SMN Endorsement of Local Candidate

I picked up a paper on Sunday and saw the Savannah Morning News’ editorial endorsement of Edna Jackson.  Prof. Dawers has already commented on this issue in his blog, but I had a few questions of my own:

1. Is the role of newspapers to provide support to local candidates or provide information about candidates? 

          •  I did some research on this topic, and found that many local newspapers have historically weighed in on political races, especially those for mayor.  The precedence, however, is falling out of favor and more newspapers are choosing to not endorse political candidates.  Also, it’s important to note that the company boards/owners of the newspaper often choose which candidate to support, so reporters are spared any conflicts of interest. 

2. Does the support of a newspaper actually bear any weight on the outcome of an election?

          •  On this, I’m not so sure.  I think it depends on how many people read the endorsement and are actually persuaded by it to vote accordingly.  In Savannah, I think that the endorsement does little to persuade a public mostly decided in its decision, since Jackson has received so much support from other influential sectors. 

The Savannah Morning News has a right to make known their own political leanings- they, too, are affected by the outcome as citizens – and as some of the most well-informed of citizens, the SMN should have a clear and thorough understanding of what Savannah needs.  But I think that the endorsement of local candidates is stale journalism – instead just post the candidates’ platforms, have local columnists and experts weigh in, and let the public decide.  

Moniker Mayhem

After I got married, I wanted to change my name on everything as quickly as possible.  The DMV was painless, and the social security office was filled with creepy people, but was also an easy process.

I ran into problems – not with official documentation – but with Facebook. 

To change my last name, I was told to send in a scanned image of my marriage license to the company so they could verify my identity.  Instead, I closed down my account and opened a new one bearing my new moniker.     Imagine my surprise when I came upon this from the NY Times: “Rushdie Runs Afoul of Web’s Real-Name Police.” 

Apparently Facebook gave Salman Rushdie grief for his name as well.  Salman, I feel your pain.

The writer Salman Rushdie hit Twitter on Monday morning with a flurry of exasperated posts. Facebook, he wrote, had deactivated his account, demanded proof of identity and then turned him into Ahmed Rushdie, which is how he is identified on his passport. He had never used his first name, Ahmed, he pointed out; the world knows him as Salman.

Would Facebook, he scoffed, have turned J. Edgar Hoover into John Hoover?

Or C.S. Lewis into Clive Lewis?  Hell no!  I like to use Facebook for a variety of reasons – I can keep up with friends, connect with fellow writers, find out about social events, promote business, etc.  The site’s  usefulness is endless, but so is its power.  I’m glad that Rushdie pressured Facebook to use his pseudonym, through Twitter no less. But I’m also concerned by the amount of information this company is aggregating, how much its profiting from our every click. 

The debate over identity has material consequences. Data that is tied to real people is valuable for businesses and government authorities alike. Forrester Research recently estimated that companies spent $2 billion a year for personal data, as Internet users leave what the company calls “an exponentially growing digital footprint.”

Should we take our feet out of the mud and/or limit our online presence?  The article notes the political power of social media, and again its dangers.

And then there are the political consequences. Activists across the Arab world and in Britain have learned this year that social media sites can be effective in mobilizing uprisings, but using a real name on those sites can lead authorities right to an activist’s door.

I won’t stop using social media – it’s too vital for future business.  But I do plan on further limiting the amount of information I give out about myself and becoming more aware of the “digital footprint” that I leave behind.  In this case, ignorance is definitely not bliss.  

How should we give thanks?

My grandfather flew Chinooks during Vietnam, and as a civilian he now works with the military to teach younger Army pilots the ins and outs of the new F model.  He was lucky – the Army taught him a skill that allows him to continue to work after retirement.  But unemployment is extremely high for most ex-military and vets, and according to the Washington Post’s “Troops feel more pity than respect,” civilians have an awkward tendency to pre-judge and pity those who have served our country. 

This from the article:

“America has unwittingly accepted the idea that its warriors are victims,” Lt. Col. John Morris, a chaplain for the Minnesota Army National Guard, told the Rotary Club of St. Paul in August.

Morris visited the Rotary Club to encourage business leaders to offer internships to veterans who face an unemployment rate that is almost twice the state average. “Why are we unemployed, after we have done one of the greatest things in our lives, and that is serve our nation in combat?” he asked. “I think it is because America has bought into the notion that we might be damaged goods.”

And this:

Troops who eat out in uniform are routinely treated to free food by fellow diners. Lt. Col. Mark Weber joked that he recently “scored a twofer” while dining out in uniform. Two sets of anonymous donors picked up his $20 lunch tab. Weber used the extra cash to leave a giant tip. 

“It’s kind of bizarre,” said Weber, who has a master’s degree from Georgetown University. “People want to help, but they don’t know how. They feel powerless.”

To some soldiers, who are better-paid and -educated than many Americans, the charity can strike the wrong chord. The giveaways can seem like acts of atonement, designed to make up for many Americans’ indifference to the wars and their reluctance to serve.

“Don’t thank me for my service, don’t give me 5 percent off my Starbucks, don’t worry about yellow ribbons,” Lt. Col. Michael Jason, a battalion commander at Fort Stewart, Ga., wrote on his Facebook page on Memorial Day. “Do me this one favor: tell your children that there is another calling out there. . . . Talk to your kids about serving their country and their fellow citizens.”

I thought this was a great article outlining a social attitude that permeates the entire country.  Articles like this are interesting and I would expect difficult to write, because it deals with an abstract concept.  It was a great editorial choice to include voices from different states, and the anecdote about the “twofer one” was strong.  

But the article doesn’t really answer the basic questions it raises: for those of us who don’t want to serve, how do we give thanks to the military without the pity, without the condescension?   And not all troops hold degrees, never-the-less Master’s degrees from prestigious universities, or have the capacity to go to college.  So how do we go about equipping those soldiers with the skill-sets necessary to land a civilian job?  Do giving soldiers jobs and giving thanks go hand-in-hand? 

Cain Update

This post is for those who want more information about the Herman Cain issue we talked about in class today.  One of the Cain accusers (still unnamed) now wants to come forward with her version of events. The Washington Post released the information on their website. Check out the full article.   
Here’s a comment from the woman’s attorney:

“It is just frustrating that Herman Cain is going around bad-mouthing the two complainants, and my client is blocked by a confidentiality agreement,” Bennett said. “The National Restaurant Association ought to release them and allow them to respond.”

The Cain camp is also claiming hurt feelings. Here’s a short statement from the Herman Cain official webpage:

Inside the Beltway media attacks Cain

Fearing the message of Herman Cain who is shaking up the political landscape in Washington, Inside the Beltway media have begun to launch unsubstantiated personal attacks on Cain.

Dredging up thinly sourced allegations stemming from Mr. Cain's tenure as the Chief Executive Officer at the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s, political trade press are now casting aspersions on his character and spreading rumors that never stood up to the facts.

Since Washington establishment critics haven't had much luck in attacking Mr. Cain's ideas to fix a bad economy and create jobs, they are trying to attack him in any way they can.

Sadly, we've seen this movie played out before - a prominent Conservative targeted by liberals simply because they disagree with his politics.

Mr. Cain -- and all Americans, deserve better.

This also from Cain’s website, under the Newsroom tab:

Iowans appear ready to give Cain benefit of the doubt on sexual harassment allegations
Monday, October 31, 2011
Iowa conservatives appear unready to jump off the Herman Cain train — unless damning evidence emerges that proves the presidential candidate was less than truthful Monday when he denied allegations of sexual harassment.

On CNN’s homepage was a button link to more Cain news. On the link was the following:

Cain: 'This is a smear campaign.' Herman Cain says he didn't change his story over sexual harassment allegations. 'Able to gradually recall.'

Savannah Appears on Best Downtown List

Thought you'd like to know: The 912 made it onto a Forbes list detailing the country's top 10 cities with the best downtowns. Click here to see the entire article, posted on Yahoo.

As usual, Paula Deen and her restaurant Lady and Sons was pegged in the blurb, but it's nice that the city's architecture gets a nod. To the author's mention of "unabashed tourists" seeing the city by horse and carriage, I would have added a warning to avoid this mode of transportation in summer.  Can you imagine the smell, the lack of air conditioning, and the inability to escape clouds of gnats?

More than words

So one of the other things I do as a student worker for the marketing department is to create videos.  Not high end movies with explosions and cool effects, just simple vids using my point & shoot camera, a tripod, and iMovie.  Here's the latest one I did with the help of Krystal Huertas, who interviewed Janet McGarity while I did my tech-y thing.  

I kind of knew how I wanted the piece to come out, so I had a plan when going into the interview with Krystal.  I started with the interview first.  Afterwards, Janet played her instrument for about 10 minutes to ensure that I'd have enough background audio, and the lighting in the music auditorium was perfect.  The whole process took no more than 30 minutes.

Yet, one of the hardest things about doing this kind of video is the post-production.  I Googled how to use iMovie '08, which it turns out is one of the hardest years of that software to use because of hidden editing capabilities.  The best site was actually another blog - another reason why blogging is useful. ;)

In the end, sound was the biggest problem.  I had to find a volume balance between her voice and the background music of her playing the marimba, which caused me to have to go back to the editing process about 3 times.  Audio tends to vary between hearing it on headphones and hearing it on normal computer speakers.

I'm very happy with the results, and can't wait to do my next "profile" using video.  If you want to see Janet McGarity's page on Armstrong Experience, go here.

Stephen King Coming to Savannah!

This isn't related whatsoever to our class, but I thought many of you would like to know that there is now an even better reason to attend the Savannah Book Festival.

STEPHEN KING will be giving the Book Festival's closing address at the Trustees Theatre on Feb. 19, 2012.  Tickets for this will go on sale October 3 at 10 a.m. for only $10. Read about it at SMN here. 

I first found out from a writer friend of mine on Facebook, another example of how social media can be a powerful and immediate source of news.  But I thought I'd take the time to critique SMN's coverage of the news. 

First, I'd like to look at the page as an online source.  There is a picture provided, and like all articles on the site, there is a way to post the page's link via Facebook or Twitter.  You can also email the page and comment on it.  But there are no external links to be found on the page.  It's rather/kinda/extremely obvious to provide links to Stephen King's official website and the Savannah Book Festival website, at the very least.

As for content, the article is actually the exact press release that the Book Festival released.  No additional research was done.  As a fan, I immediately wanted to know was if there was going to be a book signing.  What is the potential for the festival's growth now that an author with such a huge reputation will be in the area?  How will the growth of the Book Festival affect the writing scene in Savannah? I speculate that people from all over - maybe as far away as Charleston and Jacksonville - will come to try to see him.  And it's always motivational for a writer to see a favorite/famous author, so much so that the numbers for local writing clubs could climb after the event.  How have other city's Book Festivals affected the local writing scenes?  Eck, my questions go on and on.  

Overall, I'm even more excited for 2012 than I was before.  I'll have graduated, regained my sanity, and hopefully, have seen Stephen King at the Savannah Book Festival.

P.S. For your viewing pleasure - Stephen King on Conan O'Brien, 2005 (sorry about the fuzz factor):

MSNBC's Getting Rev'd Up

So local and regional news agencies are shutting down all over the country.  Journalism jobs are hard to come by - there are less and less positions at traditional news businesses for more and more journalism grads to fight for.  I know this, but I hold out hope that the field will mold with the times.  But it burns me to see journalist jobs going to people who are not journalists.

Take MSNBC’s August 23 announcement as a prime example.  The news corp. placed Rev. Al Sharpton in its 6 p.m. “PoliticsNation” time slot.  It’s bad enough that he has no formal training in journalism (he actually holds no college degree), but his personal biases are blazingly evident and have been for years.  Here are a few that I found while reading his biography on biography.com:

1. He’s an ordained minister – religious bias.
2. He’s a political activist, as a leader in the NAACP and a seeker of government offices and the presidency – he has a personal and political agenda to push.
3. He has a history of slanderous remarks (late 80’s) – can he even do the job?

But this isn’t the first time that major news networks have hired outside the world of journalism for prime time national news, biases be damned.  CNN had Eliot Spitzer, former NY governor (political biases much?), on for about nine months before cancelling his show. 

I feel like we study not just the practices and principles of journalism, but ourselves while in school.  At the very least, we learn to recognize that we all have biases. I feel like handing this job, so crucial to the building and maintaining of this country, over to those who don’t know the journalism field and its mandates cheapens the degree we are working towards.  Do public figures who venture into the news world know that a journalist’s first duty is to the truth? Do they care? Regardless, it will be interesting to see if Sharpton’s news legacy is as long lasting as Spitzer’s.

Today’s Lesson: Best to be a Jerk

I didn’t speak up today about this, but I thought I’d weigh in with my own opinion. I think it is better to be a jerk in the journalistic world.  We are the ones who should “challenge the prevailing attitudes” rather than accept them passively.  We need to ask, “Should this be done? Who is at fault?”  There is still a need for watchdogs to dig at the truth.

While doing the reading in BNW this week and listening to today’s discussion, I kept weighing what The Post and Courier’s main concern should be: timing or truth?  Should their community image wholly/partly inform their editorial decisions?  I agree that there should be “grievance” pieces following a tragedy; to not do so is bad business for a newspaper.  But I felt that the hard questions that lead to the truth of the matter – that there were mistakes made by the fire department – were not addressed soon enough. 

I remember the coverage following the sugar refinery explosion in Port Wentworth.  Questions came first.  What caused it?  Who’s responsible? How many died?  The failure of OSHA to inspect the plant’s numerous violations became national news the following day.  A small southern city’s grief was expressed and shared, but it did not overshadow the truth of the matter – that the tragedy could have been avoided.

How to be a Bad Journalist: Tips from Brenda Lee

Brenda Lee is a columnist from Macon who made the news in 2009 after Secret Service removed her from a press area near Air Force One (read about it here).  Although slightly dated news, Brenda’s example still has a lot to teach us young news people how to be really bad journalists.  Here’s a checklist I gleaned after reading about her harrowing experience:

1. Lie.

That’s right. To be a bad journalist, all you have to do is lie about who you are. Especially when trying to contact the president.  Brenda did it.  With no regards to how morally ironic this would be, she told the Secret Service that she was a Catholic priestess from Anaheim – with White House press clearance. Nothing fishy there.

2.  Dress up according to what lie you have just told. 

If you say you are a firefighter, make sure you at least have the yellow helmet to go along with the new identity.  If, like Brenda, you say you are a Catholic priestess, make sure you wear a cassock and rosary (see below).  You can’t be a good bad journalist without the proper gear.

Brenda Lee - our mentor
An AP Photo from the NBC Los Angles article

3. Push your political opinions on those you are going to interview.

Sure, you could ask an interviewee what their stance is on a particular issue, or you can be like Brenda and try to hand the President a note telling him exactly what you want to hear.  Not like anyone cares to hear what the President has to say about gay marriage or anything as trivial as that.

Although her cover was blown, I’m sure that Brenda still advises all future bad journalists to follow this helpful advice.  Make sure you keep a watchful eye out for more bad journalist tips from news people as good as Brenda.