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Let's talk about sensationalism, and how that fits in with journalism.

We'll start with a definition.

But, you should know first,

that sensationalism is pretty much a word made up to apply to journalism.

What is sensationalism?

It is the shocking use of information or

images to attract attention, usually at the expense of accuracy.

And that's why we're talking about it right now when we're spending time talking

about journalism and it's values.

Sensationalism is an old practice in journalism.

In the constant struggle for attention, hey look at me!

Some news media try to get noticed by being shocking.

Sensationalism can mean blowing something out of proportion for

what it's importance is.

Doing something for shock value.

It can mean appealing to vulgar instincts.

It can mean the words or the tone one uses in the journalism.

In the accuracy lecture we talked about how important it is to not just get

the details right, but to get the big picture right.

If I stress the shocking and the unusual, but never talk about or

show what is generally so, I have distorted accuracy.

I have hurt my credibility.

Sensationalism can be in the eye of the beholder.

You and I can disagree about how much attention I should pay in my news medium

to crime or sports or celebrities.

All of these have been the target of accusations that the news media

sensationalize, just to get more clicks.

News media might respond that the clicks are the way we have now

of judging whether people are paying any attention.

Today, news organizations hungry for customers are doing

all kinds of things to get the click count up, and some people, rightly so,

accuse them of sensationalizing in the pursuit of web hits.

There are many ways to sensationalize.

There are many opinions, of course, about what is the right degree of publicity.

So this is what we are left with.

The decisions you make about what, who, and

how to publicize a subject will draw some readers to you, and drive some away.

You have to decide wisely how far you will go with what kind of information and

for whom.

Thank you.

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Sensationalism in journalism