"Under a tight deadline, a reporter may omit historical background that could help a reader understand the larger context of the news. By way of explanation, Brinkley wrote to me in an e-mail, “If you pulled it off the Web, that means it was an early ver- sion written very quickly for immediate use on the Web. I would bet I wrote that version in a very few minutes.” (Abilock, 2003)
This is very interesting to me, for a number of reasons. First off, personally, I get most of my news online. We do not have cable and only receive the local newspaper, so online i s by far my biggest news source. And, I am kinda a junkie when it comes to online news, especially when something big happens.... I want constantly updated information. So, to hear that most things written for the web are done under a tight deadline, and don't have the luxury of time to be completely fact-checked or properly explored is a bit disconcerting for me. I am not wholly suprised, it reminds me of the Supreme Court Ruling on Health Care, and when both CNN and FOX wrongly reported that it was overturned. If I was to question why internet news would lack such context, I would imagine it would have a lot to do with "scooping" the other online news sources - especially in a time of such diverse and competing news sources via the web. I would also have to blame myself (and others like me), the culture of constant updates and more information. That is a lot of pressure for news reporters and media outlets. If they don't constantly update information, or if they are the "last to report" they lose readers, and revenue. This is scary, because sometimes they get it wrong in their haste, or forgo context for content.
Other Resources:
An image of a eye-tracking study, showing that most people just look in the top lefthand of a webpage first. The article that accompanies this image also states that most people look in this section for 3 seconds before deciding to click off or not. I thought this related to the section of the reading in Lens #7. which talks about most students only skim and click, rather than read and scroll. It can also help students realize that this is the most influential part of a website - this is where the producer of the site is going to put his point of view - in the form of an important article, or photograph. This section could be key in determining what Bias the website is showing based on what goes in this section.
(Yahoo)
I also found an additional resource that discusses online ads and eye-tracking studies, which relates to the reading (which I found suprising) that states "Since we know that students don’t visually distinguish between content and advertising—they click on ads as just another content source (Nielsen, 2002)." (Abilock, 2003)
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1936426,00.html#ixzz25KhtgS4q (Kiviat, 2009)
The article linked to from above also says:
"Unlike television, which is a passive medium, the Web is all about taking action — searching, clicking, registering, buying, downloading. It might be the case that as we're out there on the Internet, what we're attracted to is content that gets us to where we want to go." (Kiviat, 2009)
I found this an interesting example of "the medium is the message" which is referred to in the "A Seven-Power Lens" reading from this week.
Additional Questions:
1.) Semiotics is the study of the use of symbols and signs to convey complicated messages in a type of code.
2.)For example, online, students prefer clicking to scrollring, therefore techniques such as cutting back the URL or pasting the authors name into a search engine can provide information as to the validity, authority and/or bias of an online article.
3.) According to this article, it is important for students to learn how to read news media because students can "see their own power as future voters in our democratic society."
4.)RLA.O.3.1.6
use meaning clues to aid comprehension of content across the
curriculum (e.g., pictures, picture captions, titles, headings, topic).Sources:
Abilock, D. (2003, November/December). A seven-power lens on 21st century literacy. DOI: www.infotoday.com/mmschools
Kiviat, B. (2009, November 08). Why we look at some web ads and not others read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1936426,00.html
Yahoo, S. G. (n.d.). Style guide. Retrieved from http://styleguide.yahoo.com/writing/write-web/eye-tracking-where-do-readers-look-first
I'm glad you pointed out that television news is often under tremendous pressure to be first in reporting rather than the best at fact checking. I think some Internet news sources like independent bloggers are valuable for their ability to add perspectives that are not tainted by corporate sponsors. They can also provide useful sources for people to triangulate multiple perspectives in order to get a more complete and complex view on an issue.
ReplyDeleteThe eye tracking research is fascinating and a little creepy.Technology has changed the literacy practices of the 21st century so knowing how people technically and cognitively read web pages has important implications for education and critical media literacy. Knowing where important information is placed on Webpages is important. However, knowing to ask questions as to why an organization, corporation or author considers certain kinds of information more important than other kinds is well....important too.
Excellent job connecting your additional resource to this week's reading!