Resume & Cover Letter Workshop

1. Resume & Cover Letter Workshop 25 minutes

2. The Attributes of Objective Journalism Dr. Kristen Landreville August 27, 2010

3. Why Do People Consume News? • World and Community Awareness • Depth • Less Entertainment • Nonlinearity • Relevance • Why do YOU read (or not read) newspapers?

4. What is News? • Class Discussion: • What is news to you? • What is NOT news to you? • What about cable news vs. network news? • What about bloggers vs. journalists? • What about comedic news vs. traditional news?

5. What is News? • Impact: __________ • The more people affected by an event, the bigger the story will be. • An increase in property tax in a given community will be relevant in THAT community, but not as much in other communities. • Prominence: __________ • Bill Clinton’s sexual affair with a young White House intern

6. What is News? • Proximity: __________ • Local butcher shop closes after 75 years in business • Columbine shootings: CSU students recount experiences: Former Rams student retells events of Columbine massacre

7. What is News? • Timeliness: __________ • Examples of stories that need immediate attention: • A fire breaks out at a five-story apartment building • Cowboy football player survives car accident • Examples of stories that are up and coming (e.g., seasonal): • Where to travel for spring break • Great snowboarding or skiing locations around Wyoming

8. What is News? • Conflict: __________ • Citizens for and against the Mosque near Ground Zero continue to protest • Novelty: __________ • Man ticketed for walking iguana • Go to CNN.com • What is the main story and news values does it reflect?

9. News Values Accuracy, fairness, objectivity, & clarity

10. Accuracy • Accuracy is tied with credibility. • Every detail must be correct. • 24-hour news cycle puts stress on accuracy.

11. Accuracy • Precision also fosters accuracy • Instead of saying a basketball player is “unusually short,” we would state the players height: 5 foot 1 inches. • Or instead of saying, “A boat hit the pier,” we would say, “A tanker (or ferry or barge or whatever) hit the pier causing $500,000 in damage.”

12. Fairness • From the Washington Post “Deskbook of Style”: • No story is fair if it omits facts or major importance or significance. So fairness includes completeness. • No story is fair if it includes essentially irrelevantinformation at the expense of significant facts. So fairness includes relevance. • No story is fair if it consciously or unconsciously misleads or deceives the reader. So fairness includes honesty – leveling with the reader. • No story is fair if reporters hide their biases or emotions behind such subtly pejorative words as “refused,” “despite,” “admit,” or “claim.” So fairness requires straightforwardness ahead of flashiness. • No story is fair if innocent people are hurt.

13. Fairness • A story cannot be accurate without being fair • All sides of the story must be presented in a story • Seek out diverse opinions from like-groups as well. • Example: Some Muslims might not want a mosque built by Ground Zero. • Example of Unfair Story: • http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/29/president-says-hes-worried-muslim-rumors/ • Note headline and url name • See the actual survey report at http://people-press.org/

14. Objectivity • Journalists must arrive at the best obtainable version of the truth • All journalists do have their own biases (beliefs, spirituality, political views, etc), but these biases should not be evident in his or her writing • Draw boundaries if necessary • If you’re a strict vegetarian and think people who eat meat are destroying the planet, then remove yourself from a story about the beef industry.

15. Objectivity • Language use is a big part of objectivity. • Example: Abortion story • Are the health-care workers called “physicians,” “abortion doctors,” “reproductive health workers,” or “baby killers”? • Are the people outside the clinic with signs called “demonstrators,” “activists” or “protesters”? • One misplaced adjective can ruin objectivity: • Gerald Silver, a politician running for governor, said today… • Gerald Silver, the dynamic politician running for governor, said today…

16. Clarity • Research and knowledge of the topic are essential. • If you don’t get it, you won’t write it well, and you’re audience won’t get it either. • Stories should: • Be simple and understandable on a middle-school reading level • Explain complex issues or processes with ease • Be complete so that readers should not be left with any questions • Be specific and not assume readers have read all of the previous stories about the subject/event

17. As a Journalist … • Your basic obligation is to the reader. The next obligation is to the company you’re representing. • Don’t allow your story to be released until you understand everything • Never assume anything • Plan your stories, interviews, etc., but be prepared to make major changes. • Make every word you write count – space is limited.

18. For Next Time… • Monday: The Basics of Online Journalism • Readings: • Foust: Ch. 1-2 • Briggs: Ch. 1-3