Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Media, Politics and the
Environment 1: News
Media, Politics and the
Environment
Week 4
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Environmental journalism
Exploring risks and hazards
 Translating complex scientific issues into simple language and
STORIES
 Using varied sources: scientists, policy makers, NGOs, business,
consumers, involved (e.g., local) people, the general public
 Major issue areas for environmental journalism today:
 Climate change
 Sweet water shortage
 Environmental justice
 Population
 Biodiversity
(Source: Bob Wyss: Covering the Environment. How Journalists Work
the Green Beat. Routledge, 2008.)
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Environmental journalism:
history
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From 1960s: a few news organizations
1400 environmental journalists in the US today
7500 journalists in the world say they cover the
environment (IFEJ, 2001)
Many are part time environmental journalists at
smaller scale media (also cover other issues)
Origins: outdoor adventure and nature writing
Environmental journalism in the mainstream: a)
separate “environmental stories” b) as part or
aspect of any story
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
News journalism: story genres
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Straight news account: No dominant narrative frame other
than outlining the basic who, what, when where, why and how
Conflict Story: A focus on conflict inherent to the situation or
brewing among the players
Consensus Story: An emphasis on the points of agreement
around an issue or event
Conjecture Story: A focus around speculation of what is to
come
Process Story: An explanation of the process of something or
how something works
List continued....
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
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Historical Outlook: How the current news fits into history
Horse Race: Who is winning and who is losing
Personality Profile: A profile of the newsmaker
Trend Story: The news as an ongoing trend
Policy Explored: A focus on exploring policy and its impact 12%
Reaction Story: A response or reaction from one of the major
players
Wrongdoing Exposed: The uncovering of wrongdoing or injustice
Personality Profile: A profile of the newsmaker
Source: FRAMING THE NEWS. The Triggers, Frames, and
Messages in Newspaper Coverage. (Content analysis of first page
stories in US newspapers). http://www.journalism.org/node/445
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Frequency of genres
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Combative genres: Three genres -- conflict,
winners and losers and revealing wrongdoing
-- accounted for 30% of all stories.
Straight news accounts: 16%-Explanatory stories (how things work, how
they fit into larger trends, or historical context)
12% of all stories.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Objectivity: The search for
truth
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“Everyone agrees that journalists must tell
the truth, but people are befuddled by that the
truth means.” Kovach and Rosenstiel:
Elements of Journalism
Truth: differences in science, religion and
journalism
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
When a scientist says something is
true, what does he or she mean?
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Achieved through a process of observation;
followed by theory building to account for
observations.
Scientific theories can be tested and verified.
Two scientists performing the same
experiment should achieve the same results.
Would two journalists write the same story
the same way?
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Scientific truth
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Four steps of scientific methods:
1. theory and hypothesis
2. empirical observations, experiments and
calculations to test hypothesis
3. original hypothesis is either accepted or
rejected
4. original theory could be modified
Others can repeat the experiment
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Religious truth
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Religious truth: Revealed to men and women
in divine contacts and passed to generations
in sacred traditions (texts and rituals)
Usually cannot be tested or verified
Must be accepted as a matter of faith
Exceptions: meditative practices (e.g., in
Buddhism) that can be seen as ‘technologies
of mind’, or tests.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Journalistic truth
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Largely based on reporting what someone
has said: it is taken on belief that it is true, but
should be verified.
Sometimes based on what the reporter has
seen and experienced first hand.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
What is Truth?
Three kinds of truth:
Scientific
truth
Based on
experiment
and observations,
which are tested
repeatedly. Can and
should be verified.
Journalistic
truth
Based on what
someone has
said or seen.
Sometimes
cannot be
verified.
Religious
truth
Belief and
faith.
Usually
cannot
be verified.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Are eyewitness accounts the
answer?
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Psychologists point out that seeing is not
always believing.
Confirmation bias: we tend to seek and
recollect facts according to our pre-existing
ideas.
Information that runs counter to our ideas
tends to be discounted.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Towards the journalistic method:
“I made it a principle not to write down the first story
that came down my way, and not even to be guided by
my own general impressions; either I was present myself
at the events which I have described, or else I heard of them
from eyewitnesses whose reports I have checked with as
much thoroughness as possible. Not that even so the truth
was easy to discover: different eyewitnesses gave different
accounts of the same events, speaking out of partiality for
one side or the other, or else from imperfect memories.”
The Greek historian Thucydides (5 BC) describing
his method
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
1. Accuracy: getting facts right
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A basic principle of journalism, but the one
that is missed the most often due to time
pressures, carelessness or ignorance.
Accuracy involves checking everything from
the spelling of names and facts, to getting
quotes accurately.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
2. Verification of facts
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Are the statements and facts reported, both
accurate and true?
“In the end, the discipline of verification is
what separates journalism from
entertainment, propaganda, fiction or art.”
Kovach and Rosenstiel
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Arriving at a reasonably reliable version
of the truth takes time
Arriving at a reasonably accurate account of any
event is a process that could take several days,
weeks or longer
-Initially, journalists get the facts down accurately as
stated by people
-Next, they verify these facts, if not the same day, the
next day
-If there are inconsistencies, journalists should keep
checking and verifying and looking for new facts
until they feel you a have a complete story
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
3. Journalists should
acknowledge their own
preconceived notions
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Actively look for information that counters
what you believe
If after making an honest effort you cannot
find such information, you can be a little bit
more confident in your story
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
The importance of good editors
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Editors play an extremely important role in erifying
and checking the integrity of a story: a reporter
cannot do this alone.
Editors should go through stories line by line
checking facts as well as assertions. E.g., if a story
reads “according to sources” editors should check.
Who are the sources? How many are there? Is it just
one? Are there enough sources?
Editors can help remove the reporters unconscious
biases
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Techniques to improve
accuracy
The San Jose Mercury News accuracy checklist:
- Is the lead sufficient supported?
- Has someone double checked names, titles, web
addresses etc in a story?
- Are all the stakeholders in a story identified,
contacted and given a chance to comment?
- Does the story pick sides and make subtle value
judgements?
- Are the quotes accurate and capture what the person
wanted to say
- Is anything missing?
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
The importance of method
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Journalism needs to develop a set of objective,
transparent techniques and methods for news
reporting.
Reporters should make clear where information
comes from.
After a story is published, editors should consider
checking with the subjects of the story what they
think about it.
This will also help reassure the public about the
credibility of the press.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
The importance of attitude
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Humility: reporters can only ever know a
small part of the truth. They should be willing
to acknowledge this.
An awareness of his or her own biases.
Intellectual honesty.
Objective and transparent methods.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Journalistic dishonesty
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The most common form of intellectual
dishonesty : "journalists who select sources
to express what is really their own point of
view, and then use a neutral voice to make it
seem objective are engaged in a form of
deception.” ~ “The Elements of Journalism”
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
The meaning of objectivity in
journalism
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The word objectivity is misused to indicate
neutrality, or balance. In practice, this is not
fully possible.
What journalists need to do, is use methods
of information gathering and reporting that
are objective and transparent (easily
understandable by the public).
Objectivity as a method: a procedural
approach.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Criticisms of objectivity
1.
2.
3.
‘Sources rulez’: journalists rely on the prominent
and elite as their translators or mediators.
Objectivity against independent thinking, creativity,
imagination, critical perspectives; just a technique
by journalists=disinterested spectators.
Objective journalists claim they just report and are
not responsible for creating news. Objective
journalists are amoral.
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Alternatives to objectivity
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Advocacy journalism (advocating issues, topics,
frames, agenda, purpose, argument)
Investigative journalism (independent research,
in-deep, long projects to uncover hidden facts;
often involves conflict with economic or political
power holders)
Interpretive journalism (causal analysis,
explaining meaning)
Partisan journalism (serving a political party or
group)
Public journalism (“news bottom up”: focus on
local community members and involving them
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Alternatives to objectivity
cont-d
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Literary journalism (mixing journalism with
literature as an art form) Peter Hessler
Gonzo journalism (subjective journalism,
“first person”, “putting me, the journalist first”:
Hunter Thompson)
Development journalism (post-1960s,
moving out of post-colonial struggle to
support modernization in third world
countries, mobilize public, public service, etc)
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Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Objectivity and media
pluralism
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Media pluralism: on a competitive media
market, all forms of objective and other
(partisan, advocacy, literary, etc.) media may
survive
“Truth emerges” from accounts of competing
sources
Multiple segments of national media systems:
partisan, objective, advocacy, etc. media
Audience members may choose and oppose
different accounts
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