the writers strike is not only affecting the media, it's onto politics. the writer's strike is taking away candidates main stops on the campaign road - talk shows. many candidates such as hillary clinton and john and elizabeth edwards have canceled talk show appearances. john edwards has even joined the picket line.
so is the strike hurting or helping politics? probably both. it's however the candidates choose to use it in their campaign.
abc calls it a symbiotic relationship. how? the talk show writers rely on the candidates for material, and in return, the candidates get face time. they basically feed off of each other's fire. now it's just happening on the picket line.
Monday, November 26, 2007
lots of online stuff
it seems that reading these articles was a great way to give us ideas about how to do our final projects. which i am still feeling pretty over my head on what im going to do. anyway...
there are a lot more ways to tell online news than i thought there would be. when i look at news online, it's usually a lot of print plus. my homepage is CNN.com, and they use that form a lot, but there is also quite a few clickable interactives. i really enjoy the videos that they put on to supplement stories.
the two forms that i think i found the most interesting were the slideshow/narrated slideshow and the live chats. i like how the slideshow can be designed to take the viewer through a story in its photos alone with some caption below to explain (or audio if it's narrated). with the live chats i like the idea of raw, uncut footage of a casual conversation.
when the one online article titled "you must be streaming" described how newspapers have taken online video and are making it better than TV news, i disagree. they are both strong in their own forms.
the reason that video is good is because it has possibilities to take the viewer to places that they want to go. the audience is much more in charge of what they're watching. yet this form of finding news can be much more time consuming. with TV news it is possible to find out all the news of the day in a 30-minute broadcast. the viewer may not get as many details as when viewing online, but they get all the titles and facts in an organized, compact form.
i don't really have much to say on the "what journalism can't do" article because i pretty much just disagree with the fact that they say that the media (more specifically journalism) doesn't have an influence on the way that people react to news or situations. it's funny because my mom and i just had a conversation about this the other day (hi mom!) and basically both agree that there is a much bigger influence than is actually realized. really nothing more to say on that subject i guess.
onto thinking about my final project! i'm thinking slideshow?...perhaps with audio...?...or maybe just audio...hmm...
there are a lot more ways to tell online news than i thought there would be. when i look at news online, it's usually a lot of print plus. my homepage is CNN.com, and they use that form a lot, but there is also quite a few clickable interactives. i really enjoy the videos that they put on to supplement stories.
the two forms that i think i found the most interesting were the slideshow/narrated slideshow and the live chats. i like how the slideshow can be designed to take the viewer through a story in its photos alone with some caption below to explain (or audio if it's narrated). with the live chats i like the idea of raw, uncut footage of a casual conversation.
when the one online article titled "you must be streaming" described how newspapers have taken online video and are making it better than TV news, i disagree. they are both strong in their own forms.
the reason that video is good is because it has possibilities to take the viewer to places that they want to go. the audience is much more in charge of what they're watching. yet this form of finding news can be much more time consuming. with TV news it is possible to find out all the news of the day in a 30-minute broadcast. the viewer may not get as many details as when viewing online, but they get all the titles and facts in an organized, compact form.
i don't really have much to say on the "what journalism can't do" article because i pretty much just disagree with the fact that they say that the media (more specifically journalism) doesn't have an influence on the way that people react to news or situations. it's funny because my mom and i just had a conversation about this the other day (hi mom!) and basically both agree that there is a much bigger influence than is actually realized. really nothing more to say on that subject i guess.
onto thinking about my final project! i'm thinking slideshow?...perhaps with audio...?...or maybe just audio...hmm...
Monday, November 12, 2007
live! from NY! it's ... barack obama?
barack obama made a personal appearance on saturday night live playing himself in a short skit poking fun at hilary clinton. he made a stop in new york city off of his current campaign trail. this is not the first time that obama has made out-of-the-ordinary television appearances. his campaign on MTV has given him 2 segments of television time that no presidential candidate has ever received before. smart move? i think so.
but the question remains ... was the appearance on SNL 'just for fun' or was it a political move?
but the question remains ... was the appearance on SNL 'just for fun' or was it a political move?
writing news for television and radio
when i first came to ithaca college and decided on my major, broadcast is what i had in mind. since then i have drifted towards print (more specifically feature writing). yet this chapter has reminded me why i was attracted to broadcast to begin with.
first off, i am a very conversation writer. and i believe that i write better when there is not much structure to have to worry about and the thoughts can just flow onto the paper. i really like the fact that broadcast writing is this way.
i would much rather turn on my television set than open a newspaper. there is just no comparison to getting that visualization of the news. i like the simplicity of broadcast, the way it is easy to pass on, and how words and pictures can be used to compliment one another.
one handy thing that i read in this chapter is the format of writing a broadcast piece. and that a minute of news read aloud is only 15 lines of copy, or 150 words. that is something i have never really been taught before. in fact, i feel that i have been taught very little in the broadcast aspect, and i hope that that changes soon. perhaps i've been so drawn to print because it's all i have really known for the past three semesters.
i hope that i can get pulled back into the broadcast world, i feel as though i've been slipping out.
first off, i am a very conversation writer. and i believe that i write better when there is not much structure to have to worry about and the thoughts can just flow onto the paper. i really like the fact that broadcast writing is this way.
i would much rather turn on my television set than open a newspaper. there is just no comparison to getting that visualization of the news. i like the simplicity of broadcast, the way it is easy to pass on, and how words and pictures can be used to compliment one another.
one handy thing that i read in this chapter is the format of writing a broadcast piece. and that a minute of news read aloud is only 15 lines of copy, or 150 words. that is something i have never really been taught before. in fact, i feel that i have been taught very little in the broadcast aspect, and i hope that that changes soon. perhaps i've been so drawn to print because it's all i have really known for the past three semesters.
i hope that i can get pulled back into the broadcast world, i feel as though i've been slipping out.
Monday, November 5, 2007
chapter 18 + some interesting websites = invesitagtive reporting
out of all aspects of journalism we have talked about thus far, i believe that investigative journalism is my favorite. i am naturally a nosy person. i love getting into people's business and finding the truth in most situations. especially when it's people i know.
i have recently been presented with a story i would like to do a little of my own investigative reporting on. the causes of autism. has anyone else noticed the spike in the amount of kids diagnosed with minor to severe autism in this new generation? one theory that i find very interesting is that it could be due to what is now called the thiomersal controversy. basically, there used to be mercury in each shot that was injected to a body (used as a preservative) and this could be the cause of the rise in autism. talk about potential law suits!
while i aim to find out more on that story on my own, i will look at the process that i need to go through according to the text.
i have already gone through the sniff stage, my story search is done. now it's time for serious investigating to begin. hello wikipedia. honestly, it has a lot of information on thiomersal. and while i tried to search 'autism' and 'mercury in vaccines' on the website, nothing came up. its hard to rely on the internet for a source, because you can never be sure that everything you read is completely truthful. and, as the book states, accuracy is tres tres importante! "check and double-check. there is no good excuse for an error."
i like the pushiness of investigative reporting. i feel like the people who work as investigative reporters should get a lot of respect when they weasel a story out of a source. it's harder than it seems.
on another note, i never realized there were SO many different types of public records. property records, loan records, minutes and transcripts. along with that, there are nonpublic reocords, which are not always impossible to obtain, just a lot more difficult.
i found it interesting that investigative reporting is the most expensive type of reporting. and that these reporters are normally the best-paid. now the idea of an investigative reporter is even more tempting.
i have recently been presented with a story i would like to do a little of my own investigative reporting on. the causes of autism. has anyone else noticed the spike in the amount of kids diagnosed with minor to severe autism in this new generation? one theory that i find very interesting is that it could be due to what is now called the thiomersal controversy. basically, there used to be mercury in each shot that was injected to a body (used as a preservative) and this could be the cause of the rise in autism. talk about potential law suits!
while i aim to find out more on that story on my own, i will look at the process that i need to go through according to the text.
i have already gone through the sniff stage, my story search is done. now it's time for serious investigating to begin. hello wikipedia. honestly, it has a lot of information on thiomersal. and while i tried to search 'autism' and 'mercury in vaccines' on the website, nothing came up. its hard to rely on the internet for a source, because you can never be sure that everything you read is completely truthful. and, as the book states, accuracy is tres tres importante! "check and double-check. there is no good excuse for an error."
i like the pushiness of investigative reporting. i feel like the people who work as investigative reporters should get a lot of respect when they weasel a story out of a source. it's harder than it seems.
on another note, i never realized there were SO many different types of public records. property records, loan records, minutes and transcripts. along with that, there are nonpublic reocords, which are not always impossible to obtain, just a lot more difficult.
i found it interesting that investigative reporting is the most expensive type of reporting. and that these reporters are normally the best-paid. now the idea of an investigative reporter is even more tempting.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
more court stuff
these chapters did a lot for me...such as reaffirm my decision that i do not want to do reporting within the world of law. some of the 'stuff' i just don't get.
although i don't get it, reading these chapters was, and will be beneficial. i like to have some knowledge about a subject, no matter what it is.
i actually remember asking my parents a few days ago what the difference between a misdemeanor and felony was. they couldn't really tell me except that one was worse than the other. now i know that with a felony, you have a minimum of one year in jail, while with a misdemeanor, it is a maximum sentence.
something else that caught my attention were the two different aspects of news found in court reporting: 1) when parties are known to the public, 2) when factual and legal issues are of public interest. yet, it makes me wonder, where is the line between what is and what isn't public interest? and who decides that?
as was the case with chapters 1,5, and 7, there are just so many things in these chapters that i never knew before. like the differences between circumstantial evidence and direct evidence (which is something i felt like i should know, but definitely didn't). or what a closing and opening argument really are. also the different ways a suspect can be charged of a crime. but most of all, i am strangely drawn to a certain part of the court system. the jury.
the jury can have so much power over a case (rarely used in civil court, however). there are so many aspects to a jury. such as the process to how each juror is selected, (how they all should be combined to make the most objective jury possible), or how the media is not allowed to talk to any jurors until after the verdict is announced. as from my previous blogs, i have an opinion on the media being involved with the court. how they should not be too involved, because it could affect the case, and prevent the court system from being fair.
lots to soak in, especially when its just words on a page. but even though i don't want to be a beat/court reporter. it is still very important to have knowledge in the area.
although i don't get it, reading these chapters was, and will be beneficial. i like to have some knowledge about a subject, no matter what it is.
i actually remember asking my parents a few days ago what the difference between a misdemeanor and felony was. they couldn't really tell me except that one was worse than the other. now i know that with a felony, you have a minimum of one year in jail, while with a misdemeanor, it is a maximum sentence.
something else that caught my attention were the two different aspects of news found in court reporting: 1) when parties are known to the public, 2) when factual and legal issues are of public interest. yet, it makes me wonder, where is the line between what is and what isn't public interest? and who decides that?
as was the case with chapters 1,5, and 7, there are just so many things in these chapters that i never knew before. like the differences between circumstantial evidence and direct evidence (which is something i felt like i should know, but definitely didn't). or what a closing and opening argument really are. also the different ways a suspect can be charged of a crime. but most of all, i am strangely drawn to a certain part of the court system. the jury.
the jury can have so much power over a case (rarely used in civil court, however). there are so many aspects to a jury. such as the process to how each juror is selected, (how they all should be combined to make the most objective jury possible), or how the media is not allowed to talk to any jurors until after the verdict is announced. as from my previous blogs, i have an opinion on the media being involved with the court. how they should not be too involved, because it could affect the case, and prevent the court system from being fair.
lots to soak in, especially when its just words on a page. but even though i don't want to be a beat/court reporter. it is still very important to have knowledge in the area.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
reading, reading, and more reading
chapter 1 "The Crime Beat"
I'm not surprised that the crime beat suffers from a high turnover rate. it's tough. the people who succeed move up to higher positions, and the people who don't do well probably end up getting replaced. that is why it is the "sink-or-swim" test for newcomers.
i found it interesting how much different terminology there is. such as the difference between civil cases and court cases. the difference between a felony and misdemeanor. and how robbery, larceny, burglary and theft are similar, but very different, and easily confused.
it's always important to have a base understanding of any story you are writing about, and beat reporting is as - if not even more - important to have a basic knowledge of.
chapter 5 "Covering Crime and It's Victims"
Covering a story where people's emotions are involved is very difficult. I think that i would make a terrible reporter in this case because i am very much aware that i am a human being first, and would have problems maintaining that journalistic face interviewing a woman who's son just died in a fire. it reminds me of Oprah, who was told in the beginning she couldn't do news because she would cry on camera if reporting on an emotional story. hey, she's one of the richest people in the world now, so i wouldn't mind comparing myself to her in any way.
Judging the state of a victim before approaching them might be one of the most important things a journalist can do at the scene of a crime. what kind of information you get from them totally depends on the state of mind you are in. that's why i really like the suggestion to hand them your card and write on it "when you're ready to talk, please call. anytime."
being sensitive to the victim yet getting the story for the public at the same time makes me think about the reporting on the California wildfires going on right now. watching hundreds of people get interviewed who just lost everything, i don't know how they do it. there has been some controversy on the interviewing techniques of reporters covering the wildfires. yet, there will probably always be.
chapter 7 "Covering the Courts"
wordiness. i hate it. this is a reason why i would be a horrible court reporter. they say that court documents are the journalists best source for reliable, libel proof information. yet, those things are usually hundreds of pages long, and full of law jargon. i would not have the patience to sit down and try to decipher all of that crap.
but that's why the world has reporters. to break down all that mumbo-jumbo for the common individual, who didn't spend half of his/her educational life in law-school. just because i said i wouldn't want to be the person doing the breaking doesn't mean i don't think that it is a necessity in the media to have people like that.
there is so much new terminology in this chapter, it's difficult to sort through it all. there are two basic court systems: federal and state. these court systems have different levels of function: trials, intermediate appeals, and fine appeals. there are two players in every court system: the administrative personnel and the judges and juries. etc. etc. etc.
basically if you're going to be a court reporter you should have a background in law, or be able to learn quickly. maybe i should take a law class...?
I'm not surprised that the crime beat suffers from a high turnover rate. it's tough. the people who succeed move up to higher positions, and the people who don't do well probably end up getting replaced. that is why it is the "sink-or-swim" test for newcomers.
i found it interesting how much different terminology there is. such as the difference between civil cases and court cases. the difference between a felony and misdemeanor. and how robbery, larceny, burglary and theft are similar, but very different, and easily confused.
it's always important to have a base understanding of any story you are writing about, and beat reporting is as - if not even more - important to have a basic knowledge of.
chapter 5 "Covering Crime and It's Victims"
Covering a story where people's emotions are involved is very difficult. I think that i would make a terrible reporter in this case because i am very much aware that i am a human being first, and would have problems maintaining that journalistic face interviewing a woman who's son just died in a fire. it reminds me of Oprah, who was told in the beginning she couldn't do news because she would cry on camera if reporting on an emotional story. hey, she's one of the richest people in the world now, so i wouldn't mind comparing myself to her in any way.
Judging the state of a victim before approaching them might be one of the most important things a journalist can do at the scene of a crime. what kind of information you get from them totally depends on the state of mind you are in. that's why i really like the suggestion to hand them your card and write on it "when you're ready to talk, please call. anytime."
being sensitive to the victim yet getting the story for the public at the same time makes me think about the reporting on the California wildfires going on right now. watching hundreds of people get interviewed who just lost everything, i don't know how they do it. there has been some controversy on the interviewing techniques of reporters covering the wildfires. yet, there will probably always be.
chapter 7 "Covering the Courts"
wordiness. i hate it. this is a reason why i would be a horrible court reporter. they say that court documents are the journalists best source for reliable, libel proof information. yet, those things are usually hundreds of pages long, and full of law jargon. i would not have the patience to sit down and try to decipher all of that crap.
but that's why the world has reporters. to break down all that mumbo-jumbo for the common individual, who didn't spend half of his/her educational life in law-school. just because i said i wouldn't want to be the person doing the breaking doesn't mean i don't think that it is a necessity in the media to have people like that.
there is so much new terminology in this chapter, it's difficult to sort through it all. there are two basic court systems: federal and state. these court systems have different levels of function: trials, intermediate appeals, and fine appeals. there are two players in every court system: the administrative personnel and the judges and juries. etc. etc. etc.
basically if you're going to be a court reporter you should have a background in law, or be able to learn quickly. maybe i should take a law class...?
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