Number thirty nine

Filmed from the back of my head...

And other enjoyable photos to break up the monotony of words on this blog recently!

Number thirty eight

My video for JOUR1112 was a report on the greek Paniyiri festival held in Musgrave Park last weekend.

It was a great festival and so busy! And the Greek food really does live up to all the hype surrounding it...

Number thirty seven- annotated bibliography

JOUR1111 Annotated bibliography

Nolan, D & Lester, L. (2011).  Expanding journalism studies in a competitive environment. Australian Journalism Review, 33(1), 41-44. Retrieved from: ISSN: 0810-2686.

The authors, David Nolan and Libby Lester, academics  at the University of …. Address the issues surrounding the expansion of journalism as a distinct discipline within universities and institutions. The article focusses on the ERA classification of journalism alongside professional writing, and the positive and negative elements of journalism studies falling into a sub-genre of generic media studies. While it is argued that the categorisation produces  a narrow perspective of the actual study of journalism, the necessity to remain and inter-disciplinary field, closely involved with politics, sociology, philosophy, law and science, is also highlighted.

The main criticism for the article is the absence of any background information on the ERA classification guide and procedures. Although highly suitable for the medium and assumed knowledge of journalism professionals, to an uninformed audience, this article requires further research into the topic, and rereading, for complete understanding of the debate. This article is of significance to the next three political articles, as the need to influence, and be influenced by politics and sociology continues to be vital in journalism practice, with the public’s constant demand for up-to-date news on the social and political developments that effect our lives.

Avlon, J. (2012). American Way: Why Barack Obama’s support for gay marriage is a huge political gamble by the president. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-politics/9261751/American-Way-Why-Barack-Obamas-support-for-gay-marriage-is-a-huge-political-gamble-by-the-president.html.

Telegraph reporter John Avlon, delivers an article with the aim of clearly highlighting how Barack Obama’s announcement is “loaded with political risk”, one that will alienate him from would-be voters, come Election Day. The article stipulates the political position of a number of US states with a deeply inset opposition to same sex marriage, and the dim prospect Obama has in altering these opinions. Adding slight balance to the article is a paragraph underlining conservative candidate Mick Romney’s unwillingness to even address the issue, let alone state his position, presenting a similarly negative image to society.

This Telegraph article addresses the announcement by Obama, in a perspective that critically evaluates the political and social implications of his actions. This position taken, aligns with the previous journal article statement over the necessity for journalism to remain influenced by both politics and sociology, proving both articles to be similarly engaging and innovative for their audiences. Highly suitable for its medium, the article provides a valid perspective on a controversial issue, backed with research and information, for its presumably educated audience.

O’Malley, N. (2012). Obama finally comes out with views on gay marriage. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/world/obama-finally-comes-out-with-views-on-gay-marriage-20120510-1yfia.html.

US Correspondent at theage.com.au, Nick O’Malley, presents an article with a diplomatic and critical perspective on US president Barack Obama’s recent announcement of his support for gay marriage. Rather than address the issue of gay marriage directly, O’Malley questions the time in which it took for Obama to acknowledge his support for the controversial topic. After reviewing the sequence of recent events in the American political race, the article then highlights the President’s reputation as a “conviction politician” and how the delay in announcement of his support is contrary to this label.

Similar to the Telegraph article, O’Malley is critical of Obama’s announcement, but draws upon contrasting political and social arguments and perspectives, to support his article. While both articles label the announcement as a political risk that will isolate the president from potential voters, The Age articles bases the ‘gamble’ claim, on the extended timeframe is has taken for this announcement to be made, while the Telegraph focusses more on the deep set values of American society. The more conversational, blogging style used in this article is very fitting for its medium and location on The Age webpage.

Kelly, F. (Presenter). (2012, May 10). Obama supports same-sex marriage. (Audio podcast). Retrieved from:  http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/4002578

This Radio National Breakfast news report, presented by Fran Kelly, provides a very balanced overview of the US President’s announcement. The report begins with a audio clip of President Obama’s address stating his support for gay marriage, and is followed by an interview with political commentator for politico.com, David Mark. Ms Kelly questions why the president made such a statement, whether he was forced as part of a media strategy, the upsides and downfalls of the announcement and whether any major repercussions are likely to amass from this. Mr Mark is very well informed in his comments, and provides a well balance argument for both sides of the political debate. Emphasis is placed on how although the president could potentially have divided his coalition with a number of African American voters, most US citizens who are concerned over the same sex marriage issue are likely to have made their voting decision, regardless of the president’s statement.

What contrasts this article from the ones previously is the neutral stance on the event, taken by the interviewer and political reporter. While the other articles only highlight the risks and downfalls in the president’s ‘bold’ announcement, this ABC report focuses on the purely moral and strategic aspects of the announcement, emphasising how the president has no “force of law” regarding marriage constitution in each individual state. The interviewer questions if it was a risky move by the president, but also balances her questions by drawing attention to the upsides of this social announcement. 

Number thirty six

Don't you just love cute printed socks!

I honestly believe that any old/boring/rushed/can't-be-bothered outfit can be turned around with statement socks.

Number thirty five

Shooting with a GoPro camera!

This morning I used a different camera to take some more photos for my COMU1999 portfolio. The GoPro is strapped to your head and can be set to take video, still images, or photos continuously at 2 second intervals. I used the 2 second interval setting and ended up with 530 photos, most of which are very blurry! But here is a few cool ones!

Number thirty four

JOUR 1111 

LECTURE WEEK 11

(I had a minor freak out because I couldn't find any lecture notes for week 10. But never fear Chloe, week 10 was a public holiday)

Agenda Setting

Firstly, how brilliant was the video shown at the start of the lecture!

What is agenda setting? Agenda setting is a theory

-Social construction of reality

1. concept of reality is socially constructed through communication using shared language
2. reality exists, but is meditated through social life
3. media play a large role in constructing social world

There are 4 main agendas

1. Public- topics public finds important
2. Policy- issues policy makers think are salient
3. Corporate- big business and corporations
4. Media- issues media finds important to discuss

Mass media decides what issues will be frequent and prominent- people come to believe these issues are the most important, therefore:

More coverage = More importance in public perspective

Basic assumptions of agenda theory:

• mass media filter and shape reality
• media concentration on a few subjects leads public to think they are the most important

Mass media "injects" direct influence into audience

Where did agenda setting come from?

Propaganda- used to shape image in minds- people use images to form judgements

What it does-

• transfer issue of salience from news media to public
• transfer of issue of salience for issues and objects i.e. political figures
• elite media often set agenda for issues in other media i.e. CNN, Fox, ABC (Why? Because they can)

THE AGENDA SETTING FAMILY

• MEDIA GATEKEEPING- how individuals control flow of messages through communication; what media choose to reveal
• MEDIA ADVOCACY- purposeful promotion of ideas
• AGENDA CUTTING- most of truth/reality that is going on isn't represented
• AGENDA SURFING- bandwagon; media follows crowd and trends; media surfs waves on topics
• DIFFUSION OF NEWS- how, when, where news is released; process through important events being communicated
• PORTRAYAL OF AN ISSUE- different ways of portraying an issue to influence the public a certain way
• MEDIA DEPENDENCE- more dependent people are on media, the more susceptible they are to agenda setting

STRENGTHS OF AGENDA SETTING

explanatory power

predictive power

organising power

proven false

scientific

WEAKNESSES OF AGENDA SETTING

media users not as 'ideal' as theory assumes

theory weakened on people who have already made an opinion

news can't create/conceal problems

new media upsets the theory

As I post this, I am watching ABC news. It is interesting as the news presenter at the end of the broadcast makes a statement on what news was "highest on the agenda", today it was Greece. Agenda setting seems very important in creating the most important news cycle possible for the day. However it is unsettling when considering that major media tycoons such as CNN, Fox, Fairfax, Newslimited etc. can have such an influence on what tops not only their own agendas, but also a chain reaction of smaller news broadcasts as well. 

As people of such a socially driven society, we are subject to the news that the media decides we should be subject to, no more and no less.

NUmber thirty three

As well as sport and uni and working, I really really enjoy making clothes and accessories, but I don't often have the time. Last year I had a little facebook based headband business going, where I made all sorts of headbands covered in handmade flowers and other random objects I found (all time favourite being a pikachu figurine headband). Pepie Plum was my headband alter ego..... but after a while I got very busy and had to slow down a bit so now I just make headbands for my friends as they request them!
I found time over the last few days though, to start a few little projects.... take a looksie...

My denim jacket got a bit of a bleaching job and will soon have grey fleecy sleeves for winter, and these once ugly black shoes eventually will be gold and silver, bejewelled with diamantes and pearls.... now for somewhere to wear them!

Number thirty two

More COMU1999 assignment photos...

In these photos I was trying to show to things 1. actual rowing and 2. the piles of 'stuff' we have with us

Number thiry one

Jour 1111 lecture week 9

News values

What do we mean?

·         At work

·         Newsworthiness

·         “the audiences”

·         The future

Definition of news values: degree of prominence a media outlet gives to a story

1.       IMPACT- gets audience saying “gee whiz”

2.       AUDIENCE IDENTIFICATION- interesting, something the audience can relate to

3.       PRAGMATICS- ethics, facticity, practicality

4.       SOURCE INFLUENCE- the way stories are spun

“NEWS JOURNALISM HAS BROADLY SET RULES CALLED NEWSWORTHINESS”

-Values vary across news services and across countries/cultures

If it bleeds it leads/ If it’s local it leads

How do particular institutions shape their news values?

•  “editors are the human sieves of the torrent of news”. 
• You learn the news values of a place through osmosis – an understanding that comes.

Over time, many journalists have tried to define news values….

·         In the 1960s, one journalist defined the factors that make a story newsworthy as- negativity, closeness to home, recency, currency, continuity, uniqueness, simplicity, personality, expectedness, elite nations/people, exclusivity, size.

·         In 1995 another journalist defined the newsworthy factors of her time as- significance, proximity, conflict, human interest, novelty and prominence.

THREATS- TENSIONS of newsworthiness

• ·         Lazy journalism
• ·         PR influence
• ·         Tabloidization
• ·         Hyper-commercialisation
• ·         Media mergers controlling what audience sees/reads
• 
  

REALITIES of newsworthiness

• ·         Journalism is infected by PR
• ·         Rapid news cycles makes journalism untrustworthy
• ·         Media mergers corrupt the news telling process

“THE AUDIENCE”

• ·         Have they moved on?
• ·         Journalism is no longer one way
• ·         More and more people are becoming citizen journalists
• ·         Audiences are getting sick of ‘spin’

THE FUTURE

• ·         Are newsworthy values already changing?
• ·         What drives decisions over what is ‘newsworthy’?
• ·         What do you think is newsworthy?
• I think anything that concerns the people of our society, in any way, shape or form, is newsworthy. I dont think it is right, for big media companies to control what the audience does or doesn't read or see. Everyone has the right to be informed and make up their own decision over what they personally believe is newsworthy. We are all completely difference human beings and we all find different issues effect us on different levels, therefore I believe there needs to be a move to a platform of news on which everyone can access what ever they like, whenever they like. 

Number thirty

Jour1111 lecture week 8

I had a strong opinion on this subject before going into the lecture. In my head, ethics and journalism very often clash. Ethics should be constantly at the forefront of a journalist's mind, and yet it seems like very often, digging out the dirt to find a story so bleeding that it can't not lead, is all reporters are concerned about. I hoped that I would be proven wrong in this lecture, and that there were guidelines towards what a journalist can or can't, and should or shouldn't say. 

Ethics- all about colours

How do we know what is:

Good or bad?

Right or wrong?

Ethical or unethical?

Tacky or tasteful? (i.e. socks with sandals, either very very tacky or rather tasteful if done correctly)

Ethical theories:

·         Deontology

·         Consequentialism

·         Virtue

Every ethical paradigm/framework  fits under one of these three classifications

Deontology-

• ·         rules, principles, theories
• ·         you will do the right thing by following the rules
• ·         where do the rules come from? Ten commandments, Gilgamesh, Confucius
• ·         rules embedded in codes of conduct and codes of practice
• ·         ethics is a choice between and absolute right and an absolute wrong
• ·         ethical choices are invariably the choice between the lesser of two bad outcomes

Consequentialism-

• ·         getting a ‘good’ or a ‘right’ outcome
• ·         the outcome is the story, its all about the story
• ·         tyranny of majoritarianism
• ·         what is right is what most people think is right
• ·         the end may justify the means
• ·         the greatest good for the greatest number- majority

Virtue ethics-

• ·         intrinsic values
• ·         the values that inform our professional practice and drive the way we live
• ·         identity as a journalist is not differentiated from our identity as a person
• ·         an ethical person is one of good character- justice, courage, temperance and prudence

COURAGE is the mean between RASHNESS and COWARDICE

JUSTICE is the mean between the IN-JUSTICE of overzealous and excessive law and the INJUSTICE of LAWLESSNESS

Codes of ethics- journalist code- MEAA

Lois Lane is definitely my favourite heroine...

Thank goodness. There are codes of conduct for what people can and can't say. A world without guidelines would be one wrought with constant miscommunication, leading to disagreements and arguments, and effectively in the long run, a whole lot more wars. 

Journalists are a crucial line of communication to vast numbers of people, and have a duty to spell out the truth as it is. With such a powerful voice to society, we can only hope that it remains as ethical as possible.