Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Courts And Social Media: What Do Judges And Court Workers Think?, Patrick Keyzer, Jane Johnston, Mark Pearson, Sharon Rodrick, Anne Wallace

Jane Johnston

Brief Abstract: This article reports the findings of a research project that examined the impact and issues arising from the use of social media in court.

Courts' New Visibility 2.0, Jane Johnston

Jane Johnston

Extract

This chapter uses the concept of a 'New Visibility theory' as a framework for viewing the courts' involvement in the complex contemporary media landscape. Sociologist John Thompson notes that the new visibility 'is a space shaped not only by the constantly changing technologies that enable words and images to be recorded and transmitted ... but also by the institutions and organisations that have an interest in transmitting this content'.¹ The courts are one such institution which have, over the space of two decades, both sought out visibility and had visibility imposed on them by changing communications practices. Accordingly, …

The News Triumvirate, Susan Forde, Jane Johnston

Jane Johnston

News agencies, or wire services, are playing a growing role in the contemporary news environment, primarily due to the prevalence of the 24/7 online newsroom and its associated need for speed and volumes of copy. At the same time press releases and other public relations-generated material daily flood the news environment. This paper builds on research into these two fields, trialling a new methodology—one which follows press releases and other public relations material through the uptake by news agencies, in particular the Australian Associated Press, and finally, as published stories in metropolitan online newspapers. While previous research has tracked press …

Juries And Social Media: A Report Prepared For The Victorian Department Of Justice, Jane Johnston, Patrick Keyzer, Geoffry Holland, Mark Pearson, Sharon Rodrick, Anne Wallace

Jane Johnston

Introduction: It is a fundamental principle of law that an accused has a right to a fair trial. An incident of this right is that information relating to prior convictions of an accused should not be made available to the jury as it may bias their verdict. In our legal system, this principle has traditionally been underpinned by the common law offence of sub judice contempt of court. It is also reinforced by legislation, in each State and Territory, which makes it an offence for a juror to enquire about a person who is a party to a trial or …

The Courts And The Media: Challenges In The Era Of Digital And Social Media, Patrick Keyzer, Jane Johnston, Mark Pearson

Jane Johnston

The jury system is under threat, as jurors turn to Google and defy instructions to stick to the evidence. The news media struggle with inconsistent suppression orders. Judges wonder how to insulate justice from Twitter and Facebook. The eminent contributors to this book are Chief Justices, journalists, News Ltd’s former CEO, legal scholars and court officials. They see the anxieties from different viewpoints - and the opportunities as well - but none are under illusions about how serious (and complex) the issues are becoming.

The New, Old Journalism: Narrative Writing In Contemporary Newspapers, Jane Johnston, Caroline Graham

Jane Johnston

While there is a significant literature on the rise of narrative journalism in daily newspapers, mostly from the United States, few studies have investigated the breakdown of newswriting styles in the front end of the newspaper, with a specific focus on the use of narrative techniques. This study investigates the writing styles of two daily metropolitan print newspapers in order to provide some concrete data on narrative news reporting in Australia. In a sense, it responds to Mark Kramer's comment in 2000 that “no one has added up the reallocated column inches to quantify this change.” The research analyses 5000 …

The Silent Partner: News Agencies And 21st Century News, Jane Johnston, Susan Forde

Jane Johnston

This article investigates the ubiquitous presence of news agencies (or wire services) in the daily news. While considering the international environment, it focuses on the sole Australian news agency, Australian Associated Press (AAP), and on its dominance within the Australian news landscape. The article presents the findings of two case studies, tracing press releases through AAP and into the daily news around the world, while also analyzing the media culture that accepts copy from news agencies as “gospel”—a commodity to be used and reused without checking accuracy, and often without attribution. In addition, we identify that the heightened status of …

Girls On Screen: How Film And Television Depict Women In Public Relations, Jane Johnston

Jane Johnston

This paper explores how women in public relations have been depicted in the popular culture forms of film and television. With some reference to early screen depictions, it focuses primarily on film and television from the past two decades, analysing women in a variety of public relations roles in the 1990s and 2000s. The study looks at nine leading television series and movies from the United States and United Kingdom to examine how women in public relations are portrayed, and also collates the data from previous studies to develop a profile of how depictions have changed since the 1930s. Primarily, …

Towards A Narratology Of Court Reporting, Jane Johnston, Rhonda Breit

Jane Johnston

This article uses the theory of narratology to connect legal discourses and processes with the way the media translate the law into news. It identifies how narratology has been used by other disciplines, notably the law, to provide a framework for better understanding, and uses a range of theories and examples to propose a narratology for court reporting. The research identifies six key elements of narrative and expands these into a three-level schema of story level, discourse analysis and the interpretative context of stories. Finally, the article foreshadows a methodology through which to develop the narratology that follows court proceedings …

A History Of Public Relations On Screen: Cinema And Television Depictions Since The 1920s, Jane Johnston

Jane Johnston

No abstract provided.

Same Copy, Different Outlet: Wire Services, Journalism And The Erosion From Within, Jane Johnston, Susan Forde

Jane Johnston

This paper examines the role of Australia’s single news agency, Australian Associated Press (AAP) in the news media landscape and positions this within the broader international context. It uses a UK study which suggests news agency dominance of international news on the internet and investigates these claims in the Australian context. Specifically, we examine the prevalence of AAP copy in the ‘Breaking News’ sections of two major news websites to create a preliminary understanding of the impact of AAP on news content. The findings suggest an overwhelming reliance on wire copy – particularly AAP – in this section of two …

Public Relations: An Overview, Jane Johnston, Clara Zawawi, Jeff Brand

Jane Johnston

This leading introductory student text has been completely revised. With new examples, new information on digital strategies and on community relations, it reflects best contemporary practice in this increasingly influential profession.

Australia’S Media Climate:Time To Renegotiate Control, Jane Johnston, Mark Pearson

Jane Johnston

In 2007, Australia was rated by two international media bodies as well down the chain in media freedom. Within its own borders, internal media groups—in particular the Australian Press Council and the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, as well as a consortium of major employer groups—have recently released reports investigating the position of media freedoms. This article examines a select few of these shrinking freedoms which range from the passive restrictions on access to documents to the overt threat of imprisonment for publishing sensitive material. In particular, it considers laws relating to freedom of information, camera access to courts, shield …

Constructing Legal Narratives: Law, Language And The Media, Jane Johnston, Rhonda Breit

Jane Johnston

This paper proposes using the theory of narratology to connect to legal discourses and processes with the way the media translate the law into news. Focussing on the Australian context, it looks at the choice of language used my media in covering courts, how stories are told and retold within these primarily textual environments, as well as the selection processes used by journalists in covering these rounds. The paper extends the argument for a narratology of courts, to a narratology of court reporting, suggesting fundamental criteria of story, discourse and the interpretative context be examined. It foreshadows the need for …

Fm Radio News: Spreading The News Or Spread Too Thin?, Denise Raward, Jane Johnston

Jane Johnston

United Kingdom investigative reporter Nick Davies has coined the term 'churnalism' to describe the UK print media's reliance on wire copy and press releases for the vast majority of its news. This study looks at this trend in Australia, focusing on the FM radio industry and a case study of one radio station which also serves as a news 'hub' for a national network. Davies found that up to 80 per cent of Fleet Street news is based on wire service, other media or press releases. This Australian FM newsroom study found nearly 90 per cent of networked news bulletins …

Public Relations: Theory And Practice, Jane Johnston

Jane Johnston

This leading introductory student text has been completely revised. With new examples, new information on digital strategies and on community relations, it reflects best contemporary practice in this increasingly influential profession.

Public relations is a dynamic and rapidly growing field which offers a variety of career paths. Whether you're developing the public image of an organisation, dealing with the media or managing issues for a large company, you need strong communication skills and a sound understanding of public relations processes.

This widely used introduction to theory and professional practice has been fully revised and includes new material on community relations. …

'Not Wrong For Long': The Role And Penetration Of News Wire Agencies In The 24/7 Landscape, Jane Johnston

Jane Johnston

This paper examines the role of Australia’s single news agency, Australian Associated Press (AAP), in the Australian news media landscape. Specifically, we examine the prevalence of AAP copy in the ‘Breaking News’ sections of two major news websites in an effort to create a preliminary understanding of the impact of AAP on Australian news content. The results suggest an overwhelming reliance on copy from not just AAP, but international news agencies, in major news websites. Increasingly, the need for large volumes of news copy, coupled with the need for that copy to be published online as soon as possible, would …

Coastlines, Cags And Communications, Jane Johnston, Steve Gration

Jane Johnston

This paper layers communication theory over a cultural context by examining how Community Action Groups (CAGs) have responded to development along Australian coastlines. It analyses how communication and media strategies and techniques have been adopted by the third sector to challenge commercial and government organisations which have proposed coastal development. As noted by Huntsman (2001): 'It is this appropriation of the beach for the purposes of capitalism, and the contesting ideas about the beach that have captured the attention of critics.' Indeed these critics, who in this paper are members of strategic alliances, or CAGs, exist all along the Australian …

Media Relations: Issues And Strategies, Jane Johnston

Jane Johnston

A thorough introduction to the essential skills of working with the media, for public relations students and professionals.

Media relations is one of the most tangible and visible areas of public relations practice. It requires specialised skills, expertise about the media and its practices, and an understanding of current affairs and issues. It uses the practical tools of the media release, media conference and media kits, combined with management skills of advising about best practice within an organisation, and it is based on open relationships with journalists and other media professionals.

Media Relations provides a practical and thorough introduction to …

Setting The Table Doesn't Mean The Guests Will Come To Dinner: Televised Courts In Australia, Jane Johnston

Jane Johnston

The Australian courts are entering their second decade of experimentation with televised court proceedings. Yet, the process has been slow and largely unfulfilling for both the courts and the television networks. Developments in this field, compared to other countries, notably the United States, Canada and New Zealand, have progressed only on an ad hoc basis. A preliminary study indicates that the management in television newsrooms, notably news directors, have not been proactive in gaining camera access in any systematic or unified way. Indeed, the courts have argued: “we got the table set but nobody came to dinner”. In contrast, the …

Democratisation Of Public Relations: Levelling The Playing Field, Jane Johnston

Jane Johnston

Criticism of the anti-democratic uses of public relations by governments and corporations is appropriate. However public relations is more than the public relations industry. This paper returns to the definition of democracy, placing it firmly within an historical context, from ancient Athenian processes to today’s mass society and considers the role that public relations can play in the context of democratic dialogue. Positioning public relations and democracy within the one theoretical framework, we suggest public relations is more than a tool for business and government. We seek to continue the discussion about the nature of the public sphere, arguing that …