This post is the start of an ongoing conversation that will last approximately five weeks. I'm teaching Advanced News Writing this summer, and I have decided to have students post each week to this blog. In reality, it's much easier to grade things that are all in one place, but it's also great to be able to respond to the thoughts of others.
Here are the rules:
1) It's OK to POLITELY disagree with others who post.
2) Be sure to click on this entry and post everything here.
Week one: By Wednesday, please answer the following questions. Be sure to read what those before you have typed b/c it should have some effect on what you say. I don't want 15 posts that all say the same thing.
1) What is it that journalists do that make their jobs so important?
2) In your opinion, what has been the biggest or most important news story in the last two weeks?
71 comments:
China sentences ex-official to death for accepting bribes.
http://money.cnn.com/2007/05/29/news/international/china_death_sentence.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes
Okay, here we go:
1. Journalists act as the checks-and-balances system for society. If they do their job right, they can make sure that people we've put in places of power are acting in the best interests of society. Without the existence of Journalists, I can only assume that we would end up with a "big brother" state that is not held accountable for its actions.
2. I believe that, while not a specific story, a big issue of the past few weeks has been rising gas prices across the nation. Granted, it is summer and prices usually tend to go up around this time, I found this article particuarly interesting:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070528/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices;_ylt=AnW_ejQct8lm.mJmWQmALpxv24cA
I think we can all agree that these prices are ridiculous, but the problem is that we all continue to buy gas at these prices instead of finding another solution.
Journalists act as a voice of the people. They are the medium by which people of the world/country can be informed and question the political powers/happenings of the world. Journalists should be the voice of the people.
In my opinion the most important news story of the last two weeks should be that the media has been more concerned over the latest celebrity DUI and winner of American Idol rather than reporting on serious issues that have occurred in both the middle east and right here at home.
1. Journalists are the truth seekers. They tell the trouth about what is going on that you need and want to know and they do it in an unbiased way so that you can still have your own thoughts and opinions on different subjects.
2. The biggest news story of the last two weeks would probably be the high rise in gass prices. If the corporations still have yet to actually lose any money and are still reporting profits in the billions then why do they need to raise gas prices so high that average americans can barely afford it.
1) Journalists unveil stories that affect our lives on a daily basis. They inform us of people, places and things going on all around the world. Without them, we would not have limited connections or ideas about things happening across the world.
2)I think the new stories that have covered global warming and its effects on the environment, animals and humans are the most important. The realization that our environment is deteriorating on a daily basis is important for people to know. For example, the ice caps in the ocean are melting at a rapid rate which is destroying the climate and environment of polar bears and penguins that may become extinct in the near future. The more aware the public is of global warming the better; for our future and for the future of our children.
University Relations= Tricia Friesen! Sorry...that name was left over from when we did a PR blog!
The job of journalists is to get the information to the public in a truthful efficient way.
An important news event I believe has been the large amount of devastating weather happenings and how the government is helping, or not helping the affected areas.
A journalists main job is to inform the public. They must inform the public truthfully and give them common knowledge and act as a way to unite everyone and connect everything. Journalism is our way of being connected and informed with things beyond our own personal lives and experiences. Without it we would be isolated.
The most important piece of news within the last two weeks would have to be the gas prices. It has raised tremendously in a matter of hours/days/weeks, especially the past two weeks...something needs to change.
In the simplest terms, a journalist's job is to communicate with the public. Yet ironically, such a simple job description carries a heavy burden. There is a responsibility in journalism to experience things and places that the everyday man might not be able to and report on it in an unbiased and informative manner. In today's media environment, true journalism is hard to find. The journalist is often the mode by which we experience the occurences of society and the world, thus their everyday work is very important.
ok so i posted this during class and for some reason it didn't post so i'm going to try adn remember what i said
1. I would have to say that what journalists do help to make our world that way that it is today. They give us as much info as they can fit into a paper, on the radio or tv, and now even the net. From major events such as the war and other national events to who the new guy is that brittany has married. Without journalists we would live in a very different world.
2. I would have to agree with a lot of the above posts and go with gas prices. They have been rising so much here lately. It also summer time so its effecting almost everyone in some kind of way. Although it has dropped a penny....see website http://abcnews.go.com/Business/IndustryInfo/story?id=3223396&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312
....however a penny in our economy doesn't really go far at all. What needs to happen is gas needs to drop a dollar or more.
Well, better late than never.
1. Journalist should communicate information that is relevant to the public, bringing to light issues and concerns.
2. While maybe not the biggest or most important news story of the last few weeks, one should not discount the significance of the man with tuberculosis. Though no one else has been found to be infected, this incident illustrates how quickly a pandemic could one day spread.
1) Journalists help provide awareness to the population of their current surroundings. They provide accurate, unbiased information that is interesting and relevent to our lives.
2)Rosie 'O Donnell leaving "The View". I saw the clip of the argument between she and Elizabeth and although it may not be the most important event, it surley was the funniest.
OK, guys, pretty good job. It does not appear that all of you are reading the previous posts. Be sure to do that.
Also, spelling does count. There's no spell check on this (gasp). Use the dictionary or get creative with technology (think copy and paste).
Thinking about these posts and what you have read so far in "Elements of Journalism," I want you to assume you are in a contest of sorts.
Your job is to select stories for the front page of a newspaper with five to seven current news stories. It will appear both online and in print. You will be evaluated on how well read your front page is by a group of your peers.
What stories are you going to put on the page? Now explain why you chose the stories you did.
Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival held at Clinton State Park in Lawrence, KS this weekend, June 7 – 10. With over 100 artists on seven stages, people come from all over the U.S. to camp, jam and party. This is an unusually cool Kansas event. Other newsworthy items about the event are the newer, kinder security teams and increased recycling availability. I think people would be interested in attending this event, or would at least read the article because it’s an unusual event happening nearby.
Gas prices have fallen for the second week in a row, but are forecasted to rise again after June. I chose this story because this affects all of us. Several of my classmates listed rising gas prices as one of the most important news stories right now, so they would be likely to read it.
The NHRA drag races were in town this past weekend. There have already been front-page articles about who won and who lost, etc. I would have an article about how much money Topeka businesses, (hotels, restaurants, RV parks) made this past weekend as compared to last years race weekend. I would also want to include visitor’s perceptions of Topeka. There have been recent reports of Topeka’s trouble keeping businesses here, and this might be an important evaluation.
Congress continues to work on immigration bill, now discussing the use of a point system in evaluating possible immigrants. This is an important national story involving a sensitive and much debated bill.
China released a plan to reduce global warming, mainly by improving energy efficiency. Global warming is being talked about a lot, even by young people. This is an interesting international story.
An article with the latest on the missing/dead soldiers in Iraq. There’s news about the war and the troops everyday and it seems demeaning to put it anywhere but the first page.
That’s a pretty good mixture of local, regional, national and global news that would of interest and importance to a group of my peers. (I hope.)
Sorry I've been on the beach, so answers to last week's and this week's questions.
1. Journalists relay information in a way that everyone understands it. No matter what background, education, or group you may come from you should be able to process the information a journalist presents. In the present there is no such thing as unbiased journalism, however if a story is written one way, chances are it’s written the other way too somewhere else. The most important thing is to present the information in a manner that as many people as possible can understand, and let the audience decide what to believe or do with it.
2. The most important story so far has to be Venezuela deciding to end oppositional broadcasting station RCTV. President Chavez has already butted heads with Georgie boy on more than one occasion over non-democratic reform. But this is by far the biggest reform so far, igniting a signal that Venezuela may very well be headed towards a dictatorship. It won’t take long for the Bush administration to compare Chavez to Hitler or Hussein and with Democrats focusing on stopping an Iran first strike, is it possible Venezuela could be the next Iraq instead of Iran. Yeah Venezuela has oil too and lots of it!!!
3.
Toxic Toothpaste Made in China found in US
Good for the public to know I suspect, a life or death situation. Has to be on the front page to stop those from maybe indulging in toothbrush activity right away.
KC QB Trent Green traded to Miami
A sport probably isn’t news unless you live in KS. This is huge the Chiefs are left with a rookie and a career backup to battle for the starting job and all they got out of it was a draft pick. Chiefs’ fans love to be miserable, this story will sell.
Topeka City Manager left whether to raise taxes or cut city jobs
This is an interesting debacle, especially for a conservative Topeka populous that don’t believe in taxes. But if taxes are not raised they will have to cut city jobs and that means doing another thing the conservative populous doesn’t believe in supporting, welfare.
US Economy has slowest growth since 2002
Econ is a good topic; an overreaching story that affects everyone but also supplements the local story about the city of Topeka and their situation.
Failed Terrorist Plot to attack Kennedy International Airport
Ever since 9/11 nothing has dominated news more other than the war on Iraq. This story is huge not only because it proves our national security some times work but also this is the first domestic plot I think since the ‘shoe bomber.’
For a front page aimed at my peers, I would include the TB scare. I feel this is important because this is a scary and potentially dangerous issue. Also, since there was a woman from Kansas on that flight, it hits even closer to home making this story not only national, but local.
I would also include gas prices. This is an every day issue for all of us nation wide. Prices have taken a dip in the past few weeks, but it is an inconsistent roller coaster that everyone is aware of; it affects all of us. (I would also include the business side of it; Car dealers are finding it harder to sell SUV’s because of the cost of gas).
Violence in Topeka would also be a good article for my peers. I would include violence rates for the past couple weeks and determine which parts of town they were from and which areas had the most consistent acts of violence reported (and include the latest examples; the “knife fight leads to death” story Sunday night, local fights/shootings, etc.) This would highlight a local issue that needs to be addressed and it would let the people of the city gain public awareness.
National news that is close to home would also be beneficial I think; I would include the story of the abducted girl outside the Overland Park Target. This is a very scary situation and a huge story. And, since many of us from Topeka are familiar with the area, it raises more interest.
The story of Chris Cordero would also make my front page. This is a local Hutchinson man who has been sought after for 10 years. Officials finally caught him in Mexico and turned him in on accounts of child abuse, contributing to child’s misconduct, and threatening, burning, biting, and beating two 17-year-old Hutchinson girls. This is national news but it also relates to those near Hutchinson.
I feel like these stories would relate well with my peers, their age, location, and interest. Some of these stories are nationally covered, however, they have a local twist to them; raising interest level to those of us in Topeka (a.k.a. my target audience).
my paper would be targeted to a wide variety of people, I would want to cover many issues, not just local but national.
When given the choice, I like to hear the bad news first. This is also the manner in which I choose my stories. I would start with polotics.
1) My first story would be The senate rejects immigration stricture. This idea was proposed to precent legalization an easy process. It was turned down.
2)I would choose "russia won't attack Europe". This is somewhat good news for the U.S., Russia is not a threat.
3)For some comical relief I would throw in the article about a man trying to jump into the popemobile. He was not successful thankgoodness, but the situation was fairly comical.
4)"Congress reviews flaws in TB response" would be my fourth article. I think it is important that people are informed on this desease.
5)I want to end on a good note discussing the advancement in scientific research "Scientists move closer to turning skin cells into tissue".
I suppose this paper is based on my views of what is good and what is bad, and it did turn out to be fairly serious. I would throw in a comics page for the kids.
If I was putting together a front page I would include
Gas prices. Everyone with a car or who has to pitch in for gas cares about this.
Missing Overland Park Teen. This type of situation is relevant all over the world. People are concerned that this could happen to them or their loved one and want to know what the police are doing to find her.
The city manager's decision to increase taxes or layoff city employees. People want to why everytime there is a problem putting together a budget for the year that the solution is always taxes or cut jobs.
The ongoing investigation into the TB scare. This has reached all over as well. Finding out the answers to everything can only calm the situation and finding out how to prevent this from ever happening again.
Chiefs QB traded to Miami. I know a lot of sport fanatics (my father) who can't stop talking about htis one, and he's not even a Chiefs fan.
Rockfest. If your not into a weekend long concert this is a one day event with about 15 rock bands on two stages. Gates open at 11 a.m. Show starts at noon with fireworks to end.
First and foremost, gas prices are something that is on everyone's mind. While prices have fallen somewhat, there is still the lingering fear that they will rise again in the near future. I would attempt to put some kind of public opinion/investigation piece on why prices have skyrocketed, and why people are paying these absurd prices.
For a more local news story, one that certainly seems to have garnered a large amount of attention from national media, is the disappearance of Kelsey Smith from Overland Park. As I just found out as I've been writing this post, Kelsey was found dead across the state line in Grandview, Mo. This is a very sad turn of events, and is something that readers will find out from one newspaper or another, so it is something that almost every major news outlet will have.
A global story I would include would be the protesting and rioting near the G8 Summit in Germany. This is an event that always has global importance, and for protesters to be present only adds to the significance of the situation.
In one of the latest 2008 Topeka Budget plans, there is a call for a total of 23 positions to be cut from multiple fire departments around the city. This is a major issue, because not only is this downsizing going to hurt several key members of the Topeka community, but it will also be cutting positions from a department that is key to the safety of Topeka.
Finally, even though not all may consider it to be front page news, Trent Green being traded from the Chiefs to the Miami Dolphins is a major issue to many people. Green has been with Kansas City for many years, and his absence will definitely be felt as the team is left with a young QB in Brody Croyle and an aging veteran in Damon Huard. If nothing else, it will be an interesting season for the Chiefs.
Eekk..I just wrote a BEAUTIFUL comment and it disappeared after I "verified my email." I hate technology sometimes.
So in a nutshell...
I can see that many of my ideas are also of importance to several of you. I'm still using the topics I've chosen, I've added what I think the article should be about.
1. Number one current local event has got to be the Overland Park abduction. Unfortunately, a body was found this afternoon. :o( This event confirmed that abductions can happen to anyone, anywhere...not just kids at the park. An article educating the public on ways to stay safe when alone could be very beneficial to parents, teens, anyone really.
2. Yes, TB scare gets my vote too. But, rather than blabbing on about this idiot, I think an article addressing what Topeka, or even Kansas would do if an epidemic like this occured is needed. I would be interested to see if the Shawnee County Health Agency or other local organizations have any plan of action for something like this.
3. Let's see, I'm not very political savvy, but I know politics is VERY important to a lot of people. The recent debates could be front-page worthy.
4. Eek, gas prices. I'm tired of hearing about them, so are you. So what if they went down 10 cents, that still only saves me two bucks. Perhaps an article about how to get the most out of your gallon, or even answers to why prices are so high would be fitting.
5. For something different, I think a follow up piece on how the victims of the recent storms is necessary. We heard about things like flooding damage right after it happened, but I wonder how the community is doing now. I'd like to know how much damage was done to the state after all of the flooding and tornados. Also, how much FEMA has done and what the community can do could be included.
For my front page aimed at my peers I would include the following:
1) The recent Democratic and Republican debates. I would discuss candidates and the positions they took from both parties because my generation needs to be informed for the next election. Even if this election is not for another year and a half.
2) I would put the story about the German man jumping onto the Pope Mobile on my front page because it is a awkwardly funny piece that would grab attention.
3) I would place the story about Libby being sentenced to 2 1/2 years or 30 months on the cover. This story goes hand in hand with an attempt to get my generation/peers more politically involved.
4) I would have to go with some other people on this post and say Kelsey Smith. Only because she is right around the age of my peers and the story should be a call to people to keep their eyes open.
5) And lastly the story about how Greenlands ice cap is melting faster than once believed. Global Warming is an issue that is going to majery affect my generation. Any story that shows it's effects should be displayed front page.
1.) I would definately put a story about Greenland Melting on the front page. This needs to be brought to the publics attention because it affects every single one of our lives.If this ice cap would melt completely, it would cause the ocean to rise 23 feet and flood New York and London. Although that would take several years, it maybe in our future if not our childrens. In the last 30 years the ice has melted 30 percent. This issue is serious and is something that the government needs to stop squabbling over and come up with a plan.
2.) I would put the new discovery of embryonic stem cells in mice. Scientists have been experimenting with mice by reprogramming their cells and discovering that the cells act like embryonic stem cells. Of course this is only experimental and is not feasible yet for treating diseases. But, the new cells produced in the mice were produced without destroying embroyos. I think this story would attract my readers attention because its interesting and because this new discovery could be very promising for treating future dieseases like Parkinsons.
3.) I guess I will be a follower like everyone else and put the abducted teen, Kelsey Smith because it's a tragic event that took place in our region. To add to the story, I would do some interviews with police in Topeka to get tips on what people can do to stay safe or protect themselves against offenders.
4.) The new tennis elbow "Wiitis". This is from playing too much Nintendo Wii tennis. A physician has cited his own case in Massachusetts and has even wrote to the New England Journal of Medicine that he had to take ibuprofen for a week and refraining from playing nintendo wii for a week. I picked this story because I think it is something that is interesting and definately attract attention because Nintendo Wii is very popular.
5.) Of course rising gas prices. Like everyone else before me has stated, gas prices are ridiculous. Gas is a big part of everyones lives and a front page story is definately needed.
Sorry I am so late, I just got home from my other summer class. So by this point none of my ideas will be original...but here they are anyway.
1 - I would have a story on Kelsey Smith. This unfortunate event is something that will touch many people in many different ways.
2 - Gas prices, I am sure every news paper in the U.S. is going to have a similar story, so hopefully if enough of us cover it something will get fixed.
3 - The debates would be good for the people how care about politics.
4 - The Trent Green trade. Around this time of year football fans are looking for any news from the league. Chiefs fans will also be excited to know that KC got more than a 6th round pick for him.
5 - How about a story on the three big music festivals coming to the area. Cowboys, hippies and headbangers all have huge concerts coming. I would try to find people who are going to all three, if they exist.
1. Discovery of Kelsey Smith's body. She was our peer so this caters to the audience on many different levels. Safety tips for students would also be included.
2. Trent Green's trade to Miami. Trent Green, the love of my life, now on the other side of the country. Brody Croyle is a looker, but will his sweeping haircut and southern drawl be enough to lead the Chief's to victory? (I know you hate questions Regina, sorry.) It might be questionable for a front page story, like others have said, but it's a big story and it should also serve as a form of therapy for me. Since I'm the editor...what I say goes.
3. Bob Barker's last day at the Price is Right. I would also include a list of suggested things to do now while "skipping" class instead of watching the Price, since the show will never be the same.
4. New stem cell research breakthrough avoids destroying human embryos. Although human applications are still in the distance, this is a hot political topic and a breakthrough that could have a huge impact on the issue.
5. Fox News Channel issued a second on-air apology for mistakenly running tape of a different congressman while reporting on the indictment of Rep. William J. Jefferson on bribery charges. Down with Fox News! Down with Fox News! Just kidding. Kind of.
I tried to have a variety of local and national news while covering different areas of interest.
For a front page aimed at my peers I would include:
1. The abduction and murder of Kelsey Smith. This is a frightening situation that is of great concern to any one who shops, or knows anyone who shops, at Target. I would cover what is known about the suspected murderer. Also, I would address what can be done to stay safe and alert during everyday life.
2. Leaders from eight of the most powerful nations on Earth gather together at a resort in Germany while thousands of angry protesters riot in a nearby port city. No, it's not the latest reality TV show, it the G8 summit. Many important issues that people should care about will be discussed.
3. Scientists who have succeeded in turning mice skin cell into stem cell. It has the potential to end the debat over embryonic stem cell research. Any possibility of eliminating a debate that divides the nation is a good thing.
4. "Wiiitis" is the new carpel tunnel sydrome. Similar to tennis elbow, this condition is cause by playing the Nintendo Wii with its Wiimote, which tracks players movements. Offbeat and relevant to those who own the popular system.
5. The latest round of 2008 presidential debates. Have the stages notr collapsed from too may people standing on them? The eight Democratic and ten Republican candidates debated a bunch of different issues that probably won't even be relevant when the election comes around a year and a half from now. Regardless, the election seems to be in full swing and it would be foolish to ignore events such as this and get left behind.
6. A quick article on everything that could have been covered if the media has ignored Paris Hilton. Not all of it necessarliy all of it front page worthy, but more important none the less. Isn't there genocide going on somewhere in the world?
My stories would run as follows.
1)Shirley Phelps Roeper being arrested for letting her 4 year old trample a flag at a soldiers funeral. My rationale being i hate the phelps, even though they probably make large donations to our school.
2) Paris Hilton being released from prison after serving only 3 days. Now i realize everyone thinks that celebrity news isn't real news, but i think it would make a nice piece especially if there were some comparison made between her fines, fees and sentence, and someone who committed a similar offense.
3) A story on the candidates for presidency both democrat and republican finding out where they stand on the issues facing this country such as implementation of alternative resources, immigration and the borders, and a resolution to the Iraq war (which should actually be first. We cannot let this become our generations Vietnam we must stand behind our fighting men and women.)
4)This has nothing to do with any journalism, but it's kinda funny http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0706/campus.ugly.uniforms/content.1.html
Worst uniforms in college football.
5)Congressman William Jefferson pleading not guilty in soliciting $400,000 in bribes while trying to broker business deals in Africa. Not guilty my a$$. All politicians say they're innocent remember clinton "not" having relations with that woman. Yeah, i rest my case.
Anyway, thats what i'd do, but what do i know i get my news from the Daily Show, and The Colbert Report some call it 'fake news' but it has to be more reputable than Faux (fox) News.
WEEK THREE QUESTION
What in your humble opinion is the most difficult challenge reporters face when doing their jobs?
This is not an easy question to answer because I find many things to be challenging, but I would have to say the most difficult challenge that reporters face is wheather or not they should keep a source anonymous. Keeping a source anonymous can possiblt discredit you with the public and depending on the story not revealoing a source could get you in trouble and land you in court.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13: MEET IN HENDERSON.
MALL TRIP CANCELLED FOR NOW.
I believe the most difficult part of being a reporter is getting a great, newsworthy story while keeping the human aspect intact. Whether that is through respect to those who have just experienced something traumatic to finding a way to keep from dehumanizing someone, making sure that the story you write keeps the people in it from becoming mere figures, something less than human, is the most difficult part.
I think that the most difficult thing for a journalist is finding a cool twist to a story. Thousands of articles are written everyday, it is challenging to come up with something that makes yours stand out from the others and become something worth reading.
I think the most difficult challenge a reporter faces is deciding how much information to relay to the public. This covers anything from sources (as Christine said) but also just general information. Take the Kelsey Smith case for instance; reporters said the body was found by cell phone tracking. Reporters should tell the public what they need to know, but now when a case like this happens again, there will be no cell phone to track because the criminal will know how this helped police in the Kelsey Smith case. I feel that the public needs to know everything that they should, however, I do believe they should not know everything, especially the specifics on how law enforcement solves crimes. This only makes the dangerous more dangerous. This is a fine line, so I feel this is a very difficult decision for any reporter
I believe the most difficult part of being a journalist is having to be objective. As a journalist it must be hard to draw a line between objectivley reporting the facts and interjecting personal opinion. This would prove especially hard when discussing such events as the Iraq war and other events that evoke such passionate opinions from people. Everyone has an opinion even journalists.
I'm going to take a more logical approach to this question. I think the most challenging thing reporters face is being on the spot and appearing in front of the public. The way reporters carry themselves must be respectful of the business they represent. A slip up could result in fewer ratings because the public could be more inclined to be judgemental.
I think the most challenging part of being a reporter is interviewing people. I find it challenging and frustrating to write down quotes and get exactly what they say whenever they talk so fast and move on to another topic. You have to really focus in and concentrate on what they are saying.
Arguably, the most challenging aspect of a journalist's job is to produce quality and creative work under harsh deadlines. It takes a great level of skill to take an otherwise bland piece of news and churn out something interesting in one afternoon. I think it would also be challenging to be consistently motivated about topics you may have no interest in.
I think the hardest thing a reporter faces is being objective with a source. These are people we are dealing with, and only naturally are we going to have natural personal communication that may lead us to judge. Reporters have to ignore their judgment whether positive or negative and write a story that is objective. I’ve often found this hard, especially when you cover a beat for a year or longer. The sources naturally tend to turn into more than a traditional source-reporter relationship.
I think the hardest part of being a journalist would be staying objective. It’s hard enough being objective right now, but imagine how you’d feel after years of covering the same sort of stories and beats. Say you write a piece about a business treating its employees poorly one year, and have to write a positive ‘doing good in the community’ piece about the same business later. It’d be even harder to override your first impression to write a convincing second article. It’d also be difficult to think of fresh ways to cover the same annual events.
I think the most difficult challenge a reporter faces is to write a story that will hold a reader's attention. The media tends to pay a lot of attention to celebrities and and other topics of questionable news value, which is probably indicative of what many Americans really want to hear. Holding their attention long enough to communicate about important issues is probably a challenge.
In my opinion I would have to say that there is more then one challenge that reporters have to deal with. People above have covered many of them such as reporting to the best of your ability and being able to follow a person so that you can quote them correctly. You also have to make sure you are getting the correct story and getting the information that your readers want to know about. For me and my personal experience I would have so that that reporting on a story and making it interesting to read and enjoyable would have to be a major challenge.
oh also wugurl_09 is melissa sowers.....for some reason my other login wouldn't work so i used an old one
******** From Regina *************
WEEK FOUR QUESTION:
Please answer by 11:59 Wednesday, June 20.
OK, I want you to read the comments from last week and pick two problems and give some practical advice.
For example, Lana says finding a cool twist on stories is challenging. Share some thoughts on how to overcome.
Don't everyone answer the same exact thing or address the same problem. Early poster gets the worm so to speak.
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The two problems I am addressing are journalistic objectivity and holding a readers/viewers attention. First I don't think reporting has to come down to celebrity and other light fluff items in order to keep attention. I belive if more news stories showed how this would affect readers/viewers on a more personal level than hlding readders/viewers attention would be an easier job. Next a journalist has to ask themselves before reporting on a story if they are going to have a hard time keeping themselves out of what they are reporting. If the answer is yes than a journalist probably shouldn't be reporting on what they are reporting.
The two problems I am addressing are objectivity and how much information to relay to the public. Staying objective is an important and difficult thing to do. If you know you can't stay objective about the story you are writing, you shouldn't write it. If you don't have a choice weather or not to write the story at least tell the public it is your opinion so that they are not persuaded. When it comes to how much information to relay to the public I think you should listen to your gut. You know what information can hurt or help. If it can help use it, if it can hurt don't.
On the issue of how much information to share with the public, I don't believe that much should be held back from the public unless it is specific information that could be potentially harmful. I don't believe that was the case with Kelsey Smith. If the media hadn't been straight with the public about how Kelsey was found, the public would have questioned how she was found. The public is smart and they will begin to ask questions if if it becomes apparent that you are holding something back from them. Also, I don't think that such information will influence future criminal. More can be learned from watching television crime dramas than from the news.
On whether on not to keep a source anonymous, my answer would probably be dictated by the policy of the publication for which I'm reporting. If a source wished to remain anonymous, I would weight their motives for anonymity.
On the topic of interviewing sources, my best advice would be to just practice. If a reporter goes in with questions already in mind, the interview might be easier. Also, finding your own niche of shorthand could help write things down faster and lead to better quotes.
Also, finding a cool twist or finding a newsworthy topic for a story is hard, but sometimes it just takes some digging. A reporter could find lots of story ideas by getting to know people with different interests. If the only people a reporter hangs out with are the sports writers, he probably won't be hearing about other topics that could have potential newsworthiness.
There are many challenging aspects to journalism; some of them will constantly be a challenge no matter what. This is part of what journalism so exciting. As for the problem of finding something interesting to write about, that is tricky. There are many different kinds of people in the world and it will be impossible to find a story to intrigue everyone. I suggest finding something that you like and try to appeal it to a certain group of people. If the writer is interested then more often than not, the reader will be too.
Interviewing is tough for many people. The trick I have found is not to be afraid to ask questions, especially to repeat something. I would rather ask twice then get it wrong. Asking them to explain something is also a great thing because it helps lead them deeper into the subject; as a result there are more juicy details and more usable quotes. If the writing is a challenge try abbreviating and leaving out the articles. Recorders are a wonderful tool as well because you are able to literally listen to the interview again.
On the topic about reporters being on the spot, I think reporters should think of questions prior to an event, maybe even type them up so they are prepared. This way they look credible, professional and may recieve more in depth responses because of their well thought out questions.If they have little notice about an event, then they could jot down the most important facts of the event and brainstorm about what the public would want to know.
Harsh deadlines- Although deadlines can be a pain in the butt, they may be good for some people who work better under pressure. A little pressure may help someone churn out a story quicker. Or it may work against them and lead them to a serious mental writing block. If I was under a strict deadline, I would suggest focusing in on the most important facts of the story and ask myself what the public would find interesting and really needs to know.
Alrighty, here we go.
My solution to interviewing sources is rather two-fold. Number one, my method of choice for interviews, is to use a recording device. While some people don't feel comfortable with this, as some sources don't as well, it can be a valuable asset to the modern journalist. By using a recording device, it allows you to focus more on the person and talking to them rather than on the pen and pad in your hand.
And as far as finding an interesting angle on a story is concerned, I've found the best way to find a good twist is to talk with people around me to find out what they think. Whenever I'm stumped on a story and how to keep it interesting, I'll pitch it to my editor or other writers to find out what they want to know about it. It goes back to the old saying that two heads are better than one.
i think that two of the major problems that journalists face are keeping their stories intersting to hold the reader's attention, and keeping their opinions and biases out of their stories.
i have a solution for each.
To hold the reader's attention you must start the story off strong and fast, but also keep the story from bogging down in the middle. Push the reader to the end, an easy way to do this is to cut the fat. Give the reader the info they need to know and finish the story.
For keeping your opinions and biases out of the story, try writing it as if you were explaining it to your grandma who's 90 and half deaf. tell only the key points and don't waste your breath trying to get your opinion across.
All of these are things every journalist has to take into consideration. As far as a unique twist to a story and holding the readers attention, creativity is the key. Many journalists confront this challenge with normal, news worthy stories. However, with just the right angle, this story could appeal to many more people. I think to find a good angle and to keep the attention of the audience a reporter must think about how many perspectives the story could be angled from. They may also take the information given and add a unique story to it or some in depth detail to attract more people and keep them reading.
Interviewing was also a problem some of my classmates addressed. I think the key to a good interview is to know what you are going to ask. And, quotes are also a must. Think of what your source is going to talk about and what kind of stance they will have on the matter. Also, ask questions that will let the source expand on something. Often questions about "what sets your company apart from others," and "why should people be aware of what you are doing" help with quote-worthy material. If all else fails, ask more questions and have a conversation with them so they open up more.
On the topic of keeping the human aspect intact, I think that personalizing the news and getting quotes and background info from those involved would help. Telling someone how the budget cuts would affect them personally would keep the news relatable, although that approach tends to work better for broadcast then print. Also including background information and quotes from someone who was in a car accident can help increase the human aspect to a regular traffic report.
The challenge of being on the spot and representing your employer is also important. A reporter would have to remember who she is and who she's working for at all times. It would help if they outlined the behavior they want to be seen by the public, so they would have a standard to compare to. The way you behave can greatly affect the extent a source will confide in you.
Damn Dave you are one funny guy and you make a good point too.
The best way to keep your opinions and biases out of your stories is to use just the facts and keep it as simple as possible. But in doing that you shouldn't to keep your personality from showing. It is ok if your story doesn't read like every other story in the paper.
I realize this topic has been touched several times already but I am going to hit anyway. Interviews are difficult no doubt, but if you go in with the mentality that you are in charge and you are going to get the information you came to get it makes things easier. Getting people (especially stupid ones) to talk about what you want can be hard so go in knowing what you want and keep leading the horse back to the water. If they wander off, grab the reins and bring them back on topic. As far as quotes go, just tell them that you want to make sure you have exactly what they said, that way they will appreciate your attention to detail (and you get your quote).
************ FROM REGINA ************
LAST WEEK! HOORAY!
Your final post has arrived. Thanks for hanging out with me. Two questions this week …
1) What advice would you give the next students in this class?
2) What advice would you give ME regarding the next time I teach this class?
1) The advice I would give the next students is to take one assignment/story at a time. Don't try to do everything at once YOU WILL GO CRAZY! Remember to breath.
2) I'm not sure what advice to give you. This was a much faster paced class than it probably is in a regular semester. I guess just remember that we all human and we make mistakes.
To future students, let me say this: Just stay calm and plan everything out. As long as you use your time effectively, you'll do just fine. If you're absolutely stumped on what to do for a story, talk to someone. If you feel overwhelmed, just take a few minutes to calm down and prioritize what you need to do. That's the biggest thing, just prioritize and plan ahead. It's no fun to try and contact people only to find they don't have an opening (or have gone to another country for the next two weeks.)
As for advice for you, Regina, I've got nothing. While this was a crazy-fast pace for a class like this, I think I've learned a lot and it has helped me grow as a writer. Just keep up the good work and continue to inflict this torture on all other students who pass through this class!
I would tell the next group of students to just be prepared for anything, stay on top of things and getting ahead helps a lot! There are a lot of things to do in this class so being organized definitely helps as well.
I'm not really sure what advice I would give to you. Summer classes are definitely a lot different than regular semester classes, so I'm sure you handle things a lot differently. Just keep telling students to hang in there and in the end they'll be happy at what all they've acomplished throughout the class.
1. Obviously good advice for students is stay organized. That is what you told us one day one. The next helpful piece of advice, (at least for me) is just do it. I found I wasted time worrying about the assignments, wondering if I could complete them all, and worrying they wouldn't be good enough. Stop freaking out. Do the assignments.
2. Regina, you never brought us candy. I think that for the summer class it would be helpful to know about some of the assignments ahead of time, (not too many, don't want to scare students away.) I had Elements a week or two before class. If I had know about the chapter papers, I MIGHT have started working on them. And knowing the topics of the articles would have helped me think of story ideas beforehand.
Pretty much i'd tell then next class to drop in the fall and take it in the summer and make sure you have a computer at home, it sucks to have to go to the library.
As far as changes to the course i don't know what i'd change. Maybe i'd ditch the elements and call it good.
1. My advice to future students is much like everyone else's. Just do your assignments. It's not worth staying up until 2 a.m. Read the book. It sucks, but do it. Don't procrastinate and stay on top of things. Take it one assignment at a time, and get your sources and interviews done early on.
2. I'm not sure what to tell you, Regina. You were pretty leanient on the number of stories. Because this was your first summer class, I think you will be able to judge how much work is appropriate for the next summer crew. Maybe making the chapter summaries two paragraphs instead of two pages would help some people who don't like to read, like me, out.
The advice I would give the next students that take this class would be:
1.) Don't procrastinate. Complete your stories ahead of time so you are not stressing out and struggling to keep up at the end of the semester. Do all the re-writes you can because you can get some much needed extra points.
2.) I would say assign less stories, even though you did help us out by omitting a couple. It just seemed like too much work for five weeks. I would also say to only assign an elements paper every 2 weeks or just burn the book...whatever comes first! I really thought the field trips to the different newspapers was a good idea, it gave me an inside look on what goes on in newspaper companies.
1. My advice to next years students would be not to put off ANYTHING!! I know this has been said many times but its the truth. Another piece of advice would be to have an open mind whe picking stories to write for. You never know when something might actually turn out to be pretty cool.
2. A summer class is always faster and more overwhelming. I would have to go with possibly making the elements papers only half a page or so instead of two for each chaper. I would also maybe make the the yearbook story part of the 785/Argo story pick to help maybe calm things down just a bit. Other then that the class was fine. GRRRRREAT JOB!!! sorry its been an interesting day :-)
1. Rewrite every story. The third, fourth and fifth drafts are always much much better than your first attempt and are worth the effort. I agree with Dave, make sure you have a computer and Internet access.
PS... Commuting is a very bad idea.
2. The deadlines and amount of work forced me to stay on task (mostly) but I would have benefited from spending more class time on learning how to write the different types of stories. At the beginning of the class, we spent a great deal of time talking about interviewing. I felt very prepared going into interviews with the tips and techniques we discussed. I think if some class time was spent on each of the assignments, like we did on interviewing, the writing would be much stronger than it already is.
1. Don't put things off. If you ever find yourself with everything turned in, that doesn't mean you can relax. Work ahead if you can, you be gald you did.
2. For the summer, maybe you could give us more information about some of the assignment on the first day. It might overwhelm some, but it would give us a chance to think ahead.
1 - Good Luck! What ever you do don't fall behind.
2 - You should make the next class write two pages on each Elements chapter, have them write twice as many stories, yell alot and throw something at least once a day. Follow these simple tips and you might live up to your reputation as the hard professor.
1) If you are a student planning on taking this class, make sure that you like to write. Make sure you like to write A LOT. Show up to class and stay on top of everything otherwise you will fall behind and never come back.
2) I enjoyed this class just like I enjoyed Pulication Layout and Design. I don't think there is anything that you should change because I have almost my entire portfolio done from two classes. Keep on doin what you're doin Regina.
1. Procrastinate, Procrastinate and Procrastinate!!! Only then will you get the true experience of being a reporter who has multiple stories a day due or you know you could leave that until after you graduate
2. I'm not sure what advice I'd give to you....Elements at times was enlighting but for the most part that was the real drag even though it was the easiest
I would advise future students not to settle for handing things in on time, be ahead fo the syllabus as much as you can because in everything is overwhelmingly piled up at the end. I would also say that you do survive, take one thing at a time.
My advice for Regina is to be a little more clear on what your expectations are. I really like that everything on the syllabus is reliable, that helps me stay organized. this class was fun and it was worth the hard work. I feel like it has given me great experience.
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