J. Schaffer – Journalism Matters

Автор: J. Schaffer
Название книги: Journalism Matters
Формат: PDF
Жанр: Журналистика
Страницы: 578
Качество: Изначально компьютерное, E-book

Journalism,” wrote English poet and critic Matthew Arnold,
“is literature in a hurry.” And “hurry” may be what’s on your
mind as you approach a journalism course. No matter how
important the big picture—the use or misuse of information,
for example—you are probably eager to take on the responsibilities
of school newspapers, magazines, yearbooks, Web sites and even
television and radio programs.
Nearly all the chapters in this book are designed as resources to
do just that, to bring you up to speed as a working journalist. These
chapters will train you to write well—to summarize information,
describe observations and accurately record the views and comments
of others. The chapters also cover interviewing, sports writing,
feature writing and the special demands of column and review
writing. Still other chapters cover the knowledge and skills required
to bring a product to the public’s attention.
While only a few of you will actually find careers in the news
media someday, all of you will most likely become lifelong news
consumers. Journalism Matters provides chapters that touch on
those concerns, too, by analyzing how you can make good,
informed decisions about your concerns, causes, interests and passions.
Indeed, the future of our democratic society depends upon
the ability of a new generation of citizens to participate fully and
effectively in the exchange of information.
The theme of Journalism Matters is simply that journalism plays
a vital role in the creation, development and continuing good
health of democratic communities. Within that overarching theme
are three separate but intertwined threads. The first emphasizes
journalism’s role as a marketplace of ideas. The print, broadcast
and Internet media provide a crucial “party-line” for both large and
small communities. At their best the news media enable a community
to hold conversations with itself.
This thread highlights the intensely communal nature of journalism.
“All stories are local stories,” the saying goes. Journalists
must always keep the interests of their immediate audience in
mind. They must strive to satisfy their readers’ and listeners’ needs
for timely, accurate and relevant information. Throughout the text,
you will encounter frequent examples of journalists engaged in
community-building activities.
A second thematic thread is the multicultural nature of journalism.
Journalists have no greater responsibility than to seek out their
community’s many diverse voices. You won’t, however, find a “multicultural”
chapter. One isolated chapter could never do justice to
this critical aspect of journalism. Instead, you will find multicultural
concerns raised throughout the book. Special attention is paid to how the press itself, both professional and scholastic, is becoming
increasingly diverse. As one editor puts it, “A newspaper that does
not look like a cross-section of the community it serves will not—and
cannot—serve the community as it wants to be served.”
The third thread in the book’s theme is a concern for ethics.
Journalism, as many of its practitioners are fond of saying, is a craft,
not a profession. But it is a craft with a strict code of ethics. You need
to learn about that code from the very beginning because virtually
every activity—from a short phone call to check facts to a lengthy
off-the-record interview—raises questions of trust and confidentiality.
You’ll find the importance of journalistic ethics reflected in the
positioning of an entire chapter devoted to the subject early in the
book. That thread continues in the form of learning activities, discussion
questions and open forum “scenarios” where we challenge you
to solve ethical dilemmas through role-playing situations.
A brief word about history. Major milestones in the history of
journalism are featured throughout the textbook as “Datelines.”
Because they relate to the content of each chapter, they do not
appear in chronological order.
We think you can learn from both the pros and fellow students.
Thus, the examples and anecdotes in each chapter are chosen
equally from professional and student media. The professional
examples offer glimpses of excellence—the standard to strive for, in
other words—while student examples give you insights into applying
what you have learned to topics that interest teenagers.
Journalism Matters offers you a lively, engaging text—one filled
with rewarding activities and compelling examples. The text can
work well for anyone who seeks a broad overview of the news media
and for anyone who wants a practical hands-on guide for producing
student media. Toward this end, we have provided a Stylebook and
Editor’s Handbook following the last chapter. The Stylebook combines
the best of the AP rules and scholastic style sheets from across
the country. The Editor’s Handbook provides numerous practical
tips for organizing and managing a student staff. Also included is a
complete Glossary with alphabetized definitions for all the marginal
terms in the book.
Journalism Matters will provide significant help and sound ideas
for a new generation of journalists. As we move into the world
of new media, journalism and the role it provides in communities—
both local and global—will become increasingly important.
Journalism Matters gives you the skills and factual background you
will need to become active participants in your communities today
and throughout your life.
• James Schaffer