An article was recently released regarding suggestions that newsrooms should adopt to make them more updated and fresh. I'd like you to read the suggestions by clicking here. I'd like you to post your reactions to the items. Which suggestions do you agree with? Which suggestions do you think could have unintended consequences and what would those consequences be? Are all these suggestions helpful for newsrooms or could there be problems?
P.S. - Someone used the name "NaturallyDelish" to post last week. I'm not sure exactly how i'm supposed to determine the student's name to award them credit. I'm not qualified to determine who in class is the most "naturallydelish!"
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Off The Record
The following comes from Chuck Ross of TV Week:
"Last month, when it became known that Apple CEO Steve Jobs was going to be taking another leave of absence, Time Warner's Fortune magazine ran a story with information that heretofore had not been public: that Jobs had been treated for cancer in Switzerland in 2009.
Now, it's not a secret that Jobs has had cancer. But this particular information had not been made public by Jobs or anyone else. The article in Fortune said the author of the article had been told this information off-the-record by a source. The source had subsequently died, so the information was no longer off-the-record, the article said."
So here's my question. What do you think "off the record" means? Do you think there are any limitations to that? When should something move from being "off the record" to being "on the record?" If the "off the record" source died, does that necessarily mean the information is fair game?
P.S. someone posted last week with the name "eld_school." If this is a classmate who wants points for the blog, you'll have to let me know who you are. There is no way i can guess who "eld_school" refers to.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Positive Aspects of Video Games
Recently, an article was published which found that girls who spent time playing video games with their fathers had better relationships with them. You can read it here.
Most news about video games seem to just state the negative aspects. I'd like you to consider both the negative and positive aspects. So i'd like at least a paragraph on each. 1) What are the negative future consequences of video game play? and 2) What are the positive future consequences of video game play?
Most news about video games seem to just state the negative aspects. I'd like you to consider both the negative and positive aspects. So i'd like at least a paragraph on each. 1) What are the negative future consequences of video game play? and 2) What are the positive future consequences of video game play?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Is There Space for Al Jazeera
Whenever a government is threatened with being toppled, one of the first things the dying government does is shut down the press within the country and try to stop international press members from coming in. With the recent political unrest in Egypt, it became clear that access to the story was limited in the first few days. While American journalists were trying to gain access and travel to Egypt, the middle eastern news network Al Jazeera was already in the area.
Al Jazeera has an English-spoken channel. But this network is offered in only a handful of areas across the USA. One concern regarding Al Jazeera has traditionally been that it perhaps has a pro-Muslim bias, although Al Jazeera has constantly responded that it has no political or religious affiliations.
Do you think the recent events show that our national cable and satellite providers should show more interest in providing English-spoken foreign news networks? Or should we trust our own national news networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN) to report the news? Would you want to subscribe to Al Jazeera if it was offered in your cable or satellite package?
For a more detailed description of the issue, click here. Also, look for yourself. While you might not have access to Al Jazeera on television you can watch a live stream of it by clicking here.
Al Jazeera has an English-spoken channel. But this network is offered in only a handful of areas across the USA. One concern regarding Al Jazeera has traditionally been that it perhaps has a pro-Muslim bias, although Al Jazeera has constantly responded that it has no political or religious affiliations.
Do you think the recent events show that our national cable and satellite providers should show more interest in providing English-spoken foreign news networks? Or should we trust our own national news networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN) to report the news? Would you want to subscribe to Al Jazeera if it was offered in your cable or satellite package?
For a more detailed description of the issue, click here. Also, look for yourself. While you might not have access to Al Jazeera on television you can watch a live stream of it by clicking here.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Should It Air?
I'd like you to read the following story. Tell me what you think. Should WDAM be allowed to air the video content? What is to be gained from showing the video? Are there valid privacy concerns regarding the juveniles in the facility? Which outweighs the other: bringing the story more to light or making sure that a juvenile's identity is not released to the public? How do you think the Mississippi State Supreme Court will rule?
Also, there is a person who is posting as Elle B. If you are a student in my class, could you please tell me your full name so I can give you full credit?
Also, there is a person who is posting as Elle B. If you are a student in my class, could you please tell me your full name so I can give you full credit?
Monday, January 17, 2011
(Not Really) "The Tonight Show"
Recent TV ratings revealed that Jay Leno's ratings have gone up since his return to "The Tonight Show" and Conan O'Brien's departure to TBS. However, when you take into consideration that some people record these programs to a digital video recorder (like TiVo), the number of people viewing Conan O'Brien is higher than those watching Leno. Read the story by clicking here.
I am wondering how many of you have a digital video recorder (like a TiVo) and use it regularly? How do you think a technology like a DVR (digital video recorder) will change the way people watch TV? The story seems to hint that "Late Night TV" may no longer truly be late night TV. Do you think the ritual of watching a show at the same time everyday will be broken by DVR's? Would you watch the local TV news more if you could record it and watch it later? Would a DVR cause you to watch more or less TV?
I am wondering how many of you have a digital video recorder (like a TiVo) and use it regularly? How do you think a technology like a DVR (digital video recorder) will change the way people watch TV? The story seems to hint that "Late Night TV" may no longer truly be late night TV. Do you think the ritual of watching a show at the same time everyday will be broken by DVR's? Would you watch the local TV news more if you could record it and watch it later? Would a DVR cause you to watch more or less TV?
Monday, January 10, 2011
Welcome to Spring Semester
Very ironic that I am welcoming you to Spring semester on what MSU has declared a snow day. Oh well. This is the first blog. Usually I set up a few questions that have some relevance to current media news and you respond with a couple of paragraphs. Here are some quick rules.
1)When you are asked to create a username so you can respond to the blog, please choose a username which allows me to quickly identify your real name. This helps me grade quicker and ensures you get proper credit. For example, if your name on my class list is John Smith, it really doesn't help me if your username is CrazyDawg. A better choice would be something like JSmith, or even JSmith21.
2)Two or three sentences does not a blog reply make. I expect you to give some thought to the topic and add at least two paragraphs for me. If not, then don't expect full points.
3)Part of the reason this blog exists is so that a dialogue can be created among the students. In other words, make sure you read everyone else's post. In some cases maybe you don't have a lot to say on a topic but then realize you have a lot to add in response to another classmate.
With that said, let's begin our first topic. The big story this weekend may have locally been about the snowstorm, but the national story was definitely the Tucson shooting. In addition to the tragic story, the discussion also drifted to whether or not political rhetoric has gotten too heated and out of control. One item mentioned was Sarah Palin's past use of crosshairs on the victim's district and campaign. Personally, I feel that the shooting was an act of a deranged paranoid schizophrenic. While true, that doesn't necessarily mean that the rhetoric of Palin, other Tea Party'ers, and, perhaps most importantly, media pundits (like Glenn Beck or Keith Olbermann) isn't dangerous and irresponsible. The other side of the coin is that in America expressing your political opinion is a freedom of speech issue. In other words, Beck, Palin, and Olbermann have the right to say what they think. Perhaps, they even feel it is their responsibility to say what they actually feel. If Beck feels like America really is on a precipice heading towards failure, shouldn't he be allowed to speak fervently about the matter.
What's your opinion? Has it gotten out of hand? Should media pundits and political figures face serious consequences when using inflammatory speech? What should those consequences be? Is it a violation of free speech?
1)When you are asked to create a username so you can respond to the blog, please choose a username which allows me to quickly identify your real name. This helps me grade quicker and ensures you get proper credit. For example, if your name on my class list is John Smith, it really doesn't help me if your username is CrazyDawg. A better choice would be something like JSmith, or even JSmith21.
2)Two or three sentences does not a blog reply make. I expect you to give some thought to the topic and add at least two paragraphs for me. If not, then don't expect full points.
3)Part of the reason this blog exists is so that a dialogue can be created among the students. In other words, make sure you read everyone else's post. In some cases maybe you don't have a lot to say on a topic but then realize you have a lot to add in response to another classmate.
With that said, let's begin our first topic. The big story this weekend may have locally been about the snowstorm, but the national story was definitely the Tucson shooting. In addition to the tragic story, the discussion also drifted to whether or not political rhetoric has gotten too heated and out of control. One item mentioned was Sarah Palin's past use of crosshairs on the victim's district and campaign. Personally, I feel that the shooting was an act of a deranged paranoid schizophrenic. While true, that doesn't necessarily mean that the rhetoric of Palin, other Tea Party'ers, and, perhaps most importantly, media pundits (like Glenn Beck or Keith Olbermann) isn't dangerous and irresponsible. The other side of the coin is that in America expressing your political opinion is a freedom of speech issue. In other words, Beck, Palin, and Olbermann have the right to say what they think. Perhaps, they even feel it is their responsibility to say what they actually feel. If Beck feels like America really is on a precipice heading towards failure, shouldn't he be allowed to speak fervently about the matter.
What's your opinion? Has it gotten out of hand? Should media pundits and political figures face serious consequences when using inflammatory speech? What should those consequences be? Is it a violation of free speech?
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