What are the four factors that can influence how the press covers an event?
The four factors that can influence how the press covers an event are:
1. Editorial policies: Every news organization has its own set of editorial policies, which are the guidelines and principles that shape their coverage. These policies can dictate the focus, tone, and angle of the articles published. To understand how a particular event is being covered, it is important to examine the editorial policies of the news outlet in question. Most news organizations make their editorial policies available on their websites.
2. Ownership and funding: The ownership and funding of a news organization can also influence coverage. Sometimes, media outlets are owned by individuals or corporations with specific political or business interests. In these cases, there might be a bias in the coverage of certain events. To understand how ownership and funding influence coverage, it can be helpful to research the background and affiliations of the news outlet's owners.
3. Journalistic values and professional ethics: Journalists adhere to certain values and ethics that guide their reporting. These include accuracy, impartiality, fairness, and independence. However, individual journalists may interpret and apply these values differently. Therefore, the personal biases and beliefs of journalists can shape the coverage of an event. Investigating the background and track record of the journalists assigned to cover the event can provide insight into their potential biases.
4. Audience preferences: Media organizations aim to attract and retain audiences, and therefore their coverage is influenced by audience preferences. News outlets often determine what topics and events to cover based on what they believe will generate the most interest among their target audience. To understand how audience preferences influence coverage, it can be helpful to examine the target demographic and readership/viewership trends of the news outlet.
By considering these four factors—editorial policies, ownership and funding, journalistic values and professional ethics, and audience preferences—you can begin to analyze and understand how the press covers a particular event. It is important to gather information from multiple sources and critically evaluate the coverage to form a well-rounded perspective.