For the first time, all classes have the same assignment, at different difficulty levels. With all the press given recently to the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, this seems like a good time for a lesson in journalism.
Lesson: A journalist, or reporter, is one who gathers and presents news to the public through news media.
News is information about recent events or happenings, distributed through print or broadcast media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and internet.
Reporters can sometimes choose what they cover, but are often assigned stories by their editor, who is the person in charge of the publication or broadcast program overall. Big news events (like the recent presidential inauguration) will involve many reporters, each reporting different angles and aspects of the central story.
Reporters usually prepare news stories through research, investigation, and/or interviews. They may look up information that is already publicly available, talk to people involved with the subject, talk to people about their opinions of the subject, and so on.
To prepare for an interview, a reporter usually arranges an appointment with the interviewee (person being interviewed) to meet in person, or sometimes to talk on the phone or by email. Some brief interviews are spontaneous. In any case, a good reporter will have prepared a list of possible questions, and will take detailed notes and/or record the interview for accuracy.
The most useful tools for a journalist are the standard reporter questions:
who?
what?
when?
where?
why?
how?
These questions are the essential basis for any news story, and are, in fact, tremendously useful for almost any type of writing. Good reporters ask as many of these questions in as many ways as are needed to tell the whole story.
To write a news story, a journalist will:
gather plenty of information about the story.
sift and sort that information.
- keep the best
- discard the rest
organize the flow.
add a hook. (Lead in with a catchy opener)
note the impact. (What's the big deal?)
tie it together and wrap it up. (good writing, transitions, conclusion)
double-check all facts. (names, dates, numbers, spelling, etc.)
Journalists not only inform the public, but they can influence society by the stories they cover and how they cover them. Since the US Constitution guarantees freedom of the press, Americans can say or write almost anything about anyone without getting into legal trouble, especially if what they say is true or at least a truly-held opinion. Because journalists have greater potential to use and misuse the freedom of the press, reputable journalists follow a code of ethics.
Ethics in Journalism:
Objectivity - Though reporters certainly have personal viewpoints like anyone else, they must not present their own opinions as fact. They must keep their opinions to themselves, and present the news in a balanced and objective way, fairly showing different points of view without prejudice.
(News outlets do include editorial opinion pieces and advertising, but they must be labeled clearly that way, never as news.)
Credibility of Sources -
News information should come from trustworthy sources as close to the subject as possible. Those sources should be accurately represented, correctly quoted, and properly attributed (given credit). [Note: Though this does not apply to this lesson, when a credible source has a good reason to remain anonymous, the reporter must protect the source's confidentiality.]
Factual Accuracy - Facts should be verified as much as possible. Things should not be reported as fact unless they have been verified. A journalist MAY factually report an individual's statement, even if the statement is an unverified opinion of the individual. A journalist may factually report that someone has been accused of something, but not that the person is actually guilty until it is proven.
Limitation of Harm - Sometimes, a reporter might obtain information or photos that would unnecessarily invade an individual's privacy, expose an innocent person to harm, compromise a legal investigation, or otherwise offend to no good purpose. A good journalist should weigh the public's right to know against the potential negative effects of revealing information.
A good news report gives information in a brief, clear manner. A great news report also tells a story in an interesting way.
Assignment:
Students are to write a news report of some aspect of the recent U.S. presidential election and inauguration of President Barack Obama, to be edited for a special edition class newspaper.
To treat this as a news assignment and not an editorial, students will need to set aside whatever personal feelings and opinions they may have, gather information, and write objectively. They may choose which aspect of the election or inauguration they wish to cover.
Younger students will probably write short news articles of straightforward, basic facts. Older students will probably write longer pieces about more sophisticated aspects of the Obama presidency.
We will not be doing original investigative reporting. Students may gather research info via print (newspapers, magazines, etc.) or electronic sources (television or internet), as long as they properly credit their sources. In fact, this is the main research avenue open to our students for this assignment, since they are not regular journalists with press credentials or access to inside sources. However, students must not plagiarize a previous news report. Rather, they may gather information from several different sources to use in writing their own articles.
Students may also interview people they know. This would be good for a news article about different opinions and reactions to various aspects of an Obama presidency. They must be careful to quote their sources accurately.
Here are some possible news article ideas, though students may choose other news angles.
Obama's early family history and upbringing
Any of Obama's family members: father, mother, stepfather, siblings, grandparents
Obama's educational background and history
Obama's religious upbringing and beliefs
Obama's career before politics
Obama's entry into politics and his political affiliations and history
Obama's campaign; aspects such as fundraising, supporters, etc.
Obama's marriage, children, and family life
Michelle Obama (her original family, her education, her career, any aspect)
The role of the First Lady; Michelle Obama's role as First Lady
Children in the White House
Pets in the White House
The inauguration ceremony and day's activities
Obama's inauguration speech (impact, responses)
Record-breaking crowds at the inauguration
Responses and opinions of the inauguration
The end of Bush's presidency
The Bushes' departure from the White House and return to private life
The armored car used by the President
The role of the Secret Service in protecting presidents and their families
Air Force One
Obama's appointments (the people he picked) to serve in the administration
The decisions Obama made in his first few days in office
The role of race in the election
What Obama's election means to many black Americans
How those who did not vote for Obama view his presidency
What Christians think of Obama's presidency
The impact of Obama's presidency on the pro-life movement
The challenges facing Obama (economic crisis, Iraq, etc.)
and many more
I am not expecting ground-breaking journalism, but I do want the students to try their skills at reporting. They will be exposed to news media all their lives, so they may as well learn how journalism works.
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