Questions: What key idea or ideas do Kovach and Rosenstiel advance in the last half of their book? Why is this idea significant? What does this idea contribute to the history and philosophy of free expression or the advancement of American journalism? How does this idea make the individual, the society or our democracy better?
As always, the quality of your comment is more important than the length of your post. Also, specific ideas based on short quotations from the text are better than vague ideas based on generalities.
11 comments:
I found it very interesting that Kovach and Rosenstiel include the principle “Journalists must make the significant interesting and relevant” (187). Journalists not only are expected to report important relevant news accurately, but also report the news in a captivating and engaging way. Additionally, Kovach and Rosenstiel go to great length in discussing how a journalist must reach an additional balance in their stories: a balance of information versus storytelling. “Storytelling and information are not contradictory” but both crucial parts of communication that are relevant to excellent journalism (188). Journalists are responsible to provide “the information citizens need to function, and [the] literary grace, which is the reporter’s storytelling skill” (188). I found this principle very interesting, because it builds on all the principles Kovach and Rosenstiel have presented so far in Elements of Journalism. Journalists, while remaining loyal to more defined principles, such as reporting the truth and remaining loyal to citizens, must also do all these things in an interesting, captivating, and relevant manner.
This principle contributes to a more advanced level of free expression and free press, because not only do journalists have an obligation to tell the truth and present factual, useful information, they also are responsible to balance storytelling with the information in order to captivate and engage a wide audience, while informing these citizens.
Elizabeth Kubik
During the last few months we have focused mostly on the role of Journalism in regards to free expression. This last past of the book informs us about the rights and responsibilities of the citizen.
“When major events occur, the public can offer us as much information as we are able to broadcast to them” director of news division at the BBC, Richard Sambrook, says. Ever since public opinion emerged via the printed word there has been a change in the relationship between public and press. Journalism does more than just inform, and citizens do more than just listen. The advances in technology have made it possible for citizens to become more involved and thus more empowered than ever before.
By providing the public with ways to discern what is true or accurate, journalism has assumed a role as mediator between information and public. It provides citizens with the means to judge for themselves what the press produces and whether to trust it or not.
We have certain journalistic rights as citizens: right to truthfulness, loyalty, independence, monitoring of power, public forums and proportionality of the press.
The audience is able to judge the principles by which journalists operate today. However, this privilege also comes with more responsibility. It remains the public's duty to question the press but also to allow room for different opinions.
S.Johnson
An interesting idea that Kovach and Rosenstiel put forth in Chapter 10 is that of the journalist's obligation to exercise his of her personal conscience. They say that: "Every journalist, from the newsroom to the boardroom, must have a personal sense of ethics and responsibility- a moral compass. What's more, they have a responsibility to voice their personal conscience out loud and allow others around them to do so as well" (231). By listening to one's conscience, one can insure that the news being published is fair, accurate, and independent minded.
Personally, I have the feeling that many journalists today get conscience and ideology confused with one another. Many journalists feel that what they believe to be right is right and must be right to everyone, but in doing so, they leave no room for anyone to potentially challenge their "conscience-based" (but in reality ideology) belief. The newsroom must foster an environment of open-mindedness!
-BZ
In Chapter 11 the main idea is that there should be a relationship between journalism and the people, and just as the journalists have responsiblities, the citizens do as well. Especially now, when technology has lead to news being sent in and created by untrained professionals in the form of blogs and websites. With all the information out in the world, I agree completely with the author that although we can create our own information and gather our own information, the news helps to "provide citizens with the tools they need to extract knowledge for themselves from the undifferentiated flood of rumor, propaganda, gossip, fact, assertion, and allegation the communications system now produces". The most important idea in this book in my oppinion occurs in this chapter...and that is that "the elements of journalism are a citizen's bill of rights, as much as they are a journalist's bill of responsibilities." All citizens should know what their rights are, so that they can make sure that the news they are getting is truthful, loyal, independent, monitoring power, creating a public forum, and proportional and engaging. The citizens must always be the checks and balances of institutions, such as the institution of media.
courtney chadney
It seems indicative that the end of the book seems to refocus the purpose of journalism as responsive to the needs of citizens. The entire overarching principle of chapter nine is the idea that "journalists should keep the news comprehensive and in proportion" (208). In this sense, they are fulfilling an obligation to the public because the public has a need to know, couched both in personal interest and in the idea that, as citizens of a democracy, knowledge about the policies and happenings in that democracy is critical. Kovach and Rosenstiel specifically decry the practice of reaching out to particular demographics, whether they be based on wealth, gender, race, etc., instead advocating "reaching out to all communities" (211): in other words, attempting to be responsive to all citizens, rather than just picking and choosing.
Obviously, this responsibility to the citizen is culminated in the "citizen's bill of rights" (249-255). By providing explicit "rights" to the consumers of journalism, it is clear where Kovach and Rosenstiel feel the ultimate priority lies. Thus, when journalists are asked to utilize the objective method, discover truth, cross-check sources, and all of the other recommendations of the book that make the life of the journalist more arduous, it isn't to win Pulitzers. Instead, these recommendations are made to return good journalism and solid news to the hands of those who need it most: responsive citizens of a democracy.
That last post was Soren Jordan
The idea that citizens should be involved in the journalistic process seems like common sense. Feedback is always crucial to improvement and increased quality, especially in a topic as subjective as journalism. In order to foster a quality journalism community, citizens must hold press members accountable for their publications. In addition, citizens’ voices must be heard in the news to give credibility and perspective to a story.
The responsibilities of citizens also appear self-evident. With so much ability to interact with media and selectively pay heed to various perspectives, citizens must not be fooled by journalism of affirmation, reading only what reinforces their own points of view. They should keep an open mind and verbalize any complaints they may have about a given media’s presentation of the news.
A single vote rarely makes or breaks an election, but democracy depends upon each citizen acting as though it does. Journalism ideally functions in the same manner. Each citizen has the responsibility to make his opinions heard, even if it is only in a letter to the editor that may never reach the editor’s desk. Citizens’ efforts to hold the media accountable, as a whole, can preserve the integrity of journalism that in recent years has fallen so far from belief.
M Kadin
i thought that the coverage of how the media has becomed preassured to give entertainment instead of news was very interesting in chapter 9. the author uses a good analogy with "resorted tothe path of the naked" (214) which really paints the picture for the audience that many newspapers and stories have been made or hypes up for the viewing and entertainment of the readers and viewers. the research by many different organizations have shown that more and more celebrity lifestyle and product endorsements have begun to take a place alongside the news. the media and news reporters should definitely tell the stories of the celebrities but not have it run side by side with the news and stories of everyday people.
Jon Bell
Kovach and Rosenstiel offer new and innovative forms of news writing in the eight chapter.
The authors begin to endorse experimenting with Narrative when reporting news. This gives the news a chance to break away from the simple (and often boring) Who-What-When-Where-Why structure. They argue that some stories should not be told with just the five W's. They require or even deserve a better means of communication.
True, narrative may make a story more compelling, or relevant, but it may allow just enough space for a little monster named Bias to creep in.
"This is writing in which the journalist interjects his or her own feelings or opinions like a stage whisper" (204). However subtle it may be, over time a gunky build-up may occur. "In some cases, an attitude can evolve that plays itself out through story after story" (205).
It is important to remember why we write the news. To inform. Whatever the substance of a story, the job of the journalist is to communicate that substance to the readers. "As we discuss technique, it is vital to remember that form can never determine substance-technique should never alter the facts" (205).
The importance of this point is worth typing a second time. Form can never determine sunstance.
However a story is told, whether its with the inverted pyramid, the hourglass, the narrative, or even a drawing on a napkin, one thing must prevail: Truth.
Jacob Niebergall
I think it is very interesting in chapter 9 when they discuss the issue of the newspaper being a way for new immigrants to start to feel more like a citizen. They talk about how a group of immigrants can get around in the early 1900's and read the newspaper and catch up on all the things that are going on locally as well as around the country. It seems as thought this concept has changed through the years as the problem with making money and selling more newspapers has risen. The idea that an immigrant can get the same information as a citizen makes everyone feel a part of the greater nation. It is an interesting concept that they talk about and one that is worth noting.
RW
An interesting idea from Kovach and Rosenstiel’s book is the ninth principle that “journalists have an obligation to exercise their personal conscience” (Kovach 231). I believe the advancement of journalism derives from the understanding and abiding by this principle. This principle, in a way, makes and solidifies our democracy ways when it comes to free expression and journalists and the people are able to voice their personal ideas and opinions and allow others to do so as well. “For journalists to be able to exercise their conscience… creates an environment that is essential to fulfilling the principles outlined in this book” (Kovach 231). Essentially I believe this principles literally wraps together and holds all the other principles as long as journalists maintain “a personal sense of ethics and responsibility-a moral compass” (Kovach 231).
James Reed
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