First of all. I read two articles and I couldn't help but ask what the heck?
This week Republican candidate Mr. Romney "slipped" and accidentally called Obama, Osama. To me this is first of all inappropriate but to me it says a lot about Romney's character.
NO ONE should stoop that low so as to associate him as a terrorist. If he is doing this just to generate publicity or even gain political grounds, I think he made the wrong choice. It appears that Romney was simply jealous that he is ahead of him in the polls so he wants to try and get the public scared of him. Let's be mature here.
And, although he defended it as a slip of the tongue, he clearly meant to relay the message. As reported in the Telegraph, Romnney made a similar comment in July, "No to Obama, No to Osama, and No to Chelsea's Mama." GROW UP. He obviously shouldn't be president if he can't even respect and treat his competitiors appropriately.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/26/wobama126.xml
I agree with the Boston Globe!!! "MITT ROMNEY owes Obama an apology. It's as simple as that." Even if it WAS a simple slip of the tongue, he still owes his supporters an apology by saying it wasn't intended to be harmful.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/10/26/romneys_faux_pas/
Finally, SINCE WHEN IS CHENEY RELATED TO OBAMA?!
According to the Associated Press, Vice President Dick Cheney said he hasn't reached out to "Cousin Barack" Obama yet since reports that the two shared distant relatives.
I thought it was pretty interesting how he said he hadn't discussed it with him because he didn't know if it would help or hurt his campaign. That's pretty true, republicans and democrats could either love it or hate it.
This all seems a TAD TOO ODD!! Apparently they are eighth cousins once removed. It is kinda weird how the two haven't publically addressed it and how they seem to keep shrugging it off. But hey it is ironic!
INTERESTING NEWS WITH OBAMA!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Covering the Beat- Covering the Courts
I learned tons of information in these chapters, alot of it might have been over my head and I may have to refer back to it if I have to cover a story but hey I got the jist!!
When covering criminal courts I learned there are 3 ways that a suspect can be charged with a crime. First there is your everyday arrest. Alright well its not realllly everyday that you get arrested but hey we're pretty familiar with that one. Secondly there is the grand jury indictment and thirdly a charged brought on by "information" which usually occurs in the majority of crime cases because there is no grand jury function. A hearing and arraignment ensue.
However what was most interesting to me in this chapter was that many conflicts are resolved by plea bargaining. I never knew how judges had enough time to handle all the cases but this makes sense. If defense lawyers try to resolve the problem and bargain before heading to trial, they can save time, effort and perhaps get their client a lesser sentence. This way judges can devote their time to more serious matters.
A sheepishly admit that until this chapter I didn't even know there was a difference between jail and prison. And I didn't know the difference in charges between a misdemeanor and a felony. Although they both may have a sentence of probabation, a misdemeanor has a maximum sentence where felonies have a minimum sentence of one year.
I didn't realize how much actually went on during the pre-trial proceedings!! Defense lawyers prepare their presentation and analyze and gather the evidence. The exchange of evidence between the two lawyers occurs here such as police reports, names of witnesses, photographs and lab results. Sounds like intense preparation!!
Without a doubt though, learning about the motions is where I found the most interesting stuff. As a journalist, if I follow the motions I will find a story. Many things can change in the court room that can give me a lead such as when courts question the jury selection, implement a gag orders, question mental competency,and issue new or dismiss old evidence or even all charges completely.
Even though the trial is the main event and will be my main story, it is advised that the reporter be aware of trial strategy,legal issues and human drama that might unfold. In the end though I learned I must become familiar with the different types of objections, follow the jury selection, be present during the opening statements, focus on the presentation of evidence, pay attention to the cross examination, take notes on the closing argument, and stick around for the juror's instruction on the law. More importantly you should be around for when the verdict has been reached and announced in court, interview the jurors at the conclusion of the case, and appear at the sentencing hearing. However, if you think your job ends there make sure there is no appeal process before you publish your story!
In general I learned that usuallllly civil court cases aren't that newsworthy... simply because there are thousands a year and the disputes involve no significant legal issues and are usually between little-known parties so they aren't of public interest. However these cases still help to shape our society and values. Usually society members seek justice on their own from everything like dogbites and wrongful deaths to child custody issues and legal malpractice. To me although these may seem boring, pretty much everything and anything could end up in court so it could be pretttty amusing!
A civil case begins with the filing of a complaint or a petition brought on by the victim directly. However usually it takes many years for the case to actually be brought to court and for the evidence to be collected. Because this process is so long, sometimes the case is settled before it even reaches the court. The lawsuits then typically unfold gradually. Even though there are a few differences, the rest of the trial proceeds very much like a criminal case with the presentation and defense of evidence and then the submition for a verdict. A settlement or an appeal may occur sometime afterwards.
Ultimately as a reporter we are generally looking to write a story on the evidence that is found during the discovery phase. This is where we can find some newsworthy information because overall it seems covering these types of court cases can be pretty bland.
Because there is SO much information on covering beats I will simply regurgitate the best tips and pieces of advice I recieved.
To be a successfuly beat reporter one should be prepared, alert, persistent, present, and wary. Get to know your beat, figure out the records, make notes, and learn the law! You should also start establishing a relationship with your sources, understand your editors expectations and talk to your predecessor to get some background. Don't ever give up until you get the answer and keep track of slow developing problems or projects incase they break one day. And always follow the money, the power and the politics.
Finally, some really good personal advice I got was to do favors when you can because as a reporter you are constantly asking for favors. Don't always fall into the trap that bad news is good news. Always protect your sources and above all be accurate.
Although there are many beats such as the police dept., government, schools, the courts, religion, the environment, science and medicine, the process when starting to cover a beat is the same: learn the language, research, and develop your sources.
When covering criminal courts I learned there are 3 ways that a suspect can be charged with a crime. First there is your everyday arrest. Alright well its not realllly everyday that you get arrested but hey we're pretty familiar with that one. Secondly there is the grand jury indictment and thirdly a charged brought on by "information" which usually occurs in the majority of crime cases because there is no grand jury function. A hearing and arraignment ensue.
However what was most interesting to me in this chapter was that many conflicts are resolved by plea bargaining. I never knew how judges had enough time to handle all the cases but this makes sense. If defense lawyers try to resolve the problem and bargain before heading to trial, they can save time, effort and perhaps get their client a lesser sentence. This way judges can devote their time to more serious matters.
A sheepishly admit that until this chapter I didn't even know there was a difference between jail and prison. And I didn't know the difference in charges between a misdemeanor and a felony. Although they both may have a sentence of probabation, a misdemeanor has a maximum sentence where felonies have a minimum sentence of one year.
I didn't realize how much actually went on during the pre-trial proceedings!! Defense lawyers prepare their presentation and analyze and gather the evidence. The exchange of evidence between the two lawyers occurs here such as police reports, names of witnesses, photographs and lab results. Sounds like intense preparation!!
Without a doubt though, learning about the motions is where I found the most interesting stuff. As a journalist, if I follow the motions I will find a story. Many things can change in the court room that can give me a lead such as when courts question the jury selection, implement a gag orders, question mental competency,and issue new or dismiss old evidence or even all charges completely.
Even though the trial is the main event and will be my main story, it is advised that the reporter be aware of trial strategy,legal issues and human drama that might unfold. In the end though I learned I must become familiar with the different types of objections, follow the jury selection, be present during the opening statements, focus on the presentation of evidence, pay attention to the cross examination, take notes on the closing argument, and stick around for the juror's instruction on the law. More importantly you should be around for when the verdict has been reached and announced in court, interview the jurors at the conclusion of the case, and appear at the sentencing hearing. However, if you think your job ends there make sure there is no appeal process before you publish your story!
In general I learned that usuallllly civil court cases aren't that newsworthy... simply because there are thousands a year and the disputes involve no significant legal issues and are usually between little-known parties so they aren't of public interest. However these cases still help to shape our society and values. Usually society members seek justice on their own from everything like dogbites and wrongful deaths to child custody issues and legal malpractice. To me although these may seem boring, pretty much everything and anything could end up in court so it could be pretttty amusing!
A civil case begins with the filing of a complaint or a petition brought on by the victim directly. However usually it takes many years for the case to actually be brought to court and for the evidence to be collected. Because this process is so long, sometimes the case is settled before it even reaches the court. The lawsuits then typically unfold gradually. Even though there are a few differences, the rest of the trial proceeds very much like a criminal case with the presentation and defense of evidence and then the submition for a verdict. A settlement or an appeal may occur sometime afterwards.
Ultimately as a reporter we are generally looking to write a story on the evidence that is found during the discovery phase. This is where we can find some newsworthy information because overall it seems covering these types of court cases can be pretty bland.
Because there is SO much information on covering beats I will simply regurgitate the best tips and pieces of advice I recieved.
To be a successfuly beat reporter one should be prepared, alert, persistent, present, and wary. Get to know your beat, figure out the records, make notes, and learn the law! You should also start establishing a relationship with your sources, understand your editors expectations and talk to your predecessor to get some background. Don't ever give up until you get the answer and keep track of slow developing problems or projects incase they break one day. And always follow the money, the power and the politics.
Finally, some really good personal advice I got was to do favors when you can because as a reporter you are constantly asking for favors. Don't always fall into the trap that bad news is good news. Always protect your sources and above all be accurate.
Although there are many beats such as the police dept., government, schools, the courts, religion, the environment, science and medicine, the process when starting to cover a beat is the same: learn the language, research, and develop your sources.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
I feel like I've been reading about crime for 827382 days...
One of the really cool things I got out of the eighty million chapters was how crime beats can be treasures to journalists. They offer such great stories and they usually have all the components viewers or readers want: greed, sex, violence, comedy, and tragedy. Crime reporters have to juggle many differents kinds of stories from fires to homicide so it's definitely a test of your character. The book even said that crime reporters are the busiest in the newsroom- quite interesting I thought. Without a doubt they GOT to be the most aggressive!! I also found it intriguing how society is so fascinated by crime. I'll admit the stories are more entertaining and attention grabbing.
Some of the tips I learned were to figure out how to distinguish robbery, burglary, larceny and theft. I learned some of the pressures of crime beat reporting and some ideas and tips to get myself started... if I ever felt the need to do this (which I do not believe will be the cases but nonetheless it was cool!!) I also learned some of the steps of prisoner processing, bail procedures and arraigment. This was really interesting to me because I write stories for newswatch and many of them often include a crime involving arrest and I finally know what some of the key terms reallllly mean... Now I have a better idea of what's actually going on!
I thought it was really telling how the author spelled out the fact that if you can't handle death, tragedy, conflict, and lawfullness get out because the crime beat will leave you"miserable." I know the crime beat isn't for me... thats for sure! I really liked how he included information about the crime reporter's demographics, job satisfaction, safety and job tunrover because it really humanized the fact that there are real people going out and covering these sometimes gruesome stories.
Finally from chapter one I really enjoyed how the crime beat issues were broken down. It really coincides with the fact that there are many ethical dilmenas reporters face when trying to determine what's important vs what's news. This really brought to my attention the fact that sometimes we give too much value to a crime story and we end up making them a famous celebrity, sort of like OJ Simpson. I think that's where we cross the line and it doesn't become tasteful any longer because people will just eat it up like some story straight out of Hollywood.
In chapter 5 for the majority I learned why we realllly cover crime stories. First of all its important to give society an overall view of the criminal justice system. Next we want to make sure people are aware of whats going on in their area so they can protect themselves. In general reporters want to inform, uncover problems, prevent crime and help victims. The job requires perspective, persistence, and patience and is easily one of the hardest jobsin the newsroom. For one you have to speak to various victims during their time of sadness or distress. You also must determine your actual motivation for the story to make sure you are giving the public information that is new, different, and helpful. After reading this chapter I really understood the seriousness and stresses crime reporters face with contacting and approaching victims and yet at the same time trying to do their job.
For the most part learned some really good tips for approaching crime victims at the scene, at their home, at the hospital, or over the phone. In general I learned to identify myself, and be cautious, appropriate, simple,sincere and respectful in order to establish rapport. Then I must explain my purpose and get interviewing. Other tips included doing your research, being available at all times for the source to contact you at their convenience, listen, and give interviewees time to formulate their thoughts. Lastly,make sure you are not too graphic and that you interview others to achieve objectivity, fairness and balance which afterall are the principles of solid journalism!
In my last chapter of reading (chaper7) I realized how little I knew. I knew that the law shaped and held our society together because they are responsible for a large part of American life ranging from issues such as taxes to abortion. I knew that the law controls how these things affect our lives but I didnt realize how crucial it was for reporters to translate the language of the rulings and decisions so that individuals like me could understand. In general the chapter discussed how the court system operates and how a reporter like me can go about doing their job and reporting on what occurs there.
Now I will sheepishly admit, alot of the terminology and discussion was over my head but hey I tried to wrap my head around it. I learned that the U.S. courts are organized by jurisdiction and function and that there are two basic court systems: federal and state. Within each court system there are different levels of function such as trials, intermediate appeals and fine appeals. Within these various court sytems there are two players. One group is the administrative personell who handles paperwork and proceedings. The other is the judges and juries who make decisions and bring criminal charges. I guess its obvious to say that the journalist who learns and understands the functions of these players will get the best coverage of the court beat!!
I really learned that covering the courts is Intimidating, with a capital I. You must listen, ask questions, be concise,be patient, be observant and above all, become knowledgable. I learned that court documents can and should be a reporter's best friend because it is most likely the most valuable source of information. They are libel proof, and they will not turn on you like a source. I also learned what sources to contact and which sources will give me the information I need. Also learned to make sure to cover the pre-trial hearings and rulings to understand how a case is progressing before it falls into place in the court room.
Some other tips the author give the reader were really basic but nonetheless helpful.When covering either a run-of-the mill case or a heater trial make sure you, listen to jury selection, pay close attention to opening statements, listen to cross-examination and develop some ground rules for speaking with the judge because they can be a key source for your beat.
I thought it was really interesting how the author said covering a trial is like covering a sports event- you got to know your players! Pretttty clever!
Overall the chapters were really intriguing even though they were a little dry. But hey now I'm ready to go out there and start my beat! wohoo!
Some of the tips I learned were to figure out how to distinguish robbery, burglary, larceny and theft. I learned some of the pressures of crime beat reporting and some ideas and tips to get myself started... if I ever felt the need to do this (which I do not believe will be the cases but nonetheless it was cool!!) I also learned some of the steps of prisoner processing, bail procedures and arraigment. This was really interesting to me because I write stories for newswatch and many of them often include a crime involving arrest and I finally know what some of the key terms reallllly mean... Now I have a better idea of what's actually going on!
I thought it was really telling how the author spelled out the fact that if you can't handle death, tragedy, conflict, and lawfullness get out because the crime beat will leave you"miserable." I know the crime beat isn't for me... thats for sure! I really liked how he included information about the crime reporter's demographics, job satisfaction, safety and job tunrover because it really humanized the fact that there are real people going out and covering these sometimes gruesome stories.
Finally from chapter one I really enjoyed how the crime beat issues were broken down. It really coincides with the fact that there are many ethical dilmenas reporters face when trying to determine what's important vs what's news. This really brought to my attention the fact that sometimes we give too much value to a crime story and we end up making them a famous celebrity, sort of like OJ Simpson. I think that's where we cross the line and it doesn't become tasteful any longer because people will just eat it up like some story straight out of Hollywood.
In chapter 5 for the majority I learned why we realllly cover crime stories. First of all its important to give society an overall view of the criminal justice system. Next we want to make sure people are aware of whats going on in their area so they can protect themselves. In general reporters want to inform, uncover problems, prevent crime and help victims. The job requires perspective, persistence, and patience and is easily one of the hardest jobsin the newsroom. For one you have to speak to various victims during their time of sadness or distress. You also must determine your actual motivation for the story to make sure you are giving the public information that is new, different, and helpful. After reading this chapter I really understood the seriousness and stresses crime reporters face with contacting and approaching victims and yet at the same time trying to do their job.
For the most part learned some really good tips for approaching crime victims at the scene, at their home, at the hospital, or over the phone. In general I learned to identify myself, and be cautious, appropriate, simple,sincere and respectful in order to establish rapport. Then I must explain my purpose and get interviewing. Other tips included doing your research, being available at all times for the source to contact you at their convenience, listen, and give interviewees time to formulate their thoughts. Lastly,make sure you are not too graphic and that you interview others to achieve objectivity, fairness and balance which afterall are the principles of solid journalism!
In my last chapter of reading (chaper7) I realized how little I knew. I knew that the law shaped and held our society together because they are responsible for a large part of American life ranging from issues such as taxes to abortion. I knew that the law controls how these things affect our lives but I didnt realize how crucial it was for reporters to translate the language of the rulings and decisions so that individuals like me could understand. In general the chapter discussed how the court system operates and how a reporter like me can go about doing their job and reporting on what occurs there.
Now I will sheepishly admit, alot of the terminology and discussion was over my head but hey I tried to wrap my head around it. I learned that the U.S. courts are organized by jurisdiction and function and that there are two basic court systems: federal and state. Within each court system there are different levels of function such as trials, intermediate appeals and fine appeals. Within these various court sytems there are two players. One group is the administrative personell who handles paperwork and proceedings. The other is the judges and juries who make decisions and bring criminal charges. I guess its obvious to say that the journalist who learns and understands the functions of these players will get the best coverage of the court beat!!
I really learned that covering the courts is Intimidating, with a capital I. You must listen, ask questions, be concise,be patient, be observant and above all, become knowledgable. I learned that court documents can and should be a reporter's best friend because it is most likely the most valuable source of information. They are libel proof, and they will not turn on you like a source. I also learned what sources to contact and which sources will give me the information I need. Also learned to make sure to cover the pre-trial hearings and rulings to understand how a case is progressing before it falls into place in the court room.
Some other tips the author give the reader were really basic but nonetheless helpful.When covering either a run-of-the mill case or a heater trial make sure you, listen to jury selection, pay close attention to opening statements, listen to cross-examination and develop some ground rules for speaking with the judge because they can be a key source for your beat.
I thought it was really interesting how the author said covering a trial is like covering a sports event- you got to know your players! Pretttty clever!
Overall the chapters were really intriguing even though they were a little dry. But hey now I'm ready to go out there and start my beat! wohoo!
Monday, October 15, 2007
My Comments!
Holly " Giuliani and his cell phone"
http://hollysmithnewsi.blogspot.com/2007/09/giuliani-and-his-cell-phone.html
Antonina " That's it i'm turning democrat"
http://ladyantoninakrystyna.blogspot.com/2007/10/thats-it-im-turning-republican.html
Marcus " Saturday, October 6, 2007"
http://pierulesyou.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2007-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=14
Devon " News Reporting and Writing 1 Untitled"
http://devonhaley.blogspot.com/2007/09/i-recently-saw-article-in-past-issue-of.html
Laura D " Hilary Clinton No Joke"
http://newsreportingandwriting.blogspot.com/2007/10/public-should-be-protected-from.html
Briana " Really.. what the fuck"
http://brianaword.blogspot.com/2007/10/reallywhat-fuck.html
Hannah " Election $$$"
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1262959131330397320&postID=1831312901532624614
Jen " Giuliani...um...9/11"
http://jenfursblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/giuliani-um-911.html
http://hollysmithnewsi.blogspot.com/2007/09/giuliani-and-his-cell-phone.html
Antonina " That's it i'm turning democrat"
http://ladyantoninakrystyna.blogspot.com/2007/10/thats-it-im-turning-republican.html
Marcus " Saturday, October 6, 2007"
http://pierulesyou.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2007-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=14
Devon " News Reporting and Writing 1 Untitled"
http://devonhaley.blogspot.com/2007/09/i-recently-saw-article-in-past-issue-of.html
Laura D " Hilary Clinton No Joke"
http://newsreportingandwriting.blogspot.com/2007/10/public-should-be-protected-from.html
Briana " Really.. what the fuck"
http://brianaword.blogspot.com/2007/10/reallywhat-fuck.html
Hannah " Election $$$"
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1262959131330397320&postID=1831312901532624614
Jen " Giuliani...um...9/11"
http://jenfursblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/giuliani-um-911.html
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Ethics
Alright I wont lie (no pun intended) this ethics chapter was pretty repetitive considering the fact that I am taking an ethics class and just was tested on this thursday but hey ya know i guess it was good review. I learned alot about myself as a person and a journalist.
I knew the purpose of journalism was to provide citizens with accurate and reliable information they need to function in society. I knew that journalism's first obligation was to the truth, its first loyatly was to citizens, it must serve as an independent monitor of power and provide a forum for public criticism. It must strive to make the significant sound interesting and relevant, and ultimately keep the news balanced and fair. I knew about the ethical dilemnas that can arise on the job and I have started to become familiar with the vocabulary of ethicisits. I knew the definition and the differences between deontological, teleological and situation ethics. But what I learned was where I stand ethically as a person AND a journalist.
I found the ethical guidelines really interesting and although I knew them, I liked how they spelled them out. Journalists must exibit responsibility, acknowledge their right to freedom of the press, practice impartiality, sincerity, truthfullness and accuracy, fairplay and last but not least decency.
I learned alot about ethical problems that journalists face sometimes day to day. I learned how bad it is deceiving people to get a story, reporting with conflicts of interest such as friendships or accepting payment or freebies for stories and for paying for sources. You also need to be wary of advertising pressure and participation in the news. The biggest ones of course are dealing with the invasion of privacy and withholding information vs the public's right to know and of course the biggest sin of all is plagiarizing by passing off someone else's work as your own.
But most importantly I learned the three guildlines that will keep you out of trouble. One should be free of obligations to anyone except the truth, be fair, and remember good taste. Solving ethical dilemnas can be difficult though. Using principled reasoning will help you decide which ways are proper and moral ways to act. But reasoning can be diffiuclt in itself so I really appreciated the Potter Box of elements to help use moral reasoning to make ethical decisions.
Even though you know them I'm going to list them because they are important for me and my professional future.
1. Appraising the situation by gathering the facts from a variety of different sources.
2. Identifying your personal values, your community's values, your nation's values, and your new's organizations values.
3. Appealing to ethical principles and determining how can you fulfill your duty to yourself and to the audience.
4. Choosing who you owe your loyalities to either your news organizations, your viewers, your sources, and the public.
Usually there is no clear answer to a difficult ethical dilemna but at least I know how to TRY to analyze and resolve these problems now. Finally as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists myself, it was really interesting to see their Code of Ethics. It was nice to become familiar with them so I can practice them in real life!!
I knew the purpose of journalism was to provide citizens with accurate and reliable information they need to function in society. I knew that journalism's first obligation was to the truth, its first loyatly was to citizens, it must serve as an independent monitor of power and provide a forum for public criticism. It must strive to make the significant sound interesting and relevant, and ultimately keep the news balanced and fair. I knew about the ethical dilemnas that can arise on the job and I have started to become familiar with the vocabulary of ethicisits. I knew the definition and the differences between deontological, teleological and situation ethics. But what I learned was where I stand ethically as a person AND a journalist.
I found the ethical guidelines really interesting and although I knew them, I liked how they spelled them out. Journalists must exibit responsibility, acknowledge their right to freedom of the press, practice impartiality, sincerity, truthfullness and accuracy, fairplay and last but not least decency.
I learned alot about ethical problems that journalists face sometimes day to day. I learned how bad it is deceiving people to get a story, reporting with conflicts of interest such as friendships or accepting payment or freebies for stories and for paying for sources. You also need to be wary of advertising pressure and participation in the news. The biggest ones of course are dealing with the invasion of privacy and withholding information vs the public's right to know and of course the biggest sin of all is plagiarizing by passing off someone else's work as your own.
But most importantly I learned the three guildlines that will keep you out of trouble. One should be free of obligations to anyone except the truth, be fair, and remember good taste. Solving ethical dilemnas can be difficult though. Using principled reasoning will help you decide which ways are proper and moral ways to act. But reasoning can be diffiuclt in itself so I really appreciated the Potter Box of elements to help use moral reasoning to make ethical decisions.
Even though you know them I'm going to list them because they are important for me and my professional future.
1. Appraising the situation by gathering the facts from a variety of different sources.
2. Identifying your personal values, your community's values, your nation's values, and your new's organizations values.
3. Appealing to ethical principles and determining how can you fulfill your duty to yourself and to the audience.
4. Choosing who you owe your loyalities to either your news organizations, your viewers, your sources, and the public.
Usually there is no clear answer to a difficult ethical dilemna but at least I know how to TRY to analyze and resolve these problems now. Finally as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists myself, it was really interesting to see their Code of Ethics. It was nice to become familiar with them so I can practice them in real life!!
Obama's Energy Crisis Plan
I was realllly excited to see that Obama rolled out an energy plan to combat the global warming crisis!! According to MSNBC Obama called for a national plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 and an investment of $150 billion over the next ten years to develop new technology to create sources of renewable energy etc.
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/10/09/403124.aspx
Personally I'm really glad that Obama is recoginizing there IS a problem and that we need to plan for it NOW or else we are going to have HUGE problem on our hands in just a few years. We can already see it is starting to happen and I am glad Obama is a candidate that is dedicated to this. I'm sure the town of Ithaca will support this plan too because sustainablity is really important to the residents here. I'm curious to see what they would have to say!
Obama also told MSNBC that he wants to get the United States more involved with the world in combating climate change while stressing the importance of individual responsibility in energy consumption which I think is really awesome. He seems really committed and I feel that he is sincere and not just trying to win voters. This is a big step for America.
It's interesting that his democratic rival, Hilary Clinton hasn't advocated for this yet. Obama's plan received praise from the League of Conservation Voters for embracing a cap on carbon emissions so it is definitely receiving some well deserved attention! I'm curious to see what Clinton will do to follow up.
Although Obama did attack the lobbyists in Washington for allowing this energy reform system to exist and recent Presidents for allowing America to depend on foreign oil... some people could be upset but I say it was fair game.
Obama's pledge couldn't have had better timing. After making campaign stops through Iowa last week, voters especially small famers who could benefit from ethanol production, were able to ask questions about how he would reduce American dependence on foreign oil and how he would help global warming.
One interesting that the the Associated Press touched on was the fact that businesses will have to start paying for the pollution they create. I thought this was an amazinnng idea because money does speak louder then words. He said " No businesses willbe allowed to emit greenhouse gases for free. Businesses don't own the sky, the public does, and if we want them to stop polluting it, we have to put a price on air pollution."
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jNlJOuGuTs5qgEuIws8f56V48hyAD8S5EV780
Clever Obama. Clever. They can call him inexperienced but he's smart. Whitehouse watch out!
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/10/09/403124.aspx
Personally I'm really glad that Obama is recoginizing there IS a problem and that we need to plan for it NOW or else we are going to have HUGE problem on our hands in just a few years. We can already see it is starting to happen and I am glad Obama is a candidate that is dedicated to this. I'm sure the town of Ithaca will support this plan too because sustainablity is really important to the residents here. I'm curious to see what they would have to say!
Obama also told MSNBC that he wants to get the United States more involved with the world in combating climate change while stressing the importance of individual responsibility in energy consumption which I think is really awesome. He seems really committed and I feel that he is sincere and not just trying to win voters. This is a big step for America.
It's interesting that his democratic rival, Hilary Clinton hasn't advocated for this yet. Obama's plan received praise from the League of Conservation Voters for embracing a cap on carbon emissions so it is definitely receiving some well deserved attention! I'm curious to see what Clinton will do to follow up.
Although Obama did attack the lobbyists in Washington for allowing this energy reform system to exist and recent Presidents for allowing America to depend on foreign oil... some people could be upset but I say it was fair game.
Obama's pledge couldn't have had better timing. After making campaign stops through Iowa last week, voters especially small famers who could benefit from ethanol production, were able to ask questions about how he would reduce American dependence on foreign oil and how he would help global warming.
One interesting that the the Associated Press touched on was the fact that businesses will have to start paying for the pollution they create. I thought this was an amazinnng idea because money does speak louder then words. He said " No businesses willbe allowed to emit greenhouse gases for free. Businesses don't own the sky, the public does, and if we want them to stop polluting it, we have to put a price on air pollution."
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jNlJOuGuTs5qgEuIws8f56V48hyAD8S5EV780
Clever Obama. Clever. They can call him inexperienced but he's smart. Whitehouse watch out!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Random tidbits on becoming a professional
After reading Politics and The English Language by George Orwell I was stunned by his blunt tactics of conveying the downfall in prose. He definitely picks out some really good examples of how modern writing consists of "gumming together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else," because it's pretty much easier to use ready made phrases. To me I've never really been told to copy any one else so this was interesting to hear.
I didn't really care for the reading I thought it was a little too loaded but I did agree with the fact that just as thought can corrupt language, language can corrupt thought- a bad usage can be spread like wildfire. I thought many of his points were pretty deep and I had a hard time relating and breaking down what he had to say. However, I did get the most out of these rules to avoid failure.
Never use a long word when a short word will do, never use passive when you can use active, and never use a foreign phrase/scientific phrase/jargon when an English equivalent will suffice. These were pretty good rules because its interesting that like me, he too must feel that modern writing has become too wordy, too messy and too obscure for no reason. You don't need to wow your reader because in the end you lose them.
The Five Characteristics of Academic or Scholarly Prose echoed that of Orwell. Prose uses more inflated writing, which is generally less effective than a direct style. After reading the examples, which differentiated the two, I began to prefer the direct style to the scholarly style. First of all, the academic style embellishes sentences more than necessary, uses static verbs, which are harder to follow, and uses long, complex sentence structures, which make it harder for the reader to abstract meaning.
To me this reading was interesting to see how the two styles are characterized and how they can tell the same story in such different ways. To me the direct style makes more sense because it gets right to the point and it made me realize how frustrating it can be for a reader to be bored by a sentence when a simple sentence would do. Now I know what not to do!!!
I found the reading on Three Mile Island to be really interesting. After writing the article we did on class and having no real background knowledge on the plant myself, I realized I was in the same boat as a lot of the reporters back then. Many of them were rather ignorant because back then they weren’t many beat reporters and this was something as foreign to them as it was to me.
It was also interesting that although it was a pretty big story, only the major news organizations turned out at the site forcing other dailies to rely on coverage by the main media outlets such as the two wire services.
I thought it was really interesting how the reporters broke down the different aspects that made this story newsworthy. It was very unique, it prompted fear, it had geographical importance, it had conflicting information since it was very complex, it had potential for catastrophe, it attracted the attention of the energy conscious and also was a huge coincidence to the release of a popular film the China Syndrome, which dramatized such an accident. By breaking down these aspects it helped me to see how Three Mile Island was such a huge story for reporters back then!!!
This article also highlighted some interesting things. How the reporters had to scramble for sources, how they handled confusing information, and how they covered accidents - inform the public about everything as soon as it happens. Lastly, it was really amusing to see how some reporters outright admitted to sensationalizing the story. They said it crept into the coverage because it was unnerving experience overwhelming a small town, and because the story itself was filled with “what if” questions which fueled drama.
I think this article really outlined the problems reporters came in contact and did a nice job on preparing better for future accidents. It was really cool to read!!!
After reading chapter 8 I realized the main point: good writing begins with good reporting. But what is good writing? It seemed to me to be a little broad. I learned good writing is precise, clear and concrete. It shows rather than tells and uses figures of speech.
By avoiding unbiased language, avoiding carelessness in word choice and increasing comprehension with numbers, a writer is able to be more precise and able communicate exactly what you mean. The book also highlighted some good tips on how to write clearly. I should remember to keep my sentences short and focused on one idea, avoid using too many numbers and prepositional phrases and use plain and simple words instead of jargon. Remembering these tips and also using correct grammar will help me keep my stories clear, simple and coherent for my reader.
Finally, I learned that clarity is in the details and that you should always be specific. One creative sentence I liked was that you should “chauffeur the reader through the scenes in your story.” This really drives home the point that you should include anecdotes and statistics to not only tell but also show information to engage and entertain your reader. Lastly, good writers know how to use literary devices such as analogies in order to “draw word pictures.” This is one aspect I know I need to work on as a writer!!
I know writing to be read isn’t easy but in the end I realized it can make or break the story for you AND your reader!!
The last chapter after a long day of reading was chapter 22, Media Law. All in the entire chapter was particularly boring for me because I hate law but I did learn a lot of new things here and there through the tedious reading.
In general I learned what rights I have as a journalist and what to do in specific situations regarding libel, invasion of privacy, confidential sources, access to the courtroom and copyright laws.
One thing that really scared me was libel. Ken Paulson outlined a few tips to avoiding libel, which really put me at ease. You should ask yourself: Have I reported fully, factually, fairly and in good faith? Paulson said if you can answer those questions positively and confidently then the law will take care of itself.
However, I learned the most about defenses to libel and slander and related concepts essential to journalists. I was really able to understand the difference between the two, see how we are protected under law, and what our constitutional privileges are. The three traditional defenses against libel are truth, privilege and fair comment and criticism. In addition to this I realized that with the invasion of privacy came the fact that you cannot trespass and you cannot portray someone in a “false light.”
I know I will have to review these again before I enter the real world because this chapter had a lot of important information for me to swallow!! Although I had read a chapter like this before in Intro, maybe it’s even the same one because it sounded familiar, I did take away some new things.
I didn't really care for the reading I thought it was a little too loaded but I did agree with the fact that just as thought can corrupt language, language can corrupt thought- a bad usage can be spread like wildfire. I thought many of his points were pretty deep and I had a hard time relating and breaking down what he had to say. However, I did get the most out of these rules to avoid failure.
Never use a long word when a short word will do, never use passive when you can use active, and never use a foreign phrase/scientific phrase/jargon when an English equivalent will suffice. These were pretty good rules because its interesting that like me, he too must feel that modern writing has become too wordy, too messy and too obscure for no reason. You don't need to wow your reader because in the end you lose them.
The Five Characteristics of Academic or Scholarly Prose echoed that of Orwell. Prose uses more inflated writing, which is generally less effective than a direct style. After reading the examples, which differentiated the two, I began to prefer the direct style to the scholarly style. First of all, the academic style embellishes sentences more than necessary, uses static verbs, which are harder to follow, and uses long, complex sentence structures, which make it harder for the reader to abstract meaning.
To me this reading was interesting to see how the two styles are characterized and how they can tell the same story in such different ways. To me the direct style makes more sense because it gets right to the point and it made me realize how frustrating it can be for a reader to be bored by a sentence when a simple sentence would do. Now I know what not to do!!!
I found the reading on Three Mile Island to be really interesting. After writing the article we did on class and having no real background knowledge on the plant myself, I realized I was in the same boat as a lot of the reporters back then. Many of them were rather ignorant because back then they weren’t many beat reporters and this was something as foreign to them as it was to me.
It was also interesting that although it was a pretty big story, only the major news organizations turned out at the site forcing other dailies to rely on coverage by the main media outlets such as the two wire services.
I thought it was really interesting how the reporters broke down the different aspects that made this story newsworthy. It was very unique, it prompted fear, it had geographical importance, it had conflicting information since it was very complex, it had potential for catastrophe, it attracted the attention of the energy conscious and also was a huge coincidence to the release of a popular film the China Syndrome, which dramatized such an accident. By breaking down these aspects it helped me to see how Three Mile Island was such a huge story for reporters back then!!!
This article also highlighted some interesting things. How the reporters had to scramble for sources, how they handled confusing information, and how they covered accidents - inform the public about everything as soon as it happens. Lastly, it was really amusing to see how some reporters outright admitted to sensationalizing the story. They said it crept into the coverage because it was unnerving experience overwhelming a small town, and because the story itself was filled with “what if” questions which fueled drama.
I think this article really outlined the problems reporters came in contact and did a nice job on preparing better for future accidents. It was really cool to read!!!
After reading chapter 8 I realized the main point: good writing begins with good reporting. But what is good writing? It seemed to me to be a little broad. I learned good writing is precise, clear and concrete. It shows rather than tells and uses figures of speech.
By avoiding unbiased language, avoiding carelessness in word choice and increasing comprehension with numbers, a writer is able to be more precise and able communicate exactly what you mean. The book also highlighted some good tips on how to write clearly. I should remember to keep my sentences short and focused on one idea, avoid using too many numbers and prepositional phrases and use plain and simple words instead of jargon. Remembering these tips and also using correct grammar will help me keep my stories clear, simple and coherent for my reader.
Finally, I learned that clarity is in the details and that you should always be specific. One creative sentence I liked was that you should “chauffeur the reader through the scenes in your story.” This really drives home the point that you should include anecdotes and statistics to not only tell but also show information to engage and entertain your reader. Lastly, good writers know how to use literary devices such as analogies in order to “draw word pictures.” This is one aspect I know I need to work on as a writer!!
I know writing to be read isn’t easy but in the end I realized it can make or break the story for you AND your reader!!
The last chapter after a long day of reading was chapter 22, Media Law. All in the entire chapter was particularly boring for me because I hate law but I did learn a lot of new things here and there through the tedious reading.
In general I learned what rights I have as a journalist and what to do in specific situations regarding libel, invasion of privacy, confidential sources, access to the courtroom and copyright laws.
One thing that really scared me was libel. Ken Paulson outlined a few tips to avoiding libel, which really put me at ease. You should ask yourself: Have I reported fully, factually, fairly and in good faith? Paulson said if you can answer those questions positively and confidently then the law will take care of itself.
However, I learned the most about defenses to libel and slander and related concepts essential to journalists. I was really able to understand the difference between the two, see how we are protected under law, and what our constitutional privileges are. The three traditional defenses against libel are truth, privilege and fair comment and criticism. In addition to this I realized that with the invasion of privacy came the fact that you cannot trespass and you cannot portray someone in a “false light.”
I know I will have to review these again before I enter the real world because this chapter had a lot of important information for me to swallow!! Although I had read a chapter like this before in Intro, maybe it’s even the same one because it sounded familiar, I did take away some new things.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Guiliani Pulls Ahead in Fundraising
With the end of the 3rd quarter now closed, it's not out of the question that Romney could significantly catch up to Rudy as the republican nomination race unfolds.
According to Time, Giuliani is ahead in the national polls for fundraising and is proving to be "steadier and more resilient" than GOP veterans expected. While Giuliani has 26 million dollars to work with, Romney is maintaining some competition with 8 million. Time believes this means he will have enough money for the REAL republican race this fall and winter.
While the bank accounts are going strong, the two candidates seem to be battling it out on all fronts this week. After accusing each other of being too soft on abortion, same sex marriage, immigration, stem cells, taxes and spending and the war on terror, TIme believes this is all pretty tame compared to what lies ahead.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1668892,00.html
Although I don't know whose going to emerge as the winner, I'm willing to take a bet Rudy is going to come out with less scratches considering the fact he's kept himself pretty bruiseless in the midst of New York City politics which is quite a feat. I think Guiliani defnitely is playing a good strategy. He was quoted by Times as saying " I'm not perfect, but I can keep you safer." I think this will really appeal to the public because I think they are desperately trying to find someone they trust right now in a world full of fear. If Guiliani can appeal to those people, he has a VERY strong support base.
According to another source- Reuters- Mitt Romney is scrambling up ways to dismantle his top rival, Rudy Guiliani. Earlier today he took an aim at the New York's mayor and accused him for his big spending policies. Reuter's said that Romney is trying to instill doubt in Guiliani's republican credentials by attacking his stance in favor of abortion rights. Although there has been few brawls yet between the two, Reuters expects that the real wrestling match could occur next Tuesday at the republican debate in Michigan. http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0545977320071005
Something I thought was pretty interesting was that the Associated Press dubbed their headline of the same story " Romney Is His Own Biggest Donor." According to the AP, Romney seems to be digging into his pocket more and more to cut himself checks in order to stay competitive in the race. Apparently Romney said "financing his own campaign would be a nightmare and that cutting checks this week was painful"...however it doens't seem to be stopping him!! I give him credit because he's giving it his all, literally, so he must really want it.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iJ42U3tCxykgoo-L2iG_lMJUUNYQD8S3B7C80
Some people seem to be pretty outraged that Romney is trying to "buy" the nomination but personally it doesn't really bother me. Although his donations have dropped from 21 million dollars in the first 3 months to only 10 million this past quarter, Romney's advisors say he will continue to support his candicacy as long as he feels he has a reasonable chance. He must be pretty confident right now which says a lot about his desire and optimism in becoming President.
Personally, I'm pretty excited because as of right now, the two front runners have started to create some sparks proving they REALLY want it over the other. In comparison however to Obama and Clinton who continuously butt heads the republican candidates need to step up their game. I'd still like to see the republican nominees battle it out. I think Guiliani is a very strong candidate as is obvious by his lead in every national poll, but it makes me curious to see what Romney has to offer.
According to Time, Giuliani is ahead in the national polls for fundraising and is proving to be "steadier and more resilient" than GOP veterans expected. While Giuliani has 26 million dollars to work with, Romney is maintaining some competition with 8 million. Time believes this means he will have enough money for the REAL republican race this fall and winter.
While the bank accounts are going strong, the two candidates seem to be battling it out on all fronts this week. After accusing each other of being too soft on abortion, same sex marriage, immigration, stem cells, taxes and spending and the war on terror, TIme believes this is all pretty tame compared to what lies ahead.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1668892,00.html
Although I don't know whose going to emerge as the winner, I'm willing to take a bet Rudy is going to come out with less scratches considering the fact he's kept himself pretty bruiseless in the midst of New York City politics which is quite a feat. I think Guiliani defnitely is playing a good strategy. He was quoted by Times as saying " I'm not perfect, but I can keep you safer." I think this will really appeal to the public because I think they are desperately trying to find someone they trust right now in a world full of fear. If Guiliani can appeal to those people, he has a VERY strong support base.
According to another source- Reuters- Mitt Romney is scrambling up ways to dismantle his top rival, Rudy Guiliani. Earlier today he took an aim at the New York's mayor and accused him for his big spending policies. Reuter's said that Romney is trying to instill doubt in Guiliani's republican credentials by attacking his stance in favor of abortion rights. Although there has been few brawls yet between the two, Reuters expects that the real wrestling match could occur next Tuesday at the republican debate in Michigan. http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0545977320071005
Something I thought was pretty interesting was that the Associated Press dubbed their headline of the same story " Romney Is His Own Biggest Donor." According to the AP, Romney seems to be digging into his pocket more and more to cut himself checks in order to stay competitive in the race. Apparently Romney said "financing his own campaign would be a nightmare and that cutting checks this week was painful"...however it doens't seem to be stopping him!! I give him credit because he's giving it his all, literally, so he must really want it.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iJ42U3tCxykgoo-L2iG_lMJUUNYQD8S3B7C80
Some people seem to be pretty outraged that Romney is trying to "buy" the nomination but personally it doesn't really bother me. Although his donations have dropped from 21 million dollars in the first 3 months to only 10 million this past quarter, Romney's advisors say he will continue to support his candicacy as long as he feels he has a reasonable chance. He must be pretty confident right now which says a lot about his desire and optimism in becoming President.
Personally, I'm pretty excited because as of right now, the two front runners have started to create some sparks proving they REALLY want it over the other. In comparison however to Obama and Clinton who continuously butt heads the republican candidates need to step up their game. I'd still like to see the republican nominees battle it out. I think Guiliani is a very strong candidate as is obvious by his lead in every national poll, but it makes me curious to see what Romney has to offer.
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