Assignment

Write an essay of 1400 words on one of the topics below. Make sure to include a citation page. Your paper should have at least 5 different sources and should provide a thorough insight into one of the topics.

Topics:

1. There are three ways to look into American Journalism: the mirror, the watchdog and the marketplace. Which do you think best characterizes the role journalism plays in our society? Your life in particular?

2. Journalism encourages accountability; however, investigative journalism is very time-consuming and expensive. As you know, news organization struggle to survive. What kind of danger does this present to our democracy and our society? Who do you think should sponsor investigative reporting? Should government do it? The public? Give examples of journalistic stories that changed American policies.

3. What news organizations do you consider to be credible? Which do you see as lacking credibility? How do you make your judgement? What drives your perception?

4. What journalists mean by "transparency"? What is the role of transparency?

5. Are certain media better at conveying stories with certain type of news values? Give examples and explain the reasons for that.

6. What are some issues reporters face gathering story ideas on social media sites? If many people are reporting a rumor, what's wrong with retweeting it? What can be done to verify news stories?