Citizen Responsibility

Last week we had a shortened class with Sister Walton about What Citizens Should Expect From the Press.

We outlined Six things in the Citizens' Bill of Journalism Rights
1. Truthfulness:
"The process of verification-how news people made their decisions and why-should be transparent in the work so we can judge the value and fairness of the information for ourselves."
2. Proof that the journalists' first loyalty is to citizens:
"This means stories should answer our needs as citizens, not just the interests of insiders, or the political or economic system." This principle also requires transparency from the news organization.
3. That journalists maintain independence from those they cover:
"While journalists need not be neutral, we should expect they will not have divided loyalties. If journalists get too close to those they cover it only makes it more difficult for them to understand or convey all sides. Secretly counseling or writing speeches for sources is an example." This also includes being objective and considering all sides.
4. That journalists will monitor power and give voice to the voiceless:
"The press should use its watchdog power to uncover things that are important and new and that change community thinking. The news media should not squander this constitutional freedom on sideshow or pseudo scandals that research shows may build an audience."
5. A forum for public criticism and problem solving:
"News providers should offer several channels for public interaction--be it letters, e-mail, phone contacts, or public forums--including mechanisms for readers and viewers to make story suggestions or raise criticisms." A broad range of views should be represented, not just the extremist views.
6. News that is proportional and relevant:
"Journalists should use their special access to put the material they gather in a context that will engage our attention and also allow us to see trends and events in proportion to their true significance in our lives." Journalists should also be cautious of giving the right amount time and importance to stories; major news stories should be treated as such and not made light of, and smaller stories should not be expanded to give undue weight to their contents.

In class, Sister Walton divided us up and assigned us one of these six principles to discuss.
Our team was given the Right and Responsibility of Loyalty to Citizens. It means to us that our job is to serve the public by providing the public with the information they need and deserve. And that this priority should be above all others. We need to show the audience that we care about them. We need to understand the gap, and we need to listen to our public.

"Citizens have an obligation to approach the news with an open mind and not just a desire that the news reinforce existing opinion, but be willing to accept new facts and examine new points of view. Citizens should help journalists if they can, so that important news can see the light of day. Citizens have a responsibility to show up at the public forum and be active.


The marketplace fails if we as citizens are passive, willing to put up with a diminishing product. News should not only engage us but also challenge us and make us think"
-Sense and Goodness

Beautiful

What a beautiful, beautiful thing today is. Let me make Note here that I just woke up from a nap, so of course everything is lovely to me:)

I gave a fantastic presentation in English today. Seriously, I feel so grand about it. Such a weight lifted off my shoulders; all my projects are DONE and now I just get to face finals.

Counseling today was fun. I'm so grateful I have moved past the times of delving deep into the pit of despair to discover the sources from whence the murky waters flow. I believe I have successfully stopped those up. And certainly I was not alone in those efforts. Here I will diverge to tell a fascinating little bit:

This past month I have seen such a significant improvement in my level of happiness. I can attribute it to perfectly wonderful friends, absolutely beautiful family members (a strange descriptor, perhaps, but that's how I feel. My family is beautiful. The wisdom, strength, and love they have given me is the most beautiful thing I have ever encountered), fabulously uplifting books, gloriously intelligent professors, and truly inspired leaders.
At tithing settlement on Sunday, my bishop asked me if I am happy and how I've been doing. He of course knows what a difficult semester this has been for me. I was excited to tell him that I've seen such progress within myself these past few weeks. He asked me if I thought indexing (Family Search name indexing) had anything to do with how I felt.
Quite an interesting thought I had not considered. Yet, it matches up perfectly time-frame wise. I started indexing a month ago, and since then everything has gotten so much better for me. He promised us at the beginning of the semester that indexing would be a spiritual experience for us. And I truly believe that it has been.

So instead of making me cry for an hour in counseling today, we analyzed the crazy things that regularly happen in my life. I'm quite an entertaining person. Anyone who I've ever divulged life stories to I'm sure can attest to that.

And after school and counseling was done, I came home and took a beautiful nap. The best part was that I didn't have to wake up to my alarm clock:) Instead I woke up on my own to Little Women (one of my go-to sleep-time movies). What a beautiful, beautiful film. I even shed a few tears (I think it's a very good day when something beautiful moves you to tears). It got me thinking two distinct things: I miss my sisters so incredibly much. And I really want to be in love. Someday. With the right person. And that thought got me thinking about the essence of love itself and I came up with this:

Love: feeling safe being vulnerable with someone. Is there a more exquisite emotion? I miss it so much. And despite the complete, soul-ripping heartbreak it has afforded me in times past and I'm sure will warrant again in the future, I long for it. I want to dive into it.

So that's my beautiful day thus far. It has left me with a supreme sense of satisfaction as well as a dull pain in my chest. And that's why it is beautiful. Beauty is in the longing.

Dear Hair,

Dear Hair,

I've finally got you where I want you: waist-length and Gorgeous.

Thank you for always looking spectacular and for not requiring much effort at all from me.

I'm sorry I went through that phase where I used an evil straightener on you every day.

And I'm sorry I tried to go Blonde that one time. I promise it will never happen again. Also, Thank You for not falling out after I dyed you several more times that weekend so we could look pretty again.

I love how soft and shiny you are. Gosh, we are such a great team. You have amazing natural highlights, and I even forgive you for deciding to become redder and redder over time.

We have been through so much, Hair. The horrible Bangs of elementary school, and the shapelessness of junior high. But we have certainly had some fabulous years as well.

It's time for a significant change, Hair. In a few weeks, we have to grow up. Our long, sassy and beautiful time together is coming to a quick end.

I am so sorry you will never have your Special Day. You would have looked so great with that veil. But things happen for a reason. Next time we'll be sophisticated and totally chic.

So, Hair, Thank You for the fantastically good-looking times you have awarded me. I think you'll still look great even after much of you has fallen from me in piles on the floor. Shorter, lighter, we'll be prepared to take over the world by capturing the hearts of millions through the Screen.

Let's make the best of our last moments together. Because I hate to admit it, but I don't think I'll ever see you like this again.

The Most Dangerous Man in America

Study Guide for COMMS 239

1. In your view, what is the legacy of the government actions documented in the Pentagon Papers? How have such actions influenced democracy and trust of government in the United States?
It seems to me that the legacy of government actions as documented in the Pentagon Papers was for the government to make the decisions, to run the show without the involvement of the public. Once the Pentagon Papers were published and the public made aware of this legacy, this governmental attitude of having the right to control unimpeded by public opinion or influence, the people realized how easy it had been for the government to keep secrets. Journalists realized that a closer watch needed to be kept upon powerful institutions. A general distrust of government affairs was instilled in all who were part of this experience and this distrust has been passed down through the generations, creating a tradition of watchdog journalism which acts as a 4th branch of government, an extra check and balance, and enables our system of democracy to function idealistically with the public informed and in control.

2. While being interviewed by television journalist Walter Cronkite, Ellsberg says the lesson he took away from his experience with the Pentagon Papers was that “the people of this country can’t afford to let the president run the country by himself
without the help of Congress, without the help of the public.” How would you define the lesson or lessons of the Pentagon Papers and the events surrounding their release to the public?
I think the Pentagon Papers prove that the public should always be skeptical of the decisions their government leaders make, and that the public should demand the truth. I believe a significant lesson that arose from the events surrounding the release of the Pentagon Papers is of free speech. The public experienced the free flow of information in the act of releasing the Pentagon Papers and learned what it means for the press to be a watchdog on powerful institutions and leaders.

3. What role or roles did media play in Ellsberg’s success and/or lack of success in stopping the bombing and, ultimately, the war in Vietnam? How do media actions then compare to media war coverage now? How did the Pentagon papers change the role of the media in the United States?
The media played a huge role in the end of the war in Vietnam and of the dismissal of the case against Ellsberg through the Watergate Scandal. Once that story broke, it only magnified the impact and importance of the Pentagon Papers and resulted in the impeachment of President Nixon and the termination of the war nine months later. In today’s climate we tend to believe that we have open and constant coverage on the war; however, the current Wikileaks leak of confidential war information mimics the leak of the Pentagon Papers. The Pentagon Papers caused the media to recognize their role as a watchdog.


4. Max Frankel (New York Times Washington bureau chief during the Pentagon Papers era) reflects on his newspaper’s Supreme Court victory, saying, “The cry of national security does not justify censorship in advance.” In your view, under what circumstances do journalists have the right or responsibility to reveal classified information and under what circumstances should they refrain from doing so? Under what circumstances, if any, should they be prohibited from doing so by the government or by law?
I believe journalists always have the responsibility to reveal information to the public. Whether they have a right to the information is another matter entirely. But journalists will always have the right and responsibility to inform the public of matters that are significant to them: things that affect their lives, things that may change public opinion, things that will prevent harm, things that are necessary for our country to function correctly allowing the people as a whole to govern instead of a few powerful ones. Journalists should refrain from revealing classified information when it harms more than it helps, when national security is put at risk, and when soldiers lives would be put in danger if information were to be leaked.
I think there are too many unforeseen situations that may arise in the future that impede the creation of a law that would prohibit the press from revealing information. I think the government would use such a law to their advantage and question every move of journalists.

5. In your view, what would the effect on a free press have been if the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the Nixon administration and prohibited newspapers from publishing the Pentagon Papers, or if after publication The New York Times had been prosecuted under the Espionage Act ?
The entire notion of a free press would have been murdered had the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Nixon administration and prohibited newspapers from publishing the Pentagon Papers. Government officials would have no checks or balances anymore. Thousands of people proved able to keep significant, plan-altering secrets from the public: if the press were prohibited from revealing information to the public regarding government lies, then we would be living in a totalitarian society, not a democratic one. The same results go for if The New York Times had been prosecuted under the Espionage Act. No newspaper would feel safe or validated to reveal governmental affairs, and thus the government would have complete control.

6. In your view, would today’s major news media outlets be likely to make public the type of classified documents that The New York Times and other newspapers were handed in 1971? Why or why not?
Absolutely. We hate spending money on lawsuits, but we love the big audiences investigative reporting draws. Plus, the media is currently leaking government documents thus proving my point (See State's Secrets in the NYT, acquired from Wikileaks).

HUM 101

I love this class! Sister Haddock is so wonderful. I really enjoyed writing this paper. I got 50/50 and a WOW! sticker:) Yes. I do feel good about myself for receiving a WOW! sticker. I'm 5. But I especially wanted my Mom to read this, so here it is:

“The Magic Flute” Performance Report

Mozart’s opera “The Magic Flute” as performed by BYU was beautiful. I am grateful for the talent prevalent at our university to be able to accomplish such a feat. “The Magic Flute” is overflowing with symbolism and meaning, but the elements I wish to focus upon in this report are the versatility of the set, the profundity of the costumes, and the intensity of the relationship between Tamino and Pamina as compared to the relationship of their foil characters Papageno and Papagena.

The set was exquisite. I am so impressed that the pieces remained stationary throughout the entirety of the opera; the foresight and creativity of the set directors to erect such a versatile set was great. The set was rather nicely and aesthetically composed of three arches and a grand stairway. These “stone” pieces never moved though the location of events changed several times, varying from the exposition of a foreign place with a giant serpent, to inside Sarastro’s palace, to the sacred temple of wisdom: all the while the only elements altering to change “scene” and mood being lighting and the projections on the background screens—a purely genius concept—for example, whilst inside Sarastro’s palace the screens portrayed images of glittering chandeliers, at other times they reflected the night, or temple hieroglyphics. The arches themselves were pretty neat as well. It was almost Mines of Moria-esque when hieroglyphics lit up on the sides of the temple passageways. It is amazing to me that this same set, the same stationary pieces, were able to reflect such differing moods for specific instances. The set was a place of terror with the serpent and later the Queen of the Night; it was a place of suspense and fear when Tamino and Papageno were undergoing their trials in the temple; and it was a place of love and happiness when Tamino and Pamina, as well as Papageno and Papagena were all reunited.

The costumes expressed deep levels of meaning and profundity in their styles and colors. The three women, servants of the Queen of the Night, were obviously intentionally dark and seductive in their leather corsets and gauzy sleeves, and their appearances mimicked their behavior regarding the unconscious Tamino. Likewise, The Queen of the Night and Monostatos were dressed in black to reflect their sinister personalities and evil motives. In contrast, Tamino, Pamina, Sarastro, and Sarastro’s fellow temple patrons all wore white, placing them in direct opposition to the Queen, her servants and all she stands for (just in case the moon and sun motifs were not blatant enough). Sarastro and his people all wore long, shapeless, white robes with gold accessories. The white and gold color scheme represents wisdom and endowment, while the shapeless form of the clothes suggests a greater emphasis on otherworldly matters than on mortal concerns, once again putting Sarastro’s people in direct contrast to the Queen’s people in their tight fitting, suggestive apparel which emphasizes human cravings of lust and power. Tamino and Pamina both wear respectable outfits of white to symbolize their purity and innocence, making them a perfect couple. Papageno and Papagena are exceptions to the single-faceted characters of white or black: they are bright, colorful, and feathery, exemplifying their unique personalities and compatibility for one another.

The relationship between Tamino and Pamina is intense and full of highly charged emotions. Though it is a bit of a stretch that they each fell in love before they ever met one another, the legitimacy of their deep feelings are recognizable through comparison to the almost trivial feelings that exist between Papageno and Papagena. Papageno and Papagena serve as foil characters to Tamino and Pamina. Papageno and Papagena’s relationship is a result of trickery on the part of Papagena and desperation on the part of Papageno. Fortunately it works out for them, but that’s probably because they are the only two feathery people in existence. Tamino and Pamina, like Papageno and Papagena, begin their relationship instantaneously as a result of instinct based upon appearances; however, unlike Papageno and Papagena, Tamino and Pamina undergo significant trials in their relationship. Tamino is unable to speak to Pamina for a time, unable to be her support as part of the tasks he must complete. His behavior during this time breaks the heart of Pamina. It is in this point of the plot that I had the most notable relation to the story. I was able to see myself in Pamina. During Tamino’s vow of silence Pamina hears him playing his magic flute and comes to him. I know the pain she feels when he turns his back to her. She is so close, but he will not speak to her. He won’t tell her what’s going on, and she is at a complete loss of control. Her feelings are evident in her quote: “the man I am unable to hate has left his beloved. This cup of sorrow is full, faithless lover.” I know how it feels to have been away from someone who possesses your heart, and when you are finally reunited, to have them push you aside, ignore you, and give no explanation. My love did not return to me, however. I never got an explanation like Pamina did. He was not valiant like Tamino and did not fight for what was good and right. We did not get to experience the joy of entering hand in hand to the temple as planned. This is how I know the bond between Tamino and Pamina is strong, because I know what it would take to overcome such heartbreak. This personal experience, as well as the comparison between their foil counterparts, leads me to believe that Tamino and Pamina depict a strong, meaningful bond between two lovers.

Mozart is the man. I could’ve written an entire paper on religious symbols and how Mozart must have been inspired to write an opera so full of gospel truths, but instead I chose to focus on the what I can relate to: the setting life’s unfortunate as well as triumphant events occur in; the way in which we display ourselves through our appearances; and the intensity and struggles of love.

I hate Winter

I was trying so hard to be optimistic. "It's not THAT cold." "It's the holiday season!" "The lights are pretty." "Pie!" But Winter and I have had a falling out.

I used to love the sweaters, the scarves, the hats, the mittens. Snuggies, fireplaces, mistletoe, and socks. Hot cocoa, peppermint bark, and chocolate Santas.

But this year, snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes are most definitely not on my list of favorite things.

Driving in the snow has terrified me into hatred for Winter. All I know is that you pump the breaks. I really need someone to teach me the ropes. Because I slip and slide in my lane and it's not a holiday in the park.

Tonight was the worst of it. I may not touch my car for a while. I'm so embarrassed. I got stuck not once, but twice and had to have guys in my ward help push me out. I'm really wishing I had an underground reserved parking spot right about now.

There's just no way I can handle about four more months of this. My car may quite possibly sit useless until Spring rescues me. I don't even care if it turns into a giant ice cube.

But maybe I'll just have a boy help me put chains on my car and teach me the art of driving in evil Winter. This is probably the best solution. Now I simply need one that likes me enough to help out. Fortunately I've got someone in mind. A little baking should be coercion enough, I think.

Oh, Harold

Today, I discovered the library.

I use the library quite often for it's central location, perfectly suited for between-class studying, for the quiet atmosphere in which to take a nap, and the crazy hope that I'll meet some interesting and attractive person there.

But today, I actually used the library for its intended purpose. BOOKS.

It's seriously incredible how much information is contained in such a compact space. I had a bunch of books to get today and had to traverse each floor to find them all. It was actually a lot of fun:) And I had such a great feeling of accomplishment after fully participating in the library experience.
I even spent time in Special Collections reading a discourse from 1919. It was at that point that I was struck with how much we take this information for granted. We have so much right at our fingertips. Information is so accessible to us. While it's great to be able to do a few Boolean phrase searches and come up with exactly what we need, there's something majestic about searching through rows and rows and stack upon stacks of Books.

A Room with a View

Nothing fills the void in one's life like a BBC film.

The language, the wardrobe, the refinement, the accomplishment, the scenery. It's all in perfectly lovely juxtaposition to mine own. A refreshing escape from my own lack of adventure and intrigue. The very pursuit of love a perfect antithesis. For I do not pursue people. In fact, I run from them.

And I plan on running until I run right into the right one.

Journalism and Faith

I really liked our class discussion about how people often view others as different because of varying religious affiliations and how instead we need to recognize that people of faith share a lot in common. We shouldn't be a divisive public because we share a wide array of beliefs, and we shouldn't be afraid of other faiths and sects. Rather, we should recognize that religious people are people of compassion. People who seek out truth. People who have a reason for the way they live. Learning to accept and understand that shouldn't be scary. Yet many reporters shy away from anything religious.

"Isn't this journalism's mandate: to offer not just a simple play-by-play of reality, but also to explore what stirs, inspires, pushes people to action?"

Gal Beckerman

This clip talks about Religion on TV and why religious information requires specialized journalists.

I think my belief system will lend itself to accurate news-telling. I believe in being honest and true which is what journalism is all about. My belief system focuses on understanding morality through the light of Christ which we believe everyone is given. This would make us believe that our moral compass should pretty regularly point the same direction as all other goodhearted people. With the knowledge and beliefs I have, I will strive to find the truth and to report it in a truthful manner so that others can understand not how things seem to be, but how thing truly are. Striving to be honest in my deeds with my fellow men will also help me to be transparent in my person and reporting style and goals. I never want to mislead my audience, but rather to present honest and truthful information so my audience is enabled to make their own decisions.

I think a true person of faith can report objectively report on religious issues. You may not like or approve of something that happens, but if you seek out the truth and have humanity's best interests in mind, then I don't see a problem with reporting on religious issues. The key is to strive to avoid ethnocentrism.

I think reporters often have difficulties reporting about religion and faith, however, because they fail to understand the commonalities betwixt religions, and mostly because they're afraid of the repercussions that may arise from reporting on religion.

Mormon Media Studies Symposium

I attended the Young Scholars Speed Session on Thursday.

The first presentation was pretty neat. Trent Boulter and Kevin Nielsen presented their paper, “People Watch Conference Like This: Male and Female Viewing Styles During LDS General Conference,” via PowerPoint composed of their research methods and findings. Boulter and Nielsen designed a survey for single adults ages 18-31 in the Wasatch front. 320 people responded and Boulter and Nielsen analyzed General Conference viewership based on gender and media type. They found that overall, the most influential motive to pay attention is topic, and that viewers do not pay as much attention to auxiliaries though women pay more attention than men.

The second paper, “The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News' Coverage of the 1978 Revelation: An Historical Analysis” by Malinda J. Miller, I thought could have been more interesting, but Miller’s presentation style was lacking. Miller researched news articles from The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News that ran in the few months before and after the 1978 Priesthood revelation was announced. Miller found that all reactions were positive, and that the two newspapers devoted the same amount of space to the topic, though The Salt Lake Tribune took on a slightly different tone regarding the issue most likely due to the nature of the newspaper and the LDS ownership of Deseret News.

Dai Newman’s paper “Games Mormons Play” was really intriguing; I found the trends amongst Mormon board games very interesting. His primary argument was that Mormon games have become much simplified in recent years as opposed to the in-depth questions of previous generations. Newman claimed that the reason for this shift is due to the growth of the church, therefore less emphasis on Mormon personalities and a return to simple truths.

Danny Duerden’s paper “Viral Mormonism: A case study in why videos go viral using the MormonMessages YouTube channel” proposed that studying which videos go viral will allow people to understand why certain videos catch on, and therefore enable producers to construct videos that will go viral.

“From Foe to ‘Friend’: Shifting the Portrayal of Older Characters through a Religious Children’s Magazine” by Jessica L. Danowski analyzed the church magazine, The Friend, and its portrayal of the elderly. Danowski found that The Friend casts older characters in a significantly more positive light that most media.

I Love My Mom

I was born to my mother for a reason.

I used to dwell on our differences, that she was emotional and that I'm not. She doesn't like to cook; I love it. She hates shopping while it's my therapy. We have a very different style of accomplishing things as well. My mother's theory is "if it's only worth half doing, half do it." While mine is "if it's worth doing at all, it's worth doing right."

But recently these differences are not so important to me. They are no longer how I define our relationship to another. Rather, I have been noticing similarities.

My mother and I are both journalists. We are both interested by people and the world around us. We have no problem talking to others, and I believe we both feel that making connections, learning new things, gaining new stories validates us, makes us more interesting, accomplished people.

My mother and I are both intelligent and witty. We are also exceptional writers.

My mother instilled a great love for BBC dramas in me at a young age. I'm the only one of her daughters that ever got really into them. I remember hating them when I was very small, but something changed at some road marker and now I can't get enough of them.

My mother and I both love to travel.

We also both love to eat. This hobby works beautifully well with traveling.

Neither my mother nor I like "things." We don't like souvenirs- they're just more things to dust.

My mother and I have both suffered with depression. There is a despair so great associated with depression that those who battle with it have an unspoken understanding. It is a painful understanding of woe, but knowing that you're not alone even in your depth of lonely grief is a strength.

My mom actually listens to me. I used to think she didn't, but she does. She is the most supportive person I have. The most caring, the most involved.

My mom seems to think that I'm incredible. I hope that someday I can recognize in myself what she sees.

My mom doesn't try to sugarcoat my situation. But she has experiences that help strengthen me through difficulties.

My mom has faith in me. Faith that I will be okay. Faith that there is a better plan for me.

My mom loves me.

I love my mom.

Independence and Journalism

Independence and journalism is all about transparency. It's not good enough to try to be objective, accurate, and fair. It is also necessary for the public to know the background of the reporter.

I can't say I've ever seriously contemplated making sure my audience knew me, my intentions, my background, my beliefs, my motives, my associations, my allegiances. But class last week definitely drilled that home. The beating my team took when having to defend Maggie Gallagher was certainly enough to frighten me into full disclosure for the rest of my life.

Every association, every advocacy group we support, every political affiliation we hold, every religious and social belief, everything is subject to the scrutiny of the public. All of these are links or ties that connect us to groups and mindsets that infringe upon our independence. As gatekeepers, mediators, journalists, we must disclose these aspects of our lives as part of being independent and transparent.

Informing the public of our history as well as current obligations is necessary because, like it or not, WE ARE part of the news - we may not MAKE it, but we certainly do PRESENT it, and certain aspects of our lives may color certain stories. Full disclosure of ourselves is just another step in presenting all the information to the public in order for them to make informed decisions and to be self-governing.

Just read these bits of "The Ethics of Civic Journalism: Independence as the Guide" by Bob Steele and thought I'd share them:

"Poynter Institute senior scholar Roy Peter Clark (1994) ties the evolution of public journalism to the way journalists have perceived their function. 'Our role as detached observers has gotten us into a kind of problem, reflected in distrust by the public,' Clark says. 'The creation of a professional class of journalists may have produced an alienation between journalism and the public.' Clark suggests that 'the media needs to be more like the public. Journalists need to be more like the people.'"

In one more defense for my teammates and myself, isn't this what we tried to argue??:

"Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, Paul Soglin worries that a newspaper can get too much power by mixing the roles of reporting the news and creating it. Soglin says the Wisconsin State Journal has been "wearing two hats" by reporting a story it helped create, in this case on economic development issues. Searching for Common Ground You can view this civic journalism debate from a good and bad, right and wrong perspective, but that would be both unfair and shortsighted. The issues are more complex than to be scored that way. There's plenty of gray area, it's not just about winners and losers, and much of the debate can be examined by going from the philosophy of public journalism, what it is, to how it is practiced. That's the next step in exploring the ethics of civic journalism."

Oh baby baby baby!

Is he not the CUTEST thing you've ever seen!?? I get to see him TOMORROW!!!!!!! Be jealous.


Seriously. He's adorable. It almost makes me want one myself. Ha! Don't worry, not for a while yet:)

Verify This

Make custom t-shirts at CustomInk.com

Haha, ^that's for you, Anna. I would so wear these.

In class last Thursday we talked about Verification and Objectivity.

What does verification mean?

• The establishment of the truth or correctness of something by investigation or evidence
• The evidence that proves something is true or correct
• Evidence or testimony that confirms something
• Does NOT mean fair or objective

These guidelines for How to Stay Objective were also given in class:

1. Never add anything that was not there
2. Never deceive the audience
3. Be as transparent as possible about your methods and motives
4. Rely on your own original reporting
5. Exercise humility

First, let's go over the difference between journalism of verification and journalism of assertion. Journalism of verification is the ideal: it is when journalists act independently to find and verify new facts. Journalism of assertion is what journalists are frequently practicing now as a result of technology and consolidation. Rather than doing their own investigating, "In the age of the 24-hour news cycle, journalists now spend more time looking for something to add to the existing news, usually interpretation."

This discipline of journalism of assertion affects journalistic bias because journalists are often simply re-reporting others' work and findings. So if one organization gets it wrong, there's a strong likelihood that others will report false information as well since, as Geneva Overholser put it, "we all feed at the same trough" in this age of electronic reporting. If reporters made sure to verify facts for themselves and do their own reporting, this situation would be better.

Next, let's talk about transparency. Transparency about your methods and motives is the third step in how to be objective. It means to be open and honest with your audience about what you both know and do not know: you must reveal as much as possible about your sources, who they are, how direct their knowledge is, what biases they might have, etc. Transparency shows respect for the audience: it allows the audience to register the information and to judge it on their own. "The key is this: the Spirit of Transparency first involves the journalist asking for each event, 'What does my audience need to know to evaluate this information for itself?'"

Practicing intellectual humility is another major step in remaining objective in your writing. It is important for journalists to be humble about their skills; they need to be skeptical about their ability to interpret information correctly. "Humility also means that you are open-minded enough to accept that the next person you talk to could change the entire meaning of your story or even convince you that you have no story." This is so important to keep in mind: journalists should not get so attached to their stories that they cannot let them go if circumstances change. It is our job to provide necessary information, not irrelevant misinterpreted stories.

Since class got out early, we didn't really get a chance to discuss how the media best serves democracy, but I went ahead and took the liberty of looking up "agenda setter role" (because we're talking about the watchdog role next week).

"The agenda-setting hypothesis asserts that the media have an effect indirectly by choosing certain issues for emphasis, thus making those issues more salient to the audiences."

-"Another Look At the Agenda-Setting Function of the Press"

This is what Christopher Harper has to say on the matter, using Tom Cekay as an example.
"For the past 20 years, Tom Cekay has been what's known as a "gatekeeper," a critical role in the way a medium sets agendas. That means Cekay is an editor who determines what gets through the "gate" into the newspaper for the reader to see. For years, the gatekeeper has been one of the most powerful people in the media, highlighting particular stories, promoting trends, sorting the journalistic wheat from the chaff, and some would argue restricting the flow of information."

Benjamin Barber, at the same conference as Christopher Harper (Democracy and Digital Media: The Agenda-Setting Function of Media) also had some to say on new media and its role with democracy. He outlined three definitions of democracy and then went on to describe how new technologies contribute to these particular attitudes of democracy.

Dear Will Schuester AKA Matthew Morrison...

You are one disgustingly beautiful piece of man. I think I literally had to wipe the drool off my face during last night's episode of Glee. Good heavens I have goosebumps just thinking about it. I was so very very jealous of Emma during that song. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, you are missing out on some serious HOTT-ness and I recommend immediately watching the Rocky Horror episode of Glee).

Schuester has always been hot, what with his cardigans, skinny ties and designer jeans, but last night he may have surpassed Finn and dare I even say it, Puck, in the hotness factor. Good grief, man. I wasn't sure anyone could win my heart over like Puck did last season with "Sweet Caroline," but Schuester just stole it.

That being said, my two favorite lines from last night are as follows:
Sam: "Where are you going?"
Finn: "To show everyone how hot and sexy I am."

Becky: "Give me some chocolate or I will cut you."

I <3 Glee!

I suck at puzzles

I just can't seem to visualize how they fit together. I don't see it. I have to learn by trial and error: trying to shove the pieces together in every possible way until it fits. But before I can even do that I have to sort all the pieces into piles based on color. I have to organize myself, prepare, to make those stupid pieces fit into something resembling a picture.

Puzzles in no way excite me. I don't find them fun. I'm terrible with them. But for some reason I try them anyway. And I always bite off more than I can chew. Why couldn't I be happy with a 100 piece puzzle? Noooo! I've got to try the 1000 piece. So here I am. Staring at this huge mound of pieces that I can't possibly see how to put back together. I can't even figure it out using the picture on the box. Was this mess really once something recognizable? And why couldn't it have stayed that way? Who thought cutting it up into one thousand pieces and tossing it into a box would be a good idea?

Some days I'm intensely motivated to work on this huge project. But others I just want to kick the piles away from me and run: some days I do. (This only creates more of a mess, however, and I don't recommend it as a successful strategy for finishing a puzzle in any sort of timely manner).

And no one is really equipped to help me out with this puzzle - besides the Puzzle Maker Himself. And even then, 1000 pieces is a lot. You don't realize how much until you're surrounded: completely closed in by pieces.

I swear this is the biggest puzzle I've ever seen. Did those little puzzles I did as a kid seriously prepare me for this monster?

So far I've got the edges put together. But that's the easy part. And there is a whole freaking load of middle.

The Profession

So last Thursday Don Meyers from The Salt Lake Tribune came and spoke to us in class. I think my favorite quote from him was "Just Google him on YouTube." Probably not as funny in writing, but it cracked those of us in the corner up:)

We kind of skipped around to various topics but the central idea was about the profession of journalism.

Before class a few of us shared our worries for our social lives because in the reading other journalists were quoted as saying that it's too complicated to have friends outside the field of journalism. As people persons, this concerned us -- we like to have variety. But fortunately for us Bro. Meyer thought that was a ridiculous notion and said it's fine for journalists to expand their social circle. He told us to take The Godfather approach if issues ever arise: "It's not personal, it's business."

The Mind of a Journalist introduced the interesting concept that journalism is like a professional priesthood: that we as journalists "surrender to a higher calling of serving others." I definitely agree that journalists view themselves as part of a higher calling. We love what we do because we believe we are helping others through our skills of gaining information, processing it, and delivering it to the masses.
The book refers to two common theories in describing this priesthood: the hegemony theory, "directed at what journalists believe and comprising the social, cultural, and ideological beliefs of journalists," and the news work theory, directed at what journalists learn and experience on the job.

I believe the hegemony theory has a lot to do with our worldview. Our culture's standards and values affect the manner in which we present the news as well as the news content itself. In Western society we are very much focused on the timeliness aspect of the news because we value prompt and up-to-date information. Also in Western culture do we believe in negative news. When something bad happens in our community-we report on it, whereas in India, they hold a very different worldview such that their news is made when something good occurs. I'm not sure if journalists' world views differ from the average person. It seems to be the chicken or the egg scenario for me: do the world views and thus work of journalists influence the average person, or do the world views of the average person affect the way in which journalists present news?

Bro. Meyer's discussions about Bill Murray, the owner of the Crandall Canyon Mine, and the polygamist whose name I failed to write down, exemplified the news work theory (we got off on these topics when Prof. Campbell asked who the most interesting person Meyer had ever interviewed was). I wish I could find the Bill Murray clip we watched in class where he was going off about the Crandall Canyon Mine mess, but apparently I'm not that skilled at Google-ing things on YouTube, because I couldn't find his ridiculous press conference. But if anyone knows how to find it, let me know- it's a good laugh.

Just some tidbits I enjoyed from Don Meyer:

• Journalism is the only profession specifically mentioned in the Constitution because our Founding Fathers believed a free and unfettered press is the best check on government (since I'm an elitist, of course I enjoy the fact that my chosen profession is more important than others...)
• Journalism demands the government be accountable to the people
• Journalists are story tellers at heart + historians with a sense of justice; we try to understand how government works and point out when it's not working.
• We "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

We also discussed the Shield Law sitting in the Senate right now. It will be interesting to see what happens with the Shield Law and the implications for our future. Bro. Meyer couldn't tell us much about it, but he hopes it will be passed within the next month or so, otherwise he believes it will be another 5 years before it has a chance again.

Hello, I Love You, Won't You Tell Me Your Name?

Mallory has a couple posts on her blog that I just loved. So I'm stealing bits of them to share:

"There is somebody for everybody. Isn't it strange to think that the person you love, adore, and admire more than any other is the same person that another loathes, despises, and abhors more than any other . . . When you're running fast the other direction, avoiding a potential relationship with a person you don't love, there's someone else out there, running towards them, willing to give up anything for them . . . remember: that as you endlessly chase that man of your dreams, another gal, in some far away place, is running as fast as she can the other direction."

I like the thought of running towards someone. Though I hope it's not an "endless chase." ;) I also hope they'll forgive me for falling down a couple times before I reach them. I have a knack for being accident prone...

"I think when I am married, this change will not only become a relationship status but rather a definition of who I am. I am married. This signifies a part of our very being . . . The "I am" aspect denotes something about our very existence, our very being that is now interlocked with that of another. You become each other. It is not something you have, enjoy, need, or desire, it becomes the very essence of who you are . . . We must choose wisely who we marry; they become as much us as we are us. Are the people we are currently dating/marrying/courting what we want to become? Are they the epitome of who we want to be, we must of course, over look flaws and imperfections but are they fundamentally what we want to become? . . . If we can honestly say we are so in love, so passionate, so encompassed in the very being of this person that we want to become what they are - we must never let them slip away."

Love it. Props to you Mallory. Thanks for the food for thought:]

I'm not sure I'd ever sat down and thought about becoming so entirely like someone else. I used to look for someone different. Someone with different strengths than my own. Someone to compliment me in the areas I'm lacking in. And while I still think that's great, it's no longer what I'm focused on finding. Rather, I'm looking for a best friend- someone I think is so awesome I want to be them. A lady I know who has been married for 40 years told me that opposites attract until they're married. Then they pull apart. - I think it's time I switch my dating mentality. Sure, I enjoyed exploring new things with the people I've dated, testing out different aspects of life, but I think it'd be refreshing to find someone like me.


This is part of how I'm feeling at the moment:
Hello (Glee Cast Version)
I've been alone with you inside my mind
And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times
I sometimes see you pass outside my door
Hello, is it me you're looking for?

I can see it in your eyes
I can see it in your smile
You're all I've ever wanted, (and) my arms are open wide
'Cause you know just what to say
And you know just what to do
And I want to tell you so much, I love you ...

I long to see the sunlight in your hair
And tell you time and time again how much I care
Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow
Hello, I've just got to let you know

'Cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely, or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart
For I haven't got a clue
But let me start by saying, I love you ...

Hello, is it me you're looking for?
'Cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart
For I haven't got a clue
But let me start by saying ... I love you

Hello Mr. Darcy

listening to David Archuleta

Oh gosh. What a beautiful day!! I'm so happy:]

I opened my acceptance letter to the broadcast journalism major this morning before class while I was on the phone with my daddy (I talk to him every morning on my way to school) and it's just been such a great day!

I am in my happy place right now. I had celebratory cookie dough earlier as a treat and I just woke up from a Glorious nap:] I probably look a mess, but I don't even care! I didn't set an alarm- I wanted perfectly restful sleep with no annoying device waking me up, so I put on Pride & Prejudice (the Keira Knightley version: I've literally watched it over 100 times.... It's what I fall asleep to most every night), and I traveled to Meryton for a blissful nap full of classical music and British accents: a perfect recipe for slumber.

And oh my heart! I woke up to Mr. Darcy walking through a field towards me. It was delightful.



I am a sucker for BBC Dramas. I will never require a man to watch them with me, but they just have to accept that sometimes all I want/need is a good BBC fix. It's like my Snuggie and The O.C.: I can't properly explain my love, but there's definitely a special place in my heart for them all.


I don't know where this picture is from, but I love it. I could definitely have engagement pictures like this. And I've always really loved her dress.

Sometimes, I write poetry

listening to Regina Spektor, eating leftover pizza: Canadian bacon, pepperoni, green peppers, black olives, mushrooms and onions; I felt inspired to tap into some past emotions

I have seen hell.
And it has a face.
Cold, gaunt, expressionless:
What creature stood before me,
With a face not of anguish nor of sorrow,
Neither contorted in pain nor suffering,
Nay, this face was barren of all cause.
The soulless orbs fixed upon my own:
I have been through hell and back through those eyes.
‘twas a frightening sight I vow never again to see,
For that devoid, spiritless face I saw in the mirror was me.
I have seen hell.
And hell is within me.

2010 Mass Update

So I started this particular blog for COMMS 239, but recently decided to include personal bloggings as well.

So Here It Goes. 2010: Year In Review. Hold on tight because "it's gonna be a bumpy ride!" (Please read in Jamaican accent: think HP3 Knight Bus).

CAUTION: This is probably way more than you're bargaining for.

Also note that yes, it's going to be divided up into months/people I've dated. That's just how it's categorized in my mind.

ACT I.
January: Dated two losers who used me, woohoo! Had a nice chat with a roommie and we decided to become better people that were more assertive with ourselves and that we weren't going to let guys walk all over us anymore. This change in attitude has had a great positive effect on my life.

ACT II.
February 13-April 28: Enter Boy #3
I will describe this as the blissfully happy part of my year. Absolutely crazy in love. Made killer grades. And the world could not have been more beautiful. Marriage came up. We set a date.

ACT III.
April 28-August 27: I cannot possibly describe this accurately. Worst Summer of My Entire Existence pretty much sums it up. Never again. So horrible. I was at home for the summer, he was in DC and later Atlanta working. I went to visit him twice. Our relationship was simply phone calls. I thought all things considered we were doing pretty well, but I was a wreck.
I'm going to take this opportunity to apologize to my family. I was not myself this summer. I don't know who that empty, cold person was, but it wasn't me. I was so depressed. But I didn't think my own absolute unhappiness would affect anyone else. I am so sorry. I literally felt like I was missing a significant piece of who I was.
Halfway through the summer I felt him forgetting me. Sometimes I wondered if he still loved me. I passed it off as him simply weirding out because it had been so long since we had been together. I kept holding out for the end of the summer so we could get back to normal. I thought it would be unfair to both of us to break up during the summer.

ACT IV.
August 27-29: Worst Weekend of My Entire Existence.
Back up a few days. I'd just driven to Utah from Texas as the sole driver. That's a good 22 hours of driving. Needless to say, I was burned out. Back to the 27th: I was not very nicely pressured into driving to Lake Powell to spend the weekend with the boy and his family. I really felt that if I didn't go I would lose him. Though I was so exhausted, I made the drive; I thought it was a sacrifice I just had to make. I brought with me an old roommate. Let this be a lesson to everyone: It is a woefully moronic idea to have 2 girls drive a long distance by themselves. There is not a word for how stupid that idea was.
So we drive. We get lost. I get hysterical. I get a speeding ticket (I never speed, ever!! It was soooo awful). We finally get there and his sister screams at me. I cry. It was a really brilliant beginning to a wonderful weekend.
Rest of the weekend: Something is wrong and I know it. No one is talking to me. He won't even talk to me. I am terrified. Can't eat, can't sleep.
Sunday night we all drive back to Provo. I find a girl's number in his wallet. I feel so great.
He comes over for dinner, we don't talk. We go on a walk. He dumps me. The end.

Oh but had it been the end!

ACT V.
September: I met all my roommates the day after I got dumped, coincidentally the day school started! I really believe it created an instant bond between me and them though. And I'm really grateful that if it had to happen, it happened when it did. I got to start the semester fresh:) I actually did incredibly well all things considered. The first week I didn't eat or sleep, but fortunately that can't go on forever and I slowly regained an appetite. (I lost weight though! Bonus!)
I seriously was recovering quite well. Until he started texting me again.
September was just, messy. It's really not OK to talk to the person you crushed and tell them you think you made a mistake and that you miss them and that you wish they were the one for you and you the one for them and that you're still in love and oh my gosh just rip my heart out all over again! NOT FAIR.
This set me back considerably. It was like that first week all over again. Let it be known that I absolutely hate crying. And I was a mess.

ACT VI.
The Present:
I recognize that good things have come out of this crazy(!) experience. I am so grateful that I am no longer in that relationship. I sincerely wish it had been me that had ended it.

I am happy now. I hadn't been happy in months, but I am so happy now.

I've learned many things. I have a greater understanding of the principles of agency and of personal revelation. I have a greater appreciation for the wisdom of my parents. (I have a seriously incredible family. They have been my unfailing support through everything this year, and I am stronger because of their faith in me.) I am more aware of the things I need to be careful of. I know better what I am looking for. I have a better understanding of my own capabilities- my strengths, and my weaknesses.

Have I mentioned how happy I am now?? Really. It hasn't been easy. In fact at times it's been excruciating. I have had nights I didn't know how I was going to get through. I've had days where it takes everything I have not to start crying randomly in public. But I'm not having those days anymore; I am recognizing the value of this experience. I may never understand it fully. But that's OK. Because I'm OK.

For some reason I feel like I have to convince anyone reading this that I'm really alright. Maybe it just helps if I reinforce it for myself. But this is how it is: I don't miss him. He used to be my best friend, we used to talk all the time, but I no longer miss him. What I do miss is knowing where my life was headed. It's an extremely difficult thing to reconcile within yourself what you want the most and reality. But that's going to be OK, too. I'll just keep working on myself and preparing for when reality decides to be friends with my dreams. And if it never happens, well... that's tough, but it'll be OK as well. I've already got my cats:)


This part's for you Lauren
I did 30, 15 for yesterday, 15 for today.


Reasons Why I Love BYU (in no particular order):
1. Chocolate Milk (ok, that one is in order:D)
2. Modest clothing
3. Clean cut men
4. Clean language
5. Our usage of acronyms
6. Having church in classrooms
7. The mountains:) I don't have any at home, so I get to appreciate them while I'm here
8. Not one, but TWO Jamba Juice locations on campus!
9. Free bowling at the Wilk
10. Campus itself- It's gorgeous.
11. The dances are actually fun
12. Ducks! I enjoy watching them.
13. This is a love/hate: I hate that there's a housing monopoly, but I love that pretty much everyone lives fairly close
14. South of campus housing- this is where it's at. I can't say I've met anyone I particularly like that lives elsewhere....
15. COSMO!!!! He's fantastic. Best mascot ever.
16. BYU fudge
17. BYU mint brownies (they're how I survive Thursdays).
18. It's as close to Hogwarts as I'll ever get.
19. Prayers at the beginning of classes
20. The Daily Universe Police Beat
21. Divine Comedy
22. The Hip-Hop Club: they're pretty rad
23. The fact that I fit in child's medium BYU shirts:)
24. The Harold B. Lee Library
25. The snack zone
26. The 5th floor: It's where I get my studyin' on.
27. Modest swimwear at the apartment pool/hot tub
28. The fact that anything and everything is/can be a date.
29. L&T
30. Professors and Faculty that bring up gospel principles in subjects you had never considered.

Loyalty and Journalism

Despite business endeavors, journalists' first loyalty should always be to the citizen

"If it comes down to a question of loyalty, my loyalty will be to the person who turns on the television set"
-Nick Clooney, former newscaster


Being loyal to readers is so important. Through loyalty, we as journalists create a relationship with our readers. This relationship is what keeps consumers consuming our product. (Note: Citizens aren't customers...they are consumers. Why the distinction? Because the news is provided free to the public and is often "sold" at a loss).

Loyalty also builds trust. We all know that newspapers are not faring well in today's economic climate. There are many who criticize the downsizing of news staff with the argument that it is not overworked and thinly stretched reporters that are going to pull the newspaper industry back together to once again become a profitable medium. Alicia Shepard of NPR says "it will be the trusted news sources that endure."

Sam Zell's loyalty certainly doesn't lie with his readers. His unprofessional, to put it lightly, behavior has not only failed to produce profit as promised, but has also alienated both consumers and employees. Just check out the Tribune Handbook, especially page four's Harassment Policy.
The disputed advertising tactics of The Los Angeles Times are also, frankly, unethical.
How can Zell possibly expect to produce a winning newspaper with such a lack of loyalty to all things journalists hold dear?

Let's examine this further.

In class we talked about The Wall.
Namely, that
1. The owner must be committed to the citizen first
Zell is clearly only committed to his former radio cronies.
2. The owner should hire business managers who also put citizens first
Zell and Randy Michaels (Zell's numero uno) got to work right off the bat with "installing in major positions more than 20 former associates from the radio business — people [Zell] knew from his time running Jacor and Clear Channel — a practice that came to be known as “friends and family” at the company." That's a recipe for success right there. He's turned The Tribune Co. into a "frat house" so says the NYT.
3. They should set and communicate clear standards with the company
Ok, Zell did manage to get this one right. His Handbook made his standards pretty clear.
Journalists have final say over the news
The Chicago Tribune Blagojevich debacle AND the Universal Studios advertising faux pas (in similitude with the Disney ad) clearly state to readers that journalists and journalism are not at the head of the food chain, but rather money is.
5. Communicate clear standards to the public
I pretty much laid this one out in number 4 as well

The Wall simply does not exist in Sam Zell's world. No wonder his company is bankrupt. He has annihilated the fundamental principles of journalistic success.

Group Three

Truth: The First and Most Confusing Principle

As American Journalists we hold fast to the belief that our work must not just contain the truth, but BE the truth. We try to consciously push aside our inner biases and to produce news that is fair and balanced. We believe that our job is to give voice to all sides of an issue and to let the public decide which view to sympathize with. We believe news articles should have no editorial comments. We believe in the Liberal Model.

But what if we didn't? What if we had a different type of system and a different attitude toward the press? What if our papers followed the suit of Southern European countries where political parallelism is prevalent, but open? Or even the Democratic Corporatist model where journalists have open political attachments and do not believe in being balanced or objective? What if we marketed our news sources to specific demographics? What if we embraced what the news industry is already starting to become?


Back to Truth.

How does one even begin to define it? The public demands it, but what is it? Is it the straight facts and figures of an event? Or is the context also part of the all encompassing truth? Group Three said the Tests of truth are Correspondence (accurate information) AND Coherence (fair contextual representation). But, doesn't context change with varying perspectives? Whose perspective do we report? Do we give equal weight and measure to all perspectives? Chapter Two of "The Elements of Journalism" says that we often try to give equal coverage to both sides of an issue. But what if both sides are not equal players in the issue? Wouldn't that be a form of distortion? If we can't come to a consensus as to the definition, how are we to provide what we do not comprehend?


So, I feel this argument of truth begs the question: Why do we even try? the United States is in the minority here. Most other presses have not adopted our theories on unbiased news. So what makes our way "right"? Is it "right"? Can we learn from other styles of the press? Would a sort of hybrid of the three styles be the most beneficial?


So. Will every country end up with the liberal model of journalism? Absolutely not. While ethical codes have developed slowly in the Polarized Pluralist model, they also have a specific target audience (upper-class, urban, educated) and will continue, I am sure, to provide specialized news aimed at this group as long as this model continues to make them money.

Am I concerned with the political parallelism that is becoming more prominent in American journalism? If the public is happy, I'm happy. I of course believe that news needs to be factual and functional, but if news corporations are going to purposely market themselves toward certain groups with certain sympathies, then as long as I have a job I'm happy. In today's economy, as a journalist student, perhaps I am not as idealistic about truth and objectivity as journalist students of yesteryear. As long as the bias is openly proclaimed so that the public can make up it's own mind and choose it's news sources--as long as there are other corporations that cover the other biases, I am not worried about the burgeoning political parallelism in American journalism. News is a business. Our duty is to the public. So as long as we are honest with the public, and we are making money, I don't care what model we follow.

Group Two: Social Media and the Future of Journalism

My favorite part was probably the YouTube video on social media. I love random facts and that clip was chalk-full of them:) We all know that social media plays a huge part in our lives (and it's influence is growing all the time!) but to see the facts laid out right in front of my nose was pretty cool.

I'm also glad to find out that Wikipedia is mostly accurate:)

I really like trying to visualize the future of journalism. It's something that none of us can really know and no matter how hard we try and how flamboyant our ideas may be, I'm sure in five (or maybe even fewer) years the reality will shock us.

For instance, the clip on reporting crises via texting in Africa was pretty sweet. I like the idea of an interactive type of news where people can look at a map and determine which local news to absorb. I like that as journalists we can put a definite GPS location to our reporting.

I was vastly entertained by the "Smelf smart" video. I sent it to my sociology professor and asked which stage of cognitive development he thinks that guy is in;)

We did discuss citizen journalism and the affect it is having on "proper" journalistic practices. It's difficult to make assumptions about how we think citizen journalism will increase/continue to change/and impact news. As journalists I guess we just have to learn to embrace their strategies and use them to our advantage:) We will continue to provide accurate, truthful information to the masses and hope that the public will be voracious enough to select the information they need to make informed decisions.

I feel group two did a good job of presenting the information; we had discussion, excellent quotes, and entertaining videos to add variety. They seemed to try and shed a positive light on the future of journalism, perhaps so we don't have to feel hopeless about the field we are entering into:)

Group Presentation: What is Journalism?

I think Group 1 did an excellent job of presenting the information from the texts and of engaging the class. There were discussions, games, and even treats. It was, in all respects, a success.

Discussion always fosters understanding so it was really great to be able to share ideas with the whole class. It makes the text so much more relevant when we can bring it to our level and see how it directly connects to us.

The video clips of newscasters fumbling over words and buckets of grapes is highly entertaining, and it really makes one consider how easy it is to mess up Big Time on air... probably makes me more nervous because I want to go into Broadcasting:]

The games were excellent: simple and to the point. I loved how in Heads Up 7-Up the media were made to be society's helpers in making decisions. Journalists are truly the connectors of society--our purpose is to provide accessible information to the public because they have not the time neither the means to investigate and validate reports on current events.

The activity with the candy and the two bowls struck a chord with me. Recently I've been trying to reconcile within myself how we as journalists should go about reporting/making news. We can try to be all holier-than-thou and attempt to run a news corporation on purely journalistic means, but the hard cold reality of the business is just that--it's a business. News, is a business. It is hugely important and vital to be honest and to have integrity in our journalistic practices, but we also must stay in business which can and does often translate into choosing stories which will appeal to our audience and thus increase advertising revenue. (Geneva Overholser maintains the more traditional way of thinking, however. She advocates a new model).

The concept of the interlocking public fascinates me. I believe it will really help to keep in mind those three audiences as I write news stories in the future. My goal will be to sound intelligent to the involved public, engage the interested, and to get the uninterested interested.

Maybe I'm selfish for wanting to be a journalist. Yes, providing pertinent information to the public is awesome, as is protecting the freedom of the press; but I could let someone else fight those battles if I didn't have other motivations. I want to be a journalist because I think it's fascinating and fun. I want to be a journalist because journalism satisfies a need--the need and desire everyone has for information--the Awareness Instinct. I want to be a journalist because it's important and gratifying, that my talents and skills can bring people reliable information in order for them to remain free and self-governing.

Blog Assignment #1

What is Journalism? Who is a Journalist?

Journalism is the dissemination of information to the masses. It is timely, accurate information that has value to society. Generally speaking, Journalism must meet certain requirements. It must be fact checked, neutral, and truthful. Citizen journalism is another matter entirely because citizens are not obliged to abide by high standards of journalism. Journalism acts as a watchdog on society. A free press or unfettered journalism is a key component of democracy. Journalism today connects the entire world instantaneously. Journalism provides the people with the information required to be aware of the world around them and to make informed decisions. Journalism is an art form. It is a medium unlike any other kind of writing and there are rules that must be followed. Journalism is writing with the purpose to inform by raising awareness of issues and with the result of connecting society on all levels.

Journalists are those who take it upon themselves to investigate truth and report it. Journalists follow a code of ethics. A strict ethical code is what makes paid journalists a higher authority than citizen journalists. With our technology, anyone can publish anything. A citizen can contribute to the wealth of information at our fingertips. But a Journalist is required to be accurate and truthful. It is their duty to do the research and to provide reports to the public which the people are able to understand. Journalists must not necessarily be smarter than the general public, but they certainly must be knowledgeable on a plethora of subjects because Journalists are the middle men. It is their duty to discover information from experts and witnesses and to present the information to the public in a way that is easy to understand and that connects the audience to the issue.