Tutorials always make me feel smarter - like I learn of current affairs on a whole new level. It is almost like a two hour deconstruction of the news and I really enjoy it.
By starting our tute by looking at what is currently making news, we were able to address such issues as Greece's current euro crisis (there was so much controversy on this issue in the media, all I learnt from investigating it was that I do not wish to be a financial journalist!) as well as the murder of Allison Baden-Clay. I found this murder very intriguing. The media held so much power in privileging who they believed the murderer is. I found this very clear in Today Tonight's coverage of the story as shown below:
I feel this story just further proved of the influence of a journalists opinion in a story. However, their opinion should never come without fact.
We reflected on ethics in journalism through acknowledging the late Kevin Carter's 1994 Pulitzer Prize winning photograph of a starving child during the Sudan Famine.
His photograph caused a lot of criticism by the public eye and Carter committed suicide three months after this photograph went viral.
This photograph left me speechless, it still does. This degree of pain, inhumanity and suffering should not have to be felt by any human being. This small child is being preyed on by a vulture -this is not a correct representation of the food chain by any means. This photo tells a story, it tells a story of the presence of starvation in third-world countries.
We also watched a documentary on Kevin Carter and how his photo failed to show compassion in accordance with the photojournalisms code of ethics. The video is shown below:
It is a powerful clip that I feel shows the death of man who had a real passion for photography. The world needs more people like Kevin Carter to show of the disgrace of humanity in such country as Sudan.
In this tutorial, we conducted an activity in which we were given seven news articles that we had to decide upon their outlet, the presence of news values and the possible presence of new news values. I worked with Sally for this activity and we came up with a wide selection of new news values that we felt were important in the current news climate. One that stood out to both of us was 'terrorism'. Ever since the 9/11 terrorist attack, the salience associated with possible further terrorist attacks or terrorist attempts has proven vital in agenda setting.
Along with terrorism, we felt 'health' and 'reigion' were also two very influential news values that deserved recognition by theorists.
I enjoyed this tutorial, it has transformed the way in which I interpret and understand news in conjunction with the values of the news.
The tenth lecture in this journalism course was centred around the agenda setting of news. Ultimately, this theory is said to mediate the social world in constructing public opinion on certain issues.
The lecture began by watching a short video by BBC Four journalist, Charlie Brooker (shown below).
I really enjoyed this little clip. It was almost like a template for any good news story, and at times it was a bit humorous. I was thinking about what news stations I feel uses this 'template'. A Current Affair (one of my favourite news channels) seemed to be a main user in a lot of their stories. This 'template' allows for a diversity in opinion and facts, which seems important in a news story.
From this clip, it was discussed of the media's influence in the social construction of reality. 'Reality exists, but the way we come to know it, talk about it, understand it, is mediated through social life.' From this, I began to consider how influential the media actually is in issues they portray. So, what is journalisms role in constructing public opinion? They hold all the power in determining opinion. This News clip is about the abduction of Jaycee Lee Dugard. The way ABC News portrays Phillip Garrido, sentenced sexual offender, as a horrible and disgusting man (all which is very true). The media does an excellent job of educating the public and positioning this man badly to the public. The clip is shown below.
Powerful stuff.
We spoke about the interrelated Agendas, being public agenda (topics that members of the public perceive as important), policy agenda (issues that decision makers think are salient, ie. legislators), corporate agenda (issues that big businesses and corporations consider important, eg. coal seam gas) and finally the media agenda (issues discussed in the media). They all work together in forming an element of importance in the pubic eye.
"Agenda setting is the process of the mass media presenting certain issues frequently and prominently with the result that large segments of the public come to perceive those issues as more important than others. Simply put, the more coverage an issues receives, the more important it is to people."
-Coleman, McCombs, Shaw, Wever, 2008-
We looked at this image as a representation of agenda setting in the media. This image compares the relationship between reality and media reality, the media's sense of reality and the influence of this on a public perceptive - what the pubic actually thinks reality is. It directly identifies that the media shapes the way issues are understood with attributes paid to the media who provide information/importance.
I felt this image gave meaning to how important a certain issue is in the media in regard to the amount of attention paid to it.
Attention was brought to the two main assumptions of media agenda setting.
1. The mass media do not merely reflect and report reality, they filter and shape it.
2. Media concentration on a few issues and subjects leads the public to perceive those issues as more important than other issues.
I feel both assumptions are evident in media agenda setting in the current climate. The more attention that is brought to an issue - the more important it is regarded by the public. This is very evident with Climate Change and the Carbon tax. This lecture made it clear that the first mention this issue was made to the public back in 1988, and from then, its importance in society has never faded. Al Gore's, An Inconvenient Truth, released in 2006, is a prime example of the continuing impact of climate change talk throughout society and the media. The media has made this issue an important one.
This is the trailer to Al Gore's documentary - it is clear why the media and public see this issue as being of primary concern.
The origins of agenda setting dates back nearly a century. It was in the 1920s that Harold Lasswell came up with the Hypodermic needle model. I understood this model as being a metaphor in the mass media "injecting" direct influence into the audience. It was so accurate - the media has formed so much purpose in defining the means in which information is given to an audience.
The model appeared as below.
From this model, it becomes so evident of the development and power in propaganda in the media. Walter Lippman spoke of the media creating images of events in the publics mind. I thought about this idea and how correct Mr Lippman really was. When I think of 9/11 I think of a single image - an image that has defined that day to me for countless years. It is the image of The Falling Man.
For me, this image is September 11. I don't see a man committing suicide - a see a man plummeting to his death unwillingly, a man being forced to die due to the terrorist attack of this day.
'Propaganda is used as a tool to help shape images in the minds of human beings in support of an enterprise, idea or group. Propaganda can be used to substitute one social pattern for another."
This lecture highlighted two main types of agenda setting theory, being;
1st Level - media suggests what the public should focus on through coverage.
2nd Level - media suggests how people should think about an issue.
Both levels seem so important in the media. In regard to the 1st Level, I understand it as the medias responsibility in what is actually delivered to the public. It ultimately is centred around the content of the information shown. For the 2nd Level, it is all about the position the media takes in portraying an issue to the public. If the media wishes for its audience to feel negatively about a subject, therefore they would deliver it in that way.
I found this very clear in the coverage of OJ Simpson's case. Our lecture showed the cover of two magazines with his photo on the front.
Even though both photos portray him rather negatively, it is very clear of the varying approach both magazines took. I found this predominately evident in the titles of the article pieces.
I found this notion of 'Agenda Setting' quite interesting actually. Even though the basic content of the topic was very obvious, I loved the power in which came with the media. In learning of 'The Agenda Setting Family' it became so evident of the degree in power they hold. This family consisted of:
1. Media Gateway (the exposure of an issue)
2. Media Advocacy (the purposive promotion of a message)
3. Agenda Cutting (most of the truth or reality that is going on in the world isn't represented)
4. Agenda Surfing (media follows the crowd and trends)
5. Diffusion of News (how an important event is communicated to the public)
6. Portrayal of an Issue (the way an issue is portrayed will often influence how it is perceived by the public).
7. Media Dependence (the more dependent a person is on the media for information, the more susceptible that person is to media agenda setting).
In looking at the influence of 'Agenda Surfing', it was clear of its presence in the media. The way in which the media follows trends in what is being covered by varying media outlets powerfully determines this media agenda. A prime example of this is KONY2012. This YouTube clip seemed to go viral overnight, it was almost as if everyone knew about it and wanted to put it to a stop. Such a powerful promotion of Agenda setting.
Media Agenda setting is very powerful, however it relation to its strengths it does instigate many weaknesses.
Strengths include:
-explanatory power
-predictive power
-organising power
-proven false
-its media-theoretical assumptions are balanced on the scientific side
-it lays groundwork for further research
Weaknesses include:
-people may only pay casual attention to public affair issues
-people may have already made up their mind on an issue
-news cannot adapt an issue, but instead promote awareness of its salience
And so, it is proven that:
The importance of an issue on the media agenda determines how the public agenda is formed.
Journalism is a fundamental
element in the portrayal of accurate and detailed information on an event or
issue to the public. However the means in doing so effectively and factually is
of paramount importance in providing the right news to the world. This
annotated bibliography will cite four varying media sources surrounding the
mystery disappearance of missing now nine-year-old girl, Madeleine McCann. The
mediums studied include Kerry O’Brien’s BBC Four Corners interview with Jim
Gamble, the Guardian newspapers article, the Mail Online and finally an
academic paper on the ‘Child Abduction Policy: Influenced by Media Coverage...’
by Glenn W. Muschert, PHD, Melissa Young-Spillers, MS and Dawn Carr, MGS. These
four sources will ultimately portray varying uncovering’s of credibility,
validation and accuracy due to the means in which the media information is
provided.
The United Kingdom’s Guardian newspaper
journalist, Sandra Laville, reported on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann
based on current statements and actions of the Scotland Yard detectives. The article
revolves around the attention brought to the unresolved case after the release
of a picture of what Madeleine McCann may look like today as new
information is attempted to be uncovered. Laville, the crime correspondent for
the Guardian newspaper, has drawn on many credible persons in her written
article. Having used quotes from the Detective Chief Inspector, Andy Redwood,
of Scotland Yard’s homicide and serious crime command, as well as Commander
Simon Foy, the head of homicide command and finally a quote from Jim Gamble in
his interview with Kerry O’Brien, it becomes apparent of the degree to which of
investigation in gaining credibility in this article. The accuracy and degree
of information is not suppressed to the reader, which ultimately forces its
salient content to resonate with the reader. The Guardian Newspaper is a very
well-known and appreciated news outlet which has been effectively portrayed in
the release of this article and its height in content.
Bilton,
R. (2012, May 17). [Television Program]. Sydney, NSW: BBC Four Corners.
In this interview, Four Corners reporter
Kerry O’Brien speaks to Jim Gamble in regard to the reopening of the Madeleine
McCann case. The BBC News channel, in which Four Corners is viewed on,
functions as a form of public media.
As public media is all about the publics right to information, this channel
requires intelligent and educated persons to appear to provide the audience
with this right. In introducing Jim Gamble to the program, O’Brien speaks of
the guests credibility. He draws on Mr. Gamble being a former senior Scotland
Yard investigator, the leader in the British National Crime Intelligence
Service fight against child abuse, and the head of the Child Exploitation and
Online Protection Centre within the UK police (where he did some analysis for
the Portuguese police early in the investigation of Madeleine’s disappearance).
This ultimately provides the audience with a detailed explanation to why this
man deserves to be listened to. Throughout the interview Gamble provides great
detail of the police’s willingness and hope in finding Madeleine McCann in this
horror case, this adds a sense of humility to the interview in a bid for the
audience to further appreciate the interviewee and the network. The BBC further
promotes credibility and validation to its audience in the use of Kerry O’Brien
as a host due to his well-known talent due to his 46 years in the industry.
This online news site provides a 24-hour
news cycle. This new form of media allows for constant updating, editing and
reader input with commenting and forums. The Mail Online site published an
article by journalist Graham Smith in regard to a possible sighting of
Madeleine McCann three days after she was claimed to be missing. As this
article was only published as of the 8 May 2012, the credibility of the source
used becomes very questionable. Five years since her disappearance, it would
seem strange that such statements are only coming to the surface now. Further,
the source remains unnamed for the piece, which fails to provide the reader
with confidence in the source. However, with the reopening of the case (in
which many elements were overlooked prior to it being closed) it is almost certain
that more possible sightings, like this, will be investigated more fully and
become available to the public eye. Although the credibility of the source is
uncertain, the site is very popular- having a Mail Online iTunes Application
available for download by the general public. The accuracy in detail and
validity of the finding seems vacant in the piece – however Graham Smith has
used effective language in attempting to make the audience believe this sighting
was definitely Madeleine. Ultimately, the credibility of the site outweighs the
audiences lack of belief in the story – the site makes the reader believe its
content.
Glenn W. Muschert, Melissa Young-Spillers
and Dawn Carr are all academics at the University of Miami. All three academic
professors bring years of study and education to their academic article titled ‘Child
Abduction Policy – Influenced by Media Coverage or Empirical Data?’ In this
article it is discussed of the representation of ‘horror stories’ (being
disturbing cases of child abduction) in the light of the media. The shock
disappearance of Madeleine McCann is a prime example of a horror abduction
story. The authors speak of ‘high profile cases’ and their ability to spark
national attention (an element that is paramount in the presentation of news
and current affairs). ‘Horror stories
have come to typify the child abduction problem in the contemporary public
discourse’ – this is evident in the portrayal of news in current times. The
application of the quote ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ comes into context with child
abductions. These horror stories have evolved into forming a common assumption to
the audience that when a child goes missing they are almost certainly being used
for sexual exploitation and then to be murdered by the stranger. However as the
article outlines, ‘child abductions … are strongly exemplified via news media
coverage…’ Therefore Muschert, Young-Spillers and Carr attempt to alter the
public discourse about such a social problem. The credibility of this academic
article is heightened throughout due to the degree in citation of other leading
professors in this field of study.
It is made clearly apparent of the
influential talent of the media in the portrayal and continued coverage of the
Madeleine McCann case. The degree to which the media continually brings
information regarding her disappearance to the surface undoubtedly promotes progress
in discovering closure.
Journalists are powerful people in
providing truths to the public – truths that all humans have a right to.
"News values are one of the most opaque structures of meaning in modern society... Journalists speak of "the news" as if events select themselves... Yet of the millions of events which occur daily in the world, only a tiny proportion ever become visible as "potential news stories": and of this proportion, only a small fraction are actually produced as the day's news" - Stuart Hall 1973-
News have so much value. The value is found in what we deem important to be told to an audience.
In the ninth lecture, it was looked at news values and variations of newsworthiness according to many leading journalists.
The four main points of News Values included:
1. Impact - things that makes a reader/audience say 'GEE WIZZ"!
2. Audience identification - events happening in area of the culture that would be of interest.
3. Pragmatics - ethics
4. Source influence - "Journalism loves to hate PR... whether for spinning, controlling access, appraising copy, or protecting clients at the expense of the truth. Yet journalism has never needed public relations more, and PR has never done a better job for the media." - Julia Hobsbawn, UK PR Executive-
These four values are crucial in news journalism. I love impact in news stories. Even though the below clip is from 2008, I feel it really is very impacting. It brings nervousness to the audience and therefore is highly interesting.
According to TV Veteran John Sergeant, 'Journalists reply on instinct rather than logic when it comes to the defining of a sense of news values." (2001).
I felt this became incredibly evident when looking at Galtung and Ruge's '12+ Factors' of newsworthiness from 1965. They had ultimately analysed international news to discover common factors and news agenda's, in order to understand why certain stories lead a TV or radio bulletin. They were as follows:
1. Negativity - bad news (death, tragedy)
2. Closeness to home (proximity) - stories that are close to audience geographically.
3. Recency - breaking news!
4. Currency - stories that have been in public eye for some time are deemed valuable.
5. Continuity - events with a continuing impact (war)
6. Uniqueness - covering a unique or unusual event.
7. Simplicity - easy to explain stories.
8. Personality - Human Interest stories
9. Expectedness (Predictability) - the story matches the expectations of a news organisation and its audience.
10. Elite nations or people - covering important, powerful nations and people.
11. Exclusivity - you want to be the only news organisation covering a story!
12. SIZE - the bigger impact a story has, the more people it affects. (Size does matter in journalism!)
Galtung and Ruge were on the money. All these elements are so important when it comes to News Values and Worthiness. While listening to this lecture, I could easily automatically think of a news story I had recently seen that fitted the criteria of at least one of these values.
Further, Galtung and Ruge brought about three hypotheses (1965) in regard to newsworthiness.
1. Additivity - the more factors an event satisfies, the higher the probability is will become news.
2. Complementarity - the factors will tend to exclude each other.
3. Exclusion - the events that satisfy none or very few of the factors will usually not become news.
It was mentioned in our lecture of the Royal Wedding being a prime example of the additivity hypothesis. It included an elite nation, currency, elements of personality and size.
Following in the footsteps of Galtung and Ruge, came Golding and Elliot's News Values (1979).
-drama
-visual attractiveness
-entertainment
-importance
-size
-proximity
-negativity
-brevity
-recency
-elites
-personalities
Then came Lanson, Gerald and Mitchell Stephens 1994 variation.
-impact
-weight
-controversy
-emotion
-the unusual
-prominence
-proximity
-timeliness
-currency
-usefulness
-educational value
Then O'Neill and Harcup in 2001
-The Power Elite
-Celebrity
-Entertainment
-Surprise
-Bad News
-Good News
-Magnitude
-Relevance
-Follow-up
-Newspaper Agenda
All these values linked so closely to each other that it became very clear of the expectations and values in news journalism.
I feel my favourite outline of news values were by Murray Masterson (1995) which he called the "Big 6" News Values.
1. Significance - IMPACT! (I LOVE IMPACT)
2. Proximity - location plus emotional, historical, cultural and social significance.
3. Conflict - war, government, celebrities, sport, neighbourhood fights (classic ACA coverage, just what I love).
4. Human interest - nothing better than getting involved in other people's success
5. Novelty - a bit of something unusual
6. Prominence - high profile people.
The all relate so well to exactly what I love in my news. These "Big 6" emulate my approach to news broadcasting.
Another element covered in this lecture was the possible threats to newsworthiness. Ultimately they were the effect of the lazy, incompetent journalist who is untrustworthy and misleading, the hyper-commericialisation of the media where what is read and seen is very controlling, and finally, the influence of Public Relations in what is told to the public.
I found this lecture very educational in regard to what is actually expected in delivering news. I guess in a way it is all very obvious, however the application of appropriate news values is crucial in delivering a perfected news story. I hope to be able to capture this ability in the near future. Hopefully I don't have any of this happen below..
Today we watched Sex and the City (for the billionth time) and we did what all girls do and allocate a person to each other.
It was so easy to find similarities in each one of my friends to that of one of the four girl friends.
What is really ethical or unethical, and what is in good taste and in bad taste?
Today's lecture looked at ethics. We viewed and marked 10 photos on their degree of ethicality and whether they be suitable for the public view.
One of the pictures that really struck me was Windsor Smith's advertisement for a selection of their men's shoes.
The image on the left of the advertisement shows absolutely no interest or focus on mens shoes, but instead privileges a highly sexual action. Windsor Smith has ultimately portrayed that by wearing his shoes you will too have the girls down on their knees for you.. A thought that is far from true.
Sure I like a man in nice shoes, but I don't like them that much.
When this advertisement first went public it was complained about fiercely and it was deemed that in no way did it actually attempt to advertise shoes. It is so true.
It was claimed that it did not meet community standards, however Windsor Smith refused to act on this and remove the advertisement. From this, they gained even more publicity. Smart move on Windsor Smith's behalf! In all, Windsor Smith over $43million worth of advertising for only releasing 6 billboards.
After looking at advertisements, we further went into the ethics of commercial advertising. The Australian Tourism Ad "Where the blood hell are you?" was included.
This ad was banded in the United Kingdom because of the use of the word "bloody" being deemed highly inappropriate. It is amazing to think that such a causally used word in Australian culture, is far from the norm in another country.
After looking at such forms of ethics in advertising, we went into the three different ethical theories of deontology(rules, principles and duties), consequentialism (getting a good or right outcome that matters) and virtue ethics (that "goodness" comes from good habits of character).
I feel that in the media it is of primary importance to hold virtue ethics. You need to have a good character when dealing with issues of discretion to make sure the right decision is made.
As a journalist, and as a person, I want to be a person of good character.
I added a new pair of shoes to my wardrobe a week ago. The sat comfortably next to my television for days and days. I often found it more interesting to watch them instead of the programs my aerial allowed me to watch.
They were beautiful.
They were the strongest royal blue I had ever seen and were made out of the smoothest swede ever. Carrie Bradshaw would be proud!
I wore them for the first time last night and they captured one of my greatest experiences since entering college life.
A single pair of shoes gave character to my simple black dress. These beautifully blue shoes were the essence of my entire outfit.
The night I wore my special blue shoes was the night of our College Ball. All the girls and guys looked stunning. I wasn't noticing any of the dresses to be completely honest, but instead their shoes.
One girl was wearing these beautiful hot pink pumps - mesmerising!
Two of my friends had on the most sparkly shoes ever and they were gorgeous. With one in gold and the other in silver, they both proved how capable they are of pulling of sparkles. I loved them! I will be definitely investing in a pair.
My blue shoes captured a memory. They captured a moment where I was completely happy and with some of the greatest people I am yet to meet.
