Writers often take breaks from the traditional newspaper writing and post blogs. It is common for a writer to post a blog, but to go on a strike is rare.
Reporters in The Honolulu Advertiser, one of the biggest newspapers in Hawaii post blogs on a daily basis. When they received a new contract of posting their names on their blogs they went on strike. The strike forced them to give them a new contract stating that they do not have to post their names on their blogs.
Mark Platte, the paper’s editor, said that the blog blackout was within the reporters’ rights. They “have to write for print — that’s part of their jobs — but blogs are voluntary,” he said.
I believe almost every writer out there post blogs, but they are rarely in a union such as in The Honolulu Advertiser. For the writers to respond of the new contract with a strike was a smart move on their part. I'm happy that it wasn't a strike like the Hollywood writers.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
College Newspaper Is The First On The Scene
A gunmen kills five people before killing himself at Northern Illinois University last week and the college newspaper, The Northern Star was the first to report on the scene. It was an advantage as well as a tragedy for the Northern Star.
Soon after hearing about the killings on campus, the Northern Star learned that one of their staff members, Daniel Parmenter, was one of the people killed. Despite the tragedy, they had to cover the breaking news story on campus before local and national news went to report the scene.
The Northern Star did not know how to write a story like this, because they were used to headlines like “Things to do on Valentine’s Day” and “Winter season ranks tenth snowiest.” Even though they were unprepared for this story they turned to Virginia Tech for advice. Virginia Tech faced a 32 killing spree by one gunmen last year.
The Virginia Tech newspaper gave the Northern Star some great advice, by using the internet as a tool to reach students and other people. They set up a website where people can talk about what happened at Northern Illinois University. In many ways, the Northern Star had to react and work like a hardcore newspaper such as "The New York Times."
The Northern Star staff members also convened Friday afternoon to support one another and reflect on Mr. Parmenter’s death. “He was a motivated individual,” Justin Zegar, the advertising manager told a local newspaper, The Daily Chronicle. “He used to always come up to me and say, ‘Justin, what can I do to move up?’ ”
I believe that the college newspaper faced a tragic loss with one of their staff members, but they proved to be proffesional with the outcome by reporting first on the scene. If it wasn't for the Northern Star, students, professors, and other faculty members would not be able to keep up with the current news on the situation or be able to comment about the killings. This was a way for the college newspaper to experience breaking news first hand despite the death of one of theirs.
Soon after hearing about the killings on campus, the Northern Star learned that one of their staff members, Daniel Parmenter, was one of the people killed. Despite the tragedy, they had to cover the breaking news story on campus before local and national news went to report the scene.
The Northern Star did not know how to write a story like this, because they were used to headlines like “Things to do on Valentine’s Day” and “Winter season ranks tenth snowiest.” Even though they were unprepared for this story they turned to Virginia Tech for advice. Virginia Tech faced a 32 killing spree by one gunmen last year.
The Virginia Tech newspaper gave the Northern Star some great advice, by using the internet as a tool to reach students and other people. They set up a website where people can talk about what happened at Northern Illinois University. In many ways, the Northern Star had to react and work like a hardcore newspaper such as "The New York Times."
The Northern Star staff members also convened Friday afternoon to support one another and reflect on Mr. Parmenter’s death. “He was a motivated individual,” Justin Zegar, the advertising manager told a local newspaper, The Daily Chronicle. “He used to always come up to me and say, ‘Justin, what can I do to move up?’ ”
I believe that the college newspaper faced a tragic loss with one of their staff members, but they proved to be proffesional with the outcome by reporting first on the scene. If it wasn't for the Northern Star, students, professors, and other faculty members would not be able to keep up with the current news on the situation or be able to comment about the killings. This was a way for the college newspaper to experience breaking news first hand despite the death of one of theirs.
Monday, February 11, 2008
A Public Editor For Education
Journalists find it difficult to report on public education issues, because it is hard to get access to public schools and have interviews with school board officials.
The first public editor for EWA, Linda Perlstein, describes how journalists find fewer resources. Due to restructuring of newsrooms, many education writers often answer to editors who don't understand the school systems.
The Education Writers Association resolved this problem by creating a new position, a Public Editor. The Public Editor is to serve as an additional resource for education journalists.
Perlstein, the Public Editor for EWA, will coach individual reporters, offering guidance and coordinating with their editors. She will also be writing a regular column that will be published on the EWA Web site.
Perlstein explains to Megan Garber of CJR, "If you’re expected to turn out two daily stories a day, and you’re expected to cover every hiccup of your local school board, it’s hard to get the time to sit inside a classroom, talk to teachers, or get to know administrators as anything more than potential sources for react quotes."
I believe that Perlstein is right, it is hard to write articles on public education. Finally, there is a person to help with journalists who are struggling to get facts on public education. A journalist doesn't have to be in a classroom to report the education news, look at studies, statistics, or data to find a story. They can now go to Perlstein for updates and find actual facts about public eduacation in this country.
The first public editor for EWA, Linda Perlstein, describes how journalists find fewer resources. Due to restructuring of newsrooms, many education writers often answer to editors who don't understand the school systems.
The Education Writers Association resolved this problem by creating a new position, a Public Editor. The Public Editor is to serve as an additional resource for education journalists.
Perlstein, the Public Editor for EWA, will coach individual reporters, offering guidance and coordinating with their editors. She will also be writing a regular column that will be published on the EWA Web site.
Perlstein explains to Megan Garber of CJR, "If you’re expected to turn out two daily stories a day, and you’re expected to cover every hiccup of your local school board, it’s hard to get the time to sit inside a classroom, talk to teachers, or get to know administrators as anything more than potential sources for react quotes."
I believe that Perlstein is right, it is hard to write articles on public education. Finally, there is a person to help with journalists who are struggling to get facts on public education. A journalist doesn't have to be in a classroom to report the education news, look at studies, statistics, or data to find a story. They can now go to Perlstein for updates and find actual facts about public eduacation in this country.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
An ebay For Professional Journalism
A pair of young entreprenuers, Sindya Bhanoo, a Berkley student and Hemant, a former engineer for Amazon have combined expertises to form a website where editors and journalists could trade stories.
The new website, Reporterist.com is a news exchange where freelancers and editors can connect. " I saw a gap in the freelancing industry -- the process of pitching an article and getting it published had holes in it. It seemed like with today's technology it could be done in a more streamlined fashion," Bhanoo said.
The first time the website was used was in Berkley's Graduate School of Journalism. The faculty and students were in need of such a program, because there was a lot time between professors contacting editors, trying to refer work for a student. It is a quicker way for a professor to pitch a students story to an editor.
Reporterist.com works as a tool for journalists to pitch their stories to certain editors. The editors have the choice whether to buy and use their story. The pay is instant and not like the old fashion way style of waiting for a check to be cut.
The website is open to the public and some editors are using it. "Our larger vision is that it's the next generation wire service, like an AP or a Reuters. The public wants high quality, relevant news. As the industry's cutting back, a lot of regions are under-covered. Our vision is to be a wire service for local, topical news," Bahnoo said.
I believe that this is the future in reporting. With newspaper cut backs, this type of reporting is way to get the stories faster and more current. Finally, someone came up with an alternative for writers, freelancers, journalists, and editors everywhere.
The new website, Reporterist.com is a news exchange where freelancers and editors can connect. " I saw a gap in the freelancing industry -- the process of pitching an article and getting it published had holes in it. It seemed like with today's technology it could be done in a more streamlined fashion," Bhanoo said.
The first time the website was used was in Berkley's Graduate School of Journalism. The faculty and students were in need of such a program, because there was a lot time between professors contacting editors, trying to refer work for a student. It is a quicker way for a professor to pitch a students story to an editor.
Reporterist.com works as a tool for journalists to pitch their stories to certain editors. The editors have the choice whether to buy and use their story. The pay is instant and not like the old fashion way style of waiting for a check to be cut.
The website is open to the public and some editors are using it. "Our larger vision is that it's the next generation wire service, like an AP or a Reuters. The public wants high quality, relevant news. As the industry's cutting back, a lot of regions are under-covered. Our vision is to be a wire service for local, topical news," Bahnoo said.
I believe that this is the future in reporting. With newspaper cut backs, this type of reporting is way to get the stories faster and more current. Finally, someone came up with an alternative for writers, freelancers, journalists, and editors everywhere.
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