Week 6 Abstracts

Word Watch: Allegedly Innocent Suspects:  

This article drills in some of the points made by both Dr. Rodgers and professor Ed Weston in his pubic affairs reporting class. A discussion of what language to avoid when reporting on crime is always helpful because the errors are so common in rough copy and in final drafts that make it online or in print. I never really understood the distinction between “suspect” and “criminal” until this article so clearly illuminated it for me. I especially like the part where it states that suspects may not necessarily be the criminals sought for a crime, and the criminals may be lucky enough to never be a suspect in a crime they committed. Therefore, reporters must be extremely careful to make the distinction before submitting their copy.

I also like the point raised about using the word “allegedly.” The point is to think about who is doing the alleging and to attribute to that person whenever possible. If you don’t know who is alleging a fact, then you probably have more reporting to do before you can start writing your story.

 Abortion Distortions 

This article disproves arguments made by senators of opposing ideologies about the effect of Roe v. Wade on crime, suicide and deaths resulting from illegal abortions. Using statistics from the FBI, the authors show that claims by both sides are based on data that is either out of date or non-verifiable.

The lesson for journalists here is that when you talk to an “official” source, such as a U.S. Senator, don’t take any statistics or claims they spout off at face value. Ask the source, “How do you know?” Also, dig around for yourself, verify the stats with your own eyes. It is not our job as journalists to repeat whatever sources say without question. We must hold them accountable for the information they are trying to disseminate to the public. Remember, our first duty is to the reader.

 What the Mainstream Media Can Learn From Jon Stewart 

This article examines the success of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” a news satire program, and asks if mainstream journalists might be able to extrapolate some rules for success that might apply to more “objective” and “balanced” news. While no one says “The Daily Show” is a purely balanced program, some sources quoted in the article say that it is a more balanced presentation of news because it questions the politicians who say things instead of regurgitating their statements to the public. This technique is applied by other television newscasters as well, the article states, but their goal is truth telling, not humor. As these other newscasters have learned, I think what Jon Stewart has mastered is the art of exposing hypocrisy. usually by using video clips of politicians contradicting what they said in earlier clips. If regular journalists used such a powerful BS-meter, the public would benefit from the illumination.