This week we read Brendan Nyhan's article titled Covering Facts Versus the 'Narrative'. In this article he discusses how reporters paint events as 'scandalous' instead of reporting on facts of the event. There seems to be a shift from reporting solely the facts of what is happening into making it a big show. As Nyhan points out, reporters are taking narratives (such as so-and-so is too aggressive, or too lenient) onto larger issues that are occurring. There are so many different ways to get news these days (TV, radio, newspaper, online, social media) that reporters need to draw people in. By putting these spins on stories, they can grab someone's attention. Social media gives reporters even more chances to do this. Reporters are no longer limited to just their presentations on TV, they can now posts things at all times during the day, and about things they would not normally talk about on air.
Social media gives reporters a larger audience (and more 'air time') to discuss their feelings on a story. They can also create new angles to stories that are not there. As Nyhan stated, reporters can relate things together that are not really related. Social media gives reporters easy access to people and stories all over the world. To stand out on social media, something has to be big and shocking. This gives reporters even more incentive to give more drama to a story. They want as many followers as possible; they want to beat the competition, so using one extreme (on either side) will get more shares, likes, and followers.
When looking at news stories (especially political ones), look at all the actual information and try to see past the 'scandalous' story lines.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Sunday, September 14, 2014
True or False?
True or false is no longer just a set of questions on your exams!
Looking through social media sites, it can be hard to tell the difference between the truth and lies. People use social media to get news, entertain themselves and connect with family/friends. One woman put true or false to the test on her social media sites. Zilla van den Born faked a 5-week vacation in Southeast Asia. She didn't tell anyone in her family or any of her friends about her plan. Using Photoshop, she faked photos to 'prove' she went on a vacation. We all know the saying "pic or it didn't happen', but that isn't true anymore! Pictures can be faked so easily these days. Zilla created 5 weeks worth of pictures. Everyone believed that she had gone on this amazing trip. With a little help from the Internet and photo editing software, people can fake almost anything! People even pretend to be completely different people and have entire relationships with others on the Internet. Technology has made it very easy to become, and 'go', whatever/wherever you want!
Just like Zilla faked a 5-week vacation, people can fake news stories. People can write whatever they choose, and someone else will believe them. Someone can Photoshop a picture of a politician to make it whatever they want, and someone on the Internet will think the photo is real. Social media has increased the spread of information. Someone can post something on Twitter, and it is very easily retweeted. It takes no time at all to spread the information! People see a picture of a sick child on Facebook and immediately share it. Then we find out that child wasn't sick, and the picture was fake. People will say whatever they want on social media, and people believe them without even thinking about it.
So beware, you never know if something you see, or read, on the Internet is true or false!
Looking through social media sites, it can be hard to tell the difference between the truth and lies. People use social media to get news, entertain themselves and connect with family/friends. One woman put true or false to the test on her social media sites. Zilla van den Born faked a 5-week vacation in Southeast Asia. She didn't tell anyone in her family or any of her friends about her plan. Using Photoshop, she faked photos to 'prove' she went on a vacation. We all know the saying "pic or it didn't happen', but that isn't true anymore! Pictures can be faked so easily these days. Zilla created 5 weeks worth of pictures. Everyone believed that she had gone on this amazing trip. With a little help from the Internet and photo editing software, people can fake almost anything! People even pretend to be completely different people and have entire relationships with others on the Internet. Technology has made it very easy to become, and 'go', whatever/wherever you want!
Just like Zilla faked a 5-week vacation, people can fake news stories. People can write whatever they choose, and someone else will believe them. Someone can Photoshop a picture of a politician to make it whatever they want, and someone on the Internet will think the photo is real. Social media has increased the spread of information. Someone can post something on Twitter, and it is very easily retweeted. It takes no time at all to spread the information! People see a picture of a sick child on Facebook and immediately share it. Then we find out that child wasn't sick, and the picture was fake. People will say whatever they want on social media, and people believe them without even thinking about it.
So beware, you never know if something you see, or read, on the Internet is true or false!
Monday, September 1, 2014
Social Media Revolution
It seems that everyone has some form of social media these days. Not only is it college kids and young professionals, children and grandparents are also on at least one social media site. With this new trend, has how we receive, and perceive, the news changed? This blog will look at the way social media is changing the news. More specifically, this blog will look at how politics are reported.
People can get information from around the world in seconds. Not only can people look at what their local media is saying about our political leaders, people can also find what other countries are saying. This can give a whole new perspective on what is happening in the US, but also, what is happening abroad.
People can get information from around the world in seconds. Not only can people look at what their local media is saying about our political leaders, people can also find what other countries are saying. This can give a whole new perspective on what is happening in the US, but also, what is happening abroad.
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