PrepTest 135, Section 1, Question 24
Editorial: One of our local television stations has(48 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(13 more words not shown)
- AJournalism deserves to(11 more words not shown)
- BAny journalism that(11 more words not shown)
- CAny journalism that(15 more words not shown)
- DGood journalism will(10 more words not shown)
- EJournalism that neither(14 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Accurate and popular—but is it good journalism?
The nephew's personal problems might have little to do with the politician's public responsibilities. Or perhaps there is an important connection. We aren't told. The editorial gives us accuracy and audience interest, while leaving relevance and appropriateness unanswered.
Imagine a station devoting election-night coverage to an accurate discussion of themes in a popular novel. Viewers might enjoy it, and every statement might be true. We could still ask why that was the right subject to cover at that time. Accuracy and popularity don't settle every possible concern about journalistic quality.
What we’re looking for
Now the question puts us on the editorial's side: choose a principle that helps justify its reasoning. We need a rule that turns the features actually established—accurate information and considerable interest—into a sufficient basis for calling the coverage good journalism.
Working the answers
- A
This gives a reason to criticize journalism when it doesn't provide information people want. Our coverage did attract public interest. Escaping this particular ground for criticism doesn't establish that the coverage is good; there could be other reasons to criticize it.
- B
The report is described as accurate, not intentionally misleading. A rule condemning misrepresentation doesn't establish that accurate reporting is always good. Avoiding one bad feature isn't the same as meeting every standard of quality.
- CCorrect
The information was accurate, and the subject attracted considerable interest. Under C, those two features are enough to count as good journalism. That supplies the connection the editorial needs, whether or not we would endorse such a broad rule outside this question.
- D
This says good journalism must give people information they desire or need. It doesn't say every report containing desired information is good journalism. Think of it as a requirement: meeting one requirement doesn't guarantee overall quality. We need a rule going from the features of this report to the judgment that it is good.
- E
Journalism that is neither accurate nor interesting is ruled out. This report doesn't fall into that category, but that alone doesn't establish that it is good. The rule leaves open the possibility that accurate, interesting coverage could still be poor journalism for another reason, such as irrelevance. C closes that gap directly.
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