Understanding Journalism Studies (MC 1578)
Spring 2015
“This abominable and voluptuous act called reading the newspaper, by which all
the misfortunes and cataclysms of the universe during the last twenty four
hours, the battles which took the lives of fifty thousand men, the crimes, the strikes,
the bankruptcies, the fires, the poisonings, suicides and divorces, the cruel emotions
of the statesman and actor, transmuted for our private use, for us who are not
involved, into a morning delight, combine excellently, in a specially tonic and
exciting way, to the recommended ingestion of a few mouthfuls of coffee with milk”
Marcel Proust (1923) Pastiches et Mélanges. Paris: Gallimard.
B.A Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies
Understanding Journalism Studies (MC 1578)
Spring 2015
Module Coordinator:
Office:
Telephone:
Email:
Credit Value:
Lectures:
Seminar Tutors
Seminars
Professor Bob Franklin
Room 126b
(029) 2087 9308
FranklinB1@cardiff.ac.uk
20 Credits – Core Module
Stanley Parris Lecture Theatre in the Tower Building, Park
Place, Monday 11.10am – 1pm
TBA.
Monday (14.10 to 17.000) and Tuesday (0900 – 17.00). All
seminars will be held in Bute Building.
This module outline can be printed from my home page; just click this link
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/jomec/contactsandpeople/profiles/franklin-bob.html
Let’s begin as we intend to continue – with lots of questions!
Who submitted the first doctoral thesis in Journalism Studies and when? What is the
political economy approach to Journalism and why is it significant? Why are there so
few women in senior posts in journalism? Where is the newsroom for citizen journalists
and do we still need newsrooms in the age of mobile devices? When did the inverted
pyramid style of news writing first emerge – and why is it disappearing? How does the
partisanship (and patriotism) of journalists’ war coverage square with their professional
commitment to objectivity? And How is the resulting ‘Fog of War’ and ‘militainment’
to be explained?
AIMS
This module introduces students to the key traditions and theoretical approaches to the
study of journalism, as well as the significant scholarly and professional debates about
recent trends in journalism, by posing the five questions which typically inform
journalists’ inquiries when they are researching and writing news stories: Who? What?
Why? Where? When? And occasionally, How? - Although not necessarily in that order.
Students will consider, analyse and critically assess: public images of journalists and
their representation in creative writing and film; the gendered character of journalism
and the exclusion of ethnic minorities; the distinctive understandings of journalism
offered by the interpretive communities of scholars and journalists; the different
approaches of political economy, organisational and cultural theorists to the
understanding of journalism; the discussion about what constitutes news and how such
assessments are shifting; the debates about the alleged “dumbing down” of the quality
press, the impact of political journalism and “spin” on public attitudes to politics, as
well as the role of journalists in the reporting/creating the “Fog of War”; the impact of
public relations in shaping news agendas and generating ‘Flat Earth News’; the origins of
journalism and the emergence of the “news paradigm” in the 19th Century; the debate
about blogging, citizen journalism and the identity of the journalist; virtual newsrooms
and the potential of the internet to liberate journalists from their confinement in
newsrooms. Oh Yes, and the vital questions concerning how a viable and democratic
journalism might be funded in an age of digital media.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Knowledge and Understanding
1. Of the central and significant theoretical approaches to the study of journalism
2. About key debates concerning contemporary developments in journalism
3. About the structures and purposes of journalism and the key activities of
journalists
4. Of public and professional understandings of journalism and journalists
5. Concerning the impact of the Internet on journalism and newsrooms
Intellectual Skills
1. Be able to analyse the role and position of journalism in contemporary society,
economy, polity and culture
2. Be able to assess critically competing theoretical approaches to the study of
journalism
3. Be able to engage in scholarly assessment of concepts central to journalism,
including objectivity, the fourth estate and the public sphere
Discipline Specific (including practical) skills
1. Analyse texts about journalism and journalism studies
2. Analyse texts about journalism across a range of central themes within the
discipline
Transferable Skills
The ability to:
1. undertake independent study
2. develop and apply critical thinking to a variety of academic materials
3. précis and make structured notes
4. structure and present an academic argument
5. manage study time effectively
But why not begin by watching this rather dated view of Journalism:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rvBgaxUXrc
TEACHING
Weekly lectures begin on Monday 26th January 2015 at 11.10am in The
Stanley Parrish Lecture Theatre in the Tower Building in Park Place.
Seminars will convene on Mondays and Tuesdays in Bute Building. You should ‘sign up’
for a seminar group during the first week of semester. You should enrol online but
always look at the lists and other information on the level 1 notice board in Bute
Building. NB Seminars will begin meeting in week 2 (Beginning Monday 2nd February
2015 - the first meeting will be devoted to discussing and organising the work for the
seminar programme across the semester. Attendance at both lectures and seminars is
compulsory for this core module.
ASSESSMENT
There are two elements to the assessment of this module. First, students are required to
submit an essay of 2,500 words to be selected from a list which will be distributed in
week 3. The essay should be word-processed and must observe the standard conventions
concerning referencing and bibliography (i.e. the Harvard system of referencing). The
essay should be submitted in hard copy by 3pm on Friday 6th March 2015. A further
electronic copy of the essay assignment should be submitted to Turnitin on Learning
Central.
NB. Students should be aware that School and University regulations concerning the
submission of assessed work, penalties for late submission and regulations concerning
Unfair Practice, will apply to these assessed essays.
Second, students will complete a short (2 hours) examination with a number
(approximately 20-25) of brief questions relating to all elements of the programme and
drawing from the contents of all lectures. The examination will be held shortly after the
completion of the formal lecture programme. You will find it difficult to pass this
examination if you do not attend ALL lectures and collect the PowerPoints relating to
the lectures. Registry will announce the time and date of the examination during or
shortly after the Easter recess. You will be contacted directly by the Registry.
RECOMMENDED READING
The following book-length references are particularly useful but general sources which
provide introductory reading across the broad concerns of the module. More specific
reading suggestions are identified under particular lecture and seminar topics listed
below.
Please try to (at least) dip into the following:
Nick Davies (2014) Hack Attack: How the Truth caught up with Rupert Murdoch London:
Vintage Publishing
Franklin, B. (2013) The Future of Journalism; Developments and Debates, Routledge,
Taylor and Francis, London. Alternatively, see the special issues of Journalism Studies
vol 13 no 5 and Journalism Practice vol 6 no 5
Franklin, B. et al (2005) Key Concepts in Journalism Studies London: Sage
The Leveson Inquiry (2011) http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/ the Report is available at
http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/about/the-report/
Peters, C and Broersma, M. (2012) Rethinking Journalism London: Routledge
Ryfe, D.M. (2012) Can Journalism Survive? An inside look at American Newsrooms
Cambridge: Polity
See also the books listed below which provide further high quality and interesting
introductions to the field of journalism studies.
Allan, S (Ed) (2010) News and Journalism Revised edition, London: Routledge
Conboy, M (2012) Journalism Studies; The Basics London: Routledge
Harcup, T. (2009) Journalism: Principles and Practice London: Sage, 2nd Edition
Hoyer, S. and Pottker, H. (2005) Diffusion of the News Paradigm 1850-2000 Gothenburg:
Nordicom
Lee-Wright, P. Phillips, A. and Witschge, T. (2011) Changing Journalism London:
Routledge
Sheridan Burns, L. (2013) Understanding Journalism second edition, Sage; Los Angeles
Wahl Jorgensen, K. and Hanitzsch, T. (2008) Handbook of Journalism Studies ICA
Handbook Series
Read the Press
The media provide an important source of information about issues arising on the
module. Reading newspapers, listening to the radio, watching television and
exploring/discovering online sources will be an essential part of your work.
You will also find a number of academic journals particularly useful: journals deliver
more “cutting edge” materials than book length studies. Be sure to view new issues
of British Journalism Review, Digital Journalism, Journalism Practice, Journalism
Studies, Journalism: Theory, Practice and Criticism, Media, Culture and Society and
European Journal of Communication (all available in the Library). Most journals are
available online and easily accessible. Take advantage of this ready access and read
them at your convenience.
UNDERSTANDING JOURNALISM STUDIES - LECTURE OUTLINE
This module explores key theoretical approaches to the study of journalism, analyses
significant debates about recent trends in journalism and examines some of the central
concerns of journalists’ reporting activities.
WHO are the journalists? Image and reality of the profession of journalism.
(1)
Journalists at the Movies: Crusaders or Propagandists? - Images of Journalism in
Creative Writing and Film
26th January 2015
(2)
Journalism and Diversity: A “horribly white” profession - with too few women!
2nd February 2015
WHAT is Journalism?
Theory and Debates
(3)
What is Journalism? Contested Meanings and Interpretive Communities.
9th February 2015
(4)
“Lousy Journalism Reflects Lousy Structures?” Political Economy, Organisational
and Culturalist approaches to the study of Journalism.
16th February 2015
Issues and Debates
(5)
Spin and Political Journalism: What is Politics Doing to Our Media?
23rd February 2015
(6)
Reporting (and creating?) the ‘Fog of War’: Truth, Censorship and Embedded
Journalists
2nd March 2015
(7)
Newszak or News? The ‘Dumbing Down’ Debate.
9th March 2015
(8)
News in the Round or “Flat Earth News?” Journalism, Sources and Public Relations
16th March 2015
WHEN?
(9)
The Origins of Journalism: The News Paradigm, News values and News Writing
9th March 2015
HOW?
(10)
How is a sustainable, democratic and digital journalism to be funded?
20th April 2015
NB*
This final lecture will also include a REVISION SESSION devoted to a reprise of the major
concerns of the module.
READING
The reading below provides supportive materials to complement and develop further,
the themes raised in the lectures. The reading suggestions below each lecture are
divided into ‘essential’ and ‘general’ categories – please be sure to read the essential
references.
The Seminar programme follows the Lecture programme and offers further reading, but
this time more closely focused on the particular seminar topic. But you will find it useful
to read materials from both listings.
(1)
Journalism at the Movies: Crusaders or Propagandists? – Images of Journalism
in Creative Writing and Film – 26th January 2015
Essential
Aldridge, M. (1998) “The Tentative Hell-Raisers: Identity and Mythology In Contemporary
UK Press Journalism” in Media Culture and Society, Vol 20 No 1 January, pp109-129
Brennan, B. (2003) “Sweat not Melodrama: Reading the structure of feeling in All the
President’s Men” in Journalism vol 4 no 1 pp 113-131
Cozma, R and Hamilton, J. (2009) “Film Portrayals of Foreign Correspondents: A content
analysis of Movies before WWII and after Vietnam” in Journalism Studies vol 10 no 4
Ehrlich, M (1997) “Journalism in the Movies” Critical Studies in Mass Communication, Vol.
14, pp 267-281.
McNair, B (2010) Journalists in Film: Heroes and Villains Edinburgh: Edinburgh University
Press. Also read McNair’s regular film reviews about journalism in every issue of Journalism
Practice since vol 5 no 3.
General
Ehrlich, M (2004) Journalism in the Movies Champaign: University of Illinois
French, P. and Rossell, D. (1991) The Press: Observed And Projected London: National Film
Theatre Dossier no 6
Hanson, C. Picard, R. and McMasters, P. (2004) Essays on the Jayson Blair affair in
Journalism Studies vol 5 no 3 pp399-409
Lasorsa, D. and Dai, J (2007) “Newsroom’s Normal Accident? An exploratory study of 10
cases of journalistic deception” in Journalism Practice vol 1 no 2 pp159-174
Orwell, G (1957) “Politics and the English Language” in Inside the Whale and Other Essays
London: Penguin, pp 143-159
Sabin, R. (2011) ‘The Wire; Dramatising the crisis in journalism’ in Journalism Studies vol
12 no 2 pp139-155
Wesker, A. (1979) The Journalists
(2)
Journalism and Diversity: A “horribly white” profession with too few women? –
2nd February 2015
Essential
Cochrane, K. (2011) “Why are there so few Women?” Guardian G2 5 December 2011, pp6-9
Hanitzsch, T. and Hanusch, F. (2012) “Does Gender Determine Journalists’ Professional
Views?” in European Journal of Communication, vol 27 no 3 pp257-77
Lonsdale, S (2013) “We Agreed that Women were A Nuisance in the Office Anyway: The
Portrayal of Women in early 20th Century Fiction” in Journalism Studies vol 14 no 4
pp461-75
Ross, K (2001) “Women at work: Journalism as En-Gendered Practice” in Journalism
Studies vol 2 no 4, pp 531-44
Ross, Karen, and Cynthia Carter (2011) “Women and News: A Long Winding Road.”
Media, Culture & Society 33 (8):1148-1165.
Women in Journalism (2012) Report on the prominence of male reporters on the front
pages of the national press
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/oct/14/sexist-stereotypes-front-pages-newspapers
General
Ainley, B. (1998) Black Journalists, White Media Trentham Books, Stoke on Trent
Chambers, D. Steiner, L and Fleming, C (2004) Women and Journalism London: Routledge
Edstrom, M and Ladendorf, M (2012) “Freelance Journalists as A Flexible Workforce in
Media Industries” in Journalism Practice vol 7 nos 5-6
Len-Rios, Maria E., Shelly Rodgers, Esther Thorson, and Doyle Yoon. 2005. “Representation
of Women in News and Photos: Comparing Content to Perceptions.” Journal of
Communication 55 (1):152-168.
Lofgren Nilsson, M (2010) “Thinkings and Doings of Gender: Gendering processes in
Swedish television News Production” in Journalism Practice 4 (1) pp 1-17
Peters, B. (2001) Equality and Quality: Setting Standards for Women in Journalism IFJ
Survey and Report http://www.ifj.org/assets/docs/321/007/a61e5e7-2c52b07.pdf
Ross, K (2005) “Women in the Boyzone: Gender, News and Herstory” in Allan, S (Ed)
Journalism: Critical Issues London: OUP pp287-99
Society of Editors (2004) Diversity in the Newsroom: Employment of Minority Ethnic
Journalists in newspapers Cambridge: Society of editors
Tuchman, Gaye (1978) “The Symbolic Annihilation of Women by the Mass Media.” In Hearth
and Home: Images of Women in the Mass Media, edited by Gaye Tuchman, Arlene Kaplan
Daniels and James Benet, 3-38 New York: Oxford University Press.
Weaver, D. H. (2005) “Who Are Journalists?” in de Burgh (Ed) Making Journalists London:
Routledge, pp44-58
(3)
What is Journalism? Contested meanings and Interpretive Communities – 9th
February 2015
The question ‘WHO is a journalist?’ is increasingly being replaced by ‘WHAT is a journalist?’
and WHAT is Journalism? in the age of machine written news!!! Be sure to read (and enjoy)
van Dalen’s essay - Van Dalen, A. (2012) “The Algorithms behind the Headlines: How
machine-written news redefines the core skills of human journalists” in Journalism
Practice vol 7 nos 5-6, pp648-658.
Essential
Franklin, B. (2013) “Launch Editorial” in Digital Journalism vol 1 no 1
Shapiro, I. (2014) “Why Democracies need a Functional Definition of Journalism now
more than ever” in Journalism Studies vol 15(5)
Vos, T. (2011) “A Mirror of the Times”; A history of the mirror metaphor in journalism’
in Journalism Studies vol 12 no 5, pp575-590
Zelizer, B (2004) Taking Journalism Seriously: News and the Academy London: Sage
General
Chalaby, J. (1996) “Journalism as an Anglo-American Invention” in European Journal of
Communication Vol. 11 no 3, pp303-26
Conboy, M (2012) Journalism Studies; the Basics London: Routledge
Conboy, M. (2004) Journalism: A Critical History London: Sage
Franklin, B. et al (2005) Key Concepts in Journalism Studies London: Sage
Franklin, B. (2006) Local Journalism and Local Media; Making the Local News London:
Routledge
Kovach, B. and Rosenstiel, T. (2001) Elements of Journalism London: Atlantic
McNair B (2005) “What is Journalism?” in de Burgh Making Journalists London:
Routledge, pp 25-43
Shapiro, I. (2010) “Evaluating Journalism: Towards an assessment framework for the
practice of Journalism” in Journalism Practice 4 (2)
(4)
Organisational, Political Economy and Culturalist approaches to the study of
Journalism – 16th February 2015
Essential
Herman, E.S. (2000) “The Propaganda Model revisited” Journalism Studies, vol. 1 no1
pp101-113
McChesney, R. W. (2003) “The Problem of Journalism: A Political Economic Contribution
to an Explanation of the Crisis in Contemporary U.S. Journalism” in Journalism Studies,
vol 4 no 3
General
Croteau, D and Haynes, W. (2006) The Business of Media: Corporate media and the public
interest Pine Forge, USA
Curran, J. (1990) “Culturalist Perspectives of News Organisations: A Reappraisal and A Case
Study” in Ferguson, M. (Ed) Public Communications; The New Imperatives, Sage, London,
pp114-134.
Goss, M. (2009) “’The Left-Media’s Stranglehold’: Flak and accuracy in media reports 20078” in Journalism Studies vol 10 no 4.
Hackett, R. A and Uzelman, S (2003) “Tracing Corporate Influences on Press Content: A
Summary of Recent NewsWatch Canada Research” in Journalism Studies vol 4 no 3 pp 331346
Hall, S et al (1978) Policing the Crisis London: Macmillan
Harcup, T and O’Neill, D (2001) “What Is News?” in Journalism Studies vol 2 no 2 pp261281
Vujnovic, M. et al (2010) Exploring the Political Economic Factors of Participatory
Journalism; Views of Online journalists in 10 Countries” in Journalism Practice 4 (3)
pp285-96
(5)
Spin and Political Journalism: What is Politics Doing To Our Media? 23rd
February 2015
Essential
Bakker, P. Broertjes, P. van Liempt, A. Prinzing, M. and Smit, G (2013) “This is Not What
We Agreed; Negotiating interview conditions in Germany and the Netherlands” in
Journalism Practice vol 7 no 4, pp 396-412.
Blair, T. (2007) Speech about his relations with the news media delivered at the Reuters
Oxford International Institute for Journalism June
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6744581.stm
Davies, N. (2014) Hack Attack; How the truth caught up with Rupert Murdoch London:
Chatto and Windus
Franklin, B. (2003) “A Good Day To Bury Bad News: Journalists, Sources and the
Packaging of Politics” in Cottle, S (Ed) News, Power and Public Relations London: Sage
Wheeler, M. (2012) “The Democratic Worth of Celebrity Politics in an Era of late
Modernity” in The British Journal of Politics and International Relations vol 14 no 3,
pp407-422
General
Campbell, A. (2007) The Blair Years London: Hutchinson
Franklin, B (2004) Packaging Politics: Political Communication in Britain’s Media
Democracy, 2nd Edition London: Hodder,
Lloyd, J (2004) What The Media Are Doing To Our Politics London: Constable and
Robinson
Oborne, P and Walters, S. (2004) Alastair Campbell London: Aurum Press
Price, L (2005) The Spin Doctor’s Diary; Inside No 10 with new Labour London: Hodder
and Stoughton.
Schudson, M. (2008) Why Democracies need An Unlovable Press Cambridge: Polity Press
Verweij, P. (2012) “Twitter links between Politicians and Journalists” in Journalism
Practice vol 7 nos 5-6
(6)
Reporting (and creating?) the ‘Fog of War’: Truth, Censorship and Embedded
Journalists
2nd March 2015.
Essential
Allan, S. and Matheson, D. (2009) Digital War Reporting Cambridge: Polity Press
Hänska-Ahy, M. and Shapour, R. (2013) “Who’s Reporting the Protests? Converging
practices of citizen journalists and two BBC World Service newsrooms, from Iran’s
election protests to the Arab uprisings” in Journalism Studies vol 14 no 1
Hall, J. (2000) “The First Web War: Bad things happen in unimportant places” in
Journalism Studies vol 1 no 3 pp387-404
Knightley, P. (1975) The First Casualty: the war correspondent as hero and myth maker
from the Crimea to Kosovo London: Andre Deutsch
Philo, G. and Berry, M. (2004) Bad News From Israel London: Pluto
General
Bell, M. (1998) “The Journalism of Attachment” in Kieran, M (Ed) Media Ethics London:
Routledge
de Bens, E. Hauttekeete, l. and Lagast, H (2002) “Disinformation in Coverage of the
Kosovo War in the Flemish Daily Press” in Journalism Studies vol 3 no 2 pp241-56
Fahmy, Shahira. 2007. “They Took It Down”: Exploring Determinants of Visual Reporting
in the Toppling of the Saddam Statue in National and International Newspapers.” Mass
Communication & Society no. 10 (2):143-170.
Hammond, P. (2000) “Reporting ‘Humanitarian’ Warfare: propaganda, moralism and
NATO’s Kosovo War” in Journalism Studies vol 1 no 3 pp365-386
Keeble, R.L. and Mair, J. (2010) Afghanistan War and the Media: Deadlines and
Frontlines London: Abramis
Lewis, J. et al (2004) Too Close For Comfort? The role of embedded reporting during
the 2003 Iraq war Cardiff: Cardiff University
Miller, D. (2003) Tell Me Lies: Propaganda and Media Distortion in the Attack on Iraq
London Pluto
Philo, G. (2002) “Television News and Audience Understanding of War, Conflict and
Disaster” in Journalism Studies vol 3 no 2 pp173-186
Rampton, S. and Stauber, J. (2003) Weapons of Mass Deception London: Robinson
Robinson, P. et al (2010) Pockets of resistance; British news media, war and theory in
the 2003 invasion of Iraq Manchester: Manchester University Press
(7)
News or Newszak? The ‘Dumbing Down’ Debate
9th March 2015
Essential
Conboy, M (2006) Tabloid Britain London; Routledge
Franklin, B. (2008) “Newszak: Entertainment versus News and Information” in Biressi, A.
and Nunn, H. (Eds) The Tabloid Culture Reader Maidenhead: Open University
Press/McGraw-Hill
Nguyen, A. (2012) “The effect of ‘Soft News’ on Public Attachment to the news: Is
‘infotainment’ good for democracy?” in Journalism Studies vol 13, nos 5-6, pp706-717
Sparks, C. and Tulloch J. (2000) Tabloid Tales: Global Debates Over Media Standards
Lanham, MD: Rownan and Littlefield
General
Barnett, S. Ramsey, G and Gaber I. (2012) From Callaghan to Credit Crunch: Changing
trends in British TV News 1975-2009
http://www.westminster.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/124785/From-Callaghan-ToCredit-Crunch-Final-Report.pdf
Cole, P. (2008) “Compact Editions” in Franklin, B. (Ed) Pulling Newspapers Apart:
Analysing Print Journalism London: Routledge pp183-191
Costera Meijer, I. (2001) “The Public Quality of Popular Journalism: Developing a
Normative Framework” in Journalism Studies vol 2 no 2 May, pp189-206
Djerf Pierre, M. (2000) “Squaring the Circle: Public Service and Commercial News on
Swedish television 1956-99 in Journalism Studies vol. 1 no 2 pp239-61
Franklin, B. (1997) Newszak and News Media London: Arnold
Harrington, S. (2010) “”Reciprocal Journalism: Breakfast news, Sunrise and the
televisual sphere” in Journalism Studies 11 (2)
Langer, J. (1997) Tabloid Journalism Routledge, London
Ornebring, H (2006) “The Maiden Tribute and the Naming of Monsters: Two case studies of
tabloid journalism and the public sphere” in Journalism Studies vol 7 no 6 pp851-68
Thussu, D (2008) News As Entertainment London: Sage
Winston, B (2002) “The Tabloidization of Television 1975-2001” in Journalism Studies vol 3
no1 Feb pp1-24
(8) News in the Round or Flat Earth News? Journalism, Public Relations and News
Sources – 16th March 2015
Essential
Davies, N. (2008) Flat Earth News London: Chatto and Windus
Franklin, B. (2011) “Sources, Credibility and The Continuing Crisis of UK Journalism” in
Franklin, B and Carlson, M (Eds) Journalism, Sources and Credibility; New Perspectives
New York and London: Routledge pp90-106
O’Neill, D. and O’Connor, C (2008) “The Passive Journalist; How Sources dominate local
news” in Journalism Practice vol 2 no 3 pp 487-500
General
Broersma, M. den Herder, B. and Schohaus, B. (2013) “A Question of Power
The changing dynamics between journalists and sources” in Journalism Practice, vol 7 no
4, pp 388-395.
Davis, A (2008) “Public Relations in the News” in Franklin, B. (Ed) Pulling Newspapers
Apart: Analysing print journalism London: Routledge pp272-281
Manning, P. (2008) “The Press Association and News Agency Sources” in Franklin, B. (Ed)
Pulling Newspapers Apart: Analysing print journalism London: Routledge pp262-271
Miller, D and Dinan, W (2007) A Century of Spin: How Public Relations Became the
Cutting Edge of Corporate Power London: Pluto
Phillips, A. (2010) “Transparency and the New Ethics of Journalism” in Journalism
Practice 4 (3) pp373-81
Vis, F. (2013) “Twitter as a Reporting Tool for Breaking News: Journalists Tweeting the
2011 UK Riots” in Digital Journalism Vol 1 no 1 pp27-47,
WHEN?
(9)
The News Paradigm: News Values, News Writing and the Origins of Journalism
– 23rd March 2015
Essential
Atwood, R. and de Beer, A. (2001) “The Roots of Academic News Research: Tobias
Peucer’s De Relationibus Novellis (1690)” in Journalism Studies vol 2 no 4 pp469-484
Harcup, T. and O’Neill, D. (20011) “What is News? Galtung and Ruge revisited” in
Journalism Studies vol 2 no 2 pp261-80
Pottker, H (2003) “News and its Communicative Quality: The inverted pyramid – when
and why did it appear?” in Journalism Studies vol 4 no 4, pp501-512
General
Journalism Studies vol 7 no 3 June 2006, is a special issue devoted to the history of
journalism in the UK with articles discussing press coverage of public executions, the
history of local sports journalism and the contribution of the pioneering journalist and
editor W.T. Stead to the development of journalism in the UK.
Barnhurst, K and Nerone, J (2003) “US Newspaper Types, the Newsroom and the division
of Labour 1750-2000 in Journalism Studies vol 4 no 4 pp435-450
Chalaby, Jean K. (1998) The Invention of Journalism Basingstoke: Macmillan
Galtung J and Ruge, M. (1965) “Structuring and Selecting News” in Cohen S. and Young J
(Eds) The Manufacture of News: Social Problems, Deviance and the News Media London:
Constable pp62-72
Hampton, M (2005) Visions of the Press in Britain 1850-1950 Urbana: University of Illinois
Høyer, S (2003) “Newspapers Without Journalists” in Journalism Studies vol 4 no 4,
pp451-464
WHERE?
(10)
Virtually Homeless and Broke? The emergence of Online Journalism, new
Business Models and the Disappearing Newsroom? 20th April 2015
Essential
Picard, R (2014) “Twilight or New Dawn of Journalism? Evidence from the changing news
ecosystem” in Digital Journalism Vol 2 no 3
Zhang, I (2012) “The Newsroom of the Future; Newsroom Convergence Models in China”
in Journalism Practice vol 7 nos 5-6
General
Aitamurto, T. (2011) ‘The Impact of Crowdfunding on Journalism; A case study of
Spot.US, a platform for community funded reporting’ in Journalism Practice, vol 5 no 4
pp429-445
Brennen, B. and Dela Cerna, E. (2010) “Journalism in Second Life” in Journalism Studies
11 (4) pp546-554
Chyi, I and Chadha, M (2012) “News on new devices: Is multi-platform news consumption
a reality?” in Journalism Practice vol 6 no 4 pp 431-49
Dick, M (2011) ‘Search Engine Optimisation in UK News Production’ in Journalism
Practice vol 5 no 4, pp 462-478
Hermida, A. (2013) “#Journalism; Reconfiguring Journalism Research One tweet at a
Time” in Digital Journalism vol 1 no 3 Available online
Lasorsa, D. et al (2012) “Normalising Twitter: Journalism practice in an emerging
communication space” in Journalism Studies vol 13 no 1 pp19-36
Lynch, L (2013) “WikiLeaks After Megaleaks: How the leaking organization has affected
journalism and journalism studies” in Digital Journalism vol 1 no 3, available online just
Google or go to Routledge, Taylor and Francis online
Pavlik, J. (2013) “Innovation and the Future of Journalism” in Digital Journalism vol 1 no
2, pp 181-193
The Seminar Programme
(1) Seminars are scheduled for Mondays and Tuesdays but there are NO seminars in
Week 1 beginning 26th January 2015 - But be sure to enrol for a seminar
Group by signing up online. If uncertain, see Cerys Parker in the JOMEC
Office in Bute Building
READING suggestions for seminars will be limited to key texts but one or
two texts will be marked ESSENTIAL and should be read by EVERYONE. You can find
further reading suggestions for each topic by flicking back to appropriate lectures
and revisiting reading listed there.
(2) Week beginning Monday 2nd February 2015 – Introductory and organisational
meeting, which will be used to allocate seminar presentations across the semester.
(3) Week beginning 9th February 2015
“The public… hold fast to an image of us [journalists] as scheming, conniving, spinning,
sneering beasts who would happily exchange our souls for a page lead and throw our
grandmothers into the bargain for good measure. It may not be the image we have of
ourselves, but the unpalatable fact remains that we, along with politicians, always take
the bottom two slots when it comes to polls of untrustworthy organisations”. (Editorial
in Press Gazette 17 October 2003, p14).
Why is public opinion so critical of journalists and journalism? Is this public image
deserved? Why is this image so at odds with images of journalists in film and creative
writing – or is it? Illustrate your arguments with examples with particular reference to
the Leveson Inquiry.
Key Reading: - “What Jayson Blair and Janet Cooke say about the Press and the Erosion
of Public Trust” by Maggie Patterson and Steve Urbanski in Journalism Studies vol 7 no 6
December 2006.
Stamina will be rewarded if you read Nick Davies’ definitive account of ‘Hackgate’ in his
new book Hack Attack; How the truth caught up with Rupert Murdoch
Be sure to look at some of the evidence and debates that form part of the Leveson
Inquiry – there’s much food for thought here: http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/
Or maybe this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq1GOxONVns
(4) Week beginning 16th February 2015
Critically evaluate Ross’ (2001) assertion that “journalism is an en-gendered practice”
and that an increased presence of women in decision making positions in news rooms
would have a “positive impact on developing a more woman friendly news agenda”.
Key Reading: Ross, K (2001) “Women at work: Journalism as En-Gendered Practice” in
Journalism Studies vol 2 no 4, pp 531-44
Women in Journalism (2012) Report on the prominence of male reporters on the front
pages of the national press
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/oct/14/sexist-stereotypes-front-pages-newspapers
(5) Week beginning 23rd February 2015
McChesney argues that “the reasons for lousy journalism stem not from morally bankrupt
or untalented journalists, but from a structure that makes such journalism the rational
result of its operations”. How convincing do you find McChesney’s political economic
analysis of contemporary American journalism? Critically evaluate the contribution of
political economy theorists to the study of journalism and news making.
Key Reading: McChesney, R. W. (2003) “The Problem of Journalism: A Political
Economic Contribution to an Explanation of the Crisis in Contemporary U.S. Journalism”
in Journalism Studies, vol 4 no 3
Bakker, P (2012) “Aggregation, Content Farms and Huffinization: The rise of low-pay and
no-pay journalism” in Journalism Practice vol 7 nos 5-6
Take a quick look at McChesney talking about his book Rich Media, Poor Democracy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfRXaORNSK8&feature=related
(6) Week beginning 2nd March 2015
Is it the “packaging of Politics” (Franklin 2004) or the existence of cynical journalists
operating in a “parallel universe” (Lloyd 2003), which is corroding public trust in
politicians and encouraging civic disengagement in the UK?
Follow this link for a discussion of the role of news in democracies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MePB_4xRu8
Key Reading: Blair, T. (2007) Speech to the Reuters Oxford International Institute for
Journalism 12th June http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6744581.stm
Franklin, B. (2003) “A Good Day To Bury Bad News: Journalists, Sources and the
Packaging of Politics” in Cottle, S (Ed) News, Power and Public Relations London: Sage
(7) Week Beginning 9th March 2015
Journalist Phillip Knightley claimed in his classic study of war reporting that “truth is the
first casualty” of war. Do you agree and, if so, what factors bring about the demise of
“truthful” coverage of war?
Take a brief look at John Pilger’s film –The War you Don’t See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ah20IAyYxg
Key Reading: Allan, S. and Matheson, D. (2009) Digital War Reporting Cambridge: Polity
Press
Philo, G and Berry, M (2004) Bad News From Israel London: Pluto
Ottosen, R (2012) “WikiLeaks: Ethical Minefield or a democratic Revolution in
Journalism? A case study of the impact on Afghanistan coverage in the Norwegian Daily
Aftenposten” Journalism Practice vol 7 nos 5-6
(8) Week beginning 16th March 2015
Does the appearance of compact and Berliner editions of UK “Broadsheet” newspapers
signal a growing homogenisation or McDonaldisation (McJournalism) of the content and
design of news reports? Illustrate your answer with evidence and examples from
contemporary newspapers. Has the arrival of digital media and citizen journalism
reinforced such tendencies?
Key Reading: Franklin, B. (2005) “McJournalism, the McDonaldization Thesis and the
Local Press” in Allan S. (Ed) Journalism: Critical Issues Open University Press.
Cole, P. (2008) “Compacts” in Franklin, B. (Ed) Pulling Newspapers Apart; Analysing
Print Journalism London: Routledge chapter 15
(9) Week beginning 23rd March 2015
What are the implications of Flat Earth News for the independence and quality of UK
news journalism and the future of newspapers?
Key Reading: Franklin, B. (2011) “Sources, Credibility and The Continuing Crisis of UK
Journalism” in Franklin, B and Carlson, M (Eds) Journalism, Sources and Credibility; New
Perspectives New York and London: Routledge pp90-106
See and hear Davis’ own account; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsFXHCZkuJY
(10) Week beginning 20th April 2015
The major problem confronting journalism in an age of digital media is the need to
establish a business model to resource and sustain a viable and democratic journalism.
Discuss and compare the various proposals for funding the future of journalism.
Take five minutes to hear Clay Shirky’s views on the value of journalism:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIEieyFcNAw&feature=related
For a classic dystopic view of the unravelling of new media technology in a corporate
world, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQDBhg60UNI
Key Reading:
Picard, R (2014) “Twilight or New Dawn of Journalism? Evidence from the changing news
ecosystem” in Digital Journalism Vol 2 no 3
Myllylahti, M. (2014) “Newspaper paywalls: The Hype and the Reality” in Digital
Journalism vol 2 no 2 - Already available online
TUTORS may convene a final Seminar (week beginning 27th April 2015) to discuss
revision for the examination
Seminar sessions will be focused on revision queries and discussion
Bob Franklin
Bob Franklin
January 2015