Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Amy Goodman
It's sickening to think that independent journalists in the U.S. are being arrested for simply doing their jobs. Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now! was arrested at the 2008 Republican National Convention for investigating the unwarranted arrests of two other Democracy Now! people.
Meanwhile, you'd never see these stories in the New York Times or on ABC News. Mainstream media just simply watch as independent journalists are mistreated, and it's disgusting. That's why more access is needed. Somebody has to protect dissenters. People should be allowed to disagree. That's why America is a democracy, so people don't have to be afraid to express opinions that may contradict the mainstream.
Finally, read a Q&A with Goodman at The Ithacan Online. Goodman will speak Tuesday at Ithaca's State Theatre.
Meanwhile, you'd never see these stories in the New York Times or on ABC News. Mainstream media just simply watch as independent journalists are mistreated, and it's disgusting. That's why more access is needed. Somebody has to protect dissenters. People should be allowed to disagree. That's why America is a democracy, so people don't have to be afraid to express opinions that may contradict the mainstream.
Finally, read a Q&A with Goodman at The Ithacan Online. Goodman will speak Tuesday at Ithaca's State Theatre.
The problem with rules
While rules are undoubtedly vital to having order in society, sometimes they create more disorder instead of restoring order.
There's been a recent discussion about blogger access in Minnesota. Media access in general is crucial, especially with a new president and the country's recession. When any journalist is denied access, it shows a lack of transparency and a desire to keep something hidden from the public. The media will often be told it's about security, even though it usually isn't.
Bloggers can be journalists. But anyone can be a blogger. A 5-year-old can sit down at a computer with Internet access, create an account at blogspot.com and write a few sentences about the toy he or she just got for Christmas or frustration with parents. Believe it or not, that's a blog. Therefore, letting in all bloggers to a state capitol or Congressional meetings could cause problems.
There needs to be some kind of standard that a blogger would have to meet in order to get access. But it needs to be fair, so critics won't be excluded. Bloggers are often less afraid of asking the tough questions that mainstream media wouldn't even dare thinking to ask. I'm not sure what the standard should be, but I think there should be one. Readership should certainly be a significant factor. The standards have to be measurable to ensure fairness.
There's been a recent discussion about blogger access in Minnesota. Media access in general is crucial, especially with a new president and the country's recession. When any journalist is denied access, it shows a lack of transparency and a desire to keep something hidden from the public. The media will often be told it's about security, even though it usually isn't.
Bloggers can be journalists. But anyone can be a blogger. A 5-year-old can sit down at a computer with Internet access, create an account at blogspot.com and write a few sentences about the toy he or she just got for Christmas or frustration with parents. Believe it or not, that's a blog. Therefore, letting in all bloggers to a state capitol or Congressional meetings could cause problems.
There needs to be some kind of standard that a blogger would have to meet in order to get access. But it needs to be fair, so critics won't be excluded. Bloggers are often less afraid of asking the tough questions that mainstream media wouldn't even dare thinking to ask. I'm not sure what the standard should be, but I think there should be one. Readership should certainly be a significant factor. The standards have to be measurable to ensure fairness.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Berkeley Barb
Looking back on the '60s always evokes powerful memories. Even for me, even though I wasn't even born yet. But with the newspaper industry in a sharp decline, I can't help but think about how essential newspapers once were.
Newspapers have always been the backbone of journalism. Even now, bloggers often link to newspaper articles, and radio and TV news stations have always picked up the daily regional paper to figure out which stories to air on their show. Everybody's so excited about Twitter, but the quality, in-depth, investigative news reporting is done in newspapers and then moved somewhere else.
In the '60s, the Berkeley Barb was the battleground for counterculture vs. the government. The paper held those in power accountable for their actions and was not afraid to speak out against injustice.
Now, basically every newspaper has a website, rightfully so, but so many newspapers and other media outlets feel they need to have a Twitter account. The problem now is the focus on getting it first, as opposed to getting it right. Speed is important, but content should not be compromised. Journalists need to get back into the issues and focus on in-depth reporting. Maybe that will save newspapers.
**
Feeling nostalgic for the Berkeley Barb? See pdfs of old issues here. Read more of my thoughts on the Barb here.
Newspapers have always been the backbone of journalism. Even now, bloggers often link to newspaper articles, and radio and TV news stations have always picked up the daily regional paper to figure out which stories to air on their show. Everybody's so excited about Twitter, but the quality, in-depth, investigative news reporting is done in newspapers and then moved somewhere else.
In the '60s, the Berkeley Barb was the battleground for counterculture vs. the government. The paper held those in power accountable for their actions and was not afraid to speak out against injustice.
Now, basically every newspaper has a website, rightfully so, but so many newspapers and other media outlets feel they need to have a Twitter account. The problem now is the focus on getting it first, as opposed to getting it right. Speed is important, but content should not be compromised. Journalists need to get back into the issues and focus on in-depth reporting. Maybe that will save newspapers.
**
Feeling nostalgic for the Berkeley Barb? See pdfs of old issues here. Read more of my thoughts on the Barb here.
The other side
It's easy to talk to people when you agree with them. When Democrats talk to Democrats and when Republicans talk to conservatives, everybody gets along. However, these "one-sided" discussions don't foster much debate.
And so, after spending half a semester in a class taught by a leftist, it was refreshing to hear someone from the right weigh in on independent media. Mark Finkelstein is originally from NewsBusters, which is a media watch group seeking to expose liberal media bias. Now he's got his own blog.
I had met Mark several months earlier, and his visit to Ithaca College's Covering the Election class showed two sides that came from the opposite ends of the political spectrum, engaging us in a back-and-forth debate.
This time around, I asked Mark what he thought about Jon Stewart's takedown of CNBC's Jim Cramer. He said Stewart picked on Cramer because of an anti-Obama comment. While it's true that Cramer wasn't the only one giving an audience bad information about the stock market, SOMEONE needed to be called out. CNBC was an easy pick because, for one, its a TV station. Sure, the Wall Street Journal made some mistakes, but it's much more appealing to show a video clip than it is to point at a newspaper.
What Stewart did wasn't exactly journalism, but it wasn't entirely satire either. More importantly, he sent out a valuable message, that we can't be afraid to hold people accountable, and that we need to foster debate.
And so, after spending half a semester in a class taught by a leftist, it was refreshing to hear someone from the right weigh in on independent media. Mark Finkelstein is originally from NewsBusters, which is a media watch group seeking to expose liberal media bias. Now he's got his own blog.
I had met Mark several months earlier, and his visit to Ithaca College's Covering the Election class showed two sides that came from the opposite ends of the political spectrum, engaging us in a back-and-forth debate.
This time around, I asked Mark what he thought about Jon Stewart's takedown of CNBC's Jim Cramer. He said Stewart picked on Cramer because of an anti-Obama comment. While it's true that Cramer wasn't the only one giving an audience bad information about the stock market, SOMEONE needed to be called out. CNBC was an easy pick because, for one, its a TV station. Sure, the Wall Street Journal made some mistakes, but it's much more appealing to show a video clip than it is to point at a newspaper.
What Stewart did wasn't exactly journalism, but it wasn't entirely satire either. More importantly, he sent out a valuable message, that we can't be afraid to hold people accountable, and that we need to foster debate.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Calling for change
I'm just gazing over CNN's and TIME's sites the morning after the election. There are natural, important questions being asked in headlines, like "Who'll Fill Obama's Senate Seat?" But there are three things I would like to see more of.
1. A to-do list
I'm well aware that President-Elect Barack Obama has not even been sworn in yet, but I think he made clear in his acceptance speech that there is much work to be done. Now is the time to act, as Obama has said himself and voters nationwide have shown they're prepared for by coming out in massive numbers. There's been talk about the Cabinet and political teams he's assembling and the importance of starting immediately. But what does he need to DO immediately? Which policies that he's promised to initiate need to happen first? This leads me to my next point.
2. What we journalists call a "nut graf"
We need a so-what story. A story that says what this means. We all know the race issue, and how big of a step it is to elect the nation's first black president. But what does this decisive victory mean for the country? That so many voters came out for THIS election to elect OBAMA. How valuable is that during one of the worst economic period's in the nation's history. Leading into No. 3.
3. Reaction
I walked outside around the Ithaca College campus after the networks called Obama, part-journalist, part-Obama supporter, part-student. The joy around me was unreal. Let's not even get into Oprah's tears. I called a friend, and he was beside himself, hardly able to find the words to express his happiness. Another called Obama the "JFK of our generation." I think it might be too early to say that, but the impact Obama has had already is a truly incredible thing.
This is the kind of story I'm looking for.
1. A to-do list
I'm well aware that President-Elect Barack Obama has not even been sworn in yet, but I think he made clear in his acceptance speech that there is much work to be done. Now is the time to act, as Obama has said himself and voters nationwide have shown they're prepared for by coming out in massive numbers. There's been talk about the Cabinet and political teams he's assembling and the importance of starting immediately. But what does he need to DO immediately? Which policies that he's promised to initiate need to happen first? This leads me to my next point.
2. What we journalists call a "nut graf"
We need a so-what story. A story that says what this means. We all know the race issue, and how big of a step it is to elect the nation's first black president. But what does this decisive victory mean for the country? That so many voters came out for THIS election to elect OBAMA. How valuable is that during one of the worst economic period's in the nation's history. Leading into No. 3.
3. Reaction
I walked outside around the Ithaca College campus after the networks called Obama, part-journalist, part-Obama supporter, part-student. The joy around me was unreal. Let's not even get into Oprah's tears. I called a friend, and he was beside himself, hardly able to find the words to express his happiness. Another called Obama the "JFK of our generation." I think it might be too early to say that, but the impact Obama has had already is a truly incredible thing.
This is the kind of story I'm looking for.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
It's just begun
IT IS OFFICIAL. Barack Obama is president-elect of the United States of America. It came faster than many people thought. Just a sudden flash and then there he was speaking. Students gathered around the Ithaca College campus in celebration as likely many other campuses and places across the country.
I was amazed by how quickly results came in. It seemed like the polls had just closed in a handful of states and Obama suddenly had more than 100 electoral votes, according to CNN. I watched other people around me, all glued to their computer screens. Some on NYTimes.com, others looking at CNN. I wondered if it were possible that Obama could already be at a supreme advantage so early in the night.
CNN called states earlier than other news outlets called precincts. Some people around me, like me, couldn't believe how fast the results were coming in. However, it was a clear, decisive victory for Obama. The desire of CNN to be the first to project a state for either candidate showed the news outlet's disrespect and disregard for the process and for the American people.
But media prevailed in other ways. In new, innovative ways. User-generated content on sites like YouTube displayed an audience interaction incomparable to anything before. As the Internet grows as more people's primary news source for election coverage, it will be exciting to see how independent media covers the 2012 election, the 2016 election, and even the 2040 election.
More post-election blogging to come.
I was amazed by how quickly results came in. It seemed like the polls had just closed in a handful of states and Obama suddenly had more than 100 electoral votes, according to CNN. I watched other people around me, all glued to their computer screens. Some on NYTimes.com, others looking at CNN. I wondered if it were possible that Obama could already be at a supreme advantage so early in the night.
CNN called states earlier than other news outlets called precincts. Some people around me, like me, couldn't believe how fast the results were coming in. However, it was a clear, decisive victory for Obama. The desire of CNN to be the first to project a state for either candidate showed the news outlet's disrespect and disregard for the process and for the American people.
But media prevailed in other ways. In new, innovative ways. User-generated content on sites like YouTube displayed an audience interaction incomparable to anything before. As the Internet grows as more people's primary news source for election coverage, it will be exciting to see how independent media covers the 2012 election, the 2016 election, and even the 2040 election.
More post-election blogging to come.
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