A U.N. Panel decided to finally accuse the Syrian government of crimes against humanity, amid weeks of violence and brutality across the nation. Syrian officials have consistently denied allegations that government officials have committed atrocities against innocent civilians
Homs, Syria, the epicenter of the destruction, has been bombarded for over 20 consecutive days. Syrian government forces have raided Homs for over 20 consecutive days. Concerned citizens have expressed that they have had trouble accessing food and live in fear of the snipers spread around the town.
As the destruction continues, the world stage is going from taking notice, to planning on concerted action. Whether that comes in the form of aid or military intervention is still under debate. Secretary of State Clinton is making strides toward formally recognizing the Syrian National Council, "an exile opposition group." Thus, pressure has been built against Russia and China, two nations that denied a United Nations resolution to end the bloodshed.
In addition to Syrian civilians, Western journalists are the newest members of the death toll in Syria. American War Correspondent, Marie Colvin, of the Times of London perished amid the violence as well as Remi Ochlik, a French photographer.
Mass outrage has ensued most notably in the Western world. Now that Western journalists have been added to the death list, opinions from European politicians have resulted in pleas asking for "Syrian forces to permit the retrieval of the bodies."
In general, three factors have dominated the landscape in the Syrian crisis: domestic violence/brutality by the Syrian government, global diplomatic solution analysis, and outrage in the West over the deaths of two journalists, with two injured.
The importance of this story is wide in scope for the length of the article. All of the previously stated issues were address brilliantly. This fits the bill for "ironcore" news because of not just its impact on Syria, but its meaning in the puzzle of freedom and democracy in several fledgling Middle Eastern nations.
The New York Times also fits in the realm of "most read news" because of their depth for global coverage. All countries are covered, giving the reader a deeper experience than reading about domestic politics or the state of the U.S. economy. The Crisis in Syria is a serious issue, one that may alter the landscape of the Middle East.
The availability of such an article might be available online or with any other national newspaper, but I doubt whether any other newspaper could provide the brevity and accuracy of the article I read in the N.Y.T. When reading an article, it is always important to receive proper background, what is happening now, and the future repercussions in the story. In addition to providing "ironcore" news topics, the content has to be valuable and self-serving, and I feel that this story as well as others in the front section of the N.Y.T. provide those experiences.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Gay Marriage and the Black Community
The article "Same-Sex Marriage Bill Posing a Tough Sell to Blacks in Maryland" appeared in the Feb. 16, 2012 edition of the N.Y.T.
In summary, the article describes the debate between the black community and gay rights activists over the issue of gay marriage. Blacks typically vote Democrat, but Democratic support of the issue may disallow more blacks from supporting Democratic candidates in the future.
Most blacks do not support gay marriage. As a Same-Sex Marriage bill tries to pass through the Maryland House, it has revealed just how deep the sentiments against gay marriage in the black community are.
The main issue of contention is religion and most blacks in Maryland are tied to the beliefs of their church. Only two pastors in Maryland have testified for the bill legalizing gay marriage. While whites are heavily in favor of the bill, blacks are strongly against.
My Opinion: This is a microcosm for the issue of gay marriage in the entire United State black community. I find it extremely ironic that blacks don't support gays as they had their own struggle with gaining rights in the 1950s and 1960s.
Additionally, I feel this is one of the primary roadblocks to passing gay rights legislation in the United States. Because of the "faith" element, it is going to be a tough sell to blacks as the article touches on. It will be extremely tough in southern states where whites are against it for religious reasons, as are blacks.
This is an "ironcore" news story because it is a different take on a pressing political issue. That is an aspect of reporting we have discussed in class and it is why the New York Times is such a valuable source of news. Gay marriage through the lens of the black community is an often times overlooked reason to why these bills struggle to get through state governments.
The depth of the reporting is also indicative of what Jones would deem valuable news. Each side and angle is covered with sufficient interviews, perspectives, and statistics. The article also includes the experiences of those involved, giving the reader background and insight into why certain sectors within the black community feel a certain way about gay marriage.
I think more stories taking an alternate take on a mainstream debate will add to the discussion on a given issue. Gay marriage is contested...ok, but what groups are vehemently opposed and why are they opposed when most are beginning to favor the legalization of gay marriage.
Eventually, every state will legal gay marriage. Maybe the black community can relate to their struggle trying to gain rights.
In summary, the article describes the debate between the black community and gay rights activists over the issue of gay marriage. Blacks typically vote Democrat, but Democratic support of the issue may disallow more blacks from supporting Democratic candidates in the future.
Most blacks do not support gay marriage. As a Same-Sex Marriage bill tries to pass through the Maryland House, it has revealed just how deep the sentiments against gay marriage in the black community are.
The main issue of contention is religion and most blacks in Maryland are tied to the beliefs of their church. Only two pastors in Maryland have testified for the bill legalizing gay marriage. While whites are heavily in favor of the bill, blacks are strongly against.
My Opinion: This is a microcosm for the issue of gay marriage in the entire United State black community. I find it extremely ironic that blacks don't support gays as they had their own struggle with gaining rights in the 1950s and 1960s.
Additionally, I feel this is one of the primary roadblocks to passing gay rights legislation in the United States. Because of the "faith" element, it is going to be a tough sell to blacks as the article touches on. It will be extremely tough in southern states where whites are against it for religious reasons, as are blacks.
This is an "ironcore" news story because it is a different take on a pressing political issue. That is an aspect of reporting we have discussed in class and it is why the New York Times is such a valuable source of news. Gay marriage through the lens of the black community is an often times overlooked reason to why these bills struggle to get through state governments.
The depth of the reporting is also indicative of what Jones would deem valuable news. Each side and angle is covered with sufficient interviews, perspectives, and statistics. The article also includes the experiences of those involved, giving the reader background and insight into why certain sectors within the black community feel a certain way about gay marriage.
I think more stories taking an alternate take on a mainstream debate will add to the discussion on a given issue. Gay marriage is contested...ok, but what groups are vehemently opposed and why are they opposed when most are beginning to favor the legalization of gay marriage.
Eventually, every state will legal gay marriage. Maybe the black community can relate to their struggle trying to gain rights.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
First Week Review
After a full week of being in Mr. Tatge's class, we have already learned a tremendous amount concerning the basics of reporting. As a writer for The DePauw, I thought I knew a decent amount about proper news writing, but the past week plus has revealed that I need to start at the drawing board.
The most striking fact I have learned is what it takes for a subject to actually be a story. Just because something is interesting does not make it a story worth covering. New facts and perspectives must be revealed as well as ways to consistently engage the reader. If these basic aspects are not covered, there can be no story.
In addition to this, it is always critical to take the contrary view to what one might be thinking. Look at the underlying background of a story and it's meaningful implications. When their is one consensus view on how a story should be framed, it is likely that another position exists, and is worth to be explored.
The book "Telling True Stories" reveals these aforementioned truths to the reader in a real-life way. The author's give perspectives on how they dove into the unknown, the unexplored, and came out of those experiences with new stories to tell that engaged an attentive audience.
In covering the basketball team at DePauw, these new ideas have made me rethink my mentality when pursuing a story. There is more to the process than simply regurgitating a preview or recap based on sports statistics. What will happen next, is the question I'm looking to answer? Where does the team go from here, where can they improve, and what stands in their way to accomplishing a set of changing goals.
I look forward to building on the new reporting principles I have learned and using them in a pragmatic way.
The most striking fact I have learned is what it takes for a subject to actually be a story. Just because something is interesting does not make it a story worth covering. New facts and perspectives must be revealed as well as ways to consistently engage the reader. If these basic aspects are not covered, there can be no story.
In addition to this, it is always critical to take the contrary view to what one might be thinking. Look at the underlying background of a story and it's meaningful implications. When their is one consensus view on how a story should be framed, it is likely that another position exists, and is worth to be explored.
The book "Telling True Stories" reveals these aforementioned truths to the reader in a real-life way. The author's give perspectives on how they dove into the unknown, the unexplored, and came out of those experiences with new stories to tell that engaged an attentive audience.
In covering the basketball team at DePauw, these new ideas have made me rethink my mentality when pursuing a story. There is more to the process than simply regurgitating a preview or recap based on sports statistics. What will happen next, is the question I'm looking to answer? Where does the team go from here, where can they improve, and what stands in their way to accomplishing a set of changing goals.
I look forward to building on the new reporting principles I have learned and using them in a pragmatic way.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
A Fledging Democracy Aims to Find Hope
Democracy in Asian and African nations seems to be a trend of the past year plus. From Egypt, to Libya, Iran, and most recently Syria, social media has opened up windows for a global audience, revealing the inadequacies of authoritarian governments. As Syria goes through their struggles to change a dogmatic governmental system, one country has been lost in the shuffle: The Maldives.
Unknown to some, the Maldives is a country that was released from the hands of the United Kingdom in 1965. It is home to almost 330,000 people and consists of an archipelago of nearly 1,200 islands. It is an interesting country, because it is relatively wealthy due to its luxury based economy, yet has struggled with formulating a blueprint for democracy. In 2008, the first democratic elections were held and Mohamed Nasheed was the optimistic victor. He vowed to change the country and institute meaningful reforms.
But like many fledgling democracies, The Maldives has struggled with corruption. Mr. Nasheed ordered the arrest of a criminal court judge for undermining the new democratic institution, an issue his opponents have largely criticized him for executing.
The newest chapter in this nation is the forced resignation of Mr. Nasheed for former V.P., Mohamed Hassan. Nasheed claims this came as the result of being told to resign at gunpoint, a coup at destroying the democracy. Mr. Nasheed led a protest with his supporters in a march on the capital and these protests were answered with force from the police.
~What I learned from this article was far different from anything else I would have read in mainstream news headlines. The Maldives are simply overlooked compared to issues such as Iran and Syria. But, in my opinion, this is a pretty big story. 330,000 people are affected by the governmental change that has occurred. We can also draw parallels with their situation because we strive to create a fully functioning democracy and a lot of the Maldivians do as well.
This is also a story that is very exemplary of the reporting at the New York Times. It is extremely well-written and within the "cannonball" news spectrum. The political importance and meaning of the events in the Maldives are extremely important in the puzzle for people trying to achieve a fair governmental system. This is why hard news is vital. Stories like these would not otherwise be read on the Internet in which only the "major" news events are taken into account. The newspaper contains a variety of stories, all of which are prevalent and deserve attention. This is not a story that would be read on the Internet without further digging, yet it major global news.
Unknown to some, the Maldives is a country that was released from the hands of the United Kingdom in 1965. It is home to almost 330,000 people and consists of an archipelago of nearly 1,200 islands. It is an interesting country, because it is relatively wealthy due to its luxury based economy, yet has struggled with formulating a blueprint for democracy. In 2008, the first democratic elections were held and Mohamed Nasheed was the optimistic victor. He vowed to change the country and institute meaningful reforms.
But like many fledgling democracies, The Maldives has struggled with corruption. Mr. Nasheed ordered the arrest of a criminal court judge for undermining the new democratic institution, an issue his opponents have largely criticized him for executing.
The newest chapter in this nation is the forced resignation of Mr. Nasheed for former V.P., Mohamed Hassan. Nasheed claims this came as the result of being told to resign at gunpoint, a coup at destroying the democracy. Mr. Nasheed led a protest with his supporters in a march on the capital and these protests were answered with force from the police.
~What I learned from this article was far different from anything else I would have read in mainstream news headlines. The Maldives are simply overlooked compared to issues such as Iran and Syria. But, in my opinion, this is a pretty big story. 330,000 people are affected by the governmental change that has occurred. We can also draw parallels with their situation because we strive to create a fully functioning democracy and a lot of the Maldivians do as well.
This is also a story that is very exemplary of the reporting at the New York Times. It is extremely well-written and within the "cannonball" news spectrum. The political importance and meaning of the events in the Maldives are extremely important in the puzzle for people trying to achieve a fair governmental system. This is why hard news is vital. Stories like these would not otherwise be read on the Internet in which only the "major" news events are taken into account. The newspaper contains a variety of stories, all of which are prevalent and deserve attention. This is not a story that would be read on the Internet without further digging, yet it major global news.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Expectations Examined; G.O.P. Article
First I would like to address my expectations for this class and examine if they have changed. My three overarching expectations as outlined in my previous post are as follows: to have more interactive media elements, to learn new media programs, and finally to become a more prepared individual as one who wishes to enter the media. These have not changed, and I don't expect they ever will during my entire tenure as a freshman media fellow. I expect this semester to include more hands activities even though we still have been sitting and watching how to do things. I want to actually do interactive media and I expect in the upcoming weeks that will happen. We are already learning how to use Soundslides, Audacity, among other programs so that addresses my second expectation. As for becoming a more prevalent media presence, I think the panel discussion we had confirmed my expectation that I will learn how to become a knowledgeable student of our media. I wanted to learn how to do everything: pictures, video, audio, etc. It seems that this is what the second semester is all about and I am very excited about the prospects of learning from a host of experts. I am interning as a media specialist with a minor league baseball team this summer and in order to be effective as a member of our team, I have to know how to perform a variety of tasks branching from sports media. I want to learn and I know I will.
Downturn and Upstarts Transform G.O.P. Caucuses
By Adam Nagourney and Jennifer Medina
Feb. 2, 2012 Edition A1/A18
My article related to the G.O.P. caucuses. This directly relates to Losing the News because of the "iron core" news aspect. This is Iron Core news as is a majority of The New York Times articles and topics. The article gives meaningful facts and opinion concerning the Nevada caucus which will be a key battleground for the four remaining G.O.P. candidates. In summary, the article discussed the changing demographics of the state and how a severe economic downturn will effect voters who barely gave the nod for Obama in 2008. The unemployment rate went from a mildly fluctuated 5% to 13% today. Despite these woes not being Obama's fault ignorant voters will lean right in this election more so than 2008. That wasn't in the article, that was my opinion. I apologize for the tangent. But, Gingrich, Paul, and Romney are listed as the main contenders. A quarter of the electorate will be Mormon, so give a check to Mitt for that one. On the other hand, Ron Paul has a great amount of libertarian support and Newt will garner votes from a strong Tea Party. It is one of the most interesting states and is another prime example of how a strong divide has separated the Republic party into those who are very conservative or only somewhat conservative.
This article is a prime example of the cannonball of the news sector. In my opinion, if more individuals were informed about our political process it would be a better nation and more people would accept liberal values. People who care about education vote Democrat. That's my other valuable tangent. Do it. Vote Obama. A second point Jones makes in his work is that journalists should strive for objectivity. That's what the NYT is all about. You can say they lean left, but they report well and they cover the G.O.P. just as much as us (Dems). This was an article that showcased that objectivity. The race was talked about and their was no subjectivity in the interview, all sides were covered that mattered and the facts were laid out appropriately. I enjoyed this article and look forward to an important presidential race in which we'll win again. Love how the Republicans are exposing themselves. Put your car in D not R...let's move forward.
Downturn and Upstarts Transform G.O.P. Caucuses
By Adam Nagourney and Jennifer Medina
Feb. 2, 2012 Edition A1/A18
My article related to the G.O.P. caucuses. This directly relates to Losing the News because of the "iron core" news aspect. This is Iron Core news as is a majority of The New York Times articles and topics. The article gives meaningful facts and opinion concerning the Nevada caucus which will be a key battleground for the four remaining G.O.P. candidates. In summary, the article discussed the changing demographics of the state and how a severe economic downturn will effect voters who barely gave the nod for Obama in 2008. The unemployment rate went from a mildly fluctuated 5% to 13% today. Despite these woes not being Obama's fault ignorant voters will lean right in this election more so than 2008. That wasn't in the article, that was my opinion. I apologize for the tangent. But, Gingrich, Paul, and Romney are listed as the main contenders. A quarter of the electorate will be Mormon, so give a check to Mitt for that one. On the other hand, Ron Paul has a great amount of libertarian support and Newt will garner votes from a strong Tea Party. It is one of the most interesting states and is another prime example of how a strong divide has separated the Republic party into those who are very conservative or only somewhat conservative.
This article is a prime example of the cannonball of the news sector. In my opinion, if more individuals were informed about our political process it would be a better nation and more people would accept liberal values. People who care about education vote Democrat. That's my other valuable tangent. Do it. Vote Obama. A second point Jones makes in his work is that journalists should strive for objectivity. That's what the NYT is all about. You can say they lean left, but they report well and they cover the G.O.P. just as much as us (Dems). This was an article that showcased that objectivity. The race was talked about and their was no subjectivity in the interview, all sides were covered that mattered and the facts were laid out appropriately. I enjoyed this article and look forward to an important presidential race in which we'll win again. Love how the Republicans are exposing themselves. Put your car in D not R...let's move forward.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
My Expectations
As a media fellow, I have some new found expectations for second semester. The first one of these expectations is that the class will have an elevated amount of interactive elements. The first semester was thoroughly text oriented and not hands on. I understand that this was a necessary predicate to further studies within Media Fellows, but I am ready to experiment with different aspects of the media in a hands-on way. From the panel talk on the first day of class, I fully expect that my wishes will be satisfied to the fullest possible regard and my knowledge of the media as a whole will increase.
I also expect that I will properly learn how to use the software programs such as Audacity and other video editing programs. In high school, I worked frequently with the Final Cut Program, but I did not use comprehensive sound editing programs and do not have a deep enough knowledge of other media applications. Such an understanding of these programs would be viable for an individual going into the media industry such as myself.
On a final note, I want to be more prepared to enter the media industry as a member of the Media Fellows program. This involves an innate understanding of a variety of facets within the media industry. One cannot rely on knowledge concerning one department if one wishes to land a career in media. I have found this to be true in my experiences with the news and sports media. At WGRE, I am challenged to keep up with the tasks it takes to be an effective reporter. An investigative will power needs to be complimented by a supreme knowledge of media technical operations, and I hope to improve the latter throughout second semester.
I also expect that I will properly learn how to use the software programs such as Audacity and other video editing programs. In high school, I worked frequently with the Final Cut Program, but I did not use comprehensive sound editing programs and do not have a deep enough knowledge of other media applications. Such an understanding of these programs would be viable for an individual going into the media industry such as myself.
On a final note, I want to be more prepared to enter the media industry as a member of the Media Fellows program. This involves an innate understanding of a variety of facets within the media industry. One cannot rely on knowledge concerning one department if one wishes to land a career in media. I have found this to be true in my experiences with the news and sports media. At WGRE, I am challenged to keep up with the tasks it takes to be an effective reporter. An investigative will power needs to be complimented by a supreme knowledge of media technical operations, and I hope to improve the latter throughout second semester.
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