November 2009 Archives

Clear, but somewhat awkward

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This news site is a lot better than the news site mentioned in my previous blog entry.  The colors are better, the text is spaced better, there isn't too much of it, and the pictures are placed in eye grabbing areas while not being distracting.  However, the text and articles at the bottom of the page are set up awkwardly.  In April's blog, she mentions that the site is bland.  I could understand this, it was bland.  However, I think I would choose a bland site over a site that is cluttered with words and pictures (such as the Harvard Crimson).



Course Page

Cluttered

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I thought this website's layout was way too busy.  There was too much text gathered together.  There should be wider divisions between the text and less stories crammed into such a small area.  More pictures would be helpful if placed appropriately.  Considering the name of the news site, I thought it would be more clear with its presentation.

Course Page   

Not admitting there's no story

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"In framing a story, reporters and their assigning editors must be sure they have not concluded too soon about the nature of the story or its likely outcome" (Best Practices for Newspaper Journalists Haiman 60). 

When I first read the title to the section "Newspapers are unfair when: They can't admit that sometimes there's no story," I wondered why this would be unfair.  Of course journalists have trouble admitting there is no story because they have to write stories for their job.  If they are assigned to cover a story, they have to cover it.  However, Haiman's advice that editors and reporters shouldn't make conclusions about the outcome of a story would be one way to make a story out of no story.  Therefore, journalists can admit the story they were after isn't a story and can move on to a real one.


Course page and discussion here.

Water on the Moon, Links in a News Story

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Alright, so maybe I am fascinated by the fact that there has been evidence of water found on the moon.  On wired.com, there happens to be a news story about the moon water (found here).  Besides being about an interesting topic, this article is successful because of its many links throughout the story.  The links work to back up the article's claims by providing other sources with information (see "Sources make for a more credible argument");  Also, the links provide information about other instances which the article brings up, such as possible water found on Mars.  By providing information to back up its claims and to further explain other topics, links create a more in-depth and informative article.


Course page

Informative visuals

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This multimedia news feature is an interesting way to convey information about where garbage and recyclables go.  The pictures and interesting facts are strong and informative.  When I first went to the website, I thought it was going to be another news story which condemns people who throw things away and praises recycling.  Surprisingly, it mostly stuck with the facts so people could know what happens to what they dispose of.  It is a refreshing, informative article which avoids preaching to save the environment. 

However, the videos popped up inconveniently right over the information I was reading.  When this happened, I just clicked to the next page because I didn't feel like dealing with them. 


Course page here.

A maestro's hair

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At the NY Times website, there was a headline for a story entitled "Hollywood Swoons Over That Hair, That Baton."  When I clicked this interesting headline, there was an audio slide show about a talented maestro.  The slide show was able to cover many points that a written article would not be able to.  It included music directed by Gustavo Dudamel (the maestro), photos of him conducting and teaching and working with children.  It was able to provide a profile of this new talent in a way that writing could not. 

Another interesting (but unrelated) story found here is about the finding of water on the moon.  Could you imagine a hundred years from now people might be looking back at us and saying "I couldn't imagine what life was like being stuck on Earth!"  It's kind of like how we look back and wonder how people survived without the internet or toothbrushes.


Course website and continuing discussion here.

Portfolio 3: Applying skills outside of a fifty minute class

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Here is yet another portfolio of blogs from my News Writing class.  Recently I have been using my knowledge outside of class.  I am beginning to be more aware of the words I use in my writing.  Also, I have caught myself mentally revising and eliminating words from notes left on bulletin boards at places like work and school.  When I hear a story, the thought of it being newsworthy crosses my mind.  I notice certain aspects of news writing when I read the newspaper as well.  Certain journalist techniques have been cemented into my way of looking at writing and the news.


Coverage
Blogs since my most recent portfolio.

Sources make for a more credible argument- In this entry, I discuss the importance of supporting a claim (in an editorial) with valid sources.
Journalists should rely on themselves, not historians- I tore apart the belief that journalists are writing the 'first rough draft of history.'  Journalists should never consider their published writing to be a rough draft in any situation.
Dear Public, there are other ways to learn besides taking classes- In this blog, I focus on ways to learn about a subject that do not include taking classes.
But bad news is more newsworthy!- Here I discuss how my previous belief had coincided with the public's but has changed now that I am more knowledgeable in journalism.
Diversity is a qualification - Another entry which I discuss a previous belief that has changed based on new knowledge.
Not fit to wear the investigative trench coat- I follow the list of qualities of an investigative reporter and explain why I could never be one.


Depth

Journalists should rely on themselves, not historians- I tore apart the belief that journalists are writing the 'first rough draft of history.'  Journalists should never consider their published writing to be a rough draft in any situation.
But bad news is more newsworthy!- Here I discuss how my previous belief had coincided with the public's but has changed now that I am more knowledgeable in journalism.
Diversity is a qualification - Another entry which I discuss a previous belief that has changed based on new knowledge.


Interaction

Reflection on objectivity- I reflected on Greta's blog about objectivity and expanded by discussing the interest it adds.


Discussion


Sources make for a more credible argument- In this entry, I discuss the importance of supporting a claim (in an editorial) with valid sources.


Timeliness


Dear Public, there are other ways to learn besides taking classes- In this blog, I focus on ways to learn about a subject that do not include taking classes.


Xenoblogging

Jen Prex's blog- Commenting on editorials.
Greta Carroll's blog- Joining the discussion of why newspapers should explain what they do to the public-- this would help in the area of bad news as well.
Jeanine O'Neal's blog- Commenting on invasive journalists.


Wildcard

Possible breaking news- I decided to track a story which could have become breaking news.  However, no stories came from it.
Bridge-to-be- A typo which affected the meaning of an engagement announcement in a humorous way.  I further discuss the importance of re-reading stories.


Click here to see my classmates' portfolios as well.

Reflection on objectivity

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I decided to write a reflection based on Greta's blog about objectivity.

My favorite quote from Greta's blog is "Articles are written from words and words are by definition emotionally charged and powerful" because it is a crucial point to consider when defining 'objectivity' in writing.  Almost every word conveys some idea, as do word combinations and word order.  Each person has an opinion about everything, even if it isn't obvious.  As a writer writes, he/she includes his/her own voice through word choice and therefore cannot write something completely objective.  Maybe an article could be close to being objective if it used bland language, such as "the wall is painted."  However, who would want to read such a boring story with a boring voice?  So even though an article may be slightly objective (since it is impossible to avoid), at least it has a voice and a more interesting word choice. 


Course page here.

Not fit to wear the investigative trench coat

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Investigative journalists need all the skills of general reporting, but especially:

  • an alert mind to recognize story ideas and important facts which people are trying to hide
  • an ordered mind to make notes, file information and fit lots of facts together
  • patience to keep digging for information
  • good contacts throughout society
  • courage to withstand threats from people you are investigating 
(Sample Investigative Reports)


When I think of journalists, I normally think of investigative reporters.  This is probably why I was never interested in pursuing a career in journalism.  After reading this list, I am sure that I would fail as an investigative reporter.

First, I find it difficult to identify newsworthy stories.  I am not meddlesome.  Second, and most importantly, my mind is anything but ordered.  I rarely take organized notes, do not file information, and am disorganized.  I wouldn't have enough patience to keep digging for information unless I was really interested in a story, but I have difficulty getting interested in news stories unless they are bizarre.  I don't have good contacts but I guess that is something that is slowly established/built.  Finally, I would not be able to withstand threats and would probably just give into them.
 
Investigative reporting would probably be an area that I would have to extensively work on if I ever wanted to be involved in it.  It sounds a lot tougher than the movies make snooping around in a trench coat seem.

Diversity is a qualification

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"Increase minority levels until percentages of minority staffers equal the percentages of minority populations in the market and/or country" (Haiman 45). 

Previous to reading this section of Best Practices for Newspaper Journalists, I have always thought a person should be hired based on how qualified they are and not based on race.  Now I understand why Haiman suggests that editors should work to build diverse staffs.

As I continued reading, this statement stood out to be the most: "Many editors who have been successful in diversifying their staffs say that they no longer use the terms 'fully' qualified or 'the best' qualified since differences in qualification are highly subjective and difficult to quantify, anyway" (Haiman 45).  I had never thought of qualification as being subjective, but completely understand how it would be.  Therefore, one could say that being a minority is an important qualification qualification. 

Haiman continues: "if you believe that having a diverse staff is essential to covering the news fully and fairly, then the fact of diversity itself is an important qualification to be considered" (Haiman 45-46).  A lot of candidates are qualified for a job.  Therefore an editor could select qualified people from each minority group in order to create a diverse staff.  The end result will include qualified, diverse journalists which would definitely add a certain aspect to newspapers which the readers desire.  The readers will be able to read from different points of view, broaden their knowledge of news stories, and will be informed appropriately since the diverse staff will also be qualified.


Course page here
.

But the bad news is more newsworthy!

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Before taking this news writing class, I had the same opinion of the public: Reporters and the news focus too much on bad news.  However, I have learned that the bad news is more newsworthy.  Who wants to read a story about each person who rode a bus and arrived safely to their destination?  They'd rather read about a bus plunge (even though it would be a filler story).  Haiman states: "Journalists respond that news is not the story of all the airplanes that landed safely yesterday but of the one that did not" (37).

So how can the newsworthy bad news be balanced with the public's request for more positive news?  The two tips I found most helpful from Best Practices for Newspaper Journalists are:

-React less; initiate more.  Cover the breaking news of individual events but look more for the significant trends.  Put stories in context ("Was this the first murder of the year or the 40th?") 
*This tip allows the story to focus less on the bad news and take a more realistic view of the situation. 

-Reach deeper into the community for sources.  The team discovered that readers were very interested in being informed about such things as traffic safety or bicycle thefts, which often can fall below the threshold of how newsrooms define news.
*This tip is interesting because it suggests other newsworthy stories that are not bad news.  Of course nobody wants to read about bunnies and rainbows (pardon the cliche), but there are other stories (such as the ones suggested above) which can be more newsworthy, positive, and not bad.  In the end, journalists will have real news to report and readers will have their complaints tended too.  Balance is key. 


These tips were found on page 41 of Best Practices for Newspaper Journalists
Click here for the course page.

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