Narratives affecting what is seen as newsworth

Question 1

What has caused the changes in news coverage such as dumbing down and decline in news coverage of world events?

Answer 1

Commercialisation and competition between media providers and having to compete for viewers

Question 2

How can financial constraints affect newsworthiness?

Answer 2

Extremely expensive to maintain a team of reporters, cameramen and technicians in a faraway country

Question 3

Why is financial constraints not as important?

Answer 3

Citizen journalism has made foreign news easier and less expensive in contemporary society

Question 4

How can breaking stories affect newsworthiness?

Answer 4

With increased competition between media companies, the media tend to show forms of news which they are the first to access/know about (exclusives) - increase in speculative and unsubstantiated stories (not backed up with much evidence/true facts)

Question 5

What did Jayarthe find regarding breaking stories?

Answer 5

News broadcasts of aftermath of Asian tsunami in Sri Lanka
Of all the ones he studied were based upon information and opinions given by those in power in Sri Lanka (the experts) - voices of the ordinary people did not feature

Question 6

How can the audience socially construct news?

Answer 6

Content and the style in which it is presented is often based upon social characteristics of the audience
News 5 - short/snappy bulletins due to it being aimed at the young
Guardian - more complex vocabulary with longer articles due to it being aimed at middle class professionals
Time of day - women home at lunch time = story linked to supermarket price war = given longer slot than evening broadcast