Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 2013

Publication Source

The Image of the Journalist in Popular Culture Journal

Abstract

This textual analysis examines the role of pseudo-events in the newsgathering process depicted on season five of The Wire. The researchers found that the press and sources construct “reality”; sources present “masks” to conceal “reality”' and journalists acknowledge the absurdity of pseudo-events but cover staged events as genuine news. The overriding conclusion is that journalists fail citizens by constructing a false reality through a negotiation with powerful sources who are media- savvy enough to control depictions. These findings are then interpreted through the lens of cultivation theory.

Inclusive pages

135-169

ISBN/ISSN

1932-8036

Document Version

Published Version

Comments

This document is provided for download in compliance with the publisher's policy on self-archiving. Permission documentation is on file.

Publisher

University of Southern California

Volume

5

Peer Reviewed

yes


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