As noted in the below blog posts, due no later than 9 a.m. Monday via email to omars@msu.edu will be ...
... an ethics quiz, which consists of 15 true-or-false questions;
... a media law quiz, which consists of 17 true-or-false questions;
... and an ethics decision-making summary,
which consists of whether you agree with the decisions made by
photojournalists in three situations, and explanations for what you
would have done and why regarding those photos.
In
addition to that, read all new blog posts that follow this one; please keep adhering to previously-posted deadlines
for your third and fourth out-of-class stories (including third
out-of-class story multimedia); your job shadow assignment (time is running out quickly; your final grade will drop if this isn't done); any extra credit;
and anything else I may be forgetting right now. Please refer to earlier
blog posts for details.
And have a good weekend, everybody!
Thursday, July 31, 2014
RFTM Ch. 6: Communications Law
First, let's look at some general concepts:
Libel is defamation by written words, including stories, headlines, photo captions, TV scripts that are then read out loud, online content, ect. It's a degree apart from slander, which iss defamation by spoken word.
There are several elements of libel, including ...
... defamation. Did the words injure a reputation? It must be phrased in a literal way.
... identification. Was the person identified, directly or by reference?
... publication. Was the item actually published?
... falsity. Is the statement false? The burden is on the plaintiff -- not the defendant -- to prove it was false.
This is where most libel cases are thrown out of court, provided that the news organization did their due diligence in reporting and the story is, in fact, clearly true. If it's true, then there cannot be libel.
... injury. Did the accused actually suffer some form of harm as a result, such as monetary losses, harm to reputation, humiliation and/or mental anguish?
... fault. Did the news organization make the statement intentionally, recklessly or negligently? Did the news org know it was false, and shared it anyway? Did the news org fail to do due diligence in checking out the claim before reporting it? Did the news org have a reckless disregard for the truth?
Fault is very difficult to prove. The plaintiff must prove the news org knew facts that would call the story into question; refused to examine contradictory evidence; relied on an inherently unbelievable source; published/posted/broadcast the story without investigating; and/or simply made up the story. This is what is known as actual malice.
It's not enough for the plaintiff to prove there were simple unintended mistakes in handling the story, or that the defendant simply disliked the plaintiff. Fault is almost impossible to prove IF proper due diligence --like verifying facts, getting multiple sources to confirm information; giving the story subject a chance to rebut allegations -- is done in reporting, writing and editing the story.
Many journalists are frequently threatened with libel suits -- in my professional career I was threatened many dozens of times! -- but the vast majority are never sued, because the story is true.
There are several libel defenses. Those inlcude ...
... truth; that the gist of the charge is true. If there is no falsity, then there cannot be libel. A story that harms a reputation but is true is called the truth. From a legal standpoint, a story need not be correct in every detail; just the point the defendant is claiming to be libelous.
There are, however, exceptions to the truth rule. For example, if a quote is defamatory, but cited correctly without investigation into substance. (That's why we need multiple sources on things.) Or the omission of facts that create a misleading conclusion. Or the misuse of words to create a false impression. (We have to get context right.)
... fair report privilege. That is when we correctly quote defamatory statements during (but not before or after) public meetings in all levels of government, such as those offered during a city council meeting or a criminal trial or in an official document like a police report.
... fair comment and criticism. That is, opinions based on true facts, including opinions in news stories. Yes, an unattributed opinion in a news story is bad journalism, but it enjoys the same legal protections as good journalism.
The textbook offers a good libel avoidance checklist on p. 137; please review it.
Now that we talked about libel, let's move on to invasion of privacy. It involves intrusion, or intentionally intruding on someone's privacy in a highly offense manner.
For it to be invasion of privacy, this must take place in a place where a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as if the reporter was trespassing in a private home, private property or a business open to the public but privately-owned (like a shopping mall), or using an eavesdropping device, or looking inside a person's home uninvited.
Courts do not consider ordinary newsgathering techniques to be intrusive, such as examining public records naming the person; interviewing their friends, relatives, associates and enemies; requesting interviews; and anything happening in a public place (like public streets, sidewalks, parks, and publicly-owned buildings).
Next, there is the issue of publicizing private facts. To be off-limits, the information must truly be private; that is, it's information not available via any public record; facts that are not widely known; and regarding a matter that is "highly offensive" and not just embarrassing; and that there is no legitimate public interest in disclosure.
There is also false light. That's where reporting creates a false and offensive impression. Legally, it's similar to libel, and a defendant must prove actual malice. Again, if we interview a wide variety of sources, double-check our information, give the story subject an opportunity to respond and keep the context of the story based on what we discovered and confirmed, then this should never be a real threat to us.
Let's now move on to access to public proceedings and records. First, at a breaking news scene like a car accident or house fire, it's important to remember reporters have no greater rights than citizens to gather at a news scene. Officials may extend access as they see fit, and they often do. But it's their call.
To help mitigate that, always carry press credentials identifying yourself as a working journalist; don't trespass on private property or cross marked police lines without permission; and obey all orders from police, even ones you don't think are right. You can always complain later.
Often, reporters access documents by citing state or federal Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) laws, regarding access to such documents. FOIA requires government to make most documents publicly accessible, but there are exceptions.
Those exceptions usually include: classified information; information regarding internal personnel rules and practices;; trade secrets; confidential commercial information; memos that would reveal decision-making processes; information that would intrude on personal privacy; police investigative files which, if disclosed, could cause harm or compromise an ongoing criminal investigation; and other limited exceptions.
It's hard for courts to close or otherwise restrict courtrooms or court proceedings to the press, unless media attention threatens the fairness of a trial. Courts may sequester jurors, issue gag orders to witnesses, seal some court files, or delay trials, but only in very rare instances can they legally shut the press out of a courtroom.
Libel is defamation by written words, including stories, headlines, photo captions, TV scripts that are then read out loud, online content, ect. It's a degree apart from slander, which iss defamation by spoken word.
There are several elements of libel, including ...
... defamation. Did the words injure a reputation? It must be phrased in a literal way.
... identification. Was the person identified, directly or by reference?
... publication. Was the item actually published?
... falsity. Is the statement false? The burden is on the plaintiff -- not the defendant -- to prove it was false.
This is where most libel cases are thrown out of court, provided that the news organization did their due diligence in reporting and the story is, in fact, clearly true. If it's true, then there cannot be libel.
... injury. Did the accused actually suffer some form of harm as a result, such as monetary losses, harm to reputation, humiliation and/or mental anguish?
... fault. Did the news organization make the statement intentionally, recklessly or negligently? Did the news org know it was false, and shared it anyway? Did the news org fail to do due diligence in checking out the claim before reporting it? Did the news org have a reckless disregard for the truth?
Fault is very difficult to prove. The plaintiff must prove the news org knew facts that would call the story into question; refused to examine contradictory evidence; relied on an inherently unbelievable source; published/posted/broadcast the story without investigating; and/or simply made up the story. This is what is known as actual malice.
It's not enough for the plaintiff to prove there were simple unintended mistakes in handling the story, or that the defendant simply disliked the plaintiff. Fault is almost impossible to prove IF proper due diligence --like verifying facts, getting multiple sources to confirm information; giving the story subject a chance to rebut allegations -- is done in reporting, writing and editing the story.
Many journalists are frequently threatened with libel suits -- in my professional career I was threatened many dozens of times! -- but the vast majority are never sued, because the story is true.
There are several libel defenses. Those inlcude ...
... truth; that the gist of the charge is true. If there is no falsity, then there cannot be libel. A story that harms a reputation but is true is called the truth. From a legal standpoint, a story need not be correct in every detail; just the point the defendant is claiming to be libelous.
There are, however, exceptions to the truth rule. For example, if a quote is defamatory, but cited correctly without investigation into substance. (That's why we need multiple sources on things.) Or the omission of facts that create a misleading conclusion. Or the misuse of words to create a false impression. (We have to get context right.)
... fair report privilege. That is when we correctly quote defamatory statements during (but not before or after) public meetings in all levels of government, such as those offered during a city council meeting or a criminal trial or in an official document like a police report.
... fair comment and criticism. That is, opinions based on true facts, including opinions in news stories. Yes, an unattributed opinion in a news story is bad journalism, but it enjoys the same legal protections as good journalism.
The textbook offers a good libel avoidance checklist on p. 137; please review it.
Now that we talked about libel, let's move on to invasion of privacy. It involves intrusion, or intentionally intruding on someone's privacy in a highly offense manner.
For it to be invasion of privacy, this must take place in a place where a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as if the reporter was trespassing in a private home, private property or a business open to the public but privately-owned (like a shopping mall), or using an eavesdropping device, or looking inside a person's home uninvited.
Courts do not consider ordinary newsgathering techniques to be intrusive, such as examining public records naming the person; interviewing their friends, relatives, associates and enemies; requesting interviews; and anything happening in a public place (like public streets, sidewalks, parks, and publicly-owned buildings).
Next, there is the issue of publicizing private facts. To be off-limits, the information must truly be private; that is, it's information not available via any public record; facts that are not widely known; and regarding a matter that is "highly offensive" and not just embarrassing; and that there is no legitimate public interest in disclosure.
There is also false light. That's where reporting creates a false and offensive impression. Legally, it's similar to libel, and a defendant must prove actual malice. Again, if we interview a wide variety of sources, double-check our information, give the story subject an opportunity to respond and keep the context of the story based on what we discovered and confirmed, then this should never be a real threat to us.
Let's now move on to access to public proceedings and records. First, at a breaking news scene like a car accident or house fire, it's important to remember reporters have no greater rights than citizens to gather at a news scene. Officials may extend access as they see fit, and they often do. But it's their call.
To help mitigate that, always carry press credentials identifying yourself as a working journalist; don't trespass on private property or cross marked police lines without permission; and obey all orders from police, even ones you don't think are right. You can always complain later.
Often, reporters access documents by citing state or federal Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) laws, regarding access to such documents. FOIA requires government to make most documents publicly accessible, but there are exceptions.
Those exceptions usually include: classified information; information regarding internal personnel rules and practices;; trade secrets; confidential commercial information; memos that would reveal decision-making processes; information that would intrude on personal privacy; police investigative files which, if disclosed, could cause harm or compromise an ongoing criminal investigation; and other limited exceptions.
It's hard for courts to close or otherwise restrict courtrooms or court proceedings to the press, unless media attention threatens the fairness of a trial. Courts may sequester jurors, issue gag orders to witnesses, seal some court files, or delay trials, but only in very rare instances can they legally shut the press out of a courtroom.
RFTM Ch. 7: Ethics
What are ethics? Simply put, acting and thinking morally and being able to distinguish between right and wrong. It's
key to establishing credibility. But the answers to what is ethical and
what is not can be elusive, situational and judgmental.
In ethical decision-making, there are several guiding questions. Among them:
Who will be hurt by this story?
Who will be helped?
What do we usually do in similar situations?
Is this the best alternative?
Can you look yourself in the mirror tomorrow and believe you did the right thing for the right reasons?
Can you justify your actions to the public?
What principles or values can you apply?
Does this decision fit the kind of journalism you believe in and the way people should treat one another?
What is the objective of this story?
Will my decisions contribute to the reason for writing the story?
Is there a greater good that you're trying to accomplish that outweighs whatever bad that may result from my actions?
There are several issues central to ethics. First, we must maintain objectivity. We must put aside personal biases; be accurate, and offer proper context based on the facts we find.
Second, we must be on guard against exploiting grief. It's important to establish the true human impact of a bad happening; that's why we try to talk to victims and survivors and their loved ones. But that's difficult because of the state of victims and their families. We risk hurting victims again by creating a "second wound" of retelling and detailing a tragic event.
So, we need to weigh the importance in the community being able to appreciate the full, tragic weight of an event versus the harm that may be done to victims.
I mean, would you feel the same about something like 9/11 if you didn't hear the personal stories of what people went through that day? That's what made 9/11 news; not that planes hit buildings, but that those events altered scores of human lives like ours.
Then again, how must it be for victim families to hear those details re-aired, not only to them but to the whole world? There is no perfect answer; so we try to come up with the best imperfect answer we can.
Third, we should never steal or fabricate information. There's no grey area here; it's never acceptable. We're in the truth business. We tell the truth. It's the same as not tolerating a cop who steals or a firefighter who's a pyromaniac or a doctor that murders people.
Fourth, we must take care in handling rumors and speculation. Ideally, reporters investigate rumors and come up with evidence so they can turn rumors into facts, or debunk rumors. We don't just report rumors.
Fifth, when witnessing a crime or disaster, we need to weigh the risk to the victim versus the value of information gleaned. If we come across a victim that is not being assisted, we should be human first and help others in need. If those hurt are already being assisted, do your job and let professional responders do theirs.
As journalists, we are trying to assist humanity. Our primary way of doing that is by sharing stories of importance to the greater world. It also means using common sense, being a human being and not being a dick when the circumstances call for humanity.
Sixth, conflicts of interest should be avoided. We are in a conflict of interest when we or someone close to us are in a position to benefit from a story we cover. Circumstances that create a conflict of interest include ...
... accepting freebies. We should not accept anything of even minimal value from a news source. Whether or not the freebie actually influences a story is irrelevant; it can create a reasonable appearance of a conflict of interest, and it's that appearance we're trying to avoid.
... free trips. We cannot accept transportation or lodging for an event that would otherwise be inaccessible. If we must be embedded with those we cover, we need to pay back the cost of our access.
... participating in the news. We should not hold public office, help with campaigns or special-interest issues, or write about issues in which we have a direct or indirect interest. For example, if we're the member of a fraternity, we shouldn't be the one writing about that frat's fund-raiser. If we think we have a conflict of interest, alert your boss and ask to be reassigned.
... dating and cronyism. Don't date who you write about. If you do, ask to be reassigned. Plus, don't allow similar conflicts with friends, family or your own private interests.
... "scratching backs." Don't write stories with the purpose of currying favor with a source. You write stories only because they are in the public interest, not your own. Try to have multiple sources in any subject area so you are not beholden to any single source for info.
In ethical decision-making, there are several guiding questions. Among them:
Who will be hurt by this story?
Who will be helped?
What do we usually do in similar situations?
Is this the best alternative?
Can you look yourself in the mirror tomorrow and believe you did the right thing for the right reasons?
Can you justify your actions to the public?
What principles or values can you apply?
Does this decision fit the kind of journalism you believe in and the way people should treat one another?
What is the objective of this story?
Will my decisions contribute to the reason for writing the story?
Is there a greater good that you're trying to accomplish that outweighs whatever bad that may result from my actions?
There are several issues central to ethics. First, we must maintain objectivity. We must put aside personal biases; be accurate, and offer proper context based on the facts we find.
Second, we must be on guard against exploiting grief. It's important to establish the true human impact of a bad happening; that's why we try to talk to victims and survivors and their loved ones. But that's difficult because of the state of victims and their families. We risk hurting victims again by creating a "second wound" of retelling and detailing a tragic event.
So, we need to weigh the importance in the community being able to appreciate the full, tragic weight of an event versus the harm that may be done to victims.
I mean, would you feel the same about something like 9/11 if you didn't hear the personal stories of what people went through that day? That's what made 9/11 news; not that planes hit buildings, but that those events altered scores of human lives like ours.
Then again, how must it be for victim families to hear those details re-aired, not only to them but to the whole world? There is no perfect answer; so we try to come up with the best imperfect answer we can.
Third, we should never steal or fabricate information. There's no grey area here; it's never acceptable. We're in the truth business. We tell the truth. It's the same as not tolerating a cop who steals or a firefighter who's a pyromaniac or a doctor that murders people.
Fourth, we must take care in handling rumors and speculation. Ideally, reporters investigate rumors and come up with evidence so they can turn rumors into facts, or debunk rumors. We don't just report rumors.
Fifth, when witnessing a crime or disaster, we need to weigh the risk to the victim versus the value of information gleaned. If we come across a victim that is not being assisted, we should be human first and help others in need. If those hurt are already being assisted, do your job and let professional responders do theirs.
As journalists, we are trying to assist humanity. Our primary way of doing that is by sharing stories of importance to the greater world. It also means using common sense, being a human being and not being a dick when the circumstances call for humanity.
Sixth, conflicts of interest should be avoided. We are in a conflict of interest when we or someone close to us are in a position to benefit from a story we cover. Circumstances that create a conflict of interest include ...
... accepting freebies. We should not accept anything of even minimal value from a news source. Whether or not the freebie actually influences a story is irrelevant; it can create a reasonable appearance of a conflict of interest, and it's that appearance we're trying to avoid.
... free trips. We cannot accept transportation or lodging for an event that would otherwise be inaccessible. If we must be embedded with those we cover, we need to pay back the cost of our access.
... participating in the news. We should not hold public office, help with campaigns or special-interest issues, or write about issues in which we have a direct or indirect interest. For example, if we're the member of a fraternity, we shouldn't be the one writing about that frat's fund-raiser. If we think we have a conflict of interest, alert your boss and ask to be reassigned.
... dating and cronyism. Don't date who you write about. If you do, ask to be reassigned. Plus, don't allow similar conflicts with friends, family or your own private interests.
... "scratching backs." Don't write stories with the purpose of currying favor with a source. You write stories only because they are in the public interest, not your own. Try to have multiple sources in any subject area so you are not beholden to any single source for info.
Ethics: A Code To Follow
Listed
below is the Code of Ethics from the Society of Professional
Journalists, the nation's leading organization of journalists. I
strongly recommend you print out the code and keep it handy for however
long you are a journalist. The principles offered within can help you
guide an ethical and responsible response to numerous situations:
SPJ Code of Ethics
Download a printable copy [PDF]
Preamble
Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice.
Seek Truth and Report It
Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
Journalists should:
Minimize Harm
Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.
Journalists should:
Act Independently
Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public's right to know.
Journalists should:
Be Accountable
Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other.
Journalists should:
The SPJ Code of Ethics is voluntarily embraced by thousands of writers, editors and other news professionals. The present version of the code was adopted by the 1996 SPJ National Convention, after months of study and debate among the Society's members.
Sigma Delta Chi's first Code of Ethics was borrowed from the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1926. In 1973, Sigma Delta Chi wrote its own code, which was revised in 1984, 1987 and 1996.
SPJ Code of Ethics
Download a printable copy [PDF]
Preamble
Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice.
The SPJ Code of Ethics is voluntarily embraced by thousands of
journalists, regardless of place or platform, and is widely used in
newsrooms and classrooms as a guide for ethical behavior. The code is
intended not as a set of "rules" but as a resource for ethical
decision-making. It is not — nor can it be under the First Amendment —
legally enforceable.
For an expanded explanation, please follow this link.
For an expanded explanation, please follow this link.
Seek Truth and Report It
Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
Journalists should:
— Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
— Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.
— Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.
— Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
— Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.
— Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations.
— Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it.
— Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story
— Never plagiarize.
— Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
— Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
— Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.
— Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.
— Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
— Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
— Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
— Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.
Minimize Harm
Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.
Journalists should:
— Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects.
— Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.
— Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance.
— Recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone’s privacy.
— Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.
— Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes.
— Be judicious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges.
— Balance a criminal suspect’s fair trial rights with the public’s right to be informed.
Act Independently
Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public's right to know.
Journalists should:
—Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
— Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
— Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
— Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
— Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable.
— Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence news coverage.
— Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bidding for news.
Be Accountable
Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other.
Journalists should:
— Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct.
— Encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media.
— Admit mistakes and correct them promptly.
— Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.
— Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.
The SPJ Code of Ethics is voluntarily embraced by thousands of writers, editors and other news professionals. The present version of the code was adopted by the 1996 SPJ National Convention, after months of study and debate among the Society's members.
Sigma Delta Chi's first Code of Ethics was borrowed from the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1926. In 1973, Sigma Delta Chi wrote its own code, which was revised in 1984, 1987 and 1996.
Media Law: A Quiz!
What I would like you to do is to answer the following questions in an email. Then, send the email to me no later than 9 a.m. Monday to omars@msu.edu, with the subject line of law quiz.
This is a closed-book quiz; please take it after reading the ethics
chapter and blog post, but DO NOT use those materials while actually
taking the quiz.
No, I can't make sure you're being honest. But journalists are only as good as their integrity. Ethics are what you do when no one is looking, right? So, don't cheat.
Here are your questions, to be answered in a true/false format:
1. The right of the press and public to attend judicial proceedings can never be abridged.
2. The federal government and all state governments have laws that open public meetings and records, but the laws contain many exemptions.
3. Under modern libel law, plaintiffs must prove the falsity of the defamatory statements.
4. Actual malice, which public figures who sue for libel must prove, means the reporter or publisher intended to harm the plaintiff.
5. Journalists have an absolute right of access to crime, accident or disaster scenes.
6. One way reporters protect themselves against libel suits is by identifying the people they write about as precisely as possible, using name, age and address.
7. The U.S. Supreme Court has approved the practice of allowing reporters to ride along with police on drug busts or other arrests.
8. News organizations always escape liability for defamatory statements if they prove they accurately quoted defamatory charges made by other people.
9. Information drawn from public records, such as property tax information or court documents, can never be the basis for a lawsuit over publicity to private facts.
10. The major common-law defenses to libel suits are truth, fair-report privilege and harmless error.
11. Such things as interviewing acquaintances and examining public records do not constitute intrusion on a person's privacy.
12. Defamatory statements are those that lower a person's reputation in the community or deter others from associating or doing business with that person.
13. A private individual who is a libel plaintiff must prove actual malice to win punitive damages.
14. The U.S. Supreme Court has said most people who become public figures for purposes of a libel suit do so involuntarily.
15. The plaintiff in a false light privacy lawsuit does not have to prove injury to reputation.
16. Statements of opinion may be protected from libel suits, so long as the statements are not based on or do not imply false facts about the plaintiff.
17. The U.S. Supreme Court has said reporters cannot be subpoenaed by courts or grand juries to testify about confidential sources and information.
No, I can't make sure you're being honest. But journalists are only as good as their integrity. Ethics are what you do when no one is looking, right? So, don't cheat.
Here are your questions, to be answered in a true/false format:
1. The right of the press and public to attend judicial proceedings can never be abridged.
2. The federal government and all state governments have laws that open public meetings and records, but the laws contain many exemptions.
3. Under modern libel law, plaintiffs must prove the falsity of the defamatory statements.
4. Actual malice, which public figures who sue for libel must prove, means the reporter or publisher intended to harm the plaintiff.
5. Journalists have an absolute right of access to crime, accident or disaster scenes.
6. One way reporters protect themselves against libel suits is by identifying the people they write about as precisely as possible, using name, age and address.
7. The U.S. Supreme Court has approved the practice of allowing reporters to ride along with police on drug busts or other arrests.
8. News organizations always escape liability for defamatory statements if they prove they accurately quoted defamatory charges made by other people.
9. Information drawn from public records, such as property tax information or court documents, can never be the basis for a lawsuit over publicity to private facts.
10. The major common-law defenses to libel suits are truth, fair-report privilege and harmless error.
11. Such things as interviewing acquaintances and examining public records do not constitute intrusion on a person's privacy.
12. Defamatory statements are those that lower a person's reputation in the community or deter others from associating or doing business with that person.
13. A private individual who is a libel plaintiff must prove actual malice to win punitive damages.
14. The U.S. Supreme Court has said most people who become public figures for purposes of a libel suit do so involuntarily.
15. The plaintiff in a false light privacy lawsuit does not have to prove injury to reputation.
16. Statements of opinion may be protected from libel suits, so long as the statements are not based on or do not imply false facts about the plaintiff.
17. The U.S. Supreme Court has said reporters cannot be subpoenaed by courts or grand juries to testify about confidential sources and information.
Ethics: A Quiz!
What I would like you to do is to answer the following questions in an email. Then, send the email to me no later than 9 a.m. Monday to omars@msu.edu, with the subject line of ethics quiz.
This is a closed-book quiz; please take it after reading the ethics
chapter and blog post, but DO NOT use those materials while actually
taking the quiz.
No, I can't make sure you're being honest. But journalists are only as good as their integrity. Ethics are what you do when no one is looking, right? So, don't cheat.
Here are your questions, to be answered in a true/false format:
1. Many reporter decisions have unintended and long-term consequences.
2. A question to ask when making an ethical decision is, "Does this decision fit the kind of journalism I believe in and the way people should treat one another?"
3. Two important questions to ask when facing ethical decisions are "Who will be hurt, and how many?" and "Who will be helped, and how many?"
4. Deciding which side to present first in a story is a value judgment.
5. Managing editors encourage their journalists to become involved in city politics.
6. It is usually all right for reporters to interfere with police procedures.
7. News stories often are the sources of a second wound to victims.
8. The mirco issue is the main reason for publishing or airing a story.
9. Good journalists are also compassionate journalists.
10. It is ethical to lie about being a reporter when the result is a good story.
11. It is now acceptable to publish the names of all juvenile defenders.
12. Gossip is a good source for news topics.
13. Journalists must learn to recognize their biases.
14. Professional organizations can compel members to follow their ethics codes.
15. Being ethical means being able to distinguish between right and wrong.
No, I can't make sure you're being honest. But journalists are only as good as their integrity. Ethics are what you do when no one is looking, right? So, don't cheat.
Here are your questions, to be answered in a true/false format:
1. Many reporter decisions have unintended and long-term consequences.
2. A question to ask when making an ethical decision is, "Does this decision fit the kind of journalism I believe in and the way people should treat one another?"
3. Two important questions to ask when facing ethical decisions are "Who will be hurt, and how many?" and "Who will be helped, and how many?"
4. Deciding which side to present first in a story is a value judgment.
5. Managing editors encourage their journalists to become involved in city politics.
6. It is usually all right for reporters to interfere with police procedures.
7. News stories often are the sources of a second wound to victims.
8. The mirco issue is the main reason for publishing or airing a story.
9. Good journalists are also compassionate journalists.
10. It is ethical to lie about being a reporter when the result is a good story.
11. It is now acceptable to publish the names of all juvenile defenders.
12. Gossip is a good source for news topics.
13. Journalists must learn to recognize their biases.
14. Professional organizations can compel members to follow their ethics codes.
15. Being ethical means being able to distinguish between right and wrong.
Ethics: 9/11's Falling Man, The Buzzard And The Girl, The Burn Victim
There's a fine line between showing readers the brutal truth of a
situation so that they understand the powerful truth of any story, and
showing readers a truth so brutal that readers ignore the point you were
trying to make and instead question your judgment.
I can think of no better example of this than the so-called "Falling Man" photo, taken by an Associated Press photographer during the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks and published by The New York Times the next day.
This remarkable article from Esquire Magazine in 2003 offers a summation of the complex and contradictory forces at play in deciding if running the image was the absolute right thing or the incredibly wrong thing to do.
If you were an editor on Sept. 11, what would you have done? And why?
Likewise, what would you do if you were a photographer covering an African famine and you came across a starving girl being stalked by a vulture? That was a real-world decision for one photog, and it may have led to his own unfortunate end.
Finally, what would you do if you were the photographer who took this award-winning pic of this badly-burned girl in the Vietnam War?
Look carefully at each picture; read each link carefully and in its entirety; and then let's talk it out.
What I'd like you to do for each photo is to answer the following questions for each of the three photos and scenarios:
-- Do you agree with the course of action actually taken by the photojournalist? Why or why not? Cite ethical values we've discussed in the blog and read in the ethics chapter.
-- What you would have done and why if you were the photographer? Cite ethical values we've discussed in the blog and read in the ethics chapter.
Again, the photos and scenarios (for which all the links are above) are:
-- The 9/11 "Falling Man" pic
-- The starving girl/vulture pic
-- the Vietnam War girl pic
Then email me your answers for each of the three photos and scenarios no later than 9 a.m. Monday to omars@msu.edu, under the subject line of ethical decisions.
I want to hear what you think, and why. I'm not looking for simply your personal opinions; I'm looking for your professional opinions, based on what we've learned and what we believe in as journalists and as human beings.
I can think of no better example of this than the so-called "Falling Man" photo, taken by an Associated Press photographer during the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks and published by The New York Times the next day.
This remarkable article from Esquire Magazine in 2003 offers a summation of the complex and contradictory forces at play in deciding if running the image was the absolute right thing or the incredibly wrong thing to do.
If you were an editor on Sept. 11, what would you have done? And why?
Likewise, what would you do if you were a photographer covering an African famine and you came across a starving girl being stalked by a vulture? That was a real-world decision for one photog, and it may have led to his own unfortunate end.
Finally, what would you do if you were the photographer who took this award-winning pic of this badly-burned girl in the Vietnam War?
Look carefully at each picture; read each link carefully and in its entirety; and then let's talk it out.
What I'd like you to do for each photo is to answer the following questions for each of the three photos and scenarios:
-- Do you agree with the course of action actually taken by the photojournalist? Why or why not? Cite ethical values we've discussed in the blog and read in the ethics chapter.
-- What you would have done and why if you were the photographer? Cite ethical values we've discussed in the blog and read in the ethics chapter.
Again, the photos and scenarios (for which all the links are above) are:
-- The 9/11 "Falling Man" pic
-- The starving girl/vulture pic
-- the Vietnam War girl pic
Then email me your answers for each of the three photos and scenarios no later than 9 a.m. Monday to omars@msu.edu, under the subject line of ethical decisions.
I want to hear what you think, and why. I'm not looking for simply your personal opinions; I'm looking for your professional opinions, based on what we've learned and what we believe in as journalists and as human beings.
JRN 200: Speaking Of Ethics ...
... we're having an ethical problem in this class as of late.
A huge part of journalistic ethics is avoiding the appearance of a conflict of interest; that is, not reporting on people and places to which we have a personal or professional connection or interest.
So, if we're dating a basketball player, we should never write about the basketball team. If our sister is on student government, then that topic is off-limits. If we're in an anti-coal group, we should never write about coal specifically or energy in general.
That's because it's hard to be convincingly objective if we have a stake in the outcome. Common sense dictates that we won't be as critical of our friends, relatives and associations as we would be outside ones. There are few things as destructive to credibility as inside connections like those.
On the first multimedia assignment, I allowed conflict-of-interest waivers ON THAT ASSIGNMENT ONLY so you could get your feet wet in new mediums. For all other assignments, I assumed you would understand traditional conflict of interest rules would apply.
That assumption of mine was wrong. Many people had clear conflicts of interest in the second multimedia assignment. More troubling, some people had clear conflicts of interest in their second out-of-class stories (which never had such a waiver!).
Not only is it a clear violation of journalistic ethics, it defeats efforts to teach you necessary skills, like identifying and locating sources (which is harder to do when you don't already know them) and getting them to talk (likewise) and learning about entirely new subjects while on deadline (which is the vast majority of journalism; we don't have the luxury of picking-and-choosing things to report on; we report on what is necessary at the moment.)
(For example, on 9/11 journalists didn't have the luxury of talking to their own friends and relatives or changing the story topic; they had to talk to friends and relatives of people who just died, and they had to stick to the topic of global terrorism having come to the U.S., whether or not to subject was previously familiar to them. And did I mention this was all on a immediate deadline?)
So, let me be clear now: from here on out, no conflicts of interest allowed on any assignment. The penalty for having a conflict of interest will be the same as a fatal: an automatic 1.0. If you need help in determining whether something or someone is a conflict of interest, it's your responsibility to contact me before the assignment is due.
A huge part of journalistic ethics is avoiding the appearance of a conflict of interest; that is, not reporting on people and places to which we have a personal or professional connection or interest.
So, if we're dating a basketball player, we should never write about the basketball team. If our sister is on student government, then that topic is off-limits. If we're in an anti-coal group, we should never write about coal specifically or energy in general.
That's because it's hard to be convincingly objective if we have a stake in the outcome. Common sense dictates that we won't be as critical of our friends, relatives and associations as we would be outside ones. There are few things as destructive to credibility as inside connections like those.
On the first multimedia assignment, I allowed conflict-of-interest waivers ON THAT ASSIGNMENT ONLY so you could get your feet wet in new mediums. For all other assignments, I assumed you would understand traditional conflict of interest rules would apply.
That assumption of mine was wrong. Many people had clear conflicts of interest in the second multimedia assignment. More troubling, some people had clear conflicts of interest in their second out-of-class stories (which never had such a waiver!).
Not only is it a clear violation of journalistic ethics, it defeats efforts to teach you necessary skills, like identifying and locating sources (which is harder to do when you don't already know them) and getting them to talk (likewise) and learning about entirely new subjects while on deadline (which is the vast majority of journalism; we don't have the luxury of picking-and-choosing things to report on; we report on what is necessary at the moment.)
(For example, on 9/11 journalists didn't have the luxury of talking to their own friends and relatives or changing the story topic; they had to talk to friends and relatives of people who just died, and they had to stick to the topic of global terrorism having come to the U.S., whether or not to subject was previously familiar to them. And did I mention this was all on a immediate deadline?)
So, let me be clear now: from here on out, no conflicts of interest allowed on any assignment. The penalty for having a conflict of interest will be the same as a fatal: an automatic 1.0. If you need help in determining whether something or someone is a conflict of interest, it's your responsibility to contact me before the assignment is due.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
JRN 200: The Tuesday 7/29 Homework
First, review the second multimedia assignment (including video, blog posts and tweets) in the following blog post.
Second, your third and fourth out-of-class stories and your third multimedia assignment have been assigned. Please see the earlier related blog post for details and deadlines.
Third, in the 10th edition of Reporting For The Media please read chapters 6 and 7 (p. 129-186) by Thursday.
Plus, revenge is a dish best served cold. And it's supper time! Go to https://sirsonline.msu.edu to complete the SIRS online evaluation of this class; please complete it at your earliest convenience. I really do seriously consider the input, so please don't skip this opportunity to anonymously tell me what you really think of me, good or (hopefully not) bad.
Second, your third and fourth out-of-class stories and your third multimedia assignment have been assigned. Please see the earlier related blog post for details and deadlines.
Third, in the 10th edition of Reporting For The Media please read chapters 6 and 7 (p. 129-186) by Thursday.
Plus, revenge is a dish best served cold. And it's supper time! Go to https://sirsonline.msu.edu to complete the SIRS online evaluation of this class; please complete it at your earliest convenience. I really do seriously consider the input, so please don't skip this opportunity to anonymously tell me what you really think of me, good or (hopefully not) bad.
MM #2: Let's Look At Your Work!
Okay, so here's the video/blog/tweet recap, posted in the order in which they were received. I ask that you please look at EACH multimedia package and read my comments for EACH MM package (not just your own!), so we can learn like we've learned from each other throughout this semester.
Also, examine how the mediums complement each other: the preview does just that; the tweet stream allows you to follow what was previewed, as it actually happens; and the recap wraps it all up.
BTW, unless you received an email from me noting a specific grade, your grade for the Web posts, video and Twitter exercises was 4.0 on each.
One more thing: a number of people did not turn in this assignment at all. I need to warn you one last time that not turning in any assignment will do damage to your final grade. Not turning in many assignments will do much damage.
Here we go ...
****
Maria B.: home brewing video and preview post and recap post and tweets #klobjulymeeting
In the video, it takes almost a minute to get to our first B-roll. In the meantime, we get a shot of a head talkingtalkingtalking. A boring shot B-roll is intended to break up and minimize. A visual and animated medium needs to tell stories visually and in animation; talking heads falls short of that. The B-roll you had was good; it just needs to be spread out throughout the vid,and not just used all at once in mid-video.
****
Nicole D.: rape culture video and preview post and recap post and tweets #theskirtmademedoit
We did something different with Twitter here; instead of a linear story being told tweet by tweet; we offered key points and quotes in such a fashion. That's fine, but I think a lede tweet would have helped let the reader know what the string of points and quotes collectively meant.
Also, with the blog photos please note we cannot take pics from other sites without permission, even if we give credit. That's considered copyright theft. However, it's okay to link to such pics, since the pic never leaves its original Web site that way.
****
Jessica M.: child development video and preview post and recap post and tweets #learnoutdoors
The video offers weak attributing captions, identifying the speakers as an "assistant director" and "head teacher." Uh, assistant director and head teacher of what? Let's be clear. The blog posts are very nicely done, with a clear preview and then details of how the day played out (and pics you took, too). And the tweet stream was a nice play-by-play.
****
Nate P.: shopping mall video and preview post and recap post and tweets #frandorshoppingexperience
The recap post only had one hyperlink; the assignment minimum was two per item.
****
Kaylen E.: volleyball game video and preview post and recap post and tweets #noellegetsdirty
Very nice work here, but the problem was that the assignment topic was to be a portion of or all of one of the first two out-of-class stories. The original story was about the summer grind, not summer fun. So, even though you used one of the interview subjects from the original as your subject here, it doesn't follow the assignment parameters.
****
Terynee B.: video and preview post and recap post and tweets #freeads
The preview post is missing first references for two of three sources, and the tweet stream is missing first reference for one of three. Let's not forget to follow attribution rules online like we do in print: first and last names on first attribution; just the last name on subsequent attributions.
****
Marlee G.: youth football video and preview post and recap post and tweets #savethebrains
The video is missing a title caption, akin to a text story missing a lede. Just as problematic is the shaky, swooping video shots. We need more stability (like shooting on a tripod) and focusing in on telling things.
****
Maria M.: study abroad video and preview post and recap post and tweets #yoursummerineurpoe
With the blog posts, we want the hyperlinks to link from body text to an invisible URL, instead of having the URL visible like we do here. Please look at other posts for examples of hyperlinking text instead of a visble URL.
With the video, we're (again) missing the lede caption, and then we compound it by leaving out an attribution caption on both interview subjects. We need to know who we're listening to as soon as they start talking. Nice use of still photos for B-roll, though.
****
Auriel T.: academic advising video and preview post and recap post and tweets #save our credits
With the video, we don't need an attribution caption AND the person saying their name out loud; that's redundant. Just go with the name caption. More problematic was how long it took to get to our first B-roll (more than 1 minute), in which time the audience could get bored of the static interview shot and move on. Plus, we exceeded our 2-minute time limit; in broadcast we have to be sure to precisely hit our time windows, as show segments are timed down to the second to hit all the needed cues.
****
Megan C.: community theater video and preview post and recap post and tweets #kazoolivetheatre
Too little B-roll in the video. A visual and animated medium needs to tell stories visually and in animation; talking heads falls short of that. Great blog posts, with lots of hyperlinks. You can never have enough!
****
Tyler M.: minimum wage video and preview post and recap post and tweets #minimumwage
****
Tiago Z.: summer job video and preview post and recap post and tweets #tundeonthejob
The video is missing a lede caption again. Like a print story, let the audience know what you're getting into right from the start. Plus, the assignment requirement was two interview subjects; we only had one here. The blog posts are entirely missing hyperlinks, which defeats the purpose of telling stories digitally. Plus, the tone of the posts center too much on what you were doing, rather than concentrating on what the story subject is doing.
****
Tanisha E.: fashion trend video and preview post and recap post and tweets #chainhunt
Slow down with the video captions! Some came and went so fast I feel like it was hard to keep up with reading them. Give captions a few seconds each of display time so people can read 'em. Plus, the sequencing of info was a bit off; we need to know what the questions are before we hear source answers.
Also, examine how the mediums complement each other: the preview does just that; the tweet stream allows you to follow what was previewed, as it actually happens; and the recap wraps it all up.
BTW, unless you received an email from me noting a specific grade, your grade for the Web posts, video and Twitter exercises was 4.0 on each.
One more thing: a number of people did not turn in this assignment at all. I need to warn you one last time that not turning in any assignment will do damage to your final grade. Not turning in many assignments will do much damage.
Here we go ...
****
Maria B.: home brewing video and preview post and recap post and tweets #klobjulymeeting
In the video, it takes almost a minute to get to our first B-roll. In the meantime, we get a shot of a head talkingtalkingtalking. A boring shot B-roll is intended to break up and minimize. A visual and animated medium needs to tell stories visually and in animation; talking heads falls short of that. The B-roll you had was good; it just needs to be spread out throughout the vid,and not just used all at once in mid-video.
****
Nicole D.: rape culture video and preview post and recap post and tweets #theskirtmademedoit
We did something different with Twitter here; instead of a linear story being told tweet by tweet; we offered key points and quotes in such a fashion. That's fine, but I think a lede tweet would have helped let the reader know what the string of points and quotes collectively meant.
Also, with the blog photos please note we cannot take pics from other sites without permission, even if we give credit. That's considered copyright theft. However, it's okay to link to such pics, since the pic never leaves its original Web site that way.
****
Jessica M.: child development video and preview post and recap post and tweets #learnoutdoors
The video offers weak attributing captions, identifying the speakers as an "assistant director" and "head teacher." Uh, assistant director and head teacher of what? Let's be clear. The blog posts are very nicely done, with a clear preview and then details of how the day played out (and pics you took, too). And the tweet stream was a nice play-by-play.
****
Nate P.: shopping mall video and preview post and recap post and tweets #frandorshoppingexperience
The recap post only had one hyperlink; the assignment minimum was two per item.
****
Kaylen E.: volleyball game video and preview post and recap post and tweets #noellegetsdirty
Very nice work here, but the problem was that the assignment topic was to be a portion of or all of one of the first two out-of-class stories. The original story was about the summer grind, not summer fun. So, even though you used one of the interview subjects from the original as your subject here, it doesn't follow the assignment parameters.
****
Terynee B.: video and preview post and recap post and tweets #freeads
The preview post is missing first references for two of three sources, and the tweet stream is missing first reference for one of three. Let's not forget to follow attribution rules online like we do in print: first and last names on first attribution; just the last name on subsequent attributions.
****
Marlee G.: youth football video and preview post and recap post and tweets #savethebrains
The video is missing a title caption, akin to a text story missing a lede. Just as problematic is the shaky, swooping video shots. We need more stability (like shooting on a tripod) and focusing in on telling things.
****
Maria M.: study abroad video and preview post and recap post and tweets #yoursummerineurpoe
With the blog posts, we want the hyperlinks to link from body text to an invisible URL, instead of having the URL visible like we do here. Please look at other posts for examples of hyperlinking text instead of a visble URL.
With the video, we're (again) missing the lede caption, and then we compound it by leaving out an attribution caption on both interview subjects. We need to know who we're listening to as soon as they start talking. Nice use of still photos for B-roll, though.
****
Auriel T.: academic advising video and preview post and recap post and tweets #save our credits
With the video, we don't need an attribution caption AND the person saying their name out loud; that's redundant. Just go with the name caption. More problematic was how long it took to get to our first B-roll (more than 1 minute), in which time the audience could get bored of the static interview shot and move on. Plus, we exceeded our 2-minute time limit; in broadcast we have to be sure to precisely hit our time windows, as show segments are timed down to the second to hit all the needed cues.
****
Megan C.: community theater video and preview post and recap post and tweets #kazoolivetheatre
Too little B-roll in the video. A visual and animated medium needs to tell stories visually and in animation; talking heads falls short of that. Great blog posts, with lots of hyperlinks. You can never have enough!
****
Tyler M.: minimum wage video and preview post and recap post and tweets #minimumwage
****
Tiago Z.: summer job video and preview post and recap post and tweets #tundeonthejob
The video is missing a lede caption again. Like a print story, let the audience know what you're getting into right from the start. Plus, the assignment requirement was two interview subjects; we only had one here. The blog posts are entirely missing hyperlinks, which defeats the purpose of telling stories digitally. Plus, the tone of the posts center too much on what you were doing, rather than concentrating on what the story subject is doing.
****
Tanisha E.: fashion trend video and preview post and recap post and tweets #chainhunt
Slow down with the video captions! Some came and went so fast I feel like it was hard to keep up with reading them. Give captions a few seconds each of display time so people can read 'em. Plus, the sequencing of info was a bit off; we need to know what the questions are before we hear source answers.
Monday, July 28, 2014
JRN 200: The Monday 7/28 Homework
First, don't forget your second multimedia assignment (including video, blog posts and tweets) is due no later than 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 29.
Second, instructions for your third and fourth out-of-class stories and your third multimedia assignment are listed below. Please get started as soon as you get a reply from me on your tip sheet proposals.
Third, in the 10th edition of Reporting For The Media please read chapters 6 and 7 (p. 129-186) before Thursday, July 31.
Plus, revenge is a dish best served cold. And it's supper time! Also below is a blog post that will link you to the SIRS online evaluation of this class; please complete it at your earliest convenience. I really do seriously consider the input, so please don't skip this opportunity to anonymously tell me what you really think of me, good or (hopefully not) bad.
Second, instructions for your third and fourth out-of-class stories and your third multimedia assignment are listed below. Please get started as soon as you get a reply from me on your tip sheet proposals.
Third, in the 10th edition of Reporting For The Media please read chapters 6 and 7 (p. 129-186) before Thursday, July 31.
Plus, revenge is a dish best served cold. And it's supper time! Also below is a blog post that will link you to the SIRS online evaluation of this class; please complete it at your earliest convenience. I really do seriously consider the input, so please don't skip this opportunity to anonymously tell me what you really think of me, good or (hopefully not) bad.
Out-Of-Class #3: We Bring It All Together
For the third
out-of-classer, we're gonna do something that's a bit different yet
still familiar, and at the same time brings together everything we've
been working on this summer.
That's because the third out-of-classer won't simply be a written story; instead, we will be filing versions for all mediums.
Due on the same topic will be:
... a written story, for which the topic must be pre-approved by me, via tip sheet; the story must be at least 700 words long; you need to note the word count at the end of the story; the story should include at least three sources who you have personally interviewed. Three is the bare minimum, but I expect to see many more than that; and you should try to incorporate at least one neutral expert, as noted in the syllabus.
Also, on a separate page, attach a source sheet where you list by name, title, phone number and email address each interview source you communicated with. I will be randomly spot-checking sources to check your accuracy and make sure you spoke to whom you claim to have spoken.
Plus, keep in mind you will have the opportunity to do an optional rewrite of your story, after the graded version is returned to you. To earn credit for a rewrite, you must do additional reporting and rewriting, as suggested by me. Then, your initial grade and rewrite grade are averaged, and that average becomes your final assignment grade;
... a 1-2 minute video, uploaded to YouTube, with B-roll and at least two source interviews on-tape; on either the entire comprehensive story or simply one aspect or angle of it.
... a 100-200-word preview, posted to blogger.com and done in a journalistic style, taking a look at the issue going into your reporting, with at least two relevant working hyperlinks embedded in the text;
... a 100-200-word recap, posted to blogger.com and done in a journalistic style, taking a look at what you discovered about the issue/how it ended, with at least two relevant working hyperlinks embedded in the text;
... and a tweet stream on Twitter with at least 12 tweets on the subject, and a unifying hash tag applied to each tweet.
For this exercise, you may re-interview sources from your written stories or interview new sources. You may also use what you gathered and your notes from your original stories in putting together your new media news products.
Also, when I say you can do the entire comprehensive story or just an aspect of it, this is what I mean: let's say you did a story on the pros and cons of living off-campus vs. on-campus. The video and tweet stream may just look at one aspect, such as student opinions on the issue. The preview online story might look at the experiences of on-campus residents; with the recap looking at off-campus viewpoints. None of the mediums necessarily have to look at the issue as broadly as you did in a traditional text story (though you may do so if you so choose).
There will be separate deadlines for the print and multimedia versions of your stories. The deadline for the written version of the story will be no later than 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7 via email to omars@msu.edu under the subject line of OOC3.
The deadline for all multimedia components of the story will be no later than 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 14 via email to omars@msu.edu. Please include links to all the multimedia products in a single email under the subject line MM3.
The deadline for the third out-of-class story rewrite, the optional fourth out-of-class story, your job shadow report and all extra credit work will be no later than 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 14 via email to omars@msu.edu.
That will be the last day of class, and no work will be accepted after that date and time.
That's because the third out-of-classer won't simply be a written story; instead, we will be filing versions for all mediums.
Due on the same topic will be:
... a written story, for which the topic must be pre-approved by me, via tip sheet; the story must be at least 700 words long; you need to note the word count at the end of the story; the story should include at least three sources who you have personally interviewed. Three is the bare minimum, but I expect to see many more than that; and you should try to incorporate at least one neutral expert, as noted in the syllabus.
Also, on a separate page, attach a source sheet where you list by name, title, phone number and email address each interview source you communicated with. I will be randomly spot-checking sources to check your accuracy and make sure you spoke to whom you claim to have spoken.
Plus, keep in mind you will have the opportunity to do an optional rewrite of your story, after the graded version is returned to you. To earn credit for a rewrite, you must do additional reporting and rewriting, as suggested by me. Then, your initial grade and rewrite grade are averaged, and that average becomes your final assignment grade;
... a 1-2 minute video, uploaded to YouTube, with B-roll and at least two source interviews on-tape; on either the entire comprehensive story or simply one aspect or angle of it.
... a 100-200-word preview, posted to blogger.com and done in a journalistic style, taking a look at the issue going into your reporting, with at least two relevant working hyperlinks embedded in the text;
... a 100-200-word recap, posted to blogger.com and done in a journalistic style, taking a look at what you discovered about the issue/how it ended, with at least two relevant working hyperlinks embedded in the text;
... and a tweet stream on Twitter with at least 12 tweets on the subject, and a unifying hash tag applied to each tweet.
For this exercise, you may re-interview sources from your written stories or interview new sources. You may also use what you gathered and your notes from your original stories in putting together your new media news products.
Also, when I say you can do the entire comprehensive story or just an aspect of it, this is what I mean: let's say you did a story on the pros and cons of living off-campus vs. on-campus. The video and tweet stream may just look at one aspect, such as student opinions on the issue. The preview online story might look at the experiences of on-campus residents; with the recap looking at off-campus viewpoints. None of the mediums necessarily have to look at the issue as broadly as you did in a traditional text story (though you may do so if you so choose).
There will be separate deadlines for the print and multimedia versions of your stories. The deadline for the written version of the story will be no later than 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 7 via email to omars@msu.edu under the subject line of OOC3.
The deadline for all multimedia components of the story will be no later than 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 14 via email to omars@msu.edu. Please include links to all the multimedia products in a single email under the subject line MM3.
The deadline for the third out-of-class story rewrite, the optional fourth out-of-class story, your job shadow report and all extra credit work will be no later than 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 14 via email to omars@msu.edu.
That will be the last day of class, and no work will be accepted after that date and time.
JRN 200: Your Turn To Grade Me!
From MSU, sent to me, forwarded to you. Please follow the link and fill out the survey on this class ASAP. (Yes, I really do read these and take the feedback -- whether good or bad -- seriously, so please do the survey. And thanks!)
Student Instruction Rating System (SIRS Online) collects student feedback on courses and instruction at MSU. Student Instructional Rating System (SIRS Online) forms will be available for your students to submit feedback during the dates indicated:
JRN 200 730: 7/27/2014 - 8/26/2014 (SIRS only)
Direct students to https://sirsonline.msu.edu.
Students are required to complete the SIRS Online form OR indicate within that form that they decline to participate. Otherwise, final grades (for courses using SIRS Online) will be sequestered for seven days following the course grade submission deadline for this semester.
SIRS Online rating summaries are available to instructors and department chairs after 8/26/2014 at https://sirsonline.msu.edu. Instructors should provide copies of the rating summaries to graduate assistants who assisted in teaching their course(s). Rating information collected by SIRS Online is reported in summary form only and cannot be linked to individual student responses. Student anonymity is carefully protected.
Student Instruction Rating System (SIRS Online) collects student feedback on courses and instruction at MSU. Student Instructional Rating System (SIRS Online) forms will be available for your students to submit feedback during the dates indicated:
JRN 200 730: 7/27/2014 - 8/26/2014 (SIRS only)
Direct students to https://sirsonline.msu.edu.
Students are required to complete the SIRS Online form OR indicate within that form that they decline to participate. Otherwise, final grades (for courses using SIRS Online) will be sequestered for seven days following the course grade submission deadline for this semester.
SIRS Online rating summaries are available to instructors and department chairs after 8/26/2014 at https://sirsonline.msu.edu. Instructors should provide copies of the rating summaries to graduate assistants who assisted in teaching their course(s). Rating information collected by SIRS Online is reported in summary form only and cannot be linked to individual student responses. Student anonymity is carefully protected.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
JRN 200: The Thursday 7/24 and Friday 7/25 Homework
Outside
of the latest blog posts (and please do keep checking every weekday!)
we're still working on what has already been assigned. But we have some deadlines rapidly coming up!
That includes the optional second out-of-class rewrite (due Monday), the required third and optional fourth out-of-class story tip sheets (also due Monday), and the second multimedia assignment (due Tuesday). Please see earlier blog posts for directions/details.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns I will be available between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at 517-432-3009; omars@msu.edu, and/or 435 E. Grand River Ave. (The State News Building, at the corner of Grand River and Division, next to the SBS bookstore and across the street from Berkey Hall).
Good luck, everyone!
That includes the optional second out-of-class rewrite (due Monday), the required third and optional fourth out-of-class story tip sheets (also due Monday), and the second multimedia assignment (due Tuesday). Please see earlier blog posts for directions/details.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns I will be available between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at 517-432-3009; omars@msu.edu, and/or 435 E. Grand River Ave. (The State News Building, at the corner of Grand River and Division, next to the SBS bookstore and across the street from Berkey Hall).
Good luck, everyone!
JRN 200: More Job Shadows!
Here's
the latest job shadow reports I've received; they will each be posted as I receive 'em. Take a look
and see what you can learn from everyone's visits. There's a lot of
good stuff here to help you decide what you want to do with your lives;
what you need to be doing to get there; and what to expect when you do
get there.
Please give each one of these a quick read, will you?
Please give each one of these a quick read, will you?
*****
At Michigan State
I am majoring in Journalism and News Broadcasting, so when I got the
opportunity to job shadow a Reporter at a News Station I was thrilled.
For my job shadow
I worked with Alex Jokich at WWMT News Channel 3 on June 11th.
Alex and I were
required to be at the station at 3am until noon for her broadcast schedule. Alex
broadcasted five times during the day, with two different news stories.
When I arrived at
the studio, I was stopped at the gate and was paged in by security to get the
“OK” from Alex. Alex met me at the door and I was surprised by the
high-security at the station.
When we entered
the studio Alex first gave me a tour, and then we started writing for the
broadcast. Alex showed me the newsroom that consists of desks and computers for
reporters and editors, in the middle of the room, the producers worked together
at one large desk.
Alex explained to
me that the producers select her news stories and she has to turn the story
into a broadcast for viewers. Alex and I both worked to write the stories in an
hour period before her first broadcast at 4am.
Alex is
responsible for two separate stories to be broadcasted two hours apart from
each other during the morning.
Alex printed the
articles given to her by the producers for both of us and as we worked
separately at writing the stories. After we were both finished we compared
notes and edited them.
After the scripts
were final, we sent them to the producers to be put on the teleprompter for the
broadcast.
Before going on
air, Alex did her hair and makeup, and then prepared the camera and
microphones.
I was
semi-surprised that Alex’s job was so independent from the news station. Even
though Alex isn’t able to choose her news stories, she still is in control of
most of her job in the morning.
Alex did all of
her broadcasts in the newsroom with people moving around her. The main news
anchors and meteorologists did their broadcasts in the studio with the green
screens and decorated desks. For Alex to go on air the news anchors, which were
already broadcasting, introduced her.
Alex did her
broadcast independently and talked to the teleprompter that had the story we
wrote earlier. Some of the broadcasts Alex had an editor watch and control the
camera, but for others, Alex set up her microphone and positioned the camera by
herself for the broadcast.
After we did the
first few broadcasts, Alex and I were able to sit down and talk about
Journalism and her experience.
Alex studied
Journalism in California, interning every year, and then moved back to her
hometown in Chicago after she graduated. Alex first started her career at a
small station in a small town that broadcasted for an hour once a week.
After two years at
the small studio, Alex moved to a larger station and built a portfolio, and
then was recruited by an Executive at WWMT.
Alex’s main advice
is to start small, and get as much experience as you can. Alex described that
to get airtime and experience, small stations are best. A large station doesn’t
necessarily trust out of college reporters without as much experience. At a
small station, new reporters are welcome to learn and become involved in the
station as much as possible.
The news station
setting promotes and encourages reporters to work hard and gain experience to
work towards something greater.
After my job
shadow I am more determined than ever to pursue a career in News Broadcasting.
Seeing the behind the scenes at the station and the work that goes into
Journalism, motivates me to work harder to gain experience and make connections
that I will use in the future.
*****
I could tell just from shadowing her for a short
three hours that she is an expert at what she does and I’m not surprised that
she has done well in the corporate world as journalism major.
*****
For this assignment I chose to shadow Lana Walker,
Communications and PR Manager at Beam Global, the corporation my dad works for.
Lana graduated from the University of Minnesota with Journalism
major, and used her knowledge to land her job at Beam.
On Thursday, May 29th, Lana had a lot on her plate
because Lana is taking over for another woman’s job while she goes on maternity
leave and is giving all her duties to a woman named Liz who works at Beam as
well.
So, from 8a.m. to 11a.m. Lana did “knowledge transfer” for
Liz, which I witnessed. This transfer was basically Lana teaching Liz all of
her new responsibilities that come with Lana’s job and the goals Liz should be
hitting for the company between now and March 2015 while Lana takes over
another woman’s job.
Just some of those responsibilities are handling internal
relationships between all of the departments of Beam, and running a blog for
Beam where each week they feature people who are doing great things for the
company. Also within those features Lana runs, she interviews key players in
the company and reports on this blog.
Lana talked about how her journalistic background has helped
her create and execute this blog. She also noted that due to her background she
really uses her tools she learned to be simply a great writer and communicator.
Lana also thinks that these are skills that will benefit me
as well as I dig deeper into journalism. She even told me that she has the AP
stylebook on her desk and still uses it frequently. I thought that was amazing
and probably something that makes her so great at what she does.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
JRN 200: The Wednesday 7/23 Homework
Outside of the latest blog posts (and please do keep checking every weekday!) we're still working on what has already been assigned.
That includes the optional second out-of-class rewrite (due Monday), the required third and optional fourth out-of-class story tip sheets (also due Monday), and the second multimedia assignment (due Tuesday). Please see earlier blog posts for directions/details.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns I will be available between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at 517-432-3009; omars@msu.edu, and/or 435 E. Grand River Ave. (The State News Building, at the corner of Grand River and Division, next to the SBS bookstore and across the street from Berkey Hall).
Good luck, everyone!
That includes the optional second out-of-class rewrite (due Monday), the required third and optional fourth out-of-class story tip sheets (also due Monday), and the second multimedia assignment (due Tuesday). Please see earlier blog posts for directions/details.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns I will be available between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at 517-432-3009; omars@msu.edu, and/or 435 E. Grand River Ave. (The State News Building, at the corner of Grand River and Division, next to the SBS bookstore and across the street from Berkey Hall).
Good luck, everyone!
Job Shadows: The Second One!
Here's
the second job shadow report I've received; they will each be posted as I receive 'em. Take a look
and see what you can learn from everyone's visits. There's a lot of
good stuff here to help you decide what you want to do with your lives;
what you need to be doing to get there; and what to expect when you do
get there.
Please give each one of these a quick read, will you?
Please give each one of these a quick read, will you?
*****
On
Tuesday, June 24th, I completed my job shadow with Jessica Wheeler,
a morning reporter for WWMT News Channel 3 in Kalamazoo.
I have been interested in broadcast
journalism since high school, and I had even completed a job shadow of Channel
3’s morning anchor, Marcie Kobriger, as a high school senior and loved it.
Shadowing Jessica was a much different
experience, but one that I enjoyed all the same.
Jessica’s day starts at three in the morning,
which is the same time that I arrived at the station, and goes until between 11
a.m. and 12 p.m.
I was warned in advance that a reporter’s day
is never typical - it always changes. Jessica said that is one reason she likes
her job so much - there is always something new and different on a day-to-day
basis.
Unfortunately for me, the day that I shadowed Jessica
was a very quiet and dull one spent entirely in the newsroom. It definitely gave
me a good perspective of what a reporter does when not covering breaking news, though,
so I was grateful for that.
Jessica said she aims for her morning schedule
to go as follows, unless there is breaking news: arrive at 3 a.m., complete
scripts by 4 a.m., do her hair and makeup at 4:15 a.m., and then do the live
broadcasts at 4:30 a.m., 5 a.m., 5:30 a.m., and 6 a.m. If there is breaking
news, Jessica and her team head to the scene where she will get the scoop and
report what is happening from there.
After leading me back to her desk, Jessica
began preparing her scripts for the day’s newsroom reports that she would do
every half hour, beginning at 4:30. The station uses a program called ENPS.
Jessica said the program each station uses depends on the broadcast company
that they work for. WWMT is part of the Sinclair Broadcast Group and is also a
CBS affiliate.
That morning, Jessica’s stories were about an
IRS scam and a Husky Club that was doing good deeds in the community. The IRS
story was one that Jessica had to modify from Associated Press stories that
were downloaded to the ENPS system that morning, along with video clips and
sound bites.
The Husky story was different, though, because
Jessica and her photographer/videographer, Eric, had produced the story on
their own over the past week. So, all that was left was to introduce the story
and roll the footage during the broadcast.
After finishing her scripts, Jessica explained
more about how affiliates share stories through programs like CBS Newspath,
which is a network story origination source that allows sharing of news
packages amongst affiliate news stations.
Jessica also explained about News Minutes in
the ENPS system, which are updated every hour and tell the big story highlights
across the top of the ENPS screen so that newsrooms and reporters never miss
breaking news.
Being prepared and savvy is important as a
reporter, Jessica told me. For example, that morning the Internet was acting
up, which meant they could not download the video and sound clips that
accompanied Jessica’s IRS report. Thus, she tweaked her script to include some
important information that would have been left out. For the later broadcasts,
they were able to get the video and sound clips, so Jessica went back to her
original script.
This Internet fluke was a great example of why
reporters have to be able to think on their feet and be able to respond
positively when things go wrong.
Social media, like Facebook and Twitter, have
been increasingly important sources of information, said Jessica. She said she
constantly checks her Twitter feeds and Facebook timeline for posts about
breaking news and photos and updates that she could possibly create a story on
or report as breaking news.
Jessica follows other news reporters, key
community members, and other people who are up early like she is. That way, she
has a variety of Tweets to look through and keep herself updated on what is
happening in the community in real time.
Social media, Jessica said, also allows
reporters like her to track things and string posts together about certain
topics, like the Western Michigan University riots. She used Twitter to help
find sources to talk to and photos to use in her report on that subject a few
weeks ago.
Another interesting aspect of the newsroom is
the constantly running row of police scanners. Jessica said her first newsroom
job was to listen to scanners and pick out the important events to send news
crews to. So, she has a really good ear when it comes to picking up on
newsworthy scanner talk. If she hears something interesting on the scanners,
she calls dispatch about incidents and asks for more information. Some
dispatchers are friendly and willing to help while others are not, she said.
With a few minutes to kill before her first
broadcast cut-in, Jessica said she usually goes through her email and the WWMT
station email in search of potential news story ideas sent in by community
members. One that interested her when I was there was a Mom & Me Belly
Dancing Class. She said she would forward the email to herself and then follow
up on it when she had some downtime.
After grabbing her scripts off the printer,
Jessica settled herself in at the newsroom desk and prepared for her turn on
air. She said reporters should always be prepared with notes or a paper script
incase of teleprompter failures.
It was so fun to watch her report live, as I
stood right next to her. She was extremely focused, calm, collected, and
professional while on air. She knew exactly what she needed to communicate with
her stories, and her voice reflected that.
In between her cut-ins every half hour that
morning, Jessica continued to show me around the newsroom and explain how she
edits stories. She said when you are writing for broadcast, everything must be
simplified and short, for there is not much time to get the key points to
viewers. Leads must be eye-catching and similar to a headline.
To give me practice, Jessica printed out recent
AP news stories from the ENPS system and allowed me to write up a short
broadcast featuring the stories. After, she would critique them.
I struggled with these practice stories at
first, because I was used to writing for print, which allows for much more
detail. After I learned to pick out only the most crucial information, Jessica
said it was obvious that I knew how to write and that I was doing a great job at
creating a cohesive story.
When Jessica was all done with her broadcasts,
she and the rest of the morning team took me with them to get lunch.
Once back at the station, Jessica returned to
her desk to finish formatting her scripts from that morning for online
publication. This was much more along the lines of what we had been doing in
class, so I was much more familiar with the format.
As Jessica was showing me their story bin that
is constantly updated with fliers and printouts of upcoming events in the
community, a police scanner went off telling of a fatal crash on a nearby
highway. After confirming with dispatch, Jessica and Eric prepared to head to
the scene of the crash.
Since there would be nowhere for me to park on
the highway, Jessica thought it best that I not follow them. She did give me some
last minute advice, though.
Jessica said a reporter should always be
prepared for breaking news. She, for example, always has raingear at her desk
and a large tote bag filled with snacks, water, work phone, makeup, hairbrush,
and an earpiece.
As Jessica and Eric ran out through the doors,
I was unsure if I could see myself being a reporter. I know I would love the
excitement and thrill of breaking news and something new to do every day.
However, I really like organization and routine, which is what an anchoring job
gives you, at least more so than a reporting job.
I am still intrigued and fascinated by
broadcast journalism and want to be involved with it in some way. Shadowing
Jessica gave me a great feel for what happens in the newsroom and how to cope
when things do not go the way they were planned.
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