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University of Southern California

The IJPC Journal, Volume 5 - Fall 2013 - Spring 2014

Pseudo Newsgathering: Analyzing Journalists� Use of Pseudo-events on The Wire

Patrick Ferrucci, Chad Painter

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.

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