Overview

Written by a former news reporter and editor, News Talk gives us an insider's view of the media, showing how journalists select and construct their news stories. Colleen Cotter goes behind the scenes, revealing how language is chosen and shaped by news staff into the stories we read and hear. Tracing news stories from start to finish, she shows how the actions of journalists and editors - and the limitations of news writing formulas - may distort a story that was prepared with the most determined effort to be fair and accurate. Using insights from both linguistics and journalism, News Talk is a remarkable picture of a hidden world and its working practices on both sides of the Atlantic. It will interest those involved in language study, media and communication studies and those who want to understand how media shape our language and our view of the world.

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9780521819619

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Reviews

'Colleen Cotter draws on her skills as a linguist and experience as a journalist to produce a fascinating, insightful look at the influences and limitations on language in the news media. It's a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the subtle and often unwitting biases that creep into coverage.' John Diaz, San Francisco Chronicle 'What is fascinating about this book is its comparison between the different ways hacks and non-journalists conceptualise newsworthiness. ... News Talk is ambitious in its scope and includes a welcome call for dialogue between journalists and linguists. It looks at the industry in the US and Britain, but never succumbs to Winston Churchill's maxim that we are divided by a common language. A great touch is the dual glossary - one for linguistic terms, the other for journalism jargon. ... This is a refreshing and thought-provoking insight into the industry. If you love the language of journalism, you should read this.' The Times Higher Education Supplement

'Colleen Cotter draws on her skills as a linguist and experience as a journalist to produce a fascinating, insightful look at the influences and limitations on language in the news media. It's a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the subtle and often unwitting biases that creep into coverage.' John Diaz, San Francisco Chronicle 'What is fascinating about this book is its comparison between the different ways hacks and non-journalists conceptualise newsworthiness. … News Talk is ambitious in its scope and includes a welcome call for dialogue between journalists and linguists. It looks at the industry in the US and Britain, but never succumbs to Winston Churchill's maxim that we are divided by a common language. A great touch is the dual glossary - one for linguistic terms, the other for journalism jargon. … This is a refreshing and thought-provoking insight into the industry. If you love the language of journalism, you should read this.' The Times Higher Education Supplement

'Colleen Cotter draws on her skills as a linguist and experience as a journalist to produce a fascinating, insightful look at the influences and limitations on language in the news media. It's a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the subtle and often unwitting biases that creep into coverage.' John Diaz, San Francisco Chronicle 'What is fascinating about this book is its comparison between the different ways hacks and non-journalists conceptualise newsworthiness. ... News Talk is ambitious in its scope and includes a welcome call for dialogue between journalists and linguists. It looks at the industry in the US and Britain, but never succumbs to Winston Churchill's maxim that we are divided by a common language. A great touch is the dual glossary - one for linguistic terms, the other for journalism jargon. ... This is a refreshing and thought-provoking insight into the industry. If you love the language of journalism, you should read this.' The Times Higher Education Supplement A former journalist herself, Cotter draws on both her experiences and interviews with working reporters, offering keen insights into the behind-the-scences constraints that shape news stories. This critical scrutiny makes this book a valuable addition to any library and a must read for both linguists and journalists. Highly recommended. --Choice

Author Information

Colleen Cotter is a senior lecturer at the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film at Queen Mary, University of London. She is a former daily news reporter and editor in the USA. Her previous publications include USA Phrasebook: Understanding Americans and Their Culture, Second Edition (2001).

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