Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gender Issues In News Coverage, Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh

Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh

This entry discusses the participation and representation of women in the news media. Women entered journalism primarily to appeal to female audiences in the 19^th century and were expected to write about topics considered to be of interest for women, such as food, fashion, family and furniture. Today, global studies show that women remain underrepresented at all levels of news organizations, with a glass ceiling preventing women from rising to top positions. Female journalists are especially facing challenges in war reporting and sports reporting, and as opinion columnists. In terms of representation, women are frequently represented in a negative …

Long-Time Journalist, Professor Joins The Scioto Voice: Hapney Brings 30 Years Of Journalism Experience To Readers In Scioto County, Terry L. Hapney Jr.

Terry L. Hapney Jr., Ph.D.

Are Journalists Qualified To Write About Health And Science?, Burnis R. Morris

Burnis R. Morris

This article examines the preparation of journalists to report on health and science issues. It traces the historical linkage between the news media and health and science and reports the results of a survey of college professors who teach reporting courses at 86 departments and schools of journalism and mass communication. The article, also intended to help explain the journalistic method to scientists, concludes that many young journalists are qualified to cover simple stories about health and science and other topics when they leave college and acquire the skills to report on more complex issues through on-the-job training and specialized …

2014 Journalism Graduate Skills For The Professional Workplace: Expectations From Journalism Professionals And Educators, Bernard Mccoy

Bernard R. McCoy

With 2015 graduations approaching, accuracy, ethical principles, and good news judgment were identified as top skills college journalism graduates should possess for the professional workplace, according to a national survey of journalism educators and professionals. There are sharp differences, though, between respondent groups over how well college journalism programs are doing preparing journalism graduates for journalism careers, as well as the perceived importance of social media, mobile, and digital reporting skills. The survey asked journalism professionals and educators to rank skills and experiences journalism graduates need for the professional workplace. Respondents included 665 professional journalism managers, non-managers, and educators. Respondents …

Playing Italian: Cross-Cultural Dress And Investigative Journalism At The Fin De Siècle, Laura Vorachek

Laura Vorachek

This examination of late Victorian journalism reveals that one type of clothing offered middle-class women protection from street harassment: cross-cultural dress. In appropriate ethnic attire, reporters and social investigators ventured into the immigrant communities that made up a part of England’s urban poor, exploring such trades as Jewish fur-puller or Italian organ-grinder. This incognito ethnic attire afforded women both the means and the authority to carry out their investigations into the Italian constituency of the Victorian working poor. This study also examines how costumes enabled female investigators to manipulate class- and gender-based assumptions about who had broad access to the …

U.S. Newspapers Provide Nuanced Picture Of Islam, Brian J. Bowe, Shahira Fahmy, Jörg Matthes

Brian J. Bowe

This study examines how Islam is covered in 18 large circulation U.S. newspapers and finds six frames that draw a nuanced picture of how Islam is framed in the news media. Two frames are negative, one is positive and three are neutral.

The Best Practices For A Professional News Package, Joshua Eure

Joshua Eure

Creating an excellent and impactful news package is a skill set that develops over time. Seasoned reporters typically learn the hard way how to best prep and plan for their features. However, taking advantage of a few tried and true tips can make even the cub reporter look like a pro.

Crime News: Does Quantity Matter?, Rocky Dailey

Rocky Dailey

Early Judaic Ethics Applied To The Society Of Professional Journalist’S Decision On The Fate Of The Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award, Ginny Whitehouse, Lindsay Huffman

Ginny Whitehouse

No abstract provided.

Issues Of Editorial Control, Prior Restraint, And Prior Review Facing Student Newspapers On Public University Campuses In Ohio: Administrative, Faculty, And Student Perspectives, Terry L. Hapney Jr., David M. Lucas

Terry L. Hapney Jr., Ph.D.

This article examines issues of editorial control, prior re- straint, and prior review on public university campuses in an important state in America’s heartland — Ohio. It provides a review of necessary literature; the method of the study; specific instances of issues of the struggle over editorial control, prior restraint, and prior review on public university campuses in the state; and concludes with final thoughts on what continues as a real problem for student newspapers throughout the United States.

Open Records Requests At State Universities In Ohio: The Law, Legalities, And Litigation, Terry L. Hapney Jr., David M. Lucas

Terry L. Hapney Jr., Ph.D.

Recent scandals on the campuses of major universities in the United States have deeply affected not only coaches and coaching staffs, but also faculty, students, university governing bodies and administrators. Ensuing investigations and news coverage have prompted reporters to seek records, documents, and to attend meetings in order to scrutinize actions and records of university administrations. The open access and information laws, often described as sunshine laws, provide for public access to many records, documents, and meetings. Publicly-supported institutions must comply with these laws and this legality has created a conflict between administrators and student journalists in state universities throughout …

Journalism In A Pr World, Michael I. Niman Ph.D.

Michael I Niman Ph.D.

Mike Niman discusses the future of journalism in a PR-dominated communication environment. In particular, he examines the migration of talent from journalism to the PR industry, the collapse of mainstream journalism and the role of an emergent alternative media as American journalism goes through metamorphosis from what it was to what it could become. Journalism is a social good that should equip people to understand and resist spin. Niman argues that mainstream American journalism, rather than rising to this challenge, has transparently succumbed to serving as an arm of the corporate PR industry, thus laying the groundwork for its own …

Journalism In A Pr World, Michael I. Niman Ph.D.

Michael I Niman Ph.D.

Mike Niman discusses the future of journalism in a PR-dominated communication environment. In particular, he examines the migration of talent from journalism to the PR industry, the collapse of mainstream journalism and the role of an emergent alternative media as American journalism goes through metamorphosis from what it was to what it could become. Journalism is a social good that should equip people to understand and resist spin. Niman argues that mainstream American journalism, rather than rising to this challenge, has transparently succumbed to serving as an arm of the corporate PR industry, thus laying the groundwork for its own …

Op-Ed: How The Nanaimo Daily News Should Have Dealt With The Racist Letter To The Editor, Ginny Whitehouse

Ginny Whitehouse

Dan Olsen managed to embarrass the Nanaimo Daily News when the newspaper published his letter to the editor, a rant accusing First Nations peoples of being nothing more than government relief sponges without history or honour.

Lots of people were angry and disputed Olsen's claims, both within British Columbia's bands and amongst all people across Canada. Check here for the letter's full text and reaction. More than 1,000 joined a Facebook page protesting the Nanaimo paper's editorial judgment.

The Murderer's Salute: News Images Of Breivik's Defiance After Killing 77 In Oslo, Ginny Whitehouse

Ginny Whitehouse

The author discusses Anders Behring Breivik's massacre and murder cases in Oslo, Norway on July 22, 2011. The goals and plans of Breivik in committing the crime of killing 77 people are tackled. The author mentions that Breivik has been facing 21 years of imprisonment in Ila prison, within the site of a former Nazi concentration camp in Oslo.

Anonymous Sources: A Utilitarian Exploration Of Their Justification And Guidelines For Limited Use, Matt J. Duffy, Carrie Packwood Freeman

Carrie P. Freeman

This article critically examines the practice of unnamed sourcing in journalism. A literature review highlights arguments in favor of and against their use. Then, the authors examine some common examples of anonymous sourcing using the lens of utilitarianism, the ethical model commonly used to justify the practice. We find that few uses of unnamed sourcing can be justified when weighed against diminished credibility and threats to fair, transparent reporting. The authors then suggest specific guidelines for journalists that, if followed, would curb many of the pedestrian uses of unnamed sourcing but still allow for the practice in specific circumstances.

Student Perceptions Of Public Relations And Journalism: A Pilot Study Of Attitude Shifts Through Curriculum Innovation, Bernard Mccoy, Jerry Renaud, Adam Wagler, Amy Struthers, John Baker

Bernard R. McCoy

Journalism and Public Relations have had a long and often contentious relationship. It is rare when journalists and advertising/PR specialists work well together in the real world. It is equally rare when advertising, public relations and journalism students work together as part of their classroom education. This pilot mixed methods study explored the perceptions journalism and public relations majors had about each other’s professions. The experimental group was comprised of 40 journalism and public relations majors who worked together covering a national event in an immersive college class. The control group included 68 students who participated in a more traditional …

Ethics Defines The Professional, Ginny Whitehouse

Ginny Whitehouse

A thorough understanding of ethics is what will separate professional journalists from someone with a lambasting opinion and an internet portal. As more technology becomes available to a wider audience, journalists will capture their market and define their distinctiveness through their integrity. Knowing how to make ethical decisions will be the skill set that sets professional journalists apart.

Women And News: Making Connections Between The Global And The Local, Margaretha Geertsema

Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh

In an era of increasing globalization, women continue to be underrepresented and stereotyped in national, international, and global news media. The problem is exacerbated when traditional geographic boundaries are crossed and the media in one country report on issues and events, particularly those that impact women, in another country. The question addressed in this article is how news organizations can best represent women and our diverse lives within this new global context. In an effort to bridge the local-global dichotomy, this article aims to make connections between macro-level theories of cultural globalization and micro-level theories of feminism. Three scenarios of …

Nebraska Suppressed: How Gagging The News Media Intensified Pretrial Press Coverage Of The Simants’ Murder Case, Nancy Whitmore

Nancy J. Whitmore

Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart(n1) began with the issuance of a court order that prohibited the publication of testimony and evidence presented at a preliminary hearing of a suspected mass murderer. With this judicial action, a press-bar contest ensued that hamstrung the media's reporting capabilities as it struggled for seventy-nine days under four gag orders to cover one of the most brutal murders in Nebraska history. Throughout the controversy, the Nebraska press chose to comply with the restrictive orders; and this article examines the effects of that choice. Specifically, it explores how the Nebraska press functional under the various restrictive …

Inverting The Inverted Pyramid: A Conversation About The Use Of Feminist Theories To Teach Journalism, Danna L. Walker, Margaretha Geertsema, Barbara Barnett

Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh

Teaching is always challenging, and for some of us who are feminists, teaching journalism is particularly difficult. The tenets of good journalism—objectivity and neutrality—are often antithetical to our feminist values. We face the dilemma of how to incorporate feminist sensibilities into teaching journalism—a profession that strives for detachment and, at times, seems oblivious to its own position of power.

Women Making News: Gender And Media In South Africa, Margaretha Geertsema

Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh

South Africa’s news media are still in a process of transformation after the transition to democracy in 1994. The media continue to face the challenge of ensuring equal and fair representation to the entire population, and gender and media activists in particular have taken up the challenge of bringing about change. Research shows that women have not yet achieved equal access and representation compared to men: they are under-represented as reporters, news sources, and audience members. Yet, in comparison with other countries, South Africa has about as many female reporters as the average reported in the Global Media Monitoring Project …

Clash Of Coverage: Cultural Framing In U.S. Newspaper Reporting On The 2011 Protests In Bahrain, Brian J. Bowe, Jennifer Hoewe

Brian J. Bowe

Samuel Huntington’s clash of civilizations paradigm was established after the Cold War to explain an emerging new world order and was utilized in the cultural framing hypothesis’ explanation of U.S. news coverage of conflicts. Through content analysis of three major U.S. newspapers’ coverage of the 2011 protests in Bahrain, this study uses the cultural framing hypothesis to determine if a clash of civilizations shaped news stories. The results largely support the hypothesis and Huntington’s paradigm.

Newsgathering And Privacy: Expanding Ethics Codes To Reflect Change In The Digital Media Age, Ginny Whitehouse

Ginny Whitehouse

Media ethics codes concerning privacy must be updated considering the ease with which information now can be gathered from social networks and disseminated widely. Existing codes allow for deception and privacy invasion in cases of overriding public need when no alternate means are available but do not adequately define what constitutes need or alternate means, or weigh in the harm such acts do to the public trust and the profession. Building on the ethics theories of Sissela Bok and Helen Nissenbaum, balancing tests can be developed under a mixed-rule deontology that confines online misrepresentation and exposing the private information of …

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 …

Seeking Better Diversity Reporting, Ginny Whitehouse

Ginny Whitehouse

IF EXPERIENCED JOURNALISTS have a collective fault, it is that we are always in a hurry. How often do friends and family hear: “If it weren’t for deadline, I’d never get anything done”?

That may be OK for some things, but not for covering issues involving diverse populations. When dealing with groups outside the majority norm, journalists need to take the “your patience will be rewarded” approach.

Newsgathering And Privacy: Expanding Ethics Codes To Reflect Change In The Digital Media Age, Ginny Whitehouse

Ginny Whitehouse

Media ethics codes concerning privacy must be updated considering the ease with which information now can be gathered from social networks and disseminated widely. Existing codes allow for deception and privacy invasion in cases of over-riding public need when no alternate means are available but do not adequately define what constitutes need or alternate means, or weigh in the harm such acts

do to the public trust and the profession. Building on the eth ics theories of Sissela Bok and Helen Nissenbaum, balancing tests can be developed under a mixed-rule deontology that confines online misrepresentation and

exposing the private information …

Girls, Girls, Girls. A Study Of The Popularity Of Journalism As A Career Among Female Teenagers And Its Corresponding Lack Of Appeal To Young Males, Mike Grenby, Molly Kasinger, Roger Patching, Mark Pearson

Roger Patching

Australian journalism programs have long reported a disproportionate number of female students and the industry is becoming increasingly feminised. The latest (2006) Census figures showed that, for the first time in Australian history, women outnumbered men in journalism and related occupations. While many researchers have commented upon the increased popularity of journalism as a career choice among young women and its decline in popularity among young men, none have undertaken a comprehensive project researching the reasons for this phenomenon. This study has addressed this gap in the research. The research team conducted an extensive literature review, surveyed 444 senior secondary …

Politics Of Appearances: Religion, Law, And The Press In Morocco, A Souaiaia

Ahmed E SOUAIAIA

Since the last several years of the life of King Hassan II, Morocco slowly moved from authoritarian rule to a managed democracy. As a result of this gradual political liberalization, religious groups as well as secular ones formed political parties. Islamists have already won seats in the parliament and they are expected to gain nearly half the number of seats in the coming elections. Equally significant is the increased presence of human rights and non-government organizations and the emergence of independent and party-affiliated newspapers and other media outlets. In this article, I focus on the prospects of seeing a free …

Meet Your Librarian – Again, And Again And Again!, Aimee Dechambeau

Aimee deChambeau

A brief case study highlighting ways in which the library became an integral part of a journalism program based on shared interests in information and news literacy.