Barack Obama’s rally in Washington Square Park Thursday attracted thousands of supporters. Hilary Rodham Clinton may represent the citizens of New York right now but many citizens are certainly interested in hearing what Obama has to say. Obama’s primary message was he would bring change to Washington if he were elected…yeah right.
Although his plans for Washington are excellent in theory, putting them into practice might take more effort than getting into the White House. Obama speech in NYC said that to cause actual, constructive change in Washington partisan politics need to stop and citizen’s voices need to be restored in the federal government.
I think it’s interesting that newspapers report on candidates’ wardrobe. In NYC, Obama chose to wear “dark blue slacks and a light-blue dress shirt with his trademark open collar and rolled-up sleeves,” according to Newsday. I understand that in days gone by readers would need to know what politicians were wearing by reading about it, but today it seems silly to write down a candidate’s outfit an inch away from a huge color photo or a video clip.
One detail I did appreciate, however, was that he walked in to Kanye West’s song “Touch the Sky.” Trying to appeal to the New York University students in the crowd, Barack? I think yes.
Obama’s speech focused on similar themes to other appearances he’s done around the country. 1. He tries to assure the audience that lack of “Washington experience” doesn’t mean that he’s unfit to serve as president. 2. That our nation needs to unite between different races, backgrounds and ideals. And 3. we need a new plan to deal with Iraq and other domestic issues like social security and health care reform.
I guess the part of this speech that particularly interested me was when he promised to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, the conflict in Darfur, and prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. These issues really mean something to me. Hmm, funny that he would bring them up at a rally where there were primarily college students in the audience.
Okay, one last tidbit: by watching the video of his speech I’ve decided that he seems less stiff than Hilary. Sorry but it’s true. Hilary may need her hard-as-nails attitude to deal with the bigwigs in Washington but she doesn’t seem all that human to me. She’s kind of cold actually. (Though I could just be a sucker for Obama’s little girls who are a flash-back to a certain Kennedy clan from a few years ago.)
New York Times Video
New York Times Blog
Newsday
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Speeches and Meetings and Releases...Oh my!
My hometown paper always does a ton of announcements for upcoming events in my community. You’ll find news about everything from church barbecues to the firemen’s dance within its 20 pages. I think this is the way that the newspaper is able to stay in business actually—or fills its columns at least.
“The Beacon” is really in charge of informing people about what’s going on in the community. Even as a kid I understood that if I wanted to find out who was the “Reader of the Month” at the library all I had to do was read. I’m not sure whether or not the news releases are re-written by the newspaper’s staff. I know that once my mom sent in an article for publication about an event she was organizing and it was published word for word.
I definitely understand the importance news releases can hold for the community but they also seem like a slippery slope to me. It’s probably more difficult for news to make it into a broadcast show because time allotments are so small but newspapers use the little blurbs about community events to their advantage. Some of those two-inch releases are just what the newspaper may need to fill a column. One problem with news releases is that if organizations keep getting publicity from a free article they may not look into advertising. Another problem is that the coverage of one event may lead an organization to think that they will receive the same coverage in the future.
I guess I feel that announcements are the best type of news release while information about a cause or information to build an image should be closely edited. The time and place of a meeting isn’t biased but praising someone or a specific organization might cause some problems.
Well, we’ve already gotten a taste of covering a meeting. Of course general-assignment writing requires that journalists be able to write a detailed account of a meeting or speech or meeting…but it’s definitely not fun. Note to self: Don’t become a general-assignment writer.
It’s interesting that whenever I tell someone that I’m a journalism major I usually get the “ah…writing” solemn nod. I appreciate the reporters who diligently go to all of the town board and city council meetings in the world but for me it’s just not going to work.
Even though I don’t PLAN to be a general-assignment reporter, here are the bones of the trade. Research first. Listen intently. Take detailed notes. Get peoples’ names right.
When it comes to writing the piece I always get stuck in the habit of relaying the event in chronological order. I know that the inverted pyramid would have me put the most newsworthy elements at the top of the piece but I feel like the facts get too jumbled when the reader doesn’t know what happened sequentially.
I also need to work on covering the people and scene instead of just the agenda. News conferences are a whole other problem. I can’t stand pushiness or impatience, which translates to a disdain for press conferences.
“The Beacon” is really in charge of informing people about what’s going on in the community. Even as a kid I understood that if I wanted to find out who was the “Reader of the Month” at the library all I had to do was read. I’m not sure whether or not the news releases are re-written by the newspaper’s staff. I know that once my mom sent in an article for publication about an event she was organizing and it was published word for word.
I definitely understand the importance news releases can hold for the community but they also seem like a slippery slope to me. It’s probably more difficult for news to make it into a broadcast show because time allotments are so small but newspapers use the little blurbs about community events to their advantage. Some of those two-inch releases are just what the newspaper may need to fill a column. One problem with news releases is that if organizations keep getting publicity from a free article they may not look into advertising. Another problem is that the coverage of one event may lead an organization to think that they will receive the same coverage in the future.
I guess I feel that announcements are the best type of news release while information about a cause or information to build an image should be closely edited. The time and place of a meeting isn’t biased but praising someone or a specific organization might cause some problems.
Well, we’ve already gotten a taste of covering a meeting. Of course general-assignment writing requires that journalists be able to write a detailed account of a meeting or speech or meeting…but it’s definitely not fun. Note to self: Don’t become a general-assignment writer.
It’s interesting that whenever I tell someone that I’m a journalism major I usually get the “ah…writing” solemn nod. I appreciate the reporters who diligently go to all of the town board and city council meetings in the world but for me it’s just not going to work.
Even though I don’t PLAN to be a general-assignment reporter, here are the bones of the trade. Research first. Listen intently. Take detailed notes. Get peoples’ names right.
When it comes to writing the piece I always get stuck in the habit of relaying the event in chronological order. I know that the inverted pyramid would have me put the most newsworthy elements at the top of the piece but I feel like the facts get too jumbled when the reader doesn’t know what happened sequentially.
I also need to work on covering the people and scene instead of just the agenda. News conferences are a whole other problem. I can’t stand pushiness or impatience, which translates to a disdain for press conferences.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Broadcast Blitz
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton went on an all-out TV show appearance frenzy this weekend. Today she appeared on five major programs to speak about her new health care plan and to do some damage control in lieu of her exposed fugitive fund-raiser. Clinton was a guest on the fifth installment of Meet the Press' "Meet the Candidate" series.
Clinton did all of her appearances from a remote location opposed to pre-taping the segments. These appearances are her first since announcing her candidacy for president in January.
She really did make the rounds, hitting Meet the Press, Face the Nation, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, and Fox News Sunday. On Late Edition, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt responded to Clinton's proposal for universal health care. Following nearly every one of her appearances, one of Clinton's opponents voiced opinions about her policy. Obviously the networks were doing a good job of being balanced, however I'm not sure fairness was their only objective.
Some of the programs are notorious for ruffling feathers for the sake of ratings.
It is a little odd that Clinton did so many "appearances" in one day. I've seen the line-up of camera shots from each of the programs and the New York Times website, and its a little awkward.
Enough is enough. You'd think that publicity should be an ongoing process of developing chemistry with voters. It's not about a blitz in the publics' eye.
New York Times
Politico
Meet The Press
Clinton did all of her appearances from a remote location opposed to pre-taping the segments. These appearances are her first since announcing her candidacy for president in January.
She really did make the rounds, hitting Meet the Press, Face the Nation, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, and Fox News Sunday. On Late Edition, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt responded to Clinton's proposal for universal health care. Following nearly every one of her appearances, one of Clinton's opponents voiced opinions about her policy. Obviously the networks were doing a good job of being balanced, however I'm not sure fairness was their only objective.
Some of the programs are notorious for ruffling feathers for the sake of ratings.
It is a little odd that Clinton did so many "appearances" in one day. I've seen the line-up of camera shots from each of the programs and the New York Times website, and its a little awkward.
Enough is enough. You'd think that publicity should be an ongoing process of developing chemistry with voters. It's not about a blitz in the publics' eye.
New York Times
Politico
Meet The Press
Obit Writing
One section of my hometown newspaper that I never fail to read is the obituaries. I don’t have some weird fascination with death and dying or anything, but I always read the obits to see if I recognize any of the names or faces. Sadly, I usually do.
I’ve worked at my small town’s pharmacy for four years. Because I’ve worked with my town’s senior citizens I usually recognize the faces of people who’ve died. Sometimes I’m not surprised because I know an individual had been battling cancer or some other terminal illness. Some times I know the people well but in most circumstances I learn a lot about a person’s life from reading their obit.
Another reason why I read the obituaries is because I do live in a SMALL town. Everyone seemingly knows everyone else. By knowing who’s passed away it helps me to serve my customers better. Sometimes I know relatives of the person who passed away and when they come in to by a sympathy card I can give them my condolences.
The sections of the reading that really stuck out to me were about bringing obituaries to life and crafting the lead. These stuck out to me because I know first hand how important it is to writing an interesting and poignant recount of someone’s life.
When a close friend of mine was killed in a car accident junior year it affected my whole community. As the editor of my high school newspaper, it was my responsibility to write an article about her life and – the most difficult part—her death.
That article was probably the most difficult one I’ve ever written. I felt like every word that I put down on the paper didn’t do justice to the amazing person she was. But, I knew that something had to be written, something that could lie to rest the rumors surrounding her death and provide solace to our grieving community.
I think the article that went to print was kind of a hybrid-obit. It didn’t just state the facts in about Hannah’s death, her memorial service, and her family. Instead, I was able to craft a piece that spoke to who Hannah was, how she impacted our school’s community, and how she was missed.
I think that’s the goal for all journalists: to write in a way that makes the reader feel like you really knew the person, even if you’ve never met.
I’ve worked at my small town’s pharmacy for four years. Because I’ve worked with my town’s senior citizens I usually recognize the faces of people who’ve died. Sometimes I’m not surprised because I know an individual had been battling cancer or some other terminal illness. Some times I know the people well but in most circumstances I learn a lot about a person’s life from reading their obit.
Another reason why I read the obituaries is because I do live in a SMALL town. Everyone seemingly knows everyone else. By knowing who’s passed away it helps me to serve my customers better. Sometimes I know relatives of the person who passed away and when they come in to by a sympathy card I can give them my condolences.
The sections of the reading that really stuck out to me were about bringing obituaries to life and crafting the lead. These stuck out to me because I know first hand how important it is to writing an interesting and poignant recount of someone’s life.
When a close friend of mine was killed in a car accident junior year it affected my whole community. As the editor of my high school newspaper, it was my responsibility to write an article about her life and – the most difficult part—her death.
That article was probably the most difficult one I’ve ever written. I felt like every word that I put down on the paper didn’t do justice to the amazing person she was. But, I knew that something had to be written, something that could lie to rest the rumors surrounding her death and provide solace to our grieving community.
I think the article that went to print was kind of a hybrid-obit. It didn’t just state the facts in about Hannah’s death, her memorial service, and her family. Instead, I was able to craft a piece that spoke to who Hannah was, how she impacted our school’s community, and how she was missed.
I think that’s the goal for all journalists: to write in a way that makes the reader feel like you really knew the person, even if you’ve never met.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
MoveOn Come On!
“General Petraeus or General Betray Us?”
This power-packed statement, used in a MoveOn.org advertisement in the New York Times, triggered more than just shock value. Presidential candidates were forced to take a stance on the article and one even answered the question.
The ad ran in the A section of the New York Times and immediately triggered political discussion. According to a Boston Globe article, presidential candidate hopeful Rudolph Giuliani chastised the New York Times for giving MoveOn.org special advertising rates in the newspaper.
As a republican presidential candidate, Giuliani chose to show his backing of Petraeus by purchasing his own ad spot. In the ad, Giuliani apparently praised Petraeus. While the Times denies the claim that they gave MoveOn.org special advertising rate—or would give any organization special rates based on politics—they would not release the sum paid for the ad.
It’s interesting the Giuliani didn’t use the ad solely in response to MoveOn.org but also to bash Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The glorifies Giuliani and Petraeus while portraying Clinton as an anti-patriot.
Other presidential candidates are also affected by the MoveOn ad. Some Republicans have demanded that all nominees condemn the ad, which has yet to be done. Other reaction included a call to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to denounce the ad and informal discussion amongst key lawmakers.
Who knew one ad could cause so much trouble?
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/14/giuliani_slams_times_over_anti_petraeus_ad/
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/10/petraeus.moveon/index.html
This power-packed statement, used in a MoveOn.org advertisement in the New York Times, triggered more than just shock value. Presidential candidates were forced to take a stance on the article and one even answered the question.
The ad ran in the A section of the New York Times and immediately triggered political discussion. According to a Boston Globe article, presidential candidate hopeful Rudolph Giuliani chastised the New York Times for giving MoveOn.org special advertising rates in the newspaper.
As a republican presidential candidate, Giuliani chose to show his backing of Petraeus by purchasing his own ad spot. In the ad, Giuliani apparently praised Petraeus. While the Times denies the claim that they gave MoveOn.org special advertising rate—or would give any organization special rates based on politics—they would not release the sum paid for the ad.
It’s interesting the Giuliani didn’t use the ad solely in response to MoveOn.org but also to bash Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The glorifies Giuliani and Petraeus while portraying Clinton as an anti-patriot.
Other presidential candidates are also affected by the MoveOn ad. Some Republicans have demanded that all nominees condemn the ad, which has yet to be done. Other reaction included a call to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to denounce the ad and informal discussion amongst key lawmakers.
Who knew one ad could cause so much trouble?
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/14/giuliani_slams_times_over_anti_petraeus_ad/
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/10/petraeus.moveon/index.html
Quotes: Friend and Foe
Quotes are one of the key components that set journalism aside from other types of writing. When a reporter actually goes out and interviews to get great quotes he or she is really setting the article apart from other types of writing. However, getting ‘good’ quotes and then choosing which ones to use adds another level of difficulty to journalistic writing…and that’s not even mentioning proper attribution.
I’m probably the chronic “over-quoter.” I usually throw too many quotes in a story just because I have them. It’s really hard for me to paraphrase because I’m afraid of spinning the quote or altering its intended meaning. I also like the security of just writing what the interviewee said word for word because then I have my tape-recorder on my side if anyone ever questions the validity of the quote. Yet, keeping up with only a pen and paper is really trick and-- in that case—I usually come away with a lot more background info in the form of short hand than complete-sentence quotes.
I think that correcting quotes is really tricky. For instance, grammatical inaccuracies may add flavor to a story, but someone may also find them insulting. It’s also hard to determine when you should alter one quote and not alter another because of someone’s professional standards or expected speaking style. Altering quotes for any reason seems foreign to me. Removing obscenities and vulgarities makes the text look skeletal so I’d rather just let the quotes stand.
I found that the article about the importance of blogs was pretty interesting. It kind of stressed the importance of writing on the web and how even just a blog can influence the people who read it in profound ways. It’s kind of weird to think that people can write whatever they want on their blog with no ramifications if they write things that are untrue.
Also, the timeline article was kind of interesting because it spoke to how the internet can assist journalists in opening up new interactive opportunities. The web—with its unlimited space—can really engage the reader with new pictures and interactive opportunities. The only problem is the journalist would have to work closely with interactive designers or graphic artists unless he or she is trained in computer technologies.
The hard thing for me would be relying on the work of someone else to make my story into a package. I've always been the type to have a concrete idea in my head and then make it happen so having to work with another person would be a challenge.
I’m probably the chronic “over-quoter.” I usually throw too many quotes in a story just because I have them. It’s really hard for me to paraphrase because I’m afraid of spinning the quote or altering its intended meaning. I also like the security of just writing what the interviewee said word for word because then I have my tape-recorder on my side if anyone ever questions the validity of the quote. Yet, keeping up with only a pen and paper is really trick and-- in that case—I usually come away with a lot more background info in the form of short hand than complete-sentence quotes.
I think that correcting quotes is really tricky. For instance, grammatical inaccuracies may add flavor to a story, but someone may also find them insulting. It’s also hard to determine when you should alter one quote and not alter another because of someone’s professional standards or expected speaking style. Altering quotes for any reason seems foreign to me. Removing obscenities and vulgarities makes the text look skeletal so I’d rather just let the quotes stand.
I found that the article about the importance of blogs was pretty interesting. It kind of stressed the importance of writing on the web and how even just a blog can influence the people who read it in profound ways. It’s kind of weird to think that people can write whatever they want on their blog with no ramifications if they write things that are untrue.
Also, the timeline article was kind of interesting because it spoke to how the internet can assist journalists in opening up new interactive opportunities. The web—with its unlimited space—can really engage the reader with new pictures and interactive opportunities. The only problem is the journalist would have to work closely with interactive designers or graphic artists unless he or she is trained in computer technologies.
The hard thing for me would be relying on the work of someone else to make my story into a package. I've always been the type to have a concrete idea in my head and then make it happen so having to work with another person would be a challenge.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Elección
The Democratic presidential hopefuls joined in the first-ever debate broadcast in Spanish on Sunday. The leading candidates, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama accompanied former Senator John Edwards during the discussion and critique of the current administration’s immigration policy. The debate was broadcast on a Spanish language channel and each candidate was expected to speak in English even though two of the participants, Bill Richardson and Chris Dodd speak Spanish fluently.
The debate relied on a series of translations. Questions were asked in Spanish and then translated into English for the candidates to respond and then converted back into Spanish for the audience. Although it may have been difficult for the true persona of the candidates to be shown in this call-and-response pattern, it was an excellent gesture for them to engage with the Hispanic community in the best way they could.
I think this debate reflects a change in US society. It’s nice to see candidates trying to inform and acknowledge a segment of the population that is usually ignored. Some English-only activists oppose the debate but I feel it is absolutely ridiculous that the United States’ largest ethnic or race minority would be ignored during the presidential race. This debate may also usher in some of the change needed for stability and reduced conflict on the immigration debate.
I find it very interesting that Obama discussed the letter Martin Luther King Jr. sent to César Chávez stating that said, “Our separate struggles are one.” Either Obama had a very poignant recollection of history or a really good person in PR. This statement was able to connect the audience Obama was speaking to at the time with another key demographic he hopes to reach during his run.
All in all, I think the debate is a clever way to start out the Democrats to start out the run for the White House. If immigration is a main platform issue then why not address those affected most by the outcomes of future decisions? But of course there's plenty of time for bureaucracy to get in the way of that.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gwLF-CrjIgLcd9iy0ezpo6FPlUwQ
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/10/america/dems.php
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/09/AR2007090902033.html?sub=new
The debate relied on a series of translations. Questions were asked in Spanish and then translated into English for the candidates to respond and then converted back into Spanish for the audience. Although it may have been difficult for the true persona of the candidates to be shown in this call-and-response pattern, it was an excellent gesture for them to engage with the Hispanic community in the best way they could.
I think this debate reflects a change in US society. It’s nice to see candidates trying to inform and acknowledge a segment of the population that is usually ignored. Some English-only activists oppose the debate but I feel it is absolutely ridiculous that the United States’ largest ethnic or race minority would be ignored during the presidential race. This debate may also usher in some of the change needed for stability and reduced conflict on the immigration debate.
I find it very interesting that Obama discussed the letter Martin Luther King Jr. sent to César Chávez stating that said, “Our separate struggles are one.” Either Obama had a very poignant recollection of history or a really good person in PR. This statement was able to connect the audience Obama was speaking to at the time with another key demographic he hopes to reach during his run.
All in all, I think the debate is a clever way to start out the Democrats to start out the run for the White House. If immigration is a main platform issue then why not address those affected most by the outcomes of future decisions? But of course there's plenty of time for bureaucracy to get in the way of that.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gwLF-CrjIgLcd9iy0ezpo6FPlUwQ
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/10/america/dems.php
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/09/AR2007090902033.html?sub=new
The beginning: what a very nice place to start
As I read through chapters one, two, and three in News Reporting and Writing I had this strange feeling of déjà vu. As I turned each page the information seemed like something that I’d read through before. It dawned on me: I read this almost a year ago at the beginning of Intro. to Journalism. Yes, I had read this before, but for some reason it seemed kind of liberating to have the straight facts of journalism handed to me. And what could be more journalistic than delivering the un-altered facts to a half-attentive audience?
Anyway, as I was reading along I came across the criteria for news: relevance, usefulness, and interest. These three terms would seem self-explanatory but I think they almost make the selection of news more difficult. At least it seems to me that news is something you just feel. It’s in your gut that you’ve been let in on a morsel of information that should be shared. And well, most people aren’t about to go around peddling some half-baked cookies or moldy bread. As a journalist I take pride in knowing that I’ve gotten the whole story in a timely manner and it’s been fully developed and is going to sustain the audience’s need for the nourishment of information.
Okay, analogies aside, another thing that stuck out to me was the book’s description of accuracy and fairness. I really liked Bob Woodward’s definition of truth. “The best obtainable version of the truth” seems like a poignant way to address daily trials that journalist face while attempting to ‘get the whole story.’ I think truth is a goal that journalist work towards but perfection isn’t always achievable.
Chapter two seemed like “everything you can do in journalism- 101”. The writers’ efforts—though commendable—did little to put my career stability fears at rest. Maybe this anxiety stems from my internal struggle with what type of journalism I want to go into after school. I couldn’t help but wonder as I was reading along how in the world my four years of training here at Ithaca College can possibly prepare me for the ever-changing, ever-conglomerating media 10 years from now. Maybe I’ll just choose a media based on my affection for procrastination and go into the magazine business though daily newspapers or broadcast news would certainly put a halt to my destructive behavior.
Online news scares me. It’s one thing to know that thousands of people will be reading your words or seeing your video but millions…even billions? That’s just crazy. It’s also quite amazing and honoring. Few other professions can say that they reach millions on a daily basis. Whoa.
A smidge about interviewing: Be a nice, be poised, be confident, and be attentive. I’ve never really had a problem interviewing strangers because I’ve always been able to connect with those I’ve needed to interview. Also, I tend to be an inquisitive person so questions tend to pop into my head because the interview triggers other issues I’d like addressed.
Finally, the punctuation guide was a nice refresher course on some of the particulars of grammar and sentence formatting. I love punctuation. Basically I’m drawn to it because it’s one of the only ways to add the depth of voice to writing. My main dilemma is keeping “hyphen” and “dash” straight but it’ll come with practice I’m sure.
Anyway, as I was reading along I came across the criteria for news: relevance, usefulness, and interest. These three terms would seem self-explanatory but I think they almost make the selection of news more difficult. At least it seems to me that news is something you just feel. It’s in your gut that you’ve been let in on a morsel of information that should be shared. And well, most people aren’t about to go around peddling some half-baked cookies or moldy bread. As a journalist I take pride in knowing that I’ve gotten the whole story in a timely manner and it’s been fully developed and is going to sustain the audience’s need for the nourishment of information.
Okay, analogies aside, another thing that stuck out to me was the book’s description of accuracy and fairness. I really liked Bob Woodward’s definition of truth. “The best obtainable version of the truth” seems like a poignant way to address daily trials that journalist face while attempting to ‘get the whole story.’ I think truth is a goal that journalist work towards but perfection isn’t always achievable.
Chapter two seemed like “everything you can do in journalism- 101”. The writers’ efforts—though commendable—did little to put my career stability fears at rest. Maybe this anxiety stems from my internal struggle with what type of journalism I want to go into after school. I couldn’t help but wonder as I was reading along how in the world my four years of training here at Ithaca College can possibly prepare me for the ever-changing, ever-conglomerating media 10 years from now. Maybe I’ll just choose a media based on my affection for procrastination and go into the magazine business though daily newspapers or broadcast news would certainly put a halt to my destructive behavior.
Online news scares me. It’s one thing to know that thousands of people will be reading your words or seeing your video but millions…even billions? That’s just crazy. It’s also quite amazing and honoring. Few other professions can say that they reach millions on a daily basis. Whoa.
A smidge about interviewing: Be a nice, be poised, be confident, and be attentive. I’ve never really had a problem interviewing strangers because I’ve always been able to connect with those I’ve needed to interview. Also, I tend to be an inquisitive person so questions tend to pop into my head because the interview triggers other issues I’d like addressed.
Finally, the punctuation guide was a nice refresher course on some of the particulars of grammar and sentence formatting. I love punctuation. Basically I’m drawn to it because it’s one of the only ways to add the depth of voice to writing. My main dilemma is keeping “hyphen” and “dash” straight but it’ll come with practice I’m sure.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
The Inverted Pyramic and Writing to Be Read
Journalists today face the constant challenge of grabbing and holding the reader's interest. The speed of technology -- and the invention of new technologies altogether -- is shaping the way journalists are expected to report. The inverted pyramid isn't about to change because it already delivers the most important information to the readers right away. Yet, as "The State of the News Media 2007" explains, where the article is placed, what photos, links, multi-media presentations and other ways to grab the reader accompany the article are always adapting.
The inverted pyramid is basically the template that most journalists use to structure their news stories. I understand its merit considering that the style offers readers the most important information in the shortest amount of time, however it seems that more literary pieces sometimes engage the reader more. Chapter eight outlined some of the key ways to make writing for the audience more interesting including concrete examples, literary techniques, and sensory appeal. While these techniques may spice up the average inverted pyramid story I still maintain that the inverted pyramid takes a lot of effort to really turn a dry-summary into an engaging work of writing.
http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2007/narrative_digital_intro.asp?cat=1&media=2
The inverted pyramid is basically the template that most journalists use to structure their news stories. I understand its merit considering that the style offers readers the most important information in the shortest amount of time, however it seems that more literary pieces sometimes engage the reader more. Chapter eight outlined some of the key ways to make writing for the audience more interesting including concrete examples, literary techniques, and sensory appeal. While these techniques may spice up the average inverted pyramid story I still maintain that the inverted pyramid takes a lot of effort to really turn a dry-summary into an engaging work of writing.
http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2007/narrative_digital_intro.asp?cat=1&media=2
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