Preface

Unlike Shakespeare’s seven, the journalist has three ages: learning, practising and managing. Any practical theory of journalism must be about all three. It must be firmly based on the needs of journalism, not on some other discipline. That’s what this book is about; it is an attempt to produce the basis of a practical theory of journalism, which integrates the study of with the practice in broadcast and print journalism. But it’s more than that, because we are now firmly in the digital age when the whole journalistic process is changing. Gathering is digital; sending is digital. The whole newsroom process is digital.

Journalism is all about news and information. Journalists discover news and report it. Journalism consists of gathering facts, deciding how to assemble them and making important decisions about which facts to include and which to omit. It is about talking to people, being curious, thinking clearly, and being able to translate difficult ideas into simple ones so that everyone can understand them. Journalism is about analysing and interpreting events; knowing how government, politics, business, industry and modern society work; and being able to make interesting stories out of all kinds of events. Journalism therefore consists of practical skills and a wide intellectual foundation, which gives credibility to the reporting. However, journalism is different from other disciplines because integration of the practical and the theoretical builds the discipline of journalism. The theoretical has to be seen always in conjunction with the practical skills. Law and ethics, for example, are not separate entities as far as journalists are concerned; they infuse all their news gathering, reporting and communicating and are integrated with the practical skills. All the intellectual theory is integrated into, not separated from, the journalism skills.

Such a practical theory will help journalists to enlarge their understanding, test various theories and work out their own solutions to problems in gathering and reporting news, as well as developing their own creative skills. It will also help to develop important transferable skills that will be useful throughout life, not just in journalism. These include communication, self-assertion and confidence, leadership, co-operation and teamwork, independence, autonomy and self-assessment. Journalists also need the interpersonal skills of influencing others, listening and negotiation; the organizational skills of time and project management and problem solving; and, of course, IT. But again, none of this is in isolation; it is all part of a practical theory.

A practical theory of journalism has eight vital aims. It must provide:

1 The ability to understand what makes a good story; to find the best angle and communicate it with interest and enthusiasm to readers, listeners and viewers

2 Experience of the various theories involved in gathering, writing and reporting news

3 A critical understanding of journalism through an informed, analytical and creative approach to professional practice

4 Transferable skills through written, interpersonal and verbal activities within theoretical and practical frameworks

5 The capacity for rational analysis and argument

6 An understanding of the increasing sophistication and technological advances in the journalism profession

7 A sense of social consciousness towards journalism, and an ethical self-responsibility

8 An awareness of the latest technology such as new computer newsroom technology and satellite communications.

Print and broadcast journalists must be able to:

• understand the basic vocabulary of news and journalism

• understand contending theories in journalism studies

• acquire information from various printed and electronic sources

• use information, concepts and theories to formulate arguments

• analyse problems and formulate responses to them

• present information and arguments orally, and discuss fluently with others

• create information and arguments as well written, interesting and accurate news stories

• work in a team

• have a practical news writing and reporting ability

• have a knowledge of the legal and ethical implications of news

• know about new technology and computer-assisted reporting

• use the latest editing and production techniques to create pleasing, interesting and inventive print and broadcast page layouts, bulletins and programmes

• appreciate the various methodological issues and problems of journalism

• understand contemporary theories and theoretical approaches to the practice of journalism

• read, understand and critically assess contemporary contributions to journalism research

• report in specialist and general areas of journalism.

None of these can be achieved without a finely tuned approach to journalism theory and practice.

Therefore, a practical theory of journalism provides

• a broad scope of basic knowledge

• professional reporting and writing ability

• independent thinking and sense of judgement.

The important intellectual (and therefore theoretical) requirements for journalists are a wide range of knowledge about the society in which they live and work, its economics, politics, sociology, history, international relations, and an appropriate foundation in professional skills. These are the foundations on which an integrated practical theory of journalism is based.

There is more, specifically related to broadcast journalism. A national survey in the United States in 1994 found the most common reasons for employing a new reporter in broadcast newsrooms were: self-motivation, journalism skills, dedication, news judgement, on-air presence, personality, voice quality, physical appearance, broadcast news experience and audition tape quality (Hilt and Lipschultz, 1994).

This is a text book aimed at academics, journalists and journalist managers. It is an attempt to integrate the ‘how’ and the ‘why’; to look at the whole rather than individual parts. It is also an attempt to stop the argument – usually unproductive and carried out by academic non-journalists – which says that all that is needed is the theory (usually communication theory), and the rest will take care of itself. It won’t. Journalism has its own theoretical foundation upon which is built journalism practice. In this way I have tried to integrate the foundations and elements of journalism practice, principles and management into one practical theory. This book aims to put under one cover all the basic information that student journalists need for their undergraduate or postgraduate studies and it will also be helpful in later life as they progress in their work. It aims to present ideas and various methodologies for journalism educators, whether they are working in universities or within the industry, and also to be a guide for those journalists who have gone from being working reporters to working management. They too need help, and sympathy.

Because it covers all aspects of print and broadcast journalism, there will be the need to look at more detailed books on specific subjects. Others in this series will provide this additional detail: Andrew Boyd ’s Broadcast Journalism, Anthony Davis ’s Magazine Journalism Today and Brendan Hennessey’s Writing Feature Articles, F. W. Hodgson’s Modern Newspaper Practice and New Subediting: Apple-Mac, QuarkXPress and After, Nicholas Bagnall’s Newspaper Language and Harris and Sparks’s Practical Newspaper Reporting were all of immense help to me in writing this present book.

J.H.