syndication
/ˌsɪndɪˈkeɪʃən/The sale of the same article, photo or programme to several different publications or broadcasters.
Example: The comic strip runs in syndication across dozens of newspapers.
C120 words · Advanced
Media & Communications vocabulary — C1
Advanced media vocabulary for journalism ethics and practice, including syndication, a retraction, libel and the fact-checking and editorial independence a newsroom depends on.
20 questions
Words in this set
20retraction
/riˈtrækʃən/A public statement withdrawing or correcting something a publication previously reported as fact.
Example:
The magazine printed a retraction after the story was proven false.
libel
/ˈlaɪbəl/A false written or published statement that damages someone's reputation.
Example:
The actor sued the tabloid for libel.
gag order
A court ruling that prevents the media from reporting certain details of a case.
Example:
A gag order stopped the press from naming the witness.
fact-checking
The process of verifying that claims in a news story are accurate before it is published.
Example:
Fact-checking caught two errors before the article went to print.
teleprompter
/ˈtɛləˌprɑmptər/A screen that displays a script for a presenter to read while looking directly at the camera.
Example:
The news anchor read smoothly from the teleprompter.
voiceover
/ˈvɔɪˌsoʊvər/Narration recorded separately and added to a video or broadcast, without the speaker appearing on screen.
Example:
A calm voiceover guided viewers through the documentary.
media bias
When news coverage unfairly favours one side, opinion or group over another.
Example:
Viewers on both sides accused the channel of media bias.
gatekeeping
Controlling which information or stories reach the public, often done by editors.
Example:
Social media has reduced traditional gatekeeping by newspaper editors.
press junket
An event where journalists are invited, often with costs paid, to help promote something.
Example:
The actors did a press junket in five cities to promote the film.
editorial independence
Freedom to report without interference from owners or advertisers.
Example:
Editorial independence survives until the first serious advertiser complains.
right of reply
The chance for someone criticised to respond publicly.
Example:
The right of reply was granted on page nineteen.
public interest defence
The argument that publishing something served the public good.
Example:
The public interest defence was tested and it held.
source protection
The duty not to reveal who gave you information.
Example:
Source protection is the one principle nobody in that newsroom would trade.
news values
The criteria that decide what counts as a story.
Example:
News values explain the running order better than any policy does.
pass notes
Short background written to bring a reader quickly up to date.
Example:
The pass notes were better read than the piece they introduced.
reach
/ritʃ/The number of different people who saw something.
Example:
Reach was enormous and engagement was almost nil.
engagement rate
How many of the people who saw something acted on it.
Example:
An engagement rate of nought point four per cent is normal and still depressing.
style guide
The rules a publication follows on spelling and usage.
Example:
The style guide has ruled on that hyphen since 1974.
standfirst
The short introductory paragraph under a headline.
Example:
The standfirst did more work than the first four paragraphs.
