Chapter 18: “Info Snacking”
1. Chapter 18: “Info Snacking” explains how today most Americans get their news from television but on the other hand hard news is decreasing. The clip states how cable originated for 24 hour news but now, since 2000, television reporting is changing dramatically with the aging of its audience and the different outlets one can get their news by. In order to reach out to the 20 to 30 age group the head of 60 Minutes realized broadcast journalism has to go online. Now 60 Minutes works with Yahoo to get the younger audience to pay attention to news. The stories that appear on Yahoo right now are usually the lighter stories or the stories that did not make it on air. The stories are chopped up purposely to appeal to Yahoo’s younger audience. “Info Snacking” is typically when the younger audience will read a part or a piece of a story and follow the link attached to read the next thing. Yahoo will take pieces of what they get from 60 Minutes; chunking them together producing a two to four minute piece. Another argument is that Google is the key to linking America to news. Today, people want news when they want it and will get it from where they want it, even if that means making it themselves. Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, states that in five to 10 years there will be a new kind of reporting. This new type of reporting will consist of bloggers, online reporters and man on the street.
I think that having broadcast journalism online is a good idea. I agree with 60 Minutes that if people want to get their news from the internet then they should be able to. If there is going to be broadcast journalism online then I don’t think it should just be the news that was not aired that day. Every person watches the news for different reasons, meaning news stations are going to have to put everything they cover online or their audience will go somewhere else to get what they want. People do not always just want the fluff news; they want to know what is happening in the world. I agree with the news going online, but I do not think blogging and the man on the street should be considered journalism, the reason being that it may not be factual information. I don’t necessarily think that online broadcast should be the only way people can get their news but they should have the option to.
This chapter’s argument in connection to blogging is just that in the next few years blogging might be one of the primary ways we get our news. With old reporting styles slowly declining and more people wanting their news online there is going to have to be changes in reporting style. With reporting style changing this leads to more bloggers and online journalist springing up.
Chapter 19: “The Universe of Online Media”
1. The main argument of “The Universe of Online Media” is whether or not blogging and citizen journalism should be considered an act of Journalism. Jeff Jarvis, Blogger of BuzzMachine argues that anyone can be a journalist. One does not have to go to school or work for a news station or newspaper to be considered a journalist. An example given by a reporter interviewing Jarvis is, if a teenager is walking down the street and witnesses’ news then takes a picture of it on his or her cell phone is he or she is performing an act of journalism? Jarvis states that yes, if you are finding something out that the world wanted to know, and you are telling them, then you are performing an act of journalism. Jarvis feels that anyone with a laptop can be a reporter. Rocketboom is a website that includes short, daily webcast of news and humorous feature stories that are presented in a mock television news style. The people who run this website explain sometimes they have a million viewers, which is, in some instances, as many viewers as cable news channels. They never considered themselves journalist but other people consider what they do acts of journalism. On the other hand there are people who disagree when it comes to anyone being able to be a journalist. Nicholas Lemann, Dean of Columbia University of Journalism, believes that citizen journalism and blogging is valuable but does not think it produces lots and lots of information. Lemann compares blogs to church newsletters stating no one is against them but they are more like a community bulletin board. He argues that bloggers are not going out and searching for information whereas journalists are. Lemann believes that blogs and citizen journalism are not that reliable or original. The other argument is that bloggers can pick up information that other news sources miss, for example what happened at Strom Thurmond’s 100th Birthday.
I think that blogging and citizen journalism stems from Journalism but I would not say that it is Journalism per se. Journalism, I would think by definition is not something one just knows or can pick up. Most well known journalists had to get a degree in Journalism before they could start practicing in their profession. I mainly agree with Lemann’s argument when he says that blogs and citizen journalism are not always reliable and not always original. Many blogs are merely a list of opinions and comments. People write how they feel about a particular topic while giving their reasons for their feelings. Also, in many instances blogs and citizen journalism are not doing the reporting themselves. They get their information from other news sources whose journalist have done the researching and reporting. I think saying that anyone who writes or takes pictures of news is a journalist is similar to saying anyone who cares for someone when they are sick is a doctor.
In connection to blogging, there are the opinions that blogging can be a news sources while others say it is not accurate. Some argue that people can get their news from citizen journalism and blogging websites while others think it is more for humor and discussion.
2. After watching these News War Chapters and reading about blogging I think that the future of blogging is going to grow and develop over the next decade. Today, more than ever people are all about technology. People have cell phones and i-pods that connect to the Internet giving people easy access to get their news literally in the palm of their hand and within seconds. People want to get information when they want it or when they need it. They do not want to have to wait until the evening news to find out information when they can go online and get it right then. With the advancement of the Internet and technology, as well as with news stations using the Internet more to get their information, it can only mean that the future of blogging is just the beginning of what is to come for this century.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
News Wars - 4th Hour Blog
Chapter 17
The main argument of Chapter 17 was that there has been a change of focus in network news over the years from a quality product and public service to making money. In earlier decades, news organizations were much more focused on quality and public service because they had to be. Ted Koppel cites the fact that the FCC had more control in the earlier years of network news and they used it. He stated that, “section 315 of the FCC code said you shall operate in the public interest, convenience, and necessity”. Koppel also said that today’s journalism does not always follow that guideline and instead has resorted to giving the public what it wants, not what it ought to hear, something he called “one of the greatest tragedies in the history of American journalism”.
The news program, 60 Minutes, was credited as being the turning point when network news realized it could make money off of their programs. Following that, emphasis was put on the de-regulation and corporate takeover that occurred in the 1980’s, specifically the purchasing of CBS by Larry Tisch. When Tisch purchased CBS he had the mentality that he could cut 33% of the organization out while still delivering 90% of the product in order to make more money.
Judging by the support given in this chapter as well as my own experience with network news, I do agree with the argument made. I don’t really have any personal experience with governmental control, de-regulation, or the business behind network news and therefore can only rely on the information presented to me. However, I have noticed that the primetime network news that I have seen does seem to follow the presented trend of giving the public what it wants instead of what it ought to hear. For example, we live in a society that has an insatiable appetite for celebrity news. As that appetite has been acknowledged by other areas of communication it has crept into some major news outlets. Some stories about celebrity marriages, adoptions, births, or other ‘big’ celebrity stories will be covered on something like the CBS Evening News. If people are more interested in celebrities than they are in something like foreign policy, including the celebrity news would follow the argument made by the chapter that networks are ‘giving the public what they want, not what it ought to hear’.
The concept of blogging relates to this trend as well. Many blogs exist as an alternative source of information from what can be found in the mainstream media. They are there to provide the public with what it wants to read/hear. Although blogging isn’t typically thought of as a big money maker which seemed to be an emphasis of current network news, the chapter argued that network news gave the people what it wanted as a means of making money. Bloggers use that concept to attract traffic to their site or get readers interested in what they have to say and therefore the content of blogging is still in line with the trends of current network news.
Chapter 18
The main argument of Chapter 18 was that major changes in news media can be attributed to a changing audience. The first major change pointed out is that audiences are getting younger, and the second is that they are in more control of the content they take in than ever before.
The major audience of traditional news programs like the example given, 60 Minutes, are aged 55+ and those programs are looking to capture the attention of a younger audience. The chapter argues that younger audiences are more in command of what they want and how to get it, sometimes even creating it themselves. This audience change has caused the news media to adapt to meet this need. The prime example given is how 60 Minutes turned to Yahoo to keep up with this change in audience demands. According to Executive Producer, Jeff Fagar, today’s audiences, especially younger ones in the age range of 20-30, have a tendency toward ‘info snacking’. Info snacking was explained as when a person will seek out news for headlines or bits of news that seem interesting to them, read a piece or part of a piece of that news, and possibly follow some other link or move on.
Increasingly, audiences are turning to the internet to engage in this ‘info snacking’ habit. That led 60 Minutes to team up with Yahoo in the first place. It allows them the control to provide content that will reach a younger audience in the format that the younger demographic wishes to receive it. The chapter argues that the demand for increased audience control over how to get the news that they want is fueling networks and other programs to get online as well.
As a part of the younger demographic mentioned in this chapter, I agree with that argument that is presented. There have been many times that I have rolled my eyes at my dad watching 60 Minutes while I bring up an AOL or Yahoo Homepage to keep myself up to date. I felt myself relating to what was being said about the younger audiences throughout the chapter. For example, ‘info snacking’ is something I do on a daily basis. If I’m ever on a news website, or any other website for that matter, I’m always skimming the content only pausing every so often if something catches my eye. I even do that when I look at news media that is not on the internet. I can’t remember the last time I sat down and thoroughly read a full newspaper or magazine just because I wanted to.
The themes of chapter 18 relate well to blogging. Blogs appear on the internet as news sources. Considering that younger audiences are turning to the internet more and more for news, it only makes sense that blogs would be something that would impact them and be, at least to some degree, a part of the sources audiences turn to for news. In addition, if audiences are seeking increased control of their news, blogs would be a natural place for these people to look for information. Blogs have a much higher level of user control than traditional news sources. In many cases readers can post comments and engage in discussion with the poster, audiences can create their own blogs, and blogs cover a wide variety of topics and viewpoints allowing audiences to pick and choose what they want to engage themselves with.
The Future of Blogging
Based on what we have read so far in class and what has been presented to us in the readings so far, it is safe to say that blogging has certainly made an impact on journalism in today’s world that only looks to get bigger as time goes on. Several themes have presented themselves through all of the material that we have covered that would support the idea that blogging and citizen journalism will continue to grow in size, impact, and importance in the world of journalism. First, technology and the internet have significantly grown in importance over the last decade. This has caused many people to turn to technology and the internet for their news. Thanks to the pairing of the internet and other technologies people can get news on their cell phones, through ipods, etc. Second, journalists themselves have turned to using blogs as an alternative to traditional news outlets like television or the internet. And lastly, blogging opens the doors for ordinary citizens to engage themselves in the news by creating it themselves or commenting on things posted by other people. Together, those three themes secure a future for blogging where more people, ordinary citizens and journalists alike, will begin and continue to use them. Their popularity is likely to continue to increase, and because they are relatively new, chances are that the people using them will continue to find new and innovative uses for the technology.
The main argument of Chapter 17 was that there has been a change of focus in network news over the years from a quality product and public service to making money. In earlier decades, news organizations were much more focused on quality and public service because they had to be. Ted Koppel cites the fact that the FCC had more control in the earlier years of network news and they used it. He stated that, “section 315 of the FCC code said you shall operate in the public interest, convenience, and necessity”. Koppel also said that today’s journalism does not always follow that guideline and instead has resorted to giving the public what it wants, not what it ought to hear, something he called “one of the greatest tragedies in the history of American journalism”.
The news program, 60 Minutes, was credited as being the turning point when network news realized it could make money off of their programs. Following that, emphasis was put on the de-regulation and corporate takeover that occurred in the 1980’s, specifically the purchasing of CBS by Larry Tisch. When Tisch purchased CBS he had the mentality that he could cut 33% of the organization out while still delivering 90% of the product in order to make more money.
Judging by the support given in this chapter as well as my own experience with network news, I do agree with the argument made. I don’t really have any personal experience with governmental control, de-regulation, or the business behind network news and therefore can only rely on the information presented to me. However, I have noticed that the primetime network news that I have seen does seem to follow the presented trend of giving the public what it wants instead of what it ought to hear. For example, we live in a society that has an insatiable appetite for celebrity news. As that appetite has been acknowledged by other areas of communication it has crept into some major news outlets. Some stories about celebrity marriages, adoptions, births, or other ‘big’ celebrity stories will be covered on something like the CBS Evening News. If people are more interested in celebrities than they are in something like foreign policy, including the celebrity news would follow the argument made by the chapter that networks are ‘giving the public what they want, not what it ought to hear’.
The concept of blogging relates to this trend as well. Many blogs exist as an alternative source of information from what can be found in the mainstream media. They are there to provide the public with what it wants to read/hear. Although blogging isn’t typically thought of as a big money maker which seemed to be an emphasis of current network news, the chapter argued that network news gave the people what it wanted as a means of making money. Bloggers use that concept to attract traffic to their site or get readers interested in what they have to say and therefore the content of blogging is still in line with the trends of current network news.
Chapter 18
The main argument of Chapter 18 was that major changes in news media can be attributed to a changing audience. The first major change pointed out is that audiences are getting younger, and the second is that they are in more control of the content they take in than ever before.
The major audience of traditional news programs like the example given, 60 Minutes, are aged 55+ and those programs are looking to capture the attention of a younger audience. The chapter argues that younger audiences are more in command of what they want and how to get it, sometimes even creating it themselves. This audience change has caused the news media to adapt to meet this need. The prime example given is how 60 Minutes turned to Yahoo to keep up with this change in audience demands. According to Executive Producer, Jeff Fagar, today’s audiences, especially younger ones in the age range of 20-30, have a tendency toward ‘info snacking’. Info snacking was explained as when a person will seek out news for headlines or bits of news that seem interesting to them, read a piece or part of a piece of that news, and possibly follow some other link or move on.
Increasingly, audiences are turning to the internet to engage in this ‘info snacking’ habit. That led 60 Minutes to team up with Yahoo in the first place. It allows them the control to provide content that will reach a younger audience in the format that the younger demographic wishes to receive it. The chapter argues that the demand for increased audience control over how to get the news that they want is fueling networks and other programs to get online as well.
As a part of the younger demographic mentioned in this chapter, I agree with that argument that is presented. There have been many times that I have rolled my eyes at my dad watching 60 Minutes while I bring up an AOL or Yahoo Homepage to keep myself up to date. I felt myself relating to what was being said about the younger audiences throughout the chapter. For example, ‘info snacking’ is something I do on a daily basis. If I’m ever on a news website, or any other website for that matter, I’m always skimming the content only pausing every so often if something catches my eye. I even do that when I look at news media that is not on the internet. I can’t remember the last time I sat down and thoroughly read a full newspaper or magazine just because I wanted to.
The themes of chapter 18 relate well to blogging. Blogs appear on the internet as news sources. Considering that younger audiences are turning to the internet more and more for news, it only makes sense that blogs would be something that would impact them and be, at least to some degree, a part of the sources audiences turn to for news. In addition, if audiences are seeking increased control of their news, blogs would be a natural place for these people to look for information. Blogs have a much higher level of user control than traditional news sources. In many cases readers can post comments and engage in discussion with the poster, audiences can create their own blogs, and blogs cover a wide variety of topics and viewpoints allowing audiences to pick and choose what they want to engage themselves with.
The Future of Blogging
Based on what we have read so far in class and what has been presented to us in the readings so far, it is safe to say that blogging has certainly made an impact on journalism in today’s world that only looks to get bigger as time goes on. Several themes have presented themselves through all of the material that we have covered that would support the idea that blogging and citizen journalism will continue to grow in size, impact, and importance in the world of journalism. First, technology and the internet have significantly grown in importance over the last decade. This has caused many people to turn to technology and the internet for their news. Thanks to the pairing of the internet and other technologies people can get news on their cell phones, through ipods, etc. Second, journalists themselves have turned to using blogs as an alternative to traditional news outlets like television or the internet. And lastly, blogging opens the doors for ordinary citizens to engage themselves in the news by creating it themselves or commenting on things posted by other people. Together, those three themes secure a future for blogging where more people, ordinary citizens and journalists alike, will begin and continue to use them. Their popularity is likely to continue to increase, and because they are relatively new, chances are that the people using them will continue to find new and innovative uses for the technology.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Snacking on the News
I was actually excited to be viewing “chapters” in video form, I feel it is much more interactive and attention grasping. From the start I could already tell I was going to agree with the arguments presented here. Chapter 17: Then and Now started out discussing big time news networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS. What distinguishes one network from another is original reporting and having the primetime area full of a wide range of stories. When ABC turned down a show about capturing sex predators, NBC picked it up claiming that it was a public service and investigative journalism. According to Ted Koppel, an employee of ABC, “we are now judging journalism with the same standards we give to entertainment.” That is, give the public what it wants, not necessarily what it ought to hear or see, or what it needs. He feels that this is a tragedy for news and journalism. The chapter also discusses CBS, and Dan Rather was attracted to them initially because of their “spirit of mission” and it provided quality news of integrity in the public service. At one point, it was government mandated to operate in the public service but this has slowly been changing. At first, news divisions were not expected to make a lot of money, but when 60 Minutes began to turn a profit, corporate entities began to realize that news could make money. 60 Minutes helped evolve shows such as 20/20, Dateline, and Primetime Live. In the 80’s Reagan began to make budget cuts and CBS fell into 3rd place in the rankings and has stayed there ever since.
I learned a lot about news in this chapter. I will admit that I hardly ever watch the news, either it does not interest me or it depresses me. However, that is our world; I believe the public has the right to know the truth and be told what they need to hear, whether they like it or not. However, we are increasingly moving into an age where people get their news from the Internet and can choose what they want to views and news networks are gradually becoming less popular. This is what the next chapter I viewed, chapter 18, is about. People may turn to the Internet for news, but only when they want it, or care enough to look. When it comes to blogs, news is definitely not number one on the list of what people write about unless they have a strong opinion about it. Bloggers often tend to focus more on their personal lives or a personal interest of theirs and somehow I do not see news as becoming one of those interests.
Chapter 18: Info Snacking starts out by telling us that most Americans still get most of their news from television, but the amount of hard news is shrinking. When cable television was first introduced it was a good 24/7 news alternative, but competition has pushed it away from original reporting. Around the year 2000 there were too many news outlets and news networks did not have the broad audiences they used to. Opinion-based journalism is need but so is fact-based journalism. According to an employee of CNN, “simply passing on rumors is not journalism, simply telling people what they want to hear is not journalism.” The sense of public service that once existed with television is now almost completely gone. The executive producer of 60 Minutes, Jeff Fager, knows his audience is aging and is now looking to the Internet for the future. He also says that broadcasting has to end up on the Internet because that is where more and more audiences are headed. Lighter footage, as well as footage that was not put on the air, is now put online and chopped up to appeal to younger people and what is referred to as “info snacking.” The audiences are much more in command of what they want to see and they can just go and get it.
Like I said before, I hardly ever watch the news. If I want to learn about a story, I will go online where the story is available instantly at my fingertips. This is opposed to having to wait until a certain time when a story is advertised to be broadcasted. The Internet is the future and more and more people and items will navigate there. It is nice to have different outlets and options to get your news from but I still feel like blogging is lagging behind in this aspect. On the blogs that I follow, I do occasionally see news items being addressed but this is more of the opinion-based news that was brought up in this chapter. Sometimes this is what people prefer but news is still not very prominent in blogs. It may become more so in the future, when news may be almost completely Internet based, but at this point I still feel like news will be operated by news divisions and networks online. Blogs are fairly popular right now and I think they will continue to grow and become more prominent. However, I feel their material will remain that of opinion and softer issues.
I learned a lot about news in this chapter. I will admit that I hardly ever watch the news, either it does not interest me or it depresses me. However, that is our world; I believe the public has the right to know the truth and be told what they need to hear, whether they like it or not. However, we are increasingly moving into an age where people get their news from the Internet and can choose what they want to views and news networks are gradually becoming less popular. This is what the next chapter I viewed, chapter 18, is about. People may turn to the Internet for news, but only when they want it, or care enough to look. When it comes to blogs, news is definitely not number one on the list of what people write about unless they have a strong opinion about it. Bloggers often tend to focus more on their personal lives or a personal interest of theirs and somehow I do not see news as becoming one of those interests.
Chapter 18: Info Snacking starts out by telling us that most Americans still get most of their news from television, but the amount of hard news is shrinking. When cable television was first introduced it was a good 24/7 news alternative, but competition has pushed it away from original reporting. Around the year 2000 there were too many news outlets and news networks did not have the broad audiences they used to. Opinion-based journalism is need but so is fact-based journalism. According to an employee of CNN, “simply passing on rumors is not journalism, simply telling people what they want to hear is not journalism.” The sense of public service that once existed with television is now almost completely gone. The executive producer of 60 Minutes, Jeff Fager, knows his audience is aging and is now looking to the Internet for the future. He also says that broadcasting has to end up on the Internet because that is where more and more audiences are headed. Lighter footage, as well as footage that was not put on the air, is now put online and chopped up to appeal to younger people and what is referred to as “info snacking.” The audiences are much more in command of what they want to see and they can just go and get it.
Like I said before, I hardly ever watch the news. If I want to learn about a story, I will go online where the story is available instantly at my fingertips. This is opposed to having to wait until a certain time when a story is advertised to be broadcasted. The Internet is the future and more and more people and items will navigate there. It is nice to have different outlets and options to get your news from but I still feel like blogging is lagging behind in this aspect. On the blogs that I follow, I do occasionally see news items being addressed but this is more of the opinion-based news that was brought up in this chapter. Sometimes this is what people prefer but news is still not very prominent in blogs. It may become more so in the future, when news may be almost completely Internet based, but at this point I still feel like news will be operated by news divisions and networks online. Blogs are fairly popular right now and I think they will continue to grow and become more prominent. However, I feel their material will remain that of opinion and softer issues.
No matter the validity, its still interesting (to me)
After watching a couple blogs on CNN iReport, I was able to get a true feel for the website is all about. Its basically a collection of blogs that range from national topics to international topics, like a suicide bomber in Jerusalem, and entertainment/pop culture, such as the Chris Brown and Rihanna fiasco. The stories are non-traditional in the way that bloggers are allowed to give their unedited views of whatever they choose to talk about. Also, it gives bloggers opportunities to film videos, or show footage (this pertains to the more news-like stories, like the suicide bomber) of the topic, and write a blurb, or sometimes an additional article underneath it. That gives them the opportunity to have a couple types of media in one place.
The articles relate to the people reporting them, because these people seem really passionate and knowledgeable about what they are writing. For example. the woman who posted about Chris Brown and Rihanna seemed as though she has possibly been in an abusive relationship before; like she knew what its like to be in that sort of relationship. Due to the way that people can blog about any given topic, the site, is fair, in a sense that it allows people to voice their opinions regardless of what the people say or think. The ease of the everyday citizen to post is amazing to me; this reminded me of a news/journalist Youtube. I'm sure it probably wouldn't let anyone say anything offensive to anyone, but its pretty open and non-biased. Some of the stories did make me question the validity of them, simply because even though they provided pictures, there weren't always sources cited with the articles. And those that were cited, weren't cited with any newspapers, but from government websites, like mfa.gov. The stories that weren't pop culture, or more common knowledge, were informative; I learned things about different places that I probably would have never heard about, which was interesting. The blogs mainly kept me interested, because my favorite type of media is visual, and since all of the ones I clicked on, had a picture or video, I did not become bored with it, regardless of how true, or relevant, I thought it was.
The articles relate to the people reporting them, because these people seem really passionate and knowledgeable about what they are writing. For example. the woman who posted about Chris Brown and Rihanna seemed as though she has possibly been in an abusive relationship before; like she knew what its like to be in that sort of relationship. Due to the way that people can blog about any given topic, the site, is fair, in a sense that it allows people to voice their opinions regardless of what the people say or think. The ease of the everyday citizen to post is amazing to me; this reminded me of a news/journalist Youtube. I'm sure it probably wouldn't let anyone say anything offensive to anyone, but its pretty open and non-biased. Some of the stories did make me question the validity of them, simply because even though they provided pictures, there weren't always sources cited with the articles. And those that were cited, weren't cited with any newspapers, but from government websites, like mfa.gov. The stories that weren't pop culture, or more common knowledge, were informative; I learned things about different places that I probably would have never heard about, which was interesting. The blogs mainly kept me interested, because my favorite type of media is visual, and since all of the ones I clicked on, had a picture or video, I did not become bored with it, regardless of how true, or relevant, I thought it was.
The future of News Media
After watching the video called “Info. Snacking” I would state that the argument they are trying to get across is that broadcasting on the internet is our future, it is not a generational change, but it is a functional, new technologic change, that we need to come to realization. People are stating that the time is now to change over to the internet and the question is how will the old media transition to this new change. Since the year 2000, there has been much more competition that has come into the world of news media and in order to stand out you need to be more opinion-based. People want to hear commentary and the thoughts of the news anchors or journalists. They are becoming less dependent on the reporter based news information.
The chapter summarizes, 60 minutes is still one of the most popular news television shows, which show reporter information and celberity gossip to keep the audience interested, but the CEO of 60 minutes realizes that it’s audience is aging and soon they need to target more of the younger consumers. 60 minutes has joined yahoo on the internet, so yahoo could start putting news from 60 minutes on the internet. Yahoo does not display the news in the same manner as it would on the television. They are using lighter stories and stories that are not even aired on television. This type of news definitely appeals to the younger audience. People in their thirties are getting online to see whats going on in the news, not sitting down and watching the tube. 60 minutes has used something called “info snacking” to catch their consumers attention. They chop up their news stories into pieces, so that consumers can look at a link and then click on it to take them to another link and so on. The smaller, and catchier phrases and information is what catches the new , younger consumers attention. At this point in time the internet is still a small revenue in the old medias new change, and it is going to take them a while to start making a greater profit, but eventually it is a change they are needing to make. Most all of the television media is starting to deliever to the online media. Consumers are demanding news wherever they are and they want it immediately. Consumers are even making up their own blogging and journalist sites, so they can get the news fast and conveniently.
I agree with this argument 100%. I believe that the future is in the online media. People’s lives are not slow enough to sit down and take the time to watch an hour television news show. They want the news with one click of the mouse. The younger generation is not as patient anymore and they are always looking to know the latest information. If the television news media does not change and grow to broaden their horizons with online media they will eventually fall. I do believe though that they are going to have to grow in a new non-traditional way. The competion is a lot higher when it comes to the internet and like the video stated the news can come from anywhere. The CEO of google stated that “the new reporters are not going to follow the traditional path, they won’t be as tied to the traditional newspapers, they are going to be online reporters, bloggers, or man on the street and they are now part of the news calculation around the world”. This is where blogging plays a vital role in the latest news media. Bloggers are the future of online media, and the old media is going to have a hard transitioning to the new future.
The next chapter that I decided to write about is called “The New Universe of Online Media” . I feel as though the argument this chapter takes on is what journalism really is, who are the “real” journalists, and how affective bloggers have become in the online media world. This chapter showed a variety of circumstances that the bloggers and the “so called” journalist have stood out more than the television media. Rocketboom, which is a “daily, short webcast of news and humorous feature stories, which is presented in a mock TV news style” is part of the new universe of online media. Rocketboom currently has just as many viewers as some cable television news media and they are doing it in a cheaper way. The only difference is with one click of a button, in seconds, Rocketboom can be viewed by the world. Rocketboom would never consider themselves journalist, but consumers are saying that this is an act of journalism and they are accurate and credible with the news they are presenting online.
With all the new “so-called” journalists and bloggers out there today, it brings to the question what is journalism? People want to be apart of the online media. Consumers want to get involved, and all they have to do is blog to the world. As a blogger you can not be told what to do or what not to do and people like this. Jeff Jarvis, an online blogger, stated that some bloggers do not want to be considered journalists, he believes they just want to talk to the world, and he says that they are doing so very effectively. Some people in the world want to be journalists and if they find out information accurately and report it to the world that is an act of journalism. Not everyone though believes this, Nick Lemann, the dean at Colombia University of Journalism, belittles online journalists and citizen journalists, he does not believe that everyone should be considered a journalist and does not agree with Jarvis in that sense. He believes it is all just commentary and that it is not new information. Jarvis argues with Lemann when Lemann stated that bloggers and citizen journalists are just repeating news that has already been stated and nothing they share online is original.
I agree with Jarvis especially with one incident the video states to show that online media is becoming more effective. On Strom Thurman’s birthday when Senator Trent Lott spoke to Thurman he put him down tremondously and endorsed Thurman’s old segrational policies. The national media looked over this and it wasn’t until a blogger posted a case about what had happened during this speech and in two weeks after this was posted Senator Lott resigned from this position. It was the online blogger media that brought this to the attention of the world. Bloggers have continued to stand out and in 2004 a blogger caught ear that CBS claimed to have implicating documents on President Bush’s national guard service. People were starting to read this blog and the power of the medium struck again. CBS and Dan Rather appoligized on air, whenever they were caught not being geniune about this story and Rather was fired from CBS after 45 years.
The chapter greatly relates to blogging because of the power blogging has been building over the years to prove that they do have original news and they are trying to affect the world accurately. Consumers are obviously reading online media and bloggers all over the world are becoming the future of the media. Bloggers will just continue to strike again and stand up for themselves as act of journalists.
The future of blogging is going to grow rapidly, more people are going to start blogging. Bloggers are allowed to do anything they want and will not be told what to do. This is what people want. Today consumers are "go getters" they want to get involved in the news media and they will do so. Bloggers are the future of news media, if they realize this or not and its consumers like us that are changing the news media world. We are the viewers of these blogs and citizen journalists sites. The more we view the sites the more noticed the bloggers become.
The chapter summarizes, 60 minutes is still one of the most popular news television shows, which show reporter information and celberity gossip to keep the audience interested, but the CEO of 60 minutes realizes that it’s audience is aging and soon they need to target more of the younger consumers. 60 minutes has joined yahoo on the internet, so yahoo could start putting news from 60 minutes on the internet. Yahoo does not display the news in the same manner as it would on the television. They are using lighter stories and stories that are not even aired on television. This type of news definitely appeals to the younger audience. People in their thirties are getting online to see whats going on in the news, not sitting down and watching the tube. 60 minutes has used something called “info snacking” to catch their consumers attention. They chop up their news stories into pieces, so that consumers can look at a link and then click on it to take them to another link and so on. The smaller, and catchier phrases and information is what catches the new , younger consumers attention. At this point in time the internet is still a small revenue in the old medias new change, and it is going to take them a while to start making a greater profit, but eventually it is a change they are needing to make. Most all of the television media is starting to deliever to the online media. Consumers are demanding news wherever they are and they want it immediately. Consumers are even making up their own blogging and journalist sites, so they can get the news fast and conveniently.
I agree with this argument 100%. I believe that the future is in the online media. People’s lives are not slow enough to sit down and take the time to watch an hour television news show. They want the news with one click of the mouse. The younger generation is not as patient anymore and they are always looking to know the latest information. If the television news media does not change and grow to broaden their horizons with online media they will eventually fall. I do believe though that they are going to have to grow in a new non-traditional way. The competion is a lot higher when it comes to the internet and like the video stated the news can come from anywhere. The CEO of google stated that “the new reporters are not going to follow the traditional path, they won’t be as tied to the traditional newspapers, they are going to be online reporters, bloggers, or man on the street and they are now part of the news calculation around the world”. This is where blogging plays a vital role in the latest news media. Bloggers are the future of online media, and the old media is going to have a hard transitioning to the new future.
The next chapter that I decided to write about is called “The New Universe of Online Media” . I feel as though the argument this chapter takes on is what journalism really is, who are the “real” journalists, and how affective bloggers have become in the online media world. This chapter showed a variety of circumstances that the bloggers and the “so called” journalist have stood out more than the television media. Rocketboom, which is a “daily, short webcast of news and humorous feature stories, which is presented in a mock TV news style” is part of the new universe of online media. Rocketboom currently has just as many viewers as some cable television news media and they are doing it in a cheaper way. The only difference is with one click of a button, in seconds, Rocketboom can be viewed by the world. Rocketboom would never consider themselves journalist, but consumers are saying that this is an act of journalism and they are accurate and credible with the news they are presenting online.
With all the new “so-called” journalists and bloggers out there today, it brings to the question what is journalism? People want to be apart of the online media. Consumers want to get involved, and all they have to do is blog to the world. As a blogger you can not be told what to do or what not to do and people like this. Jeff Jarvis, an online blogger, stated that some bloggers do not want to be considered journalists, he believes they just want to talk to the world, and he says that they are doing so very effectively. Some people in the world want to be journalists and if they find out information accurately and report it to the world that is an act of journalism. Not everyone though believes this, Nick Lemann, the dean at Colombia University of Journalism, belittles online journalists and citizen journalists, he does not believe that everyone should be considered a journalist and does not agree with Jarvis in that sense. He believes it is all just commentary and that it is not new information. Jarvis argues with Lemann when Lemann stated that bloggers and citizen journalists are just repeating news that has already been stated and nothing they share online is original.
I agree with Jarvis especially with one incident the video states to show that online media is becoming more effective. On Strom Thurman’s birthday when Senator Trent Lott spoke to Thurman he put him down tremondously and endorsed Thurman’s old segrational policies. The national media looked over this and it wasn’t until a blogger posted a case about what had happened during this speech and in two weeks after this was posted Senator Lott resigned from this position. It was the online blogger media that brought this to the attention of the world. Bloggers have continued to stand out and in 2004 a blogger caught ear that CBS claimed to have implicating documents on President Bush’s national guard service. People were starting to read this blog and the power of the medium struck again. CBS and Dan Rather appoligized on air, whenever they were caught not being geniune about this story and Rather was fired from CBS after 45 years.
The chapter greatly relates to blogging because of the power blogging has been building over the years to prove that they do have original news and they are trying to affect the world accurately. Consumers are obviously reading online media and bloggers all over the world are becoming the future of the media. Bloggers will just continue to strike again and stand up for themselves as act of journalists.
The future of blogging is going to grow rapidly, more people are going to start blogging. Bloggers are allowed to do anything they want and will not be told what to do. This is what people want. Today consumers are "go getters" they want to get involved in the news media and they will do so. Bloggers are the future of news media, if they realize this or not and its consumers like us that are changing the news media world. We are the viewers of these blogs and citizen journalists sites. The more we view the sites the more noticed the bloggers become.
Easy Access With The Computer
In chapter 17 it starts off by talking about ABC vs. NBC and the topic to discuss was Dateline, a show that ABC apparently passed on. ABC also had the chance to host the show To Catch a Predator but found it to be very controversial. When NBC decided to run the show they say it as a way to “catch the bad guys.” Ted Koppel, who is part of ABC News, brings up a very good point when he says “we are now judging journalism by same standards as entertainment in-other-words give the public what it wants not what it need to hear.”
Dan Rather worked for CBS from 1962 till 2006. He found that CBS had a drive to do well and help the public service. He goes on saying and explaining how back when he worked there CBS had a “mission” and he was happy to be part of that “mission.” News was more concise and to the point.
The chapter then goes on talking about how news programs could not make money, how the FCC contract said a news program must inform people of important events in the world around them and that is how 60 Minutes got its start. It looks like once all the news shows; 60 Minutes, Dateline, 20/20 were finally making money it became more of a power-driven money craze then it did on focusing on the news. The most power driven man was Larry Tisch, he bought CBS and thought he could cut budgets and make Wall Street even happier. Tisch did not realize in doing this he lost ratings and CBS has been in 3rd place for the past couple years now.
I do agree with what this article talks about. In my mind most people today want to be entertained not educated. I believe society finds it more interesting to watch To Catch a Predator then it is to hear what is happening in Afghanistan. When it comes to blogging I feel the news is the last thing people blog about. They like to talk about celebrities and events. They do not want to talk about things that, where if they miss a day of the news they then may not get the full story.
I believe the future of blogging will not be with the news. I think that with how society is the news will fall down in the line of things to talk about. Just like Jeff Fager stated “they’re tough times its hard to cover the new and the world I use to run the evening news I know the budget I had was more significant then the evening news has today.” I agree that the future of the news is all the money that the stations have to put towards the journalism investigators.
In chapter 20 it talks about how CBS tried to be more active with the internet. CBS and ABC had put up a blogs about themselves. ABC’s Simon Surowicz seems to be using the blog to get even more information about the stories they already have. ABC’s Chief of Investigative Report, Brian Ross, says that the information that was found on the blog could be the first news break for the internet.
MSNBC was the first station to go onto the internet with the news, but the dot com crash happened. Luckily they survived and are now the number two most visited news site behind Yahoo. Yahoo lets the news up to the people and their video cameras. Also they rely on others like the Associated Press. Google, Yahoo’s competitor, rely on reporters from other newspapers because all Google does it link your search to the articles.
What it comes down to is Bloggers and Citizens Journalism cannot do it themselves they need the reporters and newspapers for the real stories. I agree with that argument completely. There is a reason we have investigative reporters they can go places normal people, like me, cannot go. They have the technology and money to travel the country even the world to get the full story.
This chapter finds blogging to be good and helpful. Yes, some of the stories that ABC and CBS got on their blog were pointless but that is a chance they are willing to take. Some stories are true like the one that Brian Ross read and the man who was the political figure resigned. I believe that there is a future in blogging news now then there ever was before. The computer is something that most people like to be on and it is easy access. People are starting to decline their subscriptions to newspapers because the information they want is at the click of a mouse.
Dan Rather worked for CBS from 1962 till 2006. He found that CBS had a drive to do well and help the public service. He goes on saying and explaining how back when he worked there CBS had a “mission” and he was happy to be part of that “mission.” News was more concise and to the point.
The chapter then goes on talking about how news programs could not make money, how the FCC contract said a news program must inform people of important events in the world around them and that is how 60 Minutes got its start. It looks like once all the news shows; 60 Minutes, Dateline, 20/20 were finally making money it became more of a power-driven money craze then it did on focusing on the news. The most power driven man was Larry Tisch, he bought CBS and thought he could cut budgets and make Wall Street even happier. Tisch did not realize in doing this he lost ratings and CBS has been in 3rd place for the past couple years now.
I do agree with what this article talks about. In my mind most people today want to be entertained not educated. I believe society finds it more interesting to watch To Catch a Predator then it is to hear what is happening in Afghanistan. When it comes to blogging I feel the news is the last thing people blog about. They like to talk about celebrities and events. They do not want to talk about things that, where if they miss a day of the news they then may not get the full story.
I believe the future of blogging will not be with the news. I think that with how society is the news will fall down in the line of things to talk about. Just like Jeff Fager stated “they’re tough times its hard to cover the new and the world I use to run the evening news I know the budget I had was more significant then the evening news has today.” I agree that the future of the news is all the money that the stations have to put towards the journalism investigators.
In chapter 20 it talks about how CBS tried to be more active with the internet. CBS and ABC had put up a blogs about themselves. ABC’s Simon Surowicz seems to be using the blog to get even more information about the stories they already have. ABC’s Chief of Investigative Report, Brian Ross, says that the information that was found on the blog could be the first news break for the internet.
MSNBC was the first station to go onto the internet with the news, but the dot com crash happened. Luckily they survived and are now the number two most visited news site behind Yahoo. Yahoo lets the news up to the people and their video cameras. Also they rely on others like the Associated Press. Google, Yahoo’s competitor, rely on reporters from other newspapers because all Google does it link your search to the articles.
What it comes down to is Bloggers and Citizens Journalism cannot do it themselves they need the reporters and newspapers for the real stories. I agree with that argument completely. There is a reason we have investigative reporters they can go places normal people, like me, cannot go. They have the technology and money to travel the country even the world to get the full story.
This chapter finds blogging to be good and helpful. Yes, some of the stories that ABC and CBS got on their blog were pointless but that is a chance they are willing to take. Some stories are true like the one that Brian Ross read and the man who was the political figure resigned. I believe that there is a future in blogging news now then there ever was before. The computer is something that most people like to be on and it is easy access. People are starting to decline their subscriptions to newspapers because the information they want is at the click of a mouse.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Diversity At Albright
When I first came to Albright, admittedly, I had a huge problem; I didn’t feel like there were enough students who looked like me. Once, last year, a couple of my friends and I counted (and it didn’t take all of our hands) all of the African-American boys in our year. Easily. I can’t say I was ecstatic about that; honestly, even though I wished for it, I didn’t think there would be a noticeable change in the racial diversity at Albright the following year. Well, boy, was I wrong!
I was quite shocked when I came back for the 2008-2009 semester and saw way more black faces than I ever imagined I would…at Albright?! I was just as astonished at how many international students I saw walking through the halls; it was quite a shock. I wondered what caused this influx of diversity. I knew a couple of other students who complained about it in the past, “There definitely weren’t any of us around. Not just black people, but any of the minorities. There was a noticeable absence of color around here. And that kind of upset me. But this isn’t an HBCU or anything, so it’s not like I could expect but so much”, said sophomore Ashley Cameron, “But this year was like, BLAM! Mad black people!” But this didn’t seem like much of a surprise, nor intended, according to Chris Boehm, Albright’s Director of Admission, “We are always trying to increase diversity at Albright – last year’s incoming class saw an increase in students of color and international students. There was nothing done differently last year than in the past. We have always worked hard to travel in areas that permits us to attract more diverse freshman classes and never shied away from helping families financially. We had a new person responsible for the Joseph E. Coleman award program and our football recruiting efforts traveled to more urban areas that a generally more ethnically diverse.” That’s definitely something that I noticed; the majority of the students of color in the freshman class are not only on the football team, but almost all from the state of Maryland. While I believe that Albright may have always wanted to increase diversity amongst the students, I must admit that I think the school had to have done something different. They were a lot more aggressive than they ever were, in this effort for diversity, otherwise I would have seen this demographic in my freshman year. In fact, Boehm went on to explain how the average population of multicultural percentage (international students and students of color) has even increased over the last five years, “Multicultural percentage) for the entire student body is 25%. This year’s multicultural percentage for the freshman class (Fall, 2008) was 30%, which was a big increase from the average over the previous five years – 18%. The international population from the fall of 2008 was 8%.”
But one of the main questions I wanted to know, was if the students were happier now that Albright decided to mix up the student soup a little. I think its safe to say that no one really feels like there aren’t people that they can’t identify with, or fit in with. No longer can I count the number of black boys, let alone students, in the freshman class, or the international students. Its almost the end of second semester and I still see students that I have to take a second glance at to assure myself that they didn’t just come yesterday. I can’t tell who has been here since the beginning and who came yesterday; there are just so many. But is that enough? Is the school diverse enough, or could it stand for some more? I think, it is, for right now. The significant percentage that the multicultural portion of the student body has grown enough for me to be comfortable in the idea that it could increase even more. Sophomore Gina Sarno said, “I don’t see any Native Americans around here. I mean, they may not be applying as much, but there’s got to be some. Some of them might want to come here. Where are they?” Freshman Randi Mont also commented, “I don’t think diversity isn’t always about race. Its more than that. You can be diverse in race, but also in gender, and economic status. So its not so easy to pinpoint one aspect.” Chris Boehm agrees, “We believe in order to offer a liberal arts education it is important to have a diverse student body. A diverse student body permits students to learn from each other’s experiences and prepares students to deal with people from diverse backgrounds when they enter the workforce. Diversity could be ethnic, socioeconomic, faith based, geographic, educational, and other areas. Albright has been proud of our history of having a more diverse student body than its competitors and will continue to try and add to this strength. We believe that students seek out Albright and many recommend Albright because of the student body.” I can’t say I’d go that far; students are still complaining about there not being enough diversity, and I’ve even heard some students say that they have told others not to come to Albright because of it, but that kind of talk has decreased. And I for one am glad. Because in my opinion, sometimes silence holds in what needs to be said. And then other times, its quite golden.
I was quite shocked when I came back for the 2008-2009 semester and saw way more black faces than I ever imagined I would…at Albright?! I was just as astonished at how many international students I saw walking through the halls; it was quite a shock. I wondered what caused this influx of diversity. I knew a couple of other students who complained about it in the past, “There definitely weren’t any of us around. Not just black people, but any of the minorities. There was a noticeable absence of color around here. And that kind of upset me. But this isn’t an HBCU or anything, so it’s not like I could expect but so much”, said sophomore Ashley Cameron, “But this year was like, BLAM! Mad black people!” But this didn’t seem like much of a surprise, nor intended, according to Chris Boehm, Albright’s Director of Admission, “We are always trying to increase diversity at Albright – last year’s incoming class saw an increase in students of color and international students. There was nothing done differently last year than in the past. We have always worked hard to travel in areas that permits us to attract more diverse freshman classes and never shied away from helping families financially. We had a new person responsible for the Joseph E. Coleman award program and our football recruiting efforts traveled to more urban areas that a generally more ethnically diverse.” That’s definitely something that I noticed; the majority of the students of color in the freshman class are not only on the football team, but almost all from the state of Maryland. While I believe that Albright may have always wanted to increase diversity amongst the students, I must admit that I think the school had to have done something different. They were a lot more aggressive than they ever were, in this effort for diversity, otherwise I would have seen this demographic in my freshman year. In fact, Boehm went on to explain how the average population of multicultural percentage (international students and students of color) has even increased over the last five years, “Multicultural percentage) for the entire student body is 25%. This year’s multicultural percentage for the freshman class (Fall, 2008) was 30%, which was a big increase from the average over the previous five years – 18%. The international population from the fall of 2008 was 8%.”
But one of the main questions I wanted to know, was if the students were happier now that Albright decided to mix up the student soup a little. I think its safe to say that no one really feels like there aren’t people that they can’t identify with, or fit in with. No longer can I count the number of black boys, let alone students, in the freshman class, or the international students. Its almost the end of second semester and I still see students that I have to take a second glance at to assure myself that they didn’t just come yesterday. I can’t tell who has been here since the beginning and who came yesterday; there are just so many. But is that enough? Is the school diverse enough, or could it stand for some more? I think, it is, for right now. The significant percentage that the multicultural portion of the student body has grown enough for me to be comfortable in the idea that it could increase even more. Sophomore Gina Sarno said, “I don’t see any Native Americans around here. I mean, they may not be applying as much, but there’s got to be some. Some of them might want to come here. Where are they?” Freshman Randi Mont also commented, “I don’t think diversity isn’t always about race. Its more than that. You can be diverse in race, but also in gender, and economic status. So its not so easy to pinpoint one aspect.” Chris Boehm agrees, “We believe in order to offer a liberal arts education it is important to have a diverse student body. A diverse student body permits students to learn from each other’s experiences and prepares students to deal with people from diverse backgrounds when they enter the workforce. Diversity could be ethnic, socioeconomic, faith based, geographic, educational, and other areas. Albright has been proud of our history of having a more diverse student body than its competitors and will continue to try and add to this strength. We believe that students seek out Albright and many recommend Albright because of the student body.” I can’t say I’d go that far; students are still complaining about there not being enough diversity, and I’ve even heard some students say that they have told others not to come to Albright because of it, but that kind of talk has decreased. And I for one am glad. Because in my opinion, sometimes silence holds in what needs to be said. And then other times, its quite golden.
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