MJ - The Different News Outlets Lesson

The Different News Outlets Lesson

Introduction

A recent study shows that nearly half of Americans claim they get news from four to six media platforms on a typical day. TV is still the biggest source of news--78% of Americans say they get news from a local TV station. Internet and online news sources are in second. Relatively few people — only 17% — claim they read news in a national newspaper such as The New York Times or USA Today. (Statistics provided by: Mashable)

Since we are often likely to switch between the different media outlets, consider the reason why. For example, TV news is likely to be a strong source on stories that relate to traffic, weather, and even breaking news. The newspaper would be the media outlet you would turn to for town or city news, arts, or cultural events. Magazines would cover more specialty news stories such as sports or entertainment.

Each media outlet has its own advantages and disadvantages. Understanding the difference between them helps to understand how to best make an informed decision about our own view on current events and issues.

	Advantages	Disadvantages
Newspapers/Magazines	-more detailed -more time focused on topic -quotations put in context -readers can choose to read story	-not up to the minute -stories are often cut for space -information can seem static
TV	-allows for breaking news -see the actual scene of the story -video and audio help to tell the story	-stories often can be broadcast without all the facts. -sound bites can be taken out of context -can create bias about an issue -no choice in what is broadcasted
Online/Internet	-stories updated frequently -can provide additional information by linking other stories	-site could be biased -site could be unreliable -story could be posted before knowing all the facts

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