Download Critical Issues Lecture 2 Truth, Credibility and Objectivity

Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Media, Politics and the
Environment 1: News
Media, Politics and the
Environment
March 20, 2013
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Environmental journalism
Exploring risks and hazards
 Translating complex scientific issues into simple language and
STORIES
 Using varied sources: scientists, policy makers, NGOs, business,
consumers, involved (e.g., local) people, the general public
 Major issue areas for environmental journalism today:
 Climate change
 Sweet water shortage
 Environmental justice
 Population
 Biodiversity
(Source: Bob Wyss: Covering the Environment. How Journalists Work
the Green Beat. Routledge, 2008.)
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Environmental journalism:
history
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From 1960s: a few news organizations
1400 environmental journalists in the US today
7500 journalists in the world say they cover the
environment (IFEJ)
Many are part time environmental journalists at
smaller scale media (also cover other issues)
Origins: outdoor adventure and nature writing
Environmental journalism in the mainstream: a)
separate “environmental stories” b) as part or
aspect of any story
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
News journalism: 13 story genres
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Straight news account: No dominant narrative frame other
than outlining the basic who, what, when where, why and
how
Conflict Story: A focus on conflict inherent to the situation
or brewing among the players
Consensus Story: An emphasis on the points of agreement
around an issue or event
Conjecture Story: A focus around speculation of what is to
come
Process Story: An explanation of the process of something
or how something works
List continued....
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
6. Historical Outlook: How the current news fits into history
7. Horse Race: Who is winning and who is losing
8. Reality Check: A close look to verify a statement or information
given by a source
9. Trend Story: The news as an ongoing trend
10. Policy Explored: A focus on exploring policy and its impact 12%
11. Reaction Story: A response or reaction from one of the major
players
12. Wrongdoing Exposed: The uncovering of wrongdoing or injustice
13. Personality Profile: A profile of the newsmaker
Source: FRAMING THE NEWS. The Triggers, Frames, and
Messages in Newspaper Coverage. (Content analysis of first
page stories in US newspapers).
http://www.journalism.org/node/445
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Frequency of genres
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Combative genres: Three genres -- conflict,
winners and losers and revealing wrongdoing
-- accounted for 30% of all stories.
Straight news accounts: 16%-Explanatory stories (how things work, how
they fit into larger trends, or historical context)
12% of all stories.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Environmental journalism
Objective journalism
vs.
 Advocacy journalism
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Which one is more appropriate for
environmental journalism in your view?
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Objective journalism: The
search for truth
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“Everyone agrees that journalists must tell
the truth, but people are befuddled by that the
truth means.” Kovach and Rosenstiel:
Elements of Journalism
Truth: differences in science, religion and
journalism
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Journalistic truth
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Largely based on reporting what someone
has said: it is taken on belief that it is true, but
should be verified.
Sometimes based on what the reporter has
seen and experienced first hand.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
What is Truth?
Three kinds of truth:
Scientific
truth
Based on
experiment
and observations,
which are tested
repeatedly. Can and
should be verified.
Journalistic
truth
Based on what
someone has
said or seen.
Sometimes
cannot be
verified.
Religious
truth
Belief and
faith.
Usually
cannot
be verified.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Towards the journalistic method:
“I made it a principle not to write down the first story
that came down my way, and not even to be guided by
my own general impressions; either I was present myself
at the events which I have described, or else I heard of them
from eyewitnesses whose reports I have checked with as
much thoroughness as possible. Not that even so the truth
was easy to discover: different eyewitnesses gave different
accounts of the same events, speaking out of partiality for
one side or the other, or else from imperfect memories.”
The Greek historian Thucydides (5 BC) describing
his method
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
1. Accuracy: getting facts right
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A basic principle of journalism, but the one
that is missed the most often due to time
pressures, carelessness or ignorance.
Accuracy involves checking everything from
the spelling of names and facts, to getting
quotes accurately.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
2. Verification of facts
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Are the statements and facts reported, both
accurate and true?
“In the end, the discipline of verification is
what separates journalism from
entertainment, propaganda, fiction or art.”
Kovach and Rosenstiel
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Arriving at a reasonably reliable version
of the truth takes time
Arriving at a reasonably accurate account of any
event is a process that could take several days,
weeks or longer
-Initially, journalists get the facts down accurately as
stated by people
-Next, they verify these facts, if not the same day, the
next day
-If there are inconsistencies, journalists should keep
checking and verifying and looking for new facts
until they feel you a have a complete story
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
The importance of good editors
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Editors play an extremely important role in erifying
and checking the integrity of a story: a reporter
cannot do this alone.
Editors should go through stories line by line
checking facts as well as assertions. E.g., if a story
reads “according to sources” editors should check.
Who are the sources? How many are there? Is it just
one? Are there enough sources?
Editors can help remove the reporters unconscious
biases
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
The importance of method
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Journalism needs to develop a set of objective,
transparent techniques and methods for news
reporting.
Reporters should make clear where information
comes from.
After a story is published, editors should consider
checking with the subjects of the story what they
think about it.
This will also help reassure the public about the
credibility of the press.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Journalistic dishonesty
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The most common form of intellectual
dishonesty : "journalists who select sources
to express what is really their own point of
view, and then use a neutral voice to make it
seem objective are engaged in a form of
deception.” ~ “The Elements of Journalism”
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
The meaning of objectivity in
journalism
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The word objectivity is misused to indicate
neutrality, or balance. In practice, this is not
fully possible.
What journalists need to do, is use methods
of information gathering and reporting that
are objective and transparent (easily
understandable by the public).
Objectivity as a method: a procedural
approach.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Criticisms of objectivity
1.
2.
3.
‘Sources rulez’: journalists rely on the prominent
and elite as their translators or mediators.
Objectivity against independent thinking, creativity,
imagination, critical perspectives; just a technique
by journalists=disinterested spectators.
Objective journalists claim they just report and are
not responsible for creating news. Objective
journalists are amoral.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Alternatives to objectivity
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Advocacy journalism (advocating issues, topics,
frames, agenda, purpose, argument)
Investigative journalism (independent research,
in-deep, long projects to uncover hidden facts;
often involves conflict with economic or political
power holders)
Interpretive journalism (causal analysis,
explaining meaning)
Partisan journalism (serving a political party or
group)
Public journalism (“news bottom up”: focus on
local community members and involving them
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Alternatives to objectivity
cont-d
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Literary journalism (mixing journalism with
literature as an art form) Peter Hessler
Gonzo journalism (subjective journalism,
“first person”, “putting me, the journalist first”:
Hunter Thompson)
Development journalism (post-1960s,
moving out of post-colonial struggle to
support modernization in third world
countries, mobilize public, public service, etc)
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Advocacy journalism
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Is objectivity possible? Not really
Business and politics (power) will always
influences sources of journalism
Partisan media made an advance recently (e.g.,
Fox Television)
Why not serve the weak, help the powerless and
advocate their cause?
Health journalism (e.g, “hospice” services)
Environmental journalism (e., village impacted
by river pollution)
Investigative journalism (e.g., labor conditions)
Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Advocacy journalism (cont.)
Traditionally in opinion journalism (editorials, “Op-eds”) vs.
objective news
 More recently, in specialized newspapers and websites, but
also mainstream media
 Not partisan journalism or propaganda
 Truthful, accurate, credible
 Neutral sources – hard facts
Instruments of advocacy journalism:
 Selection of topic (pollution)
 Selection of frames (ethical: wrongdoing; sustainability; green
politics)
 Selection of sources (polluting business company vs. victims
and green NGOs)
 Opponents may receive less space in article/program
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Advocacy journalism (cont.)
Mode of presentation:
 Opinionated, advocating an issues or position
 Language (adjectives)
 Facial expression (on tv)
 Tone of voice (on tv and radio)
 Where to put your article in the website/newspaper or
tv/radio program tv/radio broadcast flow?
These are all instruments of advocacy journalism.
Objective journalism vs advocacy journalism:
which one is more appropriate for environmental
journalism in your view?