The relationship between journalism and cinema runs deep. From thrilling movies based on true events to fictional movies created for entertainment, the perception of journalism has been reflected and utilized in the cinema.
However, this relationship is not one-sided: the cinema serves as a popular culture conduit that has shaped public ideas about what it means to be a journalist. Are they fearless heroes, determined to seek the truth at all costs? Are they ordinary people constantly pressed for time and buzzing back and forth like worker bees?
A new course in the journalism program at the University of Minnesota Duluth addresses these questions by watching movies, reading about journalism, and analyzing how pop culture representations influence public perceptions of what journalists actually do in their day-to-day work.. Journalism at the Movies, JOUR 3095, is taught by Associate Professor Jennifer Moore.
The course explores the themes and applies knowledge of journalistic ethics, and professional norms like truth, accuracy, speed, and transparency. . Studying journalism through film means examining stereotypes, myths, and their impact; students have to differentiate between what they know for certain versus what has been told to them through different media.
Professor Moore sat down for an interview and discussed the course, its origin, different themes, the expected learning objectives, and hopes for the course’s future growth. (Note: Interview text was edited for clarity.)
Can you tell me a little bit about what Journalism at the Movies course is and what students aim to do in each class?
The idea behind Journalism in the Movies is to study journalism principles and ethical considerations in the profession. I wanted to create a course that would be a fun and unique way to engage students to think about journalism norms – like truth-telling, accountability, and the principles behind investigative journalism. We talk about these things and more in all of our journalism courses. This course is unique in our program because it uses the lens of popular culture to study journalism by exploring and interrogating movies and television programs that feature portrayals of journalists.
I believe that popular culture depictions of journalism influenced how the public understands the profession in both positive and negative ways. By teaching journalism principles, norms, and media ethics practices using movies is just another way to learn. I use popular films about journalism to have conversations and spark dialog, as opposed to only assigning textbooks and reading about these issues.
What are some of the themes and connections explored between journalism and how it's portrayed in popular culture and the film industry?
An academic way of talking about journalism principles is normative theories -- what journalism ought to be in a democratic society like the United States. That means engaging in discussions about how journalists do their jobs -- for example, seeking the truth and reporting it, and how they should strive to minimize harm. They should be accountable and fair. In some cases, they need to think about balance in their reporting. They also need to try to strive for not bringing their own biases to what they’re reporting on.
Where did this idea of having a course like this originate from, and how were you able to make it come to fruition as part of the program or a new topic?
Years ago I met somebody at another institution who not only taught a course like this, but also co-wrote a book about using films about journalism in the classroom. I always thought it would be a really intriguing way to teach a journalism course. There's so many real-life stories that have happened in the journalism world that have been made into popular movies. There's just such a rich catalog of films to choose from that it just seemed like a great challenge for me. So that's really how it came to be.
One thing that I aimed for in this class is the experience of watching films together in a room with others. That collective viewing experience really impacts how you take in a film, and then we can have immediate discussions afterwards to help to spark community and a sense of belonging in the classroom.
The other thing that this class is really allowing me to do is explore some of these trickier concepts, like conflicts of interest and how our media system is structured and how that affects the practice of journalism. There are all kinds of things we can do in a class like this through the lens of these films.
What are the goals or the learning objectives or outcomes that you hope for students to take away from this class?
I want students to understand the similarities and differences between how journalism is practiced in the real world versus how it's portrayed in popular culture. For some, movies and TV programs that feature journalism might be the only contact they have with the profession. How does that impact what people think? There is a relationship, arguably, about how people understand journalism and how it's portrayed in popular culture, and it might translate to people's trust or distrust in news media.
Knowing that this class is new to the program, what are some of your hopes for this course’s development and integration in the future?
My hope for a course like this is to become one that any student at the university could take to learn about journalism norms and standards. I think every citizen needs to understand the role and function of journalism in a democratic society. For someone who has little or no knowledge about journalism could have a good experience learning about it.
One thing I’m counting on this semester is to get feedback from students currently taking the class. I want to know what they think is working, what’s not working, and use that to improve it when it’s taught again.
Author Mairen McNamara ([email protected]) is a communications specialist and student intern with the Communication Department at the University of Minnesota Duluth.