Mass Media

Lessons

Style Guide

Resources

We are bombarded by the media and its messages every day, from direct mail to magazines, radio and television to the Internet. The media has an influence on our lives, whether we would like to admit it or not, in both positive and negative ways. Therefore, understanding the media and its influences is extremely important even before we begin gathering information and writing news articles.

We are, however, mainly interested in the news media in this course, and news is difficult to define. What is news today is not news tomorrow. What makes news in a major mining town may not get a second glance from an editor of a rural fishing community.

One cynical definition says that "news is what newspapers print." In other words, if the media ignores it, it must not be important. Similar is the definition that "news is what editors say it is," because ultimately editors decide what is covered and what is not, what makes it into the news pages or is broadcast and what is not. This process is called the Gatekeeper Theory because editors are making decisions on what information is reported and what is not, opening the gate for some information, closing it on others.

The following activities will help you understand what makes a good journalist, as well as help you understand the media and its influence.

Activity A	Qualities of a Journalist Consider the Qualities that are needed to be a successful journalist Read the article Qualities of a Reporter
Activity B	Read Four Theories of the Press
Activity C	Read Four Functions of the Press
Activity D	Read Impact of the Media
Assignment 1	Comments on the Media

 

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