Creating an UNBIASED Newspaper Malini Veerappan, Ayska Alimbaeva, Kate Wheeler, Christine Yu

Sources to get information for article Be at the site of the event to collect FACTS Be at the site of the event to collect FACTS Make sure that the background of the sources is reliable Make sure that the background of the sources is reliable Possible resources include… Possible resources include… People with first-hand experience People with first-hand experience History books History books Interviews Interviews

Quotes Get quotes from opposing and supporting sides of the issue Get quotes from opposing and supporting sides of the issue The quotes should be in their natural state; they should not be altered in any way The quotes should be in their natural state; they should not be altered in any way The reporter should not tell the reader what to interpret from the quotes The reporter should not tell the reader what to interpret from the quotes

Questions asked during interviews Use same phrasing of questions for all interviewees Use same phrasing of questions for all interviewees Questions cannot be forceful; instead, questions should be somewhere between “soft” and “hard”, so that the interviewees can answer comfortably Questions cannot be forceful; instead, questions should be somewhere between “soft” and “hard”, so that the interviewees can answer comfortably Interviewees should receive equal treatment Interviewees should receive equal treatment Questions should reflect direct representation of the data that is aimed to be collected. In other words, questions should not be “tricky” Questions should reflect direct representation of the data that is aimed to be collected. In other words, questions should not be “tricky”

Information included in coverage Give drawbacks and advantages of issues Give drawbacks and advantages of issues Emphasize both sides equally Emphasize both sides equally Readers should be able to interpret what they read in article by themselves; they should not be influenced in any way Readers should be able to interpret what they read in article by themselves; they should not be influenced in any way

Unbiased structure of coverage First list basic FACTS that give background of issue First list basic FACTS that give background of issue Then include the arguments from both sides Then include the arguments from both sides Finally include quotes from both sides Finally include quotes from both sides WHY??? This is so the reader can get background information. They can then develop their own opinions before hearing others. WHY??? This is so the reader can get background information. They can then develop their own opinions before hearing others.

Newspaper set-up tip: If two reporters write about the same thing, place the stories next to each other on the newspaper when formatting, so that people can get knowledge from both of them. This way, readers can MENTALLY CANCEL OUT biased ideas. If two reporters write about the same thing, place the stories next to each other on the newspaper when formatting, so that people can get knowledge from both of them. This way, readers can MENTALLY CANCEL OUT biased ideas.

How does a writer write without bias? Suppose authors feel strongly about an issue. They should refrain from writing articles about that issue. Suppose authors feel strongly about an issue. They should refrain from writing articles about that issue. However, if they are assigned the topic, they should have a “brain dump” of all the opposing ideas they can collect from other opposers. However, if they are assigned the topic, they should have a “brain dump” of all the opposing ideas they can collect from other opposers. In general, before writing an article, the author should do a lot of research on both sides of the issue. After getting a FAIRLY BALANCED representation of both sides, the reporter can start writing the article. In general, before writing an article, the author should do a lot of research on both sides of the issue. After getting a FAIRLY BALANCED representation of both sides, the reporter can start writing the article.

Analysis I Palo Alto Daily Palo Alto Daily We found that there was not a lot of coverage of the candidates. They focused on certain candidates, and we felt like we didn’t get to know all of the candidates and their positions as thoroughly as we should have. The newspaper did not give a lot of detail. For example, there was an article that excluded three candidates from the forum. There were minor things that made us think the newspaper was leaning to one side instead of being fair. The newspaper did not give a lot of background information on the candidates. They assumed the reader already knew certain information. We found that there was not a lot of coverage of the candidates. They focused on certain candidates, and we felt like we didn’t get to know all of the candidates and their positions as thoroughly as we should have. The newspaper did not give a lot of detail. For example, there was an article that excluded three candidates from the forum. There were minor things that made us think the newspaper was leaning to one side instead of being fair. The newspaper did not give a lot of background information on the candidates. They assumed the reader already knew certain information.

Analysis I (cont…) Palo Alto Weekly Palo Alto Weekly Palo Alto Weekly mostly wrote about the school board. It only had one major article on city council. But, it was a good article because it let the readers get to know more about the candidates and their views. Towards the end of the election the weekly started including more articles about the state election. Many articles opposed Schwarzenegger’s propositions, and created a harmful image of him. He is seen as a man with “bad” ideas. Toward the end, they finally started to included articles that explained why his propositions were beneficial. Palo Alto Weekly mostly wrote about the school board. It only had one major article on city council. But, it was a good article because it let the readers get to know more about the candidates and their views. Towards the end of the election the weekly started including more articles about the state election. Many articles opposed Schwarzenegger’s propositions, and created a harmful image of him. He is seen as a man with “bad” ideas. Toward the end, they finally started to included articles that explained why his propositions were beneficial.

Analysis I (cont…) San Jose Mercury San Jose Mercury Aside from editorials, the San Jose Mercury News was overall very polished and unbiased. In all the articles, both sides of the issue were addressed, and opinions of people were expressed through quotes. There were no more than very minor hints of possible bias. For example, in one of the articles, there were three arguments from the supporting side and only one from the opposing side. However, this could’ve been because there was only one argument from the opposing side. As a whole, though, the San Jose Mercury News did a good job in providing relevant quotes and arguments that could be easily interpreted, and issues from candidates to propositions were covered about the election. Aside from editorials, the San Jose Mercury News was overall very polished and unbiased. In all the articles, both sides of the issue were addressed, and opinions of people were expressed through quotes. There were no more than very minor hints of possible bias. For example, in one of the articles, there were three arguments from the supporting side and only one from the opposing side. However, this could’ve been because there was only one argument from the opposing side. As a whole, though, the San Jose Mercury News did a good job in providing relevant quotes and arguments that could be easily interpreted, and issues from candidates to propositions were covered about the election.

Analysis II The main three newspapers that we’ve obtained information from are the Palo Alto Daily, Palo Alto Weekly, and San Jose Mercury News. The main three newspapers that we’ve obtained information from are the Palo Alto Daily, Palo Alto Weekly, and San Jose Mercury News. We came to the conclusion that the San Jose Mercury was the least biased newspaper. Most reporters know how to write in an unbiased way because they have been trained to look at an issue in a broader sense. The newspaper they write for circulates through a much larger area than the Palo Alto Daily and Palo Alto Weekly. Thus. their reporters have been hired due to their higher level of experience. Also, another reason as to why the San Jose Mercury Newspaper is less biased is that they have to appeal to more people than just those in the city of Palo Alto. Therefore, they need to be moderate and they need to refrain from expressing extreme opinions. In addition, since they have a broader range of people to talk about, they have more people to interview and collect quotes from. We came to the conclusion that the San Jose Mercury was the least biased newspaper. Most reporters know how to write in an unbiased way because they have been trained to look at an issue in a broader sense. The newspaper they write for circulates through a much larger area than the Palo Alto Daily and Palo Alto Weekly. Thus. their reporters have been hired due to their higher level of experience. Also, another reason as to why the San Jose Mercury Newspaper is less biased is that they have to appeal to more people than just those in the city of Palo Alto. Therefore, they need to be moderate and they need to refrain from expressing extreme opinions. In addition, since they have a broader range of people to talk about, they have more people to interview and collect quotes from.