- The Observatory
- Mission
- Staff
- Books
- Creative Destruction: The Downturn and Reinvention of U.S. Newspaper Journalism
- Merging Media Converging Newsrooms
- A Complicated, Antagonistic & Symbiotic Affair: Journalism, Public Relations and the Struggle for Public Attention
- Media Journalism in the Attention Cycle
- Business Journalism, Corporate Communications, and Newsroom Management
- Journalism Textbook
- The Journalist as “Homo economicus” (Textbook)
- The Wizards of Information
- Partners
- Opportunities
- Contact us
State of the News Media 2010
Posted by Kate Nacy in Media Journalism, Quality Management on March 17, 2010
The Project for Excellence in Journalism releases State of the News Media 2010 report.
The comprehensive report provides deep analysis of 2009’s media situation, assessing the status of newspapers, magazines, network news, cable television, and online sites. This year’s report contains several new features, including a Year in the News Interactive, Who Owns the News Media a multi-dimensional directory of the more than 120 companies that own news properties in the United States, a new survey of the economic attitudes of online news consumers, a content analysis of blogs and social media and a detailed analysis of the online behavior of visitors to news websites.
For more about the report see PEJ.
Magazine Migration
Posted by Kate Nacy in New Media, Newsroom Management, Quality Management on March 15, 2010
What happens when magazines move online?
According to a Columbia Journalism Review study, they get sloppy. Led by former Nation editor Victor Navasaky, the study surveyed 665 magazines of varying circulation size, analyzing the online practices of print magazines. Goals include 1.) uncovering the best and worst online practices, 2.) clarifying journalistic standards for new media and 3.) aiding journalists and media companies in devising profitable models that adhere to high quality standards of newsgathering. Read the rest of this entry »
Internet and Public Opinion in Iran
Posted by Samira Kügler in Foreign Coverage, Regional Studies on March 15, 2010
How oppositional journalists and bloggers inform, discuss, and bypass censorship in Iran – all the while risking their lives.
What influence does the Internet have on the formation of public opinion in Iran? Such a question arises with regard to Iran’s backdrop of repression, constricted freedom of expression and government-influenced media. Samira Kügler from the Institute of Journalism at the University of Dortmund, Germany, examines this question in her diploma thesis as she interviews eight oppositional journalists and bloggers, three of whom spent time living in exile. Identities of the interviewees remain anonymous.
Planned well in advance, the interviews occurred (coincidentally) during the most severe riots Iran has experienced in 30 years – incited by the controversial June 2009 presidential elections. Read the rest of this entry »
Web Suppressors
Posted by Kate Nacy in Ethics, Foreign Coverage on March 13, 2010
An increasing number of countries tighten grasp on the Internet.
According to a new Reporters Without Borders (RSF) study, repressive regimes are savvying up, improving efforts to censor the Internet. In 2009, approximately sixty nations dealt with some variation of Web censorship, twice as many as in the previous year. The RSF study suggests the implementation of national Intranets requiring content “approval” is climbing at an alarming rate.
China, Iran and Tunisia – countries appearing on the group’s “Enemies of the Internet” list – seem to be developing more sophisticated techniques in monitoring the Internet. Yet perhaps more disturbing are the handful of countries like North Korea, Burma and Turkmenistan that can afford to cut themselves off from the World Wide Web entirely. Turkey and Russia surfaced on the RSF’s “Under Surveillance” list, which categorizes nations as being in danger of making the main enemies list. Read the rest of this entry »
Iceland Welcomes Whistleblowers
Posted by Kate Nacy in Media Politics, Regional Studies on March 13, 2010
Proposal calls for protection of journalists and sources in Iceland.
After bearing the brunt of a devastating financial scandal, Iceland considers a legislative makeover aimed at protecting journalists and whistleblowers. The Icelandic Modern Media Initiative (IMMI) seeks to strengthen freedom of expression through the adoption of various legal modifications designed to protect communication between sources and journalists. Eliminating the practice of “libel tourism” – i.e. shopping for locations to pursue libel actions where jurisdiction is thought to be most beneficial – is another of the proposal’s goals.
Plans to bolster the nation’s image gained speed last December with the help of Julian Assange and Daniel Schmitt, Wikileaks.org leaders interested in helping Iceland become a guardian of journalistic freedom. Wikileaks, Read the rest of this entry »
MediaAct Interview: Mike Jempson
Posted by Kate Nacy in People, Regional Studies on March 12, 2010
Mike Jempson, Director of MediaWise Trust, discusses media accountability, ethics in online journalism and problems citizen journalism may incite.
Q: Are there successful examples of media accountability systems in the UK?
In the UK, challenging the behaviour of the media has been a national sport for generations. Numerous individuals and campaigning groups from the political right and left put pressure on print and broadcasting organizations about, for example, sexist, racist, homophobic and other forms of discriminatory coverage. Many of these campaigns have been accompanied by monitoring exercises and even academic studies which have gradually influenced coverage and improved journalistic practices. Read the rest of this entry »
Another Sugarcoated Biography
Posted by Stephan Russ-Mohl in People, Regional Studies on March 11, 2010
This time it’s Ryszard Kapuscinski.
Biographer Artur Domoslawski discovered evidence that Ryszard Kapuscinski, perhaps the most famous Polish reporter of the 20th century, sugarcoated parts of his autobiography. Contrary to statements made by Kapuscinski, he did not know Che Guevara personally, nor did he meet Congolesian liberty fighter and prime minister Patrice Lumumba. Not long before these revelations Indro Montanelli,still under monumental protection in Italy, was knocked of his pedestal by Swiss biographer Renata Broggini. Read the rest of this entry »
MediaAct Interview: Daniela Kraus
Posted by Kate Nacy in People, Regional Studies on March 10, 2010
Daniela Kraus of Medienhaus Wien discusses media accountability, media ethics and innovations in Austrian journalism.
Q: Are there successful examples of media accountability in Austria?
It would be easier to mention examples that have failed. In Austria, there hasn’t been a press council since 2002. These are really exceptional circumstances, whereas a new “press council” is being founded at the moment. In general, there is hardly any media journalism in Austria in the ‘old media’ and hardly any discourse about media and journalism.
However, postings in the media coverage section on the Internet are working quite well. Derstandard.at has quite lively media coverage, actually the only extensive, noteworthy Read the rest of this entry »
Print v. Online…what are we missing?
Posted by Kate Nacy in New Media, Quality Management on March 4, 2010
Study analyzes distinction between newspapers and online news.
Hoping to shed light on what newspaper readers stand to lose or gain by moving online, Scott Maier, a researcher and professor of journalism at the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communications, questions the discrepancies in print and online reportage in a new study published in the Newspaper Research Journal.
Analyzing 13,000 news stories, Maier’s study compares content appearing on five prominent news sites (Yahoo! News, MSNBC.com, CNN.com, Google News and AOL News) with front page content published in 13 daily U.S. newspapers varying in location and circulation size. Read the rest of this entry »
MediaAct Interview: Heikki Heikkilä
Posted by Kate Nacy in People, Regional Studies on March 4, 2010
Interview with Heikki Heikkilä, Journalism Research and Development Centre, University of Tampere
Q: Are there successful examples of media accountability in Finland?
A: Finland is known for its established media accountability systems. There is a very long tradition of codes of ethics for journalists, a very long tradition of press councils and those are still active. The fact that they still exist and that they are used by journalists shows that they are quite successful. At the same time they are facing problems; they are having lots of difficulties to adjust with the changes of the environment. They are in the process of rediscovering themselves – and I would not call them real success stories at the moment.
Then, there are other forms of media accountability – also academic. Read the rest of this entry »
Supported by
