Thoughts About “That” Mess in Albany?

June 24th, 2009

I wrote the original text for this post  (well below the picture) a few hours before I watched the Tuesday 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. news; I’m not sure what was specifically bothering me then regarding the news coverage, probably that it was inadequate. Now, I guess I would have liked to have seen reporters getting in the faces of politicians and asking serious questions or asking serious follow-up questions to the lame responses from the few pols who wanted their faces in the evening and late evening news.

Viewers have been getting the typical unchallenged, wishy-washy responses, i.e. sound bites, allowed by TV reporters in the field. Most sound bites are awful.

I think now, on reflection, I wanted to see reporters assailing the pols the way it is done with perp walks.


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Protected: WORD Editor Back in Three Weeks (Check Out This Photo Documentary)

June 24th, 2009

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NAM Calls on Ethnic Media to Take A Stand on Immigration Reform

June 24th, 2009

From New America Media Executive Director Sandy Close:

For the first time, New America Media is asking ethnic media across the country with whom we work to take a collective editorial stand on an issue that directly impacts the lives of millions of our audiences: Immigration reform.

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A WORD Update

June 22nd, 2009

I’ve been experimenting with a variety of strategies regarding media devices and so-called social networking media like blogging, youtube, facebook, myspace, UWIRE, twitter, Current TV, et. al., so that, one, my classroom instruction, and two, my professional interests/goals, can try to keep up with the burgeoning technological advances in communication, i.e., the dissemination of news and news-like information.

I’ve been doing this as D:F/M gurus seem committed to D:F/M being as far behind innovation and creativity as an academic department can be during these robust times. I also have been experimenting with new forms of news-narrative-storytelling, such as in my feature writing class for the last few semesters (though the course should be named in-depth reporting or something even more imaginative).

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“This Video Will Piss You Off and Break Your Heart” — Robert Greenwood, Brave New Foundation

June 20th, 2009

Rethink Afghanistan: Civilian Casualties

Originally published in the WORD as an Op Ed in Byting Words.

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“In New York, Number of Killings Rises With Heat”

June 19th, 2009

This New York Times June 18 special project on homicides in New York City provides good resource material for aspiring journalists interested in writing about, well, murder and crime. And I will most likely try to incorporate into the reading list of one of my advanced news writing classes. Story and the multimedia can be found here. And that recommendation allows me, in good conscious, to segue to this recollection: That period in my journalistic life when murder was on my mind.

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NYTimes: “For Teenagers, Hello Means ‘How About a Hug?’”

June 19th, 2009

NYT May 27 Story:

There is so much hugging at Pascack Hills High School in Montvale, N.J., that students have broken down the hugs by type:
— There is the basic friend hug, probably the most popular, and the bear hug, of course. But now there is also the bear claw, when a boy embraces a girl awkwardly with his elbows poking out.
—There is the hug that starts with a high-five, then moves into a fist bump, followed by a slap on the back and an embrace.

One can guess that youths’ nervous systems are picking up the pitter-patter of day-to-day life effected by the bleakness threatening their dreams, and they want a reassurance that is difficult to describe. However, this kind of NYT anecdotal lifestyle piece overlooks the reality of the hugbug, so to speak: It cuts across generations. Asking for a hug is becoming as common place as people bumming for cigarettes or asking strangers for a light.

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Jobs, Internships, WORD Writers: Reasons to Celebrate

June 17th, 2009

Jessica Lawson, you can read one of her masterpieces here, has been accepted for a fall internship at NY1. And Hannah Levine, who interns at L magazine and is the Arts and Entertainment Editor for the Envoy, an independent, student news operation at Hunter, and also writes for pomponline.com and blogs at hannahmiet.blogspot has been offered a job in advertising.

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Sarah Palin Vs David Letterman

June 17th, 2009

As of this date and time, 1:12 p.m., Google listed “about 4,529 news results for Sarah Palin David Letterman.”

My 10 cents:

1) Yawn.

2) Somewhere down the road she and her cronies will blame Obama.

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“Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Initiative” – A Blog Post Under Development

June 17th, 2009

From Center for Community Economic Development: On June 16, 2009 The Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Initiative and  The Media Consortium hosted a webinar for members of the media on closing the racial wealth gap. Experts of color discussed how Native American, Black, and Latino communities have been affected by predatory lending and foreclosures, and urged journalists to investigate the racial angle of the economic crisis to raise awareness of the issues and encourage policy changes that will close the racial wealth gap.

Okay, so, I participated in the webinar and am working on a report of sorts and hope to publish soon, if not later  today then in the coming days.

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