JOURNALISM

                                                   JOURNALISM

What is News?

A news is a report of current events on an information published on a newspaper or other periodicals. It may be defined as an accurate fact or idea that will intensify a large number of readers. News is history in a hurry – George M. Morris.

Determinants of News Values:

1. Timelines of News

2. Proximity of the news

3. Magnitude of news big rather than entire

4. Significance of news – events affecting    

    large.

5. News policy of the paper – unbiased 

    reporting.   

6. Reporting

7. Prominence

8. Consequences of events that have an impact on many people. Ex: Taxation

9. Human interest – stories that ironic, uplifting or dramatic

Important characteristics of News writing:

The objective rule / truthful / non-controversial focus. The completeness of a news story, write in short paragraph Adherence to a style, Quality of readability, fairness and reliability Accurate, unbiased presentation of facts timely reporting. In-depth knowledge on the area chosen updates the knowledge or facts.

Rule of News writing:

Concise in news reporting

Avoid negative sentences

Specific in news reporting

Reasonably good grammar

Use of word power and correct usage word

Knowledge of correct spelling

Good language skills

Media Ethics:

Ethics are rules of behaviour or moral principles that guide our action in a given situation. The word comes from the Greek “Ethos” which means customs, traditions, character, etc. that guide a particular group or cultures. Fundamental cultural values.

What is justice?

What does it mean to be good?

Is fairness possible?

Examine these questions to know ourselves

Define basic starting powers for moral reasoning.

Normative Ethics:

Generalised theories, rules and principles of ethical and moral behaviours. Media industry codes of ethics and standard of good practice.

Applied Ethics:

Media practitioners must apply both meta and normative ethics to very specific situations. Role models in ethics, practice, follow rules or codes at any cost (no compromise).

Common Practice:

Truth and honesty

Privacy, confidential

Special responsibilities

Avoid fee, free travel, other gifts

Policies for conduct of media business.

       DEFENCE NEWS

Source: 

Where does journalism get news known as the source of the news? 

Sources of news are innumerable. The news would be pouring into the newspaper office without any effort because it is a newspaper. Sometimes a lot of effort goes into news gathering. There is no final source which is deemed to be proper for all kinds of stories. Hence it is necessary to determine in each case,the appropriate source of story. It should be always named in stones except in some cases. Sources can be classified into

i) Hard

ii) Weal

iii) Government

iv) Non-Government

Hand: When the report comes out of the houses where they are described to the concerned person by name. For example:

a) PM, IAS, IPS, etc. They are real news in the capacity of their designation and portfolio not identified by their name.

b) According to knowledgeable or informed sources, that he source is not official information.

c) WEAK:

In diplomatic / military matters the official spokesman discloses an authentic peace of information on understanding that it is released without attribution (the press published like “it is understood” or “is understood to be” etc.)

d) WEAK SOURCE:

The news could be quoted as the news released by “political circles, trade circles” etc.

GOVERNMENT SOURCES: It is a news released by the MLA, executives, judiciary an institution attached to them.

NON-GOVERNMENT SOURCES: 

News released by NGOs, political parties, voluntary organisations and other private, non-governmental institutions, members of the public.

SELECTION OF NEWS:

 

The editors are bombarded with a tremendous amount of news. The newspapers could publish a very small part of the total news which they have received. Some big news agencies used to supply more news than an average daily newspaper. It is able to print in its edition. The newspaper also gives local news to satisfy the city leaders. The foreign news services like Associated Press, routers, supply the foreign news. Added to it.  There are photographers, cartoonists, pictures, advertisements also to be published.  Therefore selecting the news of the day is a taxing job\taxing for the editor not only the selection of news but giving the proper emphasis to the news is important. The plan of judging news is also complicated. Many other concentration like foreplay, proper, emphasis, space plan and equal treatment. It should be balanced news. Another important factor with the selection of news is its accuracy. The starting of simple facts does not mean total accuracy because, usually the news stories are based upon all the true facts.  Over emphasis of particular events can blow it out of all proportion. The facts should be stated in a highly balanced manner so that the truth is not trusted by a little saint this way or that way.  An experienced editor can make final checks against such trusting or the truth. Suppose an editor gets contradictory reports from two separate news services, he/she must try to learn the truth & publish balanced reports. In fact, you must try to know the context of the “original event” to measure the facts of the copy.  An editor must trust a good reporter & should not make big changes in his copy on the basics of his own prejudices with any bitter reason. Sometimes a very good reporter can also be swayed by his prejudice and he may give only one side of the report.

Credibility:

An objective story on the basis of conflicting news should be prepared and published accordingly because if some imbalanced news is published then the press will lose its credibility among customers. It also informs the public by printing partial true stories and giving inside news. A responsible editor will also greatly consider the factor of timing because of how long the reader might have lived with the story published which may create a lot of bad effect on the minds of the people till a correction. It can reach them even when holding the important acts can damage public trust in the press, which may be bad to the weakening of mass media’s ability to keep rumour mongers at bay. 

THEORY:

Authoritarian Theory:

The mass media thought not under the direct control of the state and the ruling classes must do their training. The press and media are expected to respect their authority to always be subordinate to power and authority. Therefore should avoid offending-majority, morale, political, economic values etc. Censorship is justified on the ground that the state is at war, during internal and external emergencies. Also protected by the official secret department.

Liberalisation or Free Press Theory:

Liberalisation or free press theory is a theory which goes back to the 17th Century. Individuals are supreme, not the state or society.  Popular will is supreme and proceeds over the power of the state.  Truth can be arrived at only through free expression. A free press is essential for a free person in a free society and the individual.

Social Responsibility Theory:

The “Hutchine” report on freedom of press media has certain obligations to society to serve its needs. Media is required for a high professional standard for truth, accuracy, objectivity and balance. Public interest is of greater value than unregulated freedom of expression. News offending religion, minority, which are leading to social violence needed to be underplayed. State intervention in this case is considered legitimate under special circumstances.

Soviet Media Theory:

It derived from Lenin’s concept of communications. Media is considered as a means of mental protection of the ideology. Need for control by the working class, through communist parties and hence interest of the working class rather than ruling or elect class or projected. Primary function of the media is to socialise the people to educate, inform. Motivate, mobilise citizens and support progressive movements everywhere.

Kinds of News:

1. Environment news

2. Investigative news

3. Economic news

4. Labour news

5. Educational news

6. Religious news

7. Cultural news

8. Sports news

9. Defence news

Defence News:

Defence Stories:-

Any event or information witnessed or recorded by a news reporter which is to be

published in a journal / newspaper in a standard format is known as news stories. If the A story related to any information on defence matters is known as defence stories.

KARL MARX Unit – Reporting Defence Stories

A reporter who is writing about an event or making a cover story is called Story writing. In short the news report to be published in a journal or a newspaper or radio or TV is called News Stories. If the news story content is about military affairs like military operation, war, weapons, movements, deployment etc. is called a defence story.  Any event or information witnessed or recorded by a news reporter which is to be published in a journal/newspaper in a standard format is known as news stories. If a story related to any information on defence matters is known as defence stories.

FORMAT OF A STORY:

To write any news story on any event or information witnessed or recorded by a news reporter which is to be presented or published in a newspaper following a standard format.

The basic steps to be followed to write any news story is as follows:

The paper which is used to write news stories should be in an A4 size. Normally they will write in an unruled paper. The reporter should have at least one copy of his report, either hard copy or soft copy. It is shortly known as CC, O/C (carbon copy, office copy).

       

      THE HEADING:

Usually, the reporter gives only his report and he does not write the headline of his story. It is provided by the copy readers. The theme or the core of the news story should be given in the upper righthand corner on the first page of his report. The left corner of the upper side of the first page is to display the journalist marking like his name and date.

THE SLUG:

If the headline of the story is expressing the content of the story in one or two words called the Slug. For Example: The report on a train accident happened in a place on previous day during right time etc. can be explained as a Train accident.The Slug “9/11 or 26/11” is sufficient enough to explain the content of the story as WTC attack and Thai attack respectively.The slug normally avoids humours or provides double meaning. The story should be given the exact date and place of the event which is being reported. It should not be written as tomorrow or today to avoid confusion.

PRESENTATION:

The reporter should begin writing his article half the page down on the first page. Leaving the first half to write the core or theme of the subject, place, date of the report being prepared etc. In the modern time a computer system with the DTP [Desktop Publishing] software, printer, B/W or cooler, scanner etc. made the reporter job very easy. Normally, any font which is legible to read (Times New Roman, Aerial etc.) 50 to 60 characters per line, giving double space line, leaving one inch margin on all the sides of the page etc.

PARAGRAPH:

The software’s like word, excel, Photoshop, page maker, Maya, paint, corel Draw, etc. are widely used by the publishers. Hence, the reporter is expected to have learnt all the above. While writing his article the reporter should give enough space by providing different paragraphs with distinct content of his report. Thus, each paragraph gives distinct content of a single theme. It enables the reporter to construct his news story with the following a. It helps the readers to have easy access to the facts through short paragraphs.

b. The reader can understand the theme or the core of the report by studying the first and the last paragraph of the report. c. It enables the reader to save his time to understand the content by skipping from one to another story.

LANGUAGE:

The newspaper or journal are published preferably in the local language or in any common language to enable the readers to understand it. Sometimes a new language may be used for a specific target readers in case of advertisement or emergency news.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

The readers who read any print media are educated readers. Hence the report should be written with the objective of giving correct information, providing clarity in a simple and local language. The report should have only meaningful words avoiding complex words. Unnecessary quotations or sentences should be avoided. It should have only short sentences avoiding formulas. The writer should use preferred sentences with simple grammar. Words, phrases,punctuations etc. in a sentence may create intuition among the readers to select its newspaper from the news stand. The active voice sentences, passive voice sentences and the use of active and expressive verbs may create interest among the readers to choose a newspaper. The selected grammar and language sentences are creating a specific readers group to a specific publication. Pictures, diagrams, animated photos etc. in colour, black and white in using the quality of the paper etc. decides the circulation of the newspaper.

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