This document outlines the key points from a journalism class lecture. The lecture discussed how journalists can make stories more engaging and relevant by including good details and painting a picture with words. An example from a news story showed how a small detail about a detective's glasses provided insight into his character. The lecture also covered ethics in journalism and how unethical reporting can undermine trust in the field. Students were assigned to analyze a video report and articles for ethical lapses based on the SPJ code of ethics and Catholic Social Teaching principles.

1. JOU 1000
Introduction to
Journalism
Professor Michael Rizzo
Director, Journalism Program
Division of Mass Communication
College of Professional Studies
April 2, 2020

2. JOU 1000
Introduction to
Journalism
Previous Class – March 30
Chapter 8 – Engagement and
Relevance

3. JOU 1000
Introduction to
Journalism
TODAY’S CLASS
More on Chapter 8

4. RECAP
Journalism must make the significant
interesting and relevant.
Think of your audience – what do they
need to know?
Tell stories SHOWING real people
and how stories affect/impact them
Hourglass style story is a good way
to tell facts and provide a timeline

5. Chapter 8
More Engagement and Relevance
Stories become engaging with good
details and when the write paints
a picture that the reader can see
through the words in the story
Details comes form research and
observation

6. Read the story excerpt below
He…”observed the detective remove his
glasses to rub his eyes. When he dropped the
glasses on his desk, the [temple tip] had a
deep groove cut into it. [He asked about the
groove.]
At murder scenes…the sergeant [would view]
the victim’s body and take his glasses off,
always hooking them in his mouth.…his teeth
clenched so tightly on them that they cut into
the hard plastic…”
www.americanpressinstitute.org/journalism-essentials/makes-good-story/good-stories-use-detail/

7. For the reporter who the story:
It was a telling detail that opened up a
window [for the reporter] into this
man’s life [for people to read and see
in their mind’s eye]. It said all that
needed to be said about [the
detective’s] dedication, motivation,
and relationship to his job.
www.americanpressinstitute.org/journalism-essentials/makes-good-story/good-stories-use-detail/

8. Engagement and relevance of
journalism connect with ethics
in journalism.
Unethical journalists rob their
audiences of trust – they don’t
know what to believe so they
don’t believe any journalism.
That hurts journalism, journalists
and society.

9. Look at this video on NBC News
This video is in BlackBoard under the Content Tab for our course.

10. The articles also recap the story
These articles are in BlackBoard under the Content Tab for our course.

11. This
is the Society of
Professional
Journalists (SPJ) Code
of Ethics. It is also in
BlackBoard under the
Content tab.
The following pages
show each section in
more detail.

16. Ethical Do’s and Don’ts at tragedies
Ask permission: Those affected by tragedy
have a right to decline being interviewed,
photographed or filmed.
Clearly identify yourself and ask the
interviewee something like ‘Is it OK to ask
you a few questions about this now?’
Do not coerce, cajole or offer money to
get a story. Don’t thrust the additional
burden of negotiating an “exclusive” onto
grieving families.

17. More ethical guidelines at all news stories
Be accurate and do not feign compassion –
it can’t be faked. Offer sincere condolences
but do not say “I know how you feel.” You
don’t.
Avoid “devil’s advocate” questions that
might imply blame.
Show empathy, not detachment and be
careful to control your own emotions.

18. Consider if the taping of people in a
distressed or emotional state is needed.
Allow upset interviewees to tell you when
they’d like to take a break, whether they
want you to put your notebook down or
turn off recording equipment so they can
say something they don’t want used.
https://dartcenter.org

19. Apply Catholic Social Teaching to journalism
ethics.
Below is the cover page of a research paper
I wrote about this for St. John’s University’s
Journal of Vincentian Social Action

20. This research paper is in BlackBoard under the Content Tab for our course.

21. Assignment for Monday April 6, 2020
Watch the video and read the handout stories in
BlackBoard on NBC News Dateline Waiting to
Explode.
Also read my article “SPJ Meets CST: A Code for
Journalism That Matters”
Submit an analysis AS AN ASSIGNMENT of what SPJ
journalism ethics NBC violated and what aspects of
CST from my article they failed to follow as well.
YOU NEED TO BE SPECIFIC and THOUGHTFUL IN
YOUR ANALYSIS.
Keep your analysis to THREE paragraphs at most.
The deadline to submit is 11:59 p.m. on Sunday
April 5, 2020.