ENG 301 Media Analysis
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Brigham Young University, Idaho *
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Course
301
Subject
Arts Humanities
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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Uploaded by GeneralDiscoveryDeer34
Media Analysis
To demonstrate your critical reading skills and to practice evaluating texts, use this
worksheet to find and analyze media sources on the same issue along the journalism
continuum. (See
Think Like a Writer -
Chapter Three: Critical Thinking.)
Step One: Read Along the Continuum
Fact-Based Journalism
According to Dr. Grover, fact-based journalism articles simply report the facts: “They
don’t comment on or interpret the facts, and they endeavor not to spin the reader’s
perception of events through their choice of words or tone.”
Find and read
three
breaking news or basic reporting articles focused on the same issue
or news event from news outlets across the ideological spectrum. For example, you
might pull one news article from a more conservative source like
Fox News
, another
news article on the same issue from a more liberal outlet like
The Washington Post
, and
a third article from a news outlet more in the middle of the spectrum like
The Wall
Street Journal
or
USA Today
.
Opinion-Based Journalism
According to Dr. Grover, opinion-based journalism pieces are “inherently biased”
because they make an explicit argument. Instead of evaluating an argument based on
bias, “we examine the quality of its reasoning. We ask how well the evidence proves the
claims, we look for logical fallacies, and we examine the assumptions it makes.”
Find and read
three
opinion pieces or editorials on the same issue or news event you
read about in the fact-based journalism category above. Again, read pieces from across
the ideological spectrum.
If you’re unsure where different news organizations may fall along the ideological
spectrum, this graphic on the following page may help. It places different news outlets
along the spectrum from left to right based on the political views of their readers.
(Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/10/21/lets-rank-the-media-from-
liberal-to-conservative-based-on-their-audiences/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.8e6027e00416)
Step Two: Analyze Texts Along the Continuum
Use the following table to record your analysis of each article. In the first column,
provide a full citation for each source: title, author, media outlet, and URL. In the next
three columns, list the facts, inferences, and/or judgments you find in each article. In the
final column, record your own reaction to the article.
Fact-Based Journalism
Source
Facts
Inferences
Judgments
Reaction
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/preview-what-
happened-to-gabby-petito/#x
This article is
asking
questions on
what had
happened
What could
have
happened
They are
suspecting
the
boyfriend
I agree that
the
boyfriend
had
something
to do with
what
happened
because no
one has
heard from
him
https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/brian-
laundrie-search-gabby-petito-florida
The Author is
stating facts
as well as
what they
know
Foul Play
was
involved
They are
suspecting
the
boyfriend
had
something
to do with
what
happened
to the girl.
They are
waiting
and seeing.
I think this
should be a
turning
point for
women
who have
been
disappeari
ng across
the nation.
https://news.yahoo.com/gabby-petito-case-
leads-rise-194700234.html
The Author is
stating
evidence they
have found
from
resources
They are
suspecting
foul play
and are
insinuating
online
sleuthing
will
continue.
Online
sleuthing
will
continue.
I think
there is
more to
the story,
and we
should be
paying
attention
to what
happened
before to
make a
judgement
Opinion-Based Journalism
Source
Facts
Inferences
Judgments
Reaction
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/22/opinions/ho
w-women-see-gabby-petito-disappearance-
death-thomas/index.html
What has
happened to
Gabby and
what they
suspect. How
it’s affecting
women.
What the
suspect on
happening
to her is
unknown
just as much
as what
happened
to many
other
women.
They made
quick
judgments
on Gabby’s
case
because of
her
ethnicity.
I think the
reason as
to why
they
reacted to
Gabby’s
case was
because
people
were
persistent
and cared
for her
safety.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/22/business
/media/gabby-petito-missing-white-woman-
syndrome.html
Ignoring
women of
color who
have gone
The author
shared that
many
women of
They are
quick to
judge
based on
I
understand
that race is
major issue
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