Logic: The Art of Thinking

Assignment

News Media

FEATURES AND DEVICES

Find examples of news coverage in newspapers, magazines, radio or tv that distorts, misleads, misinforms or mismanages the news in the following ways: submit only ten(10) selected from the list below.
Submit your collection by the date indicated in the course calendar.
1. Billing
bulleta. inaccurate or misleading headlines or titles 
bulletb. INTERPRETIVE picture captions

2. Completeness

bulleta. incomplete, inconsistent or puzzling account 
bulletb. technical and incomplete, filled with jargon

3. Sources

bulleta. story from wire service, e.g. UPI, AP, REUTERS, FREE PRESS etc.. 
bulletb. story from a press release, news conference or leak 
bulletc. uncritical use of an informed source, a leak or anonymous source

4. Background

bulleta. a background or general story 
bulletb. story or report without required background 

5. Balance

bulleta. a one sided account, report or story
bulletb. slanted first paragraphs, item ends with a different story
bulletc. selective selection of columnists, editorials, photographs,film footage and comic strips

6. Connections

bulleta. story that affects you directly 
bulletb. story that is not followed up 

7. Importance

bulleta. staged media event
bulletb. playing a story up
bulletc. playing a story down 

8. Electronic gimmicks-tv or radio

bulleta. suggestive voice over
bulletb. posed situation
bulletc. use of props 
bulletd. story of interest because of available film

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