MOST COLLEGE KIDS ARE OLD ENOUGH TO FIGHT, VOTE, AND JUDGE THEIR PEERS. BUT - ARE THEY TOO YOUNG TO DRINK?
IF THE AMETHYST INITIATIVE HAS THEIR WAY, THE DRINKING AGE WON'T REMAIN AT 21 FOR LONG.
(external shot, Middlebury College, McCardell walking across campus)
PRESIDENT EMERITUS OF MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE, JOHN MCCARDELL, STARTED THE AMETHYST INITIATIVE IN JUNE 2008. HE FOUNDED THE INITIATIVE IN RESPONSE TO THE GROWING NUMBER OF BINGE DRINKING INCIDENTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
THE GOAL OF THE AMETHYST INITIATIVE IS TO OPENLY DISCUSS THE BENEFITS AND PROBLEMS OF CHANGING THE DRINKING AGE TO 18.
(sound bite/video from interview with Jane Curtis, director of CU's Health Promotion Services Department):
"The issue of binge drinking on most college and university campuses exists and is a complex health issue that many of us are working on."
SURPRISINGLY, REACTIONS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE MIXED. SOME AGREE WITH THE AMETHYST INITIATIVE'S LOGIC.
(sound bite/video, interview with Michael Lang, exterior of Virginia Tech)
“I feel if you can go to war and risk your life, you should be able to drink beer. At age 18, you become a legal adult and are given many ‘freedoms’: to vote, hold public office, serve on juries, serve in the military, fly airplanes, sign contracts and so on. Alcohol should be one of those.”
OTHER STUDENTS THINK LOWERING THE DRINKING AGE WILL LEAD TO CHAOS.
(sound bite/video, interview with Nikki Antonucci, exterior of WCU)
“I think all the stupid 18-year-olds would go crazy and drink and get into a car and kill themselves or someone else."
THE AMETHYST INITIATIVE CITES 134 COLLEGE PRESIDENTS AND UNIVERSITY CHANCELLORS AMONG ITS SIGNATORIES. HOWEVER, ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE NTSB, THE AMA, AND MADD OPPOSE THIS INITIATIVE.
(sound bite/video of MADD President Laura Dean-Mooney, in MADD HQ)
"The discussion must honor the science behind the 21 law which unequivocally shows that the 21 law has reduced drunk driving and underage and binge drinking.”
STUDIES SHOW THAT OVER HALF OF COLLEGE STUDENTS AGED 18 TO 20 USED ALCOHOL IN THE PAST MONTH. MANY OF THOSE SAME STUDENTS REPORT PERSONAL INJURY, SEVERE EMOTIONAL EPISODES, AND SEXUAL PROMISCUITY.
(sound bite/interview, Alex A, Scranton U campus exterior)
"Beer goggles, that's all I have to say."
DESPITE THE DRINKING AGE BEING 21, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A SHORTAGE OF ALCOHOL AVAILABLE TO UNDERAGE COLLEGE STUDENTS.
(sound bite/video, Michael, VT)
"If you want alcohol there is an easy way to get it and you'll be able to find it, no problem.”
ADRIENNE SAIA, NEWS TEAM BOULDER.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Final blog!
An Intoxicating Controversy
New think tank compels colleges to reconsider the drinking age.
By Adrienne Saia Isaac [mailto: adrienne.isaac@colorado.edu]
A new initiative to discussing change of the legal drinking age has ignited controversy on college campuses. The Amethyst Initiative supports open and constructive discussion of the pros and cons of lowering the national drinking age to 18.
John McCardell, President Emeritus of Middlebury College, began the initiative in June 2008. So far, 134 college and university presidents and chancellors have signed their names to the initiative.
According to the Amethyst Initiative, “twenty-one is not working.” It calls for the following: “to support an informed and dispassionate public debate over the effects of the 21 year-old drinking age, to consider whether the 10% highway fund ‘incentive’ encourages or inhibits that debate, to invite new ideas about the best ways to prepare young adults to make responsible decisions about alcohol.”
University of Colorado (CU) Chancellor Bud Peterson is not among the signatories.
According to CU’s Health Promotion Services department head Jane Curtis, “the issue of binge drinking on most college and university campuses exists and is a complex health issue that many of us are working on.”
“We are making significant efforts to engage students, parents and the entire community [in the discussion],” Curtis said.
So far, student reactions to lowering the drinking age have been mixed.
“Some consistent points I hear include: many students won't change their behavior if the age were 18 [and] they are concerned for high school students,” Curtis said.
Commander of the CU Police Department Brad Wiesley does not take a stance on the Amethyst Initiative. He believes his job is to enforce state and federal laws, not to comment on them.
“The people’s will is spoken through the legislature and it’s our job to enforce the laws on the books,” he said.
Both he and the department commit to educating students on the consequences of underage and binge drinking through dorm meetings and cooperative efforts with police officers of the City of Boulder.
He approximated that alcohol factors in 60% of crime in the city and on campus.
A list of Amethyst Initiative signatories can be found here.
New think tank compels colleges to reconsider the drinking age.
By Adrienne Saia Isaac [mailto: adrienne.isaac@colorado.edu]
A new initiative to discussing change of the legal drinking age has ignited controversy on college campuses. The Amethyst Initiative supports open and constructive discussion of the pros and cons of lowering the national drinking age to 18.
John McCardell, President Emeritus of Middlebury College, began the initiative in June 2008. So far, 134 college and university presidents and chancellors have signed their names to the initiative.
According to the Amethyst Initiative, “twenty-one is not working.” It calls for the following: “to support an informed and dispassionate public debate over the effects of the 21 year-old drinking age, to consider whether the 10% highway fund ‘incentive’ encourages or inhibits that debate, to invite new ideas about the best ways to prepare young adults to make responsible decisions about alcohol.”
University of Colorado (CU) Chancellor Bud Peterson is not among the signatories.
According to CU’s Health Promotion Services department head Jane Curtis, “the issue of binge drinking on most college and university campuses exists and is a complex health issue that many of us are working on.”
“We are making significant efforts to engage students, parents and the entire community [in the discussion],” Curtis said.
So far, student reactions to lowering the drinking age have been mixed.
“Some consistent points I hear include: many students won't change their behavior if the age were 18 [and] they are concerned for high school students,” Curtis said.
Commander of the CU Police Department Brad Wiesley does not take a stance on the Amethyst Initiative. He believes his job is to enforce state and federal laws, not to comment on them.
“The people’s will is spoken through the legislature and it’s our job to enforce the laws on the books,” he said.
Both he and the department commit to educating students on the consequences of underage and binge drinking through dorm meetings and cooperative efforts with police officers of the City of Boulder.
He approximated that alcohol factors in 60% of crime in the city and on campus.
A list of Amethyst Initiative signatories can be found here.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Web Re-Write
Gang rape shocks quaint college town
A violent act against a young woman on Halloween jolts the mountain town of Boulder from its peaceful slumber to highlight an unsettling crime.
By Adrienne Saia Isaac [mailto: adrienne.isaac@colorado.edu - JRS: I'm not sure how to put the "mailto" in]
A recent gang rape in the college town of Boulder, Colorado, brought the issue of sexual assault to the forefront of the town's concern.
According to Boulder police, four men attacked and sexually assaulted a woman in the early hours of Friday, October 31.
No suspects have been arrested.
The sex crime gained immediate notoriety. An e-mail sent by the University of Colorado encouraged students to practice heightened safety procedures.
CU Chancellor Bud Peterson wrote in the e-mail that such crimes “offend the sensibilities and values of our entire campus community.”
Eight sex crimes were reported in Boulder during the month of October.
“So many women don’t report rape because they’re afraid,” said Colin Hotard, a nurse practitioner and volunteer at the Rape Crisis Hotline. “Hopefully this will encourage more women to speak out against their attackers.”
Police records state that Boulder residents reported 37 cases of rape and 94 instances of misdemeanor sexual assault in 2007. Only nine of the 37 rape cases resulted in arrests.
The victim of this recent attack underwent a rape examination. Police are awaiting the results of the DNA tests.
Hotard said that many women shower immediately following a sexual assault, making it difficult to identify their attacker through DNA. When anonymous attacks such as this one occur, DNA evidence might be the only clue to who committed the crime.
A map of the reported attack area and a description of the victim’s clothing can be found here. The Boulder Police also released a description of the attackers.
Anyone with information on this crime is encouraged to contact Boulder Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or 1-800-444-3776, or log on to Colorado Crime Stoppers.
A violent act against a young woman on Halloween jolts the mountain town of Boulder from its peaceful slumber to highlight an unsettling crime.
By Adrienne Saia Isaac [mailto: adrienne.isaac@colorado.edu - JRS: I'm not sure how to put the "mailto" in]
A recent gang rape in the college town of Boulder, Colorado, brought the issue of sexual assault to the forefront of the town's concern.
According to Boulder police, four men attacked and sexually assaulted a woman in the early hours of Friday, October 31.
No suspects have been arrested.
The sex crime gained immediate notoriety. An e-mail sent by the University of Colorado encouraged students to practice heightened safety procedures.
CU Chancellor Bud Peterson wrote in the e-mail that such crimes “offend the sensibilities and values of our entire campus community.”
Eight sex crimes were reported in Boulder during the month of October.
“So many women don’t report rape because they’re afraid,” said Colin Hotard, a nurse practitioner and volunteer at the Rape Crisis Hotline. “Hopefully this will encourage more women to speak out against their attackers.”
Police records state that Boulder residents reported 37 cases of rape and 94 instances of misdemeanor sexual assault in 2007. Only nine of the 37 rape cases resulted in arrests.
The victim of this recent attack underwent a rape examination. Police are awaiting the results of the DNA tests.
Hotard said that many women shower immediately following a sexual assault, making it difficult to identify their attacker through DNA. When anonymous attacks such as this one occur, DNA evidence might be the only clue to who committed the crime.
A map of the reported attack area and a description of the victim’s clothing can be found here. The Boulder Police also released a description of the attackers.
Anyone with information on this crime is encouraged to contact Boulder Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or 1-800-444-3776, or log on to Colorado Crime Stoppers.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The State of Broadcast TV
The disparity of quality in broadcast reporting is alarming. Local news proceeds along at breakneck pace, trying to fit in easily digestible tidbits of information into a 30 minute newscast. Local newscasts strive to hold the attention of viewers in a society who rarely depends on local newscasts for information. The local Fox affiliate in Denver used few academic sources and relied heavily on observation and interviews for their information. The local station presented both sides of controversies, but only superficially, rarely delving into specifics and backgrounds of the people who they were interviewing. For instance, the national piece on merit-based bonuses for teachers featured a teacher named Dillon Prime. They failed to mention that Teach for America (not the school district directly) employs Prime, which would be an interesting factor in the discussion. [Blogger’s note: I know this because we attended the same undergraduate institution].
Additionally, the local news seemed unprofessional in both its editing and reporting. The audio and video tracks often failed to match up. In an interview with Mitt Romney, the beat reporter attempted to bait him into making a racially-motivated comment against a political opponent. These make up the reasons why I don’t watch local news and often rely on the Internet or national sources for my news.
Both national and cable news interests me more so than local news. Obviously, their resources (both financial and technological) are more abundant, allowing for a sharper newscast with better editing and more in-depth reporting. I watched CBS’s nationally televised show, 60 Minutes, which focuses on 3-5 stories in its hour-long show. The reporters on the show cite many legitimate sources on both sides of the story that they are covering. While the local news broadcasted only one interview in a particular story, the national news had time to broadcast many interviews of several sides of the argument. This has far more power - showing the interviews rather than having the reporter reiterate someone else’s opinion. In this way, local news can also seem more biased than national news.
The stories on the national news program (one on veteran’s rights and one on a man who impersonated a federal officer) did not apply to me directly, but were interesting nonetheless. National news programs select stories that have a hook appealing to a wide range of people. Ironically, most of the stories on the local news were about national issues (maybe there’s nothing newsworthy in Denver?).
I selected Mike Huckabee’s show, Huckabee, on Fox News for my cable news show. During Eastern Standard prime time, cable news networks focus on specific stories (i.e. a show on American Airlines on CNN) or interview shows hosted by a famous person (Huckabee or Keith Olberman’s show on MSNBC). Cable news lately has almost exclusively focused on the upcoming election. The two guests on Huckabee’s show, actor Richard Dreyfuss and comedian Bill Maher, discussed issues related to the election. No sources were cited, because the show was not reporting hard news. Since Huckabee is a conservative and both guests are liberal Democrats, both sides were represented, although the show presented the “controversy” in the form of a discussion, rather than as the newsworthy hook.
I think that local news, especially in a small market, is in danger due to poor reporting and “unshiny” production. However, national and cable news probably won’t fall prey to the Internet and print publications as quickly (same reasons that local newspapers are dying but periodical magazines are still doing okay). People might turn into local news for fast information (especially on sports or weather) but national and cable news most likely provides most people with info on national issues (such as the election). I found it difficult to watch all of the shows (although 60 Minutes was definitely the most palatable, due to the interesting stories). I am used to blogs and written news; I appreciate carefully and wittily crafted word as opposed to quick video sound bites. It was painful sitting through all three though; this blogger is sticking to the Internet.
NOTES ON THE BROADCASTS
LOCAL:
FOX 31 News at 9pm - Denver
# of stories: 17
The news commenced with a report on the Barack Obama rally in Pueblo, Colorado. There, Obama talked about his proposed tax breaks for the middle class. However, one shop owner interviewed railed against this, as the Secret Service closed down her shop, citing safety reasons. She stated that she is voting for McCain. Although she was the only source to have their interview aired, the reporter stated that other shop owners did not oppose the rally and were supportive of the publicity that the rally brought to their town. Both sides were presented, but only the negative opinion was aired; arguably, this dissenting opinion made the story newsworthy.
Next, a reporter discussed Obama’s aunt, who is an illegal immigrant residing in Boston. Cited: Obama and the Associated Press investigation
Both sides presented.
McCain rally - You Decide 2008 - in VA. Presented his economic plan. Will be in NYC tonight. Palin back in CO. No sources.
Mitt Romney at CO rallies - interview him.
CO’s Most Wanted
Denver gunman shot three people; they are recovering. Two separate incidents in Stapleton. Gave description of subject.
Interview neighborhood members, Denver police dept, victim’s descriptions of the perpetrator, anonymous hotline info.
No controversy
Denver YG30 Bandit - bank robber - need to catch
Carjacker and killer captured in KS - update
Fires in Lafayette Motel
Neighbors pulled him out but he died
Fire under investigation
No sources
Barn fire - 4 hourses
No cause
Under investigation
Cite police
No controversy
Mitt Romney - stumps for McCain in CO
Romney says polls are close, Obama not doing well, people not comfortable with him. Reporter brings up race (unprofessional). Romney steps over it. Poor editing. Says he’s not thinking about running again.
One source, one side - Romney.
Supposed to be an opinion piece.
Talking with R Giuliani tomorrow night
Election Night coverage piece - internal advertisement
Across America segment - Police officer down - St Louis MO, shot and killed. Have a suspect
N Tex - earthquakes
No sources stated
Naked Voting; in Pasco County, FL, head of nudist colony cited, no controversy
Daylight savings time, firefighters cited - change batteries in smoke detectors. No controversy.
Weather
Leap program starts - low energy assistance - no sources, no contro.
Flu and holiday travel; airports offring flu shots. DIA. Organizers cited - shots on the fly. travelers interviewed. Denver Health Clinic. No contro.
Fox Alert - Aurora - pedestrian accident, woman and child taken to hospital, she was pregnant. No source, no contro
Teacher pay increases - NYC - Dylan Prime (Hamilton grad?) - $2000 bonus for teachers who improve test scores. Dept of Ed likes it. NEA doesn’t like it. Presidential candidates like it. National story. Controversial.
NATIONAL:
60 Minutes - CBS - 11/1
# of stories: 2 (in 30 minutes)
Good editing,
650000 called to duty since 9/11
USERA law - must take soldiers back at same pay; thousands of guard and reservists penalized or don’t have their job when they get back from active duty. Problem is that service people are losing their jobs and not getting compensated for back pay. Some employers won’t hire people who are in the military.
Interviewed 3 army members who lost their jobs, one of whom works @ the VA medical center and was denied back pay after being gone 2 yrs (in military 25 years), Pentagon cited (#s - 10% have problems), lawsuits cited, asst sec of defense Hall interviewed, privat4e sector (Dave Miller, Conway nat’l shipping company - at first supported, but now having problems with 2nd and 3rd tours), Sherwood Police Dept and its chief, quoted Pentagon policies.
Definitely has an agenda, but allowed for all sides to be represented.
Gerald, MO
tiny police force, big drug problem
Bill Jacob - UC fed agent - clean up meth labs; dozens rounded up; hero; too good to be true? 1200 residents. 2 mos - arrested 20 people. Jacobs was NEVER a fed nor a certified cop - was bankrupt and unemployed - elaborate con into believing him - ‘multi jurisdictional narcotics task force’ - quote from BHCop2. Completely made up evidence. Arrested people never read rights, no search warrants, could not call lawyers - now none of this is admissible. Reporter did background check; Jacob arrested by FBI. Long history of conning people. Officers and chief fired, people arrested now suing the town. Jacob pled guilty, will be sentenced in Dec - 5-6yrs in prison.
Interviewed Jacob, Ryan McCrary - police chief, Mayor Otis Schulte, reporter Linda Trast, Michael Holland (suspect who “confessed”)
Huge controversy - all sides spoken with, except for federal agencies.
CABLE:
special interest stories, esp in prime time (EST)
Fox News, Huckabee
# of stories: none, really - a couple things in the beginning, but two major interviews (one in first 30 minutes)
Show w Gov Mike Huckabee
Shows SNL making fun of Presidents and Presidential candidates
Thenoseonyourface.com - Obama carved on Mt Rushmore - team members of Huckabee’s show
Interviews w Bill Maher & Richard Dreyfuss
RD
played vp cheney in W by Oliver Stone
who voting for? not McCain
issue of civics and lack of prep in education of students
no sources because it’s an interview segment - q&a, not evaluating a story or reporting hard news
Additionally, the local news seemed unprofessional in both its editing and reporting. The audio and video tracks often failed to match up. In an interview with Mitt Romney, the beat reporter attempted to bait him into making a racially-motivated comment against a political opponent. These make up the reasons why I don’t watch local news and often rely on the Internet or national sources for my news.
Both national and cable news interests me more so than local news. Obviously, their resources (both financial and technological) are more abundant, allowing for a sharper newscast with better editing and more in-depth reporting. I watched CBS’s nationally televised show, 60 Minutes, which focuses on 3-5 stories in its hour-long show. The reporters on the show cite many legitimate sources on both sides of the story that they are covering. While the local news broadcasted only one interview in a particular story, the national news had time to broadcast many interviews of several sides of the argument. This has far more power - showing the interviews rather than having the reporter reiterate someone else’s opinion. In this way, local news can also seem more biased than national news.
The stories on the national news program (one on veteran’s rights and one on a man who impersonated a federal officer) did not apply to me directly, but were interesting nonetheless. National news programs select stories that have a hook appealing to a wide range of people. Ironically, most of the stories on the local news were about national issues (maybe there’s nothing newsworthy in Denver?).
I selected Mike Huckabee’s show, Huckabee, on Fox News for my cable news show. During Eastern Standard prime time, cable news networks focus on specific stories (i.e. a show on American Airlines on CNN) or interview shows hosted by a famous person (Huckabee or Keith Olberman’s show on MSNBC). Cable news lately has almost exclusively focused on the upcoming election. The two guests on Huckabee’s show, actor Richard Dreyfuss and comedian Bill Maher, discussed issues related to the election. No sources were cited, because the show was not reporting hard news. Since Huckabee is a conservative and both guests are liberal Democrats, both sides were represented, although the show presented the “controversy” in the form of a discussion, rather than as the newsworthy hook.
I think that local news, especially in a small market, is in danger due to poor reporting and “unshiny” production. However, national and cable news probably won’t fall prey to the Internet and print publications as quickly (same reasons that local newspapers are dying but periodical magazines are still doing okay). People might turn into local news for fast information (especially on sports or weather) but national and cable news most likely provides most people with info on national issues (such as the election). I found it difficult to watch all of the shows (although 60 Minutes was definitely the most palatable, due to the interesting stories). I am used to blogs and written news; I appreciate carefully and wittily crafted word as opposed to quick video sound bites. It was painful sitting through all three though; this blogger is sticking to the Internet.
NOTES ON THE BROADCASTS
LOCAL:
FOX 31 News at 9pm - Denver
# of stories: 17
The news commenced with a report on the Barack Obama rally in Pueblo, Colorado. There, Obama talked about his proposed tax breaks for the middle class. However, one shop owner interviewed railed against this, as the Secret Service closed down her shop, citing safety reasons. She stated that she is voting for McCain. Although she was the only source to have their interview aired, the reporter stated that other shop owners did not oppose the rally and were supportive of the publicity that the rally brought to their town. Both sides were presented, but only the negative opinion was aired; arguably, this dissenting opinion made the story newsworthy.
Next, a reporter discussed Obama’s aunt, who is an illegal immigrant residing in Boston. Cited: Obama and the Associated Press investigation
Both sides presented.
McCain rally - You Decide 2008 - in VA. Presented his economic plan. Will be in NYC tonight. Palin back in CO. No sources.
Mitt Romney at CO rallies - interview him.
CO’s Most Wanted
Denver gunman shot three people; they are recovering. Two separate incidents in Stapleton. Gave description of subject.
Interview neighborhood members, Denver police dept, victim’s descriptions of the perpetrator, anonymous hotline info.
No controversy
Denver YG30 Bandit - bank robber - need to catch
Carjacker and killer captured in KS - update
Fires in Lafayette Motel
Neighbors pulled him out but he died
Fire under investigation
No sources
Barn fire - 4 hourses
No cause
Under investigation
Cite police
No controversy
Mitt Romney - stumps for McCain in CO
Romney says polls are close, Obama not doing well, people not comfortable with him. Reporter brings up race (unprofessional). Romney steps over it. Poor editing. Says he’s not thinking about running again.
One source, one side - Romney.
Supposed to be an opinion piece.
Talking with R Giuliani tomorrow night
Election Night coverage piece - internal advertisement
Across America segment - Police officer down - St Louis MO, shot and killed. Have a suspect
N Tex - earthquakes
No sources stated
Naked Voting; in Pasco County, FL, head of nudist colony cited, no controversy
Daylight savings time, firefighters cited - change batteries in smoke detectors. No controversy.
Weather
Leap program starts - low energy assistance - no sources, no contro.
Flu and holiday travel; airports offring flu shots. DIA. Organizers cited - shots on the fly. travelers interviewed. Denver Health Clinic. No contro.
Fox Alert - Aurora - pedestrian accident, woman and child taken to hospital, she was pregnant. No source, no contro
Teacher pay increases - NYC - Dylan Prime (Hamilton grad?) - $2000 bonus for teachers who improve test scores. Dept of Ed likes it. NEA doesn’t like it. Presidential candidates like it. National story. Controversial.
NATIONAL:
60 Minutes - CBS - 11/1
# of stories: 2 (in 30 minutes)
Good editing,
650000 called to duty since 9/11
USERA law - must take soldiers back at same pay; thousands of guard and reservists penalized or don’t have their job when they get back from active duty. Problem is that service people are losing their jobs and not getting compensated for back pay. Some employers won’t hire people who are in the military.
Interviewed 3 army members who lost their jobs, one of whom works @ the VA medical center and was denied back pay after being gone 2 yrs (in military 25 years), Pentagon cited (#s - 10% have problems), lawsuits cited, asst sec of defense Hall interviewed, privat4e sector (Dave Miller, Conway nat’l shipping company - at first supported, but now having problems with 2nd and 3rd tours), Sherwood Police Dept and its chief, quoted Pentagon policies.
Definitely has an agenda, but allowed for all sides to be represented.
Gerald, MO
tiny police force, big drug problem
Bill Jacob - UC fed agent - clean up meth labs; dozens rounded up; hero; too good to be true? 1200 residents. 2 mos - arrested 20 people. Jacobs was NEVER a fed nor a certified cop - was bankrupt and unemployed - elaborate con into believing him - ‘multi jurisdictional narcotics task force’ - quote from BHCop2. Completely made up evidence. Arrested people never read rights, no search warrants, could not call lawyers - now none of this is admissible. Reporter did background check; Jacob arrested by FBI. Long history of conning people. Officers and chief fired, people arrested now suing the town. Jacob pled guilty, will be sentenced in Dec - 5-6yrs in prison.
Interviewed Jacob, Ryan McCrary - police chief, Mayor Otis Schulte, reporter Linda Trast, Michael Holland (suspect who “confessed”)
Huge controversy - all sides spoken with, except for federal agencies.
CABLE:
special interest stories, esp in prime time (EST)
Fox News, Huckabee
# of stories: none, really - a couple things in the beginning, but two major interviews (one in first 30 minutes)
Show w Gov Mike Huckabee
Shows SNL making fun of Presidents and Presidential candidates
Thenoseonyourface.com - Obama carved on Mt Rushmore - team members of Huckabee’s show
Interviews w Bill Maher & Richard Dreyfuss
RD
played vp cheney in W by Oliver Stone
who voting for? not McCain
issue of civics and lack of prep in education of students
no sources because it’s an interview segment - q&a, not evaluating a story or reporting hard news
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Broadcast Writing: The Economic Stimulus Package
ECONOMIC RELIEF MAY BE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
CONGRESS WANTS TO PASS A NEW STIMULUS PACKAGE TO HELP FIX A CRISIS THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ENDING ANYTIME SOON.
THE HEAD OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE, BEN BERNANKE, IMPLORED CONGRESS TO PASS A NEW STIMULUS PACKAGE TO HELP THE NATION'S FLOUNDERING ECONOMY.
(sound bite/video from Burnanke's address to the House Budget Committee):
"With the economy likely to be weak for several quarters, and with some risk of a protracted slowdown, consideration of a fiscal package by the Congress at this juncture seems appropriate."
A STIMULUS PACKAGE MIGHT LOOK LIKE THE ONE FROM LAST FEBRUARY WHEN PEOPLE RECEIVED TAX REBATE CHECKS UP TO $1,200. LEADING DEMOCRATS AGREE. HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI HAD THIS TO SAY:
(sound bite/video from Pelosi):
"I call on President Bush and congressional Republicans to once again heed Chairman Bernanke's advice and as they did in January, work with Democrats in Congress to enact a targeted, timely and fiscally responsible economic recovery and job creation package."
BERNANKE HOPES THAT A STIMULUS PACKAGE WILL HELP CALM FEARS OF BOTH BANKS AND CONSUMERS. FIVE OF WALL STREET'S BIGGEST FIRMS FOLDED THIS YEAR AND 15 BANKS HAVE CLOSED.
(visual: Wall Street, exteriors of bank buildings and pedestrians)
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED IT WOULD GIVE $250 BILLION TO U.S. BANKS TO REBUILD RESERVES AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO GIVE OUT LOANS.
(video: Henry Paulson, any tape, no sound)
A RECENT POLL FROM AP/YAHOO! CLAIMS THAT ONE OUT OF THREE AMERICANS WORRY ABOUT LOSING THEIR JOBS. HALF FEAR THAT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR CREDIT CARDS AND MORTGAGES ON TIME. LEADERS HOPE THAT A NEW STIMULUS PACKAGE WILL HELP CALM THESE FEARS.
ADRIENNE SAIA, NEWS TEAM BOULDER.
CONGRESS WANTS TO PASS A NEW STIMULUS PACKAGE TO HELP FIX A CRISIS THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ENDING ANYTIME SOON.
THE HEAD OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE, BEN BERNANKE, IMPLORED CONGRESS TO PASS A NEW STIMULUS PACKAGE TO HELP THE NATION'S FLOUNDERING ECONOMY.
(sound bite/video from Burnanke's address to the House Budget Committee):
"With the economy likely to be weak for several quarters, and with some risk of a protracted slowdown, consideration of a fiscal package by the Congress at this juncture seems appropriate."
A STIMULUS PACKAGE MIGHT LOOK LIKE THE ONE FROM LAST FEBRUARY WHEN PEOPLE RECEIVED TAX REBATE CHECKS UP TO $1,200. LEADING DEMOCRATS AGREE. HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI HAD THIS TO SAY:
(sound bite/video from Pelosi):
"I call on President Bush and congressional Republicans to once again heed Chairman Bernanke's advice and as they did in January, work with Democrats in Congress to enact a targeted, timely and fiscally responsible economic recovery and job creation package."
BERNANKE HOPES THAT A STIMULUS PACKAGE WILL HELP CALM FEARS OF BOTH BANKS AND CONSUMERS. FIVE OF WALL STREET'S BIGGEST FIRMS FOLDED THIS YEAR AND 15 BANKS HAVE CLOSED.
(visual: Wall Street, exteriors of bank buildings and pedestrians)
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED IT WOULD GIVE $250 BILLION TO U.S. BANKS TO REBUILD RESERVES AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO GIVE OUT LOANS.
(video: Henry Paulson, any tape, no sound)
A RECENT POLL FROM AP/YAHOO! CLAIMS THAT ONE OUT OF THREE AMERICANS WORRY ABOUT LOSING THEIR JOBS. HALF FEAR THAT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR CREDIT CARDS AND MORTGAGES ON TIME. LEADERS HOPE THAT A NEW STIMULUS PACKAGE WILL HELP CALM THESE FEARS.
ADRIENNE SAIA, NEWS TEAM BOULDER.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Comparing Crime: Boulder and Philadelphia
The crime rates between a large city on the eastern seaboard and a small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains present a striking numerical evaluation.
In 2006, Philadelphia recorded 406 murders within a population of 1,448,394 people. That is a rate of 2.8%.
Conversely, the city of Boulder, Colo. only experienced 1 murder in 2006 among their population of 102,659. The murder rate here ranks much higher at 9.4%.
Although Philadelphia experiences more instances of violent crime, it actually has a lower rate due to its high population.
In Boulder, despite being a relatively safe city, one crime drastically raises the crime rate.
This small case study proves that statistics can be misleading. Statistics should always be examined with prejudice and in the context of other statistics, such as population.
---
Resources:
U.S. Census Bureau
City of Boulder - Police Crime Statistics
City of Philadelphia - Police Crime Statistics
In 2006, Philadelphia recorded 406 murders within a population of 1,448,394 people. That is a rate of 2.8%.
Conversely, the city of Boulder, Colo. only experienced 1 murder in 2006 among their population of 102,659. The murder rate here ranks much higher at 9.4%.
Although Philadelphia experiences more instances of violent crime, it actually has a lower rate due to its high population.
In Boulder, despite being a relatively safe city, one crime drastically raises the crime rate.
This small case study proves that statistics can be misleading. Statistics should always be examined with prejudice and in the context of other statistics, such as population.
---
Resources:
U.S. Census Bureau
City of Boulder - Police Crime Statistics
City of Philadelphia - Police Crime Statistics
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Rich, pg 117 exercise
Adrienne Saia Isaac
Newsgathering I
September 24, 2008
Rich, page 117
a) She felt bad about missing the school board meeting, but her editor fired her regardless of her excuse.
b) We will join together in prayer for the students who died in the shooting and we will fly the flags at half-staff.
c) It is all right if you miss class for a job interview. You can make up the test tomorrow.
d) We will divide the workload among three students.
e) The St. Joseph Board of Commissioners plans to submit a proposal for a bond issue to pay for road improvements. They hope that the election committee will reach a consensus to put issue on the ballot.
f) Each of the applicants will have a chance to discuss their strengths and weaknesses with the personnel director.
g) Based on your writing skills, it looks like you could be a good journalist.
h) Each of the students will receive a plaque with their diplomas at graduation.
i) She was embarrassed that she had fewer than five answers correct on the quiz.
j) After the boss read the report he gave it to Jim and me to rewrite. He said that it is due back by Monday.
Newsgathering I
September 24, 2008
Rich, page 117
a) She felt bad about missing the school board meeting, but her editor fired her regardless of her excuse.
b) We will join together in prayer for the students who died in the shooting and we will fly the flags at half-staff.
c) It is all right if you miss class for a job interview. You can make up the test tomorrow.
d) We will divide the workload among three students.
e) The St. Joseph Board of Commissioners plans to submit a proposal for a bond issue to pay for road improvements. They hope that the election committee will reach a consensus to put issue on the ballot.
f) Each of the applicants will have a chance to discuss their strengths and weaknesses with the personnel director.
g) Based on your writing skills, it looks like you could be a good journalist.
h) Each of the students will receive a plaque with their diplomas at graduation.
i) She was embarrassed that she had fewer than five answers correct on the quiz.
j) After the boss read the report he gave it to Jim and me to rewrite. He said that it is due back by Monday.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Page 42 Assignment - REDUX
Study Shows Right-handed People Live Longer
The hand you write with might determine how long you are going to live.
A study released in today's New England Journal of Medicine suggests that right-handed people are more likely to outlive their left-handed counterparts.
Diane Halpern, psychology professor at California State University at San Bernadino, studied the death certificates and dominant hands of 987 residents of Southern California. She and her colleagues determined that left-handed people were six times more likely to die from accidents than right-handed people.
"The results are striking in their magnitude," Halpern said. She found that right-handed women outlive left-handed women by six years. Right-handed males tend to outlive left-handed males by 11 years.
Halpern offers a practical reason for the frequency of accidental deaths among left-handed people. "Almost all engingeering is geared to the right hand and left foot," Halpern said. She adds that, "there are many, many old left-handed people" and that her study "should not, of course, be used to predict the life span of any individual."
The hand you write with might determine how long you are going to live.
A study released in today's New England Journal of Medicine suggests that right-handed people are more likely to outlive their left-handed counterparts.
Diane Halpern, psychology professor at California State University at San Bernadino, studied the death certificates and dominant hands of 987 residents of Southern California. She and her colleagues determined that left-handed people were six times more likely to die from accidents than right-handed people.
"The results are striking in their magnitude," Halpern said. She found that right-handed women outlive left-handed women by six years. Right-handed males tend to outlive left-handed males by 11 years.
Halpern offers a practical reason for the frequency of accidental deaths among left-handed people. "Almost all engingeering is geared to the right hand and left foot," Halpern said. She adds that, "there are many, many old left-handed people" and that her study "should not, of course, be used to predict the life span of any individual."
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Left-handed People are Weirdos and this is the Best Headline Ever
For this "blog," we were to complete the assignment on page 42 in Rich's book Writing and Reporting News. The following article is based on information given to us and is in no way meant to represent any factual news story. In the words of Norm McDonald on SNL - "And here's the fake news...":
Focus sentence: Right-handed people live longer than left-handed people.
Suggestion for visual: Bar graph with male left-handed people, female left-handed people, male right-handed people, and female right-handed on the horizontal axis. Ages in ascending increments would run up the vertical axis from zero. This is the easiest way to show the results of the study, minimizing variables and providing an easy-to-read chart.
The article:
Study Shows Right-handed People Live Longer
The hand you write with might determine how long you're going to live. A study released in today's New England Journal of Medicine suggests that right-handed people might outlive their left-handed counterparts.
Diane Halpern, psychology professor at California State University at San Bernadino, studied the death certificates and dominant hands of 987 in Southern California. She and her colleagues determined that left-handed people were six-times more likely to die from accidents that right-handed people.
"The results are striking in their magnitude," Halpern said. She also learned that right-handed women outlive left-handed women by six years. Right-handed males outlive left-handed males by 11 years. Halpern adds that "There are many, many old left-handed people" and that her study "should not, of course, be used to predict the life span of any individual."
Halpern suggested that individual health and fitness also influence life-span. She offers another practical reason for the frequency of accidents among left-handed people. "Almost all engineering is geared to the right hand and right foot," Halpern said. Halpern warns against trying to change the habits of left-handed children precisely as a result of the study. She adds, "some of my best friends are left-handed."
Monday, September 15, 2008
Power to the People
Rick posed a series of questions to us regarding the power of Weblogs and bloggers and their relationship to mainstream media. An example of my opinion can be found in an earlier post, HERE. In the interest of fully answering Rick's question (and, ahem, staying in mode with the title of this blog page), I'll expand on those ideas forthwith.
I dare say the Internet has the power in reporting the news. Bloggers aren't bound by the constraints of time and space, as are broadcasters. In some cases, we aren't bound by editors or people/agencies who pay our salaries either. That way, we're not like the LA Times bloggers who were restricted in their reporting about the Edwards affair - we're able (within the laws of libel) to write about whatever we damn well please and comment on news according to our beliefs. We gladly wear our bias on our collective sleeve, often eschewing the premise of objectivity altogether. People who follow us want salacious and opinionated writing; people have had enough of big media broadcasts, where stories are watered down and edited to the point of blandness. Consumers of news (and here I mean mostly educated and civically-active, on either end of the political spectrum) want first-hand reports that reek of legitimacy and not "old-guard" money and prestige. People want to trust someone who thinks like them - not a mass-produced, canned, and preservative-laden media who tells them what to think.
Bloggers are the spicy alternative to your boring old newscast.
As evidenced in the Rathergate scandal, bloggers enforce accuracy in mass media news. They examine mass media stories, mostly in accordance with their own political beliefs, questioning both legitimacy and objectivity from their own thinly veiled viewpoint. I do the same thing - I read a story from mainstream media and either agree or call "bullshit!" and write my own idea of what happened (either backed by facts or my own analysis). We, as bloggers, hold mass media accountable for what they are telling the American people. Bloggers draw ire because we criticize everything we hear without any claim to legitimacy in mass media (often one will hear "Who the hell is she to comment on this??). Therein lies the beauty in what bloggers do - we're just people with an opinion and an Internet connection (and, if you're reading good blogs, a propensity toward proper grammar and witty repoirte).
Bloggers pander to their own contingency of followers, both devotees and detractors alike, offering their own view of the story. We are the new watchdogs in an era of spin and cover-up. We're not the authority, but an alternative authority.
I dare say the Internet has the power in reporting the news. Bloggers aren't bound by the constraints of time and space, as are broadcasters. In some cases, we aren't bound by editors or people/agencies who pay our salaries either. That way, we're not like the LA Times bloggers who were restricted in their reporting about the Edwards affair - we're able (within the laws of libel) to write about whatever we damn well please and comment on news according to our beliefs. We gladly wear our bias on our collective sleeve, often eschewing the premise of objectivity altogether. People who follow us want salacious and opinionated writing; people have had enough of big media broadcasts, where stories are watered down and edited to the point of blandness. Consumers of news (and here I mean mostly educated and civically-active, on either end of the political spectrum) want first-hand reports that reek of legitimacy and not "old-guard" money and prestige. People want to trust someone who thinks like them - not a mass-produced, canned, and preservative-laden media who tells them what to think.
Bloggers are the spicy alternative to your boring old newscast.
As evidenced in the Rathergate scandal, bloggers enforce accuracy in mass media news. They examine mass media stories, mostly in accordance with their own political beliefs, questioning both legitimacy and objectivity from their own thinly veiled viewpoint. I do the same thing - I read a story from mainstream media and either agree or call "bullshit!" and write my own idea of what happened (either backed by facts or my own analysis). We, as bloggers, hold mass media accountable for what they are telling the American people. Bloggers draw ire because we criticize everything we hear without any claim to legitimacy in mass media (often one will hear "Who the hell is she to comment on this??). Therein lies the beauty in what bloggers do - we're just people with an opinion and an Internet connection (and, if you're reading good blogs, a propensity toward proper grammar and witty repoirte).
Bloggers pander to their own contingency of followers, both devotees and detractors alike, offering their own view of the story. We are the new watchdogs in an era of spin and cover-up. We're not the authority, but an alternative authority.
I'd Rather Be Accurate!
In September 2004, before the Presidential election of that year and before the 3rd anniversary of 9/11, CBS's "60 Minutes" news program ran a story claiming that they had obtained records proving that President George W. Bush had skated through his National Guard tenure. Dan Rather sat at the helm, providing gravitas to the damning news report. Disclosure of these documents seemed to legitimize the deepest thoughts of Democrats and liberals - this president lied, was a son of privilege, and didn't deserve to be in office.
However - when the broadcast was over, shit already started to fly.
Right-wing bloggers grabbed hold of the story and images of the documents and immediately refuted their authenticity. CBS and its esteemed anchor flew into the defensive, backing the accuracy of their report. This proved difficult, as the author of the documents was long dead and they only had one source who provided the documents and claimed them as real. Eventually, it could not be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the documents were real. Rather resigned his post in November 2004 under the shame of possible political slander. It no longer mattered if the documents (or the information contained therein) was indeed true - the story itself had been made illegitimate by hasty reporting and shoddy fact-checking. Now America would never know the truth.
So... where does this leave us as consumers of news? Well - it leaves us in a precarious position, as the need to question each and every story has been put front and center. We can't trust the mainstream media because the importance of ratings (and being "the first" to break a story) has superseded accuracy in reporting. We also need to be careful of the pundits who analyze the news for us. In the case of "Rathergate," the bloggers in question were members of the Republican Party or apparatchiks to Bush himself. Nary existed an unbiased source. Without absolute authority - the author of the documents, in this case, since their authenticity could not be proven by a third party - the argument would never be even and the public would never know the truth. The only truth remaining is that the public can't trust anything they hear and their fact-checking resources are as biased as the news stories themselves.
Bleak. I know.
As a voter... well... my opinions as a voter and participant in American political life would seem odd and depressing to some. I didn't vote for Bush in 2004 and even if he were the most capable member of the Texas Air National Guard, I still wouldn't have voted for him. It didn't take a newscast to persuade me that his views and my views stood at odds with each other. However, I'm not most Americans - I am generally skeptical of mass media and those in positions of power (Republican or Democrat). I wish everyone could be hyper-critical, but they're not. Some people, among the struggles (or nirvana!) of everyday life, choose not to question their perceived figures of authority. I question everything - always have and always will. It's the only power, as an American voter and citizen of the world, that I feel I have left: the ability to think for myself.
As a student of journalism (and of life), I realize that everything said or written be interpreted as an indictment or an untruth. It's important to be transparent and to closely examine all sides of an argument, if only to know how to address both admirers and detractors. It's also easier now to hide behind a computer, citing others and blogging my own opinion than it is to report "news." Being a commenter resolves one from claims of slander or libel and is protected by the First Amendment (if one believes that still exists). Rathergate proves that it's a dangerous time to report the news, if only because there are armies of people ready to pounce on a story deemed slanted or, worst of all, untrue. This happens with both left and right wingers, so no one is really safe (if you need an example, just look at the Internet claims of retarded baby Palin not being Miss Sarah's and actually belonging to her knocked-up daughter - that's the only reason her pregnancy was addressed by the Palin camp - because bloggers were supposing an even greater transgression that necessitated repudiation).
Check, double-check, and triple-check everything you print and broadcast. Play devil's advocate with yourself so you can address every argument against you. Be ready to defend your statements, but never pretend to be ironclad. Know your sources - and be prepared to take their pitfalls as your own. The reporter is the mouthpiece of the whistleblower, and reprinting or broadcasting their story (especially on a long-running national newscast) is legitimizing their word. No longer do people view news as unbiased - even if one is reporting a matter of public record - if an authority figure (especially one with as much money and influence as G. W. Bush) undergoes a character assassination. Someone is going to find a crack in your story and you had better be ready with the superglue when that time comes.
For further reading and to see where our reference articles for this piece were, click HERE.
However - when the broadcast was over, shit already started to fly.
Right-wing bloggers grabbed hold of the story and images of the documents and immediately refuted their authenticity. CBS and its esteemed anchor flew into the defensive, backing the accuracy of their report. This proved difficult, as the author of the documents was long dead and they only had one source who provided the documents and claimed them as real. Eventually, it could not be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the documents were real. Rather resigned his post in November 2004 under the shame of possible political slander. It no longer mattered if the documents (or the information contained therein) was indeed true - the story itself had been made illegitimate by hasty reporting and shoddy fact-checking. Now America would never know the truth.
So... where does this leave us as consumers of news? Well - it leaves us in a precarious position, as the need to question each and every story has been put front and center. We can't trust the mainstream media because the importance of ratings (and being "the first" to break a story) has superseded accuracy in reporting. We also need to be careful of the pundits who analyze the news for us. In the case of "Rathergate," the bloggers in question were members of the Republican Party or apparatchiks to Bush himself. Nary existed an unbiased source. Without absolute authority - the author of the documents, in this case, since their authenticity could not be proven by a third party - the argument would never be even and the public would never know the truth. The only truth remaining is that the public can't trust anything they hear and their fact-checking resources are as biased as the news stories themselves.
Bleak. I know.
As a voter... well... my opinions as a voter and participant in American political life would seem odd and depressing to some. I didn't vote for Bush in 2004 and even if he were the most capable member of the Texas Air National Guard, I still wouldn't have voted for him. It didn't take a newscast to persuade me that his views and my views stood at odds with each other. However, I'm not most Americans - I am generally skeptical of mass media and those in positions of power (Republican or Democrat). I wish everyone could be hyper-critical, but they're not. Some people, among the struggles (or nirvana!) of everyday life, choose not to question their perceived figures of authority. I question everything - always have and always will. It's the only power, as an American voter and citizen of the world, that I feel I have left: the ability to think for myself.
As a student of journalism (and of life), I realize that everything said or written be interpreted as an indictment or an untruth. It's important to be transparent and to closely examine all sides of an argument, if only to know how to address both admirers and detractors. It's also easier now to hide behind a computer, citing others and blogging my own opinion than it is to report "news." Being a commenter resolves one from claims of slander or libel and is protected by the First Amendment (if one believes that still exists). Rathergate proves that it's a dangerous time to report the news, if only because there are armies of people ready to pounce on a story deemed slanted or, worst of all, untrue. This happens with both left and right wingers, so no one is really safe (if you need an example, just look at the Internet claims of retarded baby Palin not being Miss Sarah's and actually belonging to her knocked-up daughter - that's the only reason her pregnancy was addressed by the Palin camp - because bloggers were supposing an even greater transgression that necessitated repudiation).
Check, double-check, and triple-check everything you print and broadcast. Play devil's advocate with yourself so you can address every argument against you. Be ready to defend your statements, but never pretend to be ironclad. Know your sources - and be prepared to take their pitfalls as your own. The reporter is the mouthpiece of the whistleblower, and reprinting or broadcasting their story (especially on a long-running national newscast) is legitimizing their word. No longer do people view news as unbiased - even if one is reporting a matter of public record - if an authority figure (especially one with as much money and influence as G. W. Bush) undergoes a character assassination. Someone is going to find a crack in your story and you had better be ready with the superglue when that time comes.
For further reading and to see where our reference articles for this piece were, click HERE.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeat It! Beat it!
Today in class (actually, about 3 minutes ago), I chose my "beat" or area of interest for the semester. Naturally, I chose "crime" with a specific interest in drugs (mom, you can roll your eyes now). I decided to take this because Kylee chose sports and she sits next to me and got to choose first, but also because it's an area that interests me.
Here are some main issues that I plan to cover:
Here are the story ideas I've gleaned from these issues:
Here are some main issues that I plan to cover:
- new street drugs
- college life and crime
- laws
- drug culture
Here are the story ideas I've gleaned from these issues:
- NORML - activities and meetings
- Possession laws, local and state
- Snurf, khat, DXM, what the kids are taking
- Prescription drug abuse
- Treatment centers and programs
- Music festivals and drug culture
- April 20th celebrations (on campus and off)
- Steroids and athletic culture
- Violent crime in the city of Boulder
- Date rape statistics and reporting
- Crime rates during football season
- On-campus crime vs off-campus crime
- Medicinal marijuana
- The paraphernalia shops - economic impact
- Federal control of performance-enhancing drugs
Monday, September 8, 2008
Air Supply Can't Help Me Here: 5 Ideas Follow-Up - The Research Questions!
This post serves as an addendum to the "Making Love Out of Nothing At All" post on story ideas. My comments alert popped up today, reminding me that not only does my professor read my stuff, he also has the power to assign more work (regardless if I publish his comment or not!). Rick posed five research questions and gave 48 hours in which to find the answer. Below, in italics, are the questions. My answers - along with sourcing and an explanation of the research process for each - are included as well. Keith - I blame this on you (kidding).
The first place I decided to look for answers (for this and the other questions) is the CIA World Factbook. I had used it in high school and remembered that it had all sorts of info like GNP and population statistics. Being a government site, it's also trustworthy (fairly so, anyway) and frequently updated. There I was able to find my answer to question five regarding the numbers of media outlets (and do my own math of them in regard to population numbers. I also got some rough information on tourism's economic impact, but would have to search further for more concrete info.
I found my information on the internet, as I am far too lazy (and it is a little too cold) to go outside and drive to the library (yes - too lazy to drive to the library). I started with Googling ("world tourism statistics," etc) and found the information from there. One can find almost all the necessary information through either government-sponsored sites, NGOs, or other sources who are considered "credible" online. Basically, I'm too cold and lazy and stubborn to leave my apartment (unless it's to go watch football at the bar... which I will be doing in two hours). So - here goes. Note that all sources are cited after the question at hand (I'm also too lazy for endnotes).
1) How many tourists enter Cambodia in a given year?
2,015,128 international tourists visited Cambodia in 2007, up 18.53% from 2006
Source: Cambodian Ministry of Tourism
2) How many tourists enter Thailand in a given year?
14.46 million international tourists in 2007, up 4.65% from 2006
Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand
3) How much difference is the "impact" in terms of dollars or GNP?
Unfortunately, I was not able to find this exact number for neither Cambodia.
I was able to deduce the figure for Thailand by culling other figures. Here I found that the tourist revenue for Thailand in 2007 was 547,728 baht. I then converted this to dollars here; it equals $15,889.90. The GDP of Cambodia is estimated to be $245.7 billion. It would then seem that there is little revenue generated from tourism. I also think that one should not depend on my math. Something about this doesn't seem right, so, you know, go Google it somewhere else. One could also contact the embassy or consulate of the nation in question; I will bet that a press kit would have this information (if its flattering... we're not dealing with the most "open" societies here).
I did find the estimated number of US tourist dollars spent abroad (by region) and total GNP for each country.
4) Where do these countries rate in global tourist dollars?
Thailand ranks consistently high in global leaders in tourism (you can find a list of leading countries over the past decade here). Cambodia is not listed as a leader, perhaps because of its smaller size and "closed" society.
5) How many media outlets does Cambodia have compared to other countries (per capita in respect to the size of its population)?
For purposes of ease, I am eliminating the internet from this equation since the lack of true global location (as opposed to location of your host) causes some empirical inaccuracies.
Media outlets in Cambodia
- 2 AM radio stations
- 17 FM radio stations
- no shortwave radio stations
- 9 television stations (includes 2 relay stations which broadcast French and Vietnamese programs)
- Population = 14,241,640
- Media outlets per capita = 1 outlet for every 508,630 people
- Media outlets = 658 (combined AM/FM radio, shortwave radio, and TV)
- Population = 13,002,206
- Media outlets per capita = 1 outlet per every 19,760 people
Compare to the US:
- Media outlets = 15,987 (combined AM/FM radio, shortwave radio, and TV)
- Population = 303,824,640
- Media outlets per capita = 1 outlet for every 19,005 people.
Despite a far larger populace, the United States (arguably a free and open society) has more media outlets per capita.
Source for question #5 (population facts and media outlet statistics): CIA World Factbook - Cambodia, CIA World Factbook - United States.
Author's note: in retrospect, a trip to library might not have killed me. However, I still answered 4 out of 5!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The (Rich) American Voice
Our class was asked to read and respond to Nicholas Lemann's article "Conflict of Interests" in The New Yorker. It's a good thing that we were given some questions to guide us or else I simply might have answered "yes." Yes, interest groups do rule this country. Yes, one can only fight an interest group with an opposing interest group. Yes, neo-Marxism is alive and well (insofar as the ideas of the elite are still the ruling ideas - that's what I remember of The German Ideology). I would also argue that, yes, the only "voice" heard in American politics is the one with exceptional economic power.
This criterion is almost self-evident; examples of it occur nearly every day. We rarely see an electoral candidate in rags or a lobbyist sleeping in a cardboard box. If money weren't a key issue in being able to reach mass amounts of people, then we wouldn't hear the phrase "campaign finance reform" being batted around as a hot-button issue (at least it was until 2007 - beware of bias, but you can find information on the FEC closure here). The influence of rich lobbyists and individuals also reared its head in the form of lavish parties at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, despite Obama's attempt to prohibit such contributions. It seems that no matter what a particular candidate tries to do, the interest groups with big money will still find a way to use their money to get their agenda heard, or at least to grant their people access to the candidate himself.
In terms of the media, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 stands as the clearest victory of the wealthy in ruling over what is now deemed "news." Under this, media corporations began to buy other media corporations and create "conglomerates," thus homogenizing the news outlets of the nation. In 1997, only ten companies (including Viacom, Time Warner, and Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation) rounded out mass producers of media within the US (McChesney 19). According to Robert McChesney in Rich Media, Poor Democracy, "there have been pressing concerns that these concentrated markets would inhibit the flow and range of ideas necessary for a meaningful democracy" (12). Again - special interests with money diminish the power of the "masses." The wealthy again paralyze the "average Joe" in the realm of mass opinion.
Rarely has mass opinion - in the form of strikes, riots, or protest - ever accomplished major governmental change without the guidance of a wealthy, respected figurehead (e.g. the Bolshevik Revolutions of 1917 had Lenin and Trotsky, the American Civil Rights movements in the 1960s had MLK Jr). I want to believe, unlike Arthur Bentley, that the mass will of the people still affects American politics. In a way, the reactionary period after 9/11 stands as the most recent evidence of the will of the people; a country demanded retribution and got it as the President attacked Afghanistan. It could be argued that the upper echelons of government took advantage of a frightened populace in order to achieve their own elite economic goals (e.g. oil interests, private military contractors). How you view it depends on what you believe to be true about the power of the masses; I want to believe that the people still have power. Without that belief, I have no say in my future as an American citizen - and where is the hope in that situation?
Citation:
McChesney, Robert. Rich Media, Poor Democracy. (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1999).
News Belongs to the Bloggers
Thanks to the blogging and independent media on the internet, I was able to post Sarah Palin's statement about her knocked-up daughter before People.com and CNN reported it. Of course, other bloggers posted before I did - and absolute kudos to them!! And shame on the Palin camp for releasing on a national holiday, presumably under the guise that it would be a dead-news day... and that no one would report it. They obviously forgot about us in "new media."
Another example of the people taking back the conduits of information. Internet bloggers have the power of timeliness and don't shut down on Labor Day.
Boo-YAH, traditional media!
Posts on Palin's newest "scandal":
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Making Love Out of Nothing At All
Maybe the title of this blog is a bit... misleading. I am, indeed, listening to Air Supply, but instead of "making love out of nothing," I am creating news articles out of something. Last week, we were asked to write down an idea for a news story (to whoever got "Post-Olympics Beijing: Public and Political Reactions," I say both "Sorry" and "You're welcome!"). We handed our sticky notes to Rick, he mixed them up, then passed them out again. Here is the nugget bestowed upon me:
"Cambodian army making personal profit from tourists for using excess artillery."
Right. Here are my story ideas:
1) Ethnic minority rights and restrictions in Cambodia (home to Muslims, ethnic Chinese, etc - how do ethnic tensions play into political and economic issues in the country?)
2) Medical care in post-Khmer Rouge Cambodia (Pol Pot and his cronies had denied tenets of Western medicine to its citizens - does this influence the welcoming of "tourists" and their access to Western medicines?)
3) How "open" is the Cambodian government/media in its international reporting? (Cambodia is consistently rated low on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index; how does this affect the validity of news reports coming from the country? Does this affect reports on the aforementioned quote about the Cambodian army?)
5) Investigation into the artillery in question. Where are they getting this artillery? Is it left-over from the short US invasion? Was it purchased from the Soviets? This can expand into a world-wide study of arms sales - who is buying and who is selling.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Initial Reactions
In response to the classmate who had some qualms about blogging, blogs, and bloggers:
1) I agree with you that some bloggers aren't the best grammarians, or writers for that matter. But - does someone's employment at a standard print publication (i.e. a newspaper) mean that they are actually a good writer? Or are they just really good at AP style? Or did they get the job because they are a white male who went to a good school? Please reference anyone at the Philadelphia Inquirer or its sister publication, The Daily News (even Dan Gross, who I love for his tips, but wants in voice). Most newspapers are cluttered with hacks who fail to report anything original or interesting, and hold stories back at the behest of PR people (let me remind you that, of all godawful publications, the National Enquirer broke the John Edwards affair story first and the LA Times bloggers were asked to NOT write about it!). I also encourage you to read Deus Ex Malcontent and Pajiba for some truly stellar (and academically-sound) blogging.
2) Public vs private: is blogging too public?
Let me tell you this: the government owns every text message you send and thanks to the Patriot Act (and compliance from big business telecoms in return for FCC leniency), can arrest you on any of these. CU owns your emails. You don't even own the domain of this blog - and the company who does can release your personal information if subpoenaed. And I could have appeared at your door even before the advent of the internet (where at least you can hide your IP or create an entirely new identity if you desired) - all I had to do was read, ironically, the NEWSPAPER or hit up the library or the county office because everything that leads me to you - deeds, birth certificates, police records, etc - is public domain. Googling your name gives me less information.
Just a few things to keep in mind... the internet makes news more accessible to more people, allowing for somewhat less privacy and the lack of formal education. But it doesn't mean that the old standards of privacy and gaining jobs by way of wealth/nepotism has become any more rampant than it was 50 years ago.
Shake-up of the Clergy
"The news of the day as it reaches the newspaper office is an incredible medley of fact, propaganda, rumor, suspicion, clues, hopes, and fears, and the task of selecting and ordering that news is one of the truly sacred and priestly offices in a democracy." - Walter Lippmann, 1920
Initially, I wanted to rant against this quote - don't ask me why, I think it's just in my nature to immediately find fault with a comment made several decades ago and rail against it as being irrelevant. However, the more I drank - and, consequently, thought about it - the clearer it seemed to me that this quote from Mister Lippmann still rings true today.
I admire the fact that he has the gumption to throw the word "propaganda" in there, especially being in a country that considered itself particularly in the right after "winning" its first World War. News today still is propaganda in a sense - some sort of agenda being put forth in the form of information. If you disagree, think of the reasons that you don't watch Fox News or that you condemn the media at large for being "liberal." It seems that since journalism is formulated by humans and not scientific tenets or mathematical equations, it fails to be "objective" (and, yes, this will lead to an entire debate on what qualifies "objectivity"... at least I hope so). I believe that, no matter how "objective" one tries to be in this new world media (online, blogging, etc), a personal point of view still shines through. However, since higher ups were still selecting what news got printed "back in the day," it was as true then as it is now. If this weren't the case, there wouldn't have been the uproar around Upton Sinclair's The Jungle as there was back in 1906 when it was released to popular, well, nausea.
I think the main difference is not in the fact that the selection and publication of news is a priestly endeavor, but that the clergy has undergone a popular upheaval. No longer is journalism - in all of its forms - relegated to the Hearst publications, followers of the paper movement, and rich white males, but (thank you, internet!) is open to anyone with an internet connection. As if our class and its full-on blog creation weren't evidence enough, the clergy is rapidly breaking the lines of race, gender, and, I think most importantly economic class. News is now made and selected by anyone who thinks that a subject is worth writing about - and also confirmed by any audience who is willing to read it.
How much really has changed since then? Well, newspapers aren't printed on hemp and white men with college degrees still propagate papers (although women are making their inroads, no doubt, but I'm using the sources I know - Philly publications and their owners to make this assumption - anyone willing to prove me wrong, please feel free to argue). However, the media have changed. Welcome to the rise of blogs, written by people frustrated with mass media careers or just intelligentsia in need of an outlet for commentary outside their everyday lives. We're now ordaining classically untrained and "unseasoned" rogue writers as our purveyors of news (and thank goodness for that, or else I wouldn't have had the minor Internet blogging career I've had to this point). As time goes on and technology advances, who's to say that the clergy can't expand to everyone with access to a computer?
I suppose this means that media power, via the Internet in particular, will still belong to people in first or second world nations, where technology abounds. The World Wide Web is our newsroom and we pray to the temple of individual opinion as opposed to at the altar of an editor.
This is a test... and only a test.
We're all trying the whole blogging thing out... thanks to Mike Panic for already whipping my blog-writing html-useless ass into shape.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
