中山大学考研冷门专业-我最喜爱的一本书
Unit
3
What Is News?
Neil Postman and Steve Powers
Structure of the Text
Part I (Para. 1)
In this beginning paragraph, the
authors state the purpose of the essay.
Part II (Para. 2)
Some
people
might
define
the
news
as
what
television
directors
and
journalists
say
it is. The authors, however, think that
this definition is too simplistic.
Part III (Paras.
3
–
5)
In these paragraphs, the authors
explain why the news cannot be simply defined as
“what happened that day” or “what
happened that
day that was important and
interesting”.
Part IV (Paras.
6
–
11)
In
these
paragraphs,
the
authors
tell
readers
that
the
news
is
more
often
made
rather
than gathered, and it is made on the
basis of what the journalist thinks important
or what the journalist thinks the
audience thinks is important. Therefore, every
news story is a reflection of the
reporter who tells the story.
Part V (Paras.
12
–
15)
In
these
paragraphs,
the
authors
point
out
that
to
make
sense
of
the
news,
the
viewer
has to know
somet
hing about the journalist’s political beliefs as well as his
prejudices,
interests, and quirks which are, in turn,
influenced by his financial
status, the
companies he has worked for, the schools he went
to, the books he has
read, etc.
Part VI (Paras.
16
–
17)
In
these
paragraphs,
the
authors
point
out
that
the
journalist
cannot
always
impose
his/her
views on the general public because the television
channel or newspaper
cannot
survive
unless
the
news
they
provide
satisfies
the
needs
of
the
general
public.
On
the
other
hand,
the
viewer/reader
must
also
take
into
account
his
or
her
relationship
to
a
larger
audience
because
television
and
newspapers
are
mass
media
and
their news is not intended for an audience of one.
Part VII (Paras.
18
–
20)
In these paragraphs, the authors
discuss some other possible definitions of news:
news
as
something
to
give
people
pleasure;
news
as
something
instructive
that
reveals
the
mores,
values,
and
ideals
of
a
society;
news
as
living
history;
news
as
a
source
of
literature;
news
as
a
reflection
of
human
pain,
suffering,
tragedies
and
confusion;
news as
something to inspire people
and make them optimistic; news as
something to
frighten people and make them aware of
the seamy side of the reality; last but not
least, news as a filler between
commercials.
Part
VIII (Para. 21)
In this
paragraph, the authors conclude the essay by
reiterating their purpose in
raising
the issue “What is
n
ews?”
It is to arouse our interest and help us
understand
the
problems,
limitations,
traditions,
motivations,
and
even
the
delusions of the television
news industry.
Detailed Study of the Text
1
.
We
turn
to
this
question
because
unless
a
television
viewer
has
considered
it,
he or she
is in danger of too easily accepting someone
else’s definition—
for
example, a
definition supplied by the news director of a
television station; or
even worse, a
definition imposed by important
advertisers.
(Para. 1)
news director:
(
电视台
)
新闻节目负责人
advertisers:
In many countries in the West, television stations largely depend on
selling
air
time
to
advertisers
for
their
revenue.
Therefore,
important
advertisers
can
often impose their views and interests on the news
supplied by television
stations.
viewer
：
Someone who is watching a movie, a television program, or an exhibition
Compare:
audience:
a group of people who watch, read, or listen to something
spectator:
a person who watches an event, show, game, or activity
2
.
A simplistic definition of news can be drawn by paraphrasing Justice Oliver
Wendell
Holmes’ famous definiti
on of the law. The law, Holmes said, is what the
courts
say it is… we might say that the news is what
television directors and
journalists
say it is.
(Para. 2)
Americans
generally
accept
Holmes’
famous
definition
of
the
law
because
they
agree
that laws must allow for the new
interpretations necessary to meet the challenges
of a changing nation and a changing
world. But to propose a definition of the news
by para
phrasing Holmes’ definition of the law probably commits the logical error
of
false
analogy.
For
example,
it
would
not
make
much
sense
if
we
were
to
say
politics
is what
politicians say it is, or education is what
teachers say it is.
simplistic
:
disapproving
too simple; not
complete or sufficiently thorough
Nothing more. Nothing less. :
As simple as that; no more, no less.
in similar fashion:
in the similar way; likewise; by the similar token
3
.
But
if
we
were
to
take
that
approach,
on
what
basis
would
we
say
that
we
haven’t
been told enough? Or that a story that
should have been covered wasn’t? Or th
at
too
many
stories
of
a
certain
type
were
included?
Or
that
a
reporter
gave
a
flagrantly
biased account?
(Para. 2)
The
fact
that
people
are
often
unsatisfied
with
news
reporting
implies
that
people
have different ideas
about what news should be.
flagrantly biased:
obviously and unquestionably biased
4
.
In modifying their answer, most will add that the news is “important and
interesting things that happened
that day.” This helps a little but leaves open
the
question
of
what
is
“important
and
interesting”
a
nd
how
that
is
decided.
(Para.
3)
It
is
all
right
to
say
that
news
consists
of
the
important
things
that
happened
that
day. But important to whom?
In what sense? For what reason?
but leaves open the question:
but does not give an answer to the question
5.
Of course, some people will say that the question of what is important and
interesting is not in the
least problematic. What the President says or does
is
important;
wars
are
important,
rebellions,
employment
figures,
elections,
appointments to the
Supreme Court. (Para. 4)
This
is an
interesting
example
of
hasty
generalization.
It
is
true
that
what
important
people
say
or
do
is
often
important,
but
we
can’t
jump
to
the
conclusion
that
everything they say or do is always important. On
the other hand, sometimes
even what
happens to someone completely unknown can escalate
to a serious crisis.
People call that
“the Butterfly Effect
.
”
problematic:
causing a problem; questionable; uncertain
6
.
Now, there is a great deal to be said for Saran Wrap. (Para. 4)
No
w, it’s true that Saran Wrap is very useful.
7.
Saran Wrap is not news. The color of Liz Taylor’s wrap is. Or so some people
believe. (Para. 4)
Note
that
the
authors
are
making
a
word
play
on
the
word
“wrap
,
”
which
has
different
meanings.
8
.
We
shall
never
learn
about
these
people
either,
however
instructive
or
interesting their stories may have
been.
(Para. 5)
We
will never hear anything about these people
either, no matter how instructive
or
interesting their stories may have been.
instructive
: providing knowledge or information; educational
9.
Of
course,
there
are
some
events
—
the
assassination
of
a
president,
an
earthquake,
etc.
—
that
have
near
universal
interest
and
consequences.
But
most
news
does not inhere
in the event.
(Para. 6)
to inhere in sth.:
formal
to be a natural part
of sth.; to be inherent in sth.
10
.
In fact, the news is more often
made
rather than
gathered
.
(Para. 6)
In fact, often the news is not
something out there for you to pick up; you have
to
decide what information is
newsworthy and make it into news.
11
．
Is
a
story
about
a
killing
in
Northern
Ireland
more
important
than
one
about
a
killing in Morocco?
(Para. 6)
For Americans of Irish background, the
answer will most likely be yes. It is said
that
the
relative
importance
of
an
event
is
often
determined
by
the
relative
distance
of its occurrence to the person
involved.
12
．
…
every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story. The
reporter’s
previous assumptions about what is “out there”
edit what he or she
thinks is there.
(Para. 6)
If
news
stories
were
just
facts,
and
facts
speak
for
themselves,
then
all
news
stories,
though
written
by
different
people,
would
be
the
same.
But
news
stories
are
actually
all different because
every news story is a reflection of the reporter
who tells
the story, and every reporter
has previous assumptions (beliefs, points of view,
and biases) which affect what he/she
thinks is there.
to edit:
to decide what will be included or left out, as editors do in preparing,
printing, broadcasting, etc.
13
．
The
answers
to
all of
these
questions,
as
well
as
to
other questions
about
the
event,
depend
entirely
on
the
point
of
view
of
the
journalist.
You
might
think
this
is
an
exaggeration,
that
reporters,
irrespective
of
their
assumptions,
can
at
least
get the facts straight.
(Para. 7)
irrespective of:
regardless of; without thinking about or considering
All
government
officials,
irrespective
of
their
rank,
must
disclose
their
property.
We
pursue the diplomatic policy of the five
principles of peaceful coexistence in
our
relationship
with
all
countries
irrespective
of
their
size
or
political
system.
to get the facts straight:
to find out what the facts are without making mistakes
now-defunct:
now-dead; now no longer existing or functioning
to
feature a story:
to give a story a prominent place in a newspaper or television
news show
14
．
…
who thus earn their 35 rubles a month in lieu of “relief”…
(Para. 8)
Instead of receiving government relief,
they are given jobs by the government so
that they can earn their money.
(
这是以工代赈的政策
)
in
lieu of:
instead of
(government) relief
：
money that is given to poor people by the government (
政府
)
救济
15
．
…
it was the policy of the
Journal
to
highlight the contrast between the
primitive Russian economy and the
sophisticated American economy
.
(Para. 11)
the
Journal
:
This
refers
to
the
newspaper
The
Wall
Street
Journal
,
mentioned
above.
to highlight:
to make people notice or be aware of something
sophisticated
: (the opposite of primitive) highly developed and complex
高级的，
复杂的
16
．
Each
of
our
senses
is
a
remarkably
astute
censor.
We
see
what
we
expect
to
see;
often, we focus on what we are paid to
see. And those who pay us to see usually
expect us to accept their notions not
only of what is important but of what are
important details. (Para. 11)
We have five sense organs, and they are
all extremely sharp censors.
censor:
a person who examines books, movies, newspapers, etc. and removes things
considered
by
the
authorities
to
be
offensive,
immoral,
or
harmful
to
society
(Note
the personification of the
word) .
We do not see or hear
everything. We only see or hear what we expect to
see or hear
because we have been
trained that way. We have been paid by our bosses
to see or
hear what they expect us to
see or hear. We have been made
to accept our bosses’
notion of what is
interesting and important.
17
．
“We’d
have
complete
dossiers
on
the
interests,
policies,
and
idiosyncrasies
of the owners. Then we’d have a dossier
on every journalist in the world. The
interests,
prejudices,
and
quirks
of
the
owner
would
equal
Z.
The
prejudices,
quirks,
and
private
interests
of
the
journalist
Y.
Z
times
Y
would
give
you
X,
the
probable
amount of truth in the
story.
” (Para. 12)
Here
the
French
writer
Albert
Camus,
quoted
by
A.
J.
Liebling,
is
using
a
mathematic
formula to express the relationship
between the interests, prejudices and quirks
of
a
newspaper
owner,
and
those
of
the
journalists,
and
the
probable
amount
of
truth
in a news story.
Z x Y = X
Here, Z = the interests, prejudices,
and quirks of the owner
Y = the interests, prejudices, and quirks of the journalists
X = the truth probability of the news
Dossiers
(on): files (of); records (of)
18
．
The
host
might
say
something
like
this:
“To
begin
with,
this
station
is
owned
by Gary Farnsworth, who is
also the president of Bontel Limited, the
principal
stockholder of which is the
Sultan of Bahrain. Bontel Limited owns three
Japanese
electronic companies, two oil
companies, the entire country of Upper Volta, and
the western part of Romania. …”
(P
ara. 13)
The
implied
suggestion
is
that
this
television
station
is
quite
likely
to
be
biased
in
its
news
reporting,
reflecting
the
interests
of
those
who
control
its
finances.
19
．“The anchorman on the television show earns $$800,000 a year; his portfolio
i
ncludes
holdings
in
a
major
computer
firm.
He
has
a
bachelor’s
degree
in
journalism
from the University
of Arkansas but was a C+ student, has never taken
a course in
political science, and
speaks no language other than English. Last year,
he read
only two books
—
a biography of Cary Grant and a book of popular psychology called
Why Am I So
Wonderful? …
(Para. 13)
The
implication
here
is
that
the
opinions
of
the
anchorman
on
a
television
show
are
strongly influenced by his financial
status, his source of income, the education
he has received, and the books he has
read.
anchorman
(anchorwoman):
(chiefly
in
the US)
a man
or
woman
who
presents and
coordinates a television news program
(
电视和广播电台
)
新闻节目主持人
Compare:
broadcaster:
播音员
host
：
（游戏，访谈节目）主持人
portfolio
：
a range of investments held by a person or organization
全部投资；投
资组合
holdings
：
financial assets; land, property, or shares in a company
拥有的财产
20
.
“The
reporter
who
covered the
story
on
Yugoslavia speaks
Serbo
-Croatian, has
a
degree in international relations, and has had a
Neiman Fellowship at Harvard
University.”(Para. 13)
A reporter who speaks the language, has
a degree in a related field, and has done
research on journalism at a
distinguished university can naturally be expected
to
be
more
competent
to
cover
the
story
on
Yugoslavia
than
one
without
these
qualifications.
21
.
What we are saying is that to answer the question “What is news?” a viewer
must know something about the
political beliefs and economic situation of those
who provide the news.
(Para. 15)
The point we
are trying to make is that a viewer must know
something about the
political
beliefs
and
economic
situation
of
those
who
supply
the
news
if
he/she
wants
to answer
the question “What is news?”
Note
here
that
the
news
reporter’s
economic
situation
r
efers
to
his/her
financial
status
as
well
as
the
way
his/her
living
is
made,
because
a
person’s
vested
interest
(his/her
personal
stake
in
an
undertaking,
especially
with
an
expectation
of
financial
or other gain) often affects his/her point of
view.
22
.
There is, in fact, a point of view that argues against journalists imposing
their
own
sense
of
significance
on
an
audience.
…
What’s
our
point?
A
viewer
must
not
only
know
what
he
or
she
thinks
is
significant
but
others
believe
is
significant
as well
.
(Para. 16)
to keep their own opinions
to themselves:
To keep their own opinions secret; not
to announce their own
opinions
to
advise
them
of
what
is
important:
to
instruct
them
in
what
is
important;
to
teach
them what is important
Note
that
with
the
verb
“advise”,
the
preposition
“of”
is
used,
and
“to
advise