How News Is Made

Principles of NewsJOUR 2300Professor Neil FooteMayborn School of Journalism

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Group Assignments

• Each group leader is responsible for:1. Leading his/her group in a 20 – 30 minute

discussion during class time to respond to the assigned questions based on the readings

2. Be ready – upon request – to personally respond or have a team member respond to key questions about the readings, e.g. offering a summary of an article, highlighting major themes or findings or identifying the most significant sources or people featured in story

3. Report attendance of group to the Graduate Assistant

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Chapter 3 – How News is Made

• Distinctions among news, information and journalism

• Criteria of newsworthiness• The news-making process

• Beats• Enterprise stories• Pseudo events

• News as a construction• Commodification of news

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Newsworthiness

Timeliness

Proximity

Unique

Human Interest

Impact

Helpfulness

Celebrities

Entertainment

Dramatic

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Where does news come from?

• Spontaneous• Random• Extraordinary• Planned/staged: Press releases, press

conferences• Beats• Enterprise/investigative

News v. information?

• News• Reported: interviews

with knowledgeable sources• Requires judgment• Verified• Transparent• Organized• Answers the questions:

who? What? Where? Why? When?

• Information• Anyone can share information• It’s everywhere – become a commodity• Not always fact-based

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What’s news?

• Rescued Subway Kitties, Arthur and August, Getting "Much-Needed TLC": ACC

• Service was suspended for about an hour on the B and Q lines when the kittens ran on the tracks last week

• http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Kittens-Subway-Tracks-Brooklyn-MTA-Delays-Shut-Down--221662261.html

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Let’s discuss…

• Do readers and viewers understand the difference between information? News? Journalism?

• Examples????

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News or Not News?

• Plaza Towers Mother Supports New Push to Build Storm Shelters in Schools• http://www.newson6.com/story/23282949/plaza-towers-

mother-supports-new-push-to-build-storm-shelters-in-schools

• Glacier National Park Seeks Advice• http://www.abcfoxmontana.com/story/23343085/glacier-

national-park-seeking-advice

• Many turn out for Red Top parade• http://www.live5news.com/story/23315634/red-top-to-ho

st-labor-day-parade

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News or Not News?

• Music Matters at Local School• http://www.localnews8.com/news/music-matters-at-local-

school/-/308662/21768478/-/o6e5iq/-/index.html

• Dog mauls Stubbs, honorary cat mayor in Alaska• http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/05/dog-mauls-stubb

s-honorary-cat-mayor-in-alaska/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fnational+%28Internal+-+US+Latest+-+Text%29

• ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Season 17 Cast Revealed

• http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/hollywood_wrap&id=9235773

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Let’s discuss…

• Are certain types of media better at conveying stories with certain types of news values?

• Examples????