Lucinda Davenport

Audience Recall of News Stories Presented by Newspaper, Computer, Television and Radio:

This study reports results of a large-scale experiment in which subjects were exposed to news stories presented by one of four media. The goal was to provide both baseline data and a reasonably definitive answer as to the relative level of recall resulting from presentations by newspapers, computer screen, television and radio while controlling for other factors. Facts from news stories presented by newspaper or computer screen were recalled at a significantly higher level than were facts from the same stories when presented via radio or television. Somewhat surprisingly, results from computer screens were closer to newspapers than to television.

Searching for the Core of Journalism Education Program Directors Disagree on Curriculum Priorities

To carry out their mission of preparing students to be successful journalism professionals, educators make important decisions on the core curriculum: the common courses that all journalism students must take to graduate, no matter their area of emphasis or academic constraints. This national study of U.S. journalism program directors shows they agreed that training in writing and reporting is still considered the bedrock of journalism and that knowledge about visual communication has become an increasing priority. After that, however, these respondents disagreed on which specific courses take precedence for all journalism students. The authors offer several hypothetical models of core curricula.

Computers in Newsrooms of Michigan's Newspapers

A state-wide survey of daily newspapers finds 80 percent are using electronic information sources, with all using electronic morgues and most using two or more electronic sources.

Restrictive policies of the mass media

Increasing numbers of news organizations have formal codes of ethics for their personnel. This paper looks at the content of media ethics codes, how these codes are written and what comprises a news organizations fixed value system. Results show that many written policies were devised in recent years, and a noticeable number of other news organizations said they have firmly established unwritten policies. The written codes represented in this survey clearly draw lines around certain activities and label them as acceptable or unacceptable for journalists. Teaching, unpaid appearances (such as on a television talk show), and participation in charitable activities are outside interests more acceptable than political activities in behalf of another person, or holding elected or appointed office. Certain activities which remain as unfinished business include: uniformity of enforcement, management ethics, financial interests, and spouse or friend conflict of interest.

Digital Camera Use Affects Photo Procedures/Archiving

While digital cameras are used on most assignments and more images are shot, a lower proportion of those images are archived compared to images shot with film cameras in years past.

Innovation Lag: Computer-Assisted Classrooms vs. Newsrooms.

In 1980, Anthony Smith predicted that the rapidly expanding use of computers and the growth of various kinds of electronic databases would forever alter the work of reporters in gathering and formulating the news.’ His prediction has become a reality. Electronic databases have been adopted widely by American newspapers as a integral part of their many computer applications used for gathering, transmitting, enhancing, disseminating, storing, and even making the news. Databases are now commonly used in several ways by most American dailies. The old paper “morgue” of clipped stories has been replaced by the electronic library for storing the paper’s own stories. Reporters routinely search on-line databases for various kinds of information. Some newspapers develop their own databases on specialized topics to assist with particular categories of stories. Finally, the systematic analysis of the computerized records of government agencies has become increasingly common. This article discusses four aspects of computer-assisted journalism: 1. The ways in which on-line database searching and the analysis of computerized records of government agencies developed in newsrooms during the last decade, 2. Whether, during the same period, the development of systematic classroom instruction in the nature, uses, and relevant skills needed to use databases for such purposes has lagged in the majority of American universities, 3. Survey data showing the extent to which journalism departments are providing instruction in both on-line database use for news writing and the analyses of databases of the records of public agencies, and 4. The implications for the future of journalism education.

Now You See It; Now You Don't. The Problems with Newspaper Digital Photo Archives

This study systematically investigates the practices and policies of archiving and accessing images, now that most newspapers have gone digital. Results can be applied to other organizations that archive images. Findings from the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) newspaper photographers show that policies and practices are in disarray. Photographers also are frustrated and concerned about digital technology becoming obsolete and ramifications to the historical record. The authors offer suggestions to address the situation, and they briefly consider how mass communication theorist Marshall McLuhan might have regarded digital image archives and the technologys effect on our culture.

Newspaper Coverage of International Women's Decade: Feminism and Conflict

The UN-sponsored International Women’s Decade included an initial conference in Mexico City in 1975. a middecade meeting in Copcnhagen in 1980 and a fmal conference in Nairobi in 1985. Media coverage of the first two meetings “was widely criticized on two general counts. The first was the small number of printed stories. . . .The second criticism was that the stories that did appear tended to wivialise or sensationalise events, issues and personalities” (Gallagher, 1985. p.

Newspapers slow to use web sites for 9/11 coverage

This analysis of 89 U.S. daily newspaper Web sites on Sept. 11, 2001, shows that 65 percent of the home pages in the late morning and 38 percent in the late afternoon said nothing about the World Trade Center bombings. By late afternoon only 43 percent of the home pages had at least one photo or video of the 9/11 attacks.

Reputation Cycles: The Value of Accreditation for Undergraduate Journalism Programs

Accreditation is among various outside influences when developing an ideal journalism curriculum. The value of journalism accreditation standards for undergraduate programs has been studied and is still debated. This study discovers views of opinion leaders in U.S. journalism programs, as surveyed program directors give reasons for being accredited or not. The most important reason for schools with, or obtaining, accreditation is reputation enhancement. But many directors question accreditation’s value. Some perceive the cap on journalism credits that students can take as a limitation of student development and a hindrance to responding to increasing media industry convergence.