Civic Journalism 2001 Abstracts
Civic Journalism Interest Group
Teaching Crime and Violence Reporting from a Public Health Perspective • Judy Bolch and Esther Thorson, University of Missouri • This paper describes the public health perspective on crime and violence reporting and then justifies that approach by looking briefly at the extensive literature that has developed on the patterns of crime reporting that characterize American Journalism. The public health perspective can be clearly argued to fit well within the category “civic journalism.” This literature also suggests some of the detrimental effects on Americans of such reporting. With the public health reporting perspective justified, the paper then describes how the approach was used to teach crime and violence reporting to a class of undergraduate and graduate students. Readings, student work, and student evaluations of the course are described. The authors contend that this new way of teaching “cops and courts” suggests a potential benefit in linking research on journalistic content and critique of that content with hands-on teaching of young reporters.
Civic Journalism in the 2000 U.S. Senate Race in Virginia • David Kennamer and Jeff South, Virginia Commonwealth University • The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot is a proponent of civic journalism; the Richmond Times-Dispatch is not. Content analysis of the papers’ coverage of Virginia’s 2000 U.S. Senate election reflected the divergent newsroom philosophies. The Times-Dispatch stories were more likely to be triggered by campaign-managed events, to focus on the election “horse race” and to use political establishment sources. The Pilot’s stories were more likely to result from independent or enterprise reporting, to address issues and to use “real people” sources.
After Columbine: Public Journalism and The Needs of Youth • Jan Maxson, University of Washington • The Portland Press Herald initiated the “On The Verge” public journalism project in January 2000 to address issues faced by youth in the community. The school shootings at Columbine served as a catalyst to a five part project to address issues such as school, cliques, racism and pressures faced by youth This research involved 452 surveys of youth and community members to assess the project, its impact and changes in the community climate for teens.
Civic Autonomy in Journalism Education: An Alternative to the Lure of Detachment • Michael McDevitt, University of New Mexico • Civic journalism has failed to appreciate the importance of autonomy as an inevitable outcome of professional socialization. College students are likely to adopt a conventional view of autonomy given their need for psychological identification with the profession. Educators should promote a model of civic autonomy, which incorporates professional expertise in service to political activation. The intent is to match reporting methods with democratic goals, and thereby encourage a reflective approach to news coverage.
Civic Journalism Influence On Local TV News Coverage of the 2000 Elections • Amy Reynolds, Indiana University and Gary Hicks, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville • During 2000, several corporate Owners of local television Stations announced they would incorporate initiatives into their 2000 election coverage to improve the quality of their political journalism. Simultaneously, Best Practices 2000 began to help local television stations develop strategies and plans for innovative election coverage. This study examines whether or not a variety of civic journalism principles had taken hold in local television news, even if none of the television Stations themselves were civic journalism advocates.
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