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one
w ha t , w h e re,
who,
n, w h y a nd how?
whe
i n tr od uc t ion to
an
journalism
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key terms
Communication; Journalism; Churnalism; Journalism education; Public sphere; Fourth estate; Free press;
Ideology; Agency; Ethics

Journalism or churnalism? Communication

“Journalism is a chaotic form of earning, ragged at The basic questions of journalism highlighted in the title
the edges, full of snakes, con artists and even the of this chapter – Who? What? Where? When? Why?
How? – are echoed in an early model of the mass
occasional misunderstood martyr,” writes Andrew
communication process, formulated by Harold Lasswell
Marr in his book My Trade. “Outside organised in 1948. For Lasswell, analysis of the media begins with
crime, it is the most powerful and enjoyable of the the question: “Who says what to whom, through what
anti-professions” (Marr, 2005: 3). So journalism is channel and with what effect?” (McQuail, 2000: 52–53).
a trade, or a craft, rather than a “proper” profession This has been termed a “transmission” model of
such as medicine or the law. But what is communication, because it is essentially one-way, from
journalism for? To pay the mortgage, if you ask sender to receiver. This and later versions of the trans-
mission model have been challenged in recent decades
many hacks. But journalism is about more than
as too simplistic, too linear, too mono-directional to
that. It is a form of communication based explain the complexities of communication. It has been
on asking, and answering, the questions Who? argued that an “active audience” can filter messages
What? Where? When? Why? How? Of course, through our own experiences and understandings,
journalism is a job, journalists do need to feed sometimes producing readings “against the grain”, or
their kids or pay off student loans, and they have even suggesting multiple meanings. Increasingly, too,
been known to refer to their workplaces as “word audiences are contributing to journalism directly via the
factories”. Yet being a journalist is not the same as phenomenon of user-generated content.
working in other types of factory because journalists
play a social role that goes beyond the production of Journalism
commodities to sell in the marketplace. Journalism
informs society about itself and makes public that Journalists may indeed inform society about itself, and
which would otherwise be private. much journalism may be concerned with making public
that which would otherwise be private, as suggested in
Rather an important job, you might think. But
this chapter. But such a formulation falls far short of an
public opinion polls relentlessly remind journalists adequate definition. For a start, journalists also supply
that we vie for bottom place with politicians and information, comment and amplification on matters
estate agents in the league table of trustworthiness. that are already in the public domain.
A typical poll of more than 2,000 adults in 2006 Journalism is defined by Denis McQuail as “paid
found just 19 per cent saying they trusted journal- writing (and the audiovisual equivalent) for public media
ists to tell the truth – we were the least trusted with reference to actual and ongoing events of public
relevance” (McQuail, 2000: 340). Like all such defini-
occupation – whereas 92 per cent said they trusted
tions, this raises many questions – Can journalism
doctors, who topped the poll of trustworthiness never be unpaid? Can media be other than public? Who
despite the best efforts of serial killer Dr Harold decides what is of public relevance? – but it remains a
Shipman (Hall, 2006). A YouGov poll for British reasonable starting point for any analysis of the princi-
Journalism Review in 2008 found that public trust ples and practices of journalism. McQuail goes on to

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in journalists had declined since the same question differentiate between different types of journalism:
was asked five years earlier; this was for every sector “prestige” (or quality) journalism, tabloid journalism,
local journalism, specialist journalism, “new” (personal
of journalism except the redtop tabloids, where
and committed) journalism, civic journalism, develop-
trust was already so low it could hardly decline any ment journalism, investigative journalism, journalism of
further (Barnett, 2008). Mistrust of the fourth record, advocacy journalism, alternative journalism, and
estate starts early, it seems. When 11 to 21-year-olds gossip journalism (McQuail, 2000: 340).
were asked how much they trusted journalists, just Such differentiation is rejected by David Randall,
one per cent said “a lot”, 19 per cent “a little”, and a who recognises only the division between good and
whopping 77 per cent replied “I do not trust them” bad journalism:
(Observer, 2002). The bad is practised by those who rush faster to judge-
Such attitudes have become all too familiar to ment than they do to find out, indulge themselves rather
online journalist Jemima Kiss, who told me that one than the reader, write between the lines rather than on
of the disappointments in her short career to date them, write and think in the dead terms of the formula,
stereotype and cliché, regard accuracy as a bonus and
has been “some people’s assumptions and prejudices exaggeration as a tool and prefer vagueness to preci-
about you if you say you are a journalist”. Such as? sion, comment to information and cynicism to ideals.
The good is intelligent, entertaining, reliably informative,
It has happened more times than I could count. It properly set in context, honest in intent and effect,
expressed in fresh language and serves no cause but
seems pretty much anyone outside the industry takes a
the discernible truth. (Randall, 2000: viii)
sharp intake of breath when you say you’re a journalist,
which means I often feel the need to say, “I’m not that Whether it is as simple as that is a question we will
kind of journalist.” The assumption is the cliche of a explore further in this and subsequent chapters.
ruthless, doorstepping tabloid hack, I suspect, the type
perpetuated in cheesy TV dramas.
Fourth estate
Yet despite this image problem, a never-ending
stream of bright young and not-so-young people The notion of the press as a “fourth estate of the realm” –
alongside the Lords Spiritual (clergy sitting in the
are eager to become journalists. Why? Because it
House of Lords), the Lords Temporal (other peers),
can be one of the most exciting jobs around. You go and the House of Commons – appears to have first
into work not necessarily knowing what you are been used by Edmund Burke in the 18th century.
going to be doing that day. You get the chance to Recalling this usage in 1840 – believed to be the first
meet powerful people, interesting people, inspiring time it had appeared in print – Thomas Carlyle had no
people, heroes, villains and victims. You get the doubt of its meaning:
chance to ask stupid questions; to be one of the first Burke said there were three estates in parliament; but,
to know something and to tell the world about it; in the reporters’ gallery yonder, there sat a fourth estate
to indulge a passion for writing, maybe to travel, more important far than they all. It is not a figure of
maybe to become an expert in a particular field; to speech, or a witty saying; it is a literal fact, very momen-
tous to us in these times. Literature is our parliament
seek truth and campaign for justice; or, if you must, too. Printing, which comes necessarily out of writing, I
to hang out with celebrities. say often, is equivalent to democracy: invent writing,
Then there’s the thrill of seeing your byline in a democracy is inevitable. (Carlyle, 1840: 194)
newspaper, a magazine or on a website; the excite-
Ideas about democracy and a free press have to a
ment of seeing your footage on TV or online; and
large extent grown alongside each other and come
the odd experience of hearing your voice on the together in the concept of the fourth estate. Although
radio or via a podcast. You can then do it all over initially referring specifically to the parliamentary press
again. And again. Little wonder, perhaps, that so gallery, the term has become a more general label for

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many people are prepared to make sacrifices for a journalism, locating journalists in the quasi-constitutional
career in journalism. Sacrifices such as paying for role of “watchdog” on the workings of government. This
your own training before even being considered is central to the liberal concept of press freedom, as
Tom O’Malley notes:
for a job, unless you are either extremely lucky or
are the offspring of an editor; then being paid less At the centre of this theory was the idea that the
than many of the people whose own complaints press played a central, if unofficial, role in the consti-
tution. A diverse press helped to inform the public of
about low pay might make news stories.
issues. It could, through the articu-
Almost a century ago journalists staged lation of public opinion, guide, and
the first strike in the history of the
National Union of Journalists, when they
‘
I always tell them start-off
pay is abysmal and if they
are lucky it will move on to
act as a check on, government…
The press could only fulfil this
walked out of the York Herald in 1911 to disgraceful after a year, and by function if it were free from pre-
publication censorship and were
protest against working hours and condi- the end of the training it will be independent of the government.
only just short of appalling.
tions that were described as like
something from Nicholas Nickleby by
– Sean Dooley,
former Northcliffe editor.
’ (O’Malley, 1997: 127)

Charles Dickens (Mansfield, 1943: 159;

Gopsill and Neale, 2007: 84–85). Then, 97
years later in May 2008, journalists on the same Public sphere
newspaper’s current incarnation as the Press
walked out in protest at low pay. The Press is now The idea of the public sphere rests on the existence of a
space in which informed citizens can engage with one
part of the Newsquest group, which in turn is
another in debate and critical reflection; hence its
owned by Gannett, a US-based giant that made relevance to discussions of the media. Jürgen Habermas
more than $1 billion profit in 2007 from a traces the rise of the public sphere in Europe in the late
turnover of $7.4 billion. A group of strikers wore 17th and early 18th centuries and argues that increasing
Edwardian costumes borrowed from York commercialisation led subsequently to the decline of
Theatre Royal to help draw parallels with their the public sphere and the press as a space that enabled
1911 predecessors and, in a very 21st century “the people to reflect critically upon itself and on the
practices of the state” (Stevenson, 2002: 49). Today,
touch, they also set up a group on the social
according to this analysis, such reasoned public discus-
networking site Facebook as well as their own sion has been replaced by “the progressive privatisation
blog. One explained their grievance: “We often of the citizenry and the trivialisation … of questions of
feel as if we are still working in Dickensian condi- public concern” (Stevenson, 2002: 50). But, in turn,
tions, our pay is certainly something which is Habermas has been accused of idealising “a bygone
stuck in the past. Trainee journalists start on just and elitist form of political life” (McQuail, 2000: 158).
£13,500 a year” (http://nujyork.blogspot.com).
The pay of most journalists, particularly those
just starting out and particularly those working in Free press
the local or regional media, is shameful. As one
Editors and owners alike are often heard extolling the
trainee reporter put it:
virtues of a “free press”, a liberal model based on the idea
that everyone is free to publish a newspaper without
Young people with a strong enough passion for writing having to be licensed by those in power. Although publish-
will suffer low wages for the chance to work in journal- ers must act within the constraints of the law, they do not
ism. But it is a disgrace to the industry as a whole that have to submit to censorship in advance. Newspapers are
they should have to. The industry cynically manipulates said to be in the business of truth-telling and serving only
our ambition. (Quoted in Journalism Training Forum, their readers. Thus, through the democracy of the free
2002: 57) market, we get the press we both desire and deserve.

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Some wannabe journalists are put off when they However, this concept of a press selflessly serving
discover the awful truth about pay. Others become the public does not go unchallenged. Colin Sparks, for
example, points to increasing concentration of owner-
disillusioned by work experience in newsrooms,
ship and to economic barriers on entry, keeping out
observing that too many journalists seem to be competitors. He argues:
chained to their desks in a culture of “presenteeism”,
processing copy and checking things out – if at all – on Newspapers in Britain are first and foremost businesses.
the telephone or the internet. Waseem Zakir, a They do not exist to report the news, to act as watch-
dogs for the public, to be a check on the doings of
business journalist with BBC Scotland, came up with government, to defend the ordinary citizen against
the word “churnalism” to describe too much of today’s abuses of power, to unearth scandals or to do any of the
newsroom activity. He told me what he meant: other fine and noble things that are sometimes claimed
for the press. They exist to make money, just as any
other business does. To the extent that they discharge
Ten or 15 years ago you would go out and find your own
any of their public functions, they do so in order to
stories and it was proactive journalism. It’s become succeed as businesses. (Sparks, 1999: 45–46)
reactive now. You get copy coming in on the wires and
reporters churn it out, processing stuff and maybe For Sparks, a truly free press – presenting objective
adding the odd local quote. It’s affecting every newsroom information and a range of informed opinions while
in the country and reporters are becoming churnalists. acting as a public forum – is “an impossibility in a free
market” (Sparks, 1999: 59).
An ever-increasing workload may reduce the
chances of doing the very things that made journal-
ism seem so attractive in the first place. On top of all Ideology
that, young journalists have to listen to more experi-
By ideology is meant “some organised belief system or
enced hacks grumbling that “it wasn’t like this in my set of values that is disseminated or reinforced by
day”. The old-timers may have a point, but even the communication” (McQuail, 2000: 497). Marxists believe
journalists of 100 years ago looked back fondly on a that a ruling-class ideology is propagated throughout
supposed “golden age” of journalism circa 1870 western, capitalist societies with the help of the media.
(Tunstall, 2002: 238). Ideology may be slippery and contested, but it is argued
Even when disabused of romantic illusions that the principle remains essentially as expounded
by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels more than 160
about travelling the world on huge expense
years ago:
accounts, pausing between drinks to jot down the
occasional note, large numbers of people are The ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the
attracted by the fact that journalism remains an ruling ideas: ie, the class which is the ruling material
force of society, is at the same time its ruling intellectual
occupation in which no two days are exactly the
force. The class which has the means of material
same and where the big story may be only a phone production at its disposal, has control at the same time
call away. And by the fact that journalism matters. over the means of mental production, so that thereby,
If it didn’t matter, why would there be so many generally speaking, the ideas of those who lack the
means of mental production are subject to it. The ruling
laws restricting how journalists can do their jobs?
ideas are nothing more than the ideal expression of the
Why would government and opposition alike spend dominant material relationships, the dominant material
so much time courting the media? Why would Shiv relationships grasped as ideas; hence of the relation-
Malik, Bill Goodwin and others have been threat- ships which make the one class the ruling one, there-
fore, the ideas of its dominance. (Marx and Engels,
ened with jail for protecting their sources? As we
[1846] 1965: 61)
shall see in the next chapter, many journalists
around the world pay with their lives precisely Ideological power has been described as “the power
because journalism matters. to signify events in a particular way”, although ideology

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Explanations of how and why journalism is also “a site of struggle” between

matters depend, like so many things, on competing definitions (Hall, 1982:
who is speaking. Journalism is variously said ‘
The business of the press
is disclosure.
69–70). To illustrate the point, Stuart
to be the fourth estate of the realm, to be ’
– John Thaddeus Delane,
Hall refers to media coverage of
part of a public sphere, to support a free 19th-century editor of the Times. industrial action in the UK public
press or to inculcate us with the ideology sector in the late 1970s:
of the ruling class. The reality is that journal- [One] of the key turning-points in the ideological strug-
ism is probably all those things and more because, as gle was the way the revolt of the lower-paid public-
we shall see below, there is not one journalism. service workers against inflation, in the “Winter of
Discontent” of 1978–9, was successfully signified, not as
a defence of eroded living standards and differentials,
but as a callous and inhuman exercise of overweening
What’s in this book? “trade-union power”, directed against the defenceless
sick, aged, dying and indeed the dead but unburied
“members of the ordinary public”.(Hall, 1982: 83)
Individual journalists have their own tales to tell,
their own beliefs about what they do, their own Viewed from this perspective, the “news values”
reasons for pursuing a career in whatever field of employed by journalists in the selection and construction
journalism they work in. For this book I have of stories can be seen, not as the neutral expression of
interviewed a range of journalists from different professional practice, but as ideologically loaded (Hall
generations, different backgrounds and different et al., 1978: 54). Thus, for all the apparent diversity of the
media, and taking into account various exceptions, the
media; their comments are taken from these inter-
routines and practices of journalists tend to privilege
views unless otherwise indicated. Here are some the explanations of the powerful and to foreclose discus-
of those you will meet in subsequent chapters: sion before it strays too far beyond the boundaries of the
dominant ideology (Hall et al., 1978: 118).
• Lindsay Eastwood, a reporter for ITV An emphasis on the ideological content of journalism is
Yorkshire’s Calendar news programme since frequently challenged for downplaying the agency of
1998, began work on her local newspaper, the journalists and/or for failing to take account of the complex
Craven Herald, straight from school. She ways in which audiences may actually “read” media texts.
moved to the Watford Observer and worked
shifts on the nationals before returning north
to the Yorkshire Evening Post and then switch- Agency
ing to broadcasting. In addition to reporting for
Calendar she also makes TV documentaries. Within the study of journalism, agency means the
extent to which individual journalists can make a
• Paul Foot joined the Daily Mirror in 1961 and
difference to media practices and content: “To have
worked on the Daily Record in Glasgow before agency is defined by the ability to be able to actively
moving on to Private Eye and then Socialist intervene” (Stevenson, 2002: 226). To say that
Worker. He left when he was offered his own journalists have agency is not to deny that journal-
page in the Daily Mirror but eventually fell ists operate in a world of constraints (see Chapter
foul of the post-Maxwell regime at the paper 2), nor to ignore the political and economic
and returned to his spiritual home at Private pressures to replace journalism with churnalism; it
is to argue that structural forces do not totally deter-
Eye. When he was interviewed for this book he
mine all the actions of individuals. Yet many
was on the staff of Private Eye magazine, a academic critics of the media seem to allow little
columnist for the Guardian newspaper, and a room for agency. Take Sparks’ explanation for the
freelance contributor to a range of other publi- “lurid, sensational and sometimes offensive
cations. He died in 2004. material” he finds in much of the media:

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• Sarah Hartley is head of online editorial at None of these elements can be traced to the shortcom-
ings of individuals. Newspaper proprietors may be, in
MEN Media in Manchester, where she helps
the main, bullying reactionary bigots who force their
run a converged editorial operation that editors to print politically biased material. But even if
includes print, TV, radio and the web; she is also they were self-denying liberal paragons, it would still
an experienced blogger. She took her National make sense for editors to act in the same way, because
that is the best business model available to them. Again,
Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)
editors and journalists may well be moral defectives with
exams at Darlington, started out as a trainee on no sense of their responsibility to society and to the
the weekly Leamington Spa Observer, and later people upon whose lives they so pruriently report. But
became news editor of the Northern Echo even if they were saintly ascetics, it would still make
sense for them to publish the same sorts of material,
newspaper. She switched to the Echo’s website
because that is what best secures the competitive
in 1999 before moving to the website of the position of their newspapers. (Sparks, 1999: 59)
Manchester Evening News two years later.
• Jemima Kiss is the new media reporter for the Little sense there of the flesh-and-blood journalists we
Guardian website, writing news stories for the will hear from in this book. Yet, if journalism matters –
as is argued in this book – then the actions of individ-
website’s media section plus occasional pieces for
ual journalists must matter too.
the media pages of the newspaper as well as
maintaining a blog, all on the specialist area of
media and technology. She did not train as a
journalist but studied fine art at college before
working at the Brighton Media Centre, where
she helped develop the centre’s website. Jemima
began writing freelance technology-based
features for websites produced by a company
based at the centre before becoming a full-time
journalist for www.journalism.co.uk in 2003,
writing about the digital publishing industry. She
mostly learned on the job but was also sent on
several short training courses about writing for
the web and media law. She joined www.media-
guardian.co.uk in 2006.
• Jane Merrick became political editor of the
Independent on Sunday in 2008, but she was
interviewed for this book while she was a lobby
correspondent for the Press Association. After
completing a postgraduate training course in
Leeds, she worked as a reporter for the Mercury
news agency based in Liverpool and then for
the Press Association both in the north and at
Westminster. She moved from there to the
Daily Mail, where her scoops included expos-
ing an expenses scandal involving Tory MP
Derek Conway: SNOUTS IN THE TROUGH
(CONT.) and NICE WORK IF YOU CAN

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GET IT! (Daily Mail, January 29 and 30 Other journalists featured in this book include Trevor
2008). Gibbons, who was interviewed while working for
• Kevin Peachey, as the consumer affairs corre- BBC online websites (he has since moved to radio)
spondent of the Nottingham Evening Post, has and David Helliwell, who was interviewed while
won a range of awards for his campaigning assistant editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post (later
journalism on behalf of the paper’s readers, becoming editor of the Gazette in Blackpool)
including Campaign of the Year in the 2005 Another presence felt throughout this book will
Regional Press Awards. He trained to be a be that of the author. As a journalist for upwards of
journalist on a postgraduate course in Preston. three decades now, I have first-hand experience of
• Abul Taher has been a reporter for the Sunday working for a range of media large and small,
Times since 2004. After gaining an MA in mainstream and alternative. As a long-standing
Journalism Studies from Sheffield, he worked member of the National Union of Journalists, I have
as news editor of Eastern Eye newspaper. He engaged with the ethics and social role of journalism
has also freelanced for the Daily Mail, the as well as the industrial issues that impact upon the
London Evening Standard and Metro. working conditions of journalists, including staffing
• Deborah Wain works as a reporter for the and pay. As someone who now teaches on
Doncaster Free Press which, despite its title, is vocational courses accredited by the NCTJ along
a paid-for weekly newspaper (plus website, of with the Broadcast Journalism Training Council
course). She went into journalism straight (BJTC) and the Periodicals Training Council (PTC),
from school, taking NCTJ exams at a local I have first-hand experience of practical journalism
college and starting out on the Matlock training. And as someone who has tried my hand at
Mercury. After a stint on the Derby Evening research, I am aware of the insights that can be
Telegraph she went to university to achieved by academic scholar-
study drama and fine arts, and she now ship about, critical engagement
‘ Journalism largely
combines journalism with script consists in saying “Lord Jones with, and reflection upon the
Dead” to people who never
writing. In 2007 she was joint winner principles and practices of
knew that Lord Jones
of the Paul Foot Award for investiga- was alive. journalism.

•
tive journalism.
Martin Wainwright, northern editor of the
’
– GK Chesterton. However, I am also aware of
the gap of understanding that
Guardian, on which he has worked since too often separates those who
1976, having previously been on the Evening study media from those who produce media. In
Standard and local newspapers in Bath and Bradford. the UK, as Richard Keeble (2006: 260) notes
He is a frequent broadcaster and is a regular contrib- with regret, “mutual suspicion persists between
utor to the Guardian’s online presence with written, the press and academia. … Scepticism about the
audio and even video contributions. value of theoretical studies for aspiring reporters
• Brian Whittle started on the weekly Harrogate remains widespread”. Similarly, in the USA,
Herald at the age of 17 and went on to work Barbie Zelizer highlights this disconnection:
for the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, the
Northern Echo, the Sun, the Daily Sketch, the As a former journalist who gradually made her way
Sunday People, the National Enquirer and the from wire-service reporting to the academy, I am
Daily Star before launching his successful continually wrestling with how best to approach
Cavendish Press news agency in Manchester. journalism from a scholarly point of view. When I
He died in 2005. arrived at the university – “freshly expert” from the

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world of journalism – I felt like I’d entered a parallelrigour” because, “of the 480 endnote citations in the
universe. Nothing I had read as a graduate student book, only six are either from academic books or
reflected the working world I had just left. Partial, often
from peer-reviewed articles”; the bulk of references
uncompromisingly authoritative, and reflective far
were to newspaper articles which, sniffed the
more of the academic environments in which they’d
reviewer, were “pretty dicey” as a source (Berenger,
been tendered than the journalistic settings they
2007: 477). Contrast such fetishisation of peer-
described, these views failed to capture the life I knew.
… My discomfort was shared by many other journalists reviewed academia with the following letter that
I knew, who felt uneasy with the journalism scholarship appeared in Press Gazette, prompted by an article
that was fervently putting their world under a micro- concerning academic research into the small
scope. (Zelizer, 2004: 2–3) number of sources cited in most local newspaper
stories: “Haven’t the researchers got anything better
Under a microscope is perhaps not the most to do? A few months in the newsroom of one of the
comfortable place to be, which might explain why titles they criticise might knock a bit of reality into
so many who earn their livings within the media in them” (Thom, 2007). As it happens, the researchers
general and journalism in particular feel the need in question were both former journalists, one of
to either ignore or attack those looking down the whom had spent years not months working in the
lens. As David Walker (2000: 236–7) notes: “The very newsrooms under scrutiny; and even if they
academic literature of sociology, media studies or had not worked as journalists themselves, would it
cognate disciplines nowadays goes almost entirely automatically render their research useless? Yes in
unread by journalists.” Many journalists seem the eyes of many, because the press “is fearful of
happy to cover stories about the work of academic being dissected”, in the words of one national
researchers on a vast range of subjects, from the newspaper reporter (Journalism Training Forum,
health effects of drinking coffee to 2002: 46). Yet surely there are some
the psychology of sexual attraction, insights to be gained from such dissection
but when journalism itself comes
under scrutiny, such academic
‘
All human life is there.
– old News of the World motto.
and from what has been described as “the
’
melding of theory and practice in a
study is suddenly deemed to be a judicious mix of skills and experience
waste of time and money. “It’s diffi- along with scholarly study” (Errigo and
cult to think of another field … in which practi- Franklin, 2004: 46)?
tioners believe that the study of what they do is I believe there are, and I think that journalists and
irrelevant to their practice,” observe Simon Frith academics alike have something useful to contribute
and Peter Meech (2007: 141 and 144): “If journal- to the process of understanding; that is why I wrote
ists look at university journalism courses and find this book. The aim is to help bridge the conceptual
evidence that academics simply don’t understand divide between those journalists (practitioners) who
the realities of journalism, so academics look at feel academics have little to teach them, and those
journalists’ accounts of themselves and find academics whose focus on theory is in danger of
evidence of a striking amount of myth-making.” denying journalists any degree of autonomy (or
This mutual suspicion was emphasised one day in agency). This book makes explicit some of these
the autumn of 2007 when I happened to read the different ways of exploring the principles and
academic journal Journalism: Theory, Practice and practices of journalism. In a dialogic approach, each
Criticism and the journalists’ trade magazine Press chapter begins from a practitioner viewpoint but
Gazette. The former included a review in which a includes a parallel analysis from a more academic
book about news was derided for lacking “academic perspective. These two ways of seeing are not to be

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read in isolation, as each engages in dialogue anyone can cut and paste text
with the other; they talk to each other, as do from the internet. Real reporting
the best journalists and scholars. ‘
By journalism is to be
understood, I suppose,
The chapters can be read in a number of writing for pay about matters
requires something more.

ways: by reading the practitioner section of which you are ignorant

first, followed by the more theoretical – Leslie Stephen, father of
Virginia Woolf.
’ Journalism Education
section; by reversing the order; or by
flitting between the two, following the bold This book is designed to help
words in the initial text to the relevant accompa- readers produce such reporting, with a necessary
nying section – much in the way we follow hyper- emphasis on the basics. Therefore, many of the
links on a website. As well as providing useful practices discussed here will be those that devel-
practice in the journalistic art of keeping an eye oped within print journalism in general, and
on a number of things at once, this should also newspapers in particular, because they remain a
mean that the book will repay repeated visits. solid foundation for a career in journalism that
This book does not attempt to go into too many today embraces online, television, radio, magazine
of the specifics of, for example, being a foreign and other formats. The practical emphasis will be
correspondent, a war correspondent, a sub, a sports on the core journalistic skills that will be part of
reporter, a showbiz diarist, a motoring correspon- any good training course covering journalism in
dent, or most of the other specialisms that all have any – or all – media. Such skills cannot be allowed
their own rules and folklore; nor does it cover the to diminish in importance, even if too many
ins and outs of that peculiar phenomenon, the media organisations have in recent years made
David Beckham correspondent. Call me old- themselves dazed and confused by trying to leap
fashioned, but I believe the fundamentals of aboard every passing technological bandwagon,
journalism must be grasped before more specialised even before they have a clue where it might take
roles can be either accomplished or understood. them. “There is no possibility of standing still,”
The experience of Edward Behr rings a bell that argues media commentator Roy Greenslade
echoes down the years. As a young reporter, Behr (2008), because “what is state-of-the-art today
went to work for the Reuters agency in Paris: will be old hat by tomorrow.”
This book goes beyond practical instruction to
In London, Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondents encourage understanding of, and critical reflection
rewrote Reuters’ copy, as fast as they could, and the upon, such values. It does so because skills alone are
finished product ended up as part of the AFP news
not enough. Media employers have been accused of
service. In Paris we shamelessly rewrote Agence France-
wanting cheap young journalists to be schooled in the
Presse copy, serving it up as Reuters’ fare. All over the
routines of work through “basic skills, relevant knowl-
world lesser news agencies were writing up their versions
of Reuters’ stories and serving them up as authentic edge and an unquestioning attitude”, unencumbered
Indian, Spanish, or Brazilian news agency stories. by engagement with ideas from critical theory
Somewhere, at the bottom of this inverted pyramid, (Curran, 2000: 42). This book is certainly aimed at
someone was getting a story at first hand. But who was supporting students and trainee journalists in the
he, and how did he set about it? (Behr, 1992: 72) acquisition and application of reporting and writing
skills to complement the other necessary elements of
He may not be a “he”, of course, but it is this reporter journalism training, such as shorthand, media law, and
– the reporter who goes out and gets the story – who knowledge of public affairs. Yet, at the same time, it
will be the focus throughout this book. Virtually will introduce and engage with some of the more

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academic analysis that aids our understanding of how ideas of right and wrong, good and bad (Harcup,
journalism works. To this end, the book is aimed at 2002b and 2007), but you will not find a
supporting journalism studies as well as separate chapter on ethics in this book.
journalism training. Taken together, That is not an oversight. It stems from
the two elements can be said to a belief that a concern for ethical
constitute journalism education ‘Get it right. Get it fast. But
get it right. issues is not something to be compart-
(Bromley, 1997: 339). By asking Why ’
– old Press Association motto. mentalised, a curriculum item to be
journalists do certain things – as well ticked off and conveniently forgotten.
as the Who, What, Where, When and Because ethical issues have implications
How – it seems to me that the study of journalism for all aspects of journalistic practice, questions
can offer insights that complement journalism train- about ethical issues will be raised at appropriate
ing and encourage a questioning attitude and a more points throughout the text, just as ethical issues
reflective practice. crop up throughout a journalist’s working life –
Much of the material discussed in these pages often when least expected.
may be seen as culturally and historically specific to Journalism is sometimes said to be a mirror
the UK in the 21st century, but there will be many reflecting society; on occasions, a distorting mirror.
points of wider relevance. Each chapter will raise But journalism is not a simple reflection of everyday
questions that could form the basis of individual reality. As Walter Lippmann observed as long ago
reflection and/or group discussion. Each chapter as 1922, reporting is not “the simple recovery of
also suggests further readings that, together with the obvious facts”, because facts “do not spontaneously
references listed in the extensive bibliography, will take a shape in which they can be known. They
provide a wealth of stimulating must be given a shape by somebody”
material to encourage further explo- (quoted in McNair, 2000: 71). That’s
ration of the issues discussed here. where journalists come in. Journalism is
‘Most of journalism, and all
of the interesting part, is a
disreputable, erratic business
not simply fact-gathering. It involves
which, if properly conducted,
dealing with sources, selecting informa-
Ethical Journalism serves a reputable end. tion and opinion, and telling stories – all
– Max Hastings. ’ within the framework of the constraints,
There is a rapidly growing litera- routines, principles and practices
ture on the ethics of journalism, informed by discussed in the following chapters.

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Summary
Journalism is not simply another product but a process of communication, although not
necessarily a one-way or lisnear process. Journalism is said to play a social role in inform-
ing society about itself, yet there is a gap of knowledge and understanding between
vocational journalism training and academic journalism study. This book will describe the
practices of practitioners while engaging with the principles that inform both practice and
analysis. A number of theoretical models or concepts are introduced in this chapter.
?
?uestions
What role does journalism play in society?

Why are journalists apparently so mistrusted by the public?

What skills does a good journalist need?

Is a journalist a professional or a worker?

Why do media studies get such a bad press?

Further reading

One of the more thoughtful introductions to journalism from the perspective of a

reflective practitioner is David Randall’s (2007) The Universal Journalist, now in its
third edition. Other useful introductions to journalism – these ones from journalists-
turned-academics – are those by Keeble (2006) and Sissons (2006). The edited
collection by Allan (2005) brings together a range of contemporary contributions to
the state of journalism in the 21st century, while the Bromley and O’Malley (1997)
reader includes more historical accounts that should help to stimulate students,
producers and consumers of journalism alike. McQuail (2000) is a comprehensive
and largely comprehensible introduction to media and mass communication
theories, including a glossary of almost 100 key concepts. Franklin and others (2005)
have produced an invaluable A to Z (well, A to Y, actually) of key concepts within
journalism studies. Further suggestions will be made at the end of each chapter.

Sources for soundbites

Sean Dooley, quoted in Slattery, 2005; Delane, quoted in Wheen, 2002: xi;
Chesterton, 1981: 246; Stephen, quoted in Glover, 1999: 290–291; Hastings,
2004.

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