Journalism Issues

Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2005 18:55:10 -0500 (EST)
From: Matt Nolan

Martin Langeveld, publisher of the North Adams Transcript, visited today.

Class began a discussion of the Orwell Film which brings together the
serious critics of mainstream media today.
We found that 90% of the media that is discussed is television.
It is important to reach the right people.
Online people don’t spend as much time as print readers, so it is a
challenge to find ways to get through to the online readers.
What do you feel what the importance of music in the Orwell film?
The guest speaker stated that the film interviewed 10 people, and if the
watcher simply let themselves be dragged through the film it makes good
sense. It when the watcher raises questions about what is being said
that the movie can come crashing down. If you tell a lie enough times
does it become truth? He feels that in many circles that is true.
The discussion then changed to the 2000 election and how it became
disengaged with the coverage of the hanging chad and counting problem.
The issues that were raised by the media were thought to be legitimate.
The discussion then turned to who makes the decisions on what to cover.
Big stories are covered by the AP, and local newspapers take these
stories to keep their readers informed. An important site was given,
ABC News The Note. That site gives the reader a chance to look up the
read about the developments in Washington.
The discussion once again shifted gears to talk about when the
Transcript was sold from Miller to a large Corporation where were the
changes. It was said that the paper kept many of the good aspects of
before, but added more money to take a lot of the pressure off.
Then the discussion continued about owners of newspapers. What is
better a owner with an opinion, or without? The answer came that
content is the bottom line.
The class ended with some advice. If you want to get hired from a
newspaper, know how to write coherently, interestingly, compellingly and
accurately. If you are able to do this you will be ahead of 99% of the
people looking for jobs. Also, have a global set of interest and read
about current issues. If you do these things you will be able to get a
job for any paper.

Matt Nolan

// posted by newshare @ 6:48 AM