Journalism and Media Writing Flashcards
Grade 11 · English · Flashcards
Key terms, principles, ethics, and structures in journalism and media writing for Grade 11.
Flashcards
- Inverted Pyramid
- News writing structure: most newsworthy information first, supporting details in descending order of importance; allows editing from the bottom without losing key facts
- Lead (Lede)
- Opening paragraph of a news story answering the 5 W's and H: who, what, when, where, why, and how
- AP Style
- Associated Press Stylebook — the standard style guide for American news writing; governs abbreviations, punctuation, numbers, titles, and consistency
- Objectivity
- Journalistic standard requiring fair, fact-based reporting without personal bias; demands multiple perspectives and clear source attribution
- Attribution
- Identifying the source of information or quotes in a story; essential for transparency, accountability, and credibility ('according to...', 'Smith said...')
- Off the Record
- Information shared with a journalist that cannot be published or attributed in any form; must be explicitly agreed upon before the information is shared
- On Background
- Information that may be published but not directly attributed to the named source; reported as 'a senior official said' or similar
- Prior Restraint
- Government action to prevent publication before it occurs; presumptively unconstitutional under the First Amendment (New York Times v. United States, 1971)
- Libel
- Published false statement of fact that damages someone's reputation; legal standard for public figures requires proving 'actual malice' (New York Times v. Sullivan, 1964)
- Investigative Journalism
- Extended, deep reporting uncovering wrongdoing or hidden systemic problems through documentation and research; Watergate and Spotlight investigations are landmark examples
- Media Literacy
- The ability to evaluate, analyze, and create media; includes distinguishing news from opinion, recognizing bias, and identifying misinformation
- Op-Ed
- Opinion piece written by an outside contributor (not the editorial board); 'op-ed' originally referred to the page opposite the editorial page in a newspaper
- Right of Reply
- Journalistic fairness principle requiring reporters to give subjects of criticism an opportunity to respond before publication
- Shield Laws
- State laws protecting journalists from being compelled to reveal confidential sources; protections vary by state, and there is no federal shield law
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