In the Newsroom: The Fairness Formula

Transcription

1 In the Newsrm: The Fairness Frmula Ratinale/Main Cncept: Jurnalists face difficult decisins every day. Shuld a reprter use unnamed surces? What abut publishing an unflattering pht f an imprtant public leader? In this lessn plan, students learn abut media ethics by reading an article describing the many cncerns the news media must juggle t ensure fair cverage f events. Students then take n the rle f reprters balancing these cncerns. Objectives Students will understand: The standards jurnalists use when reprting a stry: fairness, accuracy and clarity. The qualities f a fair reprt in the news media. The editrial decisins that affect the reader s perceptin f a stry. Time: 40 minutes, plus 15 minutes f pre-class preparatin Materials: Handuts 1-1 and 1-2: Fairness Frmula Starts With Accuracy article and wrksheet (ne per student, included in this packet). Three news articles (recent, if pssible) that raise questins abut accuracy, fairness r clarity (such as an article abut weapns in pre-war Iraq that includes annymus surces, r a reprt n President Gerge W. Bush s Natinal Guard service that relied n questinable dcumentatin and did nt include alternative viewpints). The transcript f Lurking in the Shadws frm The NewsHur With Jim Lehrer, Sept. 30, 1998 (ptinal). Cpies f the lcal newspaper r access t nline newspapers. Prcedure: Assign Handuts 1-1 and 1-2 fr reading the night befre class. (Additinally, yu may wish t review and/r assign Lurking in the Shadws. In this stry frm The NewsHur With Jim Lehrer, media crrespndent Terence Smith leads a discussin abut annymus surces with jurnalists Bb Wdward and Jack Nelsn and frmer White Huse fficial Lanny Davis.) Explain t students that they will explre sme f the challenges jurnalists face when trying t reprt a stry fairly. Hand ut the three recent newspaper articles yu selected. Give students a few minutes t read each ne. Lead a class discussin that explres why the reprter chse t cver each f the three stries. Questins students shuld cnsider include: What are the articles abut? Are these cntrversial tpics? Why r why nt? Is this a stry that the public needs t knw? Why r why nt? Des the infrmatin in the stry affect a lt f peple r nly a few? Is this a stry abut smething that already happened r a future event? 1

2 Next, ask questins that help students analyze the chices made in hw the stry is reprted. Students shuld refer t the Fairness Frmula Starts With Accuracy article fr guidance. Questins they shuld cnsider include: Des the stry cntain facts? Rumrs? Hw can yu tell the difference? If there is a phtgraph, is it needed t tell the stry? What des it add? Des the stry r phtgraph invade smene s privacy? Is the stry r phtgraph sensatinal r des it blw smething ut f prprtin? D yu believe the stry is accurate? Why r why nt? Finally, have students wrk in small grups t lk thrugh a digital r a print newspaper and find at least tw examples f stries that use annymus surces (peple wh give reprters infrmatin but dn t want their names published). Fr example, the surce might be identified as a persn familiar with the investigatin, a senir White Huse fficial r a neighbr wh didn t want t be identified. Ask students t discuss the questins belw. Nte: Yu may find it useful t watch the vide Surces, which can be fund here n the Newseum s Digital Classrm. Why d yu think the persn wanted t remain annymus? (Pssible prmpts: Was he/she embarrassed r trying t embarrass smene? Nt suppsed t be talking with the media? Fearful f lsing his/her jb r f retributin?) Why wuld a reprter use an annymus surce? Are there any named surces? Des the fact that the persn desn t want t be identified affect the reliability f the infrmatin? Des it make yu mre r less likely t believe the stry? Extensin Activities 1. Distribute Media Ethics Scenaris (Handut 1-3). Have students test their understanding f jurnalistic standards by cmpleting the scenaris and discussing their answers. In each scenari, evaluate what is the mst accurate, fair and clear thing t d. 2. Invite a lcal reprter t speak t yur class. Yu may want t check with yur lcal paper s Newspaper In Educatin prgram fr assistance finding a newspersn. Students shuld prepare fr the visit by researching and reading the reprter s articles and writing interview questins related t ethical situatins the jurnalist has faced. Fr elementary schl students: Explre the rle f annymus surces in the news and the difference between facts and rumrs. Define annymus fr them, prvide examples frm a news article and ask why peple might want t remain annymus. (Pssible answers may include: They dn t want t get smene else in truble; the infrmatin is suppsed t be secret; they are nt sure the infrmatin is accurate.) Define facts versus rumrs. Play a rund f telephne. (One student whispers a fact t the persn t his/her right, wh repeats it t the next student, until everyne has heard it; the last persn shares it ut lud.) What changed in the phrase? What stayed the same? Is it nw a rumr r a fact? Culd this happen t reprters? D yu trust annymus surces? Why r why nt? 2

3 In the Newsrm: Planning fr the Unpredictable Ratinale/Main Cncept: Why d we need the news media when disaster strikes? What challenges d newspaper reprters and editrs, TV anchrs, blggers and ther jurnalists face when cvering catastrphic events? In this lessn, students reinfrce their understanding f media ethics by grappling with hw t balance plans with the unpredictable nature f disasters. In teams, students explre the rle f the press in the wake f catastrphic events. They prepare a plan f actin fr respnding t such a scenari frm a jurnalist s perspective and cmpare and cntrast their experiences. Objectives Students will understand: The rle jurnalists play in the wake f a disaster. The strengths and weaknesses f different media when cvering a catastrphe. The particular challenges jurnalists face when cvering a catastrphe. Time: 45 minutes Materials: Handut 1-4: Planning fr the Unpredictable (ne per grup, included in this packet) Prcedure: Tell students that nw they have studied hw jurnalists respnd t ethical cncerns, they will learn hw jurnalists and news media utlets respnd t disasters. They ll put their knwledge int actin by creating emergency respnse plans frm the media s perspective. Divide students int fur grups and assign each grup a type f news utlet (such as a newspaper, TV statin, scial media site r weekly news magazine). Grups will use the Planning fr the Unpredictable wrksheet t create plans fr hw their news utlets will respnd t a disaster. After grups have cmpleted their plans, have them share them with the class. Discuss the plans and the prcess f creating them. Pssible prmpts include: Which part f the plan was the easiest t decide? Which was the mst difficult? Why? Wuld this plan wrk fr all types f disasters? If yes, why? If nt, which nes might require different plans, and why? Hw effective d yu think this plan wuld be when respnding t a real disaster? Which parts f the plan wuld wrk? Which might have t be changed? Hw cmprehensive is this plan? Is it missing any key issues? What did yu list under Other ideas fr hw yur news utlet will respnd t a disaster? Hw much mre detailed wuld yu have t make yur plan fr it t wrk in real life? Hw flexible is yur plan? Imagine yu were making a disaster respnse plan fr yurself and yur family. Hw wuld it be the same as and different frm this plan? D the plans vary amng the different types f news utlets? What are the prs and cns f each? 3

4 Extensin Activities 1. Divide students int small grups. Ask each grup t chse a recent catastrphe and tw different types f news utlets. (Pssible utlets include newspapers, TV statins, scial media sites, etc.) Research each utlet s cverage f the catastrphe. Cmpare and cntrast: Hw quickly did each utlet reprt n the event? Hw frequently did each utlet prvide updates n the event? Hw many surces did the utlets qute? Did they make any mistakes? What can yu deduce abut the size f their staffs and their appraches t cvering catastrphes? Recrd yur answers using Handut Invite a lcal first respnder, such as a firefighter r EMT, t yur class. (Check n yur city r cunty website fr cmmunity utreach prgrams r cntacts.) Prepare questins abut his/her rganizatin s prcesses fr respnding t catastrphes and wrking with media utlets. Then discuss hw that plan cmpares t yurs. What similarities and differences d yu ntice? Based n what yu learned, d yu want t make any revisins t yur plan? What steps d yu want t keep? Fr elementary schl students: Ask students t name emergency plans they practice at schl r at hme (fr example, fire safety drills). Chse a specific type f emergency. What steps are invlved in their drill? After writing the steps n the bard, ask students t imagine they are a first respnder t the same type f emergency. What steps shuld that persn take? What abut a reprter cvering the event? Add their steps in clumns next t the students steps. Cmpare and cntrast the prcedures. Which steps are the same? Which nes are different? Why? Prmpt students: What is each persn s gal(s)? Be sure t emphasize that reprters have a special gal: infrming the public abut the emergency. 4

5 Handut 1-1: Fairness Frmula Starts With Accuracy, by Charles L. Overby Peple wh talk with the Freedm Frum abut news cmplain that the media can and shuld d a better jb. Mst newspeple tell us the same thing. S what s the prblem? A lack f attentin t basics. In meetings with small grups arund the cuntry, we encuraged peple t talk abut fairness in the media. The tpic quickly became a brad umbrella fr cmplaints in general abut the media. Mst f the cmplaints fcused n the basics f newsgathering and presentatin. Frm thse discussins, I have brken dwn the cmpnents f fairness int five basic categries that prvide an easy-t-remember frmula: A + B + C + D + E = F (Fairness). Accuracy + Balance + Cmpleteness + Detachment + Ethics = Fairness There are ther ways t state it, but these five categries generally capture mst f the cmplaints we have heard abut the need fr fairness and imprvement in the media. Many editrs and news directrs may think the cmpnents are s basic that their news reprts meet thse standards easily. But many f the peple whm we interviewed d nt think s. The public expects all five categries nt tw r three t be applied t all news stries. A quick lk at the five categries: Accuracy This is the basic cmpnent f fairness, but it generated lts f discussin, especially in the area f crrectins. Mst newspapers still d a superficial jb f crrecting their errrs. Prcedures ften are nt reader-friendly. The better newspapers run mre crrectins, nt fewer, every day than average newspapers. Unfrtunately, it is rare t see crrectins n televisin. Balance Many in the public think stries reflect definite pints f view. Often, the ther side is given scant, secndary attentin, far dwn in the news reprt. Cmpleteness This was the biggest cmplaint that we heard. Our respndents said reprters fail t tell the whle stry because f inexperience, ineptitude, laziness r lack f space r time. The lack f cmpleteness affects cntext. Detachment A frequent cmplaint ldged by peple wh deal with the media was that reprters and editrs cnstruct their stries in advance and nly want news surces t cnfirm their precnceived ntins. Once the news hk is established, there is nt much fair and pen reprting that fllws. Ethics This invlves the way reprters and editrs pursue stries, the feeling that editrial viewpints drive news cntent, placement and headlines. This categry als fcuses n the methdlgy f reprting, ranging frm paparazzi phtgraphy t insensitivity t victims. These five areas need mre discussin in newsrms. If the public culd see imprvements and regular explanatins abut these basic elements, they prbably wuld develp mre trust in the mainstream media. This isn t rcket science. Every editr and news directr shuld be capable f identifying ways t imprve these deficiencies. Fr thse news executives wh think they are ding just fine in all these categries, bring in a dzen readers r viewers and ask them. Charles L. Overby is the frmer chairman, chief executive fficer and president f the Freedm Frum and chief executive fficer f the Newseum. He currently is a Freedm Frum and Newseum trustee. 5

6 Handut 1-2: Fairness Frmula Wrksheet Name: Date: A + B + C + D + E = Fairness Read Fairness Frmula Starts With Accuracy. Written by Charles L. Overby, frmer chairman, chief executive fficer and president f the Freedm Frum and chief executive fficer f the Newseum, this article sums up the five essential cmpnents f fairness. 1. Define each f the fllwing terms as used by jurnalists and expected by the public. Accuracy Balance Cmpleteness Detachment Ethics 2. Write yur wn definitin f fairness. 3. Why is accuracy s imprtant t readers? 4. Select a tpic that is currently in the news. Whm wuld yu interview t prvide balance in an article n the tpic r fr mre in-depth cverage f the issue? Tpic: Interviewees (three r mre, name and title, reasn fr selectin): 6

7 5. Read an article frm tday s newspaper. Evaluate whether it meets the cmpleteness test. Has the reprter given a full accunt f the stry? What else might the reprter have been expected t knw by the time the newspaper went t press r was psted nline? What else d yu want t knw? 6. What guidelines wuld yu give a yung reprter t remain detached? 7. Write a statement f plicy t guide ethical reprting by yur newspaper staff. 7

8 Handut 1-3: Media Ethics Scenaris Name: Date: Yu are the editr f yur schl s newspaper. Cnsider each f the fllwing scenaris. Make a decisin abut whm yu will cver, what yur angle will be and what yu will publish. Hw can yu be sure t make ethical decisins? In yur answers, explain hw yu will be accurate, fair and clear. 1. A student at yur schl is highlighted n the lcal TV news. A reprter fr the schl newspaper uses infrmatin frm the TV newscast, giving credit t the statin. It turns ut that several facts frm the TV news reprt are wrng. Hw will yu set the recrd straight? What can yu d t make sure yur staff desn t use incrrect infrmatin frm ther news surces in future? 2. A well-knwn musician is filming an anti-smking PSA (public service annuncement) at yur schl. The schl newspaper phtgrapher gets pictures f him smking a cigarette during a break. Yur pht editr wants t run the phtgraph with the captin Rck Star Filmed Anti-Smking PSA n Tuesday. D yu rewrd the captin? 3. The wner f a lcal business has refused t buy an advertisement in yur newspaper. He graduated frm yur schl, s yu are upset that he wn t supprt his alma mater. Later that day, as yu lk at the sprts spread, yu ntice that the pht f the crss-cuntry event the sprts editr plans t use has a billbard in the backgrund with the name f the lcal business prminently displayed. It wuld be easy t remve the billbard with pht-editing sftware. D yu alter the phtgraph? 4. The daughter f the principal at yur rival high schl has been arrested n drunken driving charges. D yu reprt it? 5. One f yur best friends says she saw the new basketball cach smking marijuana at a rck cncert. The cach tells yu he wasn t even at the cncert. D yu reprt the allegatin? 8

9 Handut 1-4: Disaster Respnse Plan Name: Date: Yu and yur team are ging t design a plan fr a news utlet t respnd t a pssible disaster. When frmulating yur plan, keep in mind that yu may want t have multiple ptins in respnse t each questin t maximize flexibility. Yur news utlet (TV news statin, lcal news blg, etc.): When will yu begin reprting n the disaster? (Immediately? After public safety fficials have briefed the public n what happened/is happening? The next day?) Hw will yu cmmunicate with yur staff? (Keep in mind that sme frms f cmmunicatin may be wrking better than thers.) Wh will wrk? (If large numbers f yur staff are unable t reach the ffice, are peple available t fill in?) Where will yur staff wrk? (If yur ffice space is n lnger safe, where will yu g?) Wh will yu attempt t cntact t get infrmatin abut what has happened/is happening? (Keep in mind that many peple will be trying t gather this infrmatin. Sme surces may becme verwhelmed, s yu will need multiple ptins.) Hw will yu share infrmatin with the public? (What if yur usual frm f publicatin is nt wrking? Are there ther ways t share the infrmatin yu gather?) What instructins will yu give yur staff cncerning balancing their safety with the need t gather infrmatin? What instructins will yu give yur staff cncerning fact-checking/cnfirming infrmatin abut what has happened/is happening? Other ideas fr hw yur news utlet will respnd t a disaster: 9

10 Handut 1-5: Catastrphe Cverage Cmparisn Name: Date: Event: News Outlet 1: News Outlet 2: Hw frequently did each utlet prvide updates n the event (include dates f cverage)? Outlet 1: Outlet 2: Hw many surces were quted thrughut the cverage? Outlet 1: Outlet 2: Were there mistakes? If s, nte them. Outlet 1: Outlet 2: What can yu deduce abut each utlet s staff size and apprach t cvering catastrphes? Explain yur answer. Outlet 1: Outlet 2: 10