Liar Liar .. You Don't Win.. Ever.

As an aspiring journalist I have high hopes and goals set for me. But would I lie to get to the top? I think not. Not only would I be disappointing those around me, but I am almost 100% sure my grandpa would 'give me a whippin' as they say. As a child I was taught that lying was a 'no-no' and it hurts others. I took that in stride and told little lies here and there... "Yes I did my homework Dad". But to lie about the work I write, or to make something up completely?? That is just way out of my league. That takes more time to do than to actually write the story yourself.

Stephan Glass apparently thought it was the easy way out. After watching the movie Shattered Glass, I am amazed that someone would go to such lengths to make sure they are number one and to have people like them. It is obvious that Mr. Glass was (and maybe still is) a people pleaser. He needs constant reassurance that he isn't in trouble or to make sure no one is mad at him. He also undertakes going after a law degree because it is what his parents want.

While I can understand why Mr. Glass fabricated over 25 different stories while working for The New Republic, it does not make it morally right. As a journalist I think that you are taking an unspoken oath to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”. Journalists are the eyes and ears of the people and it their job to make sure the people know what is really going on. The stories Stephan Glass made up not only damaged his credibility but the credibility of the magazine. Once you lose the peoples trust it is hard to gain it back. By lying and falsifying the things he did, Stephen Glass broke the oath of a journalist.

Set The Mood .. I Mean Tone

A recent chapter reading was presented to the students of En212. It was information pertaining to storytelling and techniques to use when writing a feature piece. In the section that was containing tips on narrative writing I found an interesting technique that I had never given much thought too - creating a 'tone' for your pieces. As a writer I have never thought too hard on the tone of my pieces, but in a way I think that it comes naturally to some. I reread several pieces I wrote in the past, and I think I did a good job on helping the reader 'see' the picture I was creating for them.

"She's the crazy one," Jeni said as all three sat bundled in coats and hats and wrapped in fleece blankets. Carolyn Smith cooked Thanksgiving dinner and delivered it to the three women."

"A row of brand-new tents along the sidewalk beyond the Smith encampment indicated that Walmart had won at least one round of early shopping sales."

Both of these quotes from an article about Black Friday customers creates a picture that readers can 'see'. This writer takes the tips that the textbook provides and intwines them within her article. Just by reading the short excerpts above, you can imagine how cold and the measure the customers were taking to make sure that they were first in line for the annual Black Friday deals.

Web Journalism : Helpful or Horrifying ?

“Interactivity can be as simple as providing a discussion question at the end of the story or as complex as creating searchable databases for school test scores or crime statistics.” (255)

While this textbook excerpt is true, there are also many downfalls to having an interactive news page/blog. Things can go wrong and decrease your credibility. Many users think the interactivity is a great thing because it allows the readers to become involved with the news that they are wanting. But at the same time, these users are the first to complain that something isn’t working correctly. And if one link isn’t working, someone has to use time to fix it; this time could be used in a different area to improve the site instead of repairing.

As En 212 quickly found out, interactive work is difficult. Though it was not interactive with the readers, we were working on the same documents at the same time. This quickly leads to frustrations and headaches. In the end our work came out pretty good. All of the pictures were added by photographers, the writers managed to get everything they wanted into the piece, and the videographers finally got their slideshows to work. So even though there is not a link for a discussion board, or a “searchable database”, there was a lot of interactive work involved.

This type of work is difficult and can lead to much more stress in the journalism field. However in the end, I think that having interactivity is worth it because you build bonds with your readers, or in En 212 case your classmates, and this makes a difference in the long run.

The finished product is available right here !

When I was told that I was being required to attend a presentation called “The Capitol Steps”, I was less than thrilled. As with many students in today’s times, I am less than well educated in the ins and outs of politics; it is partially my own decision and partially because I cannot find someone to explain it in a way I understand. But going to a presentation based solely on politics and making fun of it... Not exactly my cup of tea. Even after learning about the group and what they were about, I still had many doubts and was dreading going to the outing, even if it was a change from the daily grind of classes. Boy was I wrong…

This may have been the funniest thing I have seen since watching comedian Dane Cook. The politicians and political flubs that the group poked fun at were not things that are unheard of. Most of the jokes I got and even if I did not understand the joke, just the way they mimed the way certain politicians act was hilarious. I would have never gone to something like this on my own but am I ever glad I was forced. The hour long show was filled with songs, jokes and much laughter. This group of talented people defiantly knows what they are doing, and they are good at it. All in all, The Capitol Steps gave a great performance that will stick with me for a while.

Changing Times, Changing Rules ?

In the earlier years of reporting and journalism, it was just assumed that women would take a backseat to the men in the industry because that was just the natural order of society. Resigned to take on articles about house hold and "womanly" things, women were pleased because at least they were allowed to be working in a profession of their choosing ! I can only speak for myself when I say, I would be happy but always reaching for more. The fact that these women accepted a lesser salary, and weren't able to report on things that they held dear to their hearts would have been the first thing that would get my blood flowing.
And now that women are allowed to tackle different subjects, it appears that not all that much has changed.

When Mexican reporter, Ines Sainez entered the Jets looker room she was ready to conduct interviews and talk about the season, but what she got was "sexually suggestive comments" made by the players. Now if it was a male reporter in the locker room, the worst that would happen would be a buttslap, which if anyone watches football they know that this is not a form of harrassment but a way of saying good job,good game, etc. But because it was a woman, the men of the New York Jets took it upon themselves to degrade her by making such comments that would make her uncomfortable.

Others argue that is is Ines Sainez on fault, and that it is "[their] locker room!", referring to the players of the Jets. Those that are saying that the Jets were not at complete because of what Sainez was wearing and that she was asking for a certain type of attention and it is her own fault. On the other side, those who say that the Jets should know better because in America women are not suppose to be items to be possessed.

Me? I think that both parties at fault. While Ines Sainez does have the freedom to wear whatever she would like, she has to be prepared for the repercussions that come with certain choices. Also, her outfit was not very professional, I'm not sure how the Mexican journalists consider professional and consverative, but it clearly does not match what is considered conservative here. At the same time, the Jets players should have thought before they acted. They are professional athletes and in the lime light. Many younger children look up to these men as role models, and if the kids see them treating women in a certain way then they are going to emulate it.
The way this story played made me realize that even though I can choose what career I want, I am still going to be held to certain standards that are not fair and that men are not held too.

Moral of the story : Do research before you go into a different country and report there.



- Credits to: Ines Sainez Incident with the Jets

Crisis in American Journalism ?

If you ask Dan Rather if American Journalism is in a crisis , he'd respond with resounding YES ! In his youtube video he lists every possible reason that the journalism field in America has gone down hill. Anything from technology advancements and newspapers not keeping up to diminishing quality and morals. But is that the truth? Don't we have ourselves, as consumers, to blame? The quality of newspapers may be slipping but it can't all be because of advancements in technology and horrible morals as consumers - it is up to us to demand the quality we want. If it isn't up to our standards than write to the editor and make them aware. And it can't be so lame letter yelling and full of slurs, it needs to be a letter than can be understood and maybe give an idea that you think would help to enhance to paper.
Though I don't deny that online journalism has made a change in the newspaper industry, it SHOULDN'T affect the way journalism is done. It seems less and less fact checking is happening and this leads to untrustworthy news. No one wants to waste time and money reading something that isn't true or that is misleading. This is dangerous for readers and writers all the same. Readers walk away with the wrong information and spread this about and writers are no longer credible sources for information. So is American Journalism in a crisis ? That's debatable, but what isn't up for debate , is that fact that the quality is going down and the sources are no longer what they used to be.

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No Pet Left Behind

Anyone who loves a pet can agree that in an emergency they would never leave their 4 legged friend behind. However, it appears not all pet owners feel as fondly for their companions. During recent Hurricane Irene, this poor canine was left without solid protection or anyone to care for him. A neighbor saw the dog and took a picture, which found its way onto Facebook and other popular sites. Since then it has started quite a bit of controversy within animal rights groups and activists. The neighbor also reported that when the family evacuated, they took a new puppy with them. Why not take both animals? That is a popular question that many have been asking.

Even though as a nation, we were given plenty of time to prepare for Hurricane Irene, this poor pup was not the only one to be left behind. In fact, the numbers are astounding for animals that are abandoned during crisis. One source reveals that Hurricane Andrew, 1992, left more than 1,000 pets without a home and an unfortunate end. But this does not have to be the case for the future, nor did it have to already happen. There are plenty of sites, like Global Animal, that give a list of things to have prepared and different places where your pet can be safe and cared for untill the disaster as passed. It is time that as a nation we step up and give the proper care to the ones who love us unconditionally, instead of treating them as though they are replacable objects.