*The movie I chose was “The Post”*
Your presentations or essays
should include:
A summary of the story/topic
covered in the book or film.
Brief background on the writer/producer/filmmaker/director.
Analysis of how this book or film
fits into the canon of journalism and how it might fulfill the mission or
journalism. Does it follow the basics of good journalism? Is it factual,
well-documented and source-based? Does it include examples of good
storytelling or journalistic effort? Does it capture a topic or characters
in interesting and informative ways while still staying true to the ideals
of journalism?
How does the book or film fulfill
at least two of the elements of journalism as outlined in a book called “The
Elements of Journalism.” According to the book’s authors, Bill Kovach and
Tom Rosenstiel, those key elements are:
1.
Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth.
2.
Its first loyalty is to citizens.
3.
Its essence is a discipline of verification.
4.
Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they
cover.
5.
It must serve as a monitor of power.
6.
It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.
7.
It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant.
8.
It must present the news in a way that is comprehensive and
proportional.
9.
Its practitioners have an obligation to exercise their personal
conscience.
10.
Citizens have rights and responsibilities when it comes to the
news as well – even more so as they become producers and editors themselves.
You should
highlight how the book or film fulfills at least two of them. This means you
should define what you think those elements truly mean to those doing
journalism as well. Also highlight any shortcomings or questionable tactics or
ways of covering the story that you see in the book or film. If you are
watching a Hollywood version of a journalistic story, such as Spotlight, you
should highlight how the characters depicted are fulfilling these elements of
journalism because the film itself is considered to be a movie “based on real
life,” and not to be actual journalism itself.
What did you learn from reading
this book or viewing the film, both about the topic covered and the style
of journalism?
You should strive to include
enough details so that I get a sense that you read and analyzed the full book or
watched the full film and that you applied the principles we have discussed and
read about this semester to your analysis.
If you choose to write an essay
instead of presenting, your essay should:
1.
Be at least five pages
2.
Include a Works cited page
3.
All sources should be
cited in MLA or AP Style.
4.
Include at least two
sources other than the book or film. (For example, a review or analysis of the work
or an article about the general topic that you can relate to the book or film.)
