The Role of Listening in Journalism

Listening is a talent that includes hearing and comprehending speech as well as observing other cues. Listening is essential for improved communication and mutual understanding (Bownell, 2015). In order to get the most out of any scenario and conversation, we must have honed listening skills as well as interpretation. This paper will investigate the role of proper hearing in journalism, effective listening criteria, my listening strengths and limitations, listening test findings, and appropriate solutions for my listening shortcomings.

Journalism is a profession that deals with information. Interviews, conversations, and debates are core to the retrieval of the news to be aired. Due to the confidence that the public has bestowed on the media houses and the information they relay through print and visual avenues, the authenticity of what they communicate ought to be assured (Bowman, B.J., Punyanunt-Carter, N., Cheah, T.Y., Watson, W.J., & Rubin, R.B., 2007). Listening is the primary distinguishing factor between shrewd journalists and mediocre secretaries as well as a determinant of the quality of news they will garner. Notably, the habit of good listening goes beyond asking questions in an interview and noting all the answers given but demands the interpretation of the unspoken cues such as emotions in the context of the setting in which the interview is carried out (Holmes, T., Hadwin, S., & Mottershead, G., 2014). Details and fine nuances that add gist and relevance to the news is a domain that only exemplary journalists can unravel.

It is important to note that every individual likes it when they are given an opportunity to express themselves without biases. Unfortunately, most journalists who happen to be interviewers tend to streamline the interview sessions to obtain their desired chronology of the story (Herbert, 2015). Therefore they occasionally interrupt the speakers with leading questions as well as dominating the conversations. Confused and at times irritated, the interviewees are likely to conceal a lot of information that would otherwise be relevant thus distorting the viability of the message communicated (Holmes et al., 2014). Moreover, there is a likelihood of deviation from the main course when the interjections become numerous thus shifting the focus from what the informant has to say about the journalist’s intrinsic understanding of the matter at hand (Bowman, B.J., Punyanunt-Carter, N., Cheah, T.Y., Watson, W.J., & Rubin, R.B., 2007). Journalism is all about extracting information for which interviewees are a sure source. Exhibiting proper listening skills is an assurance of cooperation from the informants who will also showcase confidence having identified the value they have been accorded.

Language is dynamic, and it does connote not only verbal utterances but also the facial expressions, emotions, and gestures. Different contexts and cultures apply common phrases and expressions distinctly (Galford, G., Hawkins, S., & Hertweck, M., 2015). Greetings and statements such as “Hello” and “How are you?” have different implications in Europe and America. It is, therefore, prudent for every journalist to understand their working environment and the utilization of language to comprehend the message being passed appropriately. If language barrier becomes an issue, the journalist needs to display more focus on the hints provided by the informant since wholly relying on interpretation could be a basis for omitting intricate portions of information (Herbert, 2015). Concentration and paying a keen interest at what the other party is saying is enough reason to keep them talking and revealing more than could be elicited if they were just to tell the story to an open audience.

Controversial stories such as those capturing torture trails of individuals by militia groups or tyrant governments and the ordeals of hostages who were in the custody of serial criminals are hard to extract from victims except by polished listening skills (Holmes, T., Hadwin, S., & Mottershead, G., 2014). Giving an ear and attention to these stories as they are recounted by the survivors provides a platform for emotional attachment with them. With developed trust, the narrators are likely, to be honest understanding that the journalist is there to empathize with them and is going to inform the world of the injustices that befell and possibly be an aid to their pursuit of recompense (Herbert, 2015). As a result, good listening habits such as asking questions that seek clarification and nodding encourages the victim even as they reflect upon their bitter moments. At such times it is also easy to get carried away by the emotions of the informant and digress from the objective of the meeting save only when outstanding listening qualities and focus are upheld.

For the success of the journalism career, it is not enough to exercise excellent listening skills in interviews and debates only. The masses targeted by the media have a say, and they need room to be heard and understood (Bowman, B.J., Punyanunt-Carter, N., Cheah, T.Y., Watson, W.J., & Rubin, R.B., 2007). Newspapers, television shows, and the social media have been used as channels of propagating news that addresses the interests of the media companies instead of enlightening on the status quo of the society. Should the media houses remain adamant to following their initial trends, they risk losing the confidence of the masses, and their message stands to lose its authenticity (Holmes, T., Hadwin, S., & Mottershead, G., 2014). For this reason, journalists need to walk out of their limbo and interact with the world and get to comprehend what it stands for and consequently transform the face of news. There is a possibility to this fact if the people, other than the prolific contributors to the media information, are given keen attention and space to express their views. Such aspects can only be exhibited with the perfection of listening skills.

Criteria for Effective Listening

A good and genuine listening is essential in building and strengthening relationships as well as resolving conflicts. In the contemporary society marred with a lot of hustle and stress, listening becomes the only salve to solve the daily apprehensions of life (Galford, G., Hawkins, S., & Hertweck, M., 2015). With a view to amending the current situation of poor listening, criteria believed to shape the face of listening have been put forth. In case these criteria are applied effectively, there is a strong persuasion that good listening will not only be a character but a norm.

1. Maintain a Meaningful Eye Contact

When the speaker gets on stage or is seated right in front of you, the only way of assuring him that you are listening is an eye contact (Bowman, 2007). Having your eyes roaming all over the place is a form of distraction not only to the speaker but you as well. Maintaining a focus will keep you on track with the message being relayed.

2. Be Attentive

Cruising through your text messages or looking at what your neighbor is doing is enough to carry you away from the speaker’s environment. It is necessary to ignore all forms distraction and concentrate on the presentation. Extrinsic distractions which happen around as such as noise from vehicles and people at work can withdraw attention (Bownell, 2015). Additionally, intrinsic factors such as our thoughts, worries, and emotions also play a significant role in ensuring we remain attentive.

3. Exhibit an Open Mind

At times, it is possible to predict what the speaker is going to say next. With this kind of ability grows the notion of developing fantasies that make listeners go into a trance. Good listening demands an open mind to accept the flow of the message as brought forth by the speaker (Holmes, T., Hadwin, S., & Mottershead, G., 2014). It also calls for a prejudice-free opinion towards the speaker.

4. Never be an Interruption

During interviews or discussions, most people are tempted to have “the know it all” attitude giving a solution to every conflict created by the one speaking (Bowman, B.J., Punyanunt-Carter, N., Cheah, T.Y., Watson, W.J., & Rubin, R.B., 2007). This kind of behavior makes the presenter distracted and is unlikely to bounce back to their initial state of confidence and trust to the listener.

5. Ask Clarifying Questions after a Pause

Any audience following a presentation keenly is likely to have questions to eliminate any form of doubt. Asking questions is a good quality, but the timing matters. Raising your hand in the middle of a speech delivery session or asking to be excused to interject a question is likely to eat into the speaker’s time if they choose to address the issue. Sometimes the answer to the question was the next statement the speaker was to make (Galford, G., Hawkins, S., & Hertweck, M., 2015). Pausing denotes the end of a point and only then is it prudent to seek clarification.

6. Avoid Questions that Change the Topic

When having conversations, it is common practice to float a topic of interest for discussion irrespective of what the other party has in mind. Questions that introduce a different idea or faculty into the conversation distort the flow of information (Herbert, 2015). If one finds it necessary to ask questions, let them be relevant to the topic at hand.

7. Judge Content not Delivery

Speakers could be flawed in their speech and less articulate. Nevertheless, these weaknesses should not be used as a paradigm for vetting a presenter since focusing on them will only shift attention from the core issues that ought to be grasped (Bownell, 2015). Furthermore, judging a speaker from the onset is jeopardy to the conceptualization of the message they have to pass.

8. Exercise Empathy

During an interview or a conversation as the interviewee or friend is recounting their experiences which at times could be sad and moving, it is crucial to showcase the element of empathy; fitting in the shoes of the informant (Herbert, 2015). Showing concern and willingness to offer assistance is the motivation the speaker needs to continue telling more of their story.

9. Observe the Non-verbal Cues

It is not satisfactory to hear what the speaker has to say without incorporating the emotion, facial expressions and gestures attached. That which is never spoken by the speaker but expressed is just as important as what they say (Bownell, 2015). It is, therefore, invaluable for a competent listener to pay heed to the non-verbal cues.

10. Take Notes

Note-taking is one of the additional qualities a good listener needs to have. It ensures they can trace the flow of the story and identify loopholes that could need clarification. Besides, it acts as a form of motivation to the speakers who believe that their message is important and the audience is paying attention (Holmes, T., Hadwin, S., & Mottershead, G., 2014). Interestingly, people tend to retain about half of the information they hear but with note taking more points become vivid.

My Listening Strengths and Weaknesses

Having gone through Watson-Baker and Kentucky listening tests, I have come to terms with some of the virtues of proper listening that I exhibit as well as the misfits I practice in the course of listening. The strengths I possess are as a result of the ability to remain keen and discern beyond the spoken words (Bownell, 2015). However, most of my weaknesses are triggered by distractions that are either internal or external factors. Using the criteria mentioned above, I would like to map my weaknesses and strengths under each heading.

Maintaining meaningful eye contact is an important aspect of good listening that I have always applied. It has enabled me to ensure my concentration to that which I have to listen to. Watching scenes and looking at speakers has helped me manage my attention by keeping a focus continuous focus on the subject (Bowman, 2007). Additionally, eye contact has created confidence in those whom I have been an audience to and a display of respect and appreciation to those I have engaged with in conversations. As one of my strengths, maintaining eye contact has proved invaluable in my endeavor to interact with the society through communication.

Being attentive is a crucial bit of listening that makes a distinction between one listener and another. Through paying keen attention to speakers and conversations, one can deduce trivial components that not everyone can make out (Herbert, 2015). Unfortunately, this is a weakness I have since I am often distracted by external and internal noise which drifts my concentration from the matters at stake. My television set and current health status have chiefly contributed to my poor attentive behavior.

An open mind is receptive to every bit of information that it can conceive and is essential for the processing of messages as well. To fully resonate with the intended communication of a speaker or an informant, it behooves the listener to harbor an open mind (Holmes, T., Hadwin, S., & Mottershead, G., 2014). My strength has been walking into a conversation with the least of presumptions if any. Therefore this habit has made the sessions I have taken part in more fruitful since I reap the most out of them.

Interrupting other speakers in their course to convey a point has been my greatest undoing. Out of my curiosity to get to do so many things at a time, I have in most cases gotten carried away and forget that there was someone who cherished my attention (Galford, G., Hawkins, S., & Hertweck, M., 2015). Lost in my limbo of thoughts I could laugh or exclaim loudly causing a distraction to a presenter who rarely bounces back to their initial status of coherently conveying information.

Precision and clarity are instrumental to understanding any piece of information relayed in whatever manner. In the case of ambiguity, it is always noble to seek clarification; a quality which I possess. Unfortunately, my impatience takes the better part of me causing me to interject in a bid to receive a prompt reaction to my concerns (Bownell, 2015). I have soiled many productive and informative sessions in the name of seeking clarification.

Presenters prefer to maintain a given line of thought and always prepare their presentations beforehand. I have formed the habit of researching about speakers before forming part of their audience. Consequently, I have often found myself asking questions about their past experiences and interesting aspects of their lives which are not in sync with the topics of discussion (Herbert, 2015). In the endeavor to address my questions, the speakers have in most cases been forced to deviate from the core issues they ought to attend to.

Every speaker is unique in their way regarding pronunciation, the flow of speech, sense of humor, and dress code. One of the critical contributing factors to this disparity is culture. Therefore it is ignoble to judge a speaker from how they appear before listening to them. I have cultivated a positive attitude towards speakers with little emphasis to their appearance but more concern on the content of their message (Bownell, 2015). This fact has enabled me to find amusement in every speaker that could be described as boring. In my conversations with friends and other colleagues, I have remained reluctant to jump into conclusions for it tarnishes the face of communication.

When listening to my friend or classmate tell a story about their experience, I have been moved and displayed kindness and uttered comforting words to them. This gesture is not triggered by sheer conformity to standard practice but springs forth from empathy. Feelings of sorrow and remorse when saddening ordeals are narrated have made it possible to gain the trust of the informants who generously recap their experiences (Bowman, B.J., Punyanunt-Carter, N., Cheah, T.Y., Watson, W.J., & Rubin, R.B., 2007). As a result, I have gained a lot of information that would otherwise be concealed save for empathy.

Words alone can never describe what the mind has conceived. Language is influenced by the dynamics of the environment and the prevailing culture. Merging the two still, leaves a loophole that only non-verbal cues can fix. Through keen observation of speakers, I have been able to extract the facial expressions, tone of speech, and gestures which add to the gist of the message being passed (Herbert, 2015). Taking note of these nuances puts the communication into context and eliminates chances of misinterpretation and this quality I have managed to polish.

The human brain is powerful can process and retrieve information within the shortest time possible. However, this retrieval must be triggered with hints or summaries which if absent only half of the message can be recalled (Bownell, 2015). I have never been faithful to taking short notes during presentations or in the course of conversations. My reasons are that note-taking could be a form of distraction and my slow pace. Truly speaking, no matter how hard I concentrate I can never remember everything, therefore, note-taking is important.

My Listening Test Results: The Big Picture

In the course of my studies, I went for listening tests; Watson-Baker and Kentucky Comprehensive. The tests were meant to establish different aspects of good listening. To start with, Watson-Baker test encompasses two parts; a pre and a post test. The aim of this test was to vet five aspects of listening. These aspects are evaluating message content, understanding meaning in conversations, understanding and remembering information in lectures, evaluating the emotional sense and following directions (Bownell, 2015). The scores against each aspect are as documented in the table below.

Listening Aspect Score

Evaluating Message Content 7 out of 8 correct (87.50%)

Understanding Meaning in Conversations 4 out of 8 correct (50%)

Understanding and Remembering Information in Lectures 6 out of 8 correct (75%)

Evaluating Emotional Meaning 7 out of 8 correct (87.50%)

Following Directions 7 out of 8 correct (87.50%)

Overall Assessment 31 out of 40 (77.50%)

The results point out that I have outstanding capabilities in evaluating message content in conversations and speech, evaluating the emotional meaning of verbal cues displayed by speakers and following given directions. I have fair competence in understanding and remembering information in lectures and weakness in understanding meaning in conversations. My reason for failing to extract the meaning in conversations was the shaky attention which I paid to the ensuing dialogues (Galford, G., Hawkins, S., & Hertweck, M., 2015). However, in the post Watson-Baker analysis when I watched and listened to my tests again I realized I could have done better had I just been more attentive and kept away all forms of intrinsic and extrinsic distractions. That includes turning off my television set and shelving my pregnancy anxieties.

Kentucky comprehensive, on the other hand, dealt with three segments of listening namely short term listening, short term listening with rehearsal and interpretive listening. The scores are as follows:

Listening Aspect Score

Short term Listening 12 of 12 (100%)

Short term Listening with Rehearsal 12 of 12 (100%)

Interpretive Listening 3 of 10 (30%)

Overall Assessment 27 of 34 (79.41%)

The test revealed exemplary performance in the short term listening with or without rehearsal with a dismal registration in interpretive listening. Improvement in the listening capability can be signified to the elimination of distractions having learned from Watson-Baker test (Bownell, 2015). My poor performance in interpretive listening was due to the lack of a visual aid to enable me correctly single out the emotional developments in the test.

Plan Action to Address My Personal Listening Weaknesses

Having understood the source of my incompetence in listening, I have come up with resolutions that will aid me to become a better listener. My weaknesses include being less attentive, the cause of interruption, impatience, changing the topic of discussion, and failing to take notes. I understand that perfect listening is not a destination but a journey that has to be traveled daily. Therefore with practice, I hope to hone my listening skills which will turn invaluable when I finally take up my career (Holmes, T., Hadwin, S., & Mottershead, G., 2014). Wide interaction with people from different cultural backgrounds has been one of the strong points since I have gotten to learn that listening is more than language. It encompasses a contextual understanding of the message and the culture in question.

In an effort to become a better listener, I have resolved to avoid interruptions both to me while I am listening and to the speaker. I have also purposed to do my conclusive research on word meaning as well as ask clarification questions appropriately in a manner that will not distort the conveyance of the message intended by the speaker (Bownell, 2015). Patience is a virtue I endeavor to cultivate since it will help me understand the presenter or my colleague and move with them at their pace without confronting them to obtain the answers I need. Moreover, it will be instrumental in listening along even if content delivery happens to be boring (Herbert, 2015). Attitude is another area that I have to work on since it determines how and who I listen to. These remedies I purpose to adopt through personal and group practice. Nevertheless, sharpening these new schemes will be in vain if I do not uphold those I already have.

Conclusion

Listening is one of the key contributors to sustainable peace, cultivation of mutual understanding and co-existence, and consequently development. In every professional field, good listening results into a productive working environment in which achievement of goals is feasible. Journalism as one of the professions that adore listening, it is necessary for the people working under this docket to meet the standards of profound listening skills. With a view to honing my skills in listening, I undertook Watson-Baker and Kentucky Comprehensive tests which pointed out my weaknesses in listening, and I am determined to work around these misgivings.

References

Bowman, B.J., Punyanunt-Carter, N., Cheah, T.Y., Watson, W.J., & Rubin, R.B. (2007). Does listening to morzart affect listening ability? The International Journal of Listening, 21 (2), 124-139.

Brownell, J. (2015). Listening Attitudes, Principles, and Skills. New York: Routledge.

Galford, G., Hawkins, S., & Hertweck, M. (2015). Problem-Based learning as a model for the interior design classroom: bridging the skills divide between academia and practice. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 9(2), 8.

Herbert, J. (2015). Journalism in the digital age: Theory and Practice for broadcast, print and online media. Wales: CRC Press.

Holmes, T., Hadwin, S., & Mottershead, G. (2014). The 21st century journalism handbook: Essential skills for the modern journalist. New York: Routledge.