News: Meaning, Sources, Types

Pertemuan 13 – 14

Matakuliah : O0394 – Teknik Reportase dan News CasterTahun : 2010

Learning Objectives

This section will discuss on the meaning of news in all of its

four aspects.

By understanding the complete package on news, it is

expected that the students will be able to improve their

perspectives on news and prepare themselves for the

higher stages of news gathering, processing, and

broadcasting.

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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder (1/7)

Definitions on the word “News”:

Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Material reported in a newspaper or news

periodical or on a newscast.

“News is the timely report of fact or opinion, to

hold interest or importance, or both, for a

considerable number of people” (Charnley,

1975)4

NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder (2/7)

“Trends, situations, conditions, and interpretations are news”

(Neal, 1968)

“The unusual is news” – “What’s different is news”

Doug Newsom and James A Wollert, in Media Writing: News for

the Mass Media (1985:11):

“News is something that people need and important to know.

By reporting news, then the media inform people on what they

need.”

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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder (3/7)

Dean M Lyle Spencer, in News Writing, stated:

“News is a fact or a correct idea that can attract most of

the readers (audiences).”

William C Bleyer, in Newspaper Writing and Editing, wrote:

“News is something update chose by the journalists to be

put in the newspaper since the news have meaning to the

readers.”

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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder (4/7)

Sources of News

What are the characteristics of sources of news:

1.Contains news value, hot issues and unique

problems;

2.Obtains certain journalistic value: important,

interesting, or both important and interesting,

and update.7

NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder (5/7)

Sources of News

1.Source person (experts, witness)

2.Files/ clippings

3.Emergency radio (ORARI, police radio)

4.Live Reports from radio and television stations

5.Announcement from the Government

6.Press release, correspondent, radio or television

networks 8

NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder (6/7)

Example of alternative news sources in the US:

Adbusters

Monthly magazine devoted to the critique of consumerism

and corporate media.

AlterNet

News magazine and online community that creates original

journalism and amplifies dozens of other alternative media

sources.

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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder (7/7)

Antiwar.com

Antiwar news, viewpoints, and activities.

Online Journal

Features variety of alternative news and views.

More on the examples of news sources can be obtained

from: http://www.world-newspapers.com/alternative-

news.html

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Types of News (1/14)

The 3 (three) main groups of News

1.Elementary News

2.Intermediate News

3.Advance News

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Types of News (2/14)

What are they?

Straight News

Straight news report: a live report on an issue;

Depth news report: information gathered

together with facts on related issues used as

additional information;

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Types of News (3/14)

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Example of the Depth News Report

WKMS In-Depth Reports

Rep. Mike Cherry looks ahead to 2010 Tony McVeigh2009-12-25)

Null, www.lrc.ky.gov

PRINCETON, KY. (wkms) – The 2010 Kentucky General Assembly

convenes Tuesday, January 5, for a 60-day session that ends April 13.

Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeigh will be covering the session…

More on the news, visit: http://

www.publicbroadcasting.net/wkms/news.newsmain?action=

article&ARTICLE_ID=1592903

Types of News (4/14) Comprehensive news report: report on comprehensive facts that is

viewed from various aspects;

Example of comprehensive news report can be checked from this

website:

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100104/Comprehensive-report-on-Mexicos-pharmaceutical-and-healthcare-market.aspx

(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c9887b/mexico_pharmaceuti)

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Types of News (5/14)

Intermediate News

Interpretative report: news that focuses on

an issue, problem, or controversial cases;

Feature story: writers use facts to attract the

readers, writers present their reading

experience with interesting writing style;

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Types of News (6/14)

Feature story (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

A feature story (also feature article, or simply feature) is a

piece of journalistic writing that covers a selected issue in-

depth. As such, a feature need not address an immediately

topical subject as would be expected of a news story, is

usually considerably longer, and may well present an

opinionated view.

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Types of News (7/14)

Advance News

Depth reporting: a depth, comprehensive,

complete journalistic report on an actual

event;

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Types of News (8/14)

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Mark Schaver, Louisville, Kentucky,

United States:

An assistant metro editor for

The Courier-Journal.

Depth Reporting is where I write about

journalism, technology, useful Web sites and

whatever else strikes me as interesting, funny

or worthwhile.

Types of News (9/14)

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Investigative Reporting: focuses on a number

of issues (problems) and controversies. The

investigation is (usually) conducted in illegal

and unethical way;

Types of News (10/14)Investigative journalism, in which journalists investigate and expose

unethical, immoral, and illegal behavior by individuals, businesses and

government agencies, can be complicated, time-consuming and expensive

— requiring teams of journalists, months of research, interviews

(sometimes repeated interviews) with numerous people, long-distance

travel, computers to analyze public-record databases, or use of the

company's legal staff to secure documents under freedom of information

laws.

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Types of News (11/14)Example of Investigative Report:

On May 7, 1998, Rep. Maxine Waters, revealed a

memorandum of understanding between the CIA and the

Justice Department from 1982, which was entered into the

Congressional Record. This letter had freed the CIA from

legally reporting drug smuggling by CIA assets, a provision

that covered the Nicaraguan contras and the Afghan rebels.

[4]

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Types of News (12/14)

Editorial Writing: opinion on a certain issue/

issues released by newspapers, magazines,

radio station.

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Types of News (13/14)

The Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing has been awarded

since 1917 for distinguished editorial writing, the test of

excellence being clearness of style, moral purpose, sound

reasoning, and power to influence public opinion in what

the writer conceives to be the right direction. The Pulitzer

Committee issues an official citation explaining the

reasons for the award.

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Types of News (14/14)

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The Pulitzer Prizes

Joseph Pulitzer    •    Pulitzers by yearPulitzer winners

Journalism:

•Public Service •Breaking News Reporting •Investigative Reporting •Explanatory Reporting •Local Reporting •National Reporting •International Reporting •Feature Writing •Commentary •Criticism •Editorial Writing •Editorial Cartooning •Breaking News Photography •Feature Photography

Closing

At the end of discussion, it is expected that the

students already have clearer view on the definition

of news, the source of news, and the type of news. It

is also expected that the students will be ready to

enter the advance step to understand other aspects

that will support the news processing activities.

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