Functions of the Press

Review

What are the current problems newspapers are facing?

What types of journalism are doing well right now?

Functions of the press

The press is thought to have 7 functions, or responsibilities, which might also explain why they exist.

1. The Political function2. The Economic function3. The Sentry function4. The Record-Keeping function5. The Entertainment function6. The Social function7. The Marketplace function

The Political Function

“Watchdog of the government”

Reporters provide information about politics and the activities of the government.

One goal is to help people form their own political decisions.

A second goal is to prevent abuses of power or wrongdoing by government officials.

Examples of the Political Function

Watergate

Election coverage

The Economic Function

The press provides information about products, goods & services, and businesses.

Examples: advertising, business section of any major newspaper, articles on the current economic section

The Sentry Function

Reporters work to keep the public informed of current and upcoming problems.

The press reports on issues that are likely to happen, not just on what has already happened.

Example: Housing sales in July plunged to their lowest level in more than a decade.

Possible stories: the effect on homeowners, what this means for new development

The Record-Keeping Function

Journalists provide a record of what happens every day on the local, state, national and international levels.

Examples: Sports scores, obituaries, hurricane coverage

The Entertainment Function

The lighter side of the news.

The goal is to provide a diversion from the seriousness of the news.

Examples: comic sections, celebrities, movie or food reviews

The Social Function

Journalists give people things to discuss in social situations.

The press creates a community where people can share news back and forth.

Example: “Did you hear about Allen’s football team?”

“Did you read about Hurricane Irene?”

The Marketplace Function

The press is regarded as the marketplace of ideas.

Papers are a place to voice concerns or present solutions and to review decisions/options.

Examples: Blogs, letters to the editors, posting comments online to stories

Today’s Assignment

Goal: Working with a group, create a poster collage with 2-3 examples of stories that fulfill your group’s chosen function.

Use the magazines and newspapers provided to clip out examples of images and stories that are published because of your function.

Glue on poster.

Make sure to title your poster and include your names.

Objectives: We will begin to identify key functions of the press in various journalistic texts. We will become familiar with newspapers and magazines.

Discuss

Share examples of types of stories that fulfill each function.

Which function do you think is the most important?

Name That Function

The lighter side of the news

Entertainment Function

Watchdog of the government

Political Function

Letters to the editor

Marketplace Function

Stories about the recession

Economic Function

The score of the Ranger game

Record Keeping Function

Creating a sense of community

Social Function

Comics

Entertainment Function

A story over the dangers of air pollution

Sentry Function

Blogs

Marketplace Function

Informing the public of upcoming problems

Sentry Function

Reports of a major crime

Record Keeping Function

“Did you read about . . .”

Social Function

Celebrity Gossip

Entertainment Function

Stories about President Obama

Political Function

The Business section of a newspaper

Economic Function

A story about the potential decline of the housing market

The Sentry Function

A story over LeBron James

Entertainment Function

Stories about the withdrawal of troops from Iraq

Record Keeping Function

A story about President Obama’s stance on the withdrawal of troops

Political Function