Golden Age of Journalism

Women in Media

The representation of women in media has been very scarce. Even though women do have jobs in the industry, the industry is male dominated in all mediums of communication (print news, online news and television). However, in recent years the percentage of women who are involved in television news increased 30 percent for the first time. This is a big deal because based on the other mediums of media there has been 9% percent female representation of directors in the top grossing films that premiered in 2013 and 39 percent female representation of the documentary directors at film festivals between 2012-2013. According to the Women’s Media Center website statistics say that most women who are in the media industry will be producers. But, why?

This is concerning to me as a young woman and a minority in America. I don’t think ANY woman should be limited to what she can do. A woman can do whatever she wants and be whoever she wants to be. Who says I can’t have a leading role as a reporter on a news station? Yes, women do report the news but they are usually the co-host and the male is the lead. There should be no reason why it can be the other way around and not be frowned upon. Who says a woman cannot work in production instead of producing? Women can get down and dirty too! All women should have a fair chance as any man to succeed. Women should not be subdued into a role because it’s sociably acceptable.

Is there a Future for Graduating Journalism Students?

As I get closer and closer to graduation I have been thinking about my future just like every other college student who is about to graduate. We worry about what the future is going to bring?; Will we be successful one day?; Will I be able to find a job?; or the most common “What am I going to do with my life?”. Journalism has taken a new role because of new technological innovations that have been on the rise. Technology is making our live easier but it is also taking tasks that people do. I have thought about what careers you could have in journalism. Here are the top 10 jobs for journalism graduates.

• Book Editor
• Content Producer
• Copywriter
• Grant Writer
• News Service Writer
• Newsletter Writer/ Editor
• Public Relations Specialist
• Publications Specialist
• Sports Information Director
• Technical Writer

There is so much more to journalism and communications than news writing and television. Whenever I tell someone that I am a Journalism major, people automatically assume that I am writer. Journalism rangers from writing, television, news, entertainment news etc. There are so many opportunities in journalism you don’t even realize it. I also believe that journalism and communications encourages me to be more creative and have ideas for my own projects. There are plenty of jobs out there, so don’t think there is nothing out there!

We cannot discourage ourselves especially since we haven’t started just yet! I was looking up things that students should do after graduation and how to find success. I saw on the UnderGrad Success web page four tips decisions that students should make after graduation. The first step is making a list of cities to live. All students should think about what want to do and how they are going to get there. One should think about their location. Is your location suitable for your career? Where is the best city you need to be to have the most success? Are you living in the right area and will you be able to grow? These are things that everyone should keep in mind. Secondly, students who are graduating should aim high. No one should do the bare minimum, you should always go above and beyond. You as individual knows what makes you different and what you bring to the table. If others don’t see it, then who will? It all starts with a vision and once you have seen your vision make a plan.

Thirdly, it is important to nurture your relationships. Relationships are important because people help you get through different stages of life. In this case we have our teachers, advisers and mentors. People can help us get to our next step, but if we do not network we will not be able to move forward. We can’t do everything on our own. Let people help you make your vision come true! Things will not happen if we are silent. As the author said in the blog, “closed mouths don’t get fed”. Fourthly, the last tip a student should take is to JUST DO IT. We can talk all day and night about what we are going to do or what we will do and never get anything done. Before you know it a year has passed and you have not done one thing you said you were going to do. It is better to proactive than inactive. Yes, it is frightening to take that step but we all must take a leap into the unknown because we will never know until we take chance. Fear can keep us from being great, so just do it!

Hard News vs. Soft News

Has news become another medium of entertainment? Every day I watch the news I always see a story that I don’t think is necessarily hard news. Sometimes I wonder why some of these stories have actually been produced and given the “green light”. I don’t think there should not be any entertainment news, but this is why there are stations for entertainment news only. For example, there has recently been new stories on Kylie Jenner. Kylie Jenner is a reality star who is seen on the hit reality TV show “Keeping up the Kardashians”. There has been a sudden craze on Kylie Jenner’s lips because they went from thin to plump drastically. Young teenagers and adults have participated in a trend called the “#KendallJennerChallenge”. The “#KendallJennerChallenge” is when people put their mouths in a shot glass and put pressure on their mouths for a long period of time by sucking into the shot glass to make their lips bigger. There are already been instances where people have hurt themselves because the glass has broke and cut their lips open. I believe this is an interesting story to develop but I don’t think that this story should be considered hard news. I can see this story on a talk show or on E!

I feel that I am beginning to see more entertainment stories on news stations rather than hard news. Even if there is hard news, I believe that each category of news on a news channel should be in proportion. The events, crimes and issues that are happening in my local community is more important than the “#KylieJennerChallenge”, but maybe it’s only me who thinks this way. Another factor we should take into consideration is viewership. News stations need content that will attract a wide audience. If news stations do not provide different sources of content, then they will only reach a small percentage of the demographics in its local area. The industry also has to look at its data and see where there strongest points and weakest points are by looking at the responses based on the audience. A news station cannot survive without its audience especially in this millennium. We live in a time where people actually give us a news story to develop. It goes both ways!

The quality of hard news is not the same as it used to be and there negatives outweigh the positives. It’s difficult for me to watch the news sometimes because I feel that more than half of the reports are negative. There may be one positive story about the good things that people and organizations are doing in their local communities. Why isn’t there any coverage on the good things? The negative stories about negative things get old after awhile and you lose interest. I guess that’s why people may go towards entertainment news. Entertainment news can be seen as a scapegoat to escape the consistent negativity. New stories such as these can make you think that the world is horrible and you can’t trust anyone. I think we need to know about these things but there are good people and good things in this world that we should acknowledge.

 

 

Journalism’s Mission

All journalists have a duty to speak the truth. We must provide valid information to the public. In the past few years I have seen cases of false truth in reporting. The people should have the opportunity to hear a news story and make their own opinions on the topic. The only way the people will be able to make their own opinions and decisions is if all of the information is put on the table and each perspective is represented equally. Journalists should also omit their opinions and views on topics in their news writing. If a journalists portrays himself or herself as biased then both sides will not be represented equally and the information could be potentially altered affecting the impact of the story. The story should not be about the writer; the story should be about the people who are going to receiving it.

I have recently seen cases like this by watching news on different stations. There are numerous stations that report the same story but the story is approached from another angle. It is okay to approach the same story from another angle just as long as the story is truthful. Take the time to watch the news on different stations rather than looking at the same one and see what you find. Each station expresses different views on the same topic such as politics. There are stations that favor republican views more than democratic views and vice versa. This can also potentially portray a biases towards a topic and can affect the decision the audience makes. Again, the people are the most important! The stories we produce and share to the world will affect people whether it is positive or negative.

Journalists have a duty to keep news proportional and comprehensive. The stories we produce affects the way the people views people and issues in society. For example, if there is a news station that only talks about the negative things that are happening in their city about crime and all of the criminals are African- American males what does that tell the people? Consistent images of the same characteristics can perceive all African- American males to be intimidating and a threat to a society, but is it true? Is it valid or the reason why it seems valid is because we constantly see it daily on the news. They don’t even have to be African- American. This includes Caucasians, Latin Americans, Asians and more. This also creates a stereotype for people and can affect the way people view and are treated in society.

News has to be in proportion so instances like these can be avoided. If everyone was represented equally in fairly, people would not have such a negative response to people in society. Unfortunately, this has been an ongoing issue that still needs to be addressed. It is difficult to erase all of the perceptions of society we have had in the past when we have been exposed to these things our whole lives through different channels.

How to Develop News Stories

There is always a story a person can share, but it all comes down to how the story is told. As journalists, we must produce stories that are “newsworthy”. This may sound like an easy task but it is easy to miss. I have had a few instances in my journalism classes where my news story was not “newsworthy” even though I had a storyline. I wanted to share a few tips on how to develop new stories for student journalists.

The first step a journalist should take is what the angle of the story is going to be. Remember, you can write a news story on anything but you have to keep in mind what makes a story news? Here are a few questions I have begun to ask myself: did something significant happen? How is this story going to affect viewers? Has there been any research on my topic? If so, what has been found about this topic in research? There are other questions I have decided to use when I produce stories but these are only a few. There are plenty of questions you can ask yourself before you a produce a new story. If you go through your checklist of questions and it seems that the story is does not apply to any of them, then it may not be “newsworthy” or you will have to choose another angle that will make the story informative.

I have experienced through my print journalism and media classes that the first sentence of a news story is the most important. The first sentence of a news story should be a summary of what the story is about. A strong sentence can tell the reader or viewer enough about the story in a few words. A strong sentences also grasps the attention of a reader or a viewer. If you don’t catch a reader or viewer’s attention at the beginning then you have lost that individual in the story and they may lose an interest in that particular story.

I had a lot of trouble when I started this at the beginning but the more I did it, the better I got at it! I realized that if my first sentence is strong then the rest of the story will be strong and well developed. However, this does not come overnight. It takes a lot of time, practice and most importantly taking the time to review your mistakes and correct them. If you were in the professional world of journalism you would want your content to be as professional as possible. If the your article or your news package is not good you will have to correct it until it is ready to be shown to readers and viewers or it will not be shown at all. There is always room for improvement in our story techniques. It is up to us to make those changes to provide quality information to the people. Think about it this way, if you were telling a story to one of your family members or friends and no one was listening what does that tell you? You should apply this to your story telling in news? Why is your story important and why would strike an audience’s interest?

If you constantly think about these factors it will help you become a better story teller as a journalist!

Georgia Public Broadcasting Tour

This past Friday I had the opportunity to go to a tour at Georgia Public Broadcasting. There was more to Georgia Public Broadcasting than I thought! Georgia Public Broadcasting offers programming for news, sports, kids and education. One of my favorite parts of the tour was being able to go on set of the show “Chemistry Matters”. Chemistry Matters is a show to teach children chemistry. Chemistry was not my favorite nor my best subject when I was when school. It would also take me awhile to get the hang of it because the concept was so different. If I had a show such as Chemistry Matters in addition to the tutoring and classes I had in school I may have had more of an appreciation of chemistry. Who knows?! Here is  a picture of the set of Chemistry Matters:   There was also another set I loved, even though it was not being used. It was one of the smaller studios but it has been used for webinars, talk shows and more! The studio also held a ballroom competition in the studio! Who would have though you would be able to host a ballroom competition with a live audience in this studio? Then again, all of the shows we watch on television is set up and is made to look a certain way. I thought about television shows that I watch and how a set is simply a space and you create your world within that space. It’s fascinating when you really think about it. The set is your canvas and you do what you choose. If it is a talk show, then there will be a particular setting in contrast to a ballroom competition or a children’s show and once the series is done you take everything down and it is back to where you left it: empty. If you look at this studio space, there is more to it, then what you see:   When you look at this image, the only thing you see is a table, three television screens, lights and cameras. But the more you look at the space you use your imagination of what you can potentially make that space, particularly your vision. Once you have a vision you need a team who can help you produce and execute your vision. This tour also showed how many people and how much work it actually takes to have a successful production. But in the end it’s rewarding to see the final product. The Georgia Public Broadcasting tour was inspiring for me. It made me think about my future and what I’m capable of. It also made me think about what my purpose is and whatever I do needs to be in the service of someone else. Georgia Public Broadcasting gives people the opportunity to use their space to produce content that is in the public’s interest. Another thing I appreciate about Georgia Public Broadcasting is that they support content that is not mainstream. I have a love/hate relationship with mainstream things. Mainstream can affect people’s awareness on what is happening in the world and their local environments. Georgia Public Broadcasting supports content that is different and things that the audience would find interesting. The tour also showed that there is so much more to broadcast than what it seems. It was something that I needed to see and I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to go with my class.   Here are more pictures from the tour. Enjoy!

reddit Inc.

Reddit started in 2005. Reddit gives people the opportunity to see what is happening online. People can post anything that they want and if they get enough votes, then their link will be on the front page of the website. I think this is a cool way to get people in involved and it gives people the opportunity to be in charge of the content that is being produced: literally! What’s better than being in control of what you do and do not see?

Reddit was started by Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohania at the University of Virginia. The story is pretty similar to most successful people in the social media industry. A few individuals who had nothing better to do and started to explore and found something that people could enjoy. They were college students who had ambitions to go to Graduate school, law school etc and realized that this was not their calling in life. They started putting their energy into the things they like and things they thought were fun. Now they are involved in a multibillion dollar company! Pretty accurate, right? The great thing about these individuals is they followed their passion and it ended up being the best decision they have ever made.

Reddit includes links and discussions. For example, anyone can post a question on the website and usually there will be someone to give an answer. The people who have answered questions for these individuals are qualified as well and have an expertise in these topics! The people who answer these questions and discuss these topics are people who voluntarily go on the website too. The pros of Reddit is it’s easy to use, it’s not super focused on mainstream news, it’s entertaining and it reaches a diverse audience. The cons of Reddit is it’s mostly unmoderated, tons of content articles won’t stay at the top and some of the links may never be seen.

Share your Favorite Moments on Instagram!

Instagram is a growing phenomenon. Instagram is one of my favorite social media networks. I love how you can filter your photos and videos. It gives the image a different kind of feel. It is amazing how simple edits can change the tone of an image and what you are trying to communicate to your followers. Instagram gives people the opportunity to express their interests, follow people who have the same interests and vice versa. But, one of my pet peeve is how deceitful people can be on Instagram.

Photos only capture particular moments in an individual’s life. One image does not represent someone’s lifestyle. However, one can perceive themselves as someone that they’re not easily online. Advice for everyone: please be truthful with your posts and be who you really are. It’s mind blowing how you can become a totally different person on a social network. Another issue I would like to address are filters. Filters are great but filters can also be highly deceitful. We are all guilty of taking selfies. Not only are we guilty of taking selfies, we are guilty of taking at least 10 selfies and choose the best one. Once you have chosen the best picture, then you ad a filter. You can edit your photos so much to the point where you don’t even look like yourself! But, enough of my rant on filters.

On the other hand, Instagram is beneficial to us as journalists. We have the opportunity to explore our story telling through images. We are supposed to capture impactful moments that are happening on a daily basis. This is social network gives more channels for people to look up news and topics they are interested in. There are plenty of stories that need to be told whether it is big story or a small story. I feel that videos may have more of an impact than a simple photo in this case. Instagram allows video posts but you are not able to post the whole video. You have to cut the video down before you can post so it is not too long. I didn’t like that feature in the beginning but now I like it. Why? Because you don’t necessarily need the whole video to show people what you want them to see. All they need to see are best parts. The strong parts make the post stronger and make the story more impactful for followers and fans. Sometimes you don’t need captions to tell the story. The image will tell the story on its own.

We live in a generation where people feel that you are free to post whatever you want on the Internet. Yes, we do have the freedom to post what we think and feel, but don’t be fooled by the word “free”. If you think something could possibly receive backlash, then do not post it. If you have to think twice about posting a picture or a video, maybe you shouldn’t post it. There are some things that should be private. You do not have to share every little thing that is going on in your life. Keep some things to yourself! It will be beneficial to you in the long run.

 

Facebook

I have been on Facebook since 2007 and the layout is constantly changing. It looks so different now compared to the way it looked eight years ago. We are all guilty of getting upset when there is a new update but we adjust. We usually see angry posts about how annoyed everyone is about the new update and the posts windy down after a week max. No matter what we say, we are still going to use it regardless of the updates. Here are a few new features I’ve liked: the “Like” button, following instead of requesting and managing my posts to my timeline.

The “Like” button is one of my favorite features because it is an easy way to show people that you like what they say or a picture they post. Sometimes we honestly don’t have much to say about the post but we like it: plain and simple. Even though I like it, sometimes as feel as if the “Like” feature can stir a popularity contest amongst individuals. I remember how my classmates would wonder how people would get so many likes on their pictures and statuses on Facebook and they would not get many. It’s ridiculous but the crazy thing about it is, it can actually affect people’s self esteem. For example, I have seen this issue more with women than men. Take a minute and go on your Facebook timeline and observe what you see. What kind of pictures are individual’s posting. What kinds of statuses are individual’s posting? Is the point of these post to get attention and get likes? Think about it.

Journalists have also taken an interest in Facebook but there are practices that journalists should follow to keep Facebook professional. Journalists should do these things: create a page and let people follow you to grow and audience; choose professional photos only as your cover and profile picture; and most importantly don’t be too objective. These factors are the foundation in having a loyal audience. You want your audience to have an interest about what you are posting. If your posts are not relevant to the audience then you will not get a response. As journalists, we are story tellers and we like people to listen to our stories. There is nothing worse than having a story and no one cares to listen to what you have to say. Am I right? I believe the most important thing journalists must be careful about on Facebook is objectivity. We should not share opinions about news topic. Our job is to provide information and let the audience develop their own opinions about the topics. Objectivity can affect professionalism overall.

Journalists should also think about staying relevant by being an active user, share breaking news, posting videos and posting photos. If you are an active user, then your audience will grow. Post of vides and photos is also a huge help and growing an audience. I have found that providing images can be more powerful than typing a few sentences. But, you have to be cautious of which videos and photos you post. At the end of the day you have to be professional!