NDM: News Values

Galtung and Ruge (1981) defined a set of news values to explain how journalists and editors decided that certain stories and photographs were accepted as newsworthy, while others were not. 

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

• Conflict- Former Irish altar boy joined ISIS as suicide bomber but only killed himself in botched attack. This links well with conflict as its about war. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/former-irish-altar-boy-joined-9211994
• Progress- Andy Murray: World number one 'may be his greatest achievement'. This is an example of progress as it links to achievement or triumph as Andy Murray finally achieves what he wanted after the long wait hard work and struggles. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/37886422
• Disaster- Nearly 900 people are known to have been killed by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, with aid officials saying up to 90% of some areas have been destroyed. This is an example of disaster news as it links to Defeat or destruction. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-37596222
• Consequence- Thousands enjoy Littleborough bonfire and firework display. This is a example of community news as bonfire night is and event that is shared by the community. https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/138/community-news/106070/thousands-enjoy-littleborough-bonfire-and-firework-display
• Prominence- Beyoncé Used A Famous Hillary Clinton Quote To Make A Big Feminist Statement. Beyoncé and Jay Z performed at Hillary Clinton’s big get-out-the-vote rally in Cleveland Friday night. But it was a few words that flashed on the screen during Beyoncé’s performance that made the most interesting statement of the night. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/beyonce-clinton-feminism_us_581d5b3ae4b0d9ce6fbc4b2f
• Novelty- Slug spotted with cigarette in east London- This is an example of unusual or weird news. the fact that they spotted a slug out of all animals spotted with a cigarette. As funny as this sounds this was one of the top headlines on the telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/29/slug-spotted-with-cigarette-in-east-london/

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?

Considering the majority of the new papers being from the UK, they tend to report news that is local, or in association with the country. The core story that the factsheet illustrates is the death of the British soldier against the conflict arisen in Afghanistan. Furthermore, it was the first death of a 'female' officer to have been killed and therefore, the news believed it to have been a more heartfelt and shocking story as this even doesn't occur often.   

What is gatekeeping? 

Gatekeeping is the process through which information is filtered from the internet and other forms of communication.

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

Media uses/photos videos

Titles

Section/mediation

Placement of content

Headline (what run's the story/defines it)

Wording (that editors use instead of another)

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

These media outlets allow the audience/people gain access and freedom over news they want to here from, that may have been mediated for censored prior. This is because news used to be the dominant factor over its audience, whatever they produces their audience consumed. However, the digital ages has allowed news that was censored to give that freedom t the audience who deem it important compared to mediated version. In other words, it gives the audience the true perspective of the story rather than being edited and been shown a specific angle.

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.

There was a video that was captured using Facebook's latest feature 'Facebook live' which allowed a black woman to record her husband being shot in a car by a police officer. She captured the entire scene and it was used as evidence in court. This was a coverage that wouldn't have been world news as it would have likely to have been sealed in American doors and the whole world would have forgotten about police brutality.

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

It shows how dominant the social media platforms are on the audience. If news were to ever break, we (the audience) view it on a social media site like Twitter as that is the most convenient and efficient way of receiving news than compared to Sky as they have to spend hours of filing and checking their facts before publishing their articles, and audience acknowledge that. 

What does it say about how news is being produced?

This effect in tern has changed the role of journalists. In the 21st century we (the audience) are now experiencing a range of citizen journalism being reported to news. Citizens who report the news are effectively replacing the journalists in the news industry as the news is being solved before someone has to go out and solve it themselves. 

What role does the audience have in this process?

The audience have gained a more significant role ever since the digital age rose. It has given the audience the most power, and the institutions have lower power. There is a power reversal where it is no longer the audience being passive and consuming the news, but institutions are the ones consuming the audiences news and reporting it.  

Why might this be a problem for journalistic standards?

Quality. It is said that citizen journalism brings with it a lot of pros to the industry and to news in  general. However, it seems to have brought along many cons, many of which is the loss of quality for news. Previously, news was very top quality report, file checks and numerous hours of source checking to ensure that all data is accurate for the audiences to consume. However this 'new' story telling has lost that quality, shaky footage and screaming really draws the attention away from news as it is not what news is.

Final tasks

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

The introduction of the digital age upon news industries is something that has effected the news values to a great extent. The way in which audiences receive these stories effects every one of the factors that contribute to news story-telling. Things like, immediacy has become irrelevant (to a somewhat large extent). This is because as soon as news is broken by a citizen, social media and the WWW all con tribute to help deliver this piece to as many audiences as possible and it generally comes across really fast. Audiences don't have to look for news, news will be given to them like that.

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- The news no longer creates the sense of 'need' amongst audience member. The internet has taken that immediate need away, and whenever there is a news story to be consumed, it will find its way to the audience.

Unambiguity- nowadays citizen journalism has created the sense of 'the unknown'. We don't quite understand what's going on and why we are being shown this, it is a story that is kept (often) behind closed doors and creates a sense of anonymous.

Balance- Most often when a  news story is to be told, their is a twist and a turn to which and how the story is told. It isn't the original core story and therefore has been mediated to a large extent. Now, thanks to the internet, we have the audiences to argue this change. They may know the bitter truth that audiences are hiding through their titles, their wording or even their views. The digital era has opened to doors for the audiences to fight back and they are no longer passive.