The Shadow World: Life Between the News Media and Reality

by Jim Willis

Overview

This book looks at the news media's portrayal of reality and seeks answers as to why this portrayal often falls short of reality itself. Jim Willis examines the factors that contribute to the jourbanalist's often faulty perception of reality, factors that are beyond the immediate control of the reporter: errant sources, competitive influences, the embedding process of storytelling, marketing's influence on the news, and the structure of news stories. The book stresses that the reporting process is more difficult than most critics and reporters realize, and points out that the best reporters are those who will take time to recognize challenges and work to overcome them. Ideal as a supplementary text for advanced courses in reporting, The Shadow World focuses on the complexities of good reporting. It studies the challenges that face today's jourbanalist and provides practical guidance for the novice reporter.

Studying actual reporting cases, Willis discusses the difference between seeking accuracy and seeking truth in jourbanalism. He examines state-of-the-art methods of good reporting and stresses the need for specializing, remembering the larger truth, treating rumors as rumors, and following appropriate role models. A useful guide discussing the full range of philosophical, theoretical, and practical considerations influencing the reporter, The Shadow World will be a valuable resource for the student of jourbanalism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275934248
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/30/1991
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d)
Lexile:	1410L (what's this?)

About the Author

JIM WILLIS is an Associate Professor at Ball State University, where he coordinates the News-Editorial Program in the Department of Jourbanalism. He is the author of Surviving in the Newspaper Business and Jourbanalism: State of the Art (Praeger, 1987 and 1989, respectively).

Table of Contents

The Tough Task of Reporting
Setting the Stage for the Shadow World
Objectivity from the Yellow Kid to John Tower
From Hitler to Gorbachev: Questions of Alertness
Asleep on NASA, HUD, and the EPA
Competition's Legacy: Billygate and a Reagan-Ford Ticket
Is There a Specialist in the House?
The Cult of Secrecy, the Breadth of Lies
Public Reaction to the Shadow World
From Shadows to Substance
Selected Bibliography
Index