent's view that privacy is 'the condition of not having undocumented personal knowledge about one possessed by others'. Kieran (1997) states that'It is not merley particular information about our lives that is private but those areas of our lives that the information concerns'. This basically means that this notion of the private puts up a sphere in which we are free to be intimate with others and pursue our goals and interests we have without being subject to the public gaze.
Notions of privacy are also prevelant. Today's privacy laws have four distinct interpretations- intrusion, publication of embarrassing private facts, publication which places someone in false light and appropriation, meaning use of an individual's name, picture or likeness without the person's permission, usually for commercial exploitation. It is difficult to see how an individual can behave ethically unless that individual has the freedom to choose to behave so. This is where autonomy is concerned. 'Autonomy implies control over one;s person, and therefore, one's privacy'.Journalists are propelled in the direction of revelation rather than concealment, of disclosure rather than protection.
The Australian, Media Entertainment And Arts Alliance (MEAA) noted that privacy can involve the person (bodily privacy), conversations (eavesdropping), seclusion (surveillance), and personal information (unauthorised disclosure). Clause 11 of the Alliance's revised Code of Ethics advises journalists to 'Respect private grief and personal privacy', and the 3rd clause of the Australian Press Council's (APC) statement of principles states that news and comment should be presented 'honestly and fairly, and with respect for the privacy and sensibilities of individuals', with knowing that 'the right to privacy should not prevent publication of matters of public record or obvious and significant public interest'.
Journalists have a number of justifications for favouring intrusion over respect for privacy, these are:-
* by entering public life, individuals surrender any claim to personal privacy: accordingly, they are 'fair game' for enquiring journalists;
* journalsits have a duty to report private situations when these details could have relevance to the public performance of an individual or group;
* individual journalists are simply conduits for information, and it is up to the readers/listeners/viewers to decide the limits;
* if it is not illegal, it must be permissible.
most of these journalistic notions derive from the greater good.
Brison (1998) identifies six different accoutns of autonomy in the literature on free speech, these are:-
* freedom from government interference;
* the individual as autonomous moral agent;
* a good consisting of the actual ability to be rationally self-legislating;
* the right to moral independence;
* freedom of both thought and action in the relevant domain;
* the range of goals one is aware of having as real options.
The first two of these are relevant to journalism- the so called 'watchdog' role of the press and its part in keeping citizens free from government interference.
The journalist is a trusted social watchdog by the public who rely on newspapers, magazines and new media to educate and inform them of current events and social revelations. It is becoming increasingly more difficult today to differentiate between gossip and voyeurism and information necessary for the democratic process.
So i leave you this week to ponder on the question: Public v. Private, how far should it go? That's all we have time for this week.Next week i will be discussing Moral mindfields: Legal and ethical dilemma.It will be mind boggling, be sure to miss out!
I'm Shanna Bull.
Celebrity blogs was a particular area that was touched upon in the presentation. Celebrity blogs are by passing own media. They have more control of what they do and what they chose to display about themselves. There are also private things shown on some blogs. Celebrity blogs are quite popular which celebrities such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O'Donell, Moby and to mention Donald Trumph.
Privacy laws was an important aspect of the presentation and one that must be indulged into. An example used in the presentation was Dan Horowitz, American criminal defence attorney who won landmark cases for Michael Flately and pro-athletes. It is important to note that privacy laws defines journalism in a way that will reduce the media's capacity to report freely. It is now easy to defame people, privacy laws should be tightened to give the public greater protection from prying reporters. It is paramount for journalists to have a thorough knowledge of the provisions of the Privacy Act.
Autonomy is one of the key terms of the professionalization approach. This was also mentioned and discussed in the presentation. It means freedom to shape journalists' work without being controlled by internal and external powers. Besides expertise, commitment to the job and responsibility are used as the main indicators for professional orientations. This aspect is particularly crucial, insofar as journalism differs from "real professions" by its legal preconditions. Just because a journalist may reveal one thing does it in turn mean you have to reveal the other?.There is also this freedom for press issue- how far do we go?
A journalist should look and see if it is in the publics interest.
The set reading for this weeks topic was based on "Public interest, private lies", by Ian Richards. Firstly, what indeed do public and private mean? Hanson (1970) argues that, historically, the emergence of city-states and theories of sovereighty led to the idea of a distinctly public realm, and that the emergence of a notion of democracy involving citzenry and a public arena led to the associated notion of 'the private'. While there is still an ongoing debate over what these notions mean, the literature contains many echoes of parent's view that privacy is 'the condition of not having undocumented personal knowledge about one possessed by others'. Kieran (1997) states that'It is not merley particular information about our lives that is private but those areas of our lives that the information concerns'. This basically means that this notion of the private puts up a sphere in which we are free to be intimate with others and pursue our goals and interests we have without being subject to the public gaze.
Notions of privacy are also prevelant. Today's privacy laws have four distinct interpretations- intrusion, publication of embarrassing private facts, publication which places someone in false light and appropriation, meaning use of an individual's name, picture or likeness without the person's permission, usually for commercial exploitation. It is difficult to see how an individual can behave ethically unless that individual has the freedom to choose to behave so. This is where autonomy is concerned. 'Autonomy implies control over one;s person, and therefore, one's privacy'.Journalists are propelled in the direction of revelation rather than concealment, of disclosure rather than protection.
The Australian, Media Entertainment And Arts Alliance (MEAA) noted that privacy can involve the person (bodily privacy), conversations (eavesdropping), seclusion (surveillance), and personal information (unauthorised disclosure). Clause 11 of the Alliance's revised Code of Ethics advises journalists to 'Respect private grief and personal privacy', and the 3rd clause of the Australian Press Council's (APC) statement of principles states that news and comment should be presented 'honestly and fairly, and with respect for the privacy and sensibilities of individuals', with knowing that 'the right to privacy should not prevent publication of matters of public record or obvious and significant public interest'.
Journalists have a number of justifications for favouring intrusion over respect for privacy, these are:-
* by entering public life, individuals surrender any claim to personal privacy: accordingly, they are 'fair game' for enquiring journalists;
* journalsits have a duty to report private situations when these details could have relevance to the public performance of an individual or group;
* individual journalists are simply conduits for information, and it is up to the readers/listeners/viewers to decide the limits;
* if it is not illegal, it must be permissible.
most of these journalistic notions derive from the greater good.
Brison (1998) identifies six different accoutns of autonomy in the literature on free speech, these are:-
* freedom from government interference;
* the individual as autonomous moral agent;
* a good consisting of the actual ability to be rationally self-legislating;
* the right to moral independence;
* freedom of both thought and action in the relevant domain;
* the range of goals one is aware of having as real options.
The first two of these are relevant to journalism- the so called 'watchdog' role of the press and its part in keeping citizens free from government interference.
The journalist is a trusted social watchdog by the public who rely on newspapers, magazines and new media to educate and inform them of current events and social revelations. It is becoming increasingly more difficult today to differentiate between gossip and voyeurism and information necessary for the democratic process.
So i leave you this week to ponder on the question: Public v. Private, how far should it go? That's all we have time for this week.Next week i will be discussing Moral mindfields: Legal and ethical dilemma.It will be mind boggling, be sure to miss out!
I'm Shanna Bull.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Week 7 - 'Truth and Objectivity"
Truth and Objectivity was the hot topic to discuss in this weeks tutorial. Our group consisting of myself, Martina and Andrew gave a presentation overview of the topic. Martina was the first speaker discussing truth and objectivity in journalism, Andrew identified a case study on Tibet in China and showed a u tube clip on CNN, and i gave an overview of truth and objectivity and its importance in journalism and i portrayed this through the importance of the enquiry system for journalists. Overall, our presentation demonstrated the need for truth and objectivity to achieve good journalism. We each raised a question to the class that developed sound discussion to conclude with. We tried not to rely heavily on powerpoint and basically just directed basic dot points of our individual discussions. The question based on truth and objectivity was a very interesting and engaging topic that allowed a vast variety of discussion and significant points to be raised in relation to the topic at hand.
Some commentators have argued that there us no place for truth and objectivity in journalism. John Swinton, former chief of executive staff for the New York Times stated, "The business for journalists is to destroy the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of a mammon, and to sell this country and his race for his daily bread. You know it and i know it our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes". However, it is unquestionable that truth & objectivity are crucial components of good journalism.
I believe it is the job of a true journalist to check the truth of his stories, to investigate, to document. Journalists have an excuse, they have to make a living but dishonesty is still dishonesty and there is no place for dishonesty in good journalism. We as journalists need to be see seekers of the truth and only truth. Inaccurate journalism, is ineffective journalism, worse it is dangerous journalism. The Daily Miracle states," A story can be fair, it can be in the public interest, it can be true in every detail but that single error, however small can undo everything". It is frequently said that journalists are only as good as their sources, and journalists best sources of information are often their own powers of observation.
In a nutshell, journalists central functions are to seek the truths and to pass them on to their communities in ways which:
* Inform
* Educate
* Entertain.
The journalism readings by Leo Bowman and Stephen McIIwaine demonstrate the importance of enquiry for journalists. Schultz suggests that "There needs to be a cultural change that places investigation in a context where it is considered part of the day to day work of all journalists. Recognising that investigative journalism is something that all journalists can do is an important element of demystifying and broadening understanding of investigative reporters".
Mencher, Itule and Anderson identify several phases of story development. They illustrate that each stage requires different focus from journalists seeking to provide a truly comprehensive coverage. Journalists credibility as reporters and writers depends on their making that claim that their training allows them to 'know what to ask', enabling them to begin to present an authorative report to their auidence.
To meet audience needs, the news gathering process should encompass three levels of reporting. This can be identified as level 1 or reactive reporting, level 2 or analytical reporting and level 3 or reflective reporting. Journalists rely on people to tell them or show them things, they need people in authority or with special knowledge to supply them with the information that enables them to tell the audience whats happening. Reactive reporting concentrates on information that originates from the source and may be controlled by the source. Level 2 or analytical reporting is where journalists look for answers to how and why something happened. Journalists want to know such things as who was responsible for aspects of this event, who is to blame or be praised for their actions, before, during and afterwards. Finally journalists must move into level 3 or reflective reporting. This stage looks at more deep-seated societal trends and approaches that might have set the stage for particular news events.
It is important to note that an incomplete enquiry leads to a failure to explore a range of aspects of the story and things can remain hidden and important stories go unnoticed. The 5ws and Hws should be applied to every significant fact of each level of the enquiry process to enable clear, effective and accurate accounts of the story to be told.
It seems to me that journalists receive a lot of criticism, and are under constant scrutiny as to their methods and practices. Journalists are highly accountable in relation to their duty to report the truth.
When writing a story a journalist must strive to stay impartial and make sure that they represent all areas of the story. Therefore they are not influencing their audience's opinion and are giving them the opportunity to decide the outcome of the story themselves. By doing so, objectivity is achieved.
Nevertheless in order to try and understand the world, we cannot do so without assuming the possibility and value of objectivity. There is never one answer and it is important that journalists understand this and try to rise above this when reporting. They must strive forward in order to achieve objectivity within their coverage because this is what is important to the audience and by doing so is creating accurate and exciting journalism.
One could go on for minutes, hours, weeks, months and even years with discussing the importance of truth and objectivity in the journalism profession. It is very engaging and of significant importance to journalism and journalists. Christina asked us to each find a story that fits in with the criteria of the three system process of enquiry for journalists for next weeks lesson. The story must contain all three elements of reactive, analytical and reflective reporting.
Changes in technology and audience appear to be dictating a more accountable and more relevant for of journalism practice. The three level system of enquiry encourages journalists to seek and explore countless stories that await telling. Good journalism must evoke truthful accounts, be fair and honest in their delivery,inform, educate, engage and entertain their audience. There are a range of challenges conventional journalists must confront for it to survive. The importance of enquiry is paramount and integral for all good journalism. This enquiry process is very effective and accurate for a journalist to deliver the truth to its public. It is pivotal for journalists to establish the truth and discover it in stories. Overall, truth and objectivity are vital ingredients for good journalism!
The readings, "The whole truth and nothing but the truth", by Sharon Tickle conveys how journalists don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.The Australian journalists association the MEAA Code of Ethics opens with "respect for truth and the public's right to information are fundamental principles of journalism".
This chapter discusses case studies and challenges of opportunities for journalists. It is significant to note that you should not believe anything you hear or read until it has been verified by the most authorative sources possible. There are many sides to a story people will want to tell and there will always be someone who knows more about a story than you. Journalists ignore these at their peril.
I raised the question in my presentation: What would be the dangers for the journalism profession and consumers of journalism if there was no truth and objectivity in contemporary journalism? I believe that the journalism profession would have no credibility, the general public would be constantly misinformed, the general public wouldn't be able to tell what was true and false if it was common place for journalists to let bias govern their reporting. What do you think?
Overall the presentation went quite smooth everyone did a great job in presenting their section of the presentation question and knowing there information well and researching the topic thoroughly. Truth and objectivity are more important in journalism than some people may think they are everything, they are the tools needed for good journalism.
Thanks for reading this weeks coloum on truth and objectivity, stay tunned for the same time next week as i endulge into the topic of in the public interest: public v private.Should be a ripper! I'm Shanna Bull.
Some commentators have argued that there us no place for truth and objectivity in journalism. John Swinton, former chief of executive staff for the New York Times stated, "The business for journalists is to destroy the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of a mammon, and to sell this country and his race for his daily bread. You know it and i know it our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes". However, it is unquestionable that truth & objectivity are crucial components of good journalism.
I believe it is the job of a true journalist to check the truth of his stories, to investigate, to document. Journalists have an excuse, they have to make a living but dishonesty is still dishonesty and there is no place for dishonesty in good journalism. We as journalists need to be see seekers of the truth and only truth. Inaccurate journalism, is ineffective journalism, worse it is dangerous journalism. The Daily Miracle states," A story can be fair, it can be in the public interest, it can be true in every detail but that single error, however small can undo everything". It is frequently said that journalists are only as good as their sources, and journalists best sources of information are often their own powers of observation.
In a nutshell, journalists central functions are to seek the truths and to pass them on to their communities in ways which:
* Inform
* Educate
* Entertain.
The journalism readings by Leo Bowman and Stephen McIIwaine demonstrate the importance of enquiry for journalists. Schultz suggests that "There needs to be a cultural change that places investigation in a context where it is considered part of the day to day work of all journalists. Recognising that investigative journalism is something that all journalists can do is an important element of demystifying and broadening understanding of investigative reporters".
Mencher, Itule and Anderson identify several phases of story development. They illustrate that each stage requires different focus from journalists seeking to provide a truly comprehensive coverage. Journalists credibility as reporters and writers depends on their making that claim that their training allows them to 'know what to ask', enabling them to begin to present an authorative report to their auidence.
To meet audience needs, the news gathering process should encompass three levels of reporting. This can be identified as level 1 or reactive reporting, level 2 or analytical reporting and level 3 or reflective reporting. Journalists rely on people to tell them or show them things, they need people in authority or with special knowledge to supply them with the information that enables them to tell the audience whats happening. Reactive reporting concentrates on information that originates from the source and may be controlled by the source. Level 2 or analytical reporting is where journalists look for answers to how and why something happened. Journalists want to know such things as who was responsible for aspects of this event, who is to blame or be praised for their actions, before, during and afterwards. Finally journalists must move into level 3 or reflective reporting. This stage looks at more deep-seated societal trends and approaches that might have set the stage for particular news events.
It is important to note that an incomplete enquiry leads to a failure to explore a range of aspects of the story and things can remain hidden and important stories go unnoticed. The 5ws and Hws should be applied to every significant fact of each level of the enquiry process to enable clear, effective and accurate accounts of the story to be told.
It seems to me that journalists receive a lot of criticism, and are under constant scrutiny as to their methods and practices. Journalists are highly accountable in relation to their duty to report the truth.
When writing a story a journalist must strive to stay impartial and make sure that they represent all areas of the story. Therefore they are not influencing their audience's opinion and are giving them the opportunity to decide the outcome of the story themselves. By doing so, objectivity is achieved.
Nevertheless in order to try and understand the world, we cannot do so without assuming the possibility and value of objectivity. There is never one answer and it is important that journalists understand this and try to rise above this when reporting. They must strive forward in order to achieve objectivity within their coverage because this is what is important to the audience and by doing so is creating accurate and exciting journalism.
One could go on for minutes, hours, weeks, months and even years with discussing the importance of truth and objectivity in the journalism profession. It is very engaging and of significant importance to journalism and journalists. Christina asked us to each find a story that fits in with the criteria of the three system process of enquiry for journalists for next weeks lesson. The story must contain all three elements of reactive, analytical and reflective reporting.
Changes in technology and audience appear to be dictating a more accountable and more relevant for of journalism practice. The three level system of enquiry encourages journalists to seek and explore countless stories that await telling. Good journalism must evoke truthful accounts, be fair and honest in their delivery,inform, educate, engage and entertain their audience. There are a range of challenges conventional journalists must confront for it to survive. The importance of enquiry is paramount and integral for all good journalism. This enquiry process is very effective and accurate for a journalist to deliver the truth to its public. It is pivotal for journalists to establish the truth and discover it in stories. Overall, truth and objectivity are vital ingredients for good journalism!
The readings, "The whole truth and nothing but the truth", by Sharon Tickle conveys how journalists don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.The Australian journalists association the MEAA Code of Ethics opens with "respect for truth and the public's right to information are fundamental principles of journalism".
This chapter discusses case studies and challenges of opportunities for journalists. It is significant to note that you should not believe anything you hear or read until it has been verified by the most authorative sources possible. There are many sides to a story people will want to tell and there will always be someone who knows more about a story than you. Journalists ignore these at their peril.
I raised the question in my presentation: What would be the dangers for the journalism profession and consumers of journalism if there was no truth and objectivity in contemporary journalism? I believe that the journalism profession would have no credibility, the general public would be constantly misinformed, the general public wouldn't be able to tell what was true and false if it was common place for journalists to let bias govern their reporting. What do you think?
Overall the presentation went quite smooth everyone did a great job in presenting their section of the presentation question and knowing there information well and researching the topic thoroughly. Truth and objectivity are more important in journalism than some people may think they are everything, they are the tools needed for good journalism.
Thanks for reading this weeks coloum on truth and objectivity, stay tunned for the same time next week as i endulge into the topic of in the public interest: public v private.Should be a ripper! I'm Shanna Bull.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Week 6 - 'Who will pay for journalism?'
Well where to begin that is the question. This weeks journalism seminar presentation was highly engaging and informative in its own right.Alexander and Cassandra demonstrated a very thorough and consise presentation with clear and effective information and research on the topic. Sound communication skills and a thorough knowledge and understanding of the topic was evident. Overall, the girls displayed an excellent summary of the question, " Who will pay for journalism?".
I really liked the quote by Gratten, " No profit, No paper". It is important to note that the current paper need money to pay for journalism. The presentation highlighted several problems such as:-
* Decline in newspaper sales
* Consumers turning to the internet
* Online interest for advertisers
* Entertainment focus
* Minimising staff numbers
* Corporate blogging.
There are more casual and freelance journalists being employed purley at the expense of more experienced journalists in long term positions. Low wages trigger to a decline in ethical reporting. A prime example is 'The Wall Street Journal'. It costs US$79.00 per year to join up and get the latest news. It reaches a broader worldwwide audience immediately. Niche markets were also mentioned and it displayed specialising particular content and targeting a narrow market - more attractive to specific journalists. Stand alone journalists were also touched on in the presentation and it was interesting to note that they are a non- profit news organisation that run in the name of the public interest. They aim to produce investigative journalism.
The presentation also mentioned user content and how this is cost cutting. Essentially civic journalism and media outlets will utilise a cheaper 'workforce'. The question was then raised on how many people read the news paper daily and how many people go online to receive the news and who would pay for online journalism if the newspaper wasn't available in hard copy. These were terrific discussion questions. I personally would never pay for online news however, i would pay for investigative journalism as it is of interest to me if i could not get a hard copy of the newspaper. I want to be informed and engaged with whats going on in the world. I mean afterall isn't that what part of a journalist's role is in society.
Cassandra and Alexandra then asked 'Who will pay for journalism?".
* Subscription Method
* Online only
* Niche Marketing
* Stand Alone journalists
* User Content.
I beleive by being a stand alone journalist in the near future you will be better off and earn a substantial amount of more money. I agree with the girls, if you'r dedicated and determined you can do it! There is also less pressure if you are a stand alone journalist and your job will be to write for a particular audience not the public in general. It is a significant point to remember that if the newspapers don't pay for journalism we journalists shouldn't stop what we are doing. The world needs journalists and the form of journalism is more important than the societal benefits.
I personally found the seminar presentation this week to be very intriguing. So i guess i will leave on a sharp note. 'Journalism to be or not to be'?.Who will pay for journalism that is the question we still ponder on.What a sad state of affairs it will be if journalism is diminished!
So stay tunned for the same time next week as i take you into truth and objectivity in journalism. I'm Shanna Bull.
This week i commented on Josh Callinan's Blog.
I really liked the quote by Gratten, " No profit, No paper". It is important to note that the current paper need money to pay for journalism. The presentation highlighted several problems such as:-
* Decline in newspaper sales
* Consumers turning to the internet
* Online interest for advertisers
* Entertainment focus
* Minimising staff numbers
* Corporate blogging.
There are more casual and freelance journalists being employed purley at the expense of more experienced journalists in long term positions. Low wages trigger to a decline in ethical reporting. A prime example is 'The Wall Street Journal'. It costs US$79.00 per year to join up and get the latest news. It reaches a broader worldwwide audience immediately. Niche markets were also mentioned and it displayed specialising particular content and targeting a narrow market - more attractive to specific journalists. Stand alone journalists were also touched on in the presentation and it was interesting to note that they are a non- profit news organisation that run in the name of the public interest. They aim to produce investigative journalism.
The presentation also mentioned user content and how this is cost cutting. Essentially civic journalism and media outlets will utilise a cheaper 'workforce'. The question was then raised on how many people read the news paper daily and how many people go online to receive the news and who would pay for online journalism if the newspaper wasn't available in hard copy. These were terrific discussion questions. I personally would never pay for online news however, i would pay for investigative journalism as it is of interest to me if i could not get a hard copy of the newspaper. I want to be informed and engaged with whats going on in the world. I mean afterall isn't that what part of a journalist's role is in society.
Cassandra and Alexandra then asked 'Who will pay for journalism?".
* Subscription Method
* Online only
* Niche Marketing
* Stand Alone journalists
* User Content.
I beleive by being a stand alone journalist in the near future you will be better off and earn a substantial amount of more money. I agree with the girls, if you'r dedicated and determined you can do it! There is also less pressure if you are a stand alone journalist and your job will be to write for a particular audience not the public in general. It is a significant point to remember that if the newspapers don't pay for journalism we journalists shouldn't stop what we are doing. The world needs journalists and the form of journalism is more important than the societal benefits.
I personally found the seminar presentation this week to be very intriguing. So i guess i will leave on a sharp note. 'Journalism to be or not to be'?.Who will pay for journalism that is the question we still ponder on.What a sad state of affairs it will be if journalism is diminished!
So stay tunned for the same time next week as i take you into truth and objectivity in journalism. I'm Shanna Bull.
This week i commented on Josh Callinan's Blog.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Week 5 - 'Globalisation v Localisation'
This week in journalism the topic of Globalisation v Localisation was touched upon. The presenters did a thorough job in researching and presenting their seminar to the class. Clear powerpoint slides were present along with an accurate understanding thus knowledge of the topic. Great discussion arose with participation from the class from this topic of Globalisation v Localisation. I grasped a clear understanding from the presentation in regards to Globalisation v Localisation and this is what i personally drew from the topic this week.
Journalists have to re-evaluate their roles to account for their global responsibilities. Excellent definitions of Globalisation and 'Global Village' were mentioned. It is interesting to note that with technological advancements the globalisation of media leads to new approaches to journalism. Technology gives the media a global audience. A prime example used was News Corporation 21st century global media firm. They have a wopping 132 newspapers in Australia, UK and America. The global village is controlled and it does pose as a potential threat to journalism. Journalists role as a 'watch dog' is threatened due to the media being dominated by a few powerful TNC's. Journalists rely on the internet as a source of information. Foreign Correspondent's rely on secondary sources, often depending on what local media report.
There was a question asked: Do the new Globalised media technologies, help or hinder "good" journalism? The internet and technologies threaten journalism although it aids greater research and enables to get things out to an audience. There is a challenge to good journalism. The legal implications for journalists were also touched upon in the presentation. The legal implications for journalists protects society from the 'misuses' of legislative and executive powers and also promoting the 'fundemental rights & principles'. Regulation of global media was also mentioned and if media on a global level is regulated. Privacy v public interest was also apart of the presentation. As a country we have laws and privacies however, they aren't respected enough and they are breached so there is nothing stopping anyone from breaking a story.
A good example from Media Watch was used by one of the presenters on 'What price privacy?'. The veronicas scandal & Sonny Bill Williams and Candice Falzon scandal was also clipped.This portrayed evidence of public v private interest and the impendance of breaking news stories. The effects of globalisation on local media were also evident in the presentation. Media environments are overall becoming more commercialised. The final presenter presented a case study on the olympics coverage and copyright. This evoked the commodification of news and entertainment.
The set reading this week was on chapter 14 of the journalism text, 'Journalism in the global village', by Rhonda Breit. The readings depicted a media revolution of uncertainty for journalists struggling to keep pace with changing technology and work practices. It is the technological advancements that have affected the actions of the media and the messages they present. It is the rise of the internet that is posing as a threat and causing implications and challenges to journalists and alos to the domestic legal regimes that ultimately regulate them. The most recent technological advances have taken place in an environment of commercialisation, with the formation of the powerful corporations or TNCs. These TNCs and their global audiences are regulated by local laws, the powers of which are limited to geographical borders. It is interesting to note that many local laws are diminishing due to new technologies making their application irrelevant.
Journalists are now faced with the uncertainty about the application of local laws, the legality of publication and their roles in society. We need new legal and professional reforms to create a more certainty and promise for journalists in the global environment.Ideally one must first identify these major problems and concerns created by globalisation. The term 'global village' was first used in the 1960s to describe the 'linking of humanity in all parts of the world'. With developments of technology it had enabled to create a global media audience.It is the big corporations that have given the media power.Our Australian media scence is dominated by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited and the Australian arms of News Corp.These forces have joined forces and they are also dominating the internet and multi-media markets within Australia.
Globalisation has resulted in a standardisation of information and audience with large sections of the world left under- represented. Major corporations as mentioned earlier used exclusive deals and local laws such as copyright to obtain a competitive advantage. Journalists have no right of access to private property. The copyright laws aim to balance two competing interests: the rights of the creator of original works to profit from their creative endeavour and the public's interest in accessing original works at a fair price. Commercialisation and new technology are distorting this balance, making application of the copyright laws look ridiculous.With the merger of convergence to Australian newspapers it shows that we are struggling to understand their role in the increasingly commercial world.
Concentration of media ownership into the hands of a few TNCs is threatining the integrity of journalism and at the same time it threatens the legal system that regulates the media. The media watchdog is dominated by TNCs, part of whose business is to 'sell news'. Journalists who operate within that regime tend to be 'vulnerable & uncertain'. This will only be achieved where there is a balance of power between the media and the legal regimes that regulate them.
Commercialisation and technology are combined to alter the media. Schultz (1998) says that 'journalists are critical of the pressures and demands of commercialism of the news and media'. Journalists need to consider whether a 'right to know' still accomodates the public interest.Journalists must distinguish between the concepts of information, knowledge, and understanding. To aid understanding, journalists must pursue their investigative role and not given in to the commercial pressures. By reviewing the function to account for public understanding rather than public knowledge, journalists will preserve the integrity of news. Journalists must confront the blurring of news and entertainment and news and public relations. For journalists to fulfil their role, they must do more than simply tickle the interest of the public. Their job is to filter public understanding of all issues.
Journalists must do more to build public understanding and look beyond the horizon. A simple refocusing of journalism's role in society should help raise public perception of journalists in the global environment and help them resist some of the pressures of new employment practices in the media. Immediate technology also has put pressure on journalists to get news first. A major problem for journalists using the internet for publication and to gather information is uncertainty about the legality of material given the diverse range of local laws that regulate the internet.The media and the judiciary must work towards global solutions which can help restore and prevent the threat posed by globalisation.No one global body has the power to impose change.
Australia has no central body to regulate journalism. Complaints about journalism can be made to the MEAA. Journalists are the vehicle by which the public right to know is asserted and it is acknowledged and this brings with it many obligations. Journalists must implement a transparent system of public accountability. Overall the reading this week was very engaging and informative i developed a sound understanding of the topic at hand through the presentation and my learning from the set reading. The readings were thorough, clear, consise and indepth.
Journalists have to re-evaluate their roles to account for their global responsibilities. Excellent definitions of Globalisation and 'Global Village' were mentioned. It is interesting to note that with technological advancements the globalisation of media leads to new approaches to journalism. Technology gives the media a global audience. A prime example used was News Corporation 21st century global media firm. They have a wopping 132 newspapers in Australia, UK and America. The global village is controlled and it does pose as a potential threat to journalism. Journalists role as a 'watch dog' is threatened due to the media being dominated by a few powerful TNC's. Journalists rely on the internet as a source of information. Foreign Correspondent's rely on secondary sources, often depending on what local media report.
There was a question asked: Do the new Globalised media technologies, help or hinder "good" journalism? The internet and technologies threaten journalism although it aids greater research and enables to get things out to an audience. There is a challenge to good journalism. The legal implications for journalists were also touched upon in the presentation. The legal implications for journalists protects society from the 'misuses' of legislative and executive powers and also promoting the 'fundemental rights & principles'. Regulation of global media was also mentioned and if media on a global level is regulated. Privacy v public interest was also apart of the presentation. As a country we have laws and privacies however, they aren't respected enough and they are breached so there is nothing stopping anyone from breaking a story.
A good example from Media Watch was used by one of the presenters on 'What price privacy?'. The veronicas scandal & Sonny Bill Williams and Candice Falzon scandal was also clipped.This portrayed evidence of public v private interest and the impendance of breaking news stories. The effects of globalisation on local media were also evident in the presentation. Media environments are overall becoming more commercialised. The final presenter presented a case study on the olympics coverage and copyright. This evoked the commodification of news and entertainment.
The set reading this week was on chapter 14 of the journalism text, 'Journalism in the global village', by Rhonda Breit. The readings depicted a media revolution of uncertainty for journalists struggling to keep pace with changing technology and work practices. It is the technological advancements that have affected the actions of the media and the messages they present. It is the rise of the internet that is posing as a threat and causing implications and challenges to journalists and alos to the domestic legal regimes that ultimately regulate them. The most recent technological advances have taken place in an environment of commercialisation, with the formation of the powerful corporations or TNCs. These TNCs and their global audiences are regulated by local laws, the powers of which are limited to geographical borders. It is interesting to note that many local laws are diminishing due to new technologies making their application irrelevant.
Journalists are now faced with the uncertainty about the application of local laws, the legality of publication and their roles in society. We need new legal and professional reforms to create a more certainty and promise for journalists in the global environment.Ideally one must first identify these major problems and concerns created by globalisation. The term 'global village' was first used in the 1960s to describe the 'linking of humanity in all parts of the world'. With developments of technology it had enabled to create a global media audience.It is the big corporations that have given the media power.Our Australian media scence is dominated by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited and the Australian arms of News Corp.These forces have joined forces and they are also dominating the internet and multi-media markets within Australia.
Globalisation has resulted in a standardisation of information and audience with large sections of the world left under- represented. Major corporations as mentioned earlier used exclusive deals and local laws such as copyright to obtain a competitive advantage. Journalists have no right of access to private property. The copyright laws aim to balance two competing interests: the rights of the creator of original works to profit from their creative endeavour and the public's interest in accessing original works at a fair price. Commercialisation and new technology are distorting this balance, making application of the copyright laws look ridiculous.With the merger of convergence to Australian newspapers it shows that we are struggling to understand their role in the increasingly commercial world.
Concentration of media ownership into the hands of a few TNCs is threatining the integrity of journalism and at the same time it threatens the legal system that regulates the media. The media watchdog is dominated by TNCs, part of whose business is to 'sell news'. Journalists who operate within that regime tend to be 'vulnerable & uncertain'. This will only be achieved where there is a balance of power between the media and the legal regimes that regulate them.
Commercialisation and technology are combined to alter the media. Schultz (1998) says that 'journalists are critical of the pressures and demands of commercialism of the news and media'. Journalists need to consider whether a 'right to know' still accomodates the public interest.Journalists must distinguish between the concepts of information, knowledge, and understanding. To aid understanding, journalists must pursue their investigative role and not given in to the commercial pressures. By reviewing the function to account for public understanding rather than public knowledge, journalists will preserve the integrity of news. Journalists must confront the blurring of news and entertainment and news and public relations. For journalists to fulfil their role, they must do more than simply tickle the interest of the public. Their job is to filter public understanding of all issues.
Journalists must do more to build public understanding and look beyond the horizon. A simple refocusing of journalism's role in society should help raise public perception of journalists in the global environment and help them resist some of the pressures of new employment practices in the media. Immediate technology also has put pressure on journalists to get news first. A major problem for journalists using the internet for publication and to gather information is uncertainty about the legality of material given the diverse range of local laws that regulate the internet.The media and the judiciary must work towards global solutions which can help restore and prevent the threat posed by globalisation.No one global body has the power to impose change.
Australia has no central body to regulate journalism. Complaints about journalism can be made to the MEAA. Journalists are the vehicle by which the public right to know is asserted and it is acknowledged and this brings with it many obligations. Journalists must implement a transparent system of public accountability. Overall the reading this week was very engaging and informative i developed a sound understanding of the topic at hand through the presentation and my learning from the set reading. The readings were thorough, clear, consise and indepth.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Week 4 - 'Citizen Journalism/Journalism as a Public conversation in the 21st Century'
This week in Journalism we ventured into a new avenue as we had a presentation on the seminar topic: Citizen journalism/ journalism as a public conversation in the 21st century. The presentation was sound and displayed clear evidence of a well researched topic.Excellent examples were drawn from local newspapers such as The Star, The Maitland Mercury and also examples such as the Newcastle floods (June 2007). There was the question raised about traditional journalists v public journalists and evidence of the news story structure and the inverted pyramid. It is important to note that journalists must retain connection with their public. Public opinion is valued and journalists define, represent and retain trust within the community. It is significant for journalists to understand public opinion. There is this essence of local journalists loosing all credibility and trust with the public. There was also an issue raised by one of the presenters about foreign news v local news and how local news is the voice to the community. Journalists can report on community issues but need to ultimately remain objective. Journalists develop their news agenda according to their audience. Martina and Andrew who are members of my seminar presentation group are conducting their oral reports based on this weeks seminar topic.
The set readings this week in the text book 'Journalism Theory In practice', clearly outline citizen journalism and journalism as this public conversation in the 21st century. The readings displayed a clear and accurate account and aided me in my understanding and knowledge of the topic at hand. Chapter 3 'A return practice: reclaiming journalism as a public conversation', by Michael Meadows portrays how journalism of the day reported directly on this public-sphere activity and, because of the limited nature of what then constituted 'the public', could be held directly accountable by readers.The transformation of journalism has linked journalists with their readers, listeners and viewers. Modern journalism forms tha of public opinion rather than reporting on it. With the emergence of modern journalism practices it developed and was seen as a 'fourth estate', like a watchdog relying on notions such as objectivity and professionalism. If journalism is viewed as a cultural practice, it enables us to think about how it might be reformed so that it may again be both of and for the public. I personally would like to add that i don't feel that many citizens of the public would want to get involved and add public opinion to stories, however in some circumstances i know this would be the case although i feel it is better left to the 'professional' journalist.
Schultz explains that in her study of Australian journalists it reveals the ideal of the fourth estate as it continues to be 'nurtured and cherished' by them - more in theory than in practice. If journalists were able to build a more demographic force that was meaningful it would reflect alliances with their audiences. Schultz argues the it is the fourth estate that has placed modern journalism in so much conflict with its audiences. By considering journalism as a cultural practice we can perhaps examine and re-examine its cultural role. Journalism plays a pivotal role in the strategic management of cultural goods. It is important to embrace journalism as it is a form of expression and a product of imagination. Journalists speak individually in journalism and the stories selected by journalists play a crucial role in giving rise to how society is imagined.There is much speculation derived from journalists and their role in the new age of information technology. Journalism is an influential cultural practice and it shapes experiences and helps form public consciousness. Journalists are intellectuals who express a set of values. It is evident however that due to modern journalism emerging there is little light of journalism and journalists regaining a credible place in the public imagination.
Chapter 11, 'Putting the public back into journalism', by Angela Romano and Cratis Hippocrates evokes the struggle of common people taking control of their lives and how that makes powerful news. It is interesting to note that journalists who work with political, police and other well-worn news are more commonly known to remain detached and keep at arm's length from their subjects, their sources, and their audiences, in the name of the objective, impartial reporting. Journalism as i believe is a very powerful medium, and new styles of journalism such as public journalism have challenged such attitudes in an attempt to respond to declining audience levels and increasing community alienation from old style news and traditional processes. Public disengagement with the media has consequences not only for media profitability but also for public participation.
Audiences are often only attracted to stories that reflect their worldview, and may only read, listen to , or watch part of nay given story.This is reflected in the inverted pyramid style of writing and structuring news stories. The structure simply places all the important information in the first few sentences of the story, assuming the reader has a slow attention span and will usually just skim the first few lines of a story anyway to get the general gist of the story. A journalist will make a valued judgment on events or problems that that they believe will be important to their audiences and then investigate them further.
Public journalism differs greatly from the usual standard approach to news by three major ways such as: working the public to drive the agenda of what is reported in the news, rather than allow the big wigs, business, bureaucracy, and politics unlimited control for the wheel. Secondly, it attempts to include the public in a discussion rather than merely thrown information at the audiences as it comes to hand and thirdly,it aims to assist the public in making decisions about significant community issues, and conveys those decisions to policymakers and society as a whole. New philosophers are discussing conversation and connectivity which allow people to find solutions through democratic participation. Such journalism describes audiences as citizens and participants rather than consumers.
Public journalism can be found in such things as, focus groups, qualitative and quantatative opinion polls, public forums, and other forms of surveys to enable community members to discuss what topics are important to them. Public journalism is directed to asking community members and other relevant stakeholders what potential solutions might be and public journalism recognises the expertise of ordinary people as news sources. This form of public journalism allows the public to follow the current debates of the story without being experts in the field of the issue. Good public journalism displays stories that re enlivened by the opinions and life stories of a range of community members, tales of human struggle, failure, triumph, achievements and the list goes on.Bringing stories and expressed opinions of ordinary people in the public creates a new level and degree of limelight on journalism. With Australian initiative and Australian projects early steps can made to that of public journalism.There has been some criticism however, in regards to this new approach and how it does not suit commercial needs of news organisations,although will all that put aside public journalism techniques must be understood as experimental.
A major challenge and hurdle for public journalism has been to organise public journalism activities to suit the production routines of daily newspapers or to bend them to suit public journalism. Five key factors are outlined in the readings to a successful public journalism and they are:- Establishing the agenda, Dedicating the resources, Setting the timetable, Obtaining feedback and Analysing the activities and outcomes. The readings evoked a powerful overview of the set topic this week and enabled me to grasp a thorough understanding and shape my head around public journalism and its role in society.
The set readings this week in the text book 'Journalism Theory In practice', clearly outline citizen journalism and journalism as this public conversation in the 21st century. The readings displayed a clear and accurate account and aided me in my understanding and knowledge of the topic at hand. Chapter 3 'A return practice: reclaiming journalism as a public conversation', by Michael Meadows portrays how journalism of the day reported directly on this public-sphere activity and, because of the limited nature of what then constituted 'the public', could be held directly accountable by readers.The transformation of journalism has linked journalists with their readers, listeners and viewers. Modern journalism forms tha of public opinion rather than reporting on it. With the emergence of modern journalism practices it developed and was seen as a 'fourth estate', like a watchdog relying on notions such as objectivity and professionalism. If journalism is viewed as a cultural practice, it enables us to think about how it might be reformed so that it may again be both of and for the public. I personally would like to add that i don't feel that many citizens of the public would want to get involved and add public opinion to stories, however in some circumstances i know this would be the case although i feel it is better left to the 'professional' journalist.
Schultz explains that in her study of Australian journalists it reveals the ideal of the fourth estate as it continues to be 'nurtured and cherished' by them - more in theory than in practice. If journalists were able to build a more demographic force that was meaningful it would reflect alliances with their audiences. Schultz argues the it is the fourth estate that has placed modern journalism in so much conflict with its audiences. By considering journalism as a cultural practice we can perhaps examine and re-examine its cultural role. Journalism plays a pivotal role in the strategic management of cultural goods. It is important to embrace journalism as it is a form of expression and a product of imagination. Journalists speak individually in journalism and the stories selected by journalists play a crucial role in giving rise to how society is imagined.There is much speculation derived from journalists and their role in the new age of information technology. Journalism is an influential cultural practice and it shapes experiences and helps form public consciousness. Journalists are intellectuals who express a set of values. It is evident however that due to modern journalism emerging there is little light of journalism and journalists regaining a credible place in the public imagination.
Chapter 11, 'Putting the public back into journalism', by Angela Romano and Cratis Hippocrates evokes the struggle of common people taking control of their lives and how that makes powerful news. It is interesting to note that journalists who work with political, police and other well-worn news are more commonly known to remain detached and keep at arm's length from their subjects, their sources, and their audiences, in the name of the objective, impartial reporting. Journalism as i believe is a very powerful medium, and new styles of journalism such as public journalism have challenged such attitudes in an attempt to respond to declining audience levels and increasing community alienation from old style news and traditional processes. Public disengagement with the media has consequences not only for media profitability but also for public participation.
Audiences are often only attracted to stories that reflect their worldview, and may only read, listen to , or watch part of nay given story.This is reflected in the inverted pyramid style of writing and structuring news stories. The structure simply places all the important information in the first few sentences of the story, assuming the reader has a slow attention span and will usually just skim the first few lines of a story anyway to get the general gist of the story. A journalist will make a valued judgment on events or problems that that they believe will be important to their audiences and then investigate them further.
Public journalism differs greatly from the usual standard approach to news by three major ways such as: working the public to drive the agenda of what is reported in the news, rather than allow the big wigs, business, bureaucracy, and politics unlimited control for the wheel. Secondly, it attempts to include the public in a discussion rather than merely thrown information at the audiences as it comes to hand and thirdly,it aims to assist the public in making decisions about significant community issues, and conveys those decisions to policymakers and society as a whole. New philosophers are discussing conversation and connectivity which allow people to find solutions through democratic participation. Such journalism describes audiences as citizens and participants rather than consumers.
Public journalism can be found in such things as, focus groups, qualitative and quantatative opinion polls, public forums, and other forms of surveys to enable community members to discuss what topics are important to them. Public journalism is directed to asking community members and other relevant stakeholders what potential solutions might be and public journalism recognises the expertise of ordinary people as news sources. This form of public journalism allows the public to follow the current debates of the story without being experts in the field of the issue. Good public journalism displays stories that re enlivened by the opinions and life stories of a range of community members, tales of human struggle, failure, triumph, achievements and the list goes on.Bringing stories and expressed opinions of ordinary people in the public creates a new level and degree of limelight on journalism. With Australian initiative and Australian projects early steps can made to that of public journalism.There has been some criticism however, in regards to this new approach and how it does not suit commercial needs of news organisations,although will all that put aside public journalism techniques must be understood as experimental.
A major challenge and hurdle for public journalism has been to organise public journalism activities to suit the production routines of daily newspapers or to bend them to suit public journalism. Five key factors are outlined in the readings to a successful public journalism and they are:- Establishing the agenda, Dedicating the resources, Setting the timetable, Obtaining feedback and Analysing the activities and outcomes. The readings evoked a powerful overview of the set topic this week and enabled me to grasp a thorough understanding and shape my head around public journalism and its role in society.
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