Agenda Setting Theory
Writing an information brief
In any newsroom, you will often be asked to produce a quick ‘information brief’ to help prepare a journalist (normally one who outranks you) for an interview or presentation.
These briefs are not written in the literary style of, say, an opinion piece: they serve simply to provide background information to facilitate research or exposition. Point form is fine, but use full sentences (grammar and language use will be reflected in your assessment).
You are required to describe the general issues and conflicts surrounding a particular issue (there is a list of possibilities below) and fill in some of the important details that your colleague may need.
Those details would include (among others):
- Positions held by the extreme antagonists and those in between (make sure you can place key personalities on the political spectrum regarding the issue. Remember: avoid binaries and understand how nuances can define a person’s stance).
- The history of the issue and current developments.
Now you may want to inject your own opinion into the brief – which is not uncommon. Instead of simply stating that opinion, consider including a paragraph or two attacking the mythologies that underpin people’s perceptions. Of course you can always promote your bias via your selection of facts (again, not uncommon).
Potential issues to explore (feel free to address any topics not mentioned below)
U.S.: RINOs vs the Tea Party, Immigration, Obamacare, ‘War on Women’, ‘War on Christmas’, Drones, NSA surveillance, Climate Change, Paul vs Christie, Occupy Wall Street, Birtherism, etc.
Global: Egypt, Snowden, Syria, Russian homophobia, the M23, Zimbabwe election, etc.
R.S.A.: Judicial transformation, Spytapes, EFF, Seriti Commission, Farlan Commission, Dina Pule, ‘Poo Wars’, Nkandla, Vavi, Trade Union conflict, Xhosa circumcision, tribalism in the ruling party, etc.
Due Date: 17h00 of 26/8/13.
Length: 500-800 words.
Mark weighting: 10% of course mark.
In any newsroom, you will often be asked to produce a quick ‘information brief’ to help prepare a journalist (normally one who outranks you) for an interview or presentation.
These briefs are not written in the literary style of, say, an opinion piece: they serve simply to provide background information to facilitate research or exposition. Point form is fine, but use full sentences (grammar and language use will be reflected in your assessment).
You are required to describe the general issues and conflicts surrounding a particular issue (there is a list of possibilities below) and fill in some of the important details that your colleague may need.
Those details would include (among others):
- Positions held by the extreme antagonists and those in between (make sure you can place key personalities on the political spectrum regarding the issue. Remember: avoid binaries and understand how nuances can define a person’s stance).
- The history of the issue and current developments.
Now you may want to inject your own opinion into the brief – which is not uncommon. Instead of simply stating that opinion, consider including a paragraph or two attacking the mythologies that underpin people’s perceptions. Of course you can always promote your bias via your selection of facts (again, not uncommon).
Potential issues to explore (feel free to address any topics not mentioned below)
U.S.: RINOs vs the Tea Party, Immigration, Obamacare, ‘War on Women’, ‘War on Christmas’, Drones, NSA surveillance, Climate Change, Paul vs Christie, Occupy Wall Street, Birtherism, etc.
Global: Egypt, Snowden, Syria, Russian homophobia, the M23, Zimbabwe election, etc.
R.S.A.: Judicial transformation, Spytapes, EFF, Seriti Commission, Farlan Commission, Dina Pule, ‘Poo Wars’, Nkandla, Vavi, Trade Union conflict, Xhosa circumcision, tribalism in the ruling party, etc.
Due Date: 17h00 of 26/8/13.
Length: 500-800 words.
Mark weighting: 10% of course mark.