We live in an age in which more and more people avoid mainstream news. The rise of social media and alternative sources of information, increasing levels of distrust in the media, and the commonplace sentiment that the news we are exposed to is disproportionately shaped by financial and political interests – have all led to a decline in the status of news media. What was long considered a cornerstone of democracy, and a vital means of obtaining trustworthy information about the world, now faces an openly acknowledged existential crisis.
Precisely because of this crisis, being able to understand the ways in which news content is shaped, produced, and consumed has become more important than ever. In this class we will learn to critically examine the news we receive and to analyze the political, social, economic, and cultural processes through which news texts are manufactured. We will consider how the meanings of news items are construed through editorial, linguistic, and rhetorical choices, and examine the ideological worldviews reflected and constructed through these choices. We will address the characteristics of the language of news, of news organizations, and of the professional ethos of objectivity, and learn how to systematically take apart the elements of news texts to understand how they work. Through rigorous and extensive analyses of actual news stories, we will thus consider, on the one hand, the continued necessity of news journalism for citizens in democratic societies and its critical role in monitoring government; and, on the other hand, the importance of examining news media critically and recognizing their limitations with regard to neutrally observing and mediating the world.
Precisely because of this crisis, being able to understand the ways in which news content is shaped, produced, and consumed has become more important than ever. In this class we will learn to critically examine the news we receive and to analyze the political, social, economic, and cultural processes through which news texts are manufactured. We will consider how the meanings of news items are construed through editorial, linguistic, and rhetorical choices, and examine the ideological worldviews reflected and constructed through these choices. We will address the characteristics of the language of news, of news organizations, and of the professional ethos of objectivity, and learn how to systematically take apart the elements of news texts to understand how they work. Through rigorous and extensive analyses of actual news stories, we will thus consider, on the one hand, the continued necessity of news journalism for citizens in democratic societies and its critical role in monitoring government; and, on the other hand, the importance of examining news media critically and recognizing their limitations with regard to neutrally observing and mediating the world.
- Teacher: Oren Livio