Journalism & Texts

Cheatsheet Content

### Journalism Basics - **Definition:** The activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information. It is often characterized by its focus on truth, accuracy, objectivity, and public interest. - **Core Principles:** - **Truth & Accuracy:** Report facts truthfully and verify information meticulously. - **Independence:** Avoid conflicts of interest; be free from influence by those reported on. - **Fairness & Impartiality:** Present all sides of a story fairly and without bias. - **Accountability:** Be open to criticism and correct mistakes promptly. - **Minimizing Harm:** Be sensitive to the impact of reporting on individuals and communities. - **Key Functions:** - Informing the public - Investigating and exposing wrongdoing - Providing a platform for public discourse - Holding power accountable ### Journalistic Genres - **News Reporting:** Straightforward, factual accounts of current events. Focuses on the "who, what, when, where, why, and how." Aims for objectivity. - **Feature Writing:** Explores topics in depth, often with a narrative style. Can be more descriptive and less time-sensitive than hard news, focusing on human interest, trends, or background. - **Editorial/Opinion Piece:** Expresses the viewpoint of the publication's editorial board (editorial) or an individual writer (op-ed, column). Clearly labeled as opinion, it aims to persuade or comment on current issues. - **Investigative Journalism:** In-depth, original reporting that often uncovers hidden truths, wrongdoing, or systemic problems. Requires extensive research, interviews, and documentation. - **Review:** Critical assessment of a product, service, artistic work (film, book, music), or event. Combines factual description with expert opinion. - **Profile:** An in-depth look at an individual, exploring their life, achievements, personality, and impact. - **Photojournalism/Videography:** Uses visual media to tell stories, often accompanying written reports. The images themselves convey information and emotion. ### Journalistic Texts - **Purpose:** To inform, educate, analyze, and sometimes persuade the public based on verifiable facts. - **Characteristics:** - **Factual:** Based on verifiable information, not opinion or speculation. - **Objective (aspirational):** Aims to present information without personal bias. - **Timely:** Often deals with current events and recent developments. - **Concise & Clear:** Uses direct language, easy to understand. - **Credible Sources:** Relies on expert opinions, official documents, eyewitness accounts. - **Attribution:** Clearly states where information comes from. - **Common Forms:** - News Report - Feature Article - Editorial/Opinion Piece - Investigative Journalism - Interview - Review ### Non-Journalistic Texts - **Purpose:** Can vary widely – to entertain, persuade, advertise, instruct, express personal feelings, etc. Not primarily focused on reporting verifiable news. - **Characteristics:** - **Subjective:** Often reflects personal opinions, emotions, or creative interpretations. - **Varied Style:** Can be formal, informal, poetic, technical, persuasive. - **No Strict Timeliness:** Content may be timeless or relevant to specific contexts. - **Sources (if any):** May be personal experience, imagination, research for a specific purpose (not news verification). - **Attribution (if any):** Varies; not always required or as rigorous as journalism. - **Common Forms:** - Fiction (Novels, Short Stories) - Poetry - Advertisements - Academic Papers/Textbooks - Personal Blogs/Diaries - Speeches/Sermons - Legal Documents - Instruction Manuals ### Expository Text - **Definition:** A type of writing that aims to explain, inform, or describe. Its primary purpose is to convey information in a clear, concise, and organized manner. - **Characteristics:** - **Informative:** Provides facts, definitions, explanations, and instructions. - **Objective Tone:** Generally avoids personal opinions or emotional language. - **Logical Structure:** Often uses clear topic sentences, transitions, and supporting details. - **Formal Language:** Typically uses precise vocabulary and grammar. - **Examples:** Textbooks, scientific articles, instruction manuals, encyclopedias, news reports (often have expository elements). - **Relationship to Journalism:** Many journalistic texts, especially news reports and explanatory features, are largely expository in nature, focusing on conveying facts and information clearly. ### Propaganda - **Definition:** Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. - **Purpose:** To influence public opinion, attitudes, or behavior in a specific direction, often by appealing to emotions rather than reason. - **Characteristics:** - **Biased/One-sided:** Presents only information that supports its agenda, omitting contradictory evidence. - **Emotional Appeal:** Uses strong language, images, or symbols to evoke feelings (fear, patriotism, anger). - **Simplification:** Reduces complex issues to simple, often black-and-white, terms. - **Repetition:** Key messages are repeated frequently to reinforce them. - **Misinformation/Disinformation:** May include outright falsehoods or distortions of truth. - **Lack of Attribution:** Sources may be vague or non-existent to avoid scrutiny. - **Distinction from Journalism:** While journalism aims for truth and balance, propaganda intentionally distorts or manipulates information to serve an agenda. ### Fact vs. Opinion - **Fact:** A statement that can be proven true or false through objective evidence, observation, or verifiable data. - *Example:* "The Earth revolves around the Sun." (Verifiable by scientific observation) - *Example:* "The company's revenue increased by 10% last quarter." (Verifiable by financial records) - **Opinion:** A belief, judgment, or way of thinking about something; not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. It reflects an individual's personal view or interpretation. - *Example:* "Vanilla ice cream is the best flavor." (Based on personal preference) - *Example:* "The government should increase taxes on the wealthy." (A policy recommendation based on a belief) - **Importance in Journalism:** Journalists are trained to distinguish between fact and opinion, presenting facts objectively while clearly labeling opinions, especially in editorials or commentary. ### Quotations and Paraphrasing - **Quotations:** - **Definition:** Directly reproducing the exact words of a source, enclosed in quotation marks. - **Purpose:** To provide direct evidence, capture the exact wording of an important statement, or convey the tone/style of the original speaker/writer. - **Usage in Journalism:** Used for direct statements from sources, official declarations, or memorable phrases. Must be accurate and attributed. - *Example:* According to Dr. Smith, "The new treatment shows promising results in early trials." - **Paraphrasing:** - **Definition:** Restating a source's ideas or information in your own words, maintaining the original meaning. - **Purpose:** To integrate information smoothly into your text, simplify complex ideas, or focus on specific aspects of a source's argument. - **Usage in Journalism:** Used to summarize interviews, report on documents, or convey information from sources without using their exact words. Must be accurate and attributed. - *Example:* Dr. Smith indicated that the initial results of the new treatment appear encouraging. - **Key Rule for Both:** Always attribute the source! Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism. ### Key Differences | Feature | Journalistic Texts | Non-Journalistic Texts | |-------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| | **Primary Goal** | Inform, educate, hold accountable | Entertain, persuade, express, instruct | | **Factuality** | Strictly factual, verifiable | Can be factual, fictional, or opinion-based | | **Objectivity** | Aspirational (aims for impartiality) | Often subjective, biased, or personal | | **Timeliness** | Often current, time-sensitive | Can be timeless or specific to context | | **Sources** | Credible, attributed, diverse | Varies, can be personal or imaginative | | **Language Use** | Direct, clear, concise | Varied, can be creative, emotional, technical | | **Responsibility**| Public trust, ethical guidelines | Responsibility varies by context | ### Ethical Considerations in Journalism - **Plagiarism:** Presenting someone else's work or ideas as one's own. - **Fabrication:** Inventing facts, quotes, or stories. - **Bias:** Allowing personal feelings or beliefs to influence reporting. - **Privacy vs. Public Interest:** Balancing an individual's right to privacy with the public's right to know. - **Conflict of Interest:** Situations where personal interests could improperly influence professional judgment. - **Sensationalism:** Presenting information in a way that is intended to provoke public excitement or interest, often at the expense of accuracy. - **Verification:** The process of ensuring the accuracy of information before publication. - **Transparency:** Being open about methods, sources, and potential biases.