From eloo@mit.csu.edu.au Mon Sep 11 22:15:12 1995 Xref: rpi news.announce.newgroups:1638 news.groups:36210 misc.writing:2177 soc.culture.misc:2312 talk.politics.misc:72030 Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,news.groups,misc.writing,soc.culture.misc,talk.politics.misc Path: rpi!bounce-back From: eloo@mit.csu.edu.au (Eric Loo) Subject: RFD: misc.writing.journalism Followup-To: news.groups Sender: tale@cs.rpi.edu Nntp-Posting-Host: cs.rpi.edu Date: 12 Dec 91 03:37:27 GMT Approved: tale@rpi.edu Lines: 51 Status: RO X-Status: Name of Newsgroup: misc.writing.journalism Purpose: To share and exchange critical information on media portrayal of ethnic minorities. Information mainly to be shared would be: a) updates on current research materials both in Europe, North America, Canada, and parts of Asia-Pacific. b) appropriate research methodology, particularly, in examining editor's attitude toward ethnic minorities, how journalists define/delimit the newsworthiness of ethnic minorities; and c) ethnic minorities' views of how they are being represented in the mass media. Discussion: The media are a barometer of subtle and blatant racism in a plural society. And editors, being the guardian of this barometer, need to be further understood in the the way they perceive and feel about the newsworthiness of ethnic minorities. What, I feel, is timely is for interested persons to carry out more pragmatic research on editors' attitude. This is based on the following assumptions: 1) editorial coverage of ethnic affairs fall within a consensual framework of what ethnic minorities are viewed to be, ie. "out-groups" in relation to the dominant "in-group" which editors belong to; 2) if any practical changes are to occur in the media portrayal of ethnic minorities they have to emanate from fundamental reconceptualisaion of editorial attitudes; 3) editors are the main player in framing the editorial contents and determining the general vocational culture in a news organisation; 4) rank-and-file journalists, thus, are consequentially mere pawns on the editorial chessboard. The above discussion would provide a framework for discussion within this newsgroup. My Background I'm a print journalism lecturer at the School of Communication, Charles Sturt University-Mitchell, Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia. My research interest is in the intercultural components of journalism. Am currently doing my PhD in this area. I hope this will suffice in initiating a newsgroup. Regards, Eric Loo From eloo@mit.csu.edu.au Mon Sep 11 22:16:05 1995 Xref: rpi news.announce.newgroups:1683 news.groups:36501 misc.writing:2245 soc.culture.misc:2328 talk.politics.misc:72805 Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,news.groups,misc.writing,soc.culture.misc,talk.politics.misc Path: rpi!bounce-back From: eloo@mit.csu.edu.au (Eric Loo) Subject: 2nd RFD: misc.journalism Followup-To: news.groups Sender: tale@cs.rpi.edu Nntp-Posting-Host: cs.rpi.edu Date: 19 Dec 91 03:43:56 GMT Approved: tale@rpi.edu Lines: 71 Status: RO X-Status: This is a RFD on changes to proposed newsgroup previously named 'misc.writing.journalism' posted on 12 December. PROPOSED RENAMING OF NEWSGROUP: misc.journalism STATUS Unmoderated PURPOSE OF NEWSGROUP 1. To provide a forum for both academics and practitioners to discuss ways of improving media reporting of local, national, and global issues. 2. To exchange both informed and speculative views on current media practices in both the rich and poor nations. 3. To share critical information on research methodology and working assumptions related to Points 1 & 2. 4. To share tips and strategies on teaching and training in journalism. 5. To gradually derive, through discussions in the newsgroup, a framework on how academics and practitioners from different countries would differ in their views related to all of the above. RATIONALE This newsgroup would epitomise the implications of global exchange of real-time information where users like you and I, in our enthusiasm, would easily overlook the ethics and professional responsibility involved in the usage of this medium. Likewise, journalists, with their access to and control of a powerful medium would overlook their questionable role in setting the public discourse and portraying (or defining) 'reality' as they see it for the masses. Is there no other reality except those] defined by the media. Is there no alternative? Academics and practitioners need to take a more critical look at this covert acceptance of 'mediated reality'. A deeper insight on the influences of cultural, political, organisational, and demographic traits on media reporting would lead to a better understanding of the way issues are being reported by journalists from different backgrounds. TERMS OF REFERENCE Media refers to print media primarily, but does not preclude electronic media. Discussants need to make clear what media they are talking about. Rich nations in this context mean the United States, Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom, and parts of East Asia. Poor nations are those defined as Latin America, parts of Asia and the Pacific, and Africa. Issues most likely to be discussed are: * media portrayal of ethnic minorities, gender, Third World politics and development, East-West relationships, sex and violence, environment, etc. * training curriculum/methodology in journalism schools; * teaching tips; * development journalism; * new journalism, * intercultural journalism, * accuracy and fairness in reporting; * agenda setting by journalists; * cultural sensitivity training for journalists; * employment of ethnic minorities in the media; * new world information order (NWIO), * etc. The issues are not exclusive, as the name 'misc.journalism' connotes. As this is a broad-based newsgroup, discussions can be gradually streamlined according to three interrelated categories: a) journalism training; (b) journalism education; (c) journalism research. Sub-groups would hopefully be formed if discussions lean towards a particular issue, eg. training (misc.journalism.training); global exchange of information (misc.journalism.nwio); laws and ethics (misc.journalism.ethics); research (misc.journalism.research); education (misc.journalism.education).