Assignments for Week 7 (Oct. 11)NOTE: Truthiness Projects due this week!
READINGS: McManus, Detecting Bull, Ch. 5
• Read this: Principled Journalism; Hutchins Commission
The Truthiness Project is intended both to be fun AND to be an outrage. How are the issues you’ve selected framed in the various media? Beyond that aspect of the project, however, and an examination of how the mass communication theories we’ve studied can help us understand what the heck is happening, is the issue of some substantive expectations of journalism. These are contained, in part, in the Hutchins Commission, which called for a “socially responsible” press, and are reflected in various journalistic codes of ethics (see, for example, the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics.) So as you examine the varied aspects of your truthiness projects, remember to reflect on how well the media reports you examine fulfill expectations of society for a responsible press that minimizes harm, tells truth, is responsible to common goals and values. After we laugh at outrageousness, don’t forget that we also have a responsibility to be outraged at how the mass media can (and do) mislead society.
• Stuff on Truthiness: Colbert Clips
1. The Word—Truthiness Anyone can read the news to you; Stephen promises to feel the news at you. (2:40)
2. Word of the Year “Truthiness” receives the American Dialect Society’s Word of the Year award. Stephen receives no credit. (3:04)
3. BANNED! Lake Superior State University has added “truthiness” to its list of banned words. (0:55)
• This Just In: Campaign 2010 Political Ads
• And this: Jon Stewart interview on his Oct. 30 March to Restore Sanity
• SmartTalk
• Quiz
I thought it was interesting how Colbert made up the word truthiness, basically saying how media present the facts how you want to. And then in the newspaper article about truthiness the journalist didn't even attribute the word to Colbert. What is journalism coming to these days?
ReplyDeleteWhat its coming to is... Truthiness, apparently. I think it's hilarious how Colbert not so subtly mocks society by creating the word "truthiness" and by discussing his hatred for books and thinking in general. He also makes fun of the people at Webster's. Then an intellectual society actually awards Colbert's made-up word "Word of the Year". They must have been so embarassed by the whole thing, they had to leave him out.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rebecca the Colbert report on truthiness is beyond funny. He has such a clever way of proving a point. Using sarcasm to show light on the fact society has lost sight of the truth. Its is beyond me how some people can watch that and not get that he is being sarcastic not serious.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Harries
It's a little alarming that more and more of the news is slanted towards crimes and horror stories rather than information about the world around us. Sure, the public deserves to know when a rapist is on the loose, or what a tragedy it is when a whole neighborhood is damaged by wild fires, but we also deserve to know what is going on in the government and what changes are occurring and how they will affect us.
ReplyDelete--Chelsea Ebeling