Media in elections

By: Shauna Agan

With the Election Day tomorrow, the media is about to have their biggest day of the year. No matter who wins the election, it is big news.

This is nothing new, though. Elections are always like this. However, the media is finding new ways to get the message out to the public.

Online, voters can watch the election state by state and literally see the results the second they come in. One place to view the elections is on msnbc.com.

Another way for voters to see election results is to get them send directly to their cell phone. Many media outlets are offering this opportunity, but one example in Iowa is a newspaper out of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, The Gazette, sending out text alerts.

If all else fails, results will be scrolling at the bottom of the screen of every major news station out there, and even some stations that aren’t news stations.

With technology and more media coverage, it is really easy for individuals to become informed about election results. A century ago, individuals would not find out results until they heard it from word of mouth or from the newspapers the next day.

Today, people can track every minor change throughout the night. This is not just limited to the presidential election, but it extends to congressional and senate races as well.

Who would have thought that technology in the media would come this far? Who knows what the future of media will be when it comes to elections!

The media is doing a great job of finding new ways to get information out to the constituents.

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Liberal media the night before an election

By: Quinn Albrecht

The night before the biggest election in the history of our generation there is news surfacing about one of the candidates.

Apparently this info has been around since the beginning of the year, sitting on a website. No one really cared that it was there, until the last few days. 

It just seems like really ironic timing that a newspaper would have something so controversial going out about a candidate hours before the election.

Can and should things like this be planned? Do campaigns do this, or do newspapers? It seems a bit unethical that there is such slander coming out at such a big time in the race for the white house.

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To release or not release

By: Adrian Aitken



Earlier today in class we discussed ethics and decency in the news and what is appropriate to print. Eventually the choice comes down to what the publisher wants which is acceptable because it is their paper. What if a publisher refuses to release something with no good reasons?



This is the case with the L.A. Times. A video was submitted to the Times with Barack Obama and the alleged terrorist Rashid Khalidi which captured the two at a party. Supposedly the video contains Obama praising Khalidi for racial remarks he made along with other statements which contradict Obama's "views".



I don't understand why the publisher continues to release the video. At this point I see two outcomes of showing the video to the public. One is that Barack is guilty and he loses many voters. Two, the video contains none of the above allegations and pressure is relieved off of the Times, Obama, and Khalidi.

I believe it is the responsibility of the publisher to release such crucial information especially so close to elections. Every second the tape is withheld I become more wary of Obama. Plus the Times are only making it seem that there in fact is something to hide from the masses.

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It's not just a vote

By: Taylor Browning

With the election being tomorrow, voting is on everyone's mind. There is always a lot of doubt on whether the youth will turn out to vote, and I think the answer is yes.

The push in newspapers and media has always been what demographic groups are going to vote for which candidate. I feel with the mass media urging the youth to vote, the more we feel we matter in the election. We're not just simply voting, but choosing our future.

If media would emphasize how our actions through the polls effect our future rather than just counting it as a number, then the more the younger generations will feel the need to vote. Instead of just counting as another vote, we are the voice of future generations. That is the message which needs to be spread.

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Just put it on the map

By: Sara Crouse

All journalists know the importance of proximity, but a British news company is going beyond the journalism standard in proximity.

Independent Television News, a British news company, is currently developing a way to pinpoint a reader’s proximity to breaking news. ITN is combining forces with Google Maps to develop a way for users to view news by pinpointing their location on a map, and then selecting stories that are flagged in the surrounding area. The flag will give a headline for a news story, and the reader has the option to view the full story.

Furthermore, the official name for the tool is Geolocation API. The tool has been used for many things in recent years, for example Geolocation API can pinpoint changes in a user’s location over time. Pinpointing such changes can lead to better service for the user.

Imagine, a tool so advanced that it recognizes a change in address automatically, through the location of one’s Wi-Fi connection. The tool will then prompt the user to view relevant news stories in the user’s new area of residence.

Though in its early stages, Google Gears Geolocation API, has the potential to expand into providing more videos and potentially music. Ave Wrigley, head of new media at ITN, says,

“The Geolocation API is a real breakthrough, allowing content providers like ITN for the first time to easily develop location aware services without complex and potentially costly arrangements with third-party service providers or mobile operators.”

For now, users can filter news stories on the website much like a hometown newspaper. In upcoming months users may even be able to listen to their favorite local garage band, or view an advertisement for the boutique just down the street.

The anticipation doesn’t end there either. One can anticipate many helpful flags popping up in the next few months.

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Tuesday can't come soon enough.

By; Sarah Keller

Only in a matter a days we will know who our next president will be. Every where you look on the news it is discussing the elections, the candidates, and nothing but the next president. For instance everything on Google news today was over the election, there was only about five articles not over the presidential candidates on the web site.

To be honest I can not wait until Tuesday is over with. Don’t get me wrong the election is very important; I strongly believe that everyone should go out and vote, because every vote truly does matter, but I am getting really tired of hearing about nothing but the election. Everything you read in the news is about who said what about which candidate today. “Look at what Sarah Palin was wearing today.” “Listen to what Obama said today.” It is all getting a little old to me. Even while I am sitting here a commercial from one of the presidential candidates is playing on the television.

At this point I am really wondering if any big news story were to break out if any one would really know about it, because the only things you are seeing in the newspapers over the last couple of days have been about the election. So honestly after Tuesday gets finished with I will be a happy person, maybe I will be able to read about other things rather than “who is up in the polls today.”

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Cuts, cuts and more cuts

By: Katie Anthony

On my search to find a blog topic, the first site I checked was I Want Media. About halfway down the page, there are the titles of "Disney Execs Prepare for Possible Layoffs," "Electronic Arts to Cut Costs, Employees," "Metro Free Newspapers May Face Shutdown," and "CBS Eyes More Cuts as Ad Sales Drop."

As the economy plummets, obviously, so do job opportunities. However, this hit home with me.

We always speak about how the media industry is changing, and how it's becoming more and more online and less and less in print; which results in less required jobs.

While I realize that everyone will suffer from the current economy standings, society needs media. Without media, whether it's print or online, how are people going to hear about how the stocks are doing for the day, or who won the game?

Both presidential candidates have plans for improving the economy (two vastly different plans), but none of the necessarily mention how it's going to affect the jobs that are already solid right now. They say that there will be more job opportunities, but for people that have what type of degree?

How are people going to get quality news and information if the industry has to keep cutting jobs due to a lack of funds?

The answer is depressingly simple; people just won't get the news.

Without the news mediums, how would society function?

If the job cuts keep up, I have a feeling that sooner rather than later, we're all going to know how society would function in a world with no news mediums.

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Mother and daughter blues

By; Sarah Keller

On MSNBC there was an article about a mother and daughter who were more like best friends than mother and daughter, but the daughter decided to support Obama and the mother is supporting McCain, ever since this decision the two women have not been very close and have been fighting over this issue.

I am really glad that this article was written. It goes to show how intense the elections are, and how important it is that America selects the right president. I have heard that this election is one of the most controversial and most heated elections there have been. Either way that America votes we are either going to have our first black president or our first woman in office.

According to the article the election is splitting some families up, which I find too bad and sad. I can kind of relate to the mother and daughters relationship from the article. My Mom and I have always been very close, and have had a lot of the same beliefs on issues. I came from a very conservative family. My mom is going to be supporting McCain this election, where as I will be supporting Obama, just like the mother and daughter discussed in the article, but unlike the two women my mom and I still get along perfectly well. We listen to each others opinions as to why we are supporting who we are, without getting mad at one another. My mom and I won’t let our beliefs in the election split our relationship apart like the mother and daughter in the article.
It surprised me quite a bit when I read that a family that was so close was now in a big fight due to who they wanted to win the election, the article really opened my eyes to the controversies over the election.

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To reveal a source or not to reveal a source

By Austin Bates

Poynter Online recently brought up a story that the LA Times originally published concerning presidential candidate Barack Obama and his behavior at a party some six months ago. The knowledge of this party is largely obtained from a video given to the newspaper by an anonymous source. The story itself is of interest because of Obama's seemingly conflicted positions in his support of Israel AND Arab-Americans. Poynter Online brings attention to this story because a spokesman for presidential candidate John McCain is claiming now that the LA Times is intentionally suppressing information about the video's source, which for them could reveal more about Obama's relationship with members of the party, and, probably give them something to use against Obama in the continuing campaign for the White House.

Now, another reason this story is important, and that Poynter Online brings it us, is because of the issue of anonymous sources for stories, especially concerning politics. Poynter references the debacle with CBS and President Bush's supposed shirking of duties in the National Guard that lead to so much embarrassment for Dan Rather and CBS. In other words, anonymous sources can be excellent ways to make a story, but if what they have to offer is not verified, it can also lead to some seriously embarrassing admissions and apologies later.

One reason I found this article interesting is the questions offered on whether the anonymous source used for LA Times' story was appropriate. Kelley McBride, the author for the Poynter Online story, points out that, in this case, the video from the source was a good idea because it could not apparently be obtained any other way, and was crucial to the construction of the story (since the video was used for the description of the event Obama attended; the video itself as not been displayed to the public, possibly for fear of revealing who the source is). Further, McBride says, "If someone offered up a video that would document one of these events [the social event which Obama was recorded at], on the condition that he not be revealed as the source of the video, I'd advise a reporter to make that deal".

The questions come in at the end of the Poynter article, though, where McBride, rightly so, I believe, suggests that newspapers should be more transparent to their audience as to why the anonymous source they are using (or for that matter, any source) is trustworthy and accurate. McBride also suggests that newspapers be sure to provide reasons for why, if the source is anonymous, it is anonymous, and why the information they have is important to the story being presented.

In all, I found this article interesting, as I had been considering the issues of sources for stories in journalism, especially if they want to remain unknown. Now, of course this story is nothing of legal importance, such as the situations that have come up in my journalism classes, but the basic concept remains: how much are you willing to remain true to your word, and leave an anonymous source unknown? Under what conditions will this trust be granted? Under what conditions might this trust be broken? Revealing a source you promised to leave unnamed might not just damage their livelihood (maybe even life), but it could threaten your livelihood (or maybe even life) by having future sources be unwilling to give you information, knowing you broke promises in the past.

These are some interesting questions to consider for anyone moving into the realm of journalism.

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There are some things you should never say

By Liz Tjaden

It’s easy to let them slip. Too much eggnog or Christmas carols can make us do crazy things. There is nothing wrong with feeling extra cheerful during these times of holiday celebrations but according to John E. McIntyre’s blog, “You Don’t Say”, advises journalists to stay away from holiday clichés.

These clichés are overused and don’t really bring any originality to stories. They are hard to get away from though because we hear them all the time. Not necessarily just in the media but at church, grocery stores, TV shows and advertisements.

So this season, stir up a little creativity and see what you can come up with on your own!

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Responsible Media

By Pat Tierney

With the highly anticipated 2008 elections just days away, the media is covering it inside and out.

No matter what side of the isle you sit on, and no matter whether or not you believe the media is right or left biased, I think its great to see one thing - they care.

News about the election has almost continuously been some of the top running stories for the past few months, however this has generated almost record interest in this years election.

The primary elections saw record voter turn out, and the general elections are expected to see much of the same.

Being a young American I believe that it is encouraging to see that the media is encouraging people to get out and vote. Pushing that no matter what you believe, that its important to let your voice be heard.

On a CNN website, there was a complete guide to voting in the 2008 election, as well as a problem solving site, trying to help out voters.

To the news organizations that are encouraging voting, I say "Good Job." It's great every now and then, to see news outlets caring not just about their jobs, but about our country.

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Plagiarism in the workplace

By: Hannah Pickett

One would think that plagiarism is simply applicable in a college or education setting. Surely no one would be dumb enough to think they could get away with plagiarizing as a professional, right? Nope.

At my job, I rely a lot on e-mail to attain statistics. Area coaches e-mail me their stats and one of my writers, an adult, e-mails her stories in to me as well. Monday, the area football coaches sent me their side of the stats. In one coach's message to me, one of my writers, and the Earlham newspaper editor, he wrote: "Here you go. Not much detail, too many touchdowns to get too wordy. As always, change anything that you see fit."

I then realized that he had attached a document named "newspaper article." This raised a red flag to me as an editor since he had attached an article. I opened it, saved it, and set it aside since I was still waiting on the writer's stories. The other red flag that came to mind was the coach's choice of words-as always. To me, this meant that he had been doing it all season.

The next day I received the writer's articles. I opened her football article, and realized that it was identical to what the coach had sent. The writer had spelled out the numbers, but other than that there were no differences between the two.

I was frankly outraged and shocked that a grown woman would think she could get by with this and still get paid for it. I called my publisher and he was very unhappy too. I sent her an e-mail saying that plagiarism is not tolerated in an education setting and is most certainly not tolerated in a journalism setting. Her pay was cut since she did not write the article and she is on probation.

I think plagiarism is sometimes overlooked in a small town newspaper setting. Typically newspaper plagiarism is taken from more reputable, classier sources. In this case, I would have never caught it had it not been for the e-mail the coach sent. Where is the line of plagiarism drawn between providing useful information on a game and actually writing the article? Or is it even considered plagiarism?

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Publish 2 provides a link to journalism

By: Allison McNeal

Journalists may be able to use a new tool to bookmark Webpages and organize links through an Internet browser window.

The new tool called Publish 2 was developed to promote link journalism in newsrooms.

This site allows links to be tagged, edited, and selected for republication on a news Web site, or on a microblogging site, like Twitter and Delicious.

Publish 2 was designed exclusively for journalists and can be implemented in newsrooms, which can allow reporters can create a list of links around a news item and can create more editorial content for news Web sites.

Along with online journalists, newswriters could also benefit from this new tool.

Print reporters could use the Internet to post blogs easier and to get their information out to the public faster.

"An individual newspaper could get their whole newsroom to this and tap into what everybody's already reading and finding, and essentially create their own different wire service or just to publish these links on their Web site," co-founder and chief executive Scott Karp said.

One key factor to this technology is to obtain editorial control over what links are published.

Many customers do not want to see individuals use links or information that is unreliable, which could pose a huge debate on what information is correct.

"The same fact checking process that is used by newsrooms for stories needs to be developed for links," Karp said.  "Editors can have access and the final say over the links included in their title's news group on Publish 2 before they are republished on a Web site."

A way that journalist can validate information is by allowing a newswire feature, which will compare other journalists sources and information to validate that the story is correct.

According to Karp, other sources of information may be from other competitor's sites, but this mutual linking could have a positive impact on news organizations.

Publish 2 could also help newspapers break away from The Associated Press model, in which newspapers could still provide regional and national news to individuals.

"The AP story is a commodity, because it's published on 1,000 other Web sites too," Karp said.  "If there's a particular story that breaks, a page of links to other interesting reporting [of that story] is probably of more value to the reader than the commodity story that they've already read in all those different places."

With this new tool of technology, will journalists and consumers embrace Publish 2?  

Could this company change the business model of the newswire for publishers?

These questions will have to remain largely unanswered until individuals start to use and understand this new journalism tool.

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Who gets the credit

By: Kayla Miller

Studies are now showing that the color red is driving men wild. Though who is getting the credit for the study?

Reuter's reporter Will Dunham reports that a psychology professor, Andrew Elliot of the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, had founded that red is the color of romance. According to Dunham, Elliot is the only one getting the credit for it.

From looking at NBC's version of the article, they had given credit not only to Elliot but to a woman researcher by the name of Daniel Niesta. Now who is this?

I don't know what Dunham is thinking, but it is necessary to get the facts right. Not giving credit to someone that deserves it probably isn't a smart thing to do.

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Just the facts, Ma'am

by Peter Merchlewitz

I can't tell if it's John E. McIntyre wonderfully droll speaking voice or just his knack for blogging about odd-ball journalism topics, but every Wednesday, I always like take a peek at his blog, whether it works for the BNR class or not. But this week, I just have to comment on this weeks submission.

Apparently, in his blog, McIntyre talks about his police reporter colleague, Peter Hermann, and how cops use their own language when talking to news reporters. Here are a few examples taken from McIntyre's blog:

Exited the premises: “Left the house.” Houses and apartments are always premises. And people, as if they were following stage directions, always exit.

Altercation: “Quarrel” or “fight.” Once someone gets shot or stabbed, the "altercation" has "escalated." Afterward, the “perpetrator” exits the premises.

Ejected from the vehicle: Think “thrown from the car.” It’s always a “vehicle,” not a “car,” even if the officer knows full well that it is a Ford Crown Victoria the size of your parents’ first house.

Discharged his weapon: “Fired his gun.”

The unit block of X Street: Never just “the first block.”

Failed to negotiate a curve: “Ran off the road.”

But the part I love the most about this most recent blog is McIntyre's reference to the old cop drama "Dragnet". Suffice to say, I feel like one of the fortunate one who've actually listened to, not watched!, to this old show. For you see, my grandmother was cleaning out her attic while she was getting ready to move into a smaller house when I stumbled across a collection of old time radio shows containing shows from "Gunsmoke" to "Amos and Andy", "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" and of course "Dragnet", old 1950s cigarette commercials and all.

For you see, listening to these tapes inspired me to pursue a career in voice acting, and thus changing my major from Vocal Performance to Corporate Communications. It's also a little dream of mine before to graduate to start a radio show here at Simpson where my friends and I would act out these old radio shows using old radio transcripts found on the Internet, like "Guy Noir: Private Eye" from Garrison Keillor's NPR show "Prairie Home Companion".

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Newspaper self-flagellation

By: Callie McBroom

Romensko is reporting a new response to "judging a newspaper by the number of copies in the market." That response is that it "makes no more sense than counting the number of television sets to evaluate a TV station," which obviously doesn't happen.

Matt Baldwin, vice president of research for MediaNews Group recently made a very good point. He said, "I'm continually baffled by the newspaper industry's insistence on self-flagellation when it comes to reporting circulation declines and the maddening failure to properly position the reality of media transformation."

He also points out that broadcast television and radio companies never seem to bring attention to the numbers of audience members that are turning away from their services everyday. And he's right. Pointing out the declines only makes things worse.

Additionally, just because circulation is down doesn't mean that other avenues to access newspapers aren't available. In fact, visitors to websites may even be increasing more than readership is decreasing.

Baldwin believes that "telling the whole story is our ultimate responsibility - to readers, consumers and advertisers alike." Because reporting the whole story is the purpose of journalism, it should be a priority for newspapers.

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Buying the Oval Office

By: Kelsey Knutson

It is not news to anyone who has had their eyes open these past few months; the spending that has been going on in this campaign is tremendous. 

From Sept. 8 to Oct. 4 alone the candidates together spent over $28 million. This amount of spending is a 64 percent increase from the spending of the 2004 presidential race. Money clearly equals power. 

Democratic candidate Barack Obama is venturing into a new form of media campaigning by spending just under $2 million for 30 minutes of air time on Oct 29. This has never been done before. This broadcast can be seen on CBS, ABC, and NBC.

In the past, presidential candidates have spent money on long ads on cable networks but never on the national networks. The last time a presidential candidate bought a 30 minute ad was Ross Perot in 1992. 

Each candidate has spend an enormous amount of money. Obama has spent more than McCain; however, that is only because he has raised more. (A lot more) But does the advertising spending really mean anything now? No. The advertising meant a lot more the campaigns six to seven months ago. Even way back to the primaries. People now have made up their minds.

However, the point is that the media has become the main force in these presidential campaigns. It is the most efficient way to get a message across to the country. But don't be fooled - political scientists say that just because one candidate outspends the other doesn't mean he/she will necessarily win. 

Money equals power, but when it comes to elections the people still hold the ultimate power. 

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Colorado newspapers plan to play dumb as the election inches closer

By: Kathryn Lisk

With the election less than a week away, the public is more interested than ever in where each presidential candidate stands on important issues. Generally, society counts on news sources to provide crucial information regarding either candidate and newspapers are dedicated to doing so.

However, 13 weekly papers across the front range of Colorado owned and operated by Colorado Community Newspapers has decided to leave any information regarding the election or either presidential candidate out of their weekly papers to give readers time to establish their own views.

This attempt to prevent media interference on readers is ironic because without including any important information about the election, readers will not be capable of fully establishing their own stance.

I understand that a reader could be offended when a newspaper endorses a candidate that differs from their candidate of choice. 

However, keeping all information from the reader regarding either candidate seems a bit extreme. Newspapers are supposed to provide readers with news. 

In a heated election like this, political news should not be avoided.

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Fading fast

By: Alex Jones

It is not new news that print forms of media are going out of style but which newspaper will be the first to discontinue it's daily print edition?

Christian Science Monitor will be the first nationally read newspaper to discontinue the printing of the paper daily and move to only printing weekly. The more important move for Christian Science Monitor is the shift to the internet. 

Great emphasis is being placed on the paper's Web site which will be updated continuously through out the day. The newest technology is also being researched to place on the Web site which is expected to attract more viewers.

The Christian Science Monitor has been declining in readership for the past 40 years but has high hopes when looking to the future. Implementing this newer form of the paper in April 2009. 

It's only a matter of time when all newspapers move completely to the internet. 

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Unbiased?

By: Sarah Harl

Kelly McBride, columnist for Poynter Online, a source for "everything ethics," speaks her mind on "gotcha" interviewing in a recent column.

McBride is referring to recent interviews conducted with John McCain and Sarah Palin by Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric. It was argued by some that these were more interrogations than interviews designed to embarrass the duo, specifically Palin.

McCain described his displeasure with the reporting, saying he felt the journalists were not providing all of the necessary information to make the questions clear and straightforward.

McBride proceeded to give the readers a textbook explanation of deceptive journalism, and how what Couric and Gibson did was not considered deceiving journalism, and was therefore not biased.

Now, it is true that none of these questions were out of order: McBride is correct about that. What she fails to understand is that people find it biased when you drill Senator McCain and Governor Palin about hypothetical situations of country A invading country B, and then you ask Senator Obama what he likes to do with his family.

If Obama had been as aggressively interviewed as the Republican ticket, there probably would have been inconsistencies in his story too. And that is what is unfair about this situation: not that Palin and McCain were asked tough questions, but that Obama has consistently not been asked the same questions.

So McBride could have saved the lecture in fair journalism, because it can simply be achieved by asking both candidates the same questions in the same way.

Unbiased.

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