Balance and the Writer's Attitude in News Stories and Editorials

Kerrick, Jean S.; Anderson, Thomas E.; Swales, Luita B.

doi:10.1177/107769906404100207

Cited by 29 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…However, when looking at objectivity from a confirmation bias perspective by measuring objectivity as an absence of attitudinal bias (negative indicator), findings indicate that both journalists’ and citizens’ information assessments equally depend on preexisting attitudes (supporting H2a and H2b ). In line with earlier research on journalistic biases (Patterson & Donsbach, 1996; Kepplinger et al, 1991; Kerrick et al, 1964) and citizens’ reactions to attitude (in)consistency (Hart et al, 2009; Jonas et al, 2003; Weeks & Holbert, 2013), the present study suggests that two key members in today’s public discourse intentionally or unintentionally allow their individual viewpoints to affect the relevance they assign to specific political messages.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…In contrast to news quality frameworks, confirmation bias research mainly captures the relevance of objectivity by its absence, that is, by examining effects of preexisting attitudes on information preferences. Utilizing this approach in journalism research, previous studies found significant impacts of journalists’ individual opinions on their research strategies (Stocking & LaMarca, 1990), their selection decisions (Kerrick, Anderson, & Swales, 1964; Patterson & Donsbach, 1996), and their newsworthiness assessments (Kepplinger, Brosius, & Staab, 1991; Patterson & Donsbach, 1996). Early cross-cultural comparisons indicate that German journalists used to have an even higher likelihood of allowing their attitudes to shape their news decisions than journalism cultures with a stronger traditional commitment to objectivity (e.g., Köcher, 1986; Patterson & Donsbach, 1996).…”

Section: Objectivity From a Confirmation Bias Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

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Biased Objectivity: An Experiment on Information Preferences of Journalists and Citizens

Mothes

2016

Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly

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The present study aims to reconcile conflicting evidence from previous research on the role of objectivity in journalists’ and citizens’ information behaviors. Drawing on news quality frameworks and confirmation bias research, the article proposes a model of “biased objectivity” that was tested by a quasi-experiment with 430 journalists and 432 citizens in Germany. Results show that both perceived objectivity value (news quality perspective) and attitude consistency of a message (confirmation bias perspective) enhanced the informational value of a message, with objectivity value mediating the effect of attitude consistency on informational value perceptions (“biased objectivity” perspective). Journalistic professionalism did not moderate this relationship.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Objectivity From a Confirmation Bias Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

Biased Objectivity: An Experiment on Information Preferences of Journalists and Citizens

Mothes

2016

Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly

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“…It means that the conformation of the journalistic product to the requirements of the activity also implies that the editorials are produced according to certain rules and criteria. For that matter, Firmstone (2008) In other words, the professionals responsible for writing editorials, as well as those who work directly with the news coverage, strive to know the guidelines adopted by the employer (Breed, 1955;Kahn & Kenney, 2002;Kerrick, Anderson, & Swales, 1964). Soloski (1999) argues that not only corporate guidelines, but the professional rules of journalism themselves, are internalized without the need to make them explicit.…”

Section: The Editorial and The Journalistic Autonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Journalist between the Profession and the Newspaper's Interests: Values and Routines in the Production of Folha De S. Paulo’s Editorials

Mont'Alverne

Athanásio²,

Marques³

2018

BJR

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Notwithstanding journalistic editorials may evidence conflicts and negotiations involving public and private interests, their production process is little investigated in Brazil. The article examines the values and routines typical to the work of Folha de S. Paulo’s editorialists to find out how they construct newspaper’s positions. By applying Content Analysis to three in-depth interviews, we propose four thematic axes regarding the features of journalistic editorials: Political and marketing roles; their target audience; production routines; and editorial values of the newspaper. The results indicate that editorialists exercise limited autonomy, striving to fit the positions historically defended by the publication. Such a condition is seen as natural by the interviewees, with no record of tensions between their individual opinions and newspaper’s positions. Embora o editorial possa tornar evidentes conflitos e negociações envolvendo interesses públicos e privados na atividade jornalística, seu processo de produção é pouco investigado no Brasil. O objetivo do artigo é examinar, a partir do estudo de valores e rotinas inerentes à atuação dos editorialistas, os modos pelos quais os posicionamentos da Folha de S. Paulo (FSP) são construídos. A Análise de Conteúdo de três entrevistas em profundidade realizadas com profissionais da FSP permitiu sistematizar quatro eixos temáticos acerca dos editoriais: função política; público-alvo; rotinas produtivas; e valores da empresa. Os resultados indicam que os editorialistas exercem autonomia limitada, esforçando-se para se enquadrar no histórico de posições da empresa. Tal condição é vista com naturalidade pelos entrevistados, sem registro de tensões entre opiniões individuais e posicionamentos institucionais. Aunque el editorial sea capaz de evidenciar conflictos y negociaciones entre el interés público y privado en la práctica periodística, su proceso productivo es poco examinado en Brasil. El objetivo del artículo es analizar, a través del estudio de valores y rutinas inherentes a la actuación de los editorialistas, como los posicionamientos de Folha de S. Paulo son diseñados. El Análisis de Contenido de tres entrevistas en profundidad realizadas con profesionales de FSP ha sido organizada en cuatro ejes temáticos acerca de los editoriales: función política; público objetivo; rutinas de producción; y valores de la empresa. Los resultados indican que los editorialistas tienen una autonomía limitada y que se adaptan al historial de posicionamientos de la compañía. Esta adecuación es percibida con naturalidad, sin registro de tensiones entre opiniones individuales y posicionamientos institucionales.

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“…On the part of political journalism this may be the result of institutional (editorial policy of newsrooms) or individual (personal attitudes of journalists) animosities. Above all, actor-related negativity and partisan bias in journalism may be triggered by adversarial norms and attitudes (D'Alessio and Allen, 2000;Flegel and Chaffee, 1971;Kahn and Kenney, 2002;Kepplinger, 2011: 51-2;Kerrick et al, 1964). This kind of negativity is clearly media initiated.…”

Section: The Evolution Of Negativity In the Newsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Negativity in political news: A review of concepts, operationalizations and key findings

2011

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The concept of negativity in political news has not reached the status of a homogenous, overarching theoretical concept. This article proposes conceptual understandings, categorizations and practical operationalizations of negativity in the news that reflect the consensus of existing work paying special attention to recent European research. This work aims to systematize existing concepts and categories in order to increase comparability and cumulativity of empirical evidence. To structure and standardize dimensions of negativity in the news we differentiate firstly between negativity and confrontation, secondly between frame-related negativity and individual actor-related negativity, and thirdly between non-directional and directional dimensions of negativity. This article provides a common set of indicators and matrice-based classifications of negativity (and its antithesis) in the news to measure and categorize its intensity and multi-dimensionality.

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Balance and the Writer's Attitude in News Stories and Editorials

Abstract: Students who disagreed with a hypothetical editorial policy leaned over backwards in writing news stories and editorials. Their stories were the most one-sided and their editorials the most partisan.

Cited by 29 publications

References 4 publications

Biased Objectivity: An Experiment on Information Preferences of Journalists and Citizens

Biased Objectivity: An Experiment on Information Preferences of Journalists and Citizens

The Journalist between the Profession and the Newspaper's Interests: Values and Routines in the Production of Folha De S. Paulo’s Editorials

Negativity in political news: A review of concepts, operationalizations and key findings

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