NDM: News Values

1) Come up with a news story from the last 12 months for each of the categories suggested by Harriss, Leiter and Johnson:

• Conflict

Syria conflict: Coalition strike 'kills 20 civilians near Raqqa'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37922167

• Progress

Donald Trump wins U.S. election in astonishing victory

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-victory-1.3842225

• Disaster

Italy earthquake: Why did no-one die in the latest disaster in Norcia?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37824821

• Consequence

Croydon tram: Seven dead and 50 injured after derailment

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-37919658

• Prominence

Cheryl Fernandez-Versini 'split from husband Jean-Bernard on secret second anniversary... as it's claimed he doesn't want a penny of her £20m fortune'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3393589/Cheryl-Fernandez-Versini-split-husband-Jean-Bernard-secret-second-anniversary.html

• Novelty

Remembrance Day: Paying tribute to the fallen

http://newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/3XJ8WL2eTTEoUlARvPzD9URK63tTnupDHYoqBNHgyUjGz

2) What example news story does the Factsheet use to illustrate Galtung and Ruge's News Values? Why is it an appropriate example of a news story likely to gain prominent coverage?

The example is the Guardian article "British servicewoman dies after Afghan bomb blast". It is an appropriate news story likely to gain prominence (importance) because it has cultural proximity to British people we see the soldier as one of our own and are therefore more likely to pay attention and notice the story when it comes on the news.  This type of news story is also considered to be more newsworthy as it is something we would normally hear which would make us want to listen to find out the details of how it happened.  

3) What is gatekeeping?
Gatekeeping is the process of filtering information prior to dissemination. The process is usually carried out by the editor. The process can be more than editors just choosing one story over another gatekeeping can also be used in reference to journalists selecting a certain line of questioning. In simple, gatekeeping is a way for news institutions to control the flow of information passed on to the audiences. 

4) What are the six ways bias can be created in news?

1. Bias through selection and omission  - Choose whether or not to use a specific story. Some details can be ignored others can be included to give readers or viewers a different opinion about the event reported. If news reports from a wide variety of sources are compared then this type of bias can be observed. 
2. Bias through placement - Where a story is place influences what we think of its importance.
3. Bias by headline - Must read part of the paper, can be misleading, conveying excitement when the story itself is not exciting and expressing approval or disapproval. 
4. Bias by photographs, captions and camera angles - Influence the public's perception of a person or event
5. Bias through use of names and titles - Often use labels and titles  to describe people,places and events.
6. Bias by choice of words - People can be influenced by use of positive and negative words and the newscasters tone when saying words. 

5) How have online sources such as Twitter, bloggers or Wikileaks changed the way news is selected and published?

These types of sites have changed the way that news is selected and published because these sites challenge the way that news institutions gatekeep the news. These sites all claim to be raw news sources bringing out transparency and freedom of speech which change things for news institutions because they have less control over what reaches the audience and what does not because there is more than one place nowadays for people to get the news  from.  

6) Give an example of a news story from the last 12 months that was reported as a result of online technology - Twitter, Wikileaks or similar.

‘It’s going to be a long hot summer’: Race activist’s warning after Hyde Park riots as police have all their leave CANCELLED and the Met issues photographs of four suspected ringleaders

Rioters and Police face off

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3701002/It-s-going-long-hot-summer-Race-activist-s-warning-Hyde-Park-riots-police-leave-CANCELLED-Met-issues-photographs-four-suspected-ringleaders.html

The riots were first shared & reposted etc on Twitter which is how Met Police became aware of it and acted on it. The newspapers only found out about the riots after they were diffused and by monitoring social media sites. 

https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2009/mar/05/twitter-socialnetworking1 - Death of Britan in the alps; first reported through a phono source on Twitter

7) Complete the task on the last page of the Factsheet regarding Sky News and Twitter:

• What does this reveal about how Sky views Twitter as a news source?

Sky news seems to view twitter as quite a trustworthy source of information as the death of the Briton in the Alps, the Buffalo plane crash, Lahore and the first photo of the Hudson River crash all came from Twitter and were trusted enough by Sky to be broadcast as part of their news bulletin

• What does it say about how news is being produced?

News is increasingly being produced by us the once passive receivers of news. We might be amateur journalists but we at a very fast rate producing and distributing the news via social media and similar means.  

• What role does the audience have in this process?

We are no longer just the receivers of news being produced by the major news conglomerates instead we are almost joining forces and together producing the news. Professional journalists filter through content from citizen journalists and are increasingly using it in their news bulletins.  

• Why might this be a problem for journalistic standards?

The role that journalists used to have in this world is no longer in terms of the production of news. The increased use of social media to spread news could be a problem for journalistic standards as the content wouldn't have passed through a gatekeeper and is not as censored. What we see on social media is the raw hard hitting news without a 'sugar coating'. The increased use of social media could also prove a problem to journalistic standards as news conglomerates aim to remain impartial but with the use of social media there is more of a open stance for people to share their views and values. Stories could become biased among other things. 

Final tasks

8) In your opinion, how has new and digital media technology changed Galtung and Ruge’s news values? 

I do not think NDM has completely changed Galtung and Ruge's news values but instead updated their values in line with the developments that NDM has brought. The news value of continuity looks at whether a story has already been defined as news. The value was previously adhered to by broadcasting houses attempting to be the first to break a piece of news. Though, with NDM this value has been updated because there is now more than one way to break the news; citizen journalists, news institutions etc.  For example, the closure of Parliment Square due to a mysterious white van wondering was first defined as news being broken by a citizen journalist on Twitter. 

9) How would you update them for 2016? Choose SIX of Galtung and Ruge's news values and say how each one has been affected by the growth of new and digital technology.


Immediacy - News institutions are no longer always the first ones to break a piece of news due to news breaking on Twitter and similar sites. 

Continuity - Update it by asking: Has the story already been defined as news in print, e - media or broadcast means?. News sources come from all different directions more than before and are shared, re posted etc you never know who you should really believe. 

Balance: Most news organizations have to remain impartial etc whereas with the growth of NDM and news breaking on Twitter and other social media there is more transparency  more room to share views and values. Update for 2016 by asking: Is the story(s) balanced by containing equal amount about death and survival but also does the story show both sides of the argument?

.Predictability: One broken news story updates are a given but there is more ways to do it. If a newspaper breaks it first they might have to wait till the following day issue to break an update but we expected something to come of the event so we can check it via social media etc.

Familiarity: Does it involve Britain physically?

Unambiguity: Are both sides of the story fairly being heard throughout the article. 

Negativity: Is it bad news or replaceable news? Is it harsh death punishments on one person and not the other?