Short Paper #1 (20 points): Your Personal Critique of Professional News Media Critics
Format: 2-3 pages. Use the Technical Guidelines for All Written Assignments (included in the syllabus and in the course module). Points will be deducted for ignoring the guidelines.
Focus: For the first short paper, you will analyze media content that specializes in media criticism. In other words, you will critique programs that are expressly devoted to evaluating the performance of journalists and the news media in the coverage of current events. More specifically, you will compare three shows: Counterspin (on National Public Radio), Media Buzz (on Fox News) and Reliable Sources (on CNN).
Preamble: In your critique, keep in mind that these types of programs are not news programs. They are opinion forums where media “experts” (journalists, news producers and insiders in the media business, professional media critics) offer their assessment or interpretation of the news media’s role and provide insights into the nature of media content and/or the people and organizations that produce it in relation to the events covered. As in many talk shows, opinion columns, or social media sites, we cannot expect total neutrality or “objectivity” in these programs. However, this does not mean that there is no relevance, quality, or credibility in them.
In fact, the expression and formation of public opinion is one of the social functions of media in society. The media are expected to serve the following functions: information (factual news), interpretation (opinion), instructive (educational), bonding (creating community), diversion (entertainment), and the “fourth estate” or “watchdog” function that keeps checks and balances against corruption and the abuse of power in government and other powerful institutions. All of them are legitimate and necessary functions in a democratic society. How different media play these functions in more or less ethical ways, the quality of content, and the relative balance in the flow of these types of programs is what it’s at stake. For instance, some media critics argue that today there is an imbalanced flow where overemphasis on entertainment or infotainment has undermined the investigative reporting role of news based on factual reporting.
In any case, in our media environment, where there is so much opinion-based programming and social media commentary, we need to learn to assess the different levels of quality and ethics in them, and the goals and functions (positive and/or negative) that interpretive/opinion-based content may play—regardless of its ideological orientation (conservative, liberal, socialist, radical, etc.). For this paper, it is OK to state that there is a bias in the shows toward a particular point of view. But that is expected and does not say much. If you want to make that case about the shows analyzed (or about any other opinion-based programming), it is more appropriate to consider criteria like these:
–Are points of view backed up with verifiable facts?
–Do the programs offer diversity of viewpoints and of human sources in the conversation?
–Are opinions supported by historical, political, or sociological analysis and research?
–Do the commentators offer in-depth knowledge or just general, vague assertions?
–Do they offer fair and balanced assessments?
–Do they offer well-reasoned and convincing arguments and critical questions, or mostly emotional, personalized takes?
The Goals of Media Criticism: To complete this assignment, consider first the discussion of the goals of media criticism presented in your textbook. Read WVG’s Chapter 1. Note: a copy of the chapter is available in Module 1 for those who may not have the textbook yet. On page 9-10, the authors argue that serious critics of media should:
1) expand the audience’s understanding of the subtle or invisible ways in which media and media professionals operate and influence society.
2) provide nuanced and insightful information on the particular topics addressed.
3) evaluate the content of media and the practices of media professionals and organizations—“sometimes appreciative and sometimes depreciative” (p. 10).
4) play an interpretive, pedagogical (teaching), and/or intellectual (deeper thinking) role for audiences.
The Questions You Need to Answer in Your Paper: After watching the episodes listed on page 3 below, you will write up your essay, structured around these questions:
Part 1. Introduction: Angles Emphasized (value: 3 points)
Write a paragraph summarizing/comparing:
1) What were the main angles (or perspectives) emphasized in each show as important to discuss in marking the first anniversary of the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol during a joint session of Congress?
Part 2. Fulfilling the Goals of Media Criticism (value: 12 points)
For each program, which of the four goals of media criticism, if any, were fulfilled? As a viewer/listener/reader:
1) Did you expand your understanding of the subtle or invisible ways in which media and media professionals operate and influence society?
2) Did you find nuanced and insightful information on the particular topics addressed?
3) Did the host and panelists evaluate the content of media and/or the practices of media professionals and organizations in terms of positive or negative performance? What points were raised?
4) Did the program play an interpretive, pedagogical (teaching), and/or intellectual (deeper thinking) role for audiences?
Give a brief illustrative example from media content for each of the goals discussed.
Part 3. Conclusion: Comparative Analysis (value: 5 points)
Overall,
1) What was the main strength and main weakness (or shortcoming) of each show?
2) In your view, which show did a better job in terms of advancing the goals of serious media criticism? Why?
Episodes to listen to/read/watch for this assignment:
National Public Radio (NPR)’s Counterspin. Host: Janine Jackson. (https://fair.org/counterspin-radio/). This weekly radio/online program offers criticism of media bias and censorship. Its goal is to scrutinize “media practices that marginalize public interest, minority, and dissenting viewpoints.” Listen to the episode dated December 3, 2021, titled “Dorothee Benz on the January 6 insurrection, Vera Eidelman on anti-protest laws,” (27.52 mins), at:
https://fair.org/home/dorothee-benz-on-january-6-insurrection-vera-eidelman-on-anti-protest-laws/
CNN’s Reliable Sources. Host Brian Stelter. (https://www.cnn.com/shows/reliable-sources). In this weekly television/online/podcast show, host Brian Stelter and guest panelists examine how media cover particular events and give insider information into how journalists do their jobs. For this assignment, listen to the first 28 minutes and 22 seconds of the podcast version titled “The Story of January 6 keeps getting bigger” at:
https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/reliable-sources
Fox News’ Media Buzz. Host Howard Kurtz. (https://www.fox.com/mediabuzz/). This is a weekly television/online show where Kurtz analyzes the coverage of a wide range of topics and journalists debate press-related issues. Access the free version of the episode titled “One year later: Why January 6th still erodes our democracy?” This page features a video piece (8:25 mins) and a column (opinion article) by Howard Kurtz (use both pieces for the assignment):
https://www.foxnews.com/media/one-year-later-why-january-6th-still-erodes-our-democracy
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