May 2006 Archives

Hypergene MediaBlog � Nieman Reports: The Future Is Here, But Do News Media Companies See It?

So far they have weathered storms of significant social, economic and technological change by figuring out how to transform themselves and what they produce. The creation of the telegraph, for example, had doomsayers frothing, but instead newspapers turned a disruptive technology into a tool for better reporting.

During periods of massive change, the death of the newspapers has always been greatly exaggerated. So, given the industry’s survival skills, why worry now? One reason might be that the burst of the dot-com bubble during the late 90s made many think they had overestimated the impact of the Internet. But in retrospect, the news media might have completely underestimated the influence of this new medium.

Murtha cheered, jeered - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The catcalls prompted shouts from other audience members that Murtha should be allowed to speak. The back-and-forth was clearly audible inside the Katherine Mabis McKenna Center on the Greensburg campus. The small, liberal arts Catholic university is in the heart of Murtha's 12th Congressional District, which he has represented since 1974.

A List Apart: Articles: Calling All Designers: Learn to Write!

So if you're someone who hires designers, ask them what they like to read. Talk to them about their word choice in every button, every link, every title. Give them a crack at writing your about page. It's the designer's job to think about your site the way a user does, and tell them what they need to hear, and when they need to hear it. A designer worth their salt will be able to do it. And if your designer says, "I'm not a writer,"� it may be time to find one who is.

If you're a designer who doesn't think of yourself as a writer, it's time to reconsider.

For EL 150 were to write a reflection about "T.V. turn-off week." We were allowed to write any thing we wanted: a short story, a poem, a series of poems, anything. I chose to write a short story that touches me personally. Some people think that hunting is all about killing without reason. I wrote this story to show the real reason for loving the outdoors, and what might happen if you just turn off the t.v. and let your imagination take over. Hope you enjoy.

The click of a staple gun echoed in a courtyard at Seton Hill University on Monday morning as students tacked the name of each soldier who has died in Iraq and Afghanistan to a temporary memorial.

The symbolic salute would be heard more than 2,300 times as students affixed a business card-sized "brick" to a 10-by-20-foot flag that represented a Living Wall memorial.

"By taking a few moments to read the name of each fallen soldier and place it on the Living Wall, we will dedicate these few hours today to their commitment and their heroism," said senior Jeremy Burkett during a 10 a.m. unveiling of the wall. -- Patti Dobranski Living Wall memorial created (Tribune-Review)

[If you click the link, first you'll have to sit through an ad, and then sit through the anchors' introduction, before getting to the reporter's live report.]

This wall holds the name of more than 2000 fallen American soldiers who died in Ira -- Iraq and Afghanistan. Now the soldiers were taking a class here -- I mean, the-- the students were taking a class here at Seton Hill University when they came up with the idea with the help of their teacher that made the wall a reality. --Mary Berecky

I just got this e-mail announcment:

In response to the Living Wall Memorial erected and dedicated on Monday, May 1, 2006, local armed forces men and women have requested an opportunity to present a military memorial service at the site. Please join in this ceremony on Friday, May 5, at Noon in the quad area in front of the McKenna Center.

In her essay "In Plato's Cave," Susan Sontag comments on the power of photography. "A photograph that brings news of some unsuspected zone of misery cannot make a dent in public opinion unless there is an appropriate context of feeling and attitude." She adds "Photographs cannot create a moral positions, but they can rienforce one - and help build a nascent one." At first I wasn't sure what to make of these comments, thinking that photographs, like all other forms of journalism, could influence public opinion. Sontag provides some useful examples however, such as that of Japanese internment camps during WWII, which went unquestioned by the public. I then wondered, is it good or bad that public opinion cannot be swayed by photographs? I think it would depend on the situation. Outrageous tabloid photographs hopefully will never cause a stir, but legitimate photojournalism that shows atrocities in Darfur or the horrible living situation in Haiti should create some sort of response. Some say a picture is worth 1000 words, but according to Sontag this does not mean that they will have a significant impact on public opinion.