Journalism Case Study Abstracts |
| 15 October |
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism has hosted a webcast for journalism educators. The session was moderated by Dean of Students Sree Sreenivasan. Prof. Coronel and Director Lundberg discussed their experience with one of the free case studies available on the program’s website: http://casestudies.jrn.columbia.edu.
The free case, “A Life on the Line: the Christian Science Monitor and Jill Carroll,” examines the strategies available to a news organization whose reporter has been kidnapped. Through class discussion of the issues raised by the case, students come to appreciate the complex constituencies the news organization must manage. They also gain an appreciation of the nuanced contract–written and unwritten—between news outlets and stringers (non-staff reporters paid by the story).
A listener asked whether the Initiative’s library of cases included examples of the “ordinary” challenges of journalism. Yes, responded Lundberg: numerous cases are about editorial decisionmaking by both editors and reporters. Prof. Coronel emphasized that “teaching” cases do more than raise ethical issues for discussion; they help students build reporting skills ,as well as critical thinking abilities. She added that students in her case classes were engaged and lively, vying to make their points.
The collection of nearly 25 case studies covers such topics as strategic management, reporting on science, investigative reporting and blogging.
The podcast can be found at http://www.knightcasestudies.org/podcasts
| 6 October |
Abstract
This case study tells the story of of how one editor at Time magazine took a concept—create a “mirror on America”—and translated it into 12 pages in the magazine. The case describes the kind of decisions editors have to make on a daily basis: what to include, what to leave out, how to staff a story, how much time to spend reporting. It also raises the issue of hierarchy in a newsroom. Whose call ultimately is it what goes into a story—the managing editor’s, the
frontline editor’s, or the reporter’s? Click here to get this case study now…
The case will give students insight into the workings of a weekly news magazine. It will allow them to exercise their own editorial judgment, and to struggle with the strategic and practical decisions which go into assembling a story about a complex subject. They will also get an unusual glimpse into the concerns of a graphics department. Click here to get this case study now…
This case can be used in a class about magazine writing and/or editing, about integrating graphics into a text narrative, or about editorial decisionmaking.
Credits
This journalism case study was written by Kathleen Gilsinan for the Knight Case Studies Initiative, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University. The faculty sponsor was Professor Michael Shapiro. The Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) produced the multimedia, online product. Josh Stanley was the project coordinator, and Zarina Mustapha was the website designer. Funding was provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. TIME Magazine material © Time Inc. used with permission.
Copyright © 2007 The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. No part of this publication may be reproduced, revised, translated, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the written permission of the Case Studies Initiative.
| 5 October |
Abstract
This case is about the challenge faced by the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) and its parent company, Dow Jones, when in 2006 FEER ran afoul of Singapore’s leaders and its government. The case traces the history of the media, both domestic and international, in Singapore. It describes the legal challenges the Singapore authorities mounted over the years against the foreign press, culminating in charges which former Singapore President Lee Kuan Yew and his son brought against FEER for an editorial they found offensive. Within days, a government ministry upped the ante, informing FEER that it would henceforth be subject to new restrictions. Dow Jones legal counsel had to weigh competing claims: defend Western values of press freedom versus protect the interests of other Dow Jones publications active in Singapore. Click here to get this case study now…
Students will be given a window into what it means to cover a society with a culture and rules distinctly different from the US. They will be asked to consider whether another political ideology—Confucianism—provides justification for press controls. They will also gain an understanding of how easy it can be to cross the line set by authoritarian governments—and the price journalists can pay. Click here to get this case study now…
They will come to appreciate that the editorial and economic interests of news organizations are frequently more closely linked than both sides might wish. This case can be used in a course about international media; about the business of journalism; or on US coverage of foreign news. Click here to get this case study now…
Credits
This journalism case study was written by Julia Ioffe for the Knight Case Studies Initiative, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University. The faculty sponsor was Professor Michael Shapiro. The Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) produced the multimedia, online product. Josh Stanley was the project coordinator, and Zarina Mustapha was the website designer. Funding was provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Copyright © 2007 The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. No part of this publication may be reproduced, revised, translated, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical,
| 2 October |
Abstract
This case is about the professional conflict one journalist at the Bakersfield Californian experiences when editors ask her to “blog” from a trial she is covering. In the blog, or web-log—which appears within a special section of the Bakersfield.com website—she is asked to offer informal observations, often in the form of running commentary, about a complicated murder case. Meanwhile for the daily newspaper, she continues to write stories which observe the journalistic conventions of objectivity, accuracy and balance. Jessica Logan becomes increasingly uncomfortable as she learns that her blog entries are unedited. Typos and grammar errors occur with regularity, but eventually she also makes mistakes. Mistakes in the newspaper result in a notation in a reporter’s personnel record; the rules for a blog seem unclear. But her editors keep reassuring Logan. They argue that blogs are like a sneak peek into a reporter’s notebook, not like a news story. Click here to get this case study now…
Students will be asked to consider whether blogs are a legitimate form of journalism. Does a reporter with a blog potentially undermine his reputation as a journalist? What do news readers gain from a blog that they would not get from a web or print story? Should blogs be subject to the same internal rules and regulations that govern the material printed in a newspaper? How can news organizations best incorporate this new way of communicating with readers into their existing standards and practices? Click here to get this case study now…
The case study can be used in a class on editorial management, on new media, on blogging or on reporting norms.
Credits
This journalism case study was written by Delia Flores for the Knight Case Studies Initiative, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University. The faculty sponsor was Professor Michael Shapiro. The Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) produced the multimedia, online product. Josh Stanley was the project coordinator, and Zarina Mustapha was the website designer. Funding was provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Copyright © 2007 The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. No part of this publication may be reproduced, revised, translated, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the written permission of the Case Studies Initiative.
| 1 October |
Abstract
This case study takes students inside the offices and strategic thinking of the executive team at the Albany Times Union, a prototypical regional newspaper. The Times Union, like other newspapers its size, in 2006 faced the challenge of how to choose the best path to transforming itself from a traditional ink-on-paper product to a hybrid paper/Web product. No role model seemed appropriate, so Editor Rex Smith and Publisher Mark Aldam charted their own course. They hired a consultant to map the newsroom editorial process—an exercise which revealed technological weaknesses, organizational inefficiencies, and shortcomings in physical arrangements. But these findings were not recommendations. The paper’s team would have to choose among competing priorities in order to move their organization forward. Click here to get this case study now…
Students are asked to think in detail about the complex challenges faced by news editors and publishers in early 21st-century America. The case will allow them to grasp the fundamental realignment of roles and responsibilities going on within newsrooms, as well as to understand the often painful choices newsroom leaders must make. Discussion could focus on strategic planning, the role of newspapers in the Internet era, or the challenges to regional publications at the turn of the century. Click here to get this case study now…
The case can be used in a class about newspapers and technology; about editorial leadership; or about newspaper management.
Credits
This journalism case study was written by Rachel Templeton for the Knight Case Studies Initiative, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University. The faculty sponsor was Professor Michael Shapiro. The Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) produced the multimedia, online product. Josh Stanley was the project coordinator, and Zarina Mustapha was the website designer. Funding was provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Copyright © 2007 The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. No part of this publication may be reproduced, revised, translated, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the written permission of the Case Studies Initiative.
| 29 September |
Abstract
This two-part case looks at the research method known as “crowdsourcing,” pioneered by the private sector (The Wisdom of Crowds), and examines its usefulness for journalism. The Fort Myers (FL) News-Press is a Gannett paper; Gannett executives believe crowdsourcing—turning to consumers for expertise and information—holds promise for newspapers. In Part A, News-Press editors consider the merits of crowdsourcing to the newspaper. They look at several ongoing news stories to which the method might be applied in order to select the most promising. They then debate whether or not to adopt the method as an experiment. Part B traces what happens when the newspaper does apply crowdsourcing to a story about a utility expansion project in the community of Cape Coral. Click here to get this case study now…
Students will gain insight into the challenges confronting a publication that decides to approach its job in a new way. They will experience what goes on around the editorial table when innovation is the topic. They will also gain a window into the relationship between a corporate newspaper owner and a publication’s editors. In Part B, they will have a chance to consider the impact of the new approach on reporters, editors—and readers. They will come to understand how crucial it is to plan for new undertakings, and to anticipate problems as a means of avoiding them. They will also gain perspective on the costs and benefits of being a pioneer. Click here to get this case study now…
This case can be used in a course about editorial decision-making, about the business of journalism, about journalism innovation, or about local/regional media.
Credits
This journalism case study was written by Kathleen Gilsinan for the Knight Case Studies Initiative, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University. The faculty sponsor was Professor Michael Shapiro. The Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) produced the multimedia, online product. Josh Stanley was the project coordinator, and Zarina Mustapha was the website designer. Funding was provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Copyright © 2007 The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. No part of this publication may be reproduced, revised, translated, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the written permission of the Case Studies Initiative.
| 26 September |
Abstract
This case addresses how to manage a breaking story online when it could have traumatic effects on the local community. It also raises the challenges of deciding what to put in the newspaper once a story has broken on the newspaper’s website. On the evening of February 7, 2008, a gunman shot several officials at a City Council meeting in the quiet St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood, Missouri. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch had a stringer at the meeting, Janet McNichols. Editors quickly realized that (apart from a small local paper) they had exclusive access to the story, which they chose to break online. While McNichols was horrorstricken, her reports seemed reliable. Dilemmas arose, however, when police were slower to provide information than McNichols. What should the website report, especially about fatalities? Errors could be devastating, yet to omit critical information from news reports was irresponsible journalism. As night approached, so did the deadline for the next day’s paper. With so much information on the Web, editors debated what to put in the paper that would satisfy both Web and print readers. Click here to get this case study now…
The class can follow the evolution of online reporting as it played out in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newsroom. Students will have an opportunity to discuss how the rise of online reporting has affected the paper news product, and the trade-offs and compromises involved. The case also can serve as a basis for debate on crisis reporting. It gives students insight into the special role of a local news outlet in the face of an unfolding calamity. It puts them in the shoes of editors who must decide how much weight to give its own reporter’s uncorroborated but eyewitness account versus waiting for official confirmation. Click here to get this case study now…
The case can be used in a course or class on crisis reporting; about newspaper website development; or on the role of local news organizations.
Credits
This journalism case study was written by Kathleen Gilsinan for the Knight Case Studies Initiative, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University. The faculty sponsor was Assistant Professor Duy Linh Tu. The Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) produced the multimedia, online product. James R. Garfield was the project coordinator, and Zarina Mustapha was the website designer. Funding was provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. (0409)
Copyright © 2009 The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. No part of this publication may be reproduced, revised, translated, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the written permission of the Case Studies Initiative.
| 25 September |
Abstract
This case examines the challenge of providing balanced coverage of a court case when the trial is about science, and the reporter believes the science on one side is flawed. In September 2005, York Daily Record reporter Lauri Lebo was assigned to cover a nationally watched local trial, Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District. It pitted the School Board against a group of 11 parents, who had sued because the board had required that 9th graders be read a statement asserting that evolution was just one of several theories—another being “intelligent design”—explaining the origin and development of life on earth. The case examines Lebo’s doubts about her ability to judge the credibility of competing scientific theories, her efforts to educate herself, and the fine line she had to walk in accommodating her own principles with those of her editors, who were mindful of the conservative community the paper served. Click here to get this case study now…
The class will examine the exacting art of science reporting—what words to choose, what context to provide, and what constitutes fair and balanced coverage. Students will come to grips with the difficulties of describing dispassionately a scientific theory which has been widely discredited, although it continues to attract some passionate adherents. The science reporting dilemma is only enhanced by the fact that the science is the subject of a trial; ordinarily, reporters give equal weight to both parties to a trial. Students can also discuss what a reporter can do when her approach to a story differs from that of her editors. Finally, they can debate the proper role of a newspaper serving its local community—to reflect local mores and values, or to challenge them? Click here to get this case study now…
The case can be used in a course or class on science reporting; on court reporting; or on local media.
Credits
This journalism case study was written by Kathleen Gilsinan for the Knight Case Studies Initiative, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University. The faculty sponsor was Assistant Professor Marguerite Holloway. Funding was provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. (0609)
Copyright © 2009 The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. No part of this publication may be reproduced, revised, translated, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the written permission of the Case Studies Initiative.
| 24 September |
Abstract
This case describes ABC News and its early coverage of an alleged rape by members of the Duke University lacrosse team in 2006. The narrative stops at a point in mid-April when the ABC News Vice President for Editorial Quality, Kerry Smith, had to decide whether or not to broadcast photographs from the party at which the alleged rape took place. NBC News had already scooped ABC with the photos, but only on the East Coast; ABC could still match NBC on the West Coast morning news shows. ABC, however, had a strict policy about identifying a rape victim—and to publish the photos, even blurred, could be interpreted as “naming” her. Moreover, the pictures were ambiguous: It was hard to tell whether the alleged victim was smiling or grimacing. Finally, Smith judged the photos “tawdry.” But the ABC reporting team was anxious to use the photos. Smith had to make the call. Click here to get this case study now…
This case is a useful prism through which to examine the history and complexities of covering sex crimes in the US. It also provides insight into the evolution of Standards and Practices units at television news divisions, as well as the pressures of making nuanced editorial decisions on deadline. Students will be asked to consider what constitutes balanced coverage of a sex crime. Click here to get this case study now…
In their discussion, they will have to weigh competitive pressures as well as the prevailing cultural norms. Students should begin to develop sensitivity to the most common journalistic errors in covering alleged sex crimes, with a view to avoiding them in the future. Click here to get this case study now…
The case can be used in a course about covering gender and race; about deadline writing; about broadcast news; or on the ethics of journalism.
Credits
This journalism case study was written by Rachel Templeton and Pamela Varley for the Knight Case Studies Initiative, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University. The faculty sponsor was Professor Michael Shapiro. The Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) produced the multimedia, online product. Josh Stanley was the project coordinator, and Zarina Mustapha was the website designer. Funding was provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Copyright © 2007 The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, revised, translated, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or
by any means (electronic, mechanical,
| 23 September |
Columbia University has released an educational case study on journalism ethics that will be available to faculty at universities around the globe for use in their classrooms.
Funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, “New England Cable News and the Terry Glenn Story” is one of over 20 case studies in the Knight Case Studies Initiative library. The study–one of the video cases in the collection–focuses on New England Cable News (NECN) and the arrival of a fax alleging sexual misconduct by a member of the New England Patriots football team. The case allows the instructor to use video in real time in the classroom, and gives students the experience of newsroom deadline pressures.
“New England Cable News and the Terry Glenn Story” and other case studies in the collection are now for sale at knightcasestudies.org (http://www.knightcasestudies.org/).
Case-based courses develop students’ analytic, decision making, management and leadership skills. Through class discussion, students have the opportunity to examine in depth a wide range of editorial, ethical and economic issues.
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