Objectivity

Objectivity is one of the biggest things a journalist should be aware of. It is the action of keeping yourself and your opinions out of a news story. When writing my article on the Behrend Vigil, it was extremely difficult for me to keep myself out of the story. Along with everyone else, I have my own opinion of the Scandal that Penn State is involved in, so writing a story on the issue was hard because I knew I had to state only facts and keep my personal thoughts out. Not only was it difficult for that assignment but it becomes a problem in almost every article, for almost every journalist. Opinions are different with everyone but one must remember that it is not an opinion article it is a news article of facts and details. Objectivity can appear in an article by simply using one wrong word, then the whole piece becomes and opinion. Objectivity is important in journalism because a writer must be fair when stating facts. Everyone has different thoughts on certain matters, and writers must be aware of that and not choose specific sides when writing. No matter their opinions, they must refrain from letting readers know. Objectivity in my opinion, is probably the most difficult factor that journalists must consider when writing a piece of news.

5 types of Leads

ANECDOTAL LEAD –  Creaky cliches throw ‘Wheels’ off track (USA TODAY): Like a runaway train plowing into a station, Hell on Wheels is all noise and flash and blood and guts – and never mind surviving the ride, let alone enjoying it.

-          - This lead is describing the movie Hell on Wheels, and how it is action packed and gory. It can be considered anecdotal because it is painting a picture of a scene while describing the movie.

SUMMARY LEAD – Cantaloupe Listeria is one for Books (USA TODAY): With 29 people confirmed dead, the listeria outbreak linked to cantaloupes from one Colorado farm is officially the deadliest food-borne illness outbreak in the United States since 1924, according to the centers for disease control and prevention.

-          - This lead is explaining the consequences people are facing from the food-borne illness listeria that can be found in many different foods. This lead falls into the category of a summary lead because it give enough information to answer the 5 W’s of the story.

THE ROUND-UP LEAD – Timely ‘Heist’ can’t quite pull it off (USA TODAY): Tower Heist feigns being an Ocean’s Eleven for schmucks, but it plays like a long-outdated 48 Hours.

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-  This lead is using comparison to describe the movie Tower Heist. It is a Round-Up lead because it uses different examples to explain the movie.

SIGNIFICANT DETAIL LEAD – For Bills’ Quarterback, Losing (Wedding Ring) Is Not Option (THE NEW YORK TIMES): Ryan Fitzpatrick, married for nearly five and a half years, says he never removes his wedding band.

-        - The lead for this article is a simple detail that plays into the story of Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and how he finds no reason to ever take off his wedding ring.

ANALYSIS LEAD – Jury Hears a Final Round of Finger-Pointing in the Trial of Michael Jackson’s Doctor (THE NEW YORK TIMES): Michael Jackson’s death was caused by a doctor who was more concerned with making money and protecting himself than caring for his patient, prosecutors said in closing arguments on Thursday in the trial of the man who served as the pop singer’s private physician in the final months of his life and is now charged with man slaughter.

-         - This lead is an analysis lead because it goes deep into the information that the writer will base his story on. It talks about how after all the time spent investigating Michael Jackson’s death, authorities have finally come to a conclusion that all fault is on his doctor who took very little interest in caring for the pop singer.