Part of becoming excellent at my trade is learning from the masters. It is helpful to observe the many unique news outlets. In this exercise for Foundations, I'll take a look at three different international sources and their approach to news: BBC, Deutsche Welle, and France 24.
In comparison to the typical American news outlet, many European news sources have a broader view of the world and include all of Europe instead of just their specific country. Like the NYT and the Washington Post, which I discussed earlier, these companies use the internet's ability to display multimedia.
At a glance, the three sources seem to have somewhat similar goals. Each of the three displayed a story about the upcoming UK inquiry into the war on Iraq. Clearly, each thought it was an important topic, although it only affected the UK. Each story had shared sources, but differed in form.
The BBC, which has the most at stake in the story, broadcasted the public hearings live in conjunction with their article. They also included blocks with details such as upcoming witnesses and a timeline.
DW's story had many pictures and captions incorporated into their article, but no other multimedia. However, they did set their sub-head significantly apart from the story. This allows the reader to see what the story is about at a glance.
France 24 used a wire report on the situation. They only had one picture within the article. They did have a link to a related article, which was helpful. The site also allowed comments that would be published, unlike the previous two sites.
In general, the three companies seem to have many different takes on journalism. The BBC utilizes audio and slideshows within their stories, giving them a well-developed feel. They make use of video in conjunction with many stories. They also have a segment that I particularly enjoy: “One-Minute World News.” Updated regularly, it gives the latest news for the hour.
DW works less with video multimedia. They are careful to incorporate pictures in a detailed way into most articles, allowing the reader to glimpse them as they read. DW also works with radio journalism. Similar to the “One-Minute” feature, you can listen to the world headlines at the top of every hour on their site.
France 24 has the most seamless integration out of all of the websites. They incorporate video into many of their stories. Oftentimes the video is displayed as a photo, with a play button in the corner. Articles often have more than one video. France 24 makes strong use of video to support each story.
The thing that stuck out to me through this exercise was the awareness that the rest of the world thinks on a more global scale than the US. Take any of these sources and compare them to an American news outlet, and you'll see that they have a broader perspective. As part of my striving to excel, I must broaden my view as well.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Give Me My Eggo!
Breaking news: there is going to be a national shortage of Eggo waffles. Read more about it here.
As a college student, I am incredibly concerned about this delicious snack becoming hard to find. The most concerning part is that the stock of Eggos won't be back to normal until mid-2010. How are we supposed to get a waffle fix until then?
As a college student, I am incredibly concerned about this delicious snack becoming hard to find. The most concerning part is that the stock of Eggos won't be back to normal until mid-2010. How are we supposed to get a waffle fix until then?
California Dreamin'
So I was thinking about all the details of what goes into a good blog. If you've read any blogs besides this one, you'll understand that it completely depends on what the author wants to do. For instance, news blogs are great. However, sometimes the ones that tell fun stories are also great. It just depends on what's going to be accomplished. I've decided I want to synthesize a news aspect with a story of my life kind of aspect. We'll see how it shakes out.
Anyway, I've been in California for almost three months now and there are plenty of stories that I find at least mildly entertaining. I think I've done a good job of finding a new balance. There are tons of fun things to do and I've only scratched the surface so far - Disneyland, Huntington Beach, late night movies, and on campus events.
I came to the startling and very exciting realization today that my semester is almost over! I only have 27 days before I hop on an airplane back to a land where others understand the word "y'all," sweet tea flows readily, and the horizon is obstructed only by trees and mountains - not brick and concrete.
Clearly, I'm rather excited about going home. (And with a home like I have, who wouldn't be?) However, I'm also aware that I've got a good thing goin' here. As I sit outside in a t shirt and jeans, pounding out ideas on my laptop, I can't help but stop and be grateful.
I don't have much homework this week, so I've had a delightful week. I've been reading and gleaning new ideas. I've been engaging with the New York Times and seeing what's going on in the world. I've been relaxing and being renewed.
Life is slow this week - and that is good. There's been a lot to learn this semester and many hard times, but I know I'm where I should be. And that - that is very good.
Anyway, I've been in California for almost three months now and there are plenty of stories that I find at least mildly entertaining. I think I've done a good job of finding a new balance. There are tons of fun things to do and I've only scratched the surface so far - Disneyland, Huntington Beach, late night movies, and on campus events.
I came to the startling and very exciting realization today that my semester is almost over! I only have 27 days before I hop on an airplane back to a land where others understand the word "y'all," sweet tea flows readily, and the horizon is obstructed only by trees and mountains - not brick and concrete.
Clearly, I'm rather excited about going home. (And with a home like I have, who wouldn't be?) However, I'm also aware that I've got a good thing goin' here. As I sit outside in a t shirt and jeans, pounding out ideas on my laptop, I can't help but stop and be grateful.
I don't have much homework this week, so I've had a delightful week. I've been reading and gleaning new ideas. I've been engaging with the New York Times and seeing what's going on in the world. I've been relaxing and being renewed.
Life is slow this week - and that is good. There's been a lot to learn this semester and many hard times, but I know I'm where I should be. And that - that is very good.
Bureau News!
This week my Foundations class has been functioning as a bureau. A news bureau is an organization (ex: The AP) with teams that collect and compile information on a particular story. My team of 7 students had 45 minutes to finish our story.
As we scattered throughout campus to interview students about financial aid, we only had 30 minutes. Not only did we have to get multiple interviews, but we had to ensure they were diverse. A huge interviewing lesson was if I don't seem rushed, the source won't feel rushed. This allows a source to feel relaxed while telling their story.
After finishing an interview, I would text information to the "chiefs," who stayed behind to compile the story. I had to pay much closer attention than I normally do when sending texts, making sure to properly attribute sources.
When we gathered back together, we had interviewed diverse students and compiled it into a detailed piece on financial aid. It took each member of the team to make the story excellent. This exercise taught me the value of working with a team on gathering news - we found much more in little time than we could have found alone.
As we scattered throughout campus to interview students about financial aid, we only had 30 minutes. Not only did we have to get multiple interviews, but we had to ensure they were diverse. A huge interviewing lesson was if I don't seem rushed, the source won't feel rushed. This allows a source to feel relaxed while telling their story.
After finishing an interview, I would text information to the "chiefs," who stayed behind to compile the story. I had to pay much closer attention than I normally do when sending texts, making sure to properly attribute sources.
When we gathered back together, we had interviewed diverse students and compiled it into a detailed piece on financial aid. It took each member of the team to make the story excellent. This exercise taught me the value of working with a team on gathering news - we found much more in little time than we could have found alone.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
What is news?
Okay. So my title seems a bit strange for a journalism major. After all, isn't journalism all about news and writing it? I've been mulling over this for the past few days and have decided I'm not sure that our culture has a proper definition of news.
I just looked up "news" on my handy mac dictionary and here's how it defined news: "newly received or noteworthy information, esp. about recent or important events."
In turn, I tend to think of news as the most recent status update on facebook or the latest gossip about Kate-plus-8-minus-John. In my generation, we have a startling tendency to be unaware to anything but that which entertains us. As a result, our mind narrows.
For instance, I've heard my friends and myself log onto facebook and question, "I wonder what's going on in the world today." Wouldn't that be a more pertinent question to ask the New York Times or the Washington Post? Or when we want to learn more about something outside of our immediate circle, we'll catch up on the latest issue of People and find out about the next Twilight, High School Musical, or Harry Potter bit of gossip.
This constant connectivity seems to have done nothing but make our world smaller. With everything at our fingertips, we no longer have a need to be informed. It's a concerning trend, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the next 5 years or so.
I just looked up "news" on my handy mac dictionary and here's how it defined news: "newly received or noteworthy information, esp. about recent or important events."
In turn, I tend to think of news as the most recent status update on facebook or the latest gossip about Kate-plus-8-minus-John. In my generation, we have a startling tendency to be unaware to anything but that which entertains us. As a result, our mind narrows.
For instance, I've heard my friends and myself log onto facebook and question, "I wonder what's going on in the world today." Wouldn't that be a more pertinent question to ask the New York Times or the Washington Post? Or when we want to learn more about something outside of our immediate circle, we'll catch up on the latest issue of People and find out about the next Twilight, High School Musical, or Harry Potter bit of gossip.
This constant connectivity seems to have done nothing but make our world smaller. With everything at our fingertips, we no longer have a need to be informed. It's a concerning trend, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the next 5 years or so.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Imagination in Media
As the news is revealed today that Major Hasan, the shooter of the Fort Hood shootings, was in contact with a radical cleric in Yemen, it causes the reader to think. For instance, how would this feel as a Muslim member of the military?
Here are some thoughts that I may have were I in that position:
- Is this story fully investigated? Is it really warranted? After all, there have been many instances where all media sources jump on a bandwagon only to discover later that the whole story has changed.
- Is it really possible to conjecture that this was his motive? Simply because he was in contact with the cleric does not mean he was necessarily encouraged by that.
- Isn't the word "radical" a good clue that not every Muslim is like this? It seems unfair to characterize the actions of an entire religion by the radical beliefs of two men.
- Where is the counter-story? Why isn't there a story on Muslims in the military who are peaceful, American citizens who want to fight for their beloved homeland? In a situation like this, where the idea of Muslims within the military is becoming wrapped up in solely Hasan, it seems that there should be some kind of "balance."
I find the last one to be my biggest contention. As a Christian, I am aware that there is a problem of evil within the world. Hasan was an evil man who chose to act on those impulses.
However, I have no doubt that there are many Muslims who are faithfully serving in the military to serve me and keep me safe. I am so thankful for each of them, and am incredibly hesitant to only look at Hasan. Whenever there is an extremist in a situation, it seems almost necessary to remind the American people that there are many other "normal" people in the same category.
Here are some thoughts that I may have were I in that position:
- Is this story fully investigated? Is it really warranted? After all, there have been many instances where all media sources jump on a bandwagon only to discover later that the whole story has changed.
- Is it really possible to conjecture that this was his motive? Simply because he was in contact with the cleric does not mean he was necessarily encouraged by that.
- Isn't the word "radical" a good clue that not every Muslim is like this? It seems unfair to characterize the actions of an entire religion by the radical beliefs of two men.
- Where is the counter-story? Why isn't there a story on Muslims in the military who are peaceful, American citizens who want to fight for their beloved homeland? In a situation like this, where the idea of Muslims within the military is becoming wrapped up in solely Hasan, it seems that there should be some kind of "balance."
I find the last one to be my biggest contention. As a Christian, I am aware that there is a problem of evil within the world. Hasan was an evil man who chose to act on those impulses.
However, I have no doubt that there are many Muslims who are faithfully serving in the military to serve me and keep me safe. I am so thankful for each of them, and am incredibly hesitant to only look at Hasan. Whenever there is an extremist in a situation, it seems almost necessary to remind the American people that there are many other "normal" people in the same category.
Monday, November 9, 2009
So Many Mediums of Media!
"Print media is dying out, you know.” That's almost always the first response I get when I explain that I'm a journalism major. While there is definitely some amount of truth to that statement, as a print emphasis student, I have to push back a bit.
One of the excellent things about the direction print has taken is a tendency to use the internet to more clearly describe a story. It is highly intriguing to see the differences between the print and internet versions of The New York Times. It is also interesting to notice the difference between separate papers, but that comes later.
Both the internet and physical print editions of the paper have their own benefits and drawbacks. For instance, when you pick up the print copy of the NYT, it feels tangible. The stories are arranged on the front page in a way that tells you what should be most important. In contrast, the stories online are just listed, with much less separation.
With the physical paper, reading a story briefly is much easier. The lede is right there for you to see, making it more effective. However, online, less is available at a glance. Instead, the reader must click on the link to find more information.
The best feature about the internet, though, is the amazing amount of variety in mediums available. Through a plethora of pictures and video, even more of each story is told besides simply the print. For example, in Friday's paper, the Fort Hood story was the main story on the front page. The article had a huge center photo to grab attention, but very little beyond that. Online, the story contains quick links to other stories as well as photographs, a map and video.
When you read the NYT every day and frequent their website numerous times throughout the day, it becomes easy to forget to broaden your view. The Washington Post's online section is set up differently and their articles reflect the severe differences between D.C. and New York.
For instance, while the New York Times' front page contained stories about Palestine, the New York Police, a gruesome discovery in Cleveland, a review of Afghan forces, and of course, the Fort Hood rampage.
In contrast, the stories on the online front page section of the Post did include two stories on the rampage as well. However, the other two were on political issues. However, some things did not change. Both Fort Hood stories utilized extra media online such as pictures.
When the text of the stories is actually compared it becomes apparent that these are two very different papers. The stories differed in content, sources and style. However, the same basic facts transcended through the story.
When a reader contrasts the different accounts, online and print, and between different papers, he is more fully equipped to understand the details of each story. This comparison allows him to be able to pick out nuggets of truth from each biased story.
One of the excellent things about the direction print has taken is a tendency to use the internet to more clearly describe a story. It is highly intriguing to see the differences between the print and internet versions of The New York Times. It is also interesting to notice the difference between separate papers, but that comes later.
Both the internet and physical print editions of the paper have their own benefits and drawbacks. For instance, when you pick up the print copy of the NYT, it feels tangible. The stories are arranged on the front page in a way that tells you what should be most important. In contrast, the stories online are just listed, with much less separation.
With the physical paper, reading a story briefly is much easier. The lede is right there for you to see, making it more effective. However, online, less is available at a glance. Instead, the reader must click on the link to find more information.
The best feature about the internet, though, is the amazing amount of variety in mediums available. Through a plethora of pictures and video, even more of each story is told besides simply the print. For example, in Friday's paper, the Fort Hood story was the main story on the front page. The article had a huge center photo to grab attention, but very little beyond that. Online, the story contains quick links to other stories as well as photographs, a map and video.
When you read the NYT every day and frequent their website numerous times throughout the day, it becomes easy to forget to broaden your view. The Washington Post's online section is set up differently and their articles reflect the severe differences between D.C. and New York.
For instance, while the New York Times' front page contained stories about Palestine, the New York Police, a gruesome discovery in Cleveland, a review of Afghan forces, and of course, the Fort Hood rampage.
In contrast, the stories on the online front page section of the Post did include two stories on the rampage as well. However, the other two were on political issues. However, some things did not change. Both Fort Hood stories utilized extra media online such as pictures.
When the text of the stories is actually compared it becomes apparent that these are two very different papers. The stories differed in content, sources and style. However, the same basic facts transcended through the story.
When a reader contrasts the different accounts, online and print, and between different papers, he is more fully equipped to understand the details of each story. This comparison allows him to be able to pick out nuggets of truth from each biased story.
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