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Additional WDBJ case studies available from Newseum
In addition to the lessons and activities already posted on this site, we would recommend the Newseum’s educational case studies for additional questions and looks at tough decisions journalists, including those on the scholastic level, sometimes face.
Our thanks to Maggie Crawford, Senior Education Manager for making information about this resource available.
Read MoreLesson: Should media re-air a broadcast
in which two people are killed?
Title
Should media re-air a broadcast in which two people are gunned down?
Description
Students will examine how to examine ethics of re-airing this broadcast using Poynter’s 10 questions to make good ethical choices.
Objectives
- Students will collaboratively work through questions to help them make a decision involving journalism ethics.
- Students will decide what they would do in relation to this real-world ethical dilemma.
- Students will note the difference in decisions between public officials and on-air reporters and camera operators.
Common Core State Standards
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.7 | Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem. |
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.1.b | Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form and in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. |
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.9 | Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. |
Length
40 minutes
Materials / resources
Ethical questions from Poynter Institute: Ask these 10 questions to make good ethical decisions
Access to JEA’s SPRC Foundations Package: Covering controversy
Lesson step-by-step
Before the lesson delivery:
Because of the sensitivity of the topic, the teacher should tell the students they will be discussing the rebroadcast of the reporter and cameraman who died. They will not be viewing the video, but will discuss the ethical considerations concerning its availability. (Note: Students who have experienced trauma may need to leave the room, some might need to pace. If your community has experienced trauma, it would be advisable to have a counselor ready if needed.)
Step 1 — initial question (5 minutes)
Teacher should ask students if they believe the broadcast of the reporter and cameraman who died should be rebroadcast? Why or why not?
You may even ask students if anyone would like to share that they watched the video and why. (This should be dependent on your class.)
Teacher should tell the students they will make the decision using 10 questions from the Poynter Institute.
Step 2 — small groups (15 minutes)
Separate students into groups. Project (or hand out if no projector is available) Poynter’s 10 questions. Ask each group to discuss and make notes on each of the questions.
Step 3 — decision (5 minutes)
Ask students to come to a consensus as to whether they would re-air the video.
Step 4 — large group debrief (10 minutes)
Ask groups to share their decision and rationale based on the 10 questions provided.
Step 5 — Another questions (5 minutes)
Have you ever seen footage of JFK’s assassination (or another high ranking official)? What are the differences in this instance and that of JFK’s?
(Answers will vary, but many will cite the newsworthiness of the president being assassinated versus a lesser public figure.)
Extension
Ask students (in their groups) to outline several approaches for covering controversial issues. They should use the Scholastic Press Rights Committee resource: Covering controversy as a starting point. Also, see this link. Teacher may want to start with slide 17 (the last slide) for Day 2 of this lesson.
Lesson by Lori Keekley
For more materials on this topic, go here.
Read MoreVirginia shooting aired live,
coverage offers timely discussions
The shooting deaths of two journalists today and the wounding of a third person in Virginia creates possible lessons for scholastic media classrooms.
- Ethics: Should other media repeat the video of the actual shooting? The shooting was broadcast live. Students could discuss the reasons for and against repeating the shooting and develop ethical guidelines for their publishing of controversial situations.
- Newsworthiness: What should the lead be? What additional information should be included in stories like this? What is the best way to update them? Once the breaking news angle has passed, how should media report additional events? How much background should be included?
- Social media: The video and related personal information went viral immediately after the shooting. How much of what hit social media should play a role in news coverage? What should journalists’ social media include? Should social media mix factual information with viewpoints?
- Storify assignment: For students just learning how to use Storify, you could create a lesson with the various approaches digital and social media used about the shooting. Discussion points could include purpose of the Storify, credibility of the sources, verification of information and ethical considerations and in making those decisions. Grading and/or discussions could work around this rubric.
Exploration of these and additional questions and examples can help scholastic journalists place their coverage in perspective and improve their coverage.
Links for use (among many):
• Deadly shooting of reporters in Virginia
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/virginia-police-shooting-live-television-news-report/
• Virginia TV murders: Reporter shot while running away; camerman’s finance watched him die
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/26/slain-tv-crew-both-engaged.html
• Gunman murders two Virginia reporters in attack broadcast on live TV
http://gawker.com/gunman-fires-shots-at-virginia-news-crew-during-live-re-1726593659?utm_campaign=socialflow_gawker_twitter&utm_source=gawker_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow
• Manhunt on for killer of two employees in SW Virginia
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2015/08/26/tv-camera-crew-caught-in-active-shooter-situation-in-southwest-virginia/
• 2 journalists shot dead during TV broadcast in Virginia
http://mashable.com/2015/08/26/virginia-wdbj7-shooting/
• Deadly shooting during live TV news report in Va.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/virginia-police-shooting-live-television-news-report/
• Image shows the gunman
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/26/us/virginia-shooting-wdbj/index.html
• Va. shooter posted tweets, video of shooting on Twitter, manhunt underway for former disgruntled employee
http://myfox8.com/2015/08/26/va-shooter-posted-tweets-video-of-shooting-on-twitter-manhunt-underway-for-former-disgruntled-employee/
These links were all early in the day. Seek additional updates for additional information and discussion points.
Updated links from later Aug. 26:
• Should you use the video and the fax from the WDBJ shooting? That depends
http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/368905/should-you-use-the-video-and-the-fax-from-the-wdbj-shooting-that-depends/
• Suspect in killing of Virginia TV crew said he was ‘just waiting to go BOOM’
http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-virginia-tv-station-workers-fatally-shot-on-air-20150826-story.html
• The Virginia shooting and the dark side of the social media age
http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/369105/the-virginia-shooting-and-the-dark-side-of-the-social-media-age/
• How should news organizations he treating the manifesto from the WDBJ shooting?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZCaPUmD1as&feature=youtu.be
For more materials on this topic, go here.
Read MoreFinding pieces of the puzzle
that is scholastic media
Looking for the pieces to the journalistic puzzle a new year of student media will bring?
Here are some pieces that might help:
• Use of the Panic Button can help with legal or ethical issues.
• Constitution Day materials available around the first of September. Congress mandated schools must provide lessons and activities on Constitutional issues Sept. 17. Check out our past materials and be on the lookout for ones to come this year.
• Need a quick way to start your class each day or once a week? Listen to our Press Rights Minutes with information on a variety of legal and ethical points.
• Facing changes in what you report and how to do so? Our Foundations Project will provide extensive information, lessons and articles on building effective editorial policies, supporting them with strong ethical guidelines which in turn are strengthened by detailed staff manual procedures.
More, including links to SPRC lessons, will come soon.
Read MoreBuilding journalistic foundations:
Adviser’s Institute session materials
Members of the Scholastic Press Rights Commission presented this material July 13 at the JEA Advisers Institute In Las Vegas.
No matter what platform you use, the choice of an editorial policy, ethical guidelines and staff manual can make or break your student media – and consistency is very important.
What you select, and why, does make a difference.
Along with the newest in digital tools and storyforms, training for a new year and new staff should include basics in law and ethics, especially development of editorial policies and staff manuals.
To ensure students understand these legal and ethical foundations before publication, especially with the new roles, we recommend advisers and student staffs do the following:
• Outline goals and mission for your student media
• Train your editors and staff in legal principles across platforms
• Ensure board- and/or publication-level policies are in place
• Train editors and staff in ethical principles across platforms
• Establish, for online or print, a content verification process
• Clarify who owns the content
• Develop guidelines for handling takedown demands.
Weaving editorial policy, ethical guidelines and staff manual into a complementary package develops a foundation of good journalistic practices, beginning with editorial policies.
As our journalistic process changes to include new roles as outlined by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel in Blur, we need a strong foundation that binds them together.
New roles include: Authenticator, Sense Maker, Investigator, Witness bearer, Empowerer, Smart Aggregator, Forum Organizer, Role Model and increase the importance of having a strong legal and ethical foundation.
We think our policy-ethics-staff manual Foundation will help meet this change.
Resources for you
1. Explanation of the policy-ethics-staff manual idea
2. What’s at stake in policy development
3. Policy talking points
4. When your student media are public forums and when they are not
5. Building your policies
6. Definition of policy terms
7. Questions about forums
8. More questions about forums
9. Foundations-policy package
10. Possible alternative workding samples
11. SPRC model policies
12. JEA board-approved model editorial policy
13. Questions about prior review
Our PowerPoint from the Advisers Institute presentation is below
Link to lesson plan based on the presentation.
Link to model policies
Link to the complete Foundations package