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Inside Investigation
Module 2, Activity 3.9 - News Magazines
Teacher Page
(student page for this lesson)

Introduction:

Investigative journalism can be a very tricky business. Journalists must strike the delicate balance between finding out the truth for the public and abiding by journalistic ethics. In this lesson, students will review feature characteristics and ethics while learning about investigative journalism.

Resources:

- case studies (.doc) or (.rtf)
- internet access

Activities:

Task One - The Features of Investigative Journalism
Investigative journalism allows journalists to become detectives as well as reporters. News magazines allow journalists to share important information with the public.

Show students an example of a news magazine:
1. the fifth estate
2. W-Five

Discuss with students the role that investigative journalism plays in society.

Investigative journalism is a chance for journalists to profile a problem in society and give the public the facts about that problem. In a sense, television news magazines are a televised feature story.

For an alternative way to introduce students to the purpose of news magazines, use this activity which focuses on their titles. shift
Have students review the characteristics of features and answer the following questions and discuss them as a class:

1. What is the most challenging part about creating/researching a feature story?
2. What would be the most challenging part of the television feature?
3. Are news magazines an essential part of the media or are they simply another form of entertainment?

During the discussion students should be applying their previous knowledge regarding features and television reporting to the concept of taping a feature for a news magazine. If students are having trouble making connections, remind them of the challenge of live interviews, the exhaustive research that must go into a feature, and the difficulty of choosing what to focus on.

While students are answering question 3, discuss whether students believe the distinction between news and entertainment depends on the burden of proof placed on the reporters or on other factors. This discussion will naturally lead to the next activity regarding the principles of investigative journalism.
Does journalistic integrity depend on your research or your ability to report information? question
Task Two - The Principles of Investigative Journalism
Investigative journalists are often researching a controversial issue or a public injustice. They have the power to bring the media into peoples' lives and publically expose corruption and failure. For this reason, investigative journalists have a very strict set of principles they must follow.
Objectives:

Students will be able to
- identify the conventions of the electronic media
- identify conventions of feature stories
- understand the legal limitations on the media
cable connector icon View other lessons for the main objective.
Instructional Strategies:

Task 1 - Explicit Teaching (Direct)
Task 2 - Guide for Reading (Direct)
Task 3 - Case Studies (Indirect)

Task Two - Continued . . .
Have the students read the Canadian Association of Journalists Statement of Principles for Investigative Journalism. While they are reading, they should be trying to answer the following question:

Why is it necessary to have a document which specifically addresses the principles for investigative journalism?

After the students have finished reading, spend some time discussing the need to regulate the methods with which journalists can obtain information.

Task Three - Principles in Action
The Principles for Investigative Journalism may seem abstract to students unless they have had a chance to apply these principles to real-life situations. To help students to do this, have them:

1. Get into approximately five groups.
2. Take a case study from you.
3. Decide as a group, using the principles they have just finished reading, what their responsibility as journalists would be in the situation they have been given.
4. Appoint a reporter for their group.
5. Have the reporter presents their case study to the class.
6. Give their group's solution to the problem and reasons for their choices.

After each group has had a chance to present their case study, discuss again the necessity the principles document.

To conclude,
lead students to consider what might happen in society if journalists did not follow the principles of investigative journalism. 		teacher

Assessment and Evaluation:
All the Tasks in this lesson require informal evaluation of concepts. Through discussion, you will assess student understanding of the necessity for investigative journalism and the principles that govern this type of journalism.

As students move towards their independent projects in Module Three, you must ensure that they are familiar with journalistic ethics, and understand the importance of following them.

 
   

Last Updated
May 30, 2005

 
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