This document discusses sensationalism in news media. It defines sensationalism as presenting stories in a way that provokes public interest or excitement at the expense of accuracy. The document asks the reader to identify sensationalized statements about developing nations versus non-sensationalized ones. It discusses techniques used in sensationalism and has the reader research a natural disaster to analyze how facts are reported versus sensationalized in various news sources.

1. What is the key word?
Definition:
• The presentation of stories in a way that is
intended to provoke public interest or
excitement, at the expense of accuracy.
M I E S N A I S S T O N L A

2. Sensationalism
• We have just defined the above key term.
• What do you know about this concept?
• Look at the statements. Identify the ones that you
think are sensationalised.
How are the sensational statements different to the nonsensational statements?
• They make you worried
• They are more exciting
• They present things as being more serious or important
than they actually are.

3. Learning Objectives
• To define and recognise sensationalism, and
identify it in news coverage
• To demonstrate how news coverage influences
our perception by focusing on particular
aspects of developing nations

4. Sensationalism Techniques
• What do you notice? Do these link with our
earlier statements?

5. Research and deconstruction
• Look at one of the following three natural
disaster events:
– East Africa food crisis of 2006
– Mozambique floods of 2005-2006
– Pakistan earthquake 2005
• Research and record the key, unembellished and
objective facts that answer the 5 Ws: who, what,
where, when, and why.
• Find 5 or 6 images that support the facts of the
disaster.
• Cite your sources for your information.

6. News coverage
• Find four news sources for your event. Include
text and images. For each news source it must
meet the following criteria:
– Dealing with destruction and devastation
– Dealing with the needs of those suffering after the
event.
– Calling for help/aid/resources for the immediate and
ling term recovery and rebuilding process
– Dealing with the successful recovery and rebuilding
after the event

7. • Use online news resources such as Google
News.
• Make sure you select All dates from the
archives

8. News Deconstruction
• For each source complete the News Deconstruction
Chart to determine:
• Which ones are more sensational and why they were
• What was deemed “newsworthy” and why
• Why this event was newsworthy
• What elements in the stories about the events were
considered important enough for several news sources
to report
• Whether there was any news about recovery and
rebuilding following the event, and how difficult it was
to find this information

9. Share your findings!
• What were or might have been left out of the
media coverage?
• Try to identify 3 missing elements.