The Process of Making News - Assignment Example

Making of A NEWS BY [name of the organization] [author’s name] [date of fulfillment] I. MAKING OF A NEWS The process of making of a news goes through very long proceedings. The matters are all made with great concern and effectiveness. There are lots of news channels that try to exaggerate the fact more than what it is. Sometimes it is their trademark, while at times it is very much discouraged. Lots of investigations, interviews and scrutinise are done before a news gets covered1. There are all kinds of efforts given in collecting all the relevant data, so that there remains no source for malapropism. Every news needs to be adjacent to facts, or that gets the mark of being unauthentic. Value of Objective news The act of journalism is always preferred to be very much objective. As an interview2 conducted with Nayab Chohan, Journalist of Sunday Independent, regarding the objectivity of news in media, I have discovered many facts and all of them are very astonishing. As stated by Nayab Chohan, there is a huge uproar in the journalistic society regarding the reconceptualizing the whole process of news collection on theoretical and practical basis. According to him there is a great demand for objective journalism, but they are not free from controversies and distortion. (a) Findings Nayab Chohan is very clear about his idea regarding the processes that gets adopt in the making of a new. He states that the process in general is a summation to bring the news to a status. It is very important to check whether these additional statuses are well strategised. In case of making the news related to the ’Grudge of Bin Laden’, there were many perspectives analysed with the news. In some cases the editor has to be strict with the declarations as has been made by Laden. As for example, in order to check the public from getting horrified the statement, ‘Laden issued a "fatwah," a religious ruling urging Muslims to kill U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia and Somalia. A second fatwah in 1998 called for attacks on American civilians.’ The news has been published in parts and lots of evidences were collected simultaneously. (b) Selection As I opted to do my research on this particular topic, the only person that came to my mind is Nayab Chohan, Journalist of Sunday Independent. The simple reason is that I have been always following his write ups and find the sense of honesty in it. As I contact him, I immediately go the appointment and thus the interview happened. Initially he was little sceptical to talk about the section related to terrorism and how a news get made for it. However as we proceeded with the interview I made him believe that I want to learn about these critical issues and somehow convinced him for the same. (c) Conducting an interview The topic of selection was related to the news that are more hyped in media, especially those which are into the cases of terrorism. I had a good home work before approaching Nayab Chohan. I was pretty much sure of what I have to ask him and how am I going to convince him in making me learn more about the process of making a news. I have well prepared over the topics of terrorism, especially Bin Laden’s Grudge against US. As the interview was going smooth I was very happy about it; however there were lots of phone calls and people coming in and out to his chamber, distracting the talk a lot. I was very patient, but could make out that the editor was in a hurry in winding up the interview. Still I managed to get all the answers and was very much happy about the effort that I made. (d) Coding an interview For Nayab Chohan, Journalist of Sunday Independent, a news needs to be more fact oriented with enough skill to make it readable and comprehensive. The practice needs to be very transparent and must be so structured that it gets crucially cantered around communication criteria. It is a whole process of thinking through the lots of complexities and contradictions in the making of the news of an issue. The motive is to give the readers the actual picture and to make him aware of the issue. (e) Appendix 1 After making a contact with Nayab Chohan, I got an appointment of about 2pm on Wednesday last. I reached there before time and exactly at 2pm I was with the interviewee. The questions that I prepared were – a) What is your idea about a real news? b) Do you believe that the news related to terrorisms gets distorted? c) Whom do you think is responsible for the distortion of terrorist news? d) What is you idea about the grudge that Bin Laden expressed against US? e) How strong is it to have objective journalism? (f) Appendix 2 The answers that I got for all these queries are as follows – Me: What is your idea about a real news? NC: As for his idea about a real news, he said that it depends a lot on what affects it is going to have in the social administrative status. We cannot always give the public the raw news. The reason is that we also need to take care of the reaction that will rise in the society; however we never prefer to distort the facts. Me: Do you believe that the news related to terrorisms gets distorted? NC: Especially in case of terrorism, we need to be aware of all the facts that come in with the news. Added to which we also check out what are the preventive measures being undertaken. After that we publish the news with all authenticity and try to make it simple so that there is no tensed situation among the public. Me: Whom do you think is responsible for the distortion of terrorist news? NC: Terrorists news are usually send by the terrorist groups and you cannot really blame anybody for that. The whole political system is engrossed with it and thus there is no specified person to be held responsible. Me: What is you idea about the grudge that Bin Laden expressed against US? NC: Often we find Bin Laden expressing grudge against US. He makes all his declarations through videos and so we got to believe them. However we check all the sources well before publishing them public. We make sure of the fact that these are not dramatised collections but are in real formats. Me: How strong is it to have objective journalism? NC: As for the matter of Objective Journalism, there are lots of marginalizations regarding the sections related to terrorism in journalism. As every issue is related to National Security, every news must be dealt very objectively and there should not be any subjective involvement. ii. Construction of meanings of news (a) Hypothesis and research question After getting all the tips related to the making of a news on terrorism, I select to go with the news of ‘Bin Laden, millionaire with a dangerous grudge against US’3. In this particular news there is a discussion related to Bin Laden, who is an Islamic fundamentalist and the son of a Saudi billionaire. This declaration in a way justifies the grudge; however the vengeance in Laden should not be supported. My idea is to check out how appropriately this news has been presented in media The research question is - Whether it is proper to give all the details to the public or there should be certain follow ups in publishing the news, so that people can be mentally prepared for something so dangerous. (b) Presentation of findings In this news it has been said that ‘Laden has been on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives 1999. Added to this declaration U.S. State Department has offered a $5 million reward for his arrest.’ The reason is that Laden is found to be the prime suspect behind the September 11 hijacking attacks over WTC. This was a devastating case and there were lots of evidences collect against Laden. With well supported facts the reason behind Laden’s grudge against US, has been declared to be a continuation since the 1990. It was in the year 1990, that Saudi Arabia to allow the U.S. to stage attacks on Iraqi forces in Kuwait and Iraq. After the operations are over, it has been found that Saudi Arabia became a place with the permanent presence of U.S. military4. Laden’s grudge is very much related to this persisting units of US military in Saudi Arabia. (c) Summary of methodology The case is about the grudges that Bin Laden has got against US. As for me, I feel that it is very important to have a proper methodology in elaborating this case in public. A series of demonstrations needs to be followed so that people can understand every single thing related to the issue and can well comprehend it in their mind. I feel that this news needs to be published in a proper methodology. As for me I would like to first check all the sources and will get confirm with the authenticity. After that I personally will visit few political leaders who can do something related to the persisting dangers. I will try to do all these things in a very short notice and with lots of honest labour. After that I will fragment the news in a format and will try to publish it with al details. I will surely publish every particular thing with the issue, but at the same time will be very particular about giving the public the solutions that are been forwarded by the political leaders. It will be a news with the support of evidence and with solution. My target will be to make people conscious about the possible dangers and at the same time making them aware of the solutions that are taken seriously b the political leaders. My idea will be to give then the awareness of danger with much security so that there is no panic situation in the state5. (d) Discussion and interpretation of findings After have a chat with Nayab Chohan, I have realised that this news should have been more regarding the power of US to deal with Laden. The news is not exactly about the negotiations that took pace in the process of making things better. I feel that in order to make public more aware and to make them secured, it is very important to have these news with little bit of partial presentation. I am not in favour of distortion; however feel that this could be submitted in section or in a series. Let people get some time in understanding why US military are detained there in Saudi Arabia. There should be a detail elaboration regarding the regular attacks are being made over Saudi Arabia. I feel that the picture should be made clear enough before giving the public a blurred and one sided image about the whole issue. III. Consumption of news After making all the necessary arrangements with the news, it gets published. I still was not sure about the reaction that will come up in public. To have a satisfactory result of my adaptation of formatting the news I conducted some interviews. The classifications are all made on the basis of age groups. The first person I had a chat was 17 years of age, named Thomas Frank, and was much aware of the political set up. The next person with whom I had an interview was a middle aged man of 52 years of age, named Daniel B. Simon. (a) Findings After taking the interviews of Thomas Frank and Daniel B. Simon, I have realised that, Daniel B. Simon is not much convinced with what the political leaders were saying. On the contrary he did also not in a state to believe me. As for Thomas Frank, he was pretty cool about the steps that are being planned against this issue. Though he supported Laden’s grudge but was not convinced about being so fundamentalist. (b) Selection In order to get a detailed vision over the issue, I selected these two interviewees because; I want to have the reactions of two generations. The interview with Daniel B. Simon was much successful as though he was sceptical, was equally clear about his thoughts and ideas. On the contrary I was troubled a lot while interviewing Thomas Frank. He was politically much aware but was totally confused with the situation. Though there was little mark of tension in him, yet he was sure that the political leaders will definitely find a solution. (c) Conducting an interview The first interview was with Frank and I had it in his college campus. That was the worst decision I made. There were lots of noises all around and even Frank could not concentrate much. His friends were calling him and he was more partial in answering my questions. However after this experience I choose to take the interview of Simon in a very calm place and got better feedbacks. (d) Coding an interview The idea of the interview was to collect the reaction of various people of varied generation regarding the issue related to the grudge of Bin Laden against US that resulted in the 11 September case. (e) Appendix 1 The questions that I asked both the interviewees are as follows – a) Do you know who is Bin laden? b) Where were you on 11 September c) What do you think the cause of the crash of WTC? d) Do you support Bin Laden? e) Do you have faith over the Political leaders of US? (f) Appendix 2 As for the answers, they were as follows- a) Do you know who is Bin laden? Thomas Frank - Yes, came to know about him after 11 September. Daniel B. Simon - Yes, heard a lot about him. b) Where were you on 11 September? Thomas Frank - I was in my friends place Daniel B. Simon - I was at home c) What do you think the cause of the crash of WTC? Thomas Frank - Bin Laden was not happy with US Daniel B. Simon - Come on everybody knows that Laden want to prove his supremacy and wanted the US military to vacate his country. d) Do you support Bin Laden? Thomas Frank - I think, I f I were in his place, I too have done something like that. Brave Guy! Daniel B. Simon - I totally disagree with these types of brutal options. He should be strong enough to have some negotiation. Rather I believe he needs to understand the situation ad the necessity of US military in his country. e) Do you have faith over the Political leaders of US? Thomas Frank - Absolutely, I think they will find some solution to it. Daniel B. Simon - I am sorry to say, but our political leaders seem to fail in making Laden stop all these nuisance. I do not have much faith in them. References An Interview with Nayab Chohan, Journalist of Sunday Independent, on 01.08.08 Behind the News - How the News is Made, Year of Production: 2005, Duration: 34 mins plus learning activities, © ABC-TV, http://www.abc.net.au/programsales/s1464461.htm Bin Laden, millionaire with a dangerous grudge September 27, 2001 Posted: 10:22 AM EDT (1422 GMT), CNN Executive Producer Nancy Peckenham, Producer Phil Hirschkorn, CNN Terrorism Analyst Peter Bergen and CNN.com Writer/Editor Douglas Wood contributed to this report. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/12/binladen.profile/ [retrieved on 02.08.08] Interview Osama Bin Laden, may, 1998, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/binladen/who/interview.html [retrieved on 02.08.08] News and Terrorism, COMMUNICATING IN A CRISIS, A fact sheet from the National Academies and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, pdf Read More