Answer:

In mass communications and journalism, there are different ways messages are distributed to consumers. With the changing society today, many individuals use various social media platforms to find out information. Because there is no regulation of information on social platforms, it brings up a notion of media ethics. Is this ethically correct to emphasize information before it breaks the mainstream news (print or broadcast)?

Moreover, most news is distributed through print news and broadcast news. Many individuals rely on broadcast news more than print news because we are in an era where many of us do not have the time to sit down and read a newspaper. Thus, broadcast news is more convenient for most people. Nevertheless, broadcast and print news share similarities and differences. Broadcast news and print news are similar in that they both apply the use of the characteristics of news when writing stories, they use leads, they have specific organizational patterns for writing, and they both provide consumers with news within their society on a daily basis.

The differences between print and broadcast news is that broadcast news is written for listeners and viewers turning in with their ears and sometimes eyes. Print news is tangible information structured to be reread. Print news uses AP style while broadcast news uses AP style as well as a broadcast presentation style. With print news, the concern is newspaper space and sentences are between 20-25 words. With broadcast news, the length of time is a concern, stories being structured for multitasking consumers, sentences are 10-15 words, and present tense is always used. There are also differences in the specific organizational patterns in broadcast and print news. Print news uses inverted pyramid, which puts the most important details at the top and least important details are built from the lead sentence. In broadcast news, dramatic unity is similar to inverted pyramid but it is different. Dramatic unity uses a lead in followed by a climax, cause, and effect. This model is much more simplified than print, facts are written in descending and chronological order.

In references to leads, print news leads are robust and answer many of the Ws (who, what, when, where, why/how) in regards to news. Broadcast leads use fewer words and use contractions. Broadcast leads fully engage the audience, and they also have two other styles of leads. Nevertheless, broadcast news is criticized for exaggerating news and simplifying news stories to where stories can be distorted by viewers. They are also criticized by creating stories based on the bias of the company or company owner. Broadcast news can overcome these criticisms by giving more information to consumers when on air, and limiting the overall bias within certain news station companies. Thus, I believe consumers would not feel like the daily news is not as biased.