Journalism is the Investigation and Reporting of Events

8/8/2019 Journalism is the Investigation and Reporting of Events

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Journalism is the investigation and reporting ofevents, issues, and trends to a broad audience.Although there is much variation within journalism, the ideal is to inform the citizenry. Besides

covering organizations and institutions such as government and business, journalism also coverscultural aspects of society such as arts and entertainment. The field includes jobs such as editing,

photojournalism, and documentary.

Johann Carolus'sRelation aller Frnemmen und gedenckwrdigen Historien, published in 1605in Strassburg, is often recognized as the first newspaper. The first successful English daily, the

Daily Courant, was published from 1702 to 1735.[1]

In modern society, news media has become the chief purveyor of information and opinion aboutpublic affairs; but the role and status of journalism, along with other forms ofmass media, are

undergoing changes resulting from the Internet, especially Web 2.0.

[edit] Otherstyles

Newspapers and periodicals often contain features (see Feature style) often composed byjournalists who specialize in this form.

Feature articles are usually longer forms of writing; more attention is paid to style than in straight

news reports. They are often combined with photographs, drawings or other "art." They may alsobe highlighted by typographic effects or colors.

Writing features can be more demanding than writing straight news stories, because while a

journalist must apply the same amount of effort to accurately gather and report the facts of thestory, the journalist should also write it to be creative and interesting. The lead(or first few

paragraphs of the story; seeNut graph) must grab the reader's attention and still accuratelyembody the ideas of the article.

In the last half of the 20th century, the line blurred between straight news reporting and featurewriting. Journalists and publications today experiment with different approaches to writing. Tom

Wolfe, Gay Talese, Hunter S. Thompson are some of these examples. Urban and alternativenewsweeklies go even further in blurring the distinction, and many magazines include more

features than straight news.

Some television news shows experimented with alternative formats, and many TV shows thatclaimed to be news shows were not considered as such by traditional critics, because their

content and methods do not adhere to accepted journalistic standards.National Public Radio, onthe other hand, is considered a good example of mixing straight news reporting, features, and

combinations of the two, usually meeting standards of high quality. Other U.S. public radio newsorganizations have achieved similar results


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The Basics of New Writing: The 5 Ws

How do you write a news story? News writing follows a basic formula; there are key elements every

news story follows. While styles can diverge more dramatically depending on the kind of story - a

feature story may look and sound very different than a hard news one -- all news stories are cut from

the same mold. The first element of news writing is, of course, to deliver the news.

Most people have heard of the 5 Ws, even if theyve never taken a journalism class. The Ws in

question, as you probably know, refer to the Who, What, When, Where and Why that every story

should address. Depending on what the story is, how and when you answer those Ws may change. If,

for example, youre reporting on a drive-by shooting in a city, youll likely start with where the crime

happened (what street or area of town for the local paper) and who was involved (if you dont have

names, or the people are regular citizens, you might refer to notable affiliations if, say, the victim and

presumed perpetrator were gang members).

Figuring out what details to give a reader, and when, is key in constructing a story. The answer, of

course, depends on the facts. If youre working on the above story, and the murder happens to be one

of a string of similar crimes, that may be the point you open the story with. If, however, the abovestory revolved around someone of note being shot, that might be what you start your piece with. (A

story about a notable name being shot is a very different story than one about a private. The latter

might speak more to ongoing local violence while the former is a story in and of itself -- X person has

been killed and heres what X person was known for.)

Crafting a Lede

A lede, which is ajournalism slang term for the first sentence or two of a story (i.e. lead), is an

incredibly important part of the process. You need to hook readers with your lede and, in some cases

(as discussed above), relay the important parts of your story. You need to draw a reader in while

telling him why the story matters.

Like all forms of writing, theres no hard and fast rule about what makes a great lede. A good lede

changes depending on the story youre writing. One of the best ways to get familiar with what a good

lede is, is to read. Read lots of different stories. Read breaking news stories. Read features. Read

reviews. Ledes vary wildly but, youll start to notice patterns and, more importantly, what kinds of

ledes you like and feel are effective. You can get more basics from this piece from the University of

Arkansas on ledes, but I suggest following it up with lots of reading.

What | Where | When | Why | How | Who |


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Is Journalism For You?

Whatis journalism?

Journalism is the timely reporting of events at the local, provincial, national and internationallevels. Reporting involves the gathering of information through interviewing and research, the

results of which are turned into a fair and balanced story for publication or for television or radiobroadcast.

Journalism is not just

y fact-finding

y media analysis

y opinion writing, or

y commentary

although all of those aspects can play a part at times.

What do beginning journalists do?

Journalists who are starting their careers normally do not do commentary or opinion pieces.

Rather, they cover hard news stories such as community news, courts, crime and speeches bynotable people. In broadcast, beginning journalists also may do pre-interviews and research for

senior journalists.

An entry-level reporter often does "general assignment" stories rather than stories for a specificbeat. General assignment stories are given out to reporters by the city desk or assignment editor.

Is journalism foryou?

Asking yourself the questions below will help you determine whether journalism is a good careerchoice for you.

y Do you regularly read at least one newspaper or consult an online equivalent, such as

GlobeandMail.com?

y Do you regularly watch or listen to television or radio newscasts?

y Is it important to you to keep up with current events?

y Are you interested in other peoples lives?

y Are you able to talk to a wide variety ofpeople?

y Do you work well to deadlines?

y Are you persistent and willing to dig for information?

y Have you mastered basic writing skills? (see below for expectations)

If you answered NO to even one of the above questions, you may want to think again about

whether journalism is a good match for your interests and abilities.


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What doesthe Journalism ProgramatWestern cover?

The Master of Arts in Journalism is a well-rounded, professional program that prepares graduatesfor entry-level positions in newsrooms. The program stresses a balance of academic and practical

courses and offers a solid grounding in the basic tools and practices of print, broadcast and

online journalism. The curriculum of the Master of Arts in Journalism program is not focused onproducing graduates to work in public relations or communications positions.

Expectationof writing abilityinthe journalism program

It is expected that students entering the MA in Journalism program have mastered basic writing

skills, including grammar, syntax and the ability to conceptualize and articulate ideas in writing.It is also expected that students possess the ability to write in English at a post-graduate level.

The Admissions Panel assumes that the entrance essay provided by applicants is entirely theirown work and is an accurate reflection of their writing ability. Journalism, by necessity, requires

that its practitioners produce clean, competent copy on deadline, often without the benefit of

external editing or extensive rewriting. Students who do not meet the expectations of writingmay not achieve marks necessary for progression and could be required to withdraw from theprogram.


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Journalism

Freelance Journalism: Buy/Sell News Calling Journalists Worldwide www.newscollective.com

Any morning for many office-goers or even homebodies begins with a hot cup of coffee in one hand and a

newspaper in the other! For people hungry for news, its a must to begin the day with fresh and latest

news either in print or through television. But do you know the actual story behind the latest news? It takesa team of professionals that go into the depth of the story so that you can get fresh news when you unfold

your morning paper. Journalists have the job of reporting the news while a team of editors and visualizers

package the content in an appropriate manner for readers and viewers.

Journalism refers to the news or feature stories (light, entertainment stories) that are expressed either in a

descriptive way or concise pattern through different types of media. A journalist reports news, which can

be used in print, on television, aired on radio or even published on the Internet. The main purpose of a

journalist is to report news with accurate facts. However, throughout the years, there have been different

types of journalism developed that have given different dimensions to the field ofmass media. Read on to

know more about the various types of journalism.

Types of journalism

Fashion journalism:Fashion journalism is all about articles or reports related to the fashion world.

Journalists are also known as fashion writers or fashion editors. The primary job is to cover the latest in

the fashion business or develop lifestyle articles. Such fashion articles can be found in magazines and

newspapers. Today, there are many television channels that cater only to fashion, which gives ample

opportunity for journalists who have a passion to cover such topics.

News journalism: Here, the primary aim of the journalist is to report news in a straight-forward manner

that covers all the required facts. The style is direct with focus on the gist of the story with other necessary

points. The news style should be concise and precise. The facts must be crosschecked which makes the

news item as authentic as possible without any media bias. Here, the news story can be for the print media,television, radio, etc. Such news pieces often cover politics and social movements. News stories based

on political suppression, public movements or abuse ofhuman rights have proved instrumental in effecting

many a social change, or giving voice to the oppressed. Similarly, cultural events are also covered in

news journalism.

Celebrity journalism: As the name suggests, the journalist is connected to news and events related to

celebrities from the entertainment world and also includes celebrities from other fields such as music,

sports, dance, art, politics, etc. This journalism is all about news that is related to their professional and

personal life. Reporting gossip is one of the angles of celebrity journalism, wherein journalists are often

accused of misconstruing news or quotes in a deliberate fashion. This journalism is particularly popular

with newspapers, magazines and television.

Investigative journalism: This type of journalism is about unearthing facts and studying cases that may

require more efforts, which can take months or even years. Journalists who specialize in investigative

journalism create headlines with news that expose scandals. Sometimes, persistent followup of a story

proves beneficial to uncover some hitherto unsolved cases. This would require in-depth research from the

journalist along with evidence.

Sports journalism: Here, journalists spend hours reporting on a particular sport event. A journalist has to


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report the accurate facts and statistics related to that event. Interviews with celebrity sport stars are yet

one of the interesting features of sports journalism. Although sports-lovers watch the live coverage thanks

to the media, there are many people who still enjoy reading or watching in-depth details about the event.

Citizen journalism: Here, it is not the professional journalists who are responsible for the news reports.

Any citizen can participate and report news to the media. He/she collects and reports news to the media

and participates voluntarily to offer help to the media. They bring to notice issues that may have been

missed by media houses.

Environmental journalism: There are many journalists who prefer to cover issues related to the

environment and its protection and conservation. Environmental journalists may only report about the news

while some work for a cause.

Business and finance journalism:Here, the journalist or reporter covers in-depth reports about the

latest in business, launch of products, stock markets etc. There are many shows dedicated only for

business news on television whereas in newspapers, one can find a special section dedicated to this

subject.

Journalists today, try new tactics that are very different from the methods used by reporters earlier. Often,

journalists are accused of aggressive reporting and media sensationalism, which is a serious issue. The

Internet has also provided a medium for people to voice their opinions online. News written for the web is

updated minute-by-minute which is referred to as online journalism. Besides, implicit faith of people in the

news items has introduced a new form of advertising, i.e. advertorials. In this, advertisers merge their

product content in the guise of an article forbrand promotion and marketing of products.

A keen news sense and creativity to present the news in an effective manner are obviously the main

ingredients in any kind of journalism. After all, its all about how you put into words to create an impact

that makes a journalist stand apart from ordinary reporters!

Types and Reasons of Media BiasMedia bias has certainly changed the way we look at the standards of journalism. Here is a presentation of the types

and reasons of media bias.

There was a time when one could always rely on the various types of media for accurate information. But

in the recent times, the media is also known for sensationalizing many news or events and giving

unnecessary importance to certain issues. The various forms ofmass media are known to influence the

minds of the audiences to a large extent. So, does it mean the media controls our world? What about the

reliability factor on part of the organization or the journalists for that matter? There are times when the

producer of a particular channel would be biased towards specific issues or there may be situations

wherein a journalist may report a particular incident with a prejudiced opinion. Here, we shall take a look

at the types and reasons of media bias.

Types and Reasons of Media Bias:

y Media bias can happen due to various reasons. It occurs when a journalist or people connectedwith reporting of a particular event have a prejudiced opinion about things, which ultimatelyresults in a distorted version of the story.


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y Sometimes, there are certain media that may show a political bias towards certain news events.This happens when the publication or channel is in favor of a particular political party or acandidate.

y A journalist may also be biased towards a particular incident and may add his/her personalopinion to the news report. This kind of media bias is purely based on the journalists own opinionwhich is not considered to be purely ethical as well.

y

Racial bias and religious bias can happen when the journalist or news reporter gives reports infavor of a particular religion/race. Racism is a major issue, which can also end up in biased newsreports.

y Advertisers or corporate companies may also influence the way certain reports are presented.Reports in this case, are presented in favor of the particular corporate to give it prominence.

y Media bias can also be seen when an editor may give importance to a specific story on the page.This can happen when he/she wants to highlight the same for personal reasons or outsideinfluences.

y A particular form of media bias can also happen when the publication or news channel wants tosensationalize one particular news event. This is termed as sensationalism wherein one sectionof the news is over hyped to gain attention.

These are some of the types and reasons of media bias and how media can influence the minds of the

audiences at large. In a time, when the competition is tough, its no wonder; these outside influences arebound to affect the presentation of news events.

journalism is a discipline ofgathering, writing and reportingnews, and more broadly it includes the

process ofediting and presenting the news articles. Journalism applies to various media, including

newspapers, magazines, radio, and television.

While under pressure to be the first to publish their stories, news media organizationseachadhering to its own standards of accuracy, quality, and styleusually edit andproofread theirreports prior to publication. Many news organizations claim proud traditions of holding

government officials and institutions accountable to the public,[citation needed] while media criticshave raised questions about holding the press itself accountable.

The digitalization of news production and the diffusion capabilities of the internet are

challenging the traditional journalistic professional culture.[citation needed]

The concept ofparticipatory orcitizen journalism proposes that amateur reporters can actually produce their

own stories either inside or outside professional media outlets, and thus end the monopoly the

press holds over information production.

News-oriented journalism was described by formerWashington Posteditor, Phil Graham, as "afirst rough draft of history", because journalists often record important historical events as they

are happening, but just the same, they must produce their news articles on short deadlines.


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edit] Reporting

Journalism's main activities include stating who, what, when, where, why and how (see the FiveWs), and stating the significance and effects of certain events or trends. Journalism exists in a

number of media: newspapers, television, radio, magazines and, most recently, the World Wide

Web through the Internet.

The subject matter of journalism can be anything and everything that they choose, and journalistsreport and write on a wide variety of subjects: politics on the international, national, provincial

and local levels, economics and business on the same four levels, health and medicine,education, sports, hobbies and recreation, lifestyles, clothing, food, pets, and relationships;

journalists report on anything that news organizations think consumers will read. Journalists canreport for general interest news outlets like newspapers, news magazines and broadcast sources;

general circulation specialty publications like trade and hobby magazines or for newspublications and outlets with a select group of subscribers. Journalists are usually expected and

required to go out to the scene of a story to gather information for their reports, and often may

compose their reports in the field. They also use the telephone, the computer and the internet togather information. However, more often those reports are written, and they are almost alwaysedited in newsrooms, the offices where journalists and editors work together to prepare news

content.

Journalists, especially if they cover a specific subject or area (a "beat") are expected to cultivatesources, people in the subject or area, that they can communicate with, either to explain the

details of a story, or to provide leads to other subjects of stories yet to be reported. They are alsoexpected to develop their investigative skills to better research and report stories.

Journalism is the Investigation and Reporting of Events

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