1. Journalists or Celebrities? American media companies spend their money on talent, not news-gathering.

2. TV News Serves the Public Interest Helps Promote Station/Network Image Brings in Revenue

3. Types of News Programming Standard Newscasts Documentaries Public Affairs News Magazines Specialty News (entertainment, sports) News Talk Cable News Shows

4. Local News Many stations produce three to five hours of local news daily. News is cheap to produce and relatively easy to sell to advertisers. Stations can repackage local reports for different newscasts. Stations can buy packaged features and news stories from syndicated services.

5. Criticisms of Local News Focus on sensational stories with potential for interesting video (crime, fires, car wrecks, loud- mouths) Ignore more relevant issues because coverage is boring (school board, tax issues) Gear coverage toward advertiser-friendly demographics (18-49) Salacious stories during Sweeps

6. Real-Life Local News Features Sex Tips for the Working Woman Young Girls Dressing Sexy Are Your Nails Safe? Liposuction: Yes or No? Lose Weight with Us Internet Porn – Is Your Child Safe?

7. Criticisms of Local News Half-hour local newscasts are laden with self- promotion, corporate sponsored segments, contests and syndicated features Reporters have few ties to the communities they cover

8. Network News ABC, CBS and NBC provide affiliates with: – Morning News Shows (Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Today Show) – Half-Hour Nightly News Program – News Magazines in Primetime – Public Affairs Programming – Live Coverage of Breaking Stories – Satellite News Feeds

9. Network Nightly Newscasts Original nightly newscast premiered in 1948 - - the CBS Evening News with Douglas Edwards First half hour nightly network news program was the Camel News Caravan on NBC in 1956 Nightly network newscasts used to command a combined 90 share

10. Network Nightly Newscasts In 1994, only 60 percent of people surveyed said they regularly watched a network nightly newscast In 2000, the number was less than 30 percent. In 2002, 21 million people watched the evening news on a regular basis – still a much larger number than anything on cable news at any time.

11. Network News Magazines CBS: Sixty Minutes, 48 Hours ABC: 20/20 NBC: Dateline

12. Network News Magazines 60 Minutes proved that news could be a money maker and a ratings grabber. Dateline was NBCs 17th attempt to produce a successful primetime news magazine. Many network news magazine programs now fall under the jurisdiction on the entertainment division.

13. Cable News CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CNBC, C- SPAN, Regional Channels 24-Hour, All-News Format

14. Criticisms of Cable News Routine news updates are considered alerts. News stories are repeated frequently – elevating their status as important events. Every event becomes major news. Little need to edit. Graphics distract viewers and often distort stories. Lots of talking heads. Everyone is an expert.

15. Liberal or Conservative? 92% of all U.S. sources interviewed by World News Tonight, CBS Evening News and NBC Nightly News were white. 85% of those sources were male. 75% of sources interviewed by the Big Three were Republican if party affiliations were given. 9% of sources were George W. Bush. Out of 14,632 sources interviewed by the Big Three, one was a Native American. Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting

16. Effect of Negative News More choices, more diversification Those who do vote tend to be more engaged in tv news coverage – watch C-Span, public affairs shows

17. Criticisms of News Infotainment Focus on Sensational Stories Importance Placed on Being Live and Being First Invasion of Privacy Ethical Issues Agenda-Setting Lack of Diversity Ownership Issues Journalists are Celebrities

18. What TV News Does Well Allows viewers to participate in history Brings political and social issues to the forefront of public awareness and discussion Informs viewers of emergency situations Provides important and vital information to the public Supports a democracy