Training, Language and Culture doi: 10.29366/2018tlc.2.3.7 Volume 2 Issue 3, 2018 rudn.tlcjournal.org Review editors pose at the beginning of the book? At one teaching experience and classroom practice. As level, they are fairly obvious. Teachers like to align such it is a branch of applied linguistics. The their teaching to their spiritual identity. Spiritual influence of religious belief on practice might be Breaking news: The remaking of journalism and why it and religious identity are closely aligned with described as ‘applied religious belief’. matters now (a review) culture. It is important to recognise the importance Original work by Alan Rusbridger published by Canongate Books 2018 Reviewed by Barry Tomalin and Humaira Patel of spirituality and religious belief in the classroom For Widdowson, any teaching inspired by religious and the cultural background of students and not to belief must take local factors into account and Barry Tomalin International House London [email protected] Humaira Patel 7Dnews.com [email protected] hide differences. In this light, discussion of religion must also show respect for cultural diversity and Published in Training, Language and Culture Vol 2 Issue 3 (2018) pp. 101-104 doi: 10.29366/2018tlc.2.3.8 and values can be useful in helping the teacher respect for individual identity. All teachers will Recommended citation format: Tomalin, B., & Patel, H. (2018). Breaking news: The remaking of journalism and why it matters now (a review). Training, Language and Culture, 2(3), 101-104. doi: 10.29366/2018tlc.2.3.8 connect with the lives, cultures and identities of identify with the key ethical qualities advocated by students. Henry Widdowson. He stresses the importance of This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is teachers resisting dogmatism and accommodating properly cited (CC BY 4.0) Many teachers will identify with Professor Henry to other ways of thinking and believing. Doing Widdowson’s ‘admittedly agnostic point of view’ this, he believes, will encourage the humanistic Is it Trump and ‘fake news’? Is it the huge changes In 23 reasonably short but immensely clear and as he stresses the importance of humanistic and principles of tolerance and willingness to in journalism and how we receive and process entertaining chapters Rusbridger reviews his ethical values in teaching. In his afterword Henry understand and respect otherness rather than news from around the world? Is it the way that twenty years at the Guardian and the problems Widdowson compares the way teachers’ beliefs trying to convert people. journalism uses language that needs to be studied and crises the paper faced technologically, in influence their work just as much as their and understood as part of specialist language business and politically. Its value to language background and teacher training influence how Overall, Spirituality and English Language Teaching programmes? Maybe all of these, but a rash of teachers is its ability to highlight and explain how they react to new methodological approaches. He is an excellent contribution to an area of language books on journalism and journalistic language has journalism is changing to meet online and recognises that although many studies have teaching of importance worldwide but still rather appeared over the last year or so, some of which international challenges and to learn language focused on language background, linguistic and poorly represented in theoretical studies. By have been reviewed in these pages. All have been terminology related to journalism and media and pedagogic training and background culture and including case studies and viewpoints from by eminent journalists, but Alan Rusbridger is see how it is changing. It will be of value to experience, the influence of religion has not been different religious and cultural backgrounds, it especially so. teachers of language for special purposes, fully explored. In terms of teacher cognition, offers lessons applicable to all languages and not particularly for journalism and is a significant previous studies focus how theories inform just the teaching of English. As editor in chief of the British national contribution to an increasingly important subject newspaper, the Guardian, for twenty years from in schools and universities, Media Literacy and 1995-2015 he was in some respects the guardian Critical Awareness. of the nation’s morals, campaigning for rights and ‘speaking truth to power’. If one of the jobs of the The key to the change in press and media press is to publish what power wants to keep reporting has been the movement from ‘vertical’ hidden the Guardian was one of the trailblazers. communication in which a relatively select group

© Barry Tomalin, Humaira Patel 2018 100 Training, Language and Culture This content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License Training, Language and Culture 101 Training, Language and Culture doi: 10.29366/2018tlc.2.3.8 Breaking news: The remaking of journalism and why it matters now (a review) Volume 2 Issue 3, 2018 rudn.tlcjournal.org Original work by Alan Rusbridger, reviewed by Barry Tomalin and Humaira Patel

of trained journalists investigated and reported new model of online journalism, some of it free formats and platforms which can be manipulated above all, coal. stories from around the world, to ‘horizontal’ and much of it protected by online subscription, by political and business interests and by parts of communication where anyone, anywhere can known as a ‘paywall’, has taken its place. The the established press itself. This has given rise to But his principal theme is the development of report anything they like. Their medium is no costs of production and distribution may have accusations of ‘fake news’ and in some cases the online journalism. He sees the importance of longer newsprint but online and social media. No gone down but the need for good journalists and ‘rubbishing’ of so-called experts. The opportunity technology driving behaviour. For centuries, longer are the people posting ‘news’ concerned correspondents to find and examine the facts is that it has vastly expanded the scope for press technology only allowed one-way communication with separating facts from opinions. Fewer and remain and that is expensive. Rusbridger’s job as organisations that have embraced online but the development of online communication fewer people have time to find out what the facts editor was to oversee this development into online publishing and distribution. allowed two-way or multiple-way communication. actually are and are swamped by the amount of journalism without sacrificing the quality of Faced with the epoch-changing technology, it information they are offered every day from all reporting. Rusbridger describes how his own paper, the would be a mistake, asserts Rusbridger, to carry on over the world. Guardian, took the first hesitating steps in as if the world has not changed. Not all journalists Much of journalism relies on ‘newsfeeds’ from establishing online media and how it has now agreed with him. Guardian columnist and former Rusbridger describes this situation as ‘information news agencies, such as Associated Press and become the paper’s major outlet worldwide. At the Times editor Simon Jenkins, paraphrasing lines chaos’ and quotes the World Economic Forum in Reuters, which journalists then fashion into their personal professional level, he describes how from Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest, said the 2016 as identifying the rapid spread of information own stories, using the agency as a source. This is experts have overcome the limitations of 140 or Internet would ‘strut an hour upon the stage and as one of the top ten dangers to society, alongside known as ‘commodity news’, meaning the same 280 characters on Twitter to develop Twitter then take its place among lesser media’. cybercrime and climate change. What caused this? basic story is available to anyone. The other big threads which allow them to explain complex Two things, technology and business. change was the move from ‘reporting’ to a issues in short stages through a number of Not only did the Internet liberate communication, ‘conversation’ between the public who could successive tweets. it also changed the way we use language. When he took over the Guardian in 1995, people tweet or even broadcast their views on YouTube Rusbridger, describes the emergence of got their news once a day, or more frequently on and WhatsApp immediately on publication of a Rusbridger is particularly good at explaining the ‘netiquette’, the use of symbols and phrases. radio and TV, from a newspaper paid for by sales story. role of social media in some of the major news Tweeters and bloggers initiated italics for quotes and subscriptions and supported by advertising stories of the last few years, such as Wikileaks, from previous posts, the use of bold type for revenue. Because it was news printed on paper, it The value of this book to teachers is that it Edward Snowden’s revelations of US data emphasis and indented paragraphs for block has become known in our digital age as ‘dead tree provides a journalist’s eye view of the rise, collection techniques, the role of Cambridge quotes. In fact, a new grammar, a new vocabulary journalism’. By the time he retired in 2016, only opportunities and challenges of social media and Analytica in collecting and passing personal data and new punctuation have been introduced to 6% of young (18-24 years old) readers were its effect on more ‘traditional’ journalism from the to Facebook for use in election campaigns and the convey the narrative of the new technology. regularly getting news from newsprint and 65% point of view of the highly respected former editor use of phone hacking, highlighting and developing mainly depended on online sources. Among older of one of British journalism’s most important our understanding of the threat to personal privacy. A huge amount of work was put into building a readers (over 55 years old) 55% prefer to get their publications. The challenge for what Rusbridger He also covers environmental issues such as the regular subscriber base, even if there was no news online. This means that the old model of calls ‘the legacy press’ is that anyone now can ‘Keep It in the Ground’ campaign against the paywall. ‘Clickbait’, as it was called, was the newsprint subsidised by advertising is gone and a publish information and opinion in a variety of extraction of fossil fuels like oil and gas and, packaging of news with racy headlines and

102 Training, Language and Culture Training, Language and Culture 103 Training, Language and Culture doi: 10.29366/2018tlc.2.3.8 Breaking news: The remaking of journalism and why it matters now (a review) Volume 2 Issue 3, 2018 rudn.tlcjournal.org Original work by Alan Rusbridger, reviewed by Barry Tomalin and Humaira Patel

of trained journalists investigated and reported new model of online journalism, some of it free formats and platforms which can be manipulated above all, coal. stories from around the world, to ‘horizontal’ and much of it protected by online subscription, by political and business interests and by parts of communication where anyone, anywhere can known as a ‘paywall’, has taken its place. The the established press itself. This has given rise to But his principal theme is the development of report anything they like. Their medium is no costs of production and distribution may have accusations of ‘fake news’ and in some cases the online journalism. He sees the importance of longer newsprint but online and social media. No gone down but the need for good journalists and ‘rubbishing’ of so-called experts. The opportunity technology driving behaviour. For centuries, longer are the people posting ‘news’ concerned correspondents to find and examine the facts is that it has vastly expanded the scope for press technology only allowed one-way communication with separating facts from opinions. Fewer and remain and that is expensive. Rusbridger’s job as organisations that have embraced online but the development of online communication fewer people have time to find out what the facts editor was to oversee this development into online publishing and distribution. allowed two-way or multiple-way communication. actually are and are swamped by the amount of journalism without sacrificing the quality of Faced with the epoch-changing technology, it information they are offered every day from all reporting. Rusbridger describes how his own paper, the would be a mistake, asserts Rusbridger, to carry on over the world. Guardian, took the first hesitating steps in as if the world has not changed. Not all journalists Much of journalism relies on ‘newsfeeds’ from establishing online media and how it has now agreed with him. Guardian columnist and former Rusbridger describes this situation as ‘information news agencies, such as Associated Press and become the paper’s major outlet worldwide. At the Times editor Simon Jenkins, paraphrasing lines chaos’ and quotes the World Economic Forum in Reuters, which journalists then fashion into their personal professional level, he describes how from Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest, said the 2016 as identifying the rapid spread of information own stories, using the agency as a source. This is experts have overcome the limitations of 140 or Internet would ‘strut an hour upon the stage and as one of the top ten dangers to society, alongside known as ‘commodity news’, meaning the same 280 characters on Twitter to develop Twitter then take its place among lesser media’. cybercrime and climate change. What caused this? basic story is available to anyone. The other big threads which allow them to explain complex Two things, technology and business. change was the move from ‘reporting’ to a issues in short stages through a number of Not only did the Internet liberate communication, ‘conversation’ between the public who could successive tweets. it also changed the way we use language. When he took over the Guardian in 1995, people tweet or even broadcast their views on YouTube Rusbridger, describes the emergence of got their news once a day, or more frequently on and WhatsApp immediately on publication of a Rusbridger is particularly good at explaining the ‘netiquette’, the use of symbols and phrases. radio and TV, from a newspaper paid for by sales story. role of social media in some of the major news Tweeters and bloggers initiated italics for quotes and subscriptions and supported by advertising stories of the last few years, such as Wikileaks, from previous posts, the use of bold type for revenue. Because it was news printed on paper, it The value of this book to teachers is that it Edward Snowden’s revelations of US data emphasis and indented paragraphs for block has become known in our digital age as ‘dead tree provides a journalist’s eye view of the rise, collection techniques, the role of Cambridge quotes. In fact, a new grammar, a new vocabulary journalism’. By the time he retired in 2016, only opportunities and challenges of social media and Analytica in collecting and passing personal data and new punctuation have been introduced to 6% of young (18-24 years old) readers were its effect on more ‘traditional’ journalism from the to Facebook for use in election campaigns and the convey the narrative of the new technology. regularly getting news from newsprint and 65% point of view of the highly respected former editor use of phone hacking, highlighting and developing mainly depended on online sources. Among older of one of British journalism’s most important our understanding of the threat to personal privacy. A huge amount of work was put into building a readers (over 55 years old) 55% prefer to get their publications. The challenge for what Rusbridger He also covers environmental issues such as the regular subscriber base, even if there was no news online. This means that the old model of calls ‘the legacy press’ is that anyone now can ‘Keep It in the Ground’ campaign against the paywall. ‘Clickbait’, as it was called, was the newsprint subsidised by advertising is gone and a publish information and opinion in a variety of extraction of fossil fuels like oil and gas and, packaging of news with racy headlines and

102 Training, Language and Culture Training, Language and Culture 103 Training, Language and Culture doi: 10.29366/2018tlc.2.3.8 submit your proposals by 0ctober 30th to Ozlem Volume 2 Issue 3, 2018 rudn.tlcjournal.org ICC News Yuges at [email protected]. Full by Michael Carrier details are available at icc-languages.eu/ pictures, to attract your attention and click on an popular newspaper, Bild. ICC Board Member conferences/26th-icc-annual-conference-2019- article which frankly didn’t deliver. However, once berlin. you’d clicked there was a name and email that At the end of it all there is a message, which all could be used for contact and advertising. The international press organisations need to heed. We ICC Conference 2019 Certificate in Contemporary Arabic Programme Guardian was one of the press organisations that are in a time of change. Rusbridger feels that ICC is now gearing up for the 26th annual Are you interested in developing your Arabic? If tried to avoid clickbait but earned the soubriquet during that change quality journalism which conference in Berlin May, 3-5 on Teaching and so, the Sharek Centre, London, is offering a full of being ‘worthy’ (i.e. overserious). As one zealous investigates, identifies and reports and interprets Learning Languages in the Multilingual World: scholarship for our Certificate in Contemporary Guardian reader put it years ago, ‘You don’t get the facts is needed more than ever. Reliable, Policies and Practice. We have seen a huge Arabic Programme, starting October 8th, 2018. any news but you do feel awfully virtuous!’ Not verifiable and independent sources of information increase in the number and nature of This immersive Certificate in Contemporary Arabic true, as the Guardian breaks and comments on uphold democracy. The volume of fake news technological ‘solutions’ to learning languages. is a fully experiential, contextualised and many important stories but tends to do it in a more makes even ‘straight news’ suspect, endangering With the movement of peoples across the world, communicative programme providing an intensive serious and reflective way. However, Rusbridger democracy. Rusbridger’s contribution is to offer learners are more diverse than ever before. Arabic language and cultural experience. It also worries that the Internet creates ‘filter from his experience an expert view of the ‘Clashes of culture’ are ever more present. The prepares students for a wide range of professional, bubbles’. In other words, you are only exposed to development of the past, present and future of the challenges facing language teachers are becoming social and academic challenges. It will enable you views you agree with and stories and sites that you press and the forces menacing its freedom. Maybe more numerous and more varied. The range of to communicate effectively in both formal and ‘like’. In this way, free debate can be stifled by the that’s why he says that perhaps Donald Trump has languages not only that students want to learn but informal, spoken and written Arabic. The technology itself. done journalism a favour by creating or also that learners bring into the classroom is programme is based on a unique holistic approach encouraging an environment in which it is ever increasing and becoming more fluid. How well to the Arabic language which focuses on Language Even the most powerful news companies have felt more important to distinguish fact from fiction. prepared are we? What is being taken into account Unity of Arabic varieties (formal/informal; spoken/ under pressure from the GAFATs (the huge online in teacher training? What kinds of pre-service and written; standard/colloquial). The programme media organisations Google, Apple, Facebook, Breaking News offers a valuable case study and in-service support do language teachers need? This emphasises the communicative competences Amazon and Twitter). They have a broader scale of background resource for language teachers, conference will examine the challenges faced by required for effective use of Arabic in a variety of operation, direct customer relations, data, insights teachers of media literacy and teachers selecting teachers across a range of classroom Arabic speaking contexts. The first programme and they can connect the dots. This is the view of authentic materials to develop media analysis and environments. It will offer reflections on planning, starts on October 8th, 2018. Details are available Axel Springer, founder of the German Springer critical thinking skills as part of the language policy making and practical tips for those of us on at icc-languages.eu/news. publishing company and Chair of Germany’s learning programme. the front line. It also examines how the training of teachers and the training of trainers can be EU Programme on Apprenticeships developed if we are to adapt to the ever-changing In May, we announced that the EU had set out a needs of the language learning environment. programme of criteria for the quality and effectiveness of apprenticeships. The Council We are keen to consider proposals for Recommendation of 15 March 2018 on a presentations at the conference and invite you to European Framework for Quality and Effective

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