Well, the saga of the beat coverage continues. The reading started out as an all-encompassing tutorial of the different beat areas and ended up as Courts-R-Us with the Justice Journalism Reading. Yes, I found certain elements to be informative and quite important in the grand scheme of need-to-know journalism knowledge, but sorry, this pretty much reaffirmed the fact that I have no interest in being a beat reporter. EVER.
News Reporting and Writings' chapter 14, "Covering a Beat," started out an a high note, mentioning the importance of convergence in today's media. Yes, I realize that as a reporter I need to be able to write copy, take photos and video, write captions, and make slide-shows. I am completely fine with that. Is there actually any option that I could just do those things and forget about schmoozing with politicians. That'd be great, thanks.
Anyway, as the reading went on, it explained the importance of writing news that relevant and useful to the publication's readers. You think? I always thought that we were supposed to find the most unrelated gobblygook and then fill section A with it. Humph. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood because the that thought of covering budgets, what's his face's divorce, and political bullshit makes my stomach turn.
Okay, okay, on the upside the piece did speak to the difficulty of creating a trusting relationship with sources while remaining objective. Of course this is something that every journalist struggles with. We have to try to get all of the information, which usually has to come from a person but retain enough independence that we remain unbiased: not exactly an easy task.
As for the Justice Journalism reading, a few key points stuck out at me. One, the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony. Two, the different burdens of proof for civil and criminal cases and three, what a motion actually is and the types possible. The types of motions actually run like a laundry list including change of venue, gag orders, postponements, depositions, bond dismissal, subpoenas, severance, forensics, production of evidence, mental competency, legal representation and financing. Good god.
There are so many court cases every day that page upon page of newspapers could be filled with only court reporting and the police reporting that overlaps with it. Chapter nine said that the two aspects of news found in court reporting come primarily from:
1. When parties are known to the public and
2. When factual and legal issues are of public interest.
Above all, the chapters echoed that fact that as a journalist I need to keep in mind that the defendant is innocent until proven guilty and even a slight mis-use of a court term could completely libel a person. Court is scary for me and I'm not even on the stand.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
College Journalism and the Campaign Trail
Journalists from the Chapel Hill school of journalism have touched a nerve among members of the John Edwards campaign this week. According to an entry on the Washington Post's campaign blog entitled John Edwards and Journalism 101, the Edwards' campaign attempted to silence a student's video that raised a question about the Edwards campaign center in North Carolina.
A broadcast news piece aired on a student television channel and also posted on YouTube suggests that the Southern Village area where his campaign center is located isn't an area for Edwards' targeted "average person" voter but rather an affluent area.
After watching the piece, I found that the reporter did a good job of getting both sides of the story. It looked very much like the pieces I've seen come out of Park's Newswatch16 and I personally feel that student journalism can often times cut through the crap and bureaucracy that "real" publications get stuck in.
Come on people! I really don't think now is the time to get on the wrong side of the media...this type of criticism is nothing compared to the full-out viciousness that the press dishes out to the President on a daily basis.
A broadcast news piece aired on a student television channel and also posted on YouTube suggests that the Southern Village area where his campaign center is located isn't an area for Edwards' targeted "average person" voter but rather an affluent area.
After watching the piece, I found that the reporter did a good job of getting both sides of the story. It looked very much like the pieces I've seen come out of Park's Newswatch16 and I personally feel that student journalism can often times cut through the crap and bureaucracy that "real" publications get stuck in.
Come on people! I really don't think now is the time to get on the wrong side of the media...this type of criticism is nothing compared to the full-out viciousness that the press dishes out to the President on a daily basis.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The Never-Ending Reading
In Covering Crime and Justice some of the key elements that every journalist may deal with are ironed out. The reading gives a brief summary of the ins and outs of journalism and how it can take on many different forms and present many different challenges depending on the area a journalist is covering.
Chapter 1: The Crime Beat
I feel that as a journalist I wouldn't be terribly good at the crime beat. I tend to have a hesitancy about going after the tough story or the "in-your-face" topics. I did enjoy the reading, though, because it provided a good background of how crime is defined and how arrests and other aspects of civil and criminal cases play out.
I'd never really know the difference between various types of crimes and how each term has a different meaning. Here are some examples from the reading:
* Larceny encompasses any wrongful taking of property.
* Theft is larceny without a threat or violence, such as a picked pocket. Many forms of white-collar financial crimes are variations of theft.
* Fraud is a form of theft, sometimes defined as theft by deception.
* Tax evasion is another form of theft.
* Auto theft is self-explanatory.
* Robbery is a larceny accompanied by violence or threats, including a finger under the jacket to indicate a gun.
* Burglary is the unlawful entering of a premises with the intent to commit a crime. A burglary does not involve violence. But if a homeowner discovers the burglar and violence ensues, the burglary becomes a robbery.
Distinctions like these are crucial to accuracy in reporting and misusing a term could be the difference between truth and libel. Other aspects of the reading that were helpful included suggestions for getting in contact with police and maintaining a good relationship. I've worked for Newswatch16 as an assignment editor and let me tell you, sometimes it is VERY difficult to get in contact with police or even just get facts confirmed. I reading gave me a few suggestions of how to maintain a good relationship with the people that I'd work with continuously if I were assigned the crime beat.
Chapter 5: Covering Crime and its Victims
The beginning of this chapter made the important point that reporting on crime keeps society in check. Obviously, crime reporting is intended to let the public know whether or not laws are being withheld and when people are subjected to injustices against them. Because of these functions, the media play an important role in public safety.
One of the key points outlined in chapter five is that a journalist cannot depend on the police version to be "the official version" of a story. Instead, journalist should strive to get the victims point of view as well because they are a key to the integrity of the story. Although it is key to speak with the victim -- if they are capable of speaking, that is -- it probably one of the most challenging times in a reporter's day. He or she must identify themselves as a reporter and then try to speak with the victim of the family. While a reporter needs this angle they should not become part of what Hackney calls "wolfpack journalism." Instead, she argues that the best interviews with victims often occur after the incident when the victim has the opportunity to feel more at ease during the interview.
Like every good journalism guide, this section also spoke to how journalist should conduct an interview. Although it read like a cd on repeat from other pieces I'd read, its always a good reminder to get the basic info early in the interview such as names, spellings and key facts. This is especially true considering that in some case the article may be the last thing written about a person.
In reference to graphic images or scenes, the chapter provided some basic guidelines for graphic images or descriptions:
1. Is it necessary to tell the story?
2. Does it help the community at large?
3. Will it offend the reader/viewer?
4. Will victims suffer more because of details?
5. Will the details help police solve the crime?
Above all, this section made the point that it is not the journalist job to judge, they should only tell the truth through reporting and writing. Every choice the writer makes while covering crime should be based on the best possible way of telling the story, not his or her personal feelings.
Chapter 7: Covering the Courts
The court beat has been increasing in importance since the O.J. Simpson case. Today publications and all types of media are expected to keep track of high profile cases and ones that will matter to its audience, after all, "law shapes and holds society together."
I feel that for a journalist to be good at covering the crime beat they need to have a lot of base knowledge of the court system. It's definitely a complicated system that could take a journalist years to understand. There is the difference between state and federal courts and between civil and criminal court.
Not only will journalist have trouble understanding the process, it is a beat where getting in touch with sources is nearly impossible. Judges, attorneys, plaintiffs and defendants are understandably busy during a case. Because of the difficulty speaking with these key figures the reporter is often times left with only their notebook and a stuffy seat in the back of the court room.
Journalists also tread a fine line in their coverage. The reporting should not portray the wrong opinion to the audience. A lot of time a person's guilt of innocence in the minds of the public is shaped more by media coverage than by any other source. Part of this is probably because the media does its best to translate legalese into plain English. (A task that isn't exactly easy!)
It's hard for me to decide whether or not journalists should take a really active role in following a court case. On one side, the public has a right to know what's going on and the media serve as a watch dog but on the other hand coverage often shapes public opinion.
Journalists tread the line between the first amendment of freedom of speech and the sixth amendment that guarantees the defendant a fair trial.
Chapter 1: The Crime Beat
I feel that as a journalist I wouldn't be terribly good at the crime beat. I tend to have a hesitancy about going after the tough story or the "in-your-face" topics. I did enjoy the reading, though, because it provided a good background of how crime is defined and how arrests and other aspects of civil and criminal cases play out.
I'd never really know the difference between various types of crimes and how each term has a different meaning. Here are some examples from the reading:
* Larceny encompasses any wrongful taking of property.
* Theft is larceny without a threat or violence, such as a picked pocket. Many forms of white-collar financial crimes are variations of theft.
* Fraud is a form of theft, sometimes defined as theft by deception.
* Tax evasion is another form of theft.
* Auto theft is self-explanatory.
* Robbery is a larceny accompanied by violence or threats, including a finger under the jacket to indicate a gun.
* Burglary is the unlawful entering of a premises with the intent to commit a crime. A burglary does not involve violence. But if a homeowner discovers the burglar and violence ensues, the burglary becomes a robbery.
Distinctions like these are crucial to accuracy in reporting and misusing a term could be the difference between truth and libel. Other aspects of the reading that were helpful included suggestions for getting in contact with police and maintaining a good relationship. I've worked for Newswatch16 as an assignment editor and let me tell you, sometimes it is VERY difficult to get in contact with police or even just get facts confirmed. I reading gave me a few suggestions of how to maintain a good relationship with the people that I'd work with continuously if I were assigned the crime beat.
Chapter 5: Covering Crime and its Victims
The beginning of this chapter made the important point that reporting on crime keeps society in check. Obviously, crime reporting is intended to let the public know whether or not laws are being withheld and when people are subjected to injustices against them. Because of these functions, the media play an important role in public safety.
One of the key points outlined in chapter five is that a journalist cannot depend on the police version to be "the official version" of a story. Instead, journalist should strive to get the victims point of view as well because they are a key to the integrity of the story. Although it is key to speak with the victim -- if they are capable of speaking, that is -- it probably one of the most challenging times in a reporter's day. He or she must identify themselves as a reporter and then try to speak with the victim of the family. While a reporter needs this angle they should not become part of what Hackney calls "wolfpack journalism." Instead, she argues that the best interviews with victims often occur after the incident when the victim has the opportunity to feel more at ease during the interview.
Like every good journalism guide, this section also spoke to how journalist should conduct an interview. Although it read like a cd on repeat from other pieces I'd read, its always a good reminder to get the basic info early in the interview such as names, spellings and key facts. This is especially true considering that in some case the article may be the last thing written about a person.
In reference to graphic images or scenes, the chapter provided some basic guidelines for graphic images or descriptions:
1. Is it necessary to tell the story?
2. Does it help the community at large?
3. Will it offend the reader/viewer?
4. Will victims suffer more because of details?
5. Will the details help police solve the crime?
Above all, this section made the point that it is not the journalist job to judge, they should only tell the truth through reporting and writing. Every choice the writer makes while covering crime should be based on the best possible way of telling the story, not his or her personal feelings.
Chapter 7: Covering the Courts
The court beat has been increasing in importance since the O.J. Simpson case. Today publications and all types of media are expected to keep track of high profile cases and ones that will matter to its audience, after all, "law shapes and holds society together."
I feel that for a journalist to be good at covering the crime beat they need to have a lot of base knowledge of the court system. It's definitely a complicated system that could take a journalist years to understand. There is the difference between state and federal courts and between civil and criminal court.
Not only will journalist have trouble understanding the process, it is a beat where getting in touch with sources is nearly impossible. Judges, attorneys, plaintiffs and defendants are understandably busy during a case. Because of the difficulty speaking with these key figures the reporter is often times left with only their notebook and a stuffy seat in the back of the court room.
Journalists also tread a fine line in their coverage. The reporting should not portray the wrong opinion to the audience. A lot of time a person's guilt of innocence in the minds of the public is shaped more by media coverage than by any other source. Part of this is probably because the media does its best to translate legalese into plain English. (A task that isn't exactly easy!)
It's hard for me to decide whether or not journalists should take a really active role in following a court case. On one side, the public has a right to know what's going on and the media serve as a watch dog but on the other hand coverage often shapes public opinion.
Journalists tread the line between the first amendment of freedom of speech and the sixth amendment that guarantees the defendant a fair trial.
Blog Comments
1. Marcus: http://pierulesyou.blogspot.com/ "Odd"
2. Bryan: http://bryannews1.blogspot.com/ "Hillary vs. Everyone"
3. Antonina http://ladyantoninakrystyna.blogspot.com/ "Illigal immigration and border control"
4. Kayla: http://kaylasnewsblog.blogspot.com/ "They sure don't make first ladies like they used to!"
5. Briana: http://brianaword.blogspot.com/ "Chapters 11 and 12"
6. Laura: http://newsreportingandwriting.blogspot.com "How do you like it, how do you like it, M(g)ore M(g)ore M(g)ore"
7. LuAnn: http://flongit.blogspot.com/ "More than words"
8. Ryan: http://6078287.blogspot.com/ "Truthiness in '08"
2. Bryan: http://bryannews1.blogspot.com/ "Hillary vs. Everyone"
3. Antonina http://ladyantoninakrystyna.blogspot.com/ "Illigal immigration and border control"
4. Kayla: http://kaylasnewsblog.blogspot.com/ "They sure don't make first ladies like they used to!"
5. Briana: http://brianaword.blogspot.com/ "Chapters 11 and 12"
6. Laura: http://newsreportingandwriting.blogspot.com "How do you like it, how do you like it, M(g)ore M(g)ore M(g)ore"
7. LuAnn: http://flongit.blogspot.com/ "More than words"
8. Ryan: http://6078287.blogspot.com/ "Truthiness in '08"
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Beauty Parlor Politics
I was surprised to come across an article on the front page of the New York Times describing the quandary for black women trying to choose between supporting Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. The article, which takes on an interesting angle of going to South Carolina and speaking to voters in what the article calls "hubs for black women in the Carolinas" or beauty salons.
Apparently, Obama has a special canvasing team dedicated to making appearances in these rural beauty parlors to spread word about his platform and connect with voters. It kind of sounds like an old-time approach to politics which will probably serve him well. After all, not everyone can be persuaded by a YouTube video or livechat with a candidate.
The article points out some of the key concerns for black women when choosing either candidate. Apparently, women are concerned about Obama's safety. One interviewee said, “I fear that they just would kill him, that he wouldn’t even have a chance.”
I guess I've never considered that one candidate would be in more danger as president than another. It's interesting that this issue would actually impact voters.
Another issue that black women are taking into consideration when determining a presidential candidate is loyalty to race or gender. The article explains that while voters should vote based on the political platforms, a lot of the time the decisions are based on "face value."
The article also draws connections between the South's love of Bill Clinton and how he could help Hillary's run. Some voters see Hillary's election as a way to bring back Bill into politics. Obama, on the other hand, is utilizing outside endorsements from folks like Oprah Winfrey and John Lewis to rally support.
I'd like to think that the Democratic nominee will be chosen because of his or her qualifications and not race or gender. However, this probably isn't the reality. Our society may be ready to embrace a women or black man as president, but it's not in the position to say that these aren't issues. When we can disregard gender or race or even sexuality from politics, we've really achieved something.
Apparently, Obama has a special canvasing team dedicated to making appearances in these rural beauty parlors to spread word about his platform and connect with voters. It kind of sounds like an old-time approach to politics which will probably serve him well. After all, not everyone can be persuaded by a YouTube video or livechat with a candidate.
The article points out some of the key concerns for black women when choosing either candidate. Apparently, women are concerned about Obama's safety. One interviewee said, “I fear that they just would kill him, that he wouldn’t even have a chance.”
I guess I've never considered that one candidate would be in more danger as president than another. It's interesting that this issue would actually impact voters.
Another issue that black women are taking into consideration when determining a presidential candidate is loyalty to race or gender. The article explains that while voters should vote based on the political platforms, a lot of the time the decisions are based on "face value."
The article also draws connections between the South's love of Bill Clinton and how he could help Hillary's run. Some voters see Hillary's election as a way to bring back Bill into politics. Obama, on the other hand, is utilizing outside endorsements from folks like Oprah Winfrey and John Lewis to rally support.
I'd like to think that the Democratic nominee will be chosen because of his or her qualifications and not race or gender. However, this probably isn't the reality. Our society may be ready to embrace a women or black man as president, but it's not in the position to say that these aren't issues. When we can disregard gender or race or even sexuality from politics, we've really achieved something.
Basic Stories...yeah right.
As I was reading along in chapter 13, I realized that the stories News Reporting and Writing calls “basic” I have a completely different definition for. Excuse me, but how am I supposed to find that writing a story about someone’s life or death is basic. I think it’s actually quite intimidating, actually.
The crime story is probably the most straightforward of all of the categories described. Yes, I think I can keep the who and what and when straight, but what about the unknowns? I think it’s funny that the book tells its readers that they may have to be obnoxious to gather needed information. I can certainly understand this…but I’m not intrusive or obnoxious by nature. I have no desire to dodge police tape, bombard investigators who are just trying to do their job or speak with shaken up witnesses. No thank you.
Humph. Reason number 576 why I have no desire to be a hard-news reporter.
Another example of the madness of reporting on deadline is accident and fire stories. I can relate to the chaos of a fire because a few years ago we had a fire on my farm. My dad’s machine shop started on fire and it was absolutely terrifying. My parents felt so helpless as homeowners. I can’t even imagine the grief my family would have gone through if it was our actual house or has spread to other areas of our farm.
The most frustrating thing about the whole experience was that there were so many unknowns. What started the fire? How much damage was caused and what did we lose? How do we go on from here and pick up the pieces?
These questions ran through my mind about my own property and a reporter has to answer these and many more that rise in the minds of readers. I’m sure it’s really difficult to think of all the questions you need answered as a reporter and then answering them is another challenge.
Court cases pose another challenge for reporters. I can’t imagine trying to keep all of the facts straight for a lengthy high-profile trial that takes place over months or years at a time. The legal mumbo-jumbo alone is enough to make my head spin.
I think it was really good that the reading brought up the point that even changing one word when reporting about crime or arrests can lead to libel. Substituting arrested “for” instead of arrested “on a charge of” could be the difference between libel and the reporter’s own trip to court.
The crime story is probably the most straightforward of all of the categories described. Yes, I think I can keep the who and what and when straight, but what about the unknowns? I think it’s funny that the book tells its readers that they may have to be obnoxious to gather needed information. I can certainly understand this…but I’m not intrusive or obnoxious by nature. I have no desire to dodge police tape, bombard investigators who are just trying to do their job or speak with shaken up witnesses. No thank you.
Humph. Reason number 576 why I have no desire to be a hard-news reporter.
Another example of the madness of reporting on deadline is accident and fire stories. I can relate to the chaos of a fire because a few years ago we had a fire on my farm. My dad’s machine shop started on fire and it was absolutely terrifying. My parents felt so helpless as homeowners. I can’t even imagine the grief my family would have gone through if it was our actual house or has spread to other areas of our farm.
The most frustrating thing about the whole experience was that there were so many unknowns. What started the fire? How much damage was caused and what did we lose? How do we go on from here and pick up the pieces?
These questions ran through my mind about my own property and a reporter has to answer these and many more that rise in the minds of readers. I’m sure it’s really difficult to think of all the questions you need answered as a reporter and then answering them is another challenge.
Court cases pose another challenge for reporters. I can’t imagine trying to keep all of the facts straight for a lengthy high-profile trial that takes place over months or years at a time. The legal mumbo-jumbo alone is enough to make my head spin.
I think it was really good that the reading brought up the point that even changing one word when reporting about crime or arrests can lead to libel. Substituting arrested “for” instead of arrested “on a charge of” could be the difference between libel and the reporter’s own trip to court.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Iowa's the hotspot--IOWA, really?
First of all, I need to point out that I have a kind of bias against Iowa. As a Minnesota native I've grown up with Iowa as the brunt of many jokes. The state is considered by many of my fellow Minnesotans as the lame-o corn-infested land of blah-ness in the Midwest. Maybe it's because of these preconceived notions that I was so surprised that it's a virtual hot-spot for presidential candidate visits. Just check out this
NYT Map of Candidate Stops.
However odd it may seem to me, Iowa holds significant importance in the 2008 election. The New York Times reports that the voters in the state hold the fate of potential Democratic nominees Barack Obama and Hilary Rodham Clinton in their hands.
The Iowa caucuses will open in three months and presidential visits are definitely going to continue. There is a sense of urgency for both Clinton, Obama and John Edwards who has contributed to the fight for popularity. Whoever loses Iowa will face an uphill battle in the race from that point forward, according to Edwards.
In a way I'm jealous of the attention Iowa is receiving. Minnesota has only been visited by candidates twice so far and both times the visit occurred in the metro area. In Iowa, however, the candidates are really getting out in the country to meet all types of voters. I live in a rural--quite possibly neglected--community in Minnesota so the chance that we'd ever receive this kind of attention is inconceivable.
Now don't tell anyone that I'm jealous of Iowa---I might be stoned.
NYT "Iowans Take Their Time in Open Race"
NYT Map of Candidate Stops.
However odd it may seem to me, Iowa holds significant importance in the 2008 election. The New York Times reports that the voters in the state hold the fate of potential Democratic nominees Barack Obama and Hilary Rodham Clinton in their hands.
The Iowa caucuses will open in three months and presidential visits are definitely going to continue. There is a sense of urgency for both Clinton, Obama and John Edwards who has contributed to the fight for popularity. Whoever loses Iowa will face an uphill battle in the race from that point forward, according to Edwards.
In a way I'm jealous of the attention Iowa is receiving. Minnesota has only been visited by candidates twice so far and both times the visit occurred in the metro area. In Iowa, however, the candidates are really getting out in the country to meet all types of voters. I live in a rural--quite possibly neglected--community in Minnesota so the chance that we'd ever receive this kind of attention is inconceivable.
Now don't tell anyone that I'm jealous of Iowa---I might be stoned.
NYT "Iowans Take Their Time in Open Race"
Reading Overload
The chapters from News Reporting and Writing this week were quite different but I suppose they fit together. I started off with the Media Law chapter – probably not the best decision considering I still had about 50 pages to stay awake for – but I got through it none-the-less. The chapter was a re-read from Intro. to Journalism. We also covered media law in my mass media class so I had a pretty good handle on truth, privilege, and fair comment and criticism before reading.
I feel kind of bad because media law just doesn’t intrigue me in the slightest bit. I understand how important the rights and protections of journalist are but reading about the same cases over and over again without a real-life scenario is really dull. It also seems to me that the differences between each case of libel suit are very minute. There is so much gray area when deciding the differences in private citizen and public figure, actual malice and poor choices, negligence and misinformation. It kind of makes my head spin.
I thought the online readings were pretty interesting, especially George Orwell’s bit about scholarly writing. He was able to illustrate how meaning is lost when writers use larger words, old metaphors and unnecessary jargon. One of the elements his article specifically addresses is the use of passive voice instead of active voice. This is one on my writing’s flaws. I tend to use passive voice unknowingly which, as my academic writing professor said, weakens my usually powerful writing.
I also liked Orwell’s “elementary rules” because they seemed like good standards to live by. I’ll list the rules here so maybe each time I make a blog entry I’ll have to glance over them again.
1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
The Scholarly Prose article was also about the difference in quality straight-forward writing and overly-complicated academic prose. I can definitely understand the importance of straightforward prose because I’ve read too many long-winded and overzealous pieces for various classes. Obviously, as a journalist I want my writing to be easy to understand. I need to write in the straight-forward manner that the piece recommends and cut out my static verbs, complex embellishments, and long-winded sentences.
The report from Three Mile Island seemed like in interesting collection of facts about the coverage of the nuclear accident. It actually put me at ease to read that not all of the reporters had extensive knowledge about nuclear power before covering the story. For some reason I always have this guilty feeling when I’m assigned a story that I really know nothing about. At least the professionals were able to research and report at the same time to cover the disaster.
I also had no idea how many news agencies decided to cover the story. Obviously the list of reasons for coverage the report outlined was reason enough to merit the inquiry, but that’s a ton of publicity for any event!
The last bit of reading for today was the re-fresher on chapter eight in News Reporting and Writing. The chapter outlines how to write to be read. This kind of encompassed all of the reading selections from today because above all, journalists have to write in a manner that their readers can understand. The point of journalism is, after all, to share information. If the readers get lost or confused while reading, the entire point of the journalist’s work is lost.
I feel kind of bad because media law just doesn’t intrigue me in the slightest bit. I understand how important the rights and protections of journalist are but reading about the same cases over and over again without a real-life scenario is really dull. It also seems to me that the differences between each case of libel suit are very minute. There is so much gray area when deciding the differences in private citizen and public figure, actual malice and poor choices, negligence and misinformation. It kind of makes my head spin.
I thought the online readings were pretty interesting, especially George Orwell’s bit about scholarly writing. He was able to illustrate how meaning is lost when writers use larger words, old metaphors and unnecessary jargon. One of the elements his article specifically addresses is the use of passive voice instead of active voice. This is one on my writing’s flaws. I tend to use passive voice unknowingly which, as my academic writing professor said, weakens my usually powerful writing.
I also liked Orwell’s “elementary rules” because they seemed like good standards to live by. I’ll list the rules here so maybe each time I make a blog entry I’ll have to glance over them again.
1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
The Scholarly Prose article was also about the difference in quality straight-forward writing and overly-complicated academic prose. I can definitely understand the importance of straightforward prose because I’ve read too many long-winded and overzealous pieces for various classes. Obviously, as a journalist I want my writing to be easy to understand. I need to write in the straight-forward manner that the piece recommends and cut out my static verbs, complex embellishments, and long-winded sentences.
The report from Three Mile Island seemed like in interesting collection of facts about the coverage of the nuclear accident. It actually put me at ease to read that not all of the reporters had extensive knowledge about nuclear power before covering the story. For some reason I always have this guilty feeling when I’m assigned a story that I really know nothing about. At least the professionals were able to research and report at the same time to cover the disaster.
I also had no idea how many news agencies decided to cover the story. Obviously the list of reasons for coverage the report outlined was reason enough to merit the inquiry, but that’s a ton of publicity for any event!
The last bit of reading for today was the re-fresher on chapter eight in News Reporting and Writing. The chapter outlines how to write to be read. This kind of encompassed all of the reading selections from today because above all, journalists have to write in a manner that their readers can understand. The point of journalism is, after all, to share information. If the readers get lost or confused while reading, the entire point of the journalist’s work is lost.
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