1. The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.

2. Journalism is the effort to gather and report the news by the media.
What is Journalism?
Journalism is the effort to gather and report the news by the media.
What is the media?
Media includes newspapers, blogs, magazines, television, radio and other forms of transmitting information.

3. Types of newspapers Weekly newspapers Published once a week
Print “local” news about the people, places and events in their community
Provide an outlet for a community that might never be covered by a daily paper or television news

4. Types (cont.) Daily newspapers
Published daily or more than a couple times a week
Cover a wider area than weeklies
Only print major or “noteworthy” events

5. Journalist
The person who gathers and reports the news across all media
The people who provide financial, managerial and technical support to those who report the news
What are some examples of people who would be considered journalists?

6. Journalists’ responsibilities
Be credible. Credibility is the degree to which the public believes what it reads and hears.
What makes a person or source credible?
Be objective. Objectivity is keeping personal feelings and biases out of stories.
What is bias?
Verify your information (on all levels). Verifying means checking for accuracy.
What could be the result of not verifying information?

7. The Role of the Journalist
Bring attention and awareness to areas of public life
Provide a database for the community
Provide an open forum for community members to discuss facets of life

8. Spotlight Act as “gatekeepers” deciding what gets covered
Give prominence/priority to certain stories and events in terms of length and placement
Report on activities of business, government and areas of society that might have an impact on people’s lives
Spot upcoming trends

9. Spotlight (cont.)
Interpret and Explain: Help people make sense of what’s happening around them
Take a position/stand on issues on the Editorial page
Columns and commentaries offer personal views
Entertain and Amuse (comics, crosswords, advice columns, “fluff” pieces, event reviews

10. Database
Provide information on a variety of topics (sports scores, calendar listings, weather, traffic, maps, municipal budgets, legal documents, etc.)
Many media companies have “Data” sections
Keep record for future generations (births, deaths, weddings, anniversaries, elex results, crime, court records, legal notices, etc.)

11. Open Forum Create a place for people to share thoughts/ideas
Experts aren’t only ones who can add to conversation
Public Journalism seeks to revitalize public life & promote among members that their institutions belong to them

12. Open Forum (cont.)
Crowd-sourcing is the trend of actively seeking people associated with an issue
Examples: story comments, blogs, live community forums, call-in panels, sound-off hotlines and columns
Public-Service Journalism goes beyond just reporting issues. It raises awareness of an issue and then brings together people who have a stake in that problem to help find solutions.

13. Multi-culturalism & Journalism
Need to reflect all voices in a community
Survey – 11.5% of journalists at dailies are cultural or racial minorities (6,800 out of 55,000)
Black – 5.4%; Hispanic – 3.5%; Asian – 2.3%; American Indian -- .4%; Women – 37%
Kerner Commission in 1968 criticized media for lack of diversity and recommended developing minority candidates earlier in pipeline
Opinion/editorial and talk radio are male dominated
Specialty publications can fill void