Chapter I Studenten
Chapter I Studenten
Background
I. Work in a group and bring out the difference between the following terms.
Choose those which relate or can possibly relate to journalism, explain their
meaning, divide into categories and translate them into Russian:
headliner
commenter blogger media researcher
telecaster communicator broadcaster
commentator mojo news writer
pundit analyst storyteller
reporter announcer photojournalist
columnist stringer interviewer
observer editor newsmaker
correspondent podcaster videographer
fixer copywriter citizen journalist
news presenter
What jobs does a modern journalist have to do? What roles to take on? Are
they different from what was 30 years ago? Why?
Practice
II. Work in a group and discuss what specific duties a real journalist
should have. Then work in pairs and match the beginnings and endings
below to make complete sentences describing the responsibilities of a
journalist. Explain each of them in your own words:
● government controls;
Unit I Journalism Today: Doing or Making? Or Beyond?
speculation;
● Ensure
● a mirror to society;
● Hold up
● the afflicted providing a voice for those
III. Work in pairs and discuss the following extracts from articles dealing with
some of the journalistic responsibilities mentioned in Ex. II. Answer the
questions:
***
The idea is that we enable readers, who are really citizens, to self-correct, to make the
world better, through our insistence on shining a glaring light on what needs improving.
Society self-corrects based on being told how bad it is. But it is not the whole picture.
Convincing research tells us that people change because they see real pathways to get
there. Which is why rigorous, compelling reporting on responses to social problems is
a critical way for us to fulfill our duty as journalists.
***
… [T]his is a purely destructive action: not only does it divert scarce time and resources
from providing information about the actual policy issue, but it has zero value even in
its ostensible goal of predicting future political developments.
I’m not against all political reporting: it has to be done, and colorful anecdotes are part
of what motivates people to read newspapers. But substance should always come first.
And if reporters don’t understand the substance well enough – if they don’t know
enough about the economics of health reform to tell the difference between job loss and
reduced labor supply – they should refer to or consult with someone who does before
they start writing.
***
Those running for office must state their positions. Otherwise, there is no real choice
and elections lose their meaning. But they are not solely responsible for the success of
the system. The mass media have a duty to report thoroughly and accurately what the
contestants stand for.
This role is perhaps the media's major challenge. All news is important, but campaign
coverage is crucial because of its capacity to empower the electorate. What voters know
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***
To understand our rights, we need to know how our justice system works — so, full
and fair reporting helps ensure that the citizen’s interests are honoured.
Open justice is a deeply rooted and fundamental principle to all democracies. It is a
principle that is subject only to narrow exceptions to ensure public scrutiny of the
operation of our justice system and public confidence in its outworking.
As Lord Diplock put it: “If the way that courts behave cannot be hidden from the public
ear and eye, this provides a safeguard against judicial arbitrariness or idiosyncrasy and
maintains the public confidence in the administration of justice. The application of this
principle of open justice has two aspects: as respects proceedings in the court itself, it
requires that they should be held in open court to which the press and public are
admitted and that, in criminal cases at any rate, all evidence communicated to the court
is communicated publicly.”
***
When we talk about media regulation, people often have completely different ideas of
what the term means.
To some people, it means limitation of media oligopolies. They see regulation as a path
to the democratisation of media; a guarantee of real diversity of political and social
views; a voice for minority populations; and an essential instrument in the development
of national language and culture.
To others, media regulation is quite different. For them, the term is simply a code word
for limitations on freedom of expression. They fear that any regulation of the media,
especially by the government, can lead to the imposition of government political
control. Whenever politicians start to talk about a press law, these people fear their
ultimate goal is less democracy, not more.
IV. Work in pairs and discuss the following criteria of a reporter’s work. Decide
if they are competences, attitudes or working conditions, explain why.
determination
enthusiasm
news sense
resourcefulness
empathy
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sense of urgency
suspicious mind
accuracy
precision
rivalry
V. Work in a group and check your guesses. Read the extracts devoted to the
criteria discussed above, fill in the gaps with the missing words.
***
You need this – and for three reasons. First, in the positive sense of knowing what
makes a good story and the ability to find the essential news point in a mass of dross.
Second, in the negative sense of not wasting time by pursuing stories that will never
amount to much. The third reason is that if you don’t have a ___________, or have it
but don’t use it, you will miss things and make a fool of yourself.
***
__________ means three things. First, the obvious one of recording and writing
accurately what people tell you. Second, taking care that however accurate each little
part of your story, the whole thing is true to the spirit and atmosphere of the situation
or events – which means adding background and context. Third, not falling into the
dangerous and widespread habit of saying, ‘Well if that happened and the other
happened, then this other thing must be true.’ You should not wish
but report your stories into print. If there are any gaps in a sequence of events that you
are reporting, find out precisely what is missing: don’t think that if A happened, then
something else and then C, then the missing part must be B. It may not be.
***
There is no surer sign of a bad reporter than the one who keeps wimpishly going back
to the news desk to say: ‘I can’t find out.’ A ___________ not to be defeated by a few
unanswered telephone calls or stonewalling sources is a hallmark of the decent reporter.
What makes them a good one is the determination to go that little bit further (or longer)
to get the story.
***
An essential general attitude for reporters, indeed all journalists, is to be _______ of all
sources. Why is this person telling me this? What is their motive? And are they really
in a position to know what they claim to know?
***
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__________ in your profession is using your wits and charm to overcome obstacles is
part of the fun of reporting. Sometimes that means pushing your luck in asking for a
phone number of an important potential source, or, maybe, blagging
your way into where you are not really allowed. Many is the reporter who has done
something similar to Margueritte Higgins, who, in order to get a story on a 1940s
society wedding, borrowed a hotel housekeeper’s uniform and so slipped unnoticed into
the back of the reception.
***
Unless people read your story, you might as well be muttering it to yourself in a
darkened room. They will read it if you consider them – when you write, but especially
when you research. What will readers want to know? What do they need explained?
And what will bring this story home to them? Find anecdotes, show how the events will
impact on readers’ lives, or impact on other lives; use examples that will be relevant to
their own experience; above all, where possible, tell the story in terms of real people.
That is how you can show _________ with your readers.
***
Newspapers want their reporters to file the earliest and fullest account of a story that
they can get. A little healthy, or even unhealthy, _________ to be first is part of the
reality – and fun – of the job. And it serves readers well, just so long as not too many
corners are cut.
Beating the competition, for instance, was uppermost in the minds of the Associated
Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) photographers who were assigned to
take pictures of the Dalai Lama as he fled Tibet in 1959. Both chartered planes and
organised relays of motorcyclists so that they could get their pictures from the Chinese
borders to the nearest transmitter in India. When the Dalai Lama emerged from his
aircraft, the photographers leapt forward, took their pictures and ran to their already-
revving planes. After a break-neck race in the air and on the ground, UPI won.
Follow-up
VI. Review what you have discussed in Ex. IV and V and make a
statement about the criterion of your choice:
VII. Imagine that you are preparing a package for a radio show for
aspiring journalists. Work in a team and edit the given podcast about
empathy in journalism to meet the following requirements:
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VIII. Work in a group and present the package your team have
prepared. Compare and contrast the packages by answering the
questions:
Background
I. Work in pairs and discuss the meaning of the term ‘content marketing’ by
answering the yes-no questions below:
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II. Work in a group and pool ideas on similarities and differences between content
marketers and journalists in the following aspects:
● Attitudes
● Professional skills
● Personal characteristics
III. Work in a group and compare your answers with the others. Discuss why a good
journalist should make a successful content marketer and vice versa.
Practice
IV. Read the following article by Justin Willett and compare your answers to
the question in Ex. III with the author’s opinion:
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Of course, it’s not always a dog, and you don’t have to be a journalist to use this
knowledge. The point is that the best content is rich with details that will hook readers
and give them more than just a compilation of facts and quotes.
If you want to truly connect with your readers, you have to sweat the details. By
taking the time to think like a reporter, you’ll be able to gather better information and
deliver it in a clear, compelling way that will strike a chord with your audience. Here
are three central journalism skills you should focus on:
1. Interviewing
This is the most important skill for journalists — and any content creator, for that
matter. Throughout my 14 years in a newsroom, I worked with many journalists who
weren’t the best writers, but because they could extract insights and opinions from
sources, they created meaningful stories that resonated with readers. You can always
hone your writing — that’s what editors are for, after all — but without solid
information, you don’t have much of a story.
Just like journalists, you need quality information to craft captivating content. The
best way to do this is to develop solid interviewing techniques that will allow you to
extract knowledge and insights from your clients or company experts. Consider
streamlining the process and using a knowledge management system where you can
store and organize ideas, examples, anecdotes, and other material that can be used for
articles.
Many journalists use a similar approach. They take endless notes — story ideas,
impressions of sources, unique insights — and mine them for future articles.
Knowledge is the cornerstone of superior stories, in journalism and content marketing.
2. Research
Once journalists have quality information from interviews, they usually need to
do research to fully develop their stories. Sources often make claims without providing
evidence or touch on topics that merit further investigation. It’s the journalist’s job to
figure out the truth — or get as close to the truth as possible. The best journalists go
beyond the “he said, she said” and use objective data to help readers make sense of
opposing viewpoints.
3. Writing
Once you have quality information and a point to make, you have to be able to
package it into a clear and compelling story. Journalists have traditionally favored the
inverted pyramid style of writing — presenting facts in diminishing order of importance
— but have adopted narrative storytelling styles in recent years. Why? Because
personal stories that show rather than tell resonate more with readers.
For your content to have any impact, you need to add personal examples and
relatable anecdotes as well as facts and figures.
Showing is always better than telling, and the personal story trumps prescriptive
prose every time.
Storytelling is as old as mankind, and the basics are the same no matter the
objective or the audience. You need detail-rich information and clear writing to stand
out and make a connection with your readers.
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By honing some journalism skills, you can craft stories that resonate and are
remembered. Always get the name of the dog, and you’ll start focusing on the details
that will drive your content.
V. Read over the commentary again and decide which of the following maxims of
journalism, according to the author, takes priority for all content marketers.
Explain why.
a) You should connect with your reader.
b) Focus on the details for maximum effect.
c) You must get as close as possible to the truth.
VI. Read the following claims based on the content of the article and find how and
where exactly in the text the author makes them:
VII. Classify the claims from Ex. VI according to the following criteria of logical
organization of thought and general principles of argumentation:
VIII. Think of any other profession in which one should think like a
journalist to succeed. Compare these professions according to the plan:
● Describe the profession you choose to compare with that of a journalist
● Say what the two professions have in common and in what way they are different
● Explain why the chosen profession requires one to think like a journalist
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● Give an example of one journalistic skill or attitude that makes one a real
professional in the field of your choice, explain how exactly it happens
Background
II. Work in a team and do online research to find examples of real-life mistakes,
or bloopers, that got reporters fired. Discuss the bloopers in a group and
come to a conclusion if the reporters deserved a pink slip or not.
Practice
I. Watch the Youtube video ““Bloopers That Got These Reporters Fired”
4:17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcfmlcf7_zY and make notes of
the following aspects of the:
Name of a
reporter
(Allegedly)
fired for...
Official
statement by
the media
outlet
Statement
from the
reporter
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II. Work in pairs and compare your notes. Then discuss your answers in a group.
If some facts are missing, do online research to complete the chart.
Correction is the best way to make things right. Imagine that you made one
of those mistakes discussed in the video. Make an apologetic statement to
your audience and producers in which you:
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Q7. What are the technicalities, i.e. components of the communicative skill we
have to learn?
As is the case with TOEFL and IELTS speaking and writing exams, this task will
require you to:
(a) express and support an opinion (take a stance)
(b) compare and contrast a topic
(c) present an argument (explain)
Q8. How does this task test our academic performance in Professional English
during the term?
A. Each class prepares you for the task performance in two ways: theoretically, by
reading, watching, studying, gathering the necessary information, and practically, by
analyzing, synthesizing and discussing the facts and opinions gathered. This two-
dimensional work gives you a better and more specific perspective on the topics which
will be given to you as paragraph questions, arguments and examples to be used in the
developmental part, specialized vocabulary you will need to cover the topic.
Q9. What are the assessment criteria?
A. Just like in the TOEFL and IELTS exams, your writing will be scored in terms of
coherence and language accuracy. Coherence is the most important and, unfortunately,
most ignored component of speech production in English classes. In short, it means
how well you get your message across by putting relevant ideas round the topic in a
clear and consistent way. To be more specific, it includes the logic of your speech
(sometimes referred to as ‘clarity’), smoothness (includes well-placed transitions and
linkers (логические связки и переходы)), relevance to the topic (уместность),
completeness of the argument development (исчерпываемость аргументов). In
Russian standard tests, this criterion is classified as “содержание и организация
речи”, a step forward from what used to be until the 2000’s when learners could
reproduce the so-called ‘topics’ without solving any problems and caring much about
coherence.
Practice
I. Follow the stages of paragraph writing on the topic below, do the tasks
and answer the questions given there.
Study the topic and answer the key question: how do social media influencers relate
to journalists? Brainstorm in pairs/group and pool ideas. Search online for better
concepts if in doubt or at a loss.
Answer the question what can I write about this relationship (b/w influencers and
journalists)? You have three possible options at hand: you can explain some aspect of
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Stage 3. Development
Development is the rest of the paragraph which is aimed at giving reasons and
arguments for the thesis statement. Answer the question how can you prove what you
claim? Make sure these reasons are objective and fact-based, i.e. they refer to
something that is true, commonly accepted or practiced and difficult-to-deny whether
we like it or not.
To show your subject-matter expertise on the topic, you may give a few details which
illustrate the reasons and arguments. Well-known public figures, precedents in the
history of the media and marketing, dates, figures and other details may provide good
material for the demonstration of how convincing your argument is.
Stage 5. Concluding
In this part of your piece write what is the main idea again. Restate the thesis.
Stage 6. Proofreading
Read over the paragraph for mistakes, especially in coherence. Is everything you have
written in your paragraph pertinent to the thesis? Are the arguments complete?
Does every succeeding sentence make sense in the context of the previous one?
Does every reference (e.g. this, such, it) make sense?
II. Study the sample paragraph and discuss why it is a good example of a blog
post or any other opinion piece devoted to the topic of influencers vs.
journalists:
Influencers and journalists
Social media influencers can never make good journalists, and there a few reasons why
this holds true. First, influencers are usually hired by companies to tell a story that
attains massive reach. That means influencers are engaged in self-dealing and have
private interests in what they post on their social media pages, which contradicts the
basic ethical principle of journalism – objectivity. Second, influencers can never do
good quality research for a news story or some investigative report because they are
distracted by extra-journalistic factors. In particular, influencers are heavily dependent
on their appeal and popularity status that is quantified by the number of likes,
comments, followers, so it all demands constant web-page or blog maintenance, content
curation, in other words, huge effort that is not supposed to rest on a reporter’s
shoulders. For all these reasons, I believe influencers should keep away from journalism
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III. Read the sample again and find in it examples of inductive and deductive
logic.
IV. Read the following blog post written by a student and comment on
its quality in terms of communicative achievement. Answer all the questions
cited in stage 6 of paragraph writing. Mark all the inaccuracies in coherence
you can find.
Why do journalists become influencers today? Why are they popular among them? We
could find a lot of journalists nowadays who command a large audience of followers
on social media who read, like and hashtag stories published. First of all, such a method
is popular because it helps journalists get their message across more powerfully and
attract their potential employers. People tend to like good storytellers and objective
reporting. Secondly, journalists who are interested in what they do and are keen
researchers, talented writers and active citizens publish stories in their free time as a
hobby. To my mind, we should be careful about such things and have every article
edited professionally for mistakes or other inaccuracies. Otherwise some
misunderstanding may occur and result in a public scandal. #influencers #journalists
#writevslike
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II. Give synonyms for the following verbs and verbal phrases:
III. Match the words from Ex. I, II with the following phrases to make
collocations. Translate each collocation into Russian:
IV. Study Activity Module 2 and find in the article the English equivalents for the
following phrases. Reproduce the context they were used in:
V. Study Activity Module 3 and find in the video all synonyms for the following:
to fire sb _________________________________________________
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a mistake ________________________________________________
VI. Translate the sentences into English using the vocabulary of Chapter I:
4) Чтобы твоя история имела резонанс, нужно найти ключ к сердцу читателя
и писать о том, что созвучно с его настроением, писать как будто бы от
лица самого читателя. Для этого нужно каждый день совершенствовать
умения письма и риторики.
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