It’s been several years now since I started writing a monthly column for Myaircheck.com.
My topic is radio news and sometimes I will delve into how a particular story was covered or I’ll take a broader look at broadcast journalism as a whole. This month’s column centred on how a story is approached. There’s something I call Nanny Journalism and one that’s been around a long time, Advocacy Journalism. I explain why avoiding them is important. If proper attributions aren’t given, the newscaster sounds like a mouthpiece for health advocates and police departments. We’re not in Public Relations, we’re in news!
If you’re interested in reading about it the full article is HERE.
An excellent article, Lisa. One of the things I used to be warned against as a newscaster and still hear constantly is the use of a quote first, then an attribution, once it’s already been established as “fact”. For example…”the world is ending tomorrow. That’s the warning from a group of scientists who’ve been watching the reproductive habits of African cockroaches.” Also, were you ever told not to use the phrase “have their way”? As in…”if health advocates have their way, we’ll all be eating McKale burgers…”? I wondered if it was just my background. And don’t get me started on “shots rang out” – the most over-used phrase in Toronto journalism this year. Do they ring? Really? Ever heard fireworks ring? Ahhh…this feels better. Thanks for being a great thought-starter as always. xo
Thanks Erin! That quote first, explain later approach makes me crazy. I don’t do it. I’ve never heard the one about “have their way” and that one doesn’t really get under my skin. Shots rang out? That makes me laugh. And laugh, and laugh, and laugh. It’s just a ridiculous crutch. And at the risk of someone who wrote it seeing this – a radio station in this market now has a stinger that opens their newscasts by saying “News is happening now. Right now!” Isn’t “now” enough? Or why not say “right now” in the first place? That kind of stuff makes me stupid. And if I hear one more news story end with “anyone with information is asked to call police” I’m going to go off the deep end. Ooops! Perhaps I already have. 😀