Reality Checks Content Analysis Kit

This kit is designed to assist in measuring how accurately a local newspaper represents the community's diversity, and to help stimulate discussion and dialogue about both this representation and the community in general. The Reality Checks kit seeks to help journalists make news coverage more inclusive and representative of their communities.

The tools presented in the kit are based on Robert C. Maynard’s Fault Lines framework which focuses on the five demographic element of race, gender, generation, geography and class. Users are encouraged to work both individually and as a group through a series of worksheets and exercises that explore the participants' perceptions, community realities, and the way in which community is reflected in the newspaper(s) examined.

Contents:

• Introduction
• Understanding Fault Lines
• Community/Readership Demographics
  • Community/Readership Demographics Worksheet
  • Community/Readership Demographics Resource List
• Reality Checks Content Audit Tools
  • Individual Stories and Images Analysis
    • Individual Stories and Images Analysis Instructions
    • Individual Stories and Images Content Audit Instrument
    • Individual Story and Image Sample
  • Whole Newspaper Analysis
    • Whole Newspaper Analysis Instructions: Quick View and In-depth
    • Whole Newspaper: News Story Instrument
    • Whole Newspaper: News Story Sample
    • Whole Newspaper: News Image Instrument
    • Whole Newspaper: News Image Sample
    • Whole Newspaper Analysis Discussion Guide
• Maynard Institute Services