Eye-Opener: Memo

Blog Portfolio 1 (EL 227: News Writing)

Unfortunately, I hadn't have the luxury of blogging more frequently than I would prefer because I'm been running around like a headless chicken trying to assimilate back to the school environment.

So right now, I'm having a difficult time balancing academics with extra-curricular fun. But I'm getting there, and I'm finally getting a feel of how each of my classes are like.

Now that that's out, I think I and other Setonians in this class should get extra-credit for participating in the Setonian (it's application of newswritng theories). Don't get me wrong, I like what I'm doing in the Setonian or else I wouldn't put as much effort in it. But it could get hectic for me and my fellow Setonians.

Most of my blog entries so far have been about application and reinforcement of journalism fundamentals:

Essentials of Journalism: While reading Chapters 3-5 of The Elements of Journalism, I was enraged with the hypocracy of journalists who obfusticate rather than enlighten the public. I noted the dangers of being impartial for objectivity's sake (being detach from the community thus not being loyal to them in revealing the truth).

Associated Press: The AP Guide to News Writing is like the Canterbury tales of journalism in a sense that details are used to show rather than to tell the hierarchy in journalism: those who speak journalese, who write bad and confusing leads, who are clear and enlightening etc. etc. The details showed the importance of keeping deadline and having transperancy.

Covering the News: From this spot news assignment, I realized that I've a good mastery of the five W's and 'how' of news writing, now I'm practicing fluidity and clarity in my news article. Chris Ulicne clarified for me the difference between details and wordiness.

Reporter's Survival Notebook: The Reporter's Notebook is very useful and valuable for new student journalists. It would have helped me a lot when I was a freshman. But I have no regrets because I prefer learning from experience (through practice, the knowledge has been impressed in my brain).

Capturing news with a Camera: My knowledge in photography has increased ever since I took a Black and White photograpy class. From now on, starting this semester, I'm going to apply all the concepts I learned this past summer in my photography. Pictures enhance the news and it can capture so much emotions. Sometimes it could convey the news better than words. I didn't get a chance to comment a lot on other people's blogs, but I did comment on Ulicne's Photo Illustration. I was going to make a link to my article on black and white photography but it's not in the online Setonian (yet?).

Editing : I felt productive when finally, I was doing the correcting rather than being corrected. Patience paid off. I remember sitting across Setonian editors while they explained to me the corrections they made in my articles (Before and now).

Final copy, different views: The Setonian Online and print version is more exhaustive in comparison with The Communicator. In comparing the coverage of SHU's football games in both publications, the hard copy of the Setonian was like a "story" rather than an "announcement." Both served its function, the Setonian being the voice of the students (being loyal to its citizen) and the Communicator as SHU's PR newsletter.

Reflecting on my journalism journey so far, I'm glad that my "path" was not as "rigid" (for example, taking news writing class first before becoming part of the Setonian or limiting myself to just the area of writing but actually getting involved in other aspects of the "newspaper world" such as copy-editing, taking pictures, distributing, reporting etc.). My experience in the Setonian made the theories I'm learning/reviewing in News Writing clearer/accessible (tangible rather than abstract).

Posted by Michael Diezmos at September 26, 2005 1:45 PM