* partisan: pushing the cause of a political party
‘Pink slime’ journalism:
What should it look like when a news organization aspires to put the public’s interest first?
Directions:
(Jem Bartholomew, Columbia Journalism Review).
newsrooms are taking the place of local news organizations.
to put the public’s interest first and how “pink slime” sites fail in this regard.
Resource Connection Tip: Complete the “Practicing Quality Journalism” Checkology® lesson
for relevant insights.
Find this excerpt. It is part of a deeper shift in U.S. media, where more than two thousand local newspapers have vanished since 2004. Some of the vacuum has been filled by partisan, digital-first journalism like Texas Scorecard. In your own words, what is happening to local news? | |||
Describe the two broad categories of politically motivated outlets in the U.S. in the spaces below. | |||
“Pink slime” journalism | Partisan newsrooms | ||
PART A: What is “pink slime?”
Dig Deeper
Sept. 26, 2022
NAME:
DATE:
What are some of the bad journalism practices “pink slime” sites have used?
| Find an excerpt that supports your answer. Write or summarize it here. | ||
Why do some people think these outlets are legitimate? | Find an excerpt that supports your answer. Write or summarize it here. | ||
What are the consequences for democracy? | Find an excerpt that supports your answer. Write or summarize it here. | ||
Why are partisan newsrooms more complex than “pink slime” sites? | Find an excerpt that supports your answer. Write or summarize it here. | ||
Who are some of the big “pink slime” and partisan newsroom players?
| |||
Record any additional notes you’d like to remember about this article in the space below. Is there anything that surprised you or you found interesting? | |||
PART B: Why “pink slime” journalism is a problem
Conclusion: What should it look like when a news organization aspires to put the public’s interest first? How do “pink slime” sites and/or partisan newsrooms fail in this regard? Use details from all parts of this think sheet in your response.
Use this infographic from the News Literacy Project to answer the following question. How do “pink slime” sites fail the credibility check? |
PART C: Legitimate sources
Extend: Use the infographic above to evaluate any local news source.
Click image for a larger view of this graphic.
The Sift DIG DEEPER resource was adapted from a worksheet originally created by educator Ellie Strand.