Everyman News Discussion Guide

Everyone talks about stories they read in the media. But who is talking about why the media is presenting these kinds of stories? Join in this discussion about changes in contemporary American newspapers and engage in a thoughtful conversation about newspaper content, style and sourcing.

1. Do you think anecdotal leads are overused in newspapers with an increasing number of personal stories used to tell the news? 

2. Consider your local paper: Have there been any changes in front-page content in the past few years?  Do you notice if reporters tend to rely more heavily on official or unofficial sources?

3. What do you think is the role of the newspaper in a crowded media landscape? Will it become obsolete or just change mode of delivery?

4. Do you think the Internet serves as a replacement for the newspaper or a supplement to it?

5. What can be done to keep citizen journalism from becoming “chicken little journalism?”  Is there a way to ensure accuracy and balance in citizen journalism?

6. How do you feel the blogosphere affects mainstream, traditional media outlets? Do bloggers change the content and sourcing of major news outlets?

7. Did you notice a difference in the way news stories have been told since September 11, 2001? Why do you think people demanded more humanistic stories such as the New York Times’ groundbreaking series, “Portraits of Grief?”

8. As newspapers shift toward narrative journalism, what is the role of  Stories told in a more traditional inverted-pyramid structure?  How do journalists strike a balance between the two styles?

9. How can newspapers increase diversity?  What effects might citizen journalism, diversified newsrooms and blogging have on diversity of sourcing and stories in the news?

10. Have you ever had an emotional experience you considered cathartic or edifying  from reading a newspaper story?  What kinds of news stories do you find are the most therapeutic?