The aim of this exploratory study is to gain an understanding of the factors which influence the decision making of news editors in South Africa. The independent news media is an important source of information in modern society. It has a significant influence on people’s perceptions of the political and social issues facing a society. However it is not a neutral institution as it is a commercial business driven by profit. Within news organisations, editors are key decision makers as they decide how resources are allocated and which stories enter the public domain. The decisions taken by editors are immediately open to public scrutiny and often impact a range of stakeholders in society. In this study an exploratory phenomenological approach was used, as this approach seeks to capture the meaning of an experience through an examination of an individual’s lived experiences. To achieve this, twelve, in-depth interviews were conducted with editors, with over 85 years of editorial experience, in order to establish which factors influence their decision making process. The data was analysed using content and frequency analysis. The main factors which the editors identified as influencing their decision making process when evaluating a story included the following: the relevance to the audience, accuracy, the public interest, newsworthiness and entertainment value. In difficult editorial decisions which involved a trade-off between two or more important factors, the editors showed a strong commitment to the journalistic values of acting in the public interest and newsworthiness. Consultation, knowledge and personal attributes emerged as important competencies in ensuring good editorial decisions. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

There is writing about how nineteenth-century churchgoers' views of other countries were formed by church periodicals. And there is writing about how opinions of the Cing and Japanese Empires were changed by the 'Cing-Japanese War of 1894-1895' ('First Sino-Japanese War'; 'Jiá-wǔ War'), and the 'Japanese-Táiwanese War of 1895'. But, there are no works making connections between these bodies of writing. This work makes such a connection through a comparison of writing about the wars in two church periodicals, the England-based Monthly Messenger and Gospel in China , and the Táiwan-based 'Dāi-lám Church News' ('Dāi-lám Hu-siá n Gào-ho ê -b e'). It makes the argument that the periodicals' writers and editors were on the side of the Japanese, as it seemed to them that Japanese success against the Cing Empire, and Japanese rule in Tái-wan, would make Western ways commoner in these places, which would be good for the Protestant Churches there. But the writers and editors had to give their opinions differently, as their readers were in different positions with respect to the wars. The Monthly Messenger's readers were in England; nothing the writers said about the war would make them any less safe, and so in both wars the periodical gave its support to the Japanese loudly and frequently. But the Church News' readers and writers were in Tái-wan. Openly supporting an attacking country could put them in danger, so the writers said nothing for or against any side in the first war, and were but quietly against the Táiwanese Republic in the second.

收視率對當代電視新聞的影響，是國內外傳播學者關切的議題之一，尤其以台灣的媒體生態而言，僅有一家收視率調查公司，所提供的收視率數據遭到挑戰，學者憂心新聞媒體為商業服務，恐將對新聞發展帶來不利的影響。 新聞組織需要一項評估的工具，「收視率」既然如此受到質疑，為何長期以來一直找不到收視率以外的機制足以取代？也就是說，如果要找到一項得以取代收視率的機制，外界必須先了解收視率如何在當代媒體機構中被使用，它與新聞組織到底存在什麼樣的共生狀態，過去外界透過短暫觀察與訪談，便對新聞室運作與收視率的關連下了評論，從實務經驗來看，並不認為其知其所以然。本研究將從實際新聞室的運作，對於收視率在新聞室中的流動，提供最直接的證據。 本研究將以電視編輯的對話分析，輔以資深人員訪談，解構收視率在新聞室中的工具性；繼之從傅柯的權力系譜學下，觀察新聞組織如何披著收視率的外衣，馴服新聞編輯，反之，新聞編輯如何透過權力的流動，利用收視率對組織進行反制。提供最實際的場域證據，展現新聞室與收視率的日常活動經驗，讓外界得以了解，並正視兩者之間的緊密聯繫，對未來提出改變收視型態建議時，能更臻成效。 關鍵詞：收視率、新聞編輯、工具性、傅柯、權力。 / The influence of TV rating cause to news organizations was a topic that gains most focus of the scholars in mass-communication era. Especially in Taiwan, there is only one institution provides such statistics, therefore the authenticity of these statistics has been widely quest about. Scholars also shown their worry about that the commercially development of news organizations will lead them heading to the iceberg. Indeed, News organizations need a tool to evaluate the effects of their programs to the audience. Even through TV rating has been queried by scholars, why the tool still irreplaceable? There must be something that deep inside between TV rating and news organizations that haven’t been noticed. To break into this connection, we must first realized that TV rating already been symbiosis with news organizations. And clear-out how the tool been used inside news organizations. For the time being, scholars have been reviewing such relation from outsider point of view and made the conclusion based on such basis. From which, we think is just skin-deep. In this study, we will provide evidences from inside the news room. This thesis is based on analyze of the communications between editors. Together with interviews of senior news producers, we try to assay the tool phenomenology of TV rating inside the news room. Further we observe how news organizations use rating to discipline news editors under the theory of genealogy of power form Michael Foucault. In contrary, how editors resist news organizations through floating power of rating. From such study we can clearly identified the reality of close connection between TV rating and news room. And then we could have more valid suggestions about replacing TV rating in the future. Keywords: TV rating, news editors, tool phenomenology, Foucault, power

Thesis (M. A. (Media Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Citizen journalism has the potential to enhance the state of community newspapers. The emergence of digital media brought about the concept of citizen journalism, allowing ordinary citizens to practice journalism similar to professional journalism. The resultant high volume of news information from ordinary citizens, despite its benefits, leaves editors grappling with what enters the news gate. This study investigated the perceptions and attitudes of editors of community newspapers in Limpopo province of South Africa towards integrating citizen journalism into their daily journalism practices. This qualitative study used interview guide for data collection from a total of six (7) community newspaper editors in the province. The findings of the study indicate that most editors of community newspapers have positive perceptions towards citizen journalism. They are of the view that it could contribute positively towards their organisations particularly in strengthening democratic participation as a corner stone of community media, increasing the circulation of their newspapers, and assisting their communities to strive and strengthen their relationship with the outside world. However, they are not keen to incorporate citizen journalism in their professional practices. Their expressed concerns are lack of ethics and other basic journalistic skills in citizen journalism and the possibility of encumbering the process of news gatekeeping. However, due to many positive impacts of citizen journalism, editors should endeavour to find ways to incorporate citizen journalism into their organisations. Keywords: Gatekeeping, citizen journalism, community newspapers, community participation, news editors

Diploma thesis "Comparation of press agencies and foreign correspondents news contribution" observe, analyze and compare foreing news in main television news sessions on channels Česká televize and FTV Prima. The target is to learn, if foreign television correspondents can distinctly contribute to the news progamme. Working hypothesis comes from theoretical scholar literature and practical experiences of author. The research establish approximate percentage of original correspondet reports and news agency reports edited in Prague in the selected media sample. With quantitative reserach approach the work evaluate parameters of each foreign news report. The goal is to make the analysis the most reliable as possible. It focuses questions as if correspondent brings exclusive topics and topics with relation to Czech republic, if correspondents are pushed to produce feature reports instead of actual reports, if live coverage is really the most up-to-date and authentic form of reporting, if world news agencies are really indispensable source of international news and audiovisual materials and if news agencies offer more complex service than televison correspondents.

本論文的研究目的在探討影響電視新聞編輯編排的因素，以及24小時新聞台編輯因應這些因素發展出來的編排策略。依照Shoemaker〈1991〉所提的影響守門人因素的五個層次，包括個人層面、常規層面、組織層面、媒介外層面以及社會文化層面，作為分析架構，藉此了解電視編輯對於各層面的因素對其影響的程度，問卷調查總計訪問了127位新聞台的編輯人員，再針對問卷調查的分析結果，以深度訪談的方式訪問7位編輯人員。研究結果發現個人層面對新聞台編輯的影響主要包括：編輯在新聞價值判斷上偏重新聞的話題性及畫面的精采度；而越年輕、職務越低的編輯再編排新聞時越容易受到個人喜好影響；另外「獨家新聞」無論其新聞價值性如何，編輯普遍都盡量會排播。 常規層面部分，最主要影響的因素是「時間」面向，包括到帶時間及新聞播出的時間篇幅限制；而編輯負責的編排時段也會影響新聞的選擇，如是「黃金時段」新聞選擇較多樣化，「一般時段」就會考量「消化」新聞；而編輯一次負責編排的時數也會影響新聞的重複率；另外，晚夜時段編輯較早午時段編輯不偏愛SNG連線。編輯通常會選播做新聞品質較有口碑的記者的新聞；另外，編輯普遍認為一則普通新聞長度最好不要超過90秒；而平衡報導的操作模式已內化在編輯的操作模式中。 組織層面部分，部份編輯認為電視台屬性確實會影響其編排；而年紀輕、資歷淺、職務低的編輯也較會受到長官指示編排新聞；在「以編領採」的新聞室內，其新聞製作及編排方向越會以收視率為導向；而組織文化會影響編輯對於新聞品質的要求；本研究也發現組織獎懲對於編輯編排的影響不大。 媒介外層面部分，有93.7%的編輯認為其編排時會考量收視率，而且教育程度越高、年資越久的編輯影響越高，顯示收視率已逐漸內化成編輯判斷新聞的實考模式，而且前一天的收視率對於新聞規模及擺放位置有關鍵性指標；在禁止「每分鐘收視率」之後，編輯通常是以新聞區塊或新聞節奏思考觀眾喜好的趨向。另外被要求編排「業配新聞」對編輯而言是習以為常的事，通常編輯會將之排在新聞的最後，或依照業配新聞的性質隱藏在其他新聞之間。另外年紀越輕、資歷越淺、職務越低的編輯越容易受到其他媒體議題設定的影響；而本研究也發現，編輯是電視新聞「跟報風」的推手之一。 在社會文化層面，編輯認為若社會環境趨勢也是影響其編排的重大指標。另外編輯也認為馬賽克、消音等製播限制有逐漸增加趨勢，甚至在編播上有自我更加限縮的情況。本研究也發現，媒體自律隱隱成形，對於暴力、色情、自殺新聞的選擇並沒有放寬，尤其是自殺新聞基本上不選用。 比較五個層面的影響程度，編輯普遍認為媒介外層面是最主要的原因，其次為個人層面、接續是社會層面、組織層面及常規層面。 關於編輯編排策略上，研究發現編排模式會融合固定新聞模式及議題分散模式為主；編排節奏也趨於緊湊；新聞編排的重複率降低。除了TVBS恢復「整點開播」之外，其他新聞台仍是提早開播，因TVBS「整點開播」模式對其他台的收視率無明顯受衝擊，因此其他台均認為沒有跟進的必要。「短廣告」策略出現，其目的是為了減低觀眾廣告轉台機率，並且分散每段廣告時間的廣告量；此策略目前僅TVBS使用，其他台為跟進的原因是考量其觀眾的收視習慣不同。本研究也發現監看友台而調動新聞順序的頻率減少；並且插播新聞也已非隨到隨播；另外「假連線」已成目前新聞台的製播常態。 / This thesis aims to investigate the factors affecting TV news editing and the responsive strategy developed by editors in 24-hour news channel. It adopts Shoemaker’s (1991) five levels of gatekeeping decisions and forces, including individual, communication routines, organizational, extramedia, and social system level. Based on this analytical framework, the research was conducted by survey of 127 editors which was followed by in-depth interview of 7 editors. The research findings can be summarized into the five levels respectively. On individual level, editors preferred to evaluate news with the extent of controversy and excitement; the younger and lower-positioned editors were more easily to be subjective in editing news. Furthermore, “exclusive news” enjoyed higher priority to be broadcast regardless of its news value. On communication routine level, the influential factors are “time-related”. First, editors were concerned about the timing of videotape arriving and limited length of broadcasting time. Second, the session for which editors were responsible was also important. The news was more diversified in “prime time”, but more repetitive in “general session”. Third, editors of morning and noon sessions were more likely to conduct SNG connection than editors of late night session. Fourth, editors preferred to broadcast the news reported by reporters with fine reputation. Moreover, the consensus among editors was that general news should not be longer than ninety seconds; the principle of balanced report has been internalized in editors’ operational model. On organizational level, interviewees agreed that attributes of the channel and organizational culture were more consequential than reward system in news editing. The younger, lower-positioned, and junior editors were more likely to follow instructions from supervisors. Generally, the producing and editing of news were rating-oriented. On extramedia level, 93.7 per cent of interviewees would consider rating in news editing, especially the more educated and senior editors. This result indicated that rating has been internalized as the standard of editing. Specifically, the pridian rating is critical in deciding the length and placement of news in the following day. However, after the “rating per minute” was prohibited, editors inferred audience preference from news zone or news rhythm. Furthermore, “product placement” was placed in the end of or among other news according to its characteristics. This study also found that editors partook in promoting the trend of “follow suit” TV news. On social system level, editors thought that the social trend was critical in editing news. Some editors considered that constraints of broadcast such as blurring and muting were increasing which made editors more self-limited. This study also found that media self-regulation was in shape. The news about violence, pornography, and suicide were highly restricted or even abandoned. Based on interviewees’ response, the five levels can be listed in order of the extent of influence. The primary factors were on extramedia level which followed individual level, social system level, organizational level, and the communication routine level. This study found that editing strategies include: combination of fixed news model and issue diffusion model, tighter schedule, lower rate of repetition, and “short advertisement”. The last one was only used by TVBS channel in order to keep audience stay tune and to dilute quantity of advertisement in every intervals. TVBS was the only channel resuming “on the hour” news. Since this broadcast model had no significant impact on TV rating, other channels remained broadcasting a few minutes earlier. Last but not least, this study also found that “fake connection” has been commonly used and emergency news would not be broadcast on time. Fewer changes of broadcasting order due to monitoring news of other channels.