Journalism issue from Chapter 16 "Ethical journalism, is it an oxymoron?"

Paying your own way

Accepting gifts and freebies can cause a conflict of interest when it is stipulated by the donor that you are obligated to report favourably on them. A journalist must report fairly, truthfully and objectively, as their responsibility is to public interest. This is why most journalists and newspapers avoid accepting gifts of any kind so as to protect their professional integrity. The following is the New York Times policy on paying for their own expenses.

When we as journalists entertain news sources (including government officials) or travel to cover them, our company pays the expenses. In some business situations and in some cultures, it may be unavoidable to accept a meal or a drink paid for by a news source (for example, at an official's residence or in a company's private dining room). Whenever practical, however, we should avoid those circumstances and suggest dining where we can pay our share (or, better, meeting in a setting that does not include a meal). Routine refreshments at an event like a news conference are acceptable, but a staff member should not attend recurring breakfast or lunch meetings unless our company pays for the journalist's meals. Whether the setting is an exclusive club or a service lodge's weekly luncheon, we should pay our way.

Staff members may not accept free or discounted transportation and lodging except where special circumstances give little or no choice. Such special cases include certain military or scientific expeditions and other trips for which alternative arrangements would be impractical — for example, an interview aboard a corporate jet where there is no benefit other than the interview. Journalists should consult responsible newsroom managers in advance when special circumstances arise.

If permitted by the local newsroom policy, staff members may accept press passes or free tickets when explicitly assigned to review artistic performances or cover athletic and similar events (for example, auto shows, agricultural fairs or flower shows). But no staff member except the assigned one — not even an editor in the arts, feature or sports department — may accept free tickets. And even when paying the box office price, a journalist may not use membership on our staff to obtain scarce seats unless the performance has a clear bearing on his or her job.

http://www.nytco.com/press/ethics.html

Also, the following is an article discussing whether ethical journalism is an oxymoron or not.

"Ethical Journalism is not an Oxymoron", Lee Wilkins and Renita Coleman http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/05-2NRsummer/52-53V59N2.pdf

Chapter 16 "Ethical journalism, is it an oxymoron?"

1/ The AJA Code of Ethics states that journalists should not use their position for personal gain. The USA Code of ethics from the society of professional journalists says that nothing of value should be accepted and that gifts, favours, fees, free travel and special treatment should be refused. Some Australian papers require journalists to immediately report any conflict of interest which may be presented by accepting this money. The journalist should try to negotiate with the source and make all possible effort to dissuade them from paying you. If this fails it would be unethical to use the source and take their money. However, as a believer in situation ethics, I would determine my action based on the potential information from the source. If the information was of great public interest, I would have to consider the greater good and suspend ethical consideration.

2/ This is an example of why the Sydney Morning Herald bans trips paid for by airlines and limits charity towards reporters. Doing this removes any possibility of obligation to report favourably on those who have provided you services. A journalists guiding principle is public interest and if the trip was so bad that it put people in danger or at risk then it would be necessary to report the poorness of the flight. The purist would say no such trip should be taken unless paid for by the newspaper to avoid a conflict of interest, however very few papers would pay for such a trip. Review the contract, if it is a requirement to provide a footnote of the airline include it, it does not necessarily have to be positive or negative. It is a difficult decision but an ethical journalist should not be bought and should not lie about the trip.

3/ Too many newspapers are reluctant to admit their mistakes. An inaccuracy is not always an ethical breach. "Honest mistakes are not breaches. It is possible to be ethical and factually wrong." All mistakes should be corrected rather than covered up by newspapers. Their duty is to fact and to the public and the only ethical solution is to print a correction.

4/ While it is the duty of a journalist to report the truth, fairly and objectively, journalists are also human. Again situational ethics are applicable in that it would cause more damage than good to run the story. It may be possible to write the story without any names or specifics for the greater good.

Journalism issue from Chapter 17

Defamation in Australian journalism has become a major issue. Our Westminster system in which there is no constitutional right to freedom of speech or media freedom means that defamation laws have been stacked against media and journalists. Sydney has become the defamation capital of the world with one in every 79 000 people taking out a defamation case, compared to one in every 2.3 million people in the United States of America. Even strong defenses in defamation cases can come unstuck due to implications, inuendo and connotative meanings behind seemingly innocent words and paragraphs. Journalists in Australia are seeking ways to combat the heavy weight of injustice that drowns out journalistic freedom of speech. The annual Public right to know conference aims to protect freedom of expression in Australia, and the seminar titled ‘Defamation as Suppression’ highlighted the constraints current laws place on free speech in Australia. “Freedom of speech, freedom of information and the public right to know remain highly constrained,” says Peter Manning, UTS’s Adjunct Professor of Journalism.

Defamation cases present significant constraints on journalism, particularly for investigative reporters. “Publication of genres like investigative journalism have been made so much more difficult by the extraordinary complexity of the laws,” Manning says.

There needs to be a major campaign to rectify the imbalance in freedom of speech and defamation cases in Australia.

Source

Defamation law: protecting reputations or preventing reporting? By Chris Collins September 2002 http://www.reportage.uts.edu.au/stories/2002/media/pr2k5.html

Chapter 13 "Online News: Journalism's strands coverage" and Chapter 17 "Perils of Defamation"

Chapter 13 "Journalism's strands coverage"

1/ Companies need to address a number of issues before they can expect journalists to work in converged newsrooms. Firstly they must address issues of reporting across mediums. Journalists need to be educated in specific techniques for reporting for the web, for radio, for television and for print or there is a chance that news stories will simply be cut and pasted between mediums. Another issue is the personal characteristics and qualities of individuals that inhibit them from excelling in certain mediums. A great print journalist may not have the x-factor required for television or radio reporting for instance. Companies must carefully consider the make-up of their newsroom before committing to convergence, rather than converging for the sake of progress when they do not have the right resources to succeed.

2/ The chances are that either the reporter will refuse, or fail. While modern journalists have been forced to multiskill and evolve, journalists cannot and should not be expected to be superhuman and take on all reporting tasks at once. Journalists have specific skills and qualities which are often unable to transcend the medium boundaries. Reporters would likely resist this forced change. On the other side of the coin, the next generation of journalists are being educated in a multi-skilled fashion, which will prepare them for various types of media. A journalist who has the ability to work across a number of platforms increases his or her chance of employment in a converged newsroom.

3/ Convergence in the newsroom is still at an infantile stage and it is difficult to tell whether or not it will last. Companies must manage this carefully for it to succeed and use each medium to its full potential. There are still many issues to address before we can determine convergences lasting qualities. The education of journalists today prepares them to work in a multi-platform environment, so converged newsrooms may be the way of the future. If converged newsrooms succeed and rake in the profits, it is likely that many other media outlets will follow. A lot depends on the success of convergence at this early stage. The quality of journalism and the response of audiences will determine the success or failure of converged news reporting.

4/ The internet has effectively rendered cross media ownership laws redundant, as all media is able to report via the net. This uncontrollable growth will likely lead to a concession by the authorities that cross media ownership is inevitable in a modern climate.

5/ Radio, television and the web will always be important tools in journalism. Despite the ominous growth of the web as a major news source, television and radio will always attract an audience and continue to create revenue for media owners. Each will maintain an important position in news.

6/ Multi-skilling is an aspect of journalism which should be implemented to some extent in journalism courses. In this modern era of convergence in news, it is important and in the future possibly necessary to have skills across all news media platforms. In terms of employability, educating journalists to be multiskilled would be a major boost to prospective journalists.

7/ Society has developed a huge reliance on the web. The internet has extended to almost all fields of life from banking to news to games to entertainment. Modern society relies heavily on this system for communication and it caters for most of its needs. The internet is a component of modern life which is heavily relied on and would cause chaos were it to disappear.

Chapter 17 "Perils of Defamation"

1/ The editor would have to determine their chances of defending themselves before court. If there was a strong chance of proving:

• Truth or justification
• Qualified privilege
• Fair comment

on the balance of probability (requirement for proof in civil law), then the editor may consider running the risk of going to court. However it may be preferable to settle the matter out of court or reach a compromise. I suppose blackmail would come into consideration also.

2/ I probably would on the basis that as a journalistic hopeful, I would like to see the odds even out for media in terms of defamation. Australia's lack of free speech has made journalists sitting ducks for many defamation cases, many of which were unjustified. While journalists should be careful about what they write, it is not fair for a media company to be sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars for making a simple error, reporting the truth or what is in the publics best interest. Of course there will be legitimate defamation cases, but the media needs better defence than it currently has against defamation.

3/ A journalists loyalty to a source is very strong, however in this case it may be necessary to reveal the source. If they have simply vanished there is a chance of a set-up or deliberate fallicy to lure a paper into defamation. The source would have been able to make a case for truth or at least assist in the trial.

Journalism Issue from Chapter 12

News reporting on television is often vastly dissimilar to that of print, online and radio news coverage. Television news relies heavily on vision and soundbites as the framework for the strength of their stories. Often the story with the best vision will run rather than the story with the most news value. Television news also relies on the convenience factor. While they are unable to cover anywhere near the amount of content in print news (a whole news half hour may only contain as much content as 75% of a newspaper spreadsheet), television news often gains the greatest audience based on the warmth it is able to give out through familiar anchors and public trust in television to answer all their questions. News reporting is often of a lower intellectual standard than other mediums, based on the need to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Everybody needs to be informed, not just those with the intellect to understand and interpret complex reports and ideas. News value and reporting style varies between the different mediums.

Chapter 12 "Broadcast Journalism - The world's town crier"

1/ The ABC should consider privatising if it continues to express biased and leftist views. If the objectivity of the ABC cannot be sustained, they should consider selling out, if not for the interest of the public they are responsible to, then for their own survival which becomes more difficult with every opposition to the government. The performance of the ABC has been poor in recent times, which makes it difficult to justify the $800 million of taxpayer money it receives every year. A typical week's free-to-air TV ratings are: Channel 9, 28.5 per cent; Channel 7, 27.1 per cent; Channel 10, 23.7 per cent; ABC TV, 15.8 per cent. This does not explicitly mean that the quality of the programming is poor, but the principles the ABC was founded upon are becoming less and less relevant in the competitive modern media market. The impact on broadcast journalism would be that the professionals themselves are given more opportunities, autonomy and pay with the benefits of private sponsorship. In a perfect world the objectivity would not be obscured by privatisation, but this remains to be seen.

2/ I would most likely hire the male. Unfortunate though it may be, in television reporting there is a great need for diversity and presence. Television is a powerful visual medium and, as such, requires the best, visually appealing elements. The female would also be a good choice and would probably be preferable to the male as a radio broadcaster. Of course, if the gap between the two applicants skill and experience was rather vast, the female would probably be preferred. Looks and personality are important, but if the male applicant was unlikely to ever reach the female’s level of skill it would be harder to justify his hiring. At 28, the male has the potential to improve and provide a familiar and trusted face for viewers for a long period of time.

3/ Each medium has its own strengths and weaknesses. The web, in many cases, is able to combine all the positive elements from the other mediums. It can combine print, radio and television elements and allows a wide range of coverage on issues from a number of sources simultaneously. The problem with this diverse range of coverage is that browsers can cherry pick the information they want from whichever source they want, meaning that individual angles can be overlooked. Television holds an advantage over the other mediums in that it is convenient and easily accessible. It takes no effort on the part of the viewer to consume television broadcasts, whereas there is some amount of effort in reading print or searching the web. This holds true for radio also, but televisions combination of visual and audio makes it preferable. Each medium must provide strong basics in reporting. Good reporting transcends the medium divide.

4/ From my research, I would suggest that the last campaign focussed more on personalities than policies in broadcasting. While policies were mentioned, the campaign tactics and personal attributes were given more prominence. Campaigns were built around smearing the opposition’s character more so than policies. Vision of the candidates was centred around desirable human qualities than tough decision making. Here is an example from the ABC, where Mr. Latham takes an opportunity to slander the opposition.

REPORTER: Or should I call you Robin Hood after opening the paper this morning?

MICHAEL BRISSENDEN: The mind boggles.

REPORTER: You're prepared to wear the Robin Hood banner if you have to?

MARK LATHAM: Robin Hood was a much better bloke than Mr Howard!

Journalism issue from "Reporting for Duty"

One of the issues that jumped out at me was the journalists idea file. The idea file contains a myriad of news clippings, old media releases, web printouts, scribbled notes etc that people would often discard. These things can however be useful if a new development on an old story arises. The things kept in the 'idea file' could provide background information or even new angles and ideas for the story. Even old stories can be revisited if a half developed idea fully formulates into what could be potentially a great story even a month or so after the event. It is a good idea to keep one for they assist in the creation of self-generated story ideas, which are welcome as reporters give more commitment to these stories and they rarely follow old ideas. Things can just crop up unexpectedly that could develop an idea story into a great story.

Chapter 11 "Reporting for Duty"

1/ A journalists first priority is public interest. Police corruption is a major issue and should be reported in a case as serious as this. It does however put the journalist in a tough position as they jeapordise their beat. If your media organisation is then excluded from police media, editor and senior police meetings are common. It is important to try and maintain good relationships with the police media in order to get the best information, but a journalists first duty is to the public.

2/ Journalists should not bow to ultimatums from the story subject. I would try to refer the woman to facilities that can help her, such as counselling or mental health retreats. Another option is to avoid publishing her name. See if you can come to a compromise.

3/If your paper reports all such cases then the journalist should report the issue. It will appeal to human interest. A journalist should sum up whether the story is newsworthy and of public concern before printing it. Journalists should not treat people differently because they are famous or esteemed. Nobody is above the law and everyone, including celebrities, should be punished if they commit crimes. Part of this punishment is dealing with the ramifications and bad press. It would be unethical to accept gifts and not print the story.

4/ Get whatever information you can, contact details of the juror and take the matter to your superiors in the news room. A chief of staff is in a better position to decide whether the matter should be reported or not. Certainly it is in the publics interest to know about a corrupt legal system and police force. A case as big as this should definitely be reported on.

Journalism issue: Email interviewing

The art of email interviewing has come under scrutiny owing to no tone of voice in responses, no spontaneity (follow up questions etc), legal repurcussions and uncertainty of getting a response. The label as the 'McDonalds of journalism' fast and serviceable has been attached to email interviewing also, but this could be seen as an advantage for the time constrained journalist. Email interviews have a number of advantages for a modern journalist. They are quick, simple and effective in eliciting well thought out and constructed responses as opposed to spur of the moment answers. It is impossible to misquote with cut and paste technology and email can be used to send complex reports and documents for experts to comment on. Certainly, the email interview has its downfalls, but as a modern journalistic practice it is certainly worth consideration.

Week 9 - Chapter 9 and Chapter 15

Chapter 9 "Interviewing, a Core Skill"

1/ In a situation like this the journalist needs to weigh up which quotation bears the most relevance to the story or angle being taken, as well as which quotation will give the story the most colour and best direction. Even clumsy direct quotes can contribute to character as well as the tone and theme of the article. If this is not the case, there is always the option of converting the quote into an indirect quote. In some instances it is acceptable to insert words into quotes in brackets for grammatical correctness. I think I would personally use the unclear quote but possibly attempt to tidy it up using ellipses to omit clumsy sections or use partial quotes as an alternative.

2/ If at all possible journalists should avoid making threats. The legal ramifications can be substantial. If something is of great public interest, there are better ways of uncovering this information than making sinister threats.

3/ It is important to avoid getting personally involved with the interviewee, but practicing an understanding, non-judgmental and empathetic approach can encourage openness on the part of the subject. This is simply good interviewing practice and if this helps elicit better responses from the interviewee there is no unethical conduct. Certainly, a journalist should remain impartial and avoid gaining 'chemistry' by displaying personal support for a cause. They should not take sides. Journalists should not abuse a position of trust however and the lines between on and off the record should not be blurred.

4/If a journalist gets too close to a source, particularly an anonymous source, the ramifications can be dire. If a journalist finds themselves in court as a result of the story they have written and refuse to provide the identity of sources there are serious legal implications. Journalists should ensure they do not become too emotionally involved with sources as this jeopardises the work and the potential implications.

5/ George. W. Bush is probably one of the more inarticulate world leaders of this time. As a journalist you should probably report accurately. If what Bush says is total rubbish, most journalists attribute it to him anyway as he has become renound for making silly comments. Most mass media are ruthless in their portrayals of Bush's worst moments. What Bush says definitely contributes to his character and therefore should be used.

Chapter 15 "Computer Assisted Reporting"

1/ I would personally choose the new online publication based on a number of factors. First of all, after the courses taken, I would have a high level of expertise in web based reporting. I would also be able to assist in site development and construction. Second the job would provide great experience and add greatly to your portfolio, while simultaneously providing immediate financial security. As with many new web based publications and companies, if the work you produce is of a high standard, there is the possibility of a contract extension. If not the experience and finances gained will have been worth it.

2/ Email interviews are dangerous, due to lack of security and potential identity confusion. However, it can also be beneficial. You should ensure the interviewee is happy to let you use their written answers when conducting email interviews. It is easy to quote information with copy and paste and the interviewee has time to give a well thought out and constructive response. This is not always possible in a spontaneous face to face environment. I would go ahead with the email interview on account of the fact that the information disseminated will be of a high quality, which is important for important issues. If time permitted it may be helpful to set up a casual chat with the interviewee to discuss some of the less pressing issues from which you could draw some quotable information.

3/ Nobody likes a whistleblower, but sometimes it is necessary. I would approach the colleague first to give them a chance to explain. I would give them the opportunity to deal with the situation as they saw fit before stepping in and doing anything myself. The onus should be placed on the colleague to take responsibility for their actions.

4/ The trouble with receiving information like this is that it has a high chance of being a hoax, or put a journalist in a dangerous situation. You could attempt to find the source of the email but this is a difficult task. Perhaps it would be worth investigating if extreme caution was taken, but in most cases out of the blue anonymous information like this would be considered dangerous.

5/ To decide which quote is the correct one you should examine the integrity of the site they were posted on. Official sites would be more likely to contain the most accurate information. Reliable websites often contain .gov or .edu as these indicate government and education organisation information respectively. .coms .orgs .nets

Journalism issue "The News Funnel"

The 'news funnel' refers to the process journalists undertake in filtering the information they are presented with to find deeper meanings and angles in the story. This is particularly prominent when dealing with public relations media releases. Public relations practitioners are responsible for crisis management situations and will often send out cover up stories to journalists and media outlets. The journalist must ask themselves what the motive behind the release was and if there is anything further to uncover about this situation. Some key questions to consider are; why was this sent out? What was the underlying motive? Is there a hidden agenda? Who wrote the release and why? What sort of issue might be being managed here? Who has the most to gain or the most to lose? If a journalist can find something in these questions they made be able to turn the table on the spin doctored media releases and uncover that which was being covered up.

Chapter 8 "Small Path, Big Story"

1/ In truth I would probably prefer to write the story without having to leave the office if at all possible, however in order to gather the best information and consequently the best story primary sources should be sought. Staying in the office 'cocoons' a reporter from the public and the real world. It confines their working life to very few events. Getting out there and talking to real people enhances the scope of your story, introduces new angles and keeps you in touch with the public. The most important resources are human, meaning that although it may be more time consuming, the story will be superior using human sources than one that goes without.

2/ I would pursue this type of story only if there was extreme public interest or necessity that these facts be brought to light. Certainly it is important to uncover these stories but unless there is an overwhelming reason to do so reporters should avoid putting themselves in jeopardy.

3/ As a reporter your primary goal is to pursue the best story. If this means working with other journalists for the sake of your own angle then so be it. This being said, if you were able to secure an interview of your own after the conference where you would ask these questions privately, this is preferable to 'journalistic incest'. Sometimes, if this is not possible, journalists may need to work together to elicit the best information. An example of this is Nixon's refusal to answer a question about Watergate, the next question from a different journalist was 'Would you please answer the previous question?'

4/ The information is technically owned by the government, however this information can become available to the public if one procures the right steps. Obtaining government information, public records, electoral rolls etc, involves varying degrees of difficulty depending on what state you are in. The information is often available to the public if the correct measures are taken.

5/ A good reporter will always research the issue and event beforehand, gaining relevant information about the topic and the conference sessions. Using this data, reporters should have an idea of which session would be most beneficial to them based on their angle and existing information. The angle the reporter is taking is integral to this decision. If researched properly there should be no conjecture as to which session would be most beneficial.

Journalism issue from "A Word's Worth" - Readability

The Fog Index

When writing news stories, clarity and flow are essential. To achieve this flow, reporters should try to keep sentence length varied without allowing lengthy sentences to become tedious and convoluted. They should also attempt to achieve simplicity, using the most concise words in situations where there is the possibility to use a longer word or words. Eg: Don't use, 'in view of the fact that', where since is appropriate. In order to calculate the clarity of articles the 'fog index' was created by Robert Gunning. It was based on not only sentence length but syllables also. Here is an example of the fog index in practice, as well as the method of calculation.

The Fog Index is a proven method of analyzing written material to see how easy it is to read and understand. The steps you can use to calculate the Fog Index are outlined below. The numbers in the right column are based on this paragraph. When using these steps to analyze your writing, choose a sample that contains at least one hundred words. The "ideal" Fog Index level is 7 or 8. A level above 12 indicates the writing sample is too hard for most people to read.

1.	Count the number of words in the sample	88
2.	Count the number of sentences	6
3.	Count the number of big words (3 or more syllables)	6
4.	Calculate the average sentence length. Divide the number of sentences into the number of words	88/6 = 14
5.	Calculate the percentage of big words. Divide the number of words into the number of big words	6/88 = 7%
6.	Add the avg sentence length to the % of big words	7 + 14 = 21
7.	Multiply the result by .4	21 x .4 =
	Fog Index	8.4

I think that this is an effective method of ensuring articles are not becoming too long, tedious and complex. Source "The Fog Index" at Writing Tips website http://process.umn.edu/groups/ppd/documents/information/writing_tips.cfm

Chapter 7 "A Word's Worth"

1/ Newspapers should aim to reach an audience of all levels of intelligence. Targeting one specific demographic based on intellect would be impractical and extremely short sighted. Newspapers should strive for clarity. People ranging from the lowest common denominator to the highest will appreciate news reporting that strives for clarity and factual information. The writing does not need to be complex or convoluted to appeal to an intelligent demographic. Good reporting means that all demographics will understand and appreciate the report. Complexity is not equivalent to quality. The Newcastle Herald seems to hit this mark fairly well. It does not often complicate issues or use perplexing language or complex sentences. It reaches its points with clarity, insight and brevity.

2/ In order to maintain objective journalism, reporters should inject their own personal opinions as little as possible. No matter how objective you believe your opinion may be, everyone has conscious and subconscious values, ideas, beliefs and prejudices which shape the way we view events. If reporters stick to the facts and concrete information they are ensuring ethical and accurate reporting.

3/ A global language is an idea which has begun to emerge over the past decade or so. While English is fast becoming this world language and globalisation is bringing many cultures and countries together in homogeny in some areas, countries should maintain their own specificities in language. Linguistic systems are in place to ensure shared cultural practices and understanding. They also help distinguish cultures from one another. Even variations in the same language can contribute to a great sense of nationalism and a sense of belonging.

4/ Newspapers most definitely have a serious commitment to accuracy. Reporting accurately is the expectation behind newswriting. People trust and believe in news as they implicitly think that the information they are consuming is truth. If this truth is compromised by a lack of accuracy, people will question the news they are shown. This will undermine the public's want of knowledge as they cannot know whether the information they receive is truth. Inaccurate reporting undermines public trust and integrity of a newspaper, as well as misleading others to perpetuate these mistakes.

5/ If I made a serious mistake in a story but nobody complained I would alert my sub-editor and leave the decision with them on whether to publish a correction or not. I would support the correction so that the truth is printed.

Journalism Issue from "Upside-down pyramids"

A question which has arisen in recent times is whether or not the inverted pyramid news writing style is still the most useful, relevant and effective method of news writing in modern times. There are numerous arguments that the inverted pyramid is an expired art and that other styles should be employed to ensure readers read entire articles rather than skim leads. Researchers like Espen Ytreberg have advocated for the narrative approach which rewards a reader at the end of the article with the critical information. Despite the arguments for different news story structures (point of view, radical clarity etc), the inverted pyramid remains the safest and most widely appreciated style in contemporary news writing. Other options are fraught with danger. The inverted pyramid serves as a trusty fallback option.

Chapter 6 "Upside-down pyramids"

Key Points

• The basic news story structure is the 'inverted pyramid' and is used in a vast majority of stories. Essentially it refers to a conceptual graphic representative of the structuring of a news story, with the most newsworthy information appearing at the top, flowing into a more detailed analysis. This structure appeals to the nature of the average reader who merely skims the lead in order to reach the crux of the article.
  
• Kipling's 6 strong serving men (who, what, where, when, how and why) are generally prominent in the first few pars of a story.
  
• The inverted pyramid suits sub-editors also, being able to cut from the bottom of the story up is a good way to cut down to the necessary story length.
• The most important occurrences occupy the lead followed by explanation, further comment and analysis.
• It is generally preferable to go to the scene of the story than to have details related to you. Stories are often assigned with two words, 'Go! NOW!'
  
• On the scene, reporters should take a cautious approach, surveying the scene and not acting too aggressively in their questioning for details. The 6 strong serving men should be an instinctual part of a reporters questioning.
• Using witnesses can add dramatic effect to stories as well as credibility and weight.
• Building Blocks: A story has a number of individual parts used as 'building blocks' in creating articles. They include, narrative, description, quotations, paraphrasing and exposition.
• Transitional devices /'word bridges' are the glue that hold stories together. They help create flow and lead a reader through an article. They link together elements of the story and individual points. They may be as simple as words such as 'furthermore', 'because', or 'nevertheless.' There is sometimes a transitional paragraph or 'nutgraph' that links an intro to the body.
• Stories should be structured in an objective way so that fairness and balance (both sides of the story) are presented.
• The inverted pyramid remains the primary structure for news stories, but many other approaches have been trialled in an attempt to keep readers interested throughout the entire piece.

Discussion Questions

1. I would include the comment as a quote and allow readers to determine whether they believe the comment to be of relevance or importance. Certainly it is important to achieve a balanced piece but this should never be a substitute for factual evidence. Another option is to release a balancing article the next day and omit the balancing comment from the original.
   
2. In a situation like this, if a source has refused comment or was unavailable, I would write the piece presenting the evidence that I had. I would mention early in the story that a source from the opposing viewpoint had been unavailable for comment but they were given the opportunity to present their opinion. There is no guarantee that readers will read another paper and see the same story, therefore the fact a similar story is going to print should not diminish your own.
3. When covering a dangerous issue such as a fire, a journalist should be wary of any on site dangers. This may include the fire itself, unstable building structure, hazardous fumes, smoke etc. Some candidates for interview may be; the fire chief, fire fighters (preferable the ones who had been inside the building or most heavily involved), witnesses, owners of the building, tenants of the building, ambulance officers, police officers, council building inspector, owners of adjoining apartments nearby home owners. I would begin writing as soon as I had enough details to commence.
4. I think the inverted pyramid is the most effective structural tool for news story writing as it suits the average reader and presents the most pressing information first. If someone is interested in the story they will read further regardless of the fact that they already know the main point of the story.
   

Journalism issue from "The Lead, Will the Reader Follow?"

Writing a lead is one of the most difficult and important aspects of news writing. The introduction of a story determines whether or not a reader will continue to read the story or abandon it entirely. One issue in intro writing is determining exactly what to put in an introduction. I found that this list of questions was an effective way to organise and manage ideas for a lead;

• What is the big picture?
• What has been done, what are the implications?
• Why and how did it happen?
• How does it affect the public?
• What is unusual or different about what has happened?
• What news values or angles did you have in mind?
• What was the most interesting thing about the story?

Answering these questions should give a writer an idea of which news values to privilege in the lead. Writers should also make sure they are being concise and not trying to prove how clever they are in writing wordy pieces. Simple, straightforward writing is the best kind of newswriting.
This site gives an overview of six simple steps to writing good leads. http://mtsu32.mtsu.edu:11178/171/leads.htm

"The Lead, Will the Reader Follow?"

Discussion Questions

1. I tend to read as much of the newspaper as time permits. I generally start from the sports section as that is my primary interest as well as preferred career path (sports journalism.) I don't often read business or lifestyle sections as they hold no interest for me. The front section of newspaper is worth reading in order to stay in touch with current events.
   
2. I personally would spend a greater percentage of time watching tv, but i don't think that the difference in time would be substantial. I try to read at least one paper each morning but i don't often have time to watch excessive amounts of television. The local newspaper would probably be more appealing if it was presented better, there always appears to be too much clutter. I prefer to read the Newcastle Herald or the Sydney Morning Herald as opposed to the star or post.
3. Make the story interesting. Go back and conduct more research or another interview and attempt to find an angle that is more newsworthy. There is little point in getting a reader to the second paragraph only for them to lose interest in your lead anyway. If there is no strong news value the writer should be creative and proactive in finding a better angle or a previously undiscovered point.
4. If the intro just doesn't work initially, try and try again. Start from the basics. Make sure the intro is concise 20-25 words or less, gets straight to the most important news value, doesn't bury the lead, conforms to the subject-verb-object sentence structure and has a hook. If there was still an issue with the intro the 'over the fence' technique or asking for a second opinion could be useful. If the story is interesting and the research has been done there is no reason to be unable to write a meaningful and grabbing introduction.
5. You would need to explain and apologise to any of your sources who may have been affected and approach your sub-editor. Explain the situation to the sub-editor and publish an apology in print outlining the misunderstanding. A new article should be published to present the real story or at least explain what was wrong with the first one.
   

Journalism issue in "A 'know' for News"

The 'softening' of news in an interesting facet of modern news writing and media coverage. The increasing speed at which news stories can be conveyed to the public with the growth of technological innovation such as the internet and television has had a massive impact on print media and agenda setting. The prominent events of the day are usually covered by television news and internet news before print news has a chance to cover the issue. Therefore it is the print media's responsibility to set the agenda for tomorrow's news rather than todays. Another result of the number of media outlets providing the same news is the expansion of newspapers in terms of covering 'soft news' and providing alternatives to the hard news features. Lifestyle, car guide, analysis and opinion sections (among others) are finding their place in modern newspapers in order to broaden appeal and provide an alternative to the news covered by most media outlets. Every reader has a different interest and newspapers need to appeal to this diverse range of interests. Many readers will flip to the back page sports rather than the front page hard story. Soft news has grown in a bid to provide entertainment as well as news to an audience exposed to an expanding news market.

Chapter 4 questions "A "know" for news"

1/ Australian news outlets gave proximity to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami by providing accounts of Australian tourists in the region at the time and covering the experiences and death tolls of Australian people involved. The Australian angle gave the story proximity. The apparent impact of the story was such that it attracted attention worldwide, bringing the global community together in the coverage of the issue. This global crisis also helped the idea of proximity for Australian news media.

2/ The news value i would privilege most in this instance would be the unusual. The events in the life of this anonymous person would not rate as having any prominence or impact in a news sense. Certainly proximity would be a candidate for a secondary news value due to the fact that this happened in Australia across different states. This also has implications about the system of law and the system of care for the mentally ill in Australia. Currency would also be relevant but only at the time of her arrest and possibly release. Essentially the story is bizarre. The reasoning behind her arrest, where she was found, why she was speaking German and how she ended up in a South Australian prison would be central to this story which would grab attention simply due to its unusual nature. The arrest of a woman would not rate as unusual, but the arrest of a mentally ill woman speaking German and moved interstate does.

3/As a reporter the information about the mayor's speech should be given more prominence than Prince Charles' comment about it. The Mayor's announcement about an urban renewal plan to resolve inner city crime has greater impact for the local area, thus proximity is also evident. The Mayor's opinion about the issue has more relevance than a general comment from prince Charles, who knows little about the area or the specific problems. Without first covering the mayor's announcement, Prince Charles' comment would have no context. The prominence of Prince Charles could be worked into the story, as could the timeliness of his visit, but the predominant information should regard the authoritarian voice of the mayor and his plan.

4/ News definition: Media information that provides previously unknown and usually important knowledge to a wider public within a particular context.

5/Kipling's 'Six Strong Serving Men' (What, Why, When, How, Where and Who) should all be given credence in news writing. However, these factors can differ in terms of which is most interesting or important from one story to another. Therefore while all must be considered equally, each story has at least one factor which is more pressing than the others. For example a story about a man killing his neighbour with a shovel will focus more on the what and why, whereas if George Bush did the same thing more relevance would be placed on the who than in the first instance.

Journalism issue from "Agents of Power"

The issue of investigative journalism and its decline in most modern media outlets is a phenomenon which fascinates and intrigues me. How can it be that the one time primary source of information for writing news can have little or no place in contemporary media? It is a mark of how the world has changed and the increase in demand for daily news. Investigative journalism is when reporters deeply investigate a topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or some other scandal. The investigation is in depth and consumes a large portion of time making it impossible to release investigative stories every day in newspaper and other media. The likelihood of defamation of those involved is also a deterrent for journalists and editors alike due to the possible legal implications. The nature of investigative journalism has become outdated and second to press release and readily available 'news.'

Page 48 Questions Chapter 2

Questions- Page 48 'The Daily Miracle'

1. There is no one most important media function. The functions of informing, educating and entertaining are all interlinked and media could not be effective without all three. A newspaper article which informs and educates will not be read if it fails to grab attention and entertain despite its content. A balance between the three must be sought.

2. Journalists should be concerned about the readership figures of their publication in order to know what to write about and who the target audience is. A journalist writing for a popular blue collar paper would not have as much success writing for a white collar audience. The readership of a publication determines what content must be put into it. Age, gender, occupation etc are things which must be take into account. The employers profitability is a reflection of the journalists work and determines the success of their organisation. Knowledge of this will also prevent corruption.

3. Media barons such as Rupert Murdoch have been known to set the direction of editorial policy and other areas, often to the displeasure of the publications. The owner has the right to determine some of the direction but the company executives should also have their say. No one person should have the right to determine the direction of the publication. 'Freedom of the press' should be acknowledged in some capacity. The media has the ability to persuade the general public. Precautions should be taken to ensure media barons are unable to prescribe a biased view in place of balanced coverage.

4. Investigative journalism has its place but it is restricted by its relatively expensive and time consuming nature. There is rarely time in modern day journalism to conduct in depth investigations. It is time consuming but when properly explored can uncover insightful information in great detail. If a story uncovers something previously unknown about an issue it can sell more copies of the publication. Most news stories rely on media releases as opposed to investigation. When the New York times attempted to write all their stories based on investigation rather than media releases they failed and had to revert to the media release approach within a week. This illustrates its more difficult nature.