Discussion Section 315 Blog

Research Report

2012-03-07T11:56:00.003-06:00

The second article that we wereassigned this week was titled “The Weekly Warrior” by Nicholas Lemann. Thisarticle appeared in The New Yorker on November 27,2006 in the wayward press,which is a monthly feature in The New Yorker. In this article, Lemann depictedthe legacy of writer I.F. Stone through author Myra MacPherson’s biography ofhim. Lemann discussed not only Stone’s journalistic talent, but also hissomewhat confusing and conflicting political views. He says that although Stonewas sympathetic to communistic views, he was also a great “America-lover,” andthat “he lived cheerfully with this contradiction his whole life.” Overall,Lemann had a tone of respect for Stone’s faithfulness to the core and ideals ofgood journalism, despite the criticism and enemies he made throughout hiscareer.

Lemann was born and raised in NewOrleans. His first experience with journalism began at age 17 when he becamewriter for the newspaper there, the “Vieux Carre Courier.” In 1976 he graduatedmagna cum laude from Harvard University, where he focused on American historyand literature. While attending he also was president of the Harvard Crimson.Interestingly enough, throughout his life he has never obtained a journalismdegree. Post graduation, he became associate editor then managing editor at theWashington Monthly; at TexasMonthly, as an associate editor and then executive editor; at The WashingtonPost, as a member of the national staff; at The Atlantic Monthly, as nationalcorrespondent; and at The New Yorker, as staff writer and then Washingtoncorrespondent.

On September 1, 2003, he became dean of the Graduate School ofJournalism at Columbia University. During his time as dean, the JournalismSchool has launched and completed its first capital fundraising campaign. Withthe funds, they were able to build a student center and they also launchedinitiatives towards investigative reporting, digital journalism, and otherareas. He is still currently the dean.

In addition to serving as dean, he also continued to write for The NewYorker. He joined in 1999. He came to The New Yorker from The Atlantic where hewas a national correspondent. During his time with The Atlantic, he wrote ontopics concerning politics,education, business, and social policy.

Due to his extremely rich experiences in the field ofjournalism throughout his lifetime, he is very well qualified to write for anelitist magazine like The New Yorker. Surprisingly, his article “The WeeklyWarrior” did not spur much reaction amongst the internet journalisticcommunity. With his critique of MacPherson in this article, you would think shewould have at least of all people, had a response. But overall, there was onlyone review of the article.

Although no one had much of aresponse to this article, I still find it extremely relevant to what we arelearning in lecture currently. I.F. Stone is the image of what investigativejournalism should look like.

-AlexandraBranch

Research assignment: Journalism of Verification

2012-03-04T21:55:00.000-06:00

The article assigned for today in discussion was Journalism of Verification which was a chapter taken from the book "The Elements of Journalism". The article describes how to be a good journalist. It says that the essence of journalism is a discipline of verification. This basically says that to be a good journalist you have to check and double check your work, from the sources you get, to the anonymous sources you use. This verification is key to making sure that you have a good journalistic article. Much like these research reports that we are currently assigned to do. The authors point out the ways to use a scientific method to question the validity of sources and to be a good reporter in general. The authors also outline 5 principles that should be followed. These principles are, never add anything, never decieve your audience, be transparent in your reporting, be original in your work, and exercise humility. The chapter goes on to give examples of ways to verify ones sources and to make sure the news coverage is valid. The entire title of this book was "The Elements of Journalism:What Newspeople should know and the public should expect" and it was co-authored by Bill Korach and Tom Rosenstiel. Both of these authors have extensive background in the field of Journalism. Bill Korach worked as the Washington Bureau Chief of the New York times and was with that paper for 18 years. He also was in a group which won 2 pulitzer prizes. He also worked at Stanford as well as Harvard. Tom Rosenstiel has 30 years of journalism experience and has appeared on radio as well as TV and is a very well known journalist. Both of these Authors are members of the Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ). This project does research studies on news media and is a non-profit organization. They stand by the fact that they are non partisan, non ideological and non political. The book itself which was co-authored by these 2 prominent men is very well known and has recieved reviews from many other prominent journalists. One high praise for this book includes "The most important book on the relationship of journalism and democracy published in the last 50 years". Because of the authors' extensive backgrounds in with different newspapers and with 50+ years of experience between them they definitely have the qualifications to write this book. As well as being fully qualified their membership in the Project for Excellence in Journalism shows their true commitment to the unbiased state of journalism. For all of these reasons the views expressed in this article should be taken at face value.

-David Beers

War: Bought and Sold. A subjective paragraph on Bill Moyer's Buying the War.

2012-03-03T14:00:00.003-06:00

War: Bought and Sold.
A subjective paragraph on Bill Moyer's Buying the War.

The coverage of information leading up to the Iraq war in 2003 is controversial for a number of reasons. But to boil it all down for you, the media failed to uphold the responsibilities of their estate. If you ask me, it is the fault of not only every journalist, but of every American. For the journalists though; who have a higher stake in the ownership of this deed of fault by way of their profession, it happened because the Hero Identity of each individual journalist came into question when their mentality of being a protector of The People came to odds against their mentality of being a protector of The Truth. With the power of their own consciences slain as the deciders in what is the proper path to pursue in their work, political powerhouses were; as always, standing by to fill any power vacuum that resulted. This void was then filled with the traditional American ingredients: the green of money, and the red, white, and blue of heroic rhetoric, and from then on, these were only colors we were allowed to see. Meanwhile the rest of life became as black and white as those buildings collapsing in on themselves. And the only difference between different news outlets became how much of their own corporate soul that they were willing to sell to grow the money tree on the blood of the fallen. The saddest part is that while we may have regained a few extra shades of grey in the media, the overall coverage of events is still very monotone to this day.

Online Assignment #2

2012-03-02T15:13:00.007-06:00

1) How well did the journalistic community live upto its responsibility to present the ‘facts’?

The journalistic community did not live up to itsresponsibility to present the facts about attacks on September 11. Journalistsmostly focused on representing information that displays patriotism and loyaltyto America and reported what the president said without questioning. Americansas readers believed what they read and became overwhelmingly patriotic.

2) Where they failed, why did they do so?

They failed because information presented by thegovernment that the journalistic community did not question for was not true.For instance, some of the stories about weapons of mass destruction wereinaccurate but journalists still put that on their articles without criticallythinking about them. Also, the attack on September 11 created “the rally aroundthe flag effect.” Journalists felt pressured to support the government and didnot cover the stories well when democratic did go against the grain.

3) What kinds of pressures did news organizations face?

If news organizations did not support thegovernment, they looked like they were disloyal or not patriotic. Also, thegovernment pushed them to support a war. On top of the government’s pressure,new organizations thought they would lose audiences if they were not patriotic.

4) How diddifferent kinds of news outlets cover the issue differently? What was thedifference between these outlets?

Big national news outlets such as The New York Times or FOX were beinglapdog and did not question the government whereas smaller news outlets orlocal news challenged facts presented by the government. Since big nationalnews was closely connected to the government, they did not want to go againstthe government and possibly lose audiences.

Online Assignment #2-Jamie Greenberg

2012-03-02T15:13:00.005-06:00

1) How well did the journalistic community live up to itsresponsibility to present the “facts”?

Theignorance of the press made them present the facts in a negative way. They didn’t present the facts in atruthful and honest way because of the situation they were in. The journalistic community didn’t supporttheir facts and claims. Journalists made war look like a positive,but instead this was a huge downfall in America.

2) Where they failed, why did they do so?

After9/11, Americans showed more patriotism than they have ever shown for their country. They failed because of the emotionaland distraught that Americans were feeling after the attack of 9/11. If they made the wrong claim, Americanswould of reacted in a more negative light because of this devastating event inhistory. They did not check their sources properly making Americans questionswhat was actually right and was actually wrong. Journalists avoided showing clips of war in light to help theAmericans cope. There were many un answeredquestions that journalists failed to answer.

3) What kinds of pressures did news organizations face?

Newsorganizations were seen to have many pressures. The main pressure was from thegovernment itself. Because of theemotional state that Americans were in, they had to be careful on what they werewriting and showing. Additionally,news organizations were forced to be supportive of the Bush Administration, andto show the patriotism of Americans in a positive way.

4) How did different kinds of news outlets cover the issuedifferently? What was the difference between these outlets?

CNNand FOX were two news outlets that covered the issue differently. FOX news appeared pro-American, whileCNN appeared in a more liberal light. FOX was pro-war and agreed with everythingthe government was saying and doing. On the other hand, CNN news was showing clips of the war, which madeAmericans very angry. Manyjournalists were scared to questions the government because they were scared tothis the reactions of Americans, but these two news outlets weren’t afraid todo so.

Online Assignment Two

2012-03-01T21:56:00.002-06:00

1) How well did the journalistic communitylive up to its responsibility to present the “facts?”

The journalistic community did not do avery nice job presenting the “facts” following the events of the terroristattacks on September 11. With an eventas tragic as September 11, it has to be hard, as a journalist, to put emotionsaside and present solid facts. Americans,journalists included, felt a strong sense of Patriotism and loyalty, andtherefore blindly followed the government. There was a strong pressure for journalists to refrain from criticizingthe government, which caused them to ignore a number of red flags that poppedup along the way.

2) Where they failed, why did they do so?

Journalists in the United States,specifically the Washington Press Corps, did not seem to be aware of what wasactually going on overseas, so they were writing from a sort of “bubble.” The public message given by the governmentwas different from the message coming from the people on “the inside” over inthe Middle East. That disconnectobviously created quite the problem in terms of properly informing the Americanpublic. It is the responsibility of different media to scrutinize the decision togo to war as much as possible, yet journalists were not skeptical enough of theinformation being fed to them.

3) What kinds of pressures did newsorganizations face?

News organizations were looked at asdisloyal or unpatriotic if they were to challenge the government in anyway. There was pressure from the Bushadministration to avoid reporting casualties. Because they tried to present “the facts,” CNN was seen as too liberal andborderline un-American. Mediaorganizations also faced pressure to go along with the repetitive claims madeby the government that Al-qaida and Iraq were connected.

4) How did different kinds of news outletscover the issue differently? What was the difference between these outlets?

News organizations were under a tremendousamount of pressure to be very conservative in presenting news stories about thewar. CNN was much too liberal in theeyes of a lot of the public, and were criticized for being “anti-American” whenshowing casualties in Afghanistan. TheNew York Times is also often seen as a more credible source than other newsorganizations, so when the Bush Administration leaked a story about SadamHussein’s quest for nuclear weaponry, Dick Cheney cited in on “Meet the Press,”and it became a circular, self-confirming process. After that, the journalistic community andthe government seemed to be all but inseparable.

2012-03-01T21:09:00.003-06:00

1) How well did the journalistic community live up to its responsibility to present the ‘facts’?

I do not think that the journalistic community lived up to its responsibility to present the 'facts'. The move showed that the journalist were more concerned about influencing the nation's patriotism than getting all the details in line. To them, the only thing that mattered was that some other country had brutally injured America.

2) Where they failed, why did they do so?

At the time of the 9/11 attacks, everyone immediately rallied together to support the nation at that critical time. The journalists did as well, so if one were to step out and question someone's motives it might have looked unpatriotic. Everything was almost constructed by the government. Reporters only asked certain questions at press conferences and everyone automatically assumed that everything was factual because it was such a huge catastrophe for America.

3) What kinds of pressures did news organizations face?

Organizations faced the pressure to remain under the "war-patrionism" belt. They couldn't push the limits too much because then they would lose their audience. The majority of media was trying to sway Americans to be in favor of the war so anything outside of those claims was unpatriotic.

4) How did different kinds of news outlets cover the issue differently? What was the difference between these outlets?

sd Smaller Newspapers and Local News Stations tended to question the government about their motives and facts, but big national news outlets like CNN and FOX were less to jump on the questioning bus because they had so many connections in the government (they didn't want to offend anyone), whereas the local media didn't have too many connections across the nation to government. CNN, however, was more skeptical towards the war and government than FOX.

Homework #2 Emily Gavic

2012-03-01T21:03:00.001-06:00

How well did the journalistic community live up to its responsibility to present the ‘facts’?

The journalistic community did not do a very good job of presenting the 'facts'. Journalists spent more time displaying the "patriotic forever" attitude than they did presenting the truths about the matter. They also presented a lot of information that was false and came from unreliable sources.

Where they failed, why did they do so?

One reason that journalists failed to live up to their responsibility was because of the emotional state of their viewers as a result of 9-11. They often failed to present the facts because they were, in a sense, afraid to be too brutally honest when the country was in such a fragile state. For example, journalists avoided showing footage from the war in Iraq and focused more on being patriotic and supportive.

What kinds of pressures did news organizations face?

One of the main pressures that news organizations faced was the pressures from the government. The government urged them to be patriotic and cautioned them that there would be consequences if they were too critical. Another huge pressure to the journalistic community came from their advertisers. If a news company was too critical or too "unpatriotic", their advertisers would threaten to stop supporting them. Finally, and possibly the biggest pressure, came from the citizens of the country. The new organizations faced a constant and overwhelming pressure to comfort their country and help out in a time of need.

How did different kinds of news outlets cover the issue differently? What was the difference between the outlets?
As I've mentioned earlier, most news outlets covered the issues in a "patriotic" "non-critical" fashion. However, there were some outlets that took it to a new extreme, such as the Washington Post. The Washington Post traveled with the president wherever he went. It was very rare for this news outlet to distinguish between was was true and what was false. The elite news outlets who were part of the Washington Press always carried the same stories and most of the journalists were not willing to risk their "insider" position by opposing them. On the other hand, some news outlets sought out specifically to be critical of the government and the false flow of information. A great example is the Knight Rider news papers. These papers scrutinized the war as much as possible and sought the cold, hard truth.

Online Assignment #2

2012-03-01T20:17:00.002-06:00

11) How well did the journalistic community live up to its responsibility to present the ‘facts’?

The journalistic community did not present the facts well at all. They just went with what the president told them and really didn't question it at all. An example would be news organizations giving civilian casualty reports in the middle east then, not giving them again because it wasn't American.

22) Where they failed, why did they do so?

They failed for a multitude of reasons which included the "rally around the flag effect." This occurs when a major event happens in which solidarity is created with a nation and especially America, the event was 9/11. They also failed because when they did try to check sources the government officials would okay their sources, when in reality the "refugees," were clearly lying. Like a Kurd claimed to be very close to Saddam Hussein which is clearly false because Hussein was very infamous for oppressing the Kurds.

33) What kinds of pressures did news organizations face?

A huge pressure that news organizations faced was coming off as American. If they questioned what America was doing they were called out and called unpatriotic. This was a result of the rally around the flag effect and allowed only one side of the story to be told.

44) How did different kinds of news outlets cover the issue differently? What was the difference between these outlets?

Outlets like CNN appeared more liberal to the public while FOX comes off as more conservative and more "American." FOX would side with the government much more often while CNN would occasionally question what it was doing. The Knight Ridder also was a newspaper that would question what the government was doing and was not as afraid to do some genuine investigative reporting.

Online Assignment 2

2012-03-01T15:36:00.001-06:00

1) How well did the journalistic community live up to its responsibility to present the ‘facts’?

The journalistic community did not live up to its responsibility to present the facts very well because the journalists let their overwhelming emotion and patriotism overcome them to the point where they didn't want to be critical of government. They also failed to verify that the information they were receiving from government was true.

2) Where they failed, why did they do so?

One way in which journalists failed to live up to their responsibility was that they played along with President Bush in a scripted press conference when he admitted to having a list of journalists that he was supposed to call on. Some journalists claimed that this was because they felt they should get out of the way of the "inevitable war." Another reason for their failure to present the facts was that there was little tolerance among the people for journalists who were critical of government post-9-11. This caused journalists to stop showing images of civilian casualties in the war and to give more news space to Saddam's cruelty and reminders of the horrors of 9-11.

3) What kinds of pressures did news organizations face?

One kind of pressure that news organizations faced was the "patriot police." This group of super patriotic Americans harassed any organizations of being Un-American if they criticized the US government or its policies. Fox News also put pressure on media organizations by urging the government to use the harshest possible punishments on "UnAmerican journalists."

4) How did different kinds of news outlets cover the issue differently? What was the difference between these outlets?

fj Fox News was very pro-American in their coverage of the issues because they agreed with the government on everything. CNN, on the other hand, tended to be slightly more skeptical and critical in their coverage of news. The smaller East Coast newspaper, "The Knight Ridder," investigated the claims made by the government and defectors because many of them, such as the claim that Saddam Hussein had given top secret information to a Curd, did not make sense. Fox News is a highly sensationalized, conservative news station, whereas CNN and "The Knight Ridder" are more liberal. "The Knight Ridder," especially, was a more localized newspaper which felt more of an obligation to provide its readers with the true facts because they're "the ones whose kids get sent to war."

Online Assignment Two

2012-02-29T21:52:00.004-06:00

1.      How well did the journalistic community live up to its responsibility to present the ‘facts’?
The Journalistic Community did not do a very good job of presenting the facts. The facts were all one sided and no one questioned where these facts were coming from. It is the job of the community to present facts to help the public form opinions on certain issues. It is especially important during a time of crisis and journalists did not present the public with fair and balanced news.
2.      Where they failed, why did they do so?
They failed in presenting facts about the war because they were under pressure to not show anything that could be construed as anti American. Anyone who was against the war or questioned the war and its goals was looked at like a traitor. There was an extremely patriotic feeling in the country after 9/11 and going against that was dangerous. They were also given false information that was "confirmed" by the Bush administration.

3.       What kinds of pressures did news organizations face?They faced pressure to be supportive of the Bush administration. They could not portray the war in a negative light for the American side. There was a pressure to show Saddam as being connected to Al Queda in order to justify our invasion of Iraq and also to show that Saddam had in his possession nuclear weapons.
4.      How did different kinds of news outlets cover the issue differently?  What was the difference between these outlets?The major news outlets portrayed the war exactly as how the public saw it and did not question the motives and reasons behind the war or the facts they were being given. Only in smaller news outlets was there a questioning of the "facts" the government was reporting. Also, reporters stationed in the middle east were more critical of the reasons behind the war. It is quite scary when the news outlets a majority of Americans are getting news from are reporting pure lies.

Online Assignment #2

2012-02-29T21:27:00.001-06:00

How well did the journalistic community live up to its responsibility to present the ‘facts’?
The journalistic community failed in their resonsibilites leading up to the Iraq War. One example of this is the press conference with President Bush where the journalists were told what to ask. The reporters also did not look into the "facts" that the government was stating. As stated in the movie, no journalist should act like a robot. This is what happened during this time.

Where they failed, why did they do so?
There were a few ways the journalists failed to their responsibility. First, they were afraid of being called out as unpatriotic if they published something against what the government said. Next, the journalists were also uninformed about the situation. The reporters that actually went overseas knew the real story. Lastly, the reporters did not question the things the government said that did not make sense. With a little research, they could have disproven some the sayings of government and given readers more reliable news.

What kinds of pressures did news organizations face?

News organizations were pressured most from advertisers because they did not want to be associated with a paper that defies government. This would most likely defeat the purpose of advertising. Along with this, if the paper printed something against the government, many readers would not go back to the paper, even if it is true.

How did different kinds of news outlets cover the issue differently? What was the difference between these outlets?
Knight Ridder was able to report to story with facts and point out that the government's argument did not make sense. This is a different approach from many other newspapers who followed what the government said. Another difference was that some papers had reporters in Iraq who knew the whole story. They were able to talk about what was actually happening instead of taking the word of the government.

Online Assignment #2

2012-02-29T20:54:00.000-06:00

1.     How well did the journalistic community live upto its responsibility to present the ‘facts’?
The journalistic community did notdo a very good job of presenting the ‘facts’ during the period of time leadingup to the invasion of Iraq. Instead ofreporting the truth, they were manipulated by the government into reportingonly what the Bush Administration wanted the citizens to see. They reported stories that weren’t crediblesuch as, saying that Saddam Hussein had connections to 9/11 even though therewere no facts to confirm this statement.

2.     Where they failed, why did they do so?
They failed in presenting the facts becausethey were pressured by the Administration to only report things that werepatriotic and in support of what the government was doing. There was even pressure to not show thecivilian casualties that occurred during the war because it was “anti-American.”The job of journalists is to report the truth and remain mostly independentfrom the government, and they failed at doing this.

3.      Whatkinds of pressures did news organizations face?
News organizations faced a lot of pressureto be patriotic and supportive of the invasion of Iraq. They were pressured into reporting storiesthat said that Saddam Hussein was connected to al-Qaeda and that he had weaponsof mass destruction when there really weren’t any solid facts to back thisup. They were pressured to present theviews of the government so that citizens would largely be in favor of theinvasion of Iraq.

4.     How did different kinds of news outlets coverthe issue differently? What was the differencebetween these outlets?
Different news outlets often got theirinformation in different ways. The mainforms of popular media such as the New York Times and Washington Post often reported theinformation they were receiving from the Bush Administration instead of findingout the information for themselves and making sure that it was credible. Other news outlets like the Knight Ridder didtheir research and began to realize that all the stories that were beingreported didn’t really add up. Reportersthat were stationed in the Middle East were seeing things very different fromwhat the principal media outlets in the United States were reporting. The main difference was that some outletsjust accepted the information as it was given to them, most often by thegovernment, and other news outlets were doing their research to find out thetruth.

Assignment 2

2012-02-29T20:26:00.001-06:00

1) How well did the journalistic communitylive up to its responsibility to present the ‘facts’? The journalisticcommunity did not live up to its responsibility to present facts, since theyfelt war was inevitable and already decided. As seen in the press conferencewith President Bush, the journalists stayed out of the way of the government’sdecision. However, after the discrepancy over the validity of the weapons ofmass destruction, the press began to criticize. As stated, when the governmentmakes claims over one of the most important decisions to go to war, they shouldalso deserve and expect scrutiny. Journalists should always feel obligated topresent the truth.

2) Where they failed, why did they do so?The journalists at first did not live up to their responsibility during theaftershock of 9/11, where it was viewed as unpatriotic to criticize agovernment that was leading the country into a time of war. In some cases, thejournalists would confirm their information with other news organizations thathad gotten statements from a different political figure, under the assumptionthat the same information from two different sources would yield the truth.However, the government was suspected of rigging this to “market the war.” Inthis case, the journalists were unable to live up to their responsibility, dueto the strong relationship between the government and the press.

3) What kinds of pressures did newsorganizations face? The news organizations felt pressure from the Americanpublic, as they were the ones that needed to feel connected to their countryand properly informed with the truth.

4) How did different kinds of news outletscover the issue differently? What was the difference between these outlets? Sincedifferent broadcasters have slightly different angles on the news, those thatwere more liberal and not so “gun-ho” about the war were criticized as notbeing patriotic. Knight Ridder and CNN were the outlets more critical of thegovernment, while New York Times, a very well established outlet that comeswith a “seal of approval,” was supportive of the government. As this loyaltywas expected, most news organizations kept the content sympathetic to pleaseviewers/readers.

Online assignment 2

2012-02-29T19:43:00.000-06:00

1) How well did the journalistic community live up to its responsibility to present the ‘facts’?

fThe journalistic community failed in its responsibility to present the 'facts'. They did not take an unbiased view of any of the reporting following 9/11. Journalists in this time period fell victim to the emotionality and psychological trauma that the nation did. However, as an occupation, a journalist must remain unaffected by the emotional aspects of a story, at least when it comes to reporting the facts.

2) Where they failed, why did they do so?

tfThey failed because they were influenced by other organizations and especially the government. If a journalist reported something counter to what the government was reporting or something that was viewed as counter to instilling solidarity in the US, they were framed as "unpatriotic." They were also given false information from government sources and failed to check further into these sources. As a nation, we trusted the government to do what was best for the nation. They failed to find credible sources when doing interviews and investigations. They didn't look into contributing factors of a person's opinion or their history. The journalistic community lapped up the sensationalism of the era.

3) What kinds of pressures did news organizations face?

News organizations faced pressures from the public mostly. It was hard to publish something that would cause Americans to retort with accusations of "Terrorist!" (It's not too different from the McCarthy era and his Communist attacks). It is hard to blame them, however. Journalists are people and were struck by the same fear and horror upon watching the Twin Towers collapse as the rest of the nation. They also faced the pressures of trying to sell a newspaper. Sensational stories easily drowned out the "boring" stories that reported the facts.

4) How did different kinds of news outlets cover the issue differently? What was the difference between these outlets?

We have many different outlets that covered the issue differently. It was interesting to hear about the sensational story published in Vanity Fair about a huge terrorist training camp for terrorists. It wasn't proven and the tales got more and more fantastic. Talk shows "lapped it up." CBS then published the story as fact (probably because they knew it would draw an audience). Fox News were intricately connected with the government and automatically reported false information. Journalists based in the Middle East, the few remaining impartial reporters, were perplexed and tried to report the truth. The New York Times ignored several red flags and reported stories that weren't backed up by credible sources. The differences between them stem down to how much they wanted to make a profit. The sensational stories were lapped up by the readers and consequently the outlet could make more money. The differences could also stem from the depth of their connection to the government. Additionally, outlets such as Vanity Fair probably don't have as seasoned investigative journalists who know how to look for credible sources. Stobel admirably looked for the facts and even got a credible source to state that Dick Cheney was lying about the WMD's in Iraq. But he couldn't compete with sensationalism.

Online Assignment 2 - David Beers

2012-02-29T19:06:00.001-06:00

1) How well did the journalistic community live up to its responsibility to present the ‘facts’?

In the period following 9/11 the journalistic community did a poor job of presenting the facts. They not only did not comment on the lack of association between Sadam and the actual attack, but they also stood by without asking the necessary questions to bring out the truth.

2) Where they failed, why did they do so?

They failed in terms of being bullied by the government, and others that said that by speaking the truth that they weren't being patriotic. The press always must remain independent of government or it isn't fulfilling it's role.

3) What kinds of pressures did news organizations face?

News organizations were pressured by both the government and by advertisers sending threats to be "patriotic" and to "support America". These threats were also violent in nature, but if the press can be bullied than it is not reliable and again is not living up to its role.

4) How did different kinds of news outlets cover the issue differently? What was the difference between these outlets?

Many news outlets took the opportunity to point out the "flaws" of other news organizations. CNN for example was more liberal and was called "unpatriotic". There was also other news sources that took different approaches to the news because they had a different reader base. Most of these took the chance to gain more readers, using the events to either solidify their readers or even to steal readers from other outlets.

Online Assignment 2

2012-02-29T13:12:00.000-06:00

1. How well did the journalistic community live up to its responsibility to present the facts? In the time following 9/11 and leading up to the invasion of Iraq, the journalistic community including television broadcast news and newspapers failed to uphold the honest and straightforward perspective expected of them. The facts themselves, not entirely omitted from news stories, were published under an indistinguishable blanket of bias. For the sheer number of news sources reporting, very little differentiation in perspective was presented.

2. Where they failed, why did they do so? Biases in favor of the invasion were ever-present in reports of the matter; the media acted as a platform for neo-conservatives seeking to reform the Middle East and remove Saddam Hussein. Prime newspapers gave them the outlet to support the war in Iraq. Also, news sources withheld footage of civilian death in Afghanistan shortly after the 9/11 attacks because it "lacked patriotism". These instances reek of partiality and fail to present an honest account of the facts.

3. What kinds of pressures did news organizations face? News organizations bent under heavy pressure to publish material in support of the war. Pressure from the "ever increasing threat of war" forced news sources to maintain a patriotic, unifying voice at all times. If they failed at this, accusations of trying to criticize the president and being unpatriotic were flung about.

4. How did different kinds of news outlets cover the issues differently? What was different between these outlets? Different types of news outlets exhibited different ways of covering the issues. On one hand, the Washington Press Corps reported the information released by the White House. They "traveled in a bubble", and were basically expected to support the president. On the other hand, other news writers and journalists actually spent time in places like Baghdad and went to terrorism experts and diplomats for sources. By gaining this informed perspective, they realized that Washington was "stretching little bits of facts" in order to place the blame solely on Saddam Hussein. These were the reporters that asked "Is this war necessary?"

Online Assignment 2

2012-02-27T23:01:00.001-06:00

Buying the War

1. The journalistic community did not live up totheir responsibility to present the “facts” in the coverage of the lead-up tothe Iraq war. With the war inAfghanistan, news stations that covered the amount of civilian casualties werefrowned upon and some even received threatening phone calls. This caused thestations to stop reporting all of the civilian casualties, and it turn notfulfilling their responsibility of presenting society with all of thefacts. They also heavily reported andemphasized the idea that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and they werealso tried to acquire materials in order to build more. Most US citizensbelieved these statements, but there was little evidence to back it up.

2. They failed to cover the civilian casualtiesbecause if they did they would get threatening calls from major advertisingcorporations saying they were being un-American in covering such images. Had they not gotten rid of them, the newsstations could have lost some of their biggest advertisers; a risk most of themwere not willing to take. They also failed by reporting the weapons of massdestruction story. They did this because Americans needed something and someoneto take their anger out on. There was tons of talk about Saddam Hussein andIraq being responsible for the 9/11 attacks, but they needed more evidence tosupport this theory, so the weapons of mass destruction argument came about.

3. News organizations faced pressure from theiradvertisers and the “patriot police.” Advertisers made the news organizationsfeel bad and un-American for covering things such as the civilian casualties;sort of a subtle threat to knock it off or they might lose their business. Theyalso received pressure from the “patriot police” whom were also ones to calland make accusations that a particular news organization was being un-Americanor anti-American for covering something like the civilian casualties.

4. Different news outlets got their informationdifferently. Some went out and did their own investigative reporting, wherethey went straight to the primary sources for their information, while others simplereprinted what other news outlets were saying; not even bothering to find outtheir own information or check sources for validation. They then came out withdifferent results, for example, the outlets that went to their own primarysources realized there was little information and evidence that there wereweapons of mass destruction in Iraq, while the other news outlets reported thatIraq had these weapons, even when evidence was scarce.

online assignment #2

2012-02-27T11:15:00.001-06:00

Alexandra Branch

1.After watching that video in class today, I am quite skeptical as to how well the journalistic community presented the facts leading up to the war on terror. There were definitely positives and negatives. Positives being that some journalists made it a goal to show the negatives of the war in Iraq, despite the hate mail they knew they would receive. An example of this was when Knight Ridder posted an article including details that supported the Bush administration using "little bits of evidence" to connect Saddam with 9/11.

2. However, there were also many negatives that were shown in today's video. Negatives that could be called "failures" on the journalists' part. News outlets such as the NY Times and the Washington Post became one with the government. These outlets supported the governmental claims that Saddam was linked to 9/11 and al qaeda, without being critical of the evidence to support such claims. In this aspect, journalism and the press failed to be separate from government.

3.Pressures journalism faced were coming from all different angles during this time. There was an overall pressure to be patriotic, not critical, of the situation. When a news outlet covered civilian casualties in Afghanistan, they were pelted with hate mail, with claims that they were "un-american." Also, they faced indirect pressures from their advertisers, warning them to refrain from using certain news material in their articles and broadcasts. "Patriotism Police" was the description given to these people and groups who deemed journalists "un-loyal" for being any bit critical of the government.

4. There were two quite different angles given from the journalistic perspective. Some news outlets, as mentioned previously, supported governmental claims without criticism (NY Times and the Washington Post), while others such as CBS and the Knight Ridder were able to remain quite critical of certain aspects. CBS and Knight Ridder had characteristics of good journalism. CBS' Bob Simon said that the link of 9/11 with Saddam was "Absurd" due to his experience being posted in the Middle East. Therefore, the main difference between news outlets were those who did their research, and those who failed to do so.

Speech Critique-- Wounded but Not Slain

2012-02-22T14:40:00.001-06:00

On Thursday I gave a speech on the decline of the American newspaper during the 20th century. Overall, I thought that my speech went very well. I think that I spoke at a slow, comfortable pace and did a nice job of using vocal variety. I was also pleased with my body language because I often have a problem of swaying and fidgeting. Finally, I thought I did a nice job using appropriate transitions to guide my audience along and keep them engaged and interested. Although I was pleased with my speech, there are a few things I need to work on as well. The biggest thing I need to improve on is eye contact. I need to spend less time looking at my note cards and more time engaging with the audience. Next, I think that I could work on talking louder and using more articulation. Finally, I noticed that I giggled a couple times when I made a mistake. In the future, I need to move on without drawing attention to my mistakes. Overall, I was very pleased with my speech and look forward to giving another one in the future.

An interesting article I ran across today

2012-02-21T18:19:00.003-06:00

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/20/147041182/our-media-ourselves-are-we-headed-for-a-matrix?ft=1&f=100
I think it's pretty pertinent to what we're currently discussing, and frankly, scared me!

2012-02-20T17:14:00.001-06:00

Research Report - Media that Stir Emotions

GlennSparks is a professor in Purdue University’s Department of Communication. Hismajor interest is in the effects of the violence in media on people. He wrotenumber of research on the media violence in TV programs and frightening films.After earning his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin, Sparks and hiscolleague, Dr. Will Miller, wrote Refrigerator Rights: Creating Connections andResorting Relationships, which was released in 2007, and The Seven Temptationsof Modern Culture. The common topic for these books is the alienation caused bythe intrusion of media and what can we do about it.

Sparksand his wife, Cheri Sparks whom has a Ph.D. in Social Psychology, did aresearch together on why people are so attracted to violence. He states thatthere is a myth in our culture that just because Hollywood produce movies orfilms that have violent content in them, people should enjoy consuming thistype of media. He explains that if you look at movies with the highest boxoffice grow they do not turn out to be violent movies. Also, he did anexperimental study on how violent scenes in the movies affect enjoyment. Hedeleted all the violent scenes, which was about 15 minutes of the entire film,from “The Fugitive” and edited them well to keep the flow of the story. Afterthis process, he randomly assigned people to watch either the edited version ofthe film or the original one and measured their enjoyment, the acting, themusic, and the perception of the editing. As Sparks has expected, editing outthe violence scene in the movie did not affect people’s enjoyment about thefilm. Even though this experiment was only done for one movie, Sparks says thatviolence is not essential for the enjoyment of movies or films. He interpretsthe industry’s motivation of producing violent movies as a way to appeal to aglobal audience; violence crosses language barrier and is easily produced in afilm. Although Hollywood sees violent scenes as a creative way to approach awide range of audiences, not all American audiences enjoy such content.

Even though not every American enjoys watching violence, Sparks says that thereis a particular reason some people are attracted to violence. He mentions thereis a strong psychological principle behind this. When people form alignmentswith characters and identify whom they like and whom they do not like, theytend to enjoy violence if it is directed to negative characters. Even for thepeople who do not enjoy violence, they are able to tolerate violence only whenit is directed against the characters they do not appreciate. Sparks alsoexplains that this is why Hollywood does not generally make movies where “goodcharacters,” which most of audiences make an alignment with, are punished orviolated. Most of the characters that are punished or put in a violencesituation are the ones who deserve to be in that situation. Another factorpeople are attracted to a violent movie is because of the other elements inthat movie. For example, mystery films with frequent violence scenes arefavored by some who enjoy the plot instead of the violent scenes. For thesepeople, they enjoy the movie rather than violence.

Speech Critique

2012-02-18T12:26:00.001-06:00

After watching my speech, overall I thought it was pretty well written as well as spoken. I thought I was looking down at my note cards a little too much towards the end of my speech in which I could have worked on more. I also stuttered with my word choice through out the speech, which I have always had trouble with and I will continue to work on that. Overall, I thought my eye contact was good, and the audience seemed engaged in what I was saying through out my speech. I thought I also seemed a little nervous because I wasn't fully comfortable with the class yet since it is the beginning of the semester. I will work on all of these corrections, and hopefully next time I give a speech it will be much better!

Discussion Questions - Sparks Reading

2012-02-15T16:35:00.001-06:00

Question about reading:
Do you think that we as viewers tend to develop a set of cognitive development skills only in two stages? How do you rationalize the fact that in the one of the studies conducted college students are still afraid of paranormal activities in films?

Ex: I do think we have two stages in terms of development but I don't feel as though one overshadows another because many of the older students are still extremely frightened of things that even though are presented in realistic scenarios are not realistic themselves.

Do you think scary movies are the most harmful to the development of a person or is there another genre which you feel has more adverse affects?

Ex: I think any media that depicts "normal" human behavior can be much more harmful than just scary movies. Such as romantic comedies where it is essential to find love may make a person feel depressed and unwanted if they haven't found love.

Relating to experience:
Do you agree with how the author justifies viewing scary movies? Do you go for the enjoyment of the sense of relief and euphoria after the film is over or do you watch scary movies for an altogether different reason.

Ex: I myself do not watch scary movies ever. I don't enjoy being scared and have never gotten a great enough "reward" at the end of a scary movie to justify watching the whole movie over anything else.

Key terms:
Developmental Theory: Children 2-7 tend to think perceptually while older children tend to make a shift toward abstract thought.
Theory of Excitation Transfer: When people become scared watching a movie their arousal system makes their heart rate and blood pressure increase as wells as muscle tension and other physiological indicators which helps to intensify the negative emotion of fear.

Challenge/critique:
Do you think the author is right in always trying to help children cope with feelings of fear or are these natural and should be dealt with on their own in order to help build self reliance?

Research Report - Baughman Reading

2012-02-14T00:17:00.001-06:00

“Wounded but Not Slain: The Orderly Retreat of the AmericanNewspaper” is the title of chapter seven in the fifth volume of the piece A History of the Book in America. James L. Baughman is the author of this particularchapter, but over the fifth volume of the piece there were a total ofthirty-three different individuals whom contributed to the book. Most notableof these individuals would be David Paul Nord – a professor at Indiana University,Joan Shelley Rubin – a professor at the University of Rochester, and MichaelSchudson – a professor at the University of California, San Diego as well as aprofessor at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University (Hall).

Baughman has been a part of theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison faculty since 1979. He teaches editorialwriting and the history of mass communication as well as gives lectures in thedepartment of history at the University. He was born in Ohio and received hisBachelor’s degree in history in 1974 from Harvard University. After Harvard,Baughman attended Columbia University where he received his master’s degree inhistory in 1975, his research masters degree in philosophy in history in 1977,and his Ph.D. in history in 1981 (“Baughman”).

In 2003, Baughman received theUW-Madison’s Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, along with theWisconsin Alumni Association’s Ken and Linda Ciriacks Alumni OutreachExcellence Award two years later. Another six years later and he was named aUniversity of Wisconsin Foundation Chair Fetzer Bascom Professor of Journalismand Mass Communication – an extremely high honor. He was also director of theSchool of Journalism from 2003-2009 (“Baughman”).

SinceBaughman’s field of research is journalism history in the 20^thcentury and the beginnings of TV in America, (“Baughman”) his chapter in A History of the Book in America that isfocused on the development of other mediums over time and how they affected thenewspaper industry is most likely factual and unbiased. The piece itself, A History of the Book in America is aninformative book and scholarly publication used to teach people about theUnited States’ development of print, print production, and media impact. A verypositive review from the Journal of Scholarly Publishing declares, “A model ofscholarly publication and institutional cooperation…A timely achievement and agreat one…” (Hall) which proves the point that it is a valued academicresource. The Publishing Research Quarterly also stated that this publicationis “certain to become required reading for anyone interested in books, bookpublishing, and/or print culture in postwar America…This one’s definitely akeeper” (Hall). This is yet another positive account on the reliability,accuracy, and importance of this particular piece in research, learning, andhistory of the journalism and mass communications field.

Baughman’sparticular chapter discusses how other mediums come into play throughout thehistory of time and how technology and innovations begin to lead to a declinein newspapers as the most popular medium. The decline of newspapers is still anongoing occurrence as time goes on and the rise of the Internet has more andmore of an impact on print media. His chapter is very informative and accurate,and it will need to continue to be added to as time goes on.

Sources

Hall, David D. "AHistory of the Book in America." UNC Press. http://uncpress.unc.edu/books/T-8338.html

“Baughman,Information” University of Wisconsin –Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communications. http://www.journalism.wisc.edu/users/baughman

Discussion Questions - Baughman Reading

2012-02-13T16:24:00.000-06:00

Question about reading:
- Of all aspects that affected the consumption of newspapers, what do you think affected it the most?
Ex: TV because more people liked watching it than reading a newspaper; Internet because it catered to more specific interests.

Relating to experience:
- Why do you choose to read or not read newspapers? If not, how do you consume news and why that source? Are your reasons similar to the arguments Baughman makes?
Ex: I consume news through online newspapers and social media sites like Twitter (BBC Breaking News, NPR, etc) because they are accessible to me through things I like to do (i.e. Facebook and Twitter). This relates to Baughman's argument that because the Internet provides interest-specific news, people of my generation are more likely to consume online than in print.

Key terms:
Feature stories: Main stories often emphasizing local events or people.
Hyperlocalism/citizen journalism: News coverage of local events often covered by local citizens.

Challenge/critique:
- Do you think the author effectively emphasizes the reasons why newspaper consumption has declined? Or did he just present different factors and fail to effectively argue the points?

Speech Critique

2012-02-10T13:17:00.000-06:00

After watching my speech, there were a few things that I realized I need to do better for the future. I noticed that I was looking down at my notecards often at the beginning of the speech. Towards the end of the speech, I feel like I was making more eye contact instead of looking down at the notecards. I also realized that I was talking rather quietly. During my speech, I was swaying back and forth when I was looking to the different sides of the room. This could be distracting to the audience. On a positive note, I feel like the speech had many examples to back up the points that I was talking about. I also did not use any filler words during the speech.

Discussion questions:The Unbeautiful Game

2012-02-09T17:23:00.001-06:00

There were some parts of the article that jumped out at me. On the second page, Gopnik discusses how the players on television can become nothing more than "lines of numbers or as groupings of pixels." The players essentially become dehumanized and are often forgotten about after their short, usually unsuccessful, careers are over.

In what other places do you see this phenomenon? In the media? In society?

"As our efforts to explain and predict are baffled, we retreat into pure pleasure."
In what other aspects of society do you see this? Do you think sometimes people, particularly politicians, retreat into ignorance and feign indifference since they can't explain what's going on?

"Sports...not out of identification with the players but out of happy absorption in someone else's ability."
Does this concern you? Do you think media consumers become absorbed in other's ability? What does this speak about the influence shows (we discussed Jersey Shore and the Kardashians in class) have on young individuals?

Research Report: The Unbeautiful Game

2012-02-09T00:54:00.000-06:00

Adam Gopnik, author of “The Unbeautiful Game,” has been writing for The New Yorker since 1986. As a writer, essayist, and commentator, he has written everything from humor and fiction pieces to book reviews and reporting pieces. Though he now resides in New York, Gopnik was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Montreal, Canada, where he went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree from McGill University. He did his master’s work at the New York University Institute of Fine Arts. In 1995, Gopnik began publishing a series of essays for the Paris Journal in The New Yorker, later published in a book by the name of Paris to the Moon, which went on to become a New York Times’ best seller, narrating the five years he spent living Paris with his family. His name is also associated with a total of eight books including those that he has written, and others he has edited. People are drawn to Gopnik’s work because he is such a dynamic writer.

Gopnik’s article “The Unbeautiful Game” discusses how professional sports, specifically football, have changed as a result of new media such as the television. The game is by no means the same when viewed on a television as it is when experienced at the stadium. These days, sports are obviously a huge part of life in the United States; football often dictates what my schedule looks like on Sundays, and the occasional Thursday or Monday. His targeted audience is quite obviously football fanatics who live in New York because he uses the Giants and the Jets in several examples throughout the article. People who do not follow football would probably have a difficult time understanding the piece because Gopnik uses so many references to old players like Joe Namath, and books like The Blind Side which was not yet a movie when this article was published in early 2007. However, The New Yorker also reaches a large national audience, and by discussing not only New York football teams, but a favorite national pastime, Gopnik draws in a massive number of readers.

Though Gopnik has covered a wide variety of genres in his time writing for The New Yorker, this article does not necessarily fit in any one category. Gopnik inserts his own opinion in a few places throughout the article, which is fitting to The New Yorker’s reputation for featuring opinionated writers and pieces. When it was first published in 1925, the magazine was known for its “sophisticated humor.” For the most part, that ideal is still withheld today in The New Yorker, but the magazine also includes serious journalism discussing current affairs, and articles like “The Unbeautiful Game” which is relatively serious, but also has a sort of light heartedness to it.

Often we do not realize the way different types of media shape our perception s of what we see every day. Gopnik points out how differently a single football game can seem depending on your point of view. What other commonplace events in our lives are different as a result of media?

Research Report on "Coda: The Advent of the Media"

2012-02-08T20:30:00.000-06:00

          This week’sarticle, “Coda: The Advent of the Media,” is a chapter out of a book called The Creation of the Media: Political Originsof Modern Communications, which was written by Paul Starr. Starr graduated from Columbia University in1970 and got his Ph.D. in Sociology from Harvard University. He wrote this book in 2004, and in 2005 itwon the Goldsmith Book Prize. Currently,Starr is a professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at PrincetonUniversity. He is well known for being aspeaker on healthcare, politics, social trends, and public policy. He has also written nine books, most of whichrelate to these topics. In 1984, hisfourth book, The Social Transformation ofAmerican Medicine, received the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction andwon the Bancroft Prize in American History. Also, in 1990, he cofounded TheAmerican Prospect which is a liberal magazine about politics, policy, andideas.
          In this article, Paul relates alot of media advances in the United States to the political policies and socialtrends of the time, and also compares them to that of other countries,especially England. When reading thisarticle, it is interesting to know that Starr specializes in public policybecause that is what he relates much of the media advances to. He notes how the United States allowed thepress to have a more private and commercial role than the press in Europe. In America, the limitations on the state gavegreater public accountability to the press and other forms of media. He also talks about how the media wentthrough a period in the early twentieth century where advertising becameincreasingly important, causing businesses to hire public relations specialistsfor the first time. Starr cites thetwo-step flow perspective as describing the main influence media had on people duringthis time. This is a perspective inwhich the public often gets most of their information via opinion leaders, whoare considered to be highly respected or trusted people in the community. Muchof this chapter is focused on pointing out the fact that the nation’s politicalchoices helped advance the media just as much, if not more, as technologicaleffects had on it in the early twentieth century.
          This book has had many positivereviews and the New York Sun even said,“This is a book no journalist—and probably, no citizen—should be without.” Paul Starr brings a new perspective to mediathat one might normally not even realize. When looking at the political policies of the United States during thistime is it easy to see that it contributed to the great advance in media. The decisions to have a post office run bythe state and the telegraph run by private companies led to a decentralized andtherefore more accountable press. Hisideas are further proven when he compares media in the United States to that ofEurope because the public policies in different countries greatly variedduring this time. Making these comparisonshelps one see the connection between political policies and media during theearly twentieth century.

Speech Critique

2012-02-06T12:09:00.000-06:00

After viewing my speech I picked up on a few things that I both did well, and that I could improve on in the future. The speech flowed well overall and the timing for switching from the summary to my personal reaction was very good. I also did a good job of avoiding the use of filler words such as "um" and "like". A few things that I do need to work on in the future is both my posture (trying not to lean back and forth), as well as working on memorizing my speech. I did too much looking down during this speech and because of that I couldn't make sufficient eye contact. Being able to view my speech was a great learning experience and I can hopefully learn from my mistakes and improve in the future.

-David

Starr discussion questions

2012-02-05T22:27:00.003-06:00

Coda: The Advent of the Media discussion questions

Sociologist Paul Lazarfield argued that the mediadid not have the greatest effect on American’s perceptions, that that theyweren’t not passive and in fact sought out confirmation for their preconceivedbeliefs in the media. Do you agree? Why or why not? Is this how you consumenews?

Do you feel our generation is more subject tovaluing the media over family values than the generation of the 1930’s? Why orwhy not?

Do you believe Lippmann’s push for reporters to bemore objective and credible is upheld in today’s times? Why or why not?

Speech Critique

2012-02-02T16:05:00.002-06:00

Ali Branch
After viewing my speech, I noticed a few things. I think I had good eye contact with the audience and I didn't just read off of my notecards. One thing I could work on is to refrain from the use of the words "umm" and "uhhh" as a filler. Also, I noticed that I moved my right hand around on the table and that was sometimes distracting.

My Online Assignment

2012-02-02T13:09:00.000-06:00

Name and Hometown: John Keller, West Palm Beach Florida

Possible future job: I'd love to one day work at ESPN, I interned at the ESPN radio station in my hometown for 3 years and would love to have a career in the field. Scott Van Pelt is my favorite ESPN personality, I admire his originality, and down to earth personality. My dream is to one day fill his shoes at ESPN, but really any Sports journalistic job would be ideal.

News I consume: I watch the Daily Show, and Colbert Report virtually everyday, the comedy on the news really keeps me entertained. I also watch the NBC nightly news with Brian Williams as much as possible.

Music I like: I really like alternative rock, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Cold War Kids.

Favorite online video: Last scene of Scrubs

Recent Pop Culture expression: I just finished watching The Wire, and I find myself joking using Baltimore slang like telling someone they're going to get got.

Michael Schudson "Discovering the News" Research Report

2012-02-01T23:22:00.004-06:00

Michael Schudson was born in the late fifties in our own state Wisconsin. He went to several schools, with a doctorate in sociology from Harvard and as a professor at University of Chicago, University of California, San Diego, and Columbia University. He has always had a passion for journalism, sociology, and communications. At San Diego he was a Professor of Communication and Sociology and at Columbia he was a member of the Journalism School. He has written six books and edited two, all having to do with history and sociology of different aspects of American culture and life. He tends to be more attentive to the actual social effects of media rather than the different types of media.

The book “Discovering the News” was written less than a century ago during a time where journalism as we knew it was changing. It’s ironic because the book itself covers how journalism has developed in synchronization of the changes in society over the years. Looking back at the growth of newspapers and journalism is incredible. In 1833 newspapers started picking up popularity when they were no longer for the wealthy. This new phenomenon of media hit the market as the “penny press papers”. These affordable papers took off quickly with local happenings and were no longer limited to just the elite and wealthy. From these early papers we see how the “news” in newspaper came about and has grown ever since. This is how Schudson starts off with his book – from the beginning.

Chapter one in Schudson’s Discovering the News: A Social History of American Newspapers covers the background of American News in the eighteen hundreds, specifically the newspapers. Newspapers didn’t start out with all the latest gossip in those days. Breaking News would sometimes take weeks to travel across the country. Consumers expected newspapers to meet the demand of the growing market. They were produced to be easily read and understood on a basis of basic information. Note that Schudson does not really talk about the media as a product. To him, it is more of a social outlet that had cause and effect on the society of readers it reached. He writes on the way it impacted society, changed with it, and even pushed society to change.

Searching around for reviews of this book showed a positive feedback. Some rated the book as a “must-read” which I thought was interesting because Schudson has so many other books that seem to be about the same topic. For whatever reasons, Discovering the News has been esteemed as a very well written history of American Newspapers. The way Schudson writes doesn’t leave much room for dispute. He merely presents the history and points out tendencies that are obvious to see among our culture. Professor Schudson is a reliable source on these topics because of his impressive amount of study from his different Universities attended. It would only seem logical that a class of communication would look at a book like this from such a professor. It shows more than the revolution we have grown up to understand, it shows the meaning behind it.

2012-02-01T20:48:00.000-06:00

My Online Assignment

Name and Hometown: I am Chris Caporale from Mukwonago, WI.

Possible future job? I would love to travel the world or even just the country writing about my experiences. My second cousin first inspired me to do that.

Do you consume "news"? Yes, the main sources of news that I read are Yahoo! and ESPN. I also get a lot of information through Facebook as well.

What kind of music do you like? I like almost any kind of music. Right now I like to listen to Mumford and Sons and O.A.R. All music is interesting to me.

Favorite online video: My friends just showed me this video of some kids from their high school. That's Cash is a group that makes trick shots in basketball using different objects for obstacles.

Recent pop culture expression I use: "That's legit" would be the expression I use most.

Research Report of "How Luther Went Viral"

2012-02-01T16:42:00.001-06:00

The ability of social media tounite people with a common idea in a short amount of time has always beenthought of as major trademark of the 21^st century, and the 21^stcentury, alone. Tom Standage challengesthis idea, however, in his article, “How Luther Went Viral” by revealing pastforms of social media and their powerful impacts on society during theReformation. Standage has a longstandinginterest and knowledge of the history of technology, making his article in TheEconomist valid, trustworthy, and insightful in a whole new way.

Standage is a London basedjournalist and author who received a degree in engineering and computer sciencefrom Oxford University. He has beeneditor of the Technology Quarterly supplement, which covers emergingtechnology such as social media. He thenbecame the business affairs editor, technology editor, and sciencecorrespondent for The Economist magazine. He is currently the digital editor of TheEconomist and manages its digital output, including their website and apps. Besides writing and editing formagazines, Standage has also authored five books, three of which analyze thehistorical impacts of different goods on society. His book, The Victorian Internet,details the different forms of technology leading up to the Internet andcompares their similar impacts on society. A common theme through all of his books is the parallels between pastand present technology, and both of their social implications. His article, “How Luther Went Viral,” whichappeared in The Economist, is a modified excerpt from a chapter in hisupcoming book that will focus on the history of social media, itself. Standage’s interest in writing about thehistory of technology and social media is purely intrinsic and journalistic inthat he desires to uncover the truth about an issue that excites him.

Standage’s article refutes theargument that social media is a new concept by revealing its major use byMartin Luther during the Reformation. Standagecompares Luther’s brand of social media to that of today by defining them bothas “a decentralized system whose participants took care of distribution,deciding collectively which messages to amplify through sharing andrecommendation”. He also compares the rapid printing of Luther’spamphlets to the sharing and re-tweeting of online comments today. Standage’s strength throughout the articleproves to be his creation of parallels and connections between past and presentsocial media.

The sheer number of tweets (3,721), Facebook “likes” (4,000), and online comments (40) responding to Standage’s article showthe strength and validity of the very point he wishes to convey. According to Standage, “as with “likes” andre-tweets today, the number of reprints serves as an indicator of a givenitem’s popularity”. Just asLuther’s pamphlets on the Catholic Church’s corruption spread like wildfire, sodid Standage’s message about the longstanding power and effects of socialmedia. Standage shows that the power ofsocial media to unite those with a common view has long given people the abilityto stand up for what they believe in.

My Online Assignment 1 - Neal Prabhu

2012-01-31T17:03:00.001-06:00

Name and hometown:

My name is Neal Prabhu and I am from Farmington Hills, MI. Its a suburb of Detroit.

Possible future job? Anybody in that job you really admire now?

I hope to get a job as a chemical engineer. I am not sure however what I exactly want to do.

Do you consume “news”? If you do, what are your main sources?

Every morning I usually read BBC news online. I do love satirical news though and occasionally I will watch Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert when I get a chance.

What kind of music do you like? (It could appear in lecture.)

I really love alternative rock music. I grew up listening to classic rock like the Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. However, I've grown more into band like Radiohead and Arcade Fire. I am not a huge fan of popular music today but I do like some hip hop like Kanye and Jay Z. If I was going to recommend a song for lecture it would be Weird Fishes by Radiohead.

Favorite online video (link to it):

My favorite online video is a video of a street bmx rider named Danny MacAskill.

What recent pop culture expression do you love (or find yourself using)?

That shit cray! I just laugh whenever I hear it.

Assignment: Introduce Yourself

2012-01-30T08:14:00.001-06:00

Name and hometown: Monica Nigon: Zumbrota, Minnesota

Possible future job? Anybody in that job you really admire now?

I would really like to combine the fields of environmental conservation and journalism but I'm not really sure how. I would love to make educational films about conservation and politics that open people's minds to things you don't hear about on the news. I really admire my Uncle Dan who is an environmental activist in Madison. He travels to Washington D.C. frequently to rally for increased funding towards conservational efforts.

Do you consume “news”? If you do, what are your main sources? 

I wish I was more informed when it comes to news. I like to read online news most. However, I enjoy discussing current events with my friends and I value differing opinions. I have a very diverse family as well. Our gatherings usually culminate during dinner when my aunts and father debate the merits of organic farming as opposed to traditional methods. I have yet to form my own opinions on the matter, but I think the most important part is being well-informed about both ends of a debate.

What kind of music do you like? (It could appear in lecture.)

I'm not going to lie, I'm a complete hipster. I like to use Spotify, 8tracks, and The Current by MPR. Another random fact is I play Irish fiddle, so I like traditional Irish music and bands like Flogging Molly too.

Favorite online video (link to it): 

I love music videos and this is one of my favorite songs. If you ignore the fact that they're probably on a lot of drugs, THEY JUST LOOK SO HAPPY! Send Me On My Way, Rusted Root

What recent pop culture expression do you love (or find yourself using)? 

I know it's probably outdated, but lately I've found myself saying "baller," as in "Wow, this essay is totes baller." I'm trying to bring it back.

Assignment: Introduce Yourself!

2012-01-29T22:31:00.000-06:00

Assignment: Introduce Yourself!

Name and hometown: Kelsea Kierstead, OshkoshWisconsin.

Possible future job? Anybody in that job you reallyadmire now?

I really would like to work either as a PR or in advertising, orpossibly as a counselor. At a state journalism convention I attended with myschool’s paper, we sat in on a presentation for Spark Advertising, ran out ofNeenah, Wisconsin. The president Mark Elliott spoke to us on his experiences andgave a lot of insight on the career, and how he had helped big name companiessucceed. I admired his optimism and how he approaches and treats his clientele.

Do you consume “news”? If you do, what are your mainsources?

Back at home, my parents and I would read our local paper together. Iwould also watch CNN quite often. In Madison I haven’t been as in touch with“news,” but follow ABC news on Twitter and catch word from my friends’ links on Facebook.

What kind of music do you like? (It could appear inlecture.)

I like a wide range of music and artists, nothing too “hipster”though. I'm currently obsessed with this Ingrid Michaelson song.

Favorite online video (link to it):

Although Iabsolutely love Jenna Marbles, this youtube video by Pixar is something I foundreally moving, that can be applied to almost any situation.

What recent pop culture expression do you love (orfind yourself using)?

"Hashtag swag." For some reason I get a kick out of it, and is my go to hashtag on Twitter when I am in a great mood.

2012-01-28T18:07:00.000-06:00

Name and hometown: Monica Ruppert, Minneapolis, WI

Possible future job? Anybody in that job you really admire now? A possible future dream job would be to do non-profit advertising or PR for organizations such as UNICEF or the humane society (granted that I would be able to change those ridiculously depressing Sarah McLachlan commercials to something more inspiring, of course.) Although I don't know the specific individuals who worked on these campaigns, I love the work of the team who came up with the Pepsi Refresh commercials. I also think google has amazing commercials, although they aren't for non-profits.

Do you consume “news”? If you do, what are your main sources? I love NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, but I also try to read the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel from time to time.

What kind of music do you like? (It could appear in lecture.) There is so much to choose from, but some of my favorite artists are Coldplay, Vampire Weekend, One Republic and Mat Kearney.

Favorite online video (link to it): Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

What recent pop culture expression do you love (or find yourself using)? Although it's not super recent, I still love Amanda Byne's "thuper duper ecthiting" from "She's the Man." Actually, any saying from that movie is great, especially, "be a man, and rub some dirt on it," or "holla at your boy!"

My Online Assignment 1 - David Beers

2012-01-27T20:59:00.000-06:00

Name and hometown:

David Beers, Oregon WI

Possible future job? Anybody in that job you really admire now?

Actuary

Do you consume “news”? If you do, what are your main sources?

I tend to get my daily news from MSN and other internet sources.

What kind of music do you like? (It could appear in lecture.)

I like a variety of music, usually listen to popular music on the radio.

Favorite online video (link to it):

EPIC Sax guy.

What recent pop culture expression do you love (or find yourself using)?

Tebowing

Online Assignment

2012-01-27T11:27:00.002-06:00

Name and Hometown: Michelle Straw from Janesville, WI

Possible future job? Anyone in that job you really admire now? I'm planning on majoring in Accounting. My dad is an accountant, and I've always looked up to him and been interested in his career.

Do you consume "news"? If you do, what are your main sources? I usually watch headline news in the morning and sometimes read the local newspaper. Other than that, I get most of my news from Facebook or Twitter.

What kind of music do you like? I'll pretty much listen to anything, but I love country! Some of my favorite artists are Luke Bryan, Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley, and Carrie Underwood.

Favorite online video: I love Modern Family, especially Phil Dunphy!

What recent pop culture expression do you love (or find yourself using)? "probs", "obvs", "maybs", "totes", etc.

2012-01-26T20:51:00.001-06:00

I'm Kristen Tracy and I'm from Greendale, Wisconsin, a small suburb outside of Milwaukee

Possible future job? Anybody in that job you really admire now?

For as long as I can remember I've always wanted to be editor of a major magazine. I'm not really sure what type of magazine interests me most, probably something fashion related, food related, or something along those lines. I admire all of the editors of major magazines because they have huge responsibilities and many people look up to them. I really hope one day someone might admire me as an editor!

Do you consume “news”? If you do, what are your main sources?

I keep up with current events through our local news stations almost every morning, but the news I follow the most is celebrity gossip news and current trends. I follow a lot of celebrities on twitter as well as fashion magazines. Of course Perez Hilton is always a good source for the juicy news. But other than that I read my city's local newspaper, GreendaleNOW, and magazines like US Weekly, and People. Probably not the most reliable sources of news, but I enjoy them nonetheless.

What kind of music do you like? (It could appear in lecture.)

When it comes to music I'm usually all over the place. I'm obsessed with Adele, Avicii, and Mac Miller. I also really like Tyga, Jay-Z, and Drake.

Favorite online video (link to it):

This little girl gets me every time...

What recent pop culture expression do you love (or find yourself using)?

"I mean...I guess" "Fact." "False." And basically any quote from bridesmaids (but maybe that's just my friends) "Snowballing off of that..." "It's for FREE!" "Heyyy roomie" "So I said, 'sure'"(this one needs a British accent) ...none of these are really quite recent pop culture, but I use them on almost a daily basis.

Online Assignment One

2012-01-26T20:20:00.000-06:00

Hey! My name is Shannon Touhey. I live in a little suburb of Milwaukee by the name of Hales Corners.

Possible future job? Anybody in that job you really admire now?

I would love to have any job that would permit me to travel! At this point I am undecided about a major, so I am just taking classes to see if I stumble upon something I might have a passion for. I decided to take journalism because both of my parents graduated with journalism degrees from UW, and now both have careers that I could see myself in some day.

Do you consume “news”? If you do, what are your main sources?

I cannot stand watching local news at home in Milwaukee, so I rely mostly on online sources to consume news. The homepage on my computer is BBC, I also skim the headlines for the Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee’s newspaper), and read from the New York Times online. I am also a huge fan of The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and The Onion; I follow all of them on twitter.

What kind of music do you like? (It could appear in lecture.)

There aren’t many kinds of music that I don’t like! Some of my favorites include: Mat Kearney, John Legend, Josh Turner (or anything country), Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffett, Johnny Cash, Ingrid Michaelson, the Beatles, and U2.

Favorite online video (link to it):

This might not count as an online video, but it’s the trailer for a movie that basically describes the last fifteen years of my life: "JIG." I’m pretty sure I watched this trailer at least twenty times before the movie even came out.

What recent pop culture expression you love (or find yourself using)?

More often than not, when I use pop culture expressions, I’m being sarcastic. Usually, I prefer to use “bro,” “totes,” and “jeally.”

Sun Yoon - Online Assignment

2012-01-26T13:08:00.001-06:00

Name and Hometown: Sun Yoon; Seoul, Korea

Possible Future Job: I am not sure about this but anything that has to do with communication or journalism.

Do you consume "news"? If you do, what are your main sources? I do not consume news daily but when I do I use New York Times website and youtube.

What kind of music do you like? I am a pretty big fan of Drake so I listen to his songs often. Other than his music, I like rap/hip-pop (J.Cole, Tupac, Common, Ludacris, Lil Wayne, David Guetta etc.) and R&B (Ne-Yo, Trey Songz, Usher, Chris Brown etc.)

Favorite online video: Change

What recent pop culture expression do you love (or find yourself doing)?
I tend to over think and take things too seriously at times. So "It is what it is" and "Y.O.L.O(You Only Live Once)" are my favorite expression.

Online Assignment

2012-01-26T12:24:00.001-06:00

Name and Hometown: Jamie Greenberg. Port Washington, New York

Possible Future Job: In the future, I would love to go into the field of Public Relations. A few of my close family friends own their own Public Relations firms. I have gone into their offices and have seen what they have accomplished, and aspire to do what they do.

Do you consume "news"? If you do, what are your main sources? I do consume news daily. I really enjoy the New York Times. I have the app on my phone that lets me have easy access to it, as well as Fox News at night.

What kind of music do you like? I really like pop music. I like whats usually on the radio.

Favorite online video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebiML6_-rPQ

What recent pop culture expression do you love (or find yourself doing)? I find myself saying "lol" a lot.

Anne Rauschert - Online Assignment

2012-01-25T22:32:00.004-06:00

Name and hometown:

Im Anne Rauschert. I live in Bushnell, IL but went to a boarding High School up here in Wisconsin at Beaver Dam.

Possible future job?

I would love to be a wedding photographer. I am an art major right now and have my own business of doing portraiture photography (mostly Senior Photos and Family Photos), but eventually I would love to do weddings. I admire about every professional portrait photographer I see. I am on the Crew(rowing) team here and I love it - it wouldn't be that bad to get paid for it.

Do you consume news? From where?

I don't really study current world events, but I think I usually have a general idea of what goes on. I don't really watch TV so most of my news comes from google news, youtube, or my parents telling me what is going on in the world.

What music do you like?

I like all music. But generally I listen to Ben Rector, Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons, Brooke Fraser and stuff like that. I like Oldies and Christian music as well. Im really not too picky.

Favorite Online Video?

Man I like that this question is asked. I love youtube. I am particularly fascinated by an amateur filming device called a glide cam - it makes filming smoother and more balanced, giving the camera a more steady motion. This film I'm linking is really smooth (because of the glidecam) and the artist has a lot of great videos. Check it out!

Pop culture expression?

Boom, roasted.

Emily Gavic-- Online Assignment

2012-01-25T21:23:00.000-06:00

Name and hometown:
My name's Emily Anne Gavic. I grew up in Hudson, WI but my family just recently moved to Middleton, WI.  

Possible future job? Anybody in that job you really admire now?
I plan on pursuing a career in veterinary medicine.  I really admire Dr.Barb Huie who I have been shadowing for a couple years now. She has really opened my eyes to the biology and medicine behind the profession and she is terrific at what she does.  

Do you consume “news”? If you do, what are your main sources?
Sadly, I have to admit that I have never been one to keep up with the news. It is definitely something that I want to improve on. I mostly hear about big events through word-of-mounth and facebook.  Sometimes I watch the news when i'm working out or getting ready for school.     

What kind of music do you like?
I like to listen to different music depending on my mood.  When school's out and it's the weekend, I like to listen to rap/pop/hip-hop (Lil' Wayne, Mac Miller, Lupe Fiasco, B.O.B, Kid Cudi). When I'm camping with the fam, i'ts always rock/alternitive/blues (ex. Eric Clapton, Billy Joel,..) When I'm on the beach, I like R&B/Soul/alternative (Chris Brown, Akon, John Mayor). And finally, when its summertime, I LOVE country (Eric Church, Jason Aldean, Zac Brown Band). 

Favorite online video:
It's most funny if you're familiar with Lonely Island's-- "Like A Boss". But either way-- so funny :D Like a Bus
  
What recent pop culture expression do you love? 
One that I love: "#realworldproblems" One that I hate: "That awkward moment when..."

Ali Branch Online Assignment 1

2012-01-25T20:42:00.001-06:00

Name and home town: Ali Branch from Rochester, MN
Dream Job: traveling journalist, or something completely different. Who knows. I admire the brave souls who travel to warring countries just to inform all of us safely watching from our TVs.
My News: When at home, HLN is usually on in the background. I follow CNN Breaking News on twitter. Occasionally read the Badger Herald.
Favorite Music: I am a HUGE Nicki Minaj fan (hence my fav video), however I find almost all music genres enjoyable on at least one occasion or another.
Favorite Video:Super Bass by Sophia
Pop Culture Expression: "faux pas" which I find using the phrase, is one in itself.

Ian Hauffe - Week One Assignment

2012-01-25T18:20:00.002-06:00

Name and hometown:

Ian A. K. Hauffe from Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Possible future job? Anybody in that job you really admire now?

Medicine - no specialty decided yet. Though I plan on likely/hopefully working in non-profit or for the military.

Do you consume “news”? If you do, what are your mainsources?

Not as much as I would like, but I keep up with the headlines and follow a couple national and world situations more closely. Primary sources: British Broadcasting Corp., International Society of Infectious Diseases, Comedy Central, Facebook, Cracked.com and less so other internet sources.

What kind of music do you like?

Punk Rock, Hip Hop, Other.

Favorite bands at this time: Rancid, Gorillaz, Lupe Fiasco, Tim Armstrong, Lars Fredriksen and the Bastards, The Distillers, Rise Against, Against Me, DJ Shadow, Ratatat, Metric, Green Day (since I was 8.). I suppose that gives you enough of an idea.

Favorite online video:

Kids in the Hall: Man of Destiny

What recent pop culture expression do you love?

I don't say it nearly enough, and you have to wait till the last 5 seconds to hear it, but check this link.

Siri Pairin Online Assignment 1

2012-01-25T13:39:00.001-06:00

Name and hometown: My name is Siri Pairin and I was born and raised in Appleton, WI but also grew up in Chonburi, Thailand.

Future job: Something in communications? Hopefully I'll major in Strategic Communications through the J-School here.

News sources: My online sources mainly consist of the BBC and the Guardian. I'm an avid Rachel Maddow/Ed Show viewer on MSNBC. Occasionally CNN. My comedic news updates are provided by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

Music: I like music that is Good: White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes ; Symphony 7 Mvt 2 - Beethoven

Online video: I'm in stitches every time: Newt Gingrich Bad Lip Reading

Pop culture expression: "Let's be real."

My Online Assignment

2012-01-25T11:17:00.005-06:00

Keith Zukas: Warrens, WI
Dreams: I hope to be a professor and I really admire my advisor, Professor Doug McLeod.
News: My main sources for news are PBS News Hour, my MSN homepage news, and sometimes I watch CNN while I jog on the treadmill in the morning.
Favorite Music: All kinds, but when in doubt - Girl Talk
A Favorite Video: Bounce That
A Pop Culture Expression: Broisms - i.e. "dude," "man," "bud," etc.