What makes journalism different from other kinds of information? The first rule for a smart news consumer is this: always know what information “neighborhood” you’re in. This lecture explores the differences between news, propaganda, publicity, advertising, entertainment and raw information. Students begin work on an Information Grid that defines these “neighborhoods.” In the journalism neighborhood, a news consumer should always find three key values: verification, independence and accountability. But the lines on the grid are blurring, often by design, and it’s easy to be deceived as to what journalism is and who is a journalist.
Students leave this class with an understanding of what makes news "news", and how it differs from other types of media content.
Key Concepts Include:
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Information neighborhoods: The information that news consumers encounter can be divided into “neighborhoods” as a way to separate what’s reliable from what’s suspect. The most reliable information can be found in the Journalism neighborhood, whose three defining characteristics ─ Verification, Independence and Accountability ─ distinguish it from Advertising, Promotion/Publicity, Propaganda, Entertainment and Raw Information.
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Verification, Independence, Accountability (VIA): These are three characteristics that define journalism. How can you tell if information has been verified by an independent and accountable outlet?
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Blurred lines: One of the primary challenges news consumers face is the blurring of the lines that separate neighborhoods. When lines blur, as in native advertising, always look for VIA and try to identify the primary goal of the information provider.
Objectives of this Lesson:
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Identify and explain the characteristics of each of the five information neighborhoods.
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Describe the three traits that define journalism.
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Apply the three traits of journalism to a specific event or story.
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Evaluate the reliability of a piece of information using the characteristics taught in this lesson.
Lesson Vocabulary:
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Information Neighborhoods
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Verification, Independence, Accountability (VIA)
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Advertising
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Publicity
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Promotion
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Propaganda
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Entertainment
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Raw Information
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Journalism
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Blurred Lines
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