What is News ?
“News-worthiness” Guiding Principle
• Timely? • Fairness
• Important ?
• Proximate ?
• Interesting ?
• Economical to cover?
Editorial Judgments Shape News Coverage
Reporters and Editors should strive to be
Fair
Accurate
Complete and
True
(F.A.C.T.) when balancing editorial judgments
Editorial judgments
Which news to report?
Editorial judgments
Which news to report?
Which news to prioritize?
Editorial judgments
Which news to report?
Which news to prioritize?
Which information to include?
Editorial judgments
Which news to report?
Which news to prioritize?
Which information to include?
Placement of report?
Editorial judgments
Which news to report?
Which news to prioritize?
Which information to include?
Placement of report
Selection of words
Editorial judgments
Which news to report?
Which news to prioritize?
Which information to include?
Placement of report
Selection of words
Selections of visuals, captions, sound bites
Editorial judgments
Which newsmakers to quote?
Editorial judgments
Which newsmakers to quote?
Exact selection & context of quote
Editorial judgments
Which newsmakers to quote?
Exact selection & context of quote
Selection of “experts” and spokespeople
Editorial judgments
Which newsmakers to quote?
Exact selection & context of quote
Selection of “experts” and spokespeople
Which background is worth reporting?
Editorial judgments
Which newsmakers to quote?
Exact selection & context of quote
Selection of “experts” and spokespeople
Which background is worth reporting?
Fair analysis vs. partisan spin
Editorial judgments
Which newsmakers to quote?
Exact selection & context of quote
Selection of “experts” and spokespeople
Which background is worth reporting?
Fair analysis vs. partisan spin
Is editorial opinion separated & labeled?
As media interact in news cycles...
Some stories get amplified
Some stories get distorted
Some stories snowball
Media Events / “Superstories”
Live coverage, Re-playable moments
Sex, Scandal, Outrageous Acts
Violence and Crime, Trials, Shock Value
Continuing Drama or Build-up
Pictures / Sound Bites or Incantations
Celebrities, Telegenic Personalities
Male vs. Female or Inter-group Conflicts
Each medium “encodes” news differently
TV: brief, visceral, face-to-face,
real-time, instant global impact
Newspapers: more facts, slower impact
Radio: no faces or images; local
Internet: timely, user-driven,
interactive