Earlier this week at a Texas high school, 9th grader Ahmed Mohamed brought a clock to school that he made, hoping to show it to his teachers and peers. He ended up being handcuffed and interrogated by police officers because they thought the clock was a bomb. There were many news stories and many reporters covering this story from all around the country, but some news sources did not follow an important rule of the 7 yardsticks of journalism- fairness.
Many news sources covered this story and most of the stories were fair, well-rounded, and included interviews from people of both sides of the event. For example, CNN covered this event and made sure that they included an interview from Ahmed, Ahmed's father, Mayor Beth Van Duyne and a spokesperson from the school district. The New York Times also covered this story and included quotes from Ahmed, President Obama, Josh Earnest (the White House press secretary), Ahmed's father, Irving Police Chief Larry Boyd, and a few other people.
Stories that include interviews and quotes from many different people or at least both sides of the story are often the stories that are the most interesting. News stories that follow the 10 elements and 7 yardsticks of journalism also are easier and more interesting for readers. Unfortunately, there were some news organizations that covered this story and did not interview people from each side of the controversy which is not following the yardstick of fairness.
Fox News Insider was one of the sources that did not follow the fairness rule. Fox News Insider covered the story by giving readers very few details and very little background information. They also didn't include any important interviews from the other side of the controversy. The only quote that they included was from Ahmed's father. If Fox News Insider would've included at least an interview from Ahmed himself and maybe an interview from someone from the school district, this story would have been much better journalism and it would follow the elements and yardsticks of journalism.
Fairness is a very important part of journalism. Journalists should make sure that they are being fair and writing a well-rounded, unbiased story that always includes both sides of the controversy. Good journalists don't leave the audience hanging by not giving them enough information and they do not just cover one side of the story. They always make sure that the information they provide for the people is descriptive and FAIR.
The yardstick of journalism known as "fairness" says that journalists should cover at least one other side of the controversy or event. Fox News Insider obviously did not cover any other side of the event because they only interviewed one person, and that one person didn't even contribute very much to the event. Fox News Insider failed to follow the 7 yardsticks of journalism and that definitely had a negative impact on the overall news story.
You can read Fox News Insider's story at-
http://insider.foxnews.com/2015/09/16/ninth-grade-student-ahmed-mohamed-arrested-bringing-homemade-clock-school
Check out CNN's story at-
http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/17/us/texas-student-ahmed-muslim-clock-bomb/
And the NY Times article at-
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/17/us/texas-student-is-under-police-investigation-for-building-a-clock.html
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Ali's Newspaper Blog Post
I found Ali's blog post on newspapers very interesting and fun to read. I really enjoy how Ali adds her own personal spin on her writing and has her own unique and original style. I also really enjoy her posts because they are very personal.
I really enjoyed how Ali gave her views and opinions on this lecture in her post. It was cool how she informed readers about what she found interesting and what didn't really make sense. I really liked that she used information about the Romans and how a lot of them were illiterate to back up some of her claims. I also liked how she discussed broad sheet newspapers and the rights reporters have in journalism.
I also really enjoyed this blog post because it didn't go on and on about one specific topic, but instead touched on a lot of different points! To read Ali's full post go to-
http://alisinfoblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/response-to-newspaper-lecture.html
I really enjoyed how Ali gave her views and opinions on this lecture in her post. It was cool how she informed readers about what she found interesting and what didn't really make sense. I really liked that she used information about the Romans and how a lot of them were illiterate to back up some of her claims. I also liked how she discussed broad sheet newspapers and the rights reporters have in journalism.
I also really enjoyed this blog post because it didn't go on and on about one specific topic, but instead touched on a lot of different points! To read Ali's full post go to-
http://alisinfoblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/response-to-newspaper-lecture.html
Cameron's Binary Models Blog Post
Today I read Cameron's blog post about our binary models lecture. I found it very interesting and I agree with everything she had to say in her post. Before the lecture on binary models, I really had no idea what hot and cool mediums were or what any of the other binary models were. So I was completely unfamiliar with this topic and that was what made it interesting for me to learn about.
In her blog post Cameron mentioned a lot about hot and cool mediums and I agree with everything that she had to say! Like what Cameron said in her post, I listen to music while I do my homework everyday and I had no idea that that was considered a cool medium. It was really helpful when she gave examples in her post of hot and cool mediums.
Also in the blog post she talked about information, entertainment, infotainment and conglomeration. I agree with and can relate to everything that she said about those things and I really liked how she gave examples about these things. I liked how she talked about how the Daily Show with Jon Stewart is an example of infotainment and how the binary models merged. I also liked how she brought up conglomeration and discussed what it was and gave some examples.
You can read Cameron's full post at-
http://cameronsjournalismblogs.blogspot.com/2015/09/response-to-binary-models-lecture.html
In her blog post Cameron mentioned a lot about hot and cool mediums and I agree with everything that she had to say! Like what Cameron said in her post, I listen to music while I do my homework everyday and I had no idea that that was considered a cool medium. It was really helpful when she gave examples in her post of hot and cool mediums.
Also in the blog post she talked about information, entertainment, infotainment and conglomeration. I agree with and can relate to everything that she said about those things and I really liked how she gave examples about these things. I liked how she talked about how the Daily Show with Jon Stewart is an example of infotainment and how the binary models merged. I also liked how she brought up conglomeration and discussed what it was and gave some examples.
You can read Cameron's full post at-
http://cameronsjournalismblogs.blogspot.com/2015/09/response-to-binary-models-lecture.html
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Effects of Gutenberg's Metal Movable Type: RESPONSE
One of the
most interesting lectures from Journalism 1 for me would have to be the books/movable type lecture. Before learning all about books and the first metal movable type, I had no idea
about Gutenberg or what he invented. Once I learned about the inventions and
technology leading up to Gutenberg’s invention of the metal movable type, I was
very interested in learning how it had an effect on the world and life in
general.
I found out that once Gutenberg invented the metal movable type, education and literacy went up because more people had easier access to books and documents for education. Also, one of the biggest effects of Gutenberg’s printing press was the Renaissance. When the printing press was created, ideas began spreading rapidly all around Europe and that was basically what sparked the Renaissance.
Since ideas could spread so rapidly with this invention, philosophical and political ideas also began spreading rapidly. The invention of the metal movable type also meant that it would be easier for history to be recorded and for people to keep records of events. This invention even meant that more accurate maps could be distributed and exploration could be a little bit easier because the maps people used would be more accurate.
Before listening to this lecture over books and the first metal movable type by Gutenberg, I knew nothing about this topic. I didn’t realize that the printing press had such a huge effect on today’s world and how we live our lives. I found it super fascinating to learn about how just this one invention has had such an enormous impact on the world! If Gutenberg had not invented the metal movable type, then the world we would be living in would be completely different. In fact, we probably wouldn't even be here right now if it was not invented! Overall this lecture taught me a lot and I found it very interesting!
I found out that once Gutenberg invented the metal movable type, education and literacy went up because more people had easier access to books and documents for education. Also, one of the biggest effects of Gutenberg’s printing press was the Renaissance. When the printing press was created, ideas began spreading rapidly all around Europe and that was basically what sparked the Renaissance.
Since ideas could spread so rapidly with this invention, philosophical and political ideas also began spreading rapidly. The invention of the metal movable type also meant that it would be easier for history to be recorded and for people to keep records of events. This invention even meant that more accurate maps could be distributed and exploration could be a little bit easier because the maps people used would be more accurate.
Before listening to this lecture over books and the first metal movable type by Gutenberg, I knew nothing about this topic. I didn’t realize that the printing press had such a huge effect on today’s world and how we live our lives. I found it super fascinating to learn about how just this one invention has had such an enormous impact on the world! If Gutenberg had not invented the metal movable type, then the world we would be living in would be completely different. In fact, we probably wouldn't even be here right now if it was not invented! Overall this lecture taught me a lot and I found it very interesting!
Newspaper Advantages: RESPONSE
Newspapers
have been around since 59 BC, but today with all of our modern technology,
newspapers are slowly dying out. There are many disadvantages to using newspapers when
it comes to using the internet and our modern
technology, but in my opinion the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
First of all, newspapers are a tradition. By that I mean that for many generations, people have been reading newspapers. It is a part of how some people have grown up! Some people grow up sitting at the breakfast table, drinking coffee and reading the morning paper. If newspapers disappear, years and years of traditions just go down the drain with it!
Secondly, newspapers are physical objects so they are very portable and super easy to share. Some people who are more hands on readers and learners like to have a physical object in their hands when they are reading something because it’s easier for them to digest the information. Since newspapers are physical objects, it is also very easy to share newspapers because you don’t have to worry about your $200 electronic device and you can just hand people a cheap piece of paper.
That brings me to my next advantage which is how newspapers are very cheap compared to other modern news sources. Since newspapers are so cheap, it is very simple to just grab a daily newspaper on your way to work or to get them in the mornings. Another reason why a lot of people prefer to read newspapers is because they are low tech. They require no technology to read and are easy to dispose/recycle/share after you're finished with it.
One of the biggest advantages to newspapers is that they are very dense and deep when it comes to sharing details of news stories. Compared to 30 second stories on the nightly news programs, newspapers are super descriptive and provide lots of deep and clear information for readers.
The newspapers lecture really gave me a better understanding of the advantages of newspapers and why they probably won't fully disappear for a very long time even though they are not nearly as popular today as they once were.
First of all, newspapers are a tradition. By that I mean that for many generations, people have been reading newspapers. It is a part of how some people have grown up! Some people grow up sitting at the breakfast table, drinking coffee and reading the morning paper. If newspapers disappear, years and years of traditions just go down the drain with it!
Secondly, newspapers are physical objects so they are very portable and super easy to share. Some people who are more hands on readers and learners like to have a physical object in their hands when they are reading something because it’s easier for them to digest the information. Since newspapers are physical objects, it is also very easy to share newspapers because you don’t have to worry about your $200 electronic device and you can just hand people a cheap piece of paper.
That brings me to my next advantage which is how newspapers are very cheap compared to other modern news sources. Since newspapers are so cheap, it is very simple to just grab a daily newspaper on your way to work or to get them in the mornings. Another reason why a lot of people prefer to read newspapers is because they are low tech. They require no technology to read and are easy to dispose/recycle/share after you're finished with it.
One of the biggest advantages to newspapers is that they are very dense and deep when it comes to sharing details of news stories. Compared to 30 second stories on the nightly news programs, newspapers are super descriptive and provide lots of deep and clear information for readers.
The newspapers lecture really gave me a better understanding of the advantages of newspapers and why they probably won't fully disappear for a very long time even though they are not nearly as popular today as they once were.
Magazine Lecture: RESPONSE
Before
listening to this lecture I thought that I already knew everything there was to know
about magazines. I was obviously wrong because NOW I know quite a bit about magazines and their background.
During this lecture I learned all about the 5 key innovations of magazines and I learned about how magazines had a huge impact on journalism in the U.S. in the 19th/20th century. So, I found out that serialized fiction, personality profiles, long form/investigative journalism, photo journalism, and the first national medium are the key innovations of magazines. I not only learned that these are the key innovations, but I also learned why each one of them is important and I learned how each one applies to magazines.
After learning about the key innovations of magazines, I have come to the conclusion that the MOST important innovation was that magazines were the first national medium. I would say that that is the most important innovation because it really had an impact on the U.S. at that time and it took journalism to a whole new level. Before magazines, there was no unity when it came to the nation's identity and culture. Every city was independent for the most part and journalism was completely on a local scale rather than a whole nation-wide scale.
Since at that time most of the U.S. was made up of migrants and people from other countries, there were many different cultures and that meant that the U.S. didn't have any unity or a common culture. But once magazines came out, people from all across the country had something in common and they could all start identifying with the same things. So because magazines were the first national medium, our country could start being more united and independent.
I can confidently say that after listening to the magazines lecture in class, I know all about the key innovations of magazines and about their basic background. (For example, I learned about Franklin’s first General Magazine in 1741 and the Postal Act of 1879.) Before this lecture I was completely unaware of the history of magazines and their key innovations, but now I fully understand that they had a very large impact on journalism and the United States in the 19th/20th century.
During this lecture I learned all about the 5 key innovations of magazines and I learned about how magazines had a huge impact on journalism in the U.S. in the 19th/20th century. So, I found out that serialized fiction, personality profiles, long form/investigative journalism, photo journalism, and the first national medium are the key innovations of magazines. I not only learned that these are the key innovations, but I also learned why each one of them is important and I learned how each one applies to magazines.
After learning about the key innovations of magazines, I have come to the conclusion that the MOST important innovation was that magazines were the first national medium. I would say that that is the most important innovation because it really had an impact on the U.S. at that time and it took journalism to a whole new level. Before magazines, there was no unity when it came to the nation's identity and culture. Every city was independent for the most part and journalism was completely on a local scale rather than a whole nation-wide scale.
Since at that time most of the U.S. was made up of migrants and people from other countries, there were many different cultures and that meant that the U.S. didn't have any unity or a common culture. But once magazines came out, people from all across the country had something in common and they could all start identifying with the same things. So because magazines were the first national medium, our country could start being more united and independent.
I can confidently say that after listening to the magazines lecture in class, I know all about the key innovations of magazines and about their basic background. (For example, I learned about Franklin’s first General Magazine in 1741 and the Postal Act of 1879.) Before this lecture I was completely unaware of the history of magazines and their key innovations, but now I fully understand that they had a very large impact on journalism and the United States in the 19th/20th century.
Monday, September 14, 2015
Communication Lecture: RESPONSE
After learning all about communication during a class discussion, I can confidently say that I understand the three types of communication- Individual, Group and Mass. I can now thoroughly explain each type of communication and provide specific details about each one. So, I would say that this lecture was very interesting because we broke down each type of communication and got to focus on how each one works and each of it's specific processes.
I really found it interesting when we focused on specific examples of mass communication. For example, we went over how radio is an example of mass communication. We discussed how the process of mass communication worked on a radio level and I found that very fascinating. We got to learn about how mass communication begins with stimulus, then goes to encoding, transmission, decoding, and lastly internalization. Then, we learned how each of those steps fits in with our examples. We learned that those steps are what make up mass communication which I found pretty cool because I had never heard of that before.
I also found it very interesting when we discussed that we use individual and group communication on a daily basis without even realizing it! So after listening to this lecture on communication, I can now say that from now on when I am communicating with others- whether it's posting on Instagram, texting a friend, or listening to someone give a presentation in class- I will now think of it on the communication level.
I really found it interesting when we focused on specific examples of mass communication. For example, we went over how radio is an example of mass communication. We discussed how the process of mass communication worked on a radio level and I found that very fascinating. We got to learn about how mass communication begins with stimulus, then goes to encoding, transmission, decoding, and lastly internalization. Then, we learned how each of those steps fits in with our examples. We learned that those steps are what make up mass communication which I found pretty cool because I had never heard of that before.
I also found it very interesting when we discussed that we use individual and group communication on a daily basis without even realizing it! So after listening to this lecture on communication, I can now say that from now on when I am communicating with others- whether it's posting on Instagram, texting a friend, or listening to someone give a presentation in class- I will now think of it on the communication level.
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