Getting ready for the end...

Looking over the audio slideshows in the past week of class has actually gotten me excited for the upcoming final project. I know that sounds strange and even sounds that way to me but it would be nice to adventure on to something different.

After reading up on the three applications -- iMovie, iGarageband, and iPhoto -- I'm feeling the most nervous about iMovie. Though it doesn't seem to be as complex as I thought it would be. I'm really a technologyphobe...I have to admit it. I'm the old lady in the class who didn't understand how to get into webct...duh.

iPhoto is not a problem, I use that all the time on my computer and I know how easy it is to experiment with it. I'm hoping that once I sit down with iMovie I'll feel the same way about it.

Garageband was also foreign to me and I was a little confused as to whether or not we were actually going to be using that for our final project. It talked about recording a podcast, an audio file basically, and I figured maybe we would use that to create audio?

At any rate it should be fun!

Getting back in the swing of things

I hope everyone had a Happy Turkey Day -- I sure did enjoying the sunny days of Arizona. But sadly we must jump back into the final weeks of classes and push through till Christmas.

So the moral of the story is...I'm keeping this one short.

I just read an interesting article about Sen. Clinton's relationship with the media mogul Rupert Murdoch. I guess I never thought that they even had a relationship. But I suppose these things make sense due to the fact that she is the Senator of the state that he primarily employees.

According to the New York Times Clinton was questioned about how she felt about media outlets being owned by one person or company -- primarily what she thought about Murdoch. Of course -- Clinton danced around it.

Again I think this is part of that reality of politics. In order to be powerful you need money. I wish it wasn't like this just as much as the next Ithaca student...but it's not reality.

So I guess that's all I have to say.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/25/in-iowa-clinton-is-pressed-on-murdoch/index.html?hp

Media Law/Ethics of Journalism

It seems this semester has been a real eye-opener for me as far as this subject matter is concerned. It's really hitting me hard for the first time -- what I do as a journalist effects everyone who reads it. And perhaps that is difficult to comprehend because I've never had anyone read my work outside of class up until this semester.

I'm also taking ethics right now so a lot of what was discussed in the chapter was basics of what I'm doing in ethics. Such as the Kant categorical imperative and the Potter Box which resembled what we call the SAD formula.

In the sidebar we read about ethics in digital journalism I was surprised and not surprised at the time same time that the ethical guidelines were the same. I feel that in digital journalism because of the urgency to get the news out fast there is more room for ethical errors. There should be a stronger emphasis on reporting accurately. Like that website we discussed in class where the news organization doesn't worry too much about whether or not the stories are completely true -- that's appalling to me.

One of the ethical problems that I have noticed the most this semester writing for the Ithacan is conflicts of interest and friendship in reporting. So many times I would want to cover a story because I was apart of the organization but couldn't. Or interview a friend that I knew would give me good quotes. But of course I didn't because that is against the "rules." And I'm glad that I was able to learn those lessons through real life experience.

I also thought the point made about when or if journalists are ever off duty. Now that I write for the school paper sometimes my friends wont say things in front of me about subjects they don't want public. It's kind of fun to have that power -- ok I'm over it...not really....no really! I'd like to know what the class as a whole thinks about that idea. Because sometimes I'll be in a conversation with people and something will spark my interest and knowing that I myself might not be able to report on it I can go and tell another reporter or editor about the story idea. Is that unethical?

And finally I wanted to tell everyone about my shock and horror to find out upon my arrival at Ithaca College that such a thing as a newshole existed. WHAT!?! They put the advertising into the paper first before the stories? The amount of advertising dictates how long the stories will be...hmmm....

These are just some of the things that have been milling around my brain lately.

Taking the Gloves Off

It's about time...let's get down and dirty with this presidential campaign...that's what I say at least. It's not politics unless someone is slinging mud at another person, and anyone who believes otherwise is idealistic and foolishly young. I too hope for goodness and candydrops from our candidates -- but that is just not the business that is politics.

According to the Washington Post and The New York Times, last night at a Democratic dinner in Iowa Clinton and Obama went head to head giving speeches descrediting the other. Obama focused on Clintons secrecy in her campaign and wantingness to always give the right answers. Meanwhile Clinton continued push home her experience over other candidates. Though names were not named the rapt audience knew who each was talking about.

Let's get ready to RUMBLE!

I have to say, I like Obama. I know you are all shocked by this news. I do. I like him. I just wish he waited a little longer. I wish that he had a few more scars and wounds to show for his political years. But lucky for me...I'm registered independent. So I don't have to make the difficult decision that Democrats will have to make in the next few months. I get to just support the candidate that comes out on top, and in the meantime sit back and enjoy the show.

I guess my point of this blog is this: politics is dirty. It's like Hollywood but with unattractive actors. The lighting is the same, scripts are rehearsed and rumors fly around like new marriages. I think we all as voters would be better off keeping a healthy dose of skepticism in our midsts...but what do I know -- I'm just the old lady in the back of the room.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/10/AR2007111001574.html?hpid=topnews
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/us/politics/11cnd-dems.html?_r=1&ref=politics&oref=slogin

Writing news for television and radio

Eeekkk!

That's all I have to say about chapter 19 right now....aghhh!

So as you can tell I'm slightly intimidated by writing for the television/radio medium. It's just that this baby journalist finally was starting to feel at home in her new skin as a print writer. I was starting to feel that I was getting it...tight ledes and what exactly a nutgraf is as apposed to a theme paragraph. I had hiked the mountain of "rookie" and starting to approach the valleys of decent writing.

And now I'm slammed with writing for broadcast. It's funny because I read this chapter in intro-journalism -- the two books are basically the same things so alot of the information was familiar to me. But I have to wonder how do you on dedicate one chapter on this genre of writing, even the formatting is complex to me. What do you mean I don't have to work about APstyle as much?!? My head is spinning!

But the reality is that hopefully with a good base in print journalism I should be able to make the transition smoothly...right? I'm hoping so because right now I'm feeling like the minow in the sea again.

The criteria for news is the same; timeliness, information, and important people. I get this...this is good. But then there is the added need for audio/visual impact with each story.

The writing style is also very different. Instead of writing in the past tense we are suppose to write in the present to emphasize the immediacy of the news. Writing tightly is also key -- there is no room for wordiness. This especially worries me...I love my adjectives like a love peanut butter cups -- I real and it's deep people.

And how the heck do you cue listeners into paying attention as the chapter suggests. Do I yell, "Hey listen!" Of course not. I'll have to come up with some catchy news lede that will be completely different from what I've been struggling to master for print.

What's a baby journalist to do?

Get ready kids....

I'm about to criticize Hillary Clinton.

I know -- take a second to digest all of this -- I know it's a big day for you all but please try to not scream and disrupt anyone around you.

I've gotta tell you, I didn't get a chance to see the debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday night because I was too busy spending hours trying to save Ithaca College at the Student Government meeting (you sophomores have no idea what I go through for you!)

So I only am getting this from second hand media coverage that I always tend to be a little wary of quite frankly. But as I was getting ready for class yesterday morning I was watching the Today Show (my guilty pleasure) and they were discussing Clinton's beating she took at the debate from pretty much everyone. Automatically I went into operation defend Hillary but then the more I thought about it I smiled and thought, "Hell ya they're attacking her, she's the front runner." And, "maybe this is what she needs to show the world how tuff and smart she is."

But instead she comes back with a lame video about the "pile-on politics" on her opponents?!? Hillary please! You're not helping me with this crap! Instead of standing up and taking it like the strong woman she is, she basically tried to stretch the debating into an attack on her gender. I've got to say that this is not helping her case. Why point out that she is different, everybody already knows it. As The New York Times points out this tactic only shows her ability to dodge questions. I've never been one to hide the fact that I understand Clinton's politics, secrecy.

But normally these things work for her, she's able to ride bellow the radar and let the other candidates fall apart around her as her machine rolls by. And to be honest I think that is what I've always loved about her...and what so many hate. But this new tactic of asking why me makes me shake my head. Maybe we need that old Hillary to throw on her headband, you know the one -- the First Lady that marched up the steps of highly powerful Republican Capitol Hill and fought for health care. The one that wore a pantsuit in her official White House portrait -- the first of the First Ladies. But instead she seems to be pulling back when right now the nation needs to see her push forward.

Clearly...I'm very upset about all of this...hold me.