The Game-Show of Hard Truths: “Reading the News”

A. “He-said/she-said.”

Q. How does today’s mainstream journalism deal with complex arguments and issues?

Often portrayed as “balanced” or “objective,” this approach suspends critical judgment on the merits of contending positions to focus exclusively on the arguments of adversaries, described as “critics” or “proponents.” Notably, neither side is required to directly address the other’s argument. At best, a he-said/she-said story may make a few people aware of an issue, but contributes nothing to the debate, doesn't help readers arrive at a conclusion, and doesn't imply any specific action. Writing for the Columbia Journalism Review (5-3-05), Thomas Lang noted, “[O]nce you reference the speculations of both “proponents” and “critics,” then your readers deserve to know if either side’s argument holds any water.”

A. The “news hole.”

Q. What does media call the print-space or air-time available for reporting the news?

Jennifer A. Yee, “Learning the Culture & Language of the Media,” ERIC Digest (2001): “The size of the newshole is affected by the amount of advertising, which not only takes up print-space, but also determines the number of pages in the paper (how much the news organization can afford). At a daily newspaper, the newshole changes each day, and editors and their reporters are given a certain number of column inches to fill. The articles that are printed are prioritized according to newsworthiness. Thus, reporters not only attempt to complete a story by the press deadline, but they also compete with other reporters to have their stories printed.”

A. Time Warner, Disney, Murdoch's News Corporation, Bertelsmann of Germany, and Viacom (formerly CBS).

Q. Who owns the overwhelming majority of newspapers, magazines, book publishers, radio and TV stations, and movie studios of the United States?

Eric Boehlert, “Clear Channel’s Big, Stinking Deregulation Mess,” AlterNet (2-28-03): “Passage of the Telecom Act [1996] paved the way for Clear Channel to expand from 40 stations to 1,225, and in the process, exert unprecedented control over the industry. Today, broadcast, cable and newspaper giants like Viacom, Comcast and Gannett want a chance to expand their empires and enjoy the same large-scale efficiencies that Clear Channel has profited from.”

A. 87 percent whites, 8 percent blacks, 4 percent Latinos, and 1 percent Asian-Americans.

Q. What was the racial breakdown of news sources quoted on minority issues and policies by network news programs during 2001?

Ina Howard, “Power Sources: On party, gender, race and class, TV news looks to the most powerful groups.” Extra (v.15, n.3:11-14, June 2002) : “Among US sources for whom race was determinable, whites made up 92 percent of the total, blacks 7 percent, Latinos and Arab-Americans 0.6 percent each, and Asian-Americans 0.2 percent…Of partisan sources quoted on racial stories, 84 percent were Republicans.” Study analyzes the period Jan.1-Dec.31 2001.