Digital Commons Network^™

A Step Towards Automated Ethical Analysis In Journalism: Measuring Llms’ Performance In Extracting Sourcing Information, Jingsen Wang

Computer Science and Engineering Master's Theses

This thesis explores the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs) in automating the extraction of sourcing information from news articles, a crucial step towards enhancing transparency and ethical analysis in journalism. We evaluate the performance of two state-of-the-art LLMs, GPT-4 and Claude 3, in identifying and categorizing various source types across four diverse news articles. The thesis employs a zero-shot learning approach with two different prompt designs, assessing the models’ ability to adapt to varying source structures and prompt instructions.

Our findings reveal that while LLMs show promise in extracting sourcing information, their performance varies significantly across different article types …

Review Of Mari, The American Newsroom: A History, 1920-1960, Melissa Greene-Blye

Journal of 20th Century Media History

A review of the book The American Newsroom: A History, 1920-1960, by Will Mari

“We Love You In America”: Spiro Agnew, The Media, And The Building Of An Emotional Community, Charles Holden

Journal of 20th Century Media History

Spiro Agnew, Richard Nixon’s often-mocked Vice President, played a critical role in building the right-wing, populist base of white working- and middle-class supporters for the Republican party. Early in his vice presidency, Agnew used his access to media to cultivate mistrust of the same media, focusing especially on television political analysis, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. In speech after speech he used the same criticisms of the media to attack other parts of American society the administration viewed as the opposition. Rather than persuading these voters on policy positions, Agnew went straight for the heart. Much to …

Populism’S Influence On News Content: Polarization, Political Parallelism, And Journalistic Professionalism In Rafael Correa’S Ecuador, Manel Palos Pons

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This article investigates how populism in power influenced news media in Ecuador during leftist president Rafael Correa’s presidency (2007–2017). Correa’s administration triggered a bold media reform in Ecuador challenging traditional media and promising media democratization, but his government received sharp denunciations from press freedom and media organizations which considered Ecuador as a “not free” country, especially after the passing of a Communication Law in 2013 that regulated media extensively. Through content analysis of news and opinion pieces published in 2005, 2006, 2015, 2016, and 2018 by Ecuador’s main legacy newspapers, El Comercio and El Universo, different legal and political contexts …

Schwarzenbach Goes South, Padraig Rooney

Swiss American Historical Society Review

Swiss writer Annemarie Schwarzenbach arrived in the United States in late August 1936 at the invitation of the American photographer Barbara Hamilton Wright. It was the first of three visits over the next five years, during which Annemarie reported on Roosevelt’s America for a variety of Swiss newspapers and illustrated magazines. Her first road trip through the Rust Belt was a success with her Swiss editors and the two women planned a second in the American South in the Fall of 1937. In late September, they boarded third class on the S.S. Berengaria, bound for New York. The effect …

Independent Long Covid Journalism As A Lens For Critical Information Literacy: Conversations With The Sick Times Founders Betsy Ladyzhets And Miles W. Griffis, Andrea Baer

Communications in Information Literacy

Both the COVID-19 pandemic and the acceleration of climate change illuminate how difficult it can be to make sense of information about wicked problems—that is, issues that are highly complex and have no simple or complete solutions (Rittel & Webber, 1973). One approach to grappling with wicked problems is to consider the information practices that different people, communities, or professions use to make sense of those issues. In this Perspectives piece, I explore possible ways to practice and teach about critical information literacy by looking to the views, experiences, and professional practices of two independent journalists who report on …

The Long Shadow Of Food Lion, Knight First Amend. Inst. (May 31, 2024), Alan K. Chen

Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship

This essay discusses the continuing shadow of Food Lion, Inc. v. Capital Cities/ABC, Inc., which looms over the efforts of journalists and, increasingly of other citizens, to engage in undercover investigations to discover and disseminate truthful information on matters of profound public concern. At a time when many impediments to freedom of the press have emerged, legal barriers to undercover investigations suppress a key newsgathering tool that was once an important part of the news media ecosystem. After describing the extensive litigation battle in the case, the essay argues that the decision continues to cast a chilling effect over journalists …

Timber And Tornadoes: A Journalistic View Of Mississippi's Escalating Climate Challenge, Alice Ann Hollingsworth, Alice Ann Hollingsworth

Honors Theses

Timber and Tornadoes: A Journalistic View of Mississippi’s Escalating Climate Challenges is a project which explores the impact of climate change on the state of Mississippi and its industries. Specific areas of interest were the recent onslaught of wind disasters including tornadic activity and hurricanes as well as the impact of weather events on the timber and forestry industries in the state. This project involved interviews of industry professionals as well as academic experts. In addition, interview questions and necessary supplemental context were developed using significant background research. Emphasizing the potential challenges that climate change will present for the state …

The Colby Echo (2024-05-02), Colby College

The Colby Echo

Published by the students of Colby College since 1877, The Colby Echo is the weekly, editorially independent student-run newspaper of Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Published monthly, 1877-1886; semi-monthly, 1886-1897; and weekly during the academic year, 1898-present.

Modern News Consumption Habits Further Exacerbate Bias And Intellectual Isolation Of Audiences, Gabriella Lee Morando

Communication Science and Disorders Honors Theses

Trends show that users continue to turn to social media as one of, if not their only, source for news. Compared to how legacy news media gives consumers a comprehensive overview of information, social media platforms’ recommender systems and algorithms repeatedly feed users tailored sets of news, or what can be perceived as news. A systematic literature review found that users can adopt the same biased views reflected on their social media feeds as they are placed into echo chambers or “filter bubbles” of information. While social media offers users the allure of feeling informed almost instantaneously, the accuracy and …

Putting Forward Sustainability As A Model For Journalism Education And Training, Nancy Booker, Bruce Mutsvairo, Dinesh Baliah, Theodora Dame Adjin-Tettey, Lars Tallert, Jean Mujati

Graduate School of Media and Communications

African journalism practice presents unique opportunities and challenges that require journalists to be equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and values to engage in sustainable journalism. Training institutions play a critical role in ensuring that journalists are not only professionally-ready to execute their mandate but also that they can safeguard and promote ethical values in their everyday work. Some of these values include “truth telling, independence, objectivity, fairness, inclusivity and social justice” (Gade, Nduka, and Dastger 2017, 10). Africa, like other regions of the Global South, has several journalism training institutions that provide an opportunity to challenge “hegemonic epistemologies and …

Journalistic Quality In The Digital Age Relating To Newsroom Diversity, Max Guerrera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Traditionally, journalistic quality is determined by the integrity of a piece, along with its contribution to public knowledge. High quality, ethical journalism serves the purpose of holding those in power accountable and ensuring transparency in government actions through factual reporting. Objectivity is a highly emphasized element of American journalism because it allows the audience to form their own opinions and evaluate facts individually. However, as the distribution of media has changed with technological advancements, so have news writing trends. The theory of agenda setting, the concept that the media have the power to shift public opinions and perceptions of the …

Mental Health In College Journalists: Recognizing Causes Of Trauma And Recommendations For Training In College Programs, Sydney R. Mulvenon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

News reporting serves as an important vehicle for sharing breaking news across diverse communities, yet it often entails significant stressors. Some news reporters may experience trauma while covering challenging stories or navigating negative experiences within the newsroom. Many professionals in journalism have expressed concerns about the lack of awareness of mental health in the field. Addressing this need, this research using a documentary format, explores the need for integrating trauma training and awareness initiative into college-level journalism programs. Drawing on stories from former journalists and other professionals connected to journalism, this documentary highlights the pressing need for trauma-focused coursework to …

Which War Stories Get Told? How The Identifiability Of Villains And Victims Impacts Media Coverage Of Conflicts, Anna D. Sène

Political Science Honors Projects

In the last decade, armed conflicts have been proliferating around the world. While most conflicts still get covered in the mass media, some have received more international attention than others. This disparity in attention can affect the resolution of conflicts and the support victims can get to rebuild their lives. This study seeks to answer the question of why some armed conflicts receive more media coverage than others. I hypothesize that journalists cover conflicts with clearer victims and villains more than conflicts with more vague victims and villains, because clear victims and villains provide stronger narrative frames and fewer actors …

Is No News Good News?: Exploring The Impact Of Social Media Use On Misinformation Beliefs, Corbin Poyer

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Does diminishing access to print news have an impact on people’s propensity to believe misinformation? What if this misinformation emanates from an online source as opposed to a print source? The focus of recent research on misinformation has been narrow: (1) recognizing its existence and acknowledging its potential impact, and (2) generating and categorizing potential analytical types of misinformation. However, the ramifications of vanishing print media have so far been overlooked. This paper asserts a connection between news sources and misinformation beliefs, further positing that the decline in the quality and availability of quality print journalism predicates an individual’s belief …

The Colby Echo (2024-04-25), Colby College

The Colby Echo

Published by the students of Colby College since 1877, The Colby Echo is the weekly, editorially independent student-run newspaper of Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Published monthly, 1877-1886; semi-monthly, 1886-1897; and weekly during the academic year, 1898-present.

The Colby Echo (2024-04-18), Colby College

The Colby Echo

Published by the students of Colby College since 1877, The Colby Echo is the weekly, editorially independent student-run newspaper of Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Published monthly, 1877-1886; semi-monthly, 1886-1897; and weekly during the academic year, 1898-present.

Winonan, Winona State University

The Winonan - 2020s

This issue of the Winonan, the Winona State University student newspaper, was published on April 17, 2024.

Espejismo Oaxaqueño, Shelby Silva

Whittier Scholars Program

No abstract provided.

Winonan, Winona State University

The Winonan - 2020s

This issue of the Winonan, the Winona State University student newspaper, was published on April 3, 2024.

Communo Magazine, Spring 2024, School Of Communication

CommUNO Magazine

CommUNO magazine was produced by MaverickPR, the School of Communication's student-run public relations firm. UNO School of Communication: 6001 Dodge Street, ASH 140, Omaha, NE 68182: Phone: 402.554.2600. Fax: 402.554.3836. For more information, follow us on Twitter@ CommUNO, join the “UNO School of Communication” page on Facebook or visit communication.unomaha.edu.

News Deserts And Voter Turnout: How Local News Shortages Decrease Voter Participation, Lauren Penington

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

How does local news impact a county’s registered voter population, associated voting patterns, and political participation? Electoral turnout is one of the most studied topics in political science, and substantial research exists into demographic factors — including race, age, and socioeconomic status — that influence an individual’s likelihood to vote. Recent studies have begun to examine the impact of societal factors — such as the internet, social media, and news — on an individual’s ability to and likelihood of fulfilling their civic obligation. This paper explores the relationship between expanding news deserts and decreasing voter turnout, proposing that as a …

Winonan, Winona State University

The Winonan - 2020s

This issue of the Winonan, the Winona State University student newspaper, was published on March 20, 2024.

The Colby Echo (2024-03-14), Colby College

The Colby Echo

Published by the students of Colby College since 1877, The Colby Echo is the weekly, editorially independent student-run newspaper of Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Published monthly, 1877-1886; semi-monthly, 1886-1897; and weekly, during the academic year, 1898-present.

The Colby Echo (2024-03-07), Colby College

The Colby Echo

Published by the students of Colby College since 1877, The Colby Echo is the weekly, editorially independent student-run newspaper of Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Published monthly, 1877-1886; semi-monthly, 1886-1897; and weekly during the academic year, 1898-present.

The Colby Echo (2024-02-29), Colby College

The Colby Echo

Published by the students of Colby College since 1877, The Colby Echo is the weekly, editorially independent student-run newspaper of Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Published monthly, 1877-1886; semi-monthly, 1886-1897; and weekly during the academic year, 1898-present.

Winonan, Winona State University

The Winonan - 2020s

This issue of the Winonan, the Winona State University student newspaper, was published on February 21, 2024.

Listen To Black Women: Newsgathering In Digital Third Spaces, Gheni N. Platenburg

Feminist Pedagogy

This teaching activity re-introduces the concept of digital third spaces and how to use them as complementary newsgathering tools. Students are tasked with visiting these spaces to listen to Black women. In other words, they will observe content and engage in conversations with digital third space visitors to better educate themselves on the topics, issues and concerns of Black women and learn how to take this information and formulate story ideas for improved news coverage of and about Black women.

Sadaf Ali, Oral History Interview, 2024, Elizabeth Allen, Finn Vincent-Fix

Oral Histories

Dr. Sadaf Ali is a professor of Digital Media, Cinema, and Journalism at Eastern Michigan University, and has been working at EMU since 2012. Ali recounts how she became interested in news media, what led her to pursue a career in broadcasting, and her career working in journalism and broadcasting prior to coming to work at EMU. Ali describes her commitment to covering diverse stories, creating audio story and writing an article for WEMU about the Afghan refugee led cooking class coordinated by Zuzana Tomas’s Academic Service-Learning class, and the cultural importance of food as a person of Pakistani descent. …

Winonan, Winona State University

The Winonan - 2020s

This issue of the Winonan, the Winona State University student newspaper, was published on February 7, 2024.