7.00 Reporter's Notebook

           Before taking this class, the first thing that popped up into my head when I thought about journalism was the image of a nosy reporter with a distinct voice, shoving his or her microphone in the faces of celebrities and public figures while bombarding them with intrusive questions. Sometimes I thought of professional writers for a large, famous corporation such as the New York Times, but not nearly as much as the former. I knew it was about informing the public of something in some way, but I thought a huge part of it was “getting the inside scoop” and sensationalizing everything. My mother is a fan of reading the tabloids, and based on all the shallow headlines and stories I glanced at, I viewed the press as somewhat annoying and didn't think much about the multiple sides of journalism. I assumed most journalists were opinionated in their writing and reporting, especially in things that involved the media or politics. It was because of those misconceptions that I had never considered journalism as a rewarding career.

           Since then, my impression of journalism has certainly changed. Although I learned that the purpose of a true journalist is to correctly inform the public and state facts, but what classifies as a “true journalist” varies. A journalist isn't always someone who works for a large corporation and has a plethora of experience under their belt. I learned that anyone can be a journalist as long as they have a story to tell, and write with an open, honest, and objective mind. And although writing is a common form of journalism, it isn't the only one. Journalists are photographers. Journalists are news reporters, magazine columnists, and radio broadcasters. The teen blogger on tumblr who wrote an article about body image is a journalist also. I learned that ethics are extremely important in journalism and the kind of unprofessionalism I've seen from some reporters on television is not commonplace or tolerated, and reflects negatively on their company and career as a whole. I still do not plan on becoming a journalist because I rather invent my own stories than report on others without expressing myself; however, this class has instilled in me a great respect for journalism. I believe the future holds endless possibilities for the journalist field, and journalism will continue to evolve along with the rest of the world. 

6.00 Reporter's Notebook

           For as long as I can remember, I've been subscribed to Seventeen magazine---and I’m not even seventeen yet! Perhaps it was the fabulous fashion tips, amazing true stories, and the fact that they use real, un-photoshopped girls as their models and celebrate diversity that attracted me; but it was the inspiring letters from the editor-in-chief and writer, Ann Shoket, that kept me reading issue after issue each month. In an interview, she recalled having starting off her career as an intern at Rolling Stone magazine. She worked on the business side more than the journalism side, and spent her internship there promoting the magazine. Though she enjoyed her time at Rolling Stone, she felt it wasn't for her and moved on. Her first real job once she graduated college was The American Lawyer, a trade magazine about the business of law. There she learned how to be a reporter from the best in that time period. Before becoming editor in chief of Seventeen in 2007 however, she was senior editor of CosmoGIRL! magazine. It’s evident that Ann has a lot of experience in this industry. Even before her career took off, she was interning at Rolling Stone, one of the most popular magazines in the U.S.

           As previously stated, Ann Shoket now works as editor-in-chief for Seventeen magazine. Unlike her previous endeavors, she doesn't just work for the magazine but runs things; those things being all departments of the magazine. An editor-in-chief’s job consists of exactly what the title implies---editing. They check for mistakes in writing and decide what goes into (and what gets taken out) of the magazine. She is responsible for basically all editorial aspects of publication. In my opinion, she’s at the top of her career. Not because of her title, but because of her success and achievements. 

5.00 Reporter's Notebook

1. What are your thoughts on writing in general? Describe your impression of the written word and its importance in the world. Explain how you feel about writing, personally.

Writing has always been a large part of my life, since the time I learned to read. Unlike most children, it wasn't the pictures in the books that captivated me, but the words that spin the story. Even though children’s stories were made short and simple for my young mind to comprehend, I was still inspired to write thanks to them. In my mind, writing does more than tell a story or send a message; it inspires others. It can give them that motivation to make a change in their life, to take a simple idea or concept from something they read somewhere, and make it real. Writing is a form of art; the only difference being it paints its picture with words.

Of course, that’s just my personal opinion, but I’m sure others can agree that it’s an important part of everyday life as well. In order to be successful in life, communication is not just necessary but needed. Writing is a form of communication. Without written word there would be no spoken word, and then there would be no communication or basic human life. Without it, there would also be no way of learning our history. Nearly everything we know about how humanity came to be, our struggles, and what life was like for us in the past is from ancient artifacts and writing. If the people of ancient civilizations never carved their stories into stone, we might have never known they existed. I like to think that it’s their way of ensuring that their way of life was not forgotten through time.

2. Is it truly possible to write impartially? Analyze what you know about credible news reporting and compare that with what you know about human beings. Explain your thoughts about whether reporters can remain completely impartial in their work.

I believe that it is possible to write impartially, but certainly not easy. Every person on the planet has some sort of bias whether they choose to admit it or not, and everyone has an opinion whether or not they choose to reveal it. I think that the key to writing impartially is having an opinion, but choosing to not reveal it in their word choice or tone. Writing is indeed a form of self expression, and it can be hard to expresses something without a trace of opinion. But if a writer or journalist can separate themselves from a story or situation entirely, or even try to step out of themselves and view something from different perspectives, then impartial writing can be achieved. 

3.00 Intro to Ethics

           What does it mean to be ethical? The Oxford Dictionary describes it as “morally good or correct”. Basically, an ethical person is someone who does the right thing. I wholeheartedly agree with this definition because in my opinion, someone who is ethical is not only fair and makes good decisions, but also does what’s necessary to keep those around them (as well as themselves) safe. I believe that although many people make unintelligent decisions and mistakes every day, the majority know the difference between right and wrong, and aren't heartless. An example of an ethical person is someone who might help out a friend who’s in a tough spot, or pick up trash from off the street when they know it doesn't belong there. An ethical person does what’s right not because they have to, but because it’s better for everyone. They're morally aware, and know how to judge a situation and think for themselves, “Should I do this? Is it going to harm someone, or help them?”

           Based on my description of an ethical person, I believe that the right thing to do in the example presented within the lesson would be to tell the parents. When your friend gives a stranger their home address, they are not only putting themselves in danger, but putting everyone else in the household in danger as well. If a person confronted in that situation doesn't aware the adults, a serious crime could take place in the home due to an unknown person knowing their whereabouts and other personal information. An ethical person would know that the best thing to do would be to inform the parents. A person does not have to go along with everyone’s wishes or be the best secret-keeper to be ethical. It is better to be safe than sorry, and a person’s life is more important than how they feel about you. If a friend is truly a friend, they'll thank you one day for telling someone.

          Ethics has to be one of the most important parts of journalism aside from pulling out information. What good is a story if it’s all a bunch of lies? An ethical journalist is fair to the public, reliable, and works hard for correct information. The entire company must be ethical as well, or else not one journalist will be trusted. A news company that lies to their readers, listeners, or viewers and gives them unfair, biased reports won’t receive as many readers/listeners/viewers as organizations that give the truth, and nothing but the truth. Without ethical journalism, the way we look at our news would be the same way many people look at undefined, blurry pictures of “bigfoot”. 

2.05 Internet: News, Blogs, etc.

       Throughout the years, many different ways that we receive our news has been created. What started out with just newspapers that took hours, sometimes even days to put together, has now evolved into radio, television, and the most popular source of this generation; the internet . Of course different people have different ways of getting their news, but mine and many others personal favorite is the internet. Not only is it more convenient and easier to access, but the content is updated constantly! No longer will you have to wait weeks and months to be in the know like we have to with newspapers and magazines. The new age has offered us our news in a matter of seconds, including live feeds of large-scale news.

          Although every form of news has its major differences, they share some similarities too. For one, there’s the painfully obvious; they all deliver news! The radio is a very unique type of news. It only involves audio, so the broadcaster has to be very in depth about the information they are giving and what they are describing. Television is a little similar to radio in the fact that it includes audio as well as visuals. When compared to television and radio, newspapers are even more unique because they share the least similarities with the other types. The majority of it is just reading.

           Furthermore, I consider the internet to be a supreme combination of all news sources accessible to us. From the internet you have easy access to radio streams, newspaper/web articles, videos with news broadcasts, and much more. That is why it’s one of, if not the most, used mediums when it comes to everything media.  I believe the internet will continue to be number one because it’s always changing with the world. While most people (particularly the younger generations) prefer to get their news this way, there are others who refuse and don’t like using the computer or internet.

           Speaking of those who prefer traditional methods over the more modern ones, there are still other ways for them to receive their news the way they like to. Like my uncle, some like to sit down with a glass of coffee or milk in the morning as they read from the paper. Others like my dad will watch the morning or evening broadcasts on the TV. For those like my mother who simply don’t have the time or patience to watch or read the news, they listen to the radio as they go about their day. Whether on the way to work, picking up the kids from school, or headed anywhere really, radio stations make it possible to catch up on the news without wasting time.

           In conclusion, I get my news from many places. Whether it is radio, television, magazine, or word of mouth, I’m very versatile. But in my personal opinion, the World Wide Web is by far the best. No more waiting for newspapers to print or for broadcasts to stat, just pull out your computer, laptop, cell phone, tablet, iPad, and get everything you need in a matter of seconds. As I said before, some may think differently, which is perfectly ok too. Everyone has their preferences, but the speed and variety of the internet appeals to me the most. I understand that many people enjoy the wait and anticipation of their favorite newspaper or magazine, and if it’ worth it, why not? They may not cover as many subjects on the spot, but they may appeal to you. The different ways of getting news is infinite, so enjoy them all! 

2.04 Broadcast--Television

           For this blog post, I watched ABCNews from Saturday, October 5^th 2013.  I would classify this particular news show and its segments as mainly entertainment news. While they do inform the viewers of events that took place and what is going on in the world, the majority of their content is reports on entertainment, celebrity news, and the latest trends. One of the shows I watched was ABC’s Good Morning America, also called GMA, with anchors Lara Spencer, Robin Roberts, Josh Elliot, George Stephanopoulos, and Sam Champion. On the round table they reported on and discussed topics such as Britney Spears’ music video and the latest music to top the billboard chart, although later in the day, ABC also reported on political events such as the Government Shutdown and its effects on countries in the Middle East.

         As for ABC, the amount of opinion in their segments depends on the show. ABCNews has a total of five shows (GMA, World News, Nightline, 20/20, This Week) in which they cover varying subjects in segments from just a few minutes long to a full hour. I watched a 20/20 hour long report that aired on October 4^th, called “Out of Bounds” with Elizabeth Vargas and David Muir. This report was broken into three sections, one about police breaking the law, another about violent children, and a teenage girl involved in a scandal. The show was comprised of interviews with the alleged criminals, victims, experts, as well as friends and relatives of them. Although very captivating and entertaining to watch, I found the videos to be very informative as well. They only delivered facts about the case, and were unbiased when interviewing subjects. However, on the GMA segments, the anchors sit at a round table and openly discuss and express their feelings about certain topics. For example, after the report on Britney Spears’ new music video, Sam Champion remarked, “I think it’s a fun video, it’s just enough, and I agree.”

          Overall, the informative aspects of these shows are very thorough. I believe that even shows such as GMA are trust worthy and reliable despite the sometimes opinionated reporters. The show presented both facts and opinions and successfully managed to separate the two. During interviews I noted that the reporters were neutral in their questions and responses and their personal opinion on the matter was never really exposed.  I got the feeling that this was a very experienced news broadcast and the reports were professional. I also understood the point of views of everyone involved in their reports, and the fact that they always put a name and face to their sources, as opposed to just “A close friend of Britney’s”, made the information much more credible to me.

2.01 Newspapers: How do Newspapers make money?

The newspaper industry is a business, and like most businesses, money is an important factor if not the most important. How else can they continue what they do if they're not supported financially? The real question is how do newspapers make their money? Especially when you’re able to read them for free on a little something called the internet. Well, if we're talking online, there are usually advertisements in the side bar that contribute money to the news company. But if we’re talking the traditional printed newspapers, subscriptions and ads are some of the main sources of their money. According to Daryl E. Owens of the Orlando Sentinel, “Each advertisement is sold based upon word count, length of publication, and special features such as highlighting and font manipulations.” Many organizations will pay a lot of money to advertise in newspapers that many people in the area reads, which is why organizations tend to be high in price when selling add spaces.

           Another tactic companies use to gain money is developing a fan base for their newspapers. Many companies have larger income when they're trusted and have a habit to them. When a newspaper isn't consistent in its delivery, naturally the customer won't be interested in buying anymore.  Once a large fan base is established, companies can offer subscription rates. These rates allow more customer input into the company, and inevitably, more money (Porter Tim., “How Newspapers Make Money”). Furthermore, we live in an age surrounded by technology. This ultimately helps bring in more company to news organizations. Thanks to advanced cell phones, iPads, tablets, or other app-containing technologies, news companies like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal can reach out to readers by selling apps. These apps can range from free to as high as they want it to be. This benefits the company because now they're charging for apps on top of charging for their usual paper.

           In conclusion, while advertisements, subscriptions, and technology bring in revenue, newspapers mainly make money because they offer something that readers want; interesting, reliable, and worthwhile content. A newspaper puts together all the latest in local and national stories, columns with interesting facts or info, comics, local event listings, and other information that will keep the reader always coming back for more.