Objectivity emerged as a selling point in American Journalism when the price of a newspaper dropped to a penny. In 1833 The New York Sun slashed the price of their paper to multiply readership and increase advertising. Profits soared.
Yet all around their was a grinding, dehumanizing poverty reflected in the eyes of these 'newsies' selling papers on city streets. Before WWI people viewed the world as being cruel but rich with opportunity. Horatio Alger novels told stories of how the humblest orphans could ascend into the middle class through hard work.
This view changed following the war. As damaged soldiers returned home with stories and the hideous and meaningless death of millions of young men a deep cynicism sets in and 'Dadaism' is born. Its basic philosophy: everything is meaningless.
On August 6, 1945, a revolutionary new weapon destroyed Hiroshima, a Japanese city of 300,000 inhabitants. Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. America’s secret super-weapon was lauded for bringing about victory in the Pacific and ending World War II. President Truman’s official announcement included half-truths that shaped the government’s official narrative: “Sixteen hours ago, an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima, an important Japanese army base.” In fact, the bomb was aimed at Hiroshima’s city center for maximum psychological effect; the army base on its outskirts escaped much damage.
Eighty years after the devastating atomic bombings that ushered in the nuclear age, Bombshell explores how the U.S. government manipulated the narrative about the atomic bombings of the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Through propaganda, censorship and the co-opting of the press, the government presented a benevolent picture of atomic power, minimizing the horrific human toll. Bombshell sheds light on the efforts of a group of intrepid reporters to let the world know the truth.
Many journalists were 'embedded' with the troops in WWII. The legendary Ernie Pyle from western Indiana wrote columns on their grinding ordeal and uncomplicated courage. Armed only with a typewriter, Pyle personalized war reporting, creating a bridge between the everyday soldier, whom he dubbed GI Joe, and the American populace.
As a roving correspondent for the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain, he earned wide acclaim for his accounts of ordinary people in rural America, and later, of ordinary American soldiers during World War II. His syndicated column ran in more than 300 newspapers nationwide.
At the time of his death he was among the best-known American war correspondents. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944 for his spare, poignant accounts of "dogface" infantry soldiers from a first-person perspective. "No man in this war has so well told the story of the American fighting man as American fighting men wanted it told", wrote Harry Truman. "He deserves the gratitude of all his countrymen."
In 1854, London Times reporter William Howard Russel reports on the charge of the British Light Cavalry Brigade in Crimea. He writes of soldiers ill-fed, ill-led, and left on the field to die. Prince Albert is furious. Russell's reporting turns the public against the government, prompting history's first order of military censorship. Henceforth, any reporter who reports information that could be useful to the enemy will be expelled. Russell is hailed as the 'father of war reporting.'
Read both Tennyson's poem and Russel's report for understanding and then answer these questions:
1) Compare and contrast the tone and emotion of Tennyson's poem to William Russel's war report. How did each describe the soldiers? What was their view of leadership/ command? What was their message to the public?
2) What are some ways 19th-century readers might have reacted differently to a poem versus a newspaper report?
3) How does today’s media (TV, internet, social media) shape public opinion about wars?
4) Should war reporters try to stay neutral, or is it okay to take a moral stance? Explain your reasoning.
5) After studying both accounts, do you think the public should see the “heroic” side of war, the “tragic” side, or both? Why?
At its most extreme, bias will drive people away from sources they disagree with and push them to consume only media from outlets that confirm their existing worldviews. In the age of social media, this has become especially true. Because we often surround ourselves with like-minded people as our friends and acquaintances, our social media feeds will often reflect a shared bias. At its most extreme application, we create an echo chamber, or a situation where ideas and beliefs are amplified and reinforced through communication and repetition, around ourselves.
Bias is hard to avoid, but it can be really damaging - leading us to make poor choices without fairly weighing up the facts.
As human beings, we all bring a point of view into the world, and that point of view colors how we learn about and interact with it. This is built up from the moment we are born and will continue to evolve until we die. With that in mind, we should always be aware that we cannot react to anything in a completely objective manner.
That same logic holds true for media. All news outlets are organizations and made up of people. This means that editors, reporters, commentators, and researchers who work in journalism bring their point of view to work with them every day, and it is borderline impossible for them to completely separate themselves from the stories they report. It is therefore logical to assume that even the hardest news will be colored, to a certain extent, by the person reporting it. At a microlevel, when looking at a story, this point of view can manifest itself in a variety of ways that we should be on the lookout for:
Value as fact: In softer news, the presenter might attempt to pass off their beliefs as fact. This is especially true of punditry and opinion sections (think Tucker Carlson, Rachel Maddow, Sean Hannity, or Stephen Colbert) where the presenter is often attempting to confirm their own worldview and make that worldview more presentable to the consumer. If a worldview or set of values is stated, we should automatically be on the lookout for bias in how the story is presented.
Presentation of the facts: In hard news, it’s important to keep an eye on how the facts are presented. Were questions left unanswered? Was information omitted that could have been vital to building a clear picture of events?
Credibility and accuracy of sourcing: Did the story source a diverse array of credible viewpoints and make the effort to flesh out who or what they are and put the information gleaned from them in context? The less you notice this in a story, the more on guard you should be for bias.
Cherry-picking: How are sources represented in the story? Are they analyzed in depth or just at a glance?
Sensationalism: Does the language in the headline or body provoke an emotional response? If it does, it’s likely that you’re consuming something intentionally biased and seeking to elicit that reaction to further the agenda of its author.
Commentary: Does the story draw a specific conclusion? Do they tell you in the presentation of facts whether they judge a source to be credible or portray them in a positive or negative light? In general, we should be skeptical of any reporting that attempts to pass judgement on a source. It may be accurate, but further research will be needed on the part of the consumers to independently confirm this judgement for themselves.
Fighting BIAS can be even harder than detecting it, especially when we already have strong preconceived opinions...
Few reporters proclaim their convictions. Fewer still act on them to serve what they believe to be the greater good. In times of profound moral crisis, most reporters make the 'Great Refusal.' The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity.
In his poem 'Inferno' Dante tours the underworld and sees a swarm of anguished souls barred from heaven and hell doomed to limbo. They are the neutrals, whose lives meant nothing because they refused to commit themselves. They have all made what Dante calls the 'Great Refusal.'
Take theInferno Test to see which level of Hell you would be banished to. Do you agree? Share your comments in our Google Class comments.
In October 2025, Donald Trump jokingly told reporters on Air Force One that he is "not maybe heaven-bound" when asked if his efforts on a Ukraine ceasefire would help him get into heaven, according to KBTX News 3 and this YouTube video. He noted he was "being a little cute" but was not sure he would make it, while later asserting he has done immense good for many people, say this YouTube video.
From now until the NCAA basketball championship in April, experts and prognosticators, along with millions of amateurs
competing in office pools, will attempt to predict the outcomes of all
67 of the tournament’s games.
People have all sorts of reasons to pick one team over another. Some
break down game footage; others look at advanced statistics; and still
others give preference to schools they or their friends attended.
But what if we took a different approach and picked teams based on the strength of their mascots?
Roll out the red carpet! Last night was a big night for Hollywood. The Academy Awards, or "Oscars", is an annual American awards ceremony hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements.
After watching these memorable Oscar Speeches, imagine you just won an Oscar for Best Picture, Best Actor/Actress, or Best Director. Write a 1–2 minute acceptance speech (150–250 words). Your speech should include: • A reaction to winning the award • Thanks to at least three people or groups • A short description of the work behind the achievement • A meaningful message for the audience
1. Why do people thank others in acceptance speeches?
2. Why might winners mention family members, teachers, or coworkers?
3. What kinds of messages do people often include in speeches?
4. Why do you think audiences enjoy hearing acceptance speeches?
Citizen Kane was a brutal portrait of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. When Hearst learned through Hopper of Welles' film, he set out to protect his reputation by shutting the film down. Hollywood executives, led by Louis B. Mayer, rallied around Hearst, attempting to buy Citizen Kane in order to burn the negative. At the same time, Hearst's defenders moved to intimidate exhibitors into refusing to show the movie. Threats of blackmail, smears in the newspapers, and FBI investigations were used in the effort.
Mark Twain was a famous American humor writer who often used exaggeration to teach lessons about
human behavior. In the story 'My First Lie and How I Got Out of It,' Twain describes a situation where a
small lie begins to grow bigger and more complicated. Each attempt to fix the lie creates new problems
and confusion. The story humorously shows how difficult it can be to keep track of lies once they start.
1) Why do you think the narrator told the first lie?
2) What happens when the narrator tries to maintain the lie?
3) What lesson do you think Mark Twain is trying to teach?
A major U.S.-Israel attack on Iran targeted the country’s top leaders and missile sites Saturday, following weeks of rising tensions over talks on Iran’s nuclear program. Iran has vowed to retaliate.
1) Who attacked Iran and when?
2) Why was Iran attacked, according to this story?
3) How has Iran responded?
4) What have been some of the reactions of world leaders to the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran?
5) Where did Iran strike in response to being attacked?
6) Do you think a strong case has been made for the U.S.'s attack on Iran? Explain.
7) What do you think should happen now that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed?
8) "The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war," Trump said in his speech following the attacks. Do you think the U.S. should have attacked Iran? If you are not sure how to answer this question, what further information might you need?
It turns out that Iran has a pretty long history of unrest in order to put power in the hands of the people, and the most recent revolution in 1979 was, at least at first, not necessarily about creating an Islamic state. It certainly turned out to be about that, but it was initially just about people who wanted to get rid of an oppressive regime.
The Constitution mandates that the President “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” The President’s State of the Union Message and address were known as the President’s Annual Message to Congress until well into the 20th century. Presidents Washington and Adams delivered their messages to Congress in person, but President Jefferson abandoned the practice as “monarchical” and time-consuming, sending written messages instead. This precedent was followed until President Wilson personally appeared before Congress in 1913. President Franklin Roosevelt adopted Wilson’s practice of personal delivery, and it has since become a contemporary tradition. With the advent of radio (1923) and television (1947) coverage of the address, it gained great importance by providing a nationwide platform for the President.
Brooke Gladstone compares the press to blackbirds perched on a wire, saying, “one bird will fly to another wire, and when it doesn’t get electrocuted, all the birds will fly to that other wire.”
Senator Eugene McCarthy came up with that; but what does it mean?
At ObitCon, members of the Society of Professional Obituary Writers talk about the privilege of honoring lives well-lived. Mo Rocca reports on the gathering of obit writers (where they hand out their annual awards ceremony, the Grimmys), and introduces the second season of his podcast, "Mobituaries."
According to James Loewen in his book Lies My Teacher Told Me: Sasha and Zamani are two aspects of time as expressed in some Eastern and Central African cultures. Sasha are spirits known by someone still alive, while Zamani are spirits not known by anyone currently alive. The recently departed whose time overlapped with people still here are the Sasha, the living dead. They are not wholly dead, for they live on in the memories of the living ... when the last person knowing an ancestor dies, that ancestor leaves the Sasha for the Zamani, the dead. As generalized ancestors, the Zamani are not forgotten but revered.
Your assignment: write your own Obituary. Assume you live to be at least 80 years old. What will you have accomplished? Who will you leave behind? What will your legacy be?
Reporters are celebrated not because of the truth of their story, but according to whether their story fits the public's mood.
Without a free press doing its job as a journalistic watchdog, citizens are left to guess if their elected officials are doing their jobs, or if the people they have entrusted have earned that trust.
When NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden leaked details of massive government surveillance programs in 2013, he ignited a raging debate over digital privacy and security. That debate came to a head this year, when Apple refused an FBI court order to access the iPhone of alleged San Bernardino Terrorist Syed Farook. Meanwhile, journalists and activists are under increasing attack from foreign agents. To find out the government's real capabilities, and whether any of us can truly protect our sensitive information, VICE founder Shane Smith heads to Moscow to meet the man who started the conversation, Edward Snowden. Watch the episode.
Described by WIRED as “the most wanted man in the world,” Edward Snowden is being sought for leaking top-secret documents that unveiled widespread surveillance programs overseen by the federal government. He currently is hiding out in an undisclosed community in Russia, where he says he goes mostly unrecognized.
Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst whose release of the so-called Pentagon Papers in 1971 blew the whistle on American decision-making during the Vietnam War, has died aged 92. Ellsberg was employed as an analyst at the RAND Corporation when he made the decision to leak over 7,000 documents covering US policy in Vietnam to papers including The New York Times and The Washington Post. The revelations contained within what became known as the Pentagon Papers showed how successive inhabitants of the Oval Office had deceived the public on the war's progress and the prospects of American victory. The government of President Richard M Nixon charged Ellsberg with federal crimes including theft, conspiracy, and espionage on the basis that his leaking of information compromised national security.
1) Who had commissioned the study of American entry into the Vietnam War? Why was the study commissioned?
2) Why did Daniel Ellsberg copy the report? Why did journalist Neil Sheehan feel it was necessary to publish the study?
3) What do you think is the more important issue, that government documents were leaked or that the US government hadn’t been totally honest in its assessment of the Vietnam War?
4) What was President Nixon’s original thought about the publication of the study? Why did he eventually change his mind?
5) Why do you think Nixon was so vigorous about trying to stop publication of the Pentagon Papers? In your view, is this a violation of the newspapers’ First Amendment freedom? Why or why not?
6) Why do you think the Nixon administration planned to go to such extremes to discredit Ellsberg (breaking into his psychiatrist’s office, leaking personal information about him)?
7) Could there have been a justifiable reason for Nixon’s conduct in this matter? What would it be?
8) Were Ellsberg or Nixon justified in their behavior, or did they both cross the line of responsible behavior by government officials? Explain why you think the way you do.
In more than half the world’s countries, banning, confiscation and censorship of publications are everyday occurrences. Even today, nearly two billion men and women live under governments which restrict their right to know the truth. More than 1 billion of those people live in China.
A press that is free to investigate and criticize the government is absolutely essential in a nation that practices self-government and is therefore dependent on an educated and enlightened citizenry.
On the other hand, newspapers too often take advantage of their freedom and publish lies and scurrilous gossip that could only deceive and mislead the people. Jefferson himself suffered greatly under the latter kind of press during his presidency. But he was a great believer in the ultimate triumph of truth in the free marketplace of ideas, and looked to that for his final vindication.
1) How is our Freedom of Press essential to our Democracy?
2) What does the 1st amendment say about Freeodom of Press?
3) In what ways is our Freedom of Press unique?
4) In what ways has the Press been limited throughout our History?
5) What were the 'Pentagon Papers' and how did they challenge the 1st Amendment?
...there were no journalists. But in every place written language emerges, you can find publicists.
The ancient Maya civilization of Central America left behind a riddle: an intricate and mysterious hieroglyphic script carved on stone monuments and painted on pottery and bark books. Because the invading Spanish suppressed nearly all knowledge of how the script worked, unlocking its meaning posed one of archaeology's fiercest challenges. Until now.
This expression has been attributed to everyone from Voltaire to Uncle Ben in the Spider-Man comic book; but what does it mean?
The phrase “Great powers bring great responsibilities” is said by Peter’s foster father and uncle, “Uncle Ben”, in the form of advice or warning. Ignoring what would be the last words he would hear from his uncle, Peter decides to employ his new superpowers to win money in a wrestling tournament. He wins the fight, but ends up being deceived by the event's promoter. When a thief steals the promoter’s money, Peter takes revenge by omission: he chooses to let the thief escape. He later learns that his uncle had been shot to death. He starts looking for the killer. When he finally finds him, the hero-in-the-making finds out that it was the same thief that he had let go. The fact naturally awakens a heavy sense of guilt and an acute sense of responsibility and heroism. It is later repeated by Aunt Mae in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
What makes one thing worth reporting, while another thing is not? We offer a test for news which can work in all societies. We consider what makes some news stories stronger than others. Finally, we look at how news comes to journalists, and the areas of life where we most often find it.
Welcome to the home page of Mr. Kelly's Current Events class. This course looks at the role of the media on international, national, state, local, and school wide levels. Although the content is constantly changing there are recurrent themes including domestic and foreign policy, the economy, war, crime, and the environment. Here you will find assignments, online discussions, and your grades. Be prepared to keep up with weekly reading assignments and be respectful of each others opinions on this site.
