Media analysis (Final Paper)
Your final paper will entail comparing news coverage across news organizations. After completing the readings in this course, one of the central themes that should be clear is that news coverage matters. For this assignment, you will choose a current political event, follow coverage from three different news sources, and write an analysis that compares and contrasts the coverage.
Your paper will be about 5 pages double-spaced. One page to analyze the coverage from each of the three unique sources individually and 2 pages of analysis (see details below). Please be sure to include a reference page with citations and links to each individual piece.
You will:
Identify a news topic/current event- The topic must be narrow enough to compare stories. For example, “Immigration” is too broad; “Border detention facilities” is narrow enough. An easy way to find topics is to visit news websites and see what is getting a lot of coverage.
Choose 3 news outlets to observe. You may choose from television, online, radio, and/or print sources. The three sources should not all come from a clear left or right leaning ideological stance—try to choose a left-leaning source, a right-leaning source, and a non-partisan or neutral source. Check out this article for help choosing sources: https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2020/01/24/u-s-media-polarization-and-the-2020-election-a-nation-divided/
Analyze the coverage from each unique source individually
DO NOT CHOOSE AN OPINION PIECE OR EDITORIAL. The news articles/pieces should be classified as news, not opinion.
How is the story covered? What are the major points?
What factors shape and limit coverage?
How do you see traditions/norms/practices of journalism playing out in the coverage?
Is the subject portrayed objectively or is there an identifiable position?
Does the story provide background information? If so, what is it?
Does the story help you see how this event fits into a bigger picture? If so, how?
Does the story present multiple points of view? If so, what are they?
What types of sources are used within the story?
Compare and contrast the coverage across the three sources
Did the answers to the questions above differ across media sources?
Does the medium affect the message (e.g. are there differences in print v. online v. TV coverage)?
Apply what you know from class. Utilize theories, concepts, and language from class/text to make a coherent argument about what the similarities and/or differences are and what they may mean for the respective news audiences and for the population as a whole.
Keep in mind that we tend to see stories that align with our previously held positions as “unbiased” and those that represent ideas with which we disagree as “biased”. Please try your hardest to analyze the stories’ formal characteristics as objectively as possible. Feel free to write about your own reflection/bias/expectations/position in your analysis.
