Chapter 6. Journalism now
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Colleen Cotter
Abstract
The social dimension behind the (re-)production of news genre forms is examined in news reporting examples that present different discourse outcomes in the “postfoundational” social world for whom the prestige of news craft remains key (Cotter 2010). Stories in “legacy” journalism (New York Times) are compared with the San Quentin News, the oldest prison newspaper in the US (Drummond 2020). The SQN, while socially marginal, reflects central values of journalism in its story forms and demonstrates the direct link that media have with their audience. The NYT, while socially central, is itself becoming marginalized in the broader media context as traditional news stories assume less importance in everyday meaning-making. Together, they show how foundational discourse parameters shift or are reconfigured.
Abstract
The social dimension behind the (re-)production of news genre forms is examined in news reporting examples that present different discourse outcomes in the “postfoundational” social world for whom the prestige of news craft remains key (Cotter 2010). Stories in “legacy” journalism (New York Times) are compared with the San Quentin News, the oldest prison newspaper in the US (Drummond 2020). The SQN, while socially marginal, reflects central values of journalism in its story forms and demonstrates the direct link that media have with their audience. The NYT, while socially central, is itself becoming marginalized in the broader media context as traditional news stories assume less importance in everyday meaning-making. Together, they show how foundational discourse parameters shift or are reconfigured.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Painting the postfoundational picture 1
- Chapter 2. Online headline testing at a Belgian broadsheet 17
- Chapter 3. “It is, perhaps more than ever before, a matter of participation” 43
- Chapter 4. “If it wasn’t absolutely true, it couldn’t be published” 67
- Chapter 5. “Somehow I'm Always Writing” 99
- Chapter 6. Journalism now 129
- Chapter 7. Journalists’ use of social media 151
- Chapter 8. Epilogue 175
- Index 185
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Painting the postfoundational picture 1
- Chapter 2. Online headline testing at a Belgian broadsheet 17
- Chapter 3. “It is, perhaps more than ever before, a matter of participation” 43
- Chapter 4. “If it wasn’t absolutely true, it couldn’t be published” 67
- Chapter 5. “Somehow I'm Always Writing” 99
- Chapter 6. Journalism now 129
- Chapter 7. Journalists’ use of social media 151
- Chapter 8. Epilogue 175
- Index 185
