6. The role of Media in American society

The function of the media in society has evolved in recent years, especially due to the digitization of messages. Audiences in the past had to rely heavily on mainstream messages that were generated, sent, and controlled by institutions such as corporations and large media outlets. These institutions determined which issues and stories were newsworthy, thus influencing the public’s perception of what was important.

The emergence of social media has affected communication patterns in that audiences are now message creators. They also play a more active role in determining which issues are important to cover from a news perspective. However, the basic function of mass media remains the same: to provide audiences with information they need and want to know, for both informative and entertainment purposes.

Communication professionals still rely on the media to distribute their company’s news to large audiences. Unlike marketing or promotional messages sent directly from an organization, information from news media can have a “third-party endorsement” effect, which enhances its perceived credibility. The media also influence our attitudes, how we think, and even our behaviors.

As a strategic communication professional, be aware that you hold great responsibility when writing material that will land in the media. More than ever, strategic communicators are influencing public discourse and shaping conversation. You must seize opportunities to positively integrate your organization or client into media coverage or risk being excluded from the dialogue.

Watch the video below of Chris Davey, assistant vice president for media and public relations for The Ohio State University. He discusses the function of media in society and writing for the media.

7 Media culture and work environment

It’s important to be aware of the culture and work environment of media organizations and content publishers. Understanding the expectations of those who have a tremendous influence on the coverage of your organization can better inform your media strategy. The following points elaborate on the work environment and culture of media outlets.

Fast-paced environment

Corporate media organizations compete with one another to break stories or report on events. Being the first to deliver a story brings a media outlet prestige and credibility. Furthermore, being the first to publish often results in a higher search engine ranking, which results in more clicks and stronger viewership.

The onset of cable television in the 1980s changed the media landscape. One of the most notable results is what we refer to as the 24-hour news cycle. Audiences in the past had to wait until specific broadcast times—usually at noon and in the early and late evening—to hear the latest about current events.

Today, many media outlets disseminate news constantly, every hour of the day. This immediacy of news coverage seeks to meet the audience’s demand to have essential information quickly. Furthermore, media outlets compete not only against each other but against the Internet. In this fast-paced environment, media professionals are expected to provide quality news stories to the masses even as they find it more difficult to gather and report facts accurately and responsibly.

Strict deadlines

The 24-hour news cycle places high demands on journalists and news media professionals to work against tight deadlines while being the first to break news. Strict deadlines are not isolated to the newsroom; public relations professionals also are expected to produce under pressure. For example, if your organization has an unanticipated product recall, audiences will expect some type of official announcement quickly. Furthermore, you often get only one chance to create the right message, one that has its intended effect.

Internal competition

The internal culture of the media has become more competitive over the years. Given the pressure to be the first to break a story, journalists increasingly feel the need to market themselves as trustworthy news sources. Those who work for the same media outlet may compete with one another. Journalists are expected to create a likeable personal brand. They are rated not only on viewership, but on social media likes, shares, personal appearances, and so on.

Journalists can no longer hide behind their byline; they must put their best face forward and work to increase followers. It is important for you to realize this when pitching a news story to a journalist. These topics will be covered in depth later in the book.

8 The role of writing in strategic communication

Writing is a fundamental business skill that can greatly affect the credibility and success of an organization. A recent survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (2015) found that 70 percent of employers look for evidence of strong writing skills in recent college graduates.

Styles of writing vary with the medium, the type of message being communicated, and the audience.

Media writing as discussed here differs from academic writing, which most higher education audiences are accustomed to using. Media writing is clear, straightforward, accurate, and appealing to the target audience. It is active and dynamic, and it allows an organization to engage with its key audiences and clearly communicate ideas and goals. It should also influence the target audience’s perceptions and/or behaviors. Word choice, tone, and message packaging are some of the techniques you will need to master in order to be a strong communicator.

As with any skill, you have to consistently practice writing and be open to suggestions in order to improve. Because there is a perceived—if sometimes unjustified—association between intelligence and writing ability, you may misinterpret constructive feedback as criticism. However, one of the best ways to learn whether you’re clearly communicating through your writing is to get a third-party audience to read and react honestly to it.

In this video, Carol Merry, senior vice president with Fahlgren Mortine, discusses the importance of strong writing skills in the workplace and provides practical tips to improve your writing.

9 Media writing skills and characteristics

Writing for the media can be difficult, especially for beginners. Practicing the following skills will help you improve the quality of your work.

Knowledge of AP Style

Most media outlets use AP style—the style established and constantly updated by the Associated Press—as the foundation for basic news and media writing. AP style provides consistency in writing across media outlets and publications. You should purchase the latest edition of the AP stylebook and familiarize yourself with it because you will be required to write in this manner for messages intended for media outlets. The stylebook is available both online and in hard copy. In general, AP style has evolved to ensure that media writing is accurate, impartial, and clear to the audience.

Knowledge of grammar and punctuation

Audiences hold media and strategic communication professionals to a high standard when it comes to knowledge of grammar and punctuation. To assist you in learning how to write for the media, here are a few basic grammar and punctuation rules:

• Use simple sentences that follow the subject, verb, object order (example: Maria attended the press conference).
• Use active, not passive voice. Active voice helps with clarity and concise writing. (Passive voice: The press release was completed by Brian. Active voice: Brian completed the press release.)
• Understand word choice and meaning:
  • affect, effect
  • its, it’s
  • they’re, their, there
  • accept, except
• Be aware of comma uses:
  • Set off modifiers (words or clauses that provide further description)
    The publicist, who works for Ogilvy, arrived late to the meeting.
  • Separate an introductory phrase or word
    While studying, I listened to music.
  • Before a conjunction
    I want to go, but I have to study.
  • When writing a series of items (three or more)
    She bought shoes, food, and a movie.

Watch the video below of Jenny Patton, senior lecturer in the English department at The Ohio State University. She discusses common grammatical errors and tips to improve your writing.

Ability to simplify information

As a media or strategic communication professional, you will need to synthesize and make sense of a great deal of information for your audience, often under a strict deadline. This takes strategy, good storytelling skills, and the ability to focus on the essential information. Audiences respond better to information that is presented in a logical order that supports the overall narrative.

Focus on accuracy and details

When you write for the media, you represent not only your personal brand but also the broader organization for which you’re producing content. Precise writing and transparency give newsrooms credibility; misinformation can severely diminish the integrity of the media outlet. Selecting appropriate sources and verifying information obtained from those sources, referred to as fact checking, can help minimize inaccurate writing. Accuracy also means using proper grammar and language appropriate to the audience.

Ensuring accurate reporting and writing can be challenging. Fast-paced media environments make it tremendously difficult to thoroughly gather information and fact check it in a short amount of time. For example, in 2013, during coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings, reports of five additional explosives found in the area were later found to be false. In addition, the New York Post ran a photo on its front page of two men that it alleged were the suspects that federal investigators were searching for at the time. The men were innocent, and while the Post apologized for the error, the men later sued the media outlet for defamation (Wemple, 2014).

Outstanding attention to detail is necessary in order to catch errors in content, grammar, and punctuation. Taking the time to slowly review your message will save you from the consequences of misinformation or careless errors. Similarly, a big part of the writing process involves editing and revising your work, either by you or by an editor. Few writers can produce material that cannot be improved or does not need to be altered for style or content reasons.

Objectivity

Objectivity is one of the principles of journalism, according to the code of ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists (2014). Media writing should provide well-rounded analyses and stories that include all major perspectives. If you present one organization’s point of view, you should also quote one of its competitors or discuss the contrarian perspective for balance. With the exception of opinion columns and blogs, writers should not express their personal opinions on a story or event. Instead, they should write objectively, presenting the facts and leaving it up the audience to decide how to feel about the information.

Some professionals believe that objective journalism does not exist because humans are innately biased creatures (Hare, 2013). It is true that a writer’s biases can become apparent in his or her writing. However, media professionals should aspire to absolute objectivity. To achieve this, it helps to have a third party read your article or message to minimize biased writing.

Clarity

Media professionals generally write for a large, mainstream audience. Clear and concise writing makes it easier for a wide variety of groups to understand the core message. Complex sentence structures and jargon that you might find in traditional academic writing are not appropriate for diverse populations. Use simple sentences to get your point across.

10 References

Hare, K. (2013). Keller, Greenwald debate whether journalists can be impartial. Poynter. Retrieved from: http://www.poynter.org/2013/keller-greenwald-debate-whether-journalists-can-be-impartial/227386/

National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2015). Job outlook 2016: Attributes employers want to see on new college graduates’ resumes. Retrieved from: naceweb.org/s11182015/employers-look-for-in-new-hires.aspx

Society of Professional Journalists. (2014). SPJ Code of Ethics. Retrieved from: http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp

Wemple, E. (2014). New York Post settles ‘bag men’ defamation suit. The Washington Post. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2014/10/02/new-york-post-settles-bag-men-defamation-suit/