Convergence: The Future of Media

The idea of convergence is critical to Journalism majors present day. The internet is vital to everyday life; communication has been taken to a new level completely.


Newspapers have reacted to the infinite use of the internet with online web pages. These web pages are updated constantly unlike the standard definition of newspaper writing. With every new bit of information, a new story is written. The update includes the new information as the lead (or the first paragraph) and the background of the story is told throughout the article for those readers new to the content.



There are several advantages to convergence; video and audio components, photo galleries, and links to other Web sites are important to a news story. However, the problem with online newspapers is the fight to be the first. Like television stations, newspapers want the latest information. Television ratings are based on viewers. Newspapers seek the same thing: online viewers. This drives journalists to forget about daily deadlines and to push for hourly deadlines. The story, therefore, is altered as more information is uncovered.

Several newspapers have their personal Web sites. The Los Angeles Times, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the New York Times, and the Washington Post are all major newspapers throughout the country. They have embraced convergence to overcome the decline in newspaper consumption.

Help these newspapers survive. Visit their Web sites, read the articles, comment on the stories. “Without newspapers, what would we know?”

Leonard Pitts Jr: God Floating in the Pool

Leonard Pitts Jr. is a syndicated columnist for The Miami Herald. He’s written for several other publications such as Essence and Reader’s Digest. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in both 1992 and 2004. He won a Pulitzer for commentary in 2004.

A few of his articles are published in the 2008-2009 Best Newspaper Writing book that my Writing for Publication class used as a textbook. As an African-American writer, he portrays the differences between his community and others.

His articles are usually written using much repetition. This literary element is prominent in his article “‘Murder is the greatest injustice of all,’” where Pitts calls attention to the statistics of African-American killings. “And this is how we die,” is used as a transitional phrase, one that introduces more information to add to the whole picture of his article.




However, one of my favorite columns written by Pitts is entitled “I know He’s out there—somewhere,” which asks the essential question of existence and human relation to God. I found this article interesting the first time I read it, and though I understood the basic concept and idea, I couldn’t exactly interpret all of the distinct aspects.

Though he doesn’t use his typical and effective repetition, he uses a lot of dialogue as well as what I interpreted as symbols. He begins by describing a pool and “God...floating on His back.” After much dialogue from his part, Pitts seems to become overwhelmed from God’s silence. He begins to yell and exclaim that people no longer believe in God because he continually remains silent.

His faith is shaken throughout the article as he speaks to God who continues to float in the pool. As his religious dilemma unfolds, an atheistic perspective dawns on him. “‘When you see nothing, when you feel nothing, isn’t it logical to conclude it’s because there is nothing.’”

Then, in a split second, he realizes God left him, only to reappear outside of the pool “drying himself with a towel.” God’s only dialogue referred to a television program previously mentioned in the article before going inside the house. Immediately after, “It started to rain.”

The symbol I primarily recognized in the article was the water. Water in this article could represent doubt. As God soaked in the pool, more did Pitts find it hard to believe in God. Pitts’ sigh of relief to finally see God emerge from the pool and dry the water—doubt—from his body implies the human need to physically witness God to have faith. As God abandons Pitts, it begins to rain, indicating that Pitts once again began to doubt his faith.

This article is a perfect example of the daily struggle that we have to overcome doubt. Anything that disrupts it, such as rain, signifies the abandonment of God. We soak in doubt and instead of drying ourselves off with God’s towel, we allow God to leave. We forget to follow him “into the house."

Tips to Syndicating Your Writing

The video focuses on giving advice and tips for those passionate writers. Deanna’s enthusiasm allows her to quickly and easily introduce the idea of column writing.

Some of the simple steps that she covers are:
1. Write samples
2. Be consistent
3. Write an appropriate topic to prepare the reader
4. Determine: “What is your objective?”

Brooks: Globalization and Swine Flu

David Brooks, opinion and editorial writer for The New York Times, is an effective writer because he gives an introduction, then an idea he may or may not agree with, and finally supports or rebuts it with his personal opinions and logic. Hs suggestions, based on his logic, are reasonable.

As a response to the current global incidents of swine flu, or Influenza A H1N1, Brooks wrote an editorial that supported certain actions for controlling the wide spread of the virus. The article, entitled “Globalism Goes Viral,” uses the swine flu as an example of occurrences that should be responded to with certain measures.

Brooks begins the article with “In these post-cold war days, we don’t face a single concentrated threat.” The automatic response is one of fear. Concentrated threats imply the minimal, if any, amount of spread to other regions of the world. The world “single” adds to that panicked feeling; the realization that globalism has allowed the interaction and exchange of virtually EVERYTHING hits deep in our bloodstream. The article continues to support his first sentence for three paragraphs. He continues to use the word “we” freely and there is no doubt, he believes this not only an important we, but an apparent we. Had he used a less impersonal word than “we,” we wouldn’t feel the immediate connection to the rest of the globe.

As the article develops, he responds to a proposed policy of a global group brought together to respond to the globalized threats, (a body that may or may not focus on centralized power). “If we had a body like that, we wouldn’t be seeing the sort of frictions that are emerging from today’s decentralized approach.” Brooks could have used a number of words other than friction such as conflict, resistance, tension, hostility, disagreement, etc. However, the word friction could be seen as appropriate in context. Friction suggests the possibility of fire, a rapidly spreading problem for those in the immediate surrounding areas; just as the fire has the ability to spread, so too do pandemics like the swine flu.

However, he refutes this proposal and supports a more decentralized approach despite the arguments made previously in favor of centralized action by G. John Ikenberry. He asserts that decentralized approaches are more effective because local authorities and members of society bond to overcome the difficulties faced in their own communities. “Power would be wielded by officials from nations that are far away and emotionally aloof from ground zero.” A centralized approach would mean that proposals and actions would be equal in all parts of the world. Regions however, vary within countries and states; global differences are inevitable and quite large. The words “emotionally aloof” are powerful because they highlight the indifference of these action groups. Aloof also indicates the superiority of these assemblies versus local groups.

He also describes the necessity of being “flexible” in our response because the dilemma is “flexible.” The word flexibility is rarely used for viruses—adaptable or ever-changing seem more fitting. Brooks uses this word to personify swine flu. Globalization has allowed these incidents to become as unpredictable as humans, a fearful notion to say the least. Our reaction however, can adequately overcome these perils as long as decentralized groups exist.

Check out Noam Chomsky’s views on globalization. His comparison to the spread of drugs and its dangers can be applied to the spread of diseases.

David Brooks: My Introduction to Writing

Before I analyze the next columnist and editorial, I should probably introduce the writer. David Brooks is an opinion-editorial writer currently writing for The New York Times. He is the author of two books: Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There, and, the most recent, On Paradise Drive: How We Live Now (And Always Have) in the Future Tense.

I first read one of his editorials as a junior in high school. I was 16 years old and still a bit undecided about what I wanted to pursue in college. Well, David Brook’s “Pillars of Cultural Capital” piece aroused a current passion of mine. I love to write although I think it’s obvious considering I chose to research editorials and write about them instead of doing something else for my final project.

In my English Language and Composition class, we were required to analyze pieces of writing. One of these assignments was the previously-mentioned article. Until then, I didn’t realize that there could be so much thought and deliberation when writing. That one word could be crucial in a sentence, paragraph, or entire essay. That grammatically incorrect sentences could be used for emphasis and a literary tool. That repetition was not necessarily redundant.

These editorials break the rules of structured writing (and I have always been a fan of breaking the rules). As a writer, I want to continue breaking the rules—as long as they add to the piece as a whole—just in my own way. “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.”

Ruben Navarrette Jr: Latinos and Politics

Ruben Navarrette Jr is a Mexican-American columnist for the Washington Post Writers Group. At the age of 28, he has reached great heights in his career. His columns are published in over 175 newspapers in the nation. He is both one of the few Latino syndicated writers and one of the youngest.

He is an editorial writer for the San Diego Union-Tribune. At the age of 26, he published his first book, “A Darker Shade of Crimson: Odyssey of a Harvard Chicano,” which focuses on his experiences at Harvard. Vindication, an essay he wrote about his struggles when beginning his writing career, was published in the “Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul,” the most successful Chicken Soup book.

It was difficult to center on one editorial from his archive of works. However, I found it quite appropriate to focus on the editorial “A bridge to Hispanic voters,” which focuses on one man, Juan Hernandez, a Hispanic volunteer for presidential candidate John McCain. Hernandez was known as the director of Hispanic outreach and his primary goal was to draw interest from the Hispanic community to support McCain.

His writing is rich with detail and long sentences. I found one of the most effective elements was the juxtaposition of Hernandez’s interests and the interests of the conservative Republicans. Both groups were focused on distinct goals. The goals were contradictory to say the least. “Meanwhile, down the hall, another portion of the campaign was hard at work…de-emphasizing his record of championing comprehensive immigration reform.”

This sentence gives a clear picture. The words down the hall bring attention to working in the same building, the same company, the same objectives. However, the rest of the sentence shows that this team in reality was pulling in different directions. The following paragraph is one word long, “Brilliant.” Its lack of length however, doesn’t take away from it power. Navarrette wants the reader to pause and ponder this inconsistency in McCain’s political strategy. The word brilliant is loaded with sarcasm, sarcasm captured by all readers.

Navarrette also describes Hernandez as being “roped” into a meeting focused on increasing Hispanic votes in McCain’s favor. One image of roped is that of herded cattle. Hernandez was not chosen to attend the meeting. He was compelled.

One of the simplest sentences in this editorial had the most significance for me. “They should have let McCain be McCain.” This sentence is placed towards the end to influence the reader. For me, the sentence suggested that years of political parties have forced people to support and view concepts from one side of the fence. Compromise is no longer an attribute for a politician. It’s all or nothing, an idea that could never be attributed to society. There are infinite shades of gray, shades of gray that political parties do not have room for or have carelessly ignored in their campaigns.

Navarrette’s editorials are simple. His meaning or opinion is not hidden in any form. He appeals to all groups and his readership is general. He is currently fighting for the Latino minority and breaking its barrier in the political field. Check out his opinions in the video below.

Lisa Nelson: Children & Carnival Fish

Lisa Nelson is a former screenwriter and now a feature writer. She writes about the comedic stints associated with family. Her column “One Fish, Two Fish, Dead Fish, New Fish” was published in the Southwest News-Herald in Chicago. I rather enjoyed it despite the strange subject: carnival fishes.

No, not fishes that are put on display and do things like circus tricks…because frankly, can you train a fish to do those things and captivate an audience long enough for it to be remembered?



Her column focused on the lesson she learned from years of taking her children to carnivals. They lived to win fishes. Her fear was that her children instantly cared for these creatures, creatures she was almost certain would not survive more than 24 hours in her home.

Her details are entirely appropriate. “But my 5 and 7-year old were drawn to the win-a-fish game like cartoon characters to a pie in the windowsill…” She uses an analogy to relate her children to cartoon characters because she wants to point out the factors of the situation. The pie in the windowsill suggests childlike temptation; it implies that because it is seen in an unbelievable apparent spot, it has to be eaten. Winning a fish is not the actual temptation; the temptation lies in the physical aspect of constantly seeing others win the fishes. In this context, the pie is the fish but it is more than that.

After two of her sons each won a fish, Nelson explained the life or death situation the easiest way she could muster. “That said, I was determined to do everything in my power to keep these suckers alive.” The connotation of suckers in this sentence forebodes their ultimate death (not that it isn’t obvious from our own carnival experiences). However, these actions—explaining the fish’s situation and then fighting to keep them alive—are juxtaposed. The purpose behind the juxtaposition could lead us to one of the column’s messages. Even though she understands the realities of death, she cannot bear to teach that lesson to her children, a mother’s endless plight. She defends her children from pain even if she has to care for the fish as if it were a “liver for transplant.”

After their deaths’, the boy’s “reactions were equally heart-wrenching.” The word heart-wrenching indicates the fragile emotional state of the boys. However, because of the difference in their ages, it is implied that growth does not actually soften the experience of death. The only thing that comes with growth is acceptance. Witnessing death is inevitable—just as the boy’s watching others win fish was inevitable at the carnival. People merely move on. The pain becomes a like second-hand smoke. We inhale even though it’s bothersome. We just prepare for cancer.

Bill McClellan: Simply Direct

I decided to start with Bill McClellan’s columns. McClellan is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Though I know little about his background with writing, I understand that he is an inspiration to those in the community. He reimburses their time with editorials and columns seemingly strange and paradoxical at times.

However, his strength seems to lie in his endings. For example, in the article Why wait till the last minute used to be my motto, McClellan explores people’s social changes. Groups and routine behaviors lead us to certain habits. “Obviously, I don't yet know how to talk with my new crowd.” McClellan highlights the sense of comfort we build on from these groups; when we choose to leave that zone, we encounter difficulties. Just as high school cliques suggest, we must then adapt and this ever-changing adaptation creates disruption. Yet, it seems infinite. And infinitely complicated.

The article Man wearing a winter coat greets spring with a smile explores the process of human mentality. He judges a man by his physical appearance. His thoughts are negative (surprised?) and it sparks false inferences. “Just standing there grinning, as if a beautiful spring day were a gift from God and well deserving of a smile. And I figured he was mentally ill.” He ends the column with this short sentence to emphasize his automatic response, a response imposed from years of living in a self-centered society. The term mentally ill implies that the smile was not only a strange occurrence, but a disruptive one that should be locked away in those padded white rooms.

Proof the world is not a rational place, an article about the job market, employs a valid comparison to make its point. The article is saying that the choices we make are not rational for many reasons. To illustrate his position, he discusses the absurdity of money exchange. He shows two different perspectives. On one side, a mayor will not trade his unpleasant job for a higher-paying career in another field and politicians raise billions of dollars for a position that doesn’t pay half of that. And though that rationalization does not upset anyone, the opposite does.

Top employees, like Ameren Chief Executive Gary Rainwater, of large companies are paid billions of dollars when the profits of their company suffer and decline substantially. “Finally, how tough can it be to run Ameren? It isn't as if consumers have much of a choice. It's Ameren or candles. Most of us prefer electricity, and Ameren has a monopoly on that. Actually, I could understand if somebody were willing to pay $2.8 million to get Rainwater's job. That would be the sign of a rational market.” He’s direct. Despite the comparisons and examples throughout the column, he asserts his opinion in the last two sentences. It might be easy to simply say in two sentences, but the message wouldn’t have stayed with the readers had he not used different cases.

Anyone interested in his best articles, can purchase his book, Through the Glass Darkly, at the Post-Dispatch Store.

Introduction to Column Writers

As an aspiring journalist and currently an opinion writer for The Legacy, LU’s student newspaper, I became really interested in reading successful and experienced column writers. Columnists are known for their great and thorough reporting and researching skills.

These writers understand the intricacies of investigative journalism and writing hard news stories yet they can portray subtle meanings through metaphors, detailed images, and simple diction. Their writing is an art. Their art however, is portrayed to a dwindling number of readers.

But they continue to see. And they continue to write. Most importantly, they continue to make sense of the world we all seem to survive in.

For my final project, I chose to study the works of modern columnists. These articles cover ordinary acts, everyday people, current issues, and life lessons among other topics. Each is different and therefore uses a distinct style of writing to deliver their messages.

They are amazing because they can interpret events as ideas. Abstract thought in the modern world is hidden in the opinion pages of the newspaper. We look, yet we can’t seem to find it. It remains in the driveway, the desk, and underneath stacks of pages we might never go through. It lingers.

Rift Fournier

Our guest speaker for today was Rift Fournier, a professor here at Lindenwood University. Before entering the education field as a university professor, he traveled and worked in various parts of the world. He was a writer, a Hollywood writer to be precise. He wrote television programs and movies and along the way he met some very important people. His network probably grew thanks to his great personality and ability to relate to people.

Most importantly however, he said that he loved his work because he was passionate about it. He stuck with writing in the years where he made a great amount of money but also in the years where he made nothing. I believe I have that drive and desire for reading and writing, and essentially reporting.

I was struck by fear when he mentioned that we would change our major during our college years. I started dreaming of becoming a reporter when I was ten-years-old. During the next five years however, I forgot about that dream and focused on other fields: Law and Criminal Justice; Psychology and Philosophy; even Business and Administration. However, I realized that writing is what I love doing. I may not be the best writer, but I want to improve and use its art to relate to people.

He improved his writing and became more passionate about it during law school. It’s strange to think that law school would be more about writing than reading and researching, but then again they are siblings. This gave me an idea. I don’t need writing assignments or required writing to develop my writing skills. I just need a paper and pen…even though the modern world may dictate that writing is now only efficient on a computer.

His presence in class was amazing. He’s so real and charismatic. His easy-going nature is considerably reassuring to say the least. And he never spoke to us just as students. I’m looking forward to finding my “writing talent” in his Writing for Electronic Media class next semester. I might not write the next Hollywood movie, but I’m sure I’m going to receive much needed constructive criticism.

Gary Vaynerchuk and Brazen Career Bloggers

I’m now following Gary Vaynerchuk on Twitter. Vaynerchuk is known for his Wine Library TV video podcast. He uses podcasts to cover wine tasting and any other wine related subject. He began his wine tasting career through learning and tasting every wine that was a potential candidate for sale in his parents’ store. Soon, his suggestions as a wine expert radically increased the number of customers, making the previous 4 million customers nothing compared to the 40 million customers his parents’ shop had four years later.

However, his wine tasting ability is not his only asset. His use of podcasts is incredible as he can reach about 80,000 viewers. He will soon publish the book, “Crush It! Turn Your Passion into Profits in a Digital World,” in September of 2009. The book is not his first—he wrote a book about 101 amazing wines—but it does cover his success in the media world through blogging, podcasting, and of course who could forget Jill’s famous Twitter.

At a Blog World Expo, Vaynerchuk revealed a few tips to blogging. My favorite was “content is king but marketing is queen and the queen runs the household.” This tip is based on the sole idea that if a person is good at networking, they are going to succeed in the media world. It’s all about the people you know, not the information you place on sites that won’t receive any attention. For more tips on successful blogging, check this out.




Continuing our keyword search, Brazen Careerist Bloggers is a term that for some reason kept linking to the name Penelope Trunk. I didn’t realize she had invented the company Brazen Careerist let alone understand that it is another social networking site. However, this one is focused on finding young professionals that are apt at using new media tools and that take the initiative to start something unique.

An article mentioned the various careers Trunk has had throughout her quite young lifetime. Some of these include a software executive, founder of two companies, professional columnist and author. She has changed the idea of the workplace through her blog posts.

Trunk focuses on ideas that normally would not be promoted or used as advice, especially in the professional work area. They are usually standard themes that can be applied to any general work situation. She even writes about her personal life.

This Brazen Careerist Blog probably has me hooked already and I haven’t even finished the first blog.

Her ideas are incredible, not only because I have probably never heard them before and yet they make perfect sense. Why didn’t someone tell me these things before? Her book, Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success, is appropriate for Generation Y’s work ethics and expectations.

She understands Gen Y’s ideal of the “What am I worth concept?” It’s used to market oneself and even more difficult to earn the money one thinks he or she deserves. “We are NOT equal. We do NOT deserve to be paid exactly the same for every job.”

Though she is quite blunt, her honesty is appealing. For more of her honesty, check out this interview.

For me it's a hassle, and NOW they're necessary?!?!

Social Media is quickly becoming not only the standard for international communication between friends, but also a tool for advertising and education among other options. Careers are suddenly popping up that are focused on social media instruments and the benefits they can provide to large and quite established as well as new companies. According to GotSocialMedia.com, "Professionals in Marketing, PR, Advertising, and Journalism are incorporating Social Media strategies into their messaging."

Before college life, social media was not a priority in my life. Now, if I go more than a few days without checking all of my accounts (and believe me, I have quite a few), I can’t function correctly. I feel like I’m cut off from the world—which is technically true because I do not have a direct connection to my family in Mexico or my friends in Europe—but it’s becoming more than a dependency. In this technological and information era, social media is absolutely NECESSARY to understand and use.

I was probably about 14 when I started my first social network account. I opened a hi5 account and for those that don’t recognize the name, it’s used quite often in other countries like Mexico, which is the reason I opened it in the first place.

Then came MySpace. That I began when I was 16. That was an addiction for me for about six months. After high school, my friends practically DEMANDED that I get a Facebook account. They told me it was created primarily for university students, but now it seems EVERYONE has one.



But social media is not just social interaction between friends. YouTube has created an entire visual dimension available worldwide. People can build on a foundation, on just a simple idea and create something entirely innovative in the most creative fashions. It can be an instant rise to fame, like those users on MySpace that upload their personal songs and then get discovered.

For this class, we had to start these social media networks: Twitter, Blogger, and LinkedIn. Blogger is actually one I enjoy because I created a shared account with four friends and since we’re all in different places right now, we have the easiest way to communicate.

My problem with Twitter—and probably many people’s problem with it—is that we don’t have Internet access on our phone. To constantly post ideas and status updates on our Twitter, we cannot be sitting at our desk on the computer doing the same things (like homework for example) and be able to create interest for our followers. For example, I have to recap the day’s events into one post because I’m not actually doing anything that is worth mentioning at the exact moment I’m posting it.

LinkedIn is a professional networking site. Users can post their work experience and current positions as well as their interests in certain fields. However, I have no “valuable” work experience. (For some reason, I have never been hired for a job except for a Wal-Mart Remodeling Associate and I worked for less than two months). Because I have no real work experience, my profile on LinkedIn is virtually worthless right now. I have to build that before I can start connecting to people.

Currently, I have these social network accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Blogger (two accounts) LinkedIn, MySpace, Hi5, Metroflog, a subscription to a daily blog about life lessons entitled “Things I wish I had taught my son…and still can,” UNYK, Bebo, Tagged, Netlog, etc. Keeping up with everything is becoming a hassle, not to mention I use it frequently at the beginning and then lose interest—like many of the social media users of today. Will it ever end?

It might not, but these six myths about social media need to be taken into perspective as well. The myth I found most disappointing to find on the list the belief that when some project or interesting person is using social media, it might never get discovered. “Until you can drive traffic to your social media effort, you've got a tree falling in the forest, heard only by those standing nearby.”

Generation Diva: Perfecting Beauty

The article “Are We Turning Our Tweens Into ‘Generation Diva’?” written by Jessica Bennett focuses on the impression of the ideal beauty on young girls—including those impressionable toddlers that are just beginning to read—and also their personal use of beauty products. These products are used to enhance their level of beauty even though they have barely commenced to grow. Furthermore, this group of young girls is exposed to billions of advertisements and retouched photographs in magazines and television.

Check out this video for information about Toddlers and Tiaras, a program about young girls in pageants:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAkjXdtzOSw

I’m not surprised this is occurring in Generation Y and Z. It almost seems inevitable with the constant advertising. However, I find this occurrence depressing because mothers are allowing and at times encouraging this path to perfected beauty. For young girls, mothers are the most significant role models both in and out of the home. Instead of encouraging these beauty products at a young age, mothers should encourage HEALTHY LIFESTYLES and guide their daughters; mothers should demonstrate that these products can be used but at an appropriate age, with an appropriate quantity, and possibly only for certain events or occasions. “There is a time for everything.” -Ecclesiastes 3:1

I am definitely part of Generation Y because as a toddler my parents always told me I was beautiful no matter what—something they continue to do even though it bothers me now. However, I think this gave me the confidence to reject beauty products. Now, at the age of 19, I continue to stay away from beauty products the majority of the time—including makeup, hair serums and technological devices like straighteners, rejuvenating-type skin creams, manicures and pedicures, among others of course.

I do use these products but not the extent that my friends do. I have often heard them saying they can’t walk out of the room to go to class without at least eyeliner or mascara, if not both. I don’t find the need to “perfect” myself before going to class. Despite I find this influx of Generation Diva inevitable and normal, personally it is an extremely difficult concept to grasp.

The worst part is the amount of money these girls spend on beauty products. Call me frugal but I wouldn’t be caught dead spending almost 500 thousand dollars throughout my life for these products. I’ll pass, thank you very much.

iPods and iPhones in Classrooms?

Had this keyword search blog been assigned a little over a month ago,—before the first annual Sibley Day—I would not have had ANY idea of the topic. Podcasting might have sounded quite foreign to me, because even though I am considered tech savvy by some, most of my strengths lie in other areas like writing and researching.

First of all, Podcasting is recorded content, some consisting only of sound others of sound and video, and making it available online. Other users download these videos through iTunes and then save and view them on their personal iPods.

Just like any other technological advancement during Generation Y’s time, Podcasts are perfect for the constantly moving youth and world they live in. People are now viewing Podcasting as an “opening…[to] an endlessly varied universe of audio content to anyone who wants it at any time.” This is exactly what Podcasts provide. Through iTunes, users can simply Subscribe to certain television shows and other similar content and when the next episode of the program is available, it’s automatically downloaded and ready to view.

Podcasting has recently been viewed in a new light though. Media professionals believe that Podcasts could be the ultimate tool for education, including tutorials explaining assignments, missed lectures, and other basic functions. However, it can also be an incentive for students to increase their effort and creativity both in and out of the classroom. Students have the opportunity to publicize products they have personal crafted to an entire globe of viewers; “knowing that there is a real-world audience gives students purpose and motivation to create a spectacular product.”

Last week we discussed marketing to Generation Y and we touched on certain companies that have been able to do it effectively and succeed thanks to the billions of dollars we spend annually. Apple was one of the primary examples since it directly asked what kind of products Gen Y is interested in. Apple also supports the use of Podcasting in the classroom. Podcasts as educational instruments would influence not only how learning occurs, but when and where. “A bus stop, a cafe, wherever — is a place to learn.”

Mobile learning however, will only occur if educators learn about these educational devices as well. Jason Dude Lively, a professor here at Lindenwood University, presented The Converged Classroom, a presentation discussing the infinite uses of technologies like Podcasts, Wikis, and Blogs for teaching purposes and preparing for these changes in the classroom. This presentation is available on his page.



Since Podcasting is a relatively new breakthrough for everyday technology consumers,—although media professionals and the true tech savvy community might find my supposed breakthrough old news—it only seems appropriate that they have their own Network dedicated to teaching people what podcasting is and how to use it as well as their own blog and of course, Podcasts (seems a bit obvious I know, but I felt I had to state it just in case). Not only that, but surprisingly (I know that sarcasm is hard to pick up…so I had to interrupt again) Podcasting has a Twitter. To follow Podcasting, click here.

The Green-Bay Press-Gazette

For print jobs, I found The Green Bay Press-Gazette located in Green Bay, Wisconsin seeking a part-time news assistant with 1-3 years of experience who can write, edit, and proofread while not forgetting the importance of detail. The Green Bay Press-Gazette covers general news and is owned by the Gannett Company, Inc.

I like that it is a fast-paced environment because that’s what media deadlines are all about, especially in today’s century. I think that writing, editing, and proofreading in detail is crucial to newspaper writing. These tasks require the conciseness of newspaper style with attention to other writing aspects of the article, like its interest to the audience.

The position asks for some knowledge of html, Dreamweaver, PhotoShop, and other digital video/audio editing software. Currently, I’m taking Video Production class with Ben Scholle and am learning to use the Avid software for editing video and audio. PhotoShop I have tinkered with on my own and understand fairly well. My skills using html are quite minimal and even worse for web site software like Dreamweaver. In the Fundamentals of Internet course offered, I would learn the basics of html and have a great base for learning more on my own. I might not be exposed as much to Dreamweaver, but it is much easier than html style—or so I have heard. I could use tutorials to learn more about Dreamweaver online.

Twouble with Twitters

Considering we've spent so much time talking about Twitter, I thought this video would be funny! A friend of mine sent me the link and I couldn't help but put it on my blog!

Talk to Us, Don't Advertise: We Won't Listen

We don’t watch much television, mainly because we spend so much of our time connected to the World Wide Web—which explains our incredible technological abilities; we find advertising through pop-ups annoying and have grown accustomed to ignoring them; our reading habits are minimal; we are passionate about good causes, ranging from saving the environment to ridding the world of poverty and starvation; as a whole, we are diverse and therefore, accept differences in others quite lightly. We are Generation Y, Millennials, the “Echo Boomers”—because we echo the consumer practices of our parents—and even “Connexity Kids” when studied (yes, we are frequently studied).

We are frequently studied by marketers and frankly, we should be studied. Approximately each Gen Yer spends about 100 dollars per week, over 150 billion per year. We consume more products than any other generation before us, yet we are not easily susceptible to marketing.

Our entire lives we have been told that we are individuals and therefore special. This is what we look for in companies, goods, and services on the market. We search for those special and different items that are not constantly advertised in the mass media. We don’t respond to typical mass marketing, and that’s a problem for current marketers.

Despite our complicated natures, companies have successfully infiltrated our consuming practices. They know that we refer to peers for advice or the latest styles, trends, events, etc. Word travels fast in our Generation, just the way we like to receive everything: FAST! We text and IM and even then, we are frustrated if a response takes longer than a few moments.
Marketers, with this knowledge, have found a way to successfully promote and sell to us. Some are valid suggestions—while others seem to stereotypical of our generation—but I found these six particularly suitable:
1. Use our modes of communication and media.
2. Treat us as equals—after all, we are going to decide if your business succeeds or not.
3. Appearance, quality, price, and experience are equally important.
4. Make yourselves available and present in our social circles.
5. Promote items—preferably free—that we are ACTUALLY interested in.
6. Understand that we are all DIFFERENT and OPINIONATED!

The last tip is probably the most important. In order to understand us, you must find a way to relate and communicate with us on a personal level. You have to learn to listen to us, because we have innovative ideas, ideas that are going to jump the current market standard and provide an even better product to present and future consumers. Businesses succeed because of that portion of their revenue that we provide as a constant growing number.

Starbucks is just one of these businesses. We enjoy occurrences and characteristics that Starbucks provides: a relaxed environment with background music and ability to chat at ease (appearance), good coffee (quality), and an enriching experience surrounded by friends or just a good book to read.


Marketing to us is critical. Get to know us. We are here to stay.

At least Mexico is Number One in something...

This commercial focuses on a mother that comes home with a pirated movie, one she describes was incredibly cheap. Her mother asks her if that is illegal, to which she replies that of course not, because she bought it. At that moment, the son is about to go play with his friends, but his mother tells him he has to study for an exam that he has the following day. He tells her that he doesn't have to study because he has the exam. She asks, "You stole the exam?" He replies "No, I bought it," before walking out. The messages say this:

1) Pirated movies don't look good

2) But you as a parent look worse

3) What are you teaching your child?

For me, the words pirating is synonymous with Mexico. Even goods that aren’t normally thought of can be sold as pirated products, like perfume and medicine. The ordinary citizens that become CD and DVD vendors as they step onto the humid and sardine-packed subway of Mexico City entice consumers with extremely cheap prices and their amazing skills as possible auctioneers. They carry backpacks filled with thin cases holding burned CDs and DVDs and a printed version of the original CD or DVD cover. Because there are street vendors and multiple stands of these entertainment items on every busy intersection of downtown, pirated material has become not only common, but accepted.

Did you know that Mexico is the #1 country for pirated material in both music and movies? Though China and Russia are most commonly projected as the “piracy powerhouses” of the globe, Mexico has more than double the estimated trade losses than either of these countries and the gap is astoundingly wide. China’s estimated $250 million and Russia’s $689 million trade losses are nothing compared to Mexico’s $970 million. Since these statistics are for 2006, I imagine that these numbers have grown quite a large amount.

I am not exactly proud about being number 1 in pirated music and movies, but I have to admit it’s convenient. These copies of CDs and DVDs are unbelievably cheap. Each one costs less than $2 American dollars and, not to my surprise, they are typically of good quality. Come to think of it, I do not think I have seen more than 20 purchased original movies in Mexico.

However, this is not simply in Mexico. All over Latin America, pirated movies and music are sold for cheap prices, mainly because the materials needed to make them are readily available. Businesses similar to computer labs provide internet service for the hour in Mexico. Normally the rates are about 80 cents per hour and usually, these businesses sell CD-Rs at about 70 cents each, perfect for burning music and movies, especially when the mass production of these materials yield decent profits.

The laws dealing with piracy are weak in many of these countries. For example, in Mexico the law dictates that in order to make an arrest, there must be a revenue motive. “So if you say you are taping something in a movie theater because you want to make a present to your grandmother, you're off the hook.” As a result, the worldwide anti-piracy director for the Motion Picture Association of America is pushing for harsher penalties for individuals caught pirating. Other attempts at reducing pirating include training dogs to sniff out significant amounts of DVDs in airports.




Software Pirating

A type of pirating I had not really thought of is software pirating. I recently bought the 2007 Microsoft Office student version for my laptop, which was quite expensive, and installed the programs on two different computers. Since the software allows you to install the programs up to five times, I don’t think that I will have a problem with software. However, when a friend told me she had not bought the software but needed the program, I offered her my CD. She put the CD in and when it asked for the security code she looked at mine and changed a few of the letters and numbers. The program installed successfully. This is the art of pirating loopholes.

Pirating on College Campuses

Illegal downloading by college students is common. At the University of New Mexico, like many universities, student’s high-speed internet connections and a lack of money is like TELLING them to take initiative and search for free music and movies.

Is that Really You, Sharon?

The keyword search for this week is photo retouching. We all associate this modification to celebrity magazine portraits. We may even associate it with programs like Illustrator and such. However, for a price, these photo retouching secrets are now being circulated among the masses; this includes the popular online tutorials like Adobe Photoshop Photo Retouch Tutorials and the ever famous line for dummies: Photo Retouching and Restoration for Dummies.

What is the purpose behind these infinite tutorials and numerous applications on the internet? Is the desire to perfect photographs really this common and demanded that there is an entire global market for it? And if so, are we really that shallow or is it simply the false image that celebrities in the media portray that motivates us?

Lee Edward McIlmoyle, author of the article “On the Issue of Photo Retouching,” touches (not intended as a pun…but I think this is the most appropriate word) on the argument for photo retouching. He explains that through photography restoration they are simply expressing themselves as artists; to limit their use of retouching would be like censorship. He alludes to the Declaration of Independence’s pursuit of life, liberty and happiness as “the pursuit of beauty” and how this quest is not only reasonable but admirable in present-day culture.

“It doesn’t take brains to see through the lies on the page, but if someone lies to you enough times, it gets a little hard to ignore. And the retouched fantasy of human physical perfection is everywhere.” Photo retouching is brainwashing. Perfection is seen constantly and is accepted as a reality on the glossy surfaces of magazine covers. Maybe magazines should try not to exaggerate and promote the impossible, physical perfections of celebrities. However, magazines fear that this would in turn make the general public realize that there is nothing special about the celebrities that appear in their photos and therefore nothing special in the magazine. Maybe if photo retouching was simply an aid or a boost to beauty and not the standard or minimum, magazines might sell more. Of course, I’m only one of billions of consumers; magazines could care less if I buy their product.

Of course, I’m glad to know that some celebrities are trying to fight this accepted fantasy of photo retouching media. Kelly Clarkson spoke to a group of pre-teen girl scouts during a self-esteem workshop sponsored by Dove and focused on disputing the common-held belief that celebrities are flawless. She claims the practice is universal; it doesn’t matter who is being retouched. I hope this generation can find a way to modify this modern customary practice. Andy Roddick, professional tennis player, also refuted the images that Men’s Fitness Magazine used in its cover. Roddick claimed that his biceps were clearly altered. If celebrities know that this isn’t reality and themselves question the restorations, why do magazines continue to portray false images to the public?

Well, the response is that ordinary citizens want to retouch their photos as well. And now they can. PhotoHand.com is a web site that offers professional photo retouching to anyone at the low price of $3.50 per photograph. The press release vows to perfect photographs from special occasions and fond memories, but we all know that this will not be used only under these specific circumstances.

"Read for Free, Pay for Print or Stuff"

I chose to write about the article “Read for Free, Pay for Print or Stuff,” written by Michael Josefowicz, because I was intrigued with the concept of reading for free. I would love to go to Borders, sit down with a book, and read until the workers decided it was time to kick me out. I think after a while they would give me a limit as to the number of free books I could read before actually giving me their ultimatum: buy the book or don’t read for free. Just as the phrase “you break it, you buy it” implies, you read it, you buy it.

This article however, focuses on the conditions in which actual words—like those in the newspaper—will be bought compared to those times when simply skimming is sufficient. Therefore, companies that are involved with publication must place ads that will aid people in the search for merchandise to buy. The “read for free, pay for print or stuff” model is exemplified quite well through The New Yorker. The online publication is geared towards selling “stuff” pertaining to that magazine that will ultimately add to its own revenue.

This model, when applied to school textbooks, can become quite profitable. The idea behind college textbooks is to have mass production of thick textbooks; however, Eric Frank decided that he would completely modify this college textbook industry by placing textbooks online for free. What could his motivation be? Four strategic moves.

To begin with, by offering a free product through the internet, Frank has opened the market to virtually anyone. This large market can be swayed to purchase stuff. Textbooks online allow interaction for learning. Consumers are given the choice to buy or not, depending on their personal needs. But most importantly, this product will be available in larger amounts for a cheaper price.

Journalism, on the other hand, should shift their focus to schools. The key problem with textbooks is how slow they update and the newspaper’s main asset is their speed—they are updated every single day every day. If they united, journalism could help education progress through this constant and ever-changing medium. Not only would the education system advance through this steady influx of information, but newspapers, both print and online, might have a chance at existence after all.

*Dare to be hopeful!*

"What Will We Know?"

For this blog entry, I’m going to try something new. The entry will be written using the newspaper writing style. I feel it’s appropriate for this post. **If I quoted from your blog, sorry**

Professor Bob Wigginton was the guest speaker for the Survey of Professional Media course on Friday, February 27. He spoke about the decline of newspapers and the new direction print journalists are looking towards in the near future.

“In the last two years, about 6,000 journalists have lost their jobs…most in major newspapers,” said Wigginton.

Newspapers like the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune are slashing jobs out of necessity. News stories covering international events will have to be limited because of the cuts in overseas bureaus.

Due to these cuts in newspaper staff, backpack journalism is becoming a widespread practice. This method of journalism is where one reporter both writes the story and records the video.

Wigginton touched on the reasons for which this rapid decline in newspaper is occurring. “These newspapers are not losing money. They’re simply not making as much as their shareholders want them to make…and their solution is to slash jobs,” said Wigginton.

Newspapers are in danger of extinction because they are pressured by Wall Street companies to make a certain amount of money to show a large profit. These Wall Street corporations and CEO’s care more about money than newspaper survival and are taking over Wigginton stated.

Because of this control, stories are now viewed as advertising tools. Journalists are steering away from touching and investigative stories and moving towards “fluff.”

The influx of the Internet also adds to the decline of newspaper journalism. “Younger generations prefer to get their news from websites such as Google or Yahoo than run to the nearest vending machine for a newspaper,” wrote a student after listening to Wigginton’s presentation.

Wigginton used a video presenting the reality of the newspaper industry to provide background for his lecture. He also introduced the audience to Poynter Online. It’s mission statement is to “[teach] and [inspire] journalists and media leaders…to [inform] citizens and [enlighten] public discourse.”

A student from the lecture describes Wigginton as a journalist that “seems to know his profession like the back of his hand and could probably speak about it for hours, never repeating himself in the knowledge he could provide to someone. And he would mean every word of it, and dare you to prove him wrong.”

Wigginton worked as a journalist for the past 25 years. He currently teaches print media courses at Lindenwood Unviversity, including Writing for Publication. His work includes a piece in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette entitled “The Sights, Sounds, and Smells of Afghanistan.”

**Once again, if I used your words it’s because I liked what you had to say about the presentation, but if you have any problem with it, let me and I can edit my post.**

Random News Stories

So I've been searching the internet for stories that I think are interesting or different. Surprise, surprise, there are MILLIONS and BILLIONS of them. The following are just a few. I'll try to keep this as up-to-date as possible.

In Dallas, Texas, a 9-year-old bride by the name of Jayla Cooper marries her 7-year-old friend Jose Griggs. The vowed eternal friendship. Jayla's last wish before her death--she's had leukemia for the last two years--was to get married. However, I think it's sad how some people can change the angle of the Wedding to even mention the word "sex." Is marriage simply sex?

The next story directly pertains to students. It consists of student expectations in the classroom and grades. However, the story is a perfect example of the decline of appreciation for education.

Finally, I'm sure everyone has heard of the 13-year-old father, Alfie,--whom in fact, looks only eight--in Britain. His 15-year-old girlfriend gave birth to a little girl named Massie. I can comprehend the mention of sex in this article yet, it only lightly touches on the subject.

Sometimes, I just don't understand this world. (I take that back...I hardly EVER understand this world!)

And just to make sure that I've mentioned Mexico's drug cartel wars, well...they're ongoing and might get out of control soon. The violence associated with Mexican drug-trafficking is starting to emerge in the border cities, especially those in Texas.

Stay tuned! More to come soon...

Sibley Day Workshop

A Day of Thinking

So Sibley Day was originally called “A Day of Thinking.” Ironic, I know. Do we not think every other day of our lives? Anyway, so I really didn’t feel like waking up before 12—yes, I love to sleep now that I have mastered the art of it and no longer suffer from insomnia—and was in a dilemma. At certain hours, I wanted to attend two or three events, whereas other hours I found nothing particularly interesting.

The Converged Classroom

As a communication major, I felt it my duty to attend the ONLY communication workshop that was available. Dude Lively, a Communication and media professor here at LU, presented the uses of blogs, wiki’s, and podcast’s in the classroom. To get more information on this presentation, visit Dr-Dude.com.

I almost laughed when he said the presentation was originally for professors that are behind in media advancements. Before this class, I didn’t have a blog that I regularly used for writing and before this presentation, I had no idea that wiki’s, besides Wikipedia, were popular for both professors and family interaction through distance and that podcasts would be an excellent tool for watching tutorials.

Ignorance is not something I boast about, but in this case I have to make sure you understand my point. I am from Generation Y and yet, do not know this vital information. This vital information that could possibly provide a career or land me at a job. I also found it interesting that the presentation was quick-paced...would that have anything to do with our short attention spans and fear of a lost interest in the subject?

My Proposals

Ironically, I have an opportunity to try my luck with a wiki. Since high school, a few friends of mine have been trying to stay in touch. We miss the conversations about random or controversial topics that high school girls rarely talk about. My friend suggested we start a shared blog, but I suggested a Wiki. That’s exactly what I’m doing through Wetpaint. We’ve checked it out and now we feel confident that we can at least get through the process.

I also want to check out the Quick Capture tool on YouTube. As soon as I find time of course.

Other Workshops

Other workshops were either very interesting and popular, like the Poverty Simulation Workshop and Fashion Design- Building Simple Accessories, or very boring—and I won’t name those because well, that’s a bit uncalled for.

I Should Have Studied Medicine

Journalism is the career I want and I always had a feeling I would be poor as an adult. With all the new media and technology that is used for communication, I really feel that my subconscious is going to be correct after all.

To find a job that is unrelated to medicine, law, or education is difficult. Now that I think of it, I should have listened to my parents when they said “medicine is where the money is at.” I should have studied medicine. But it’s not my passion and probably never will be.

To type—because face it, does anyone ever actually WRITE in a journal anymore—is soothing for me. Yet, writing is universal; communication is essential; progress is inevitable. New forms of media and citizen journalism have just completely altered my job.

Citizen journalism, the term we were asked to research, is every person’s ability to communicate news information through the same mediums that many journalists use. This includes the use of blogs and social networking sites like Facebook. However, the main idea behind citizen journalism is that it presents information from a point of view that only certain people have been able to experience and therefore, can report accurately. I believe this is a very accurate point, but wouldn’t that mean that citizens could misconstrue information because of the angle or perspective the journalists uses to communicate the facts?

The Citizen Journalism Academy, directed by the Society of Professional Journalists, is aimed at helping people learn how to communicate news information the way a journalist does. These people receive training in journalistic ethics, the basics of media law, access to records, standard journalistic practices, and the use of technology in journalism.

Ironic, isn’t it? Journalists are giving others the tools to do the very jobs they have strived to perfect, but I assume that this way is more responsible. What would happen if citizen journalism took over the media and these journalists reported exactly the way they wanted? Just through objectivity out the window. Because, let’s face it, we’re all biased! And in more ways than one.

However, citizen journalism will probably become as popular as Wikipedia. Just as Wikipedia is an online source of virtually any subject that could possibly ever want to be researched, citizen journalism will become just as common, acceptable and at times encouraged. Don’t get me wrong; I use Wikipedia just as much as the next person because it’s fast and easy—a weakness of mine—but, just as Wikipedia can be altered to relate incorrect information, citizen journalism can communicate false “facts.”

On the other hand, I have to say, that this person who coined the term “citizen journalism” and pushed for its increase is brilliant. A true Gatejumper I would say. Forget newspapers that take 24 hours to publish stories. We want info NOW!!!

Yes, citizen journalism means we can all contribute to the gathering and distribution of news, but where lies the art of the pen? Well, I’m out of a job…and I haven’t even finished my B.A. yet.

McLuhan: Extensions of our Insights?

Get it “Insights”?

Marshall McLuhan is a name that despite his contribution to the world of media, especially the widespread technological media, I was not familiar with—like the majority of the class. He coined the popular phrases “the medium is the message” as well as the idea of a “global village.”

The idea of a “global village” is, quite frankly, all I have ever known. The world is connected through technology almost infinitely and it’s a wonder when and how the world ever once seemed like a universe instead of a pueblo—village. “Global theatre” seems to be a more precise term though. “All the world’s a stage.”

The debate between good and bad will exist until…well, eternally. Yet, McLuhan described the growth of electric media as inescapable and as neither good nor bad. The question he focused on however, was whether people would understand and adapt to this new media.

McLuhan believed this would be the ultimate dilemma considering we are “always one step behind in our view of the world.” I found this interesting because I grew up listening to my parents talk about their past. The advantages of living in the 21st century are immense, they frequently told me. Yet, they always tied their stories to the media of the past. The internet was the scariest technological advancement for them: sex predators, cyber-stalking, chat rooms, and even curse words. The Internet was surely the work of the Devil himself! Eventually I was able to convince them that the Internet would help me get all the information I needed for homework and school projects.

Although this media is beneficial, the dangers it poses are numerous. As McLuhan explained it: these technological extensions of our bodies and capacities also comes with its pair. This pair is otherwise known as an amputation! “The telephone extends the voice, but also amputates the art of penmanship gained through regular correspondence.” Society praises the extensions, while ignoring the amputations. The extensions of media allow people to do things more rapid and effectively, therefore, the amputations must not be as important.

If you want to read more about McLuhan’s media theories, check out the beginning of his book, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man.

PR Pros: Adapting to Media Influx

Who are the true reporters? In a world where technology allows people to take pictures or videos of extraordinary events and publicize them for global viewing within minutes, we are all reporters of some sort. This constant and endless cycle of news is streamed through so many mediums that it may almost seem trivial to hear the responses of Public Relations Professionals because the specifics have already been explained and debated.

I chose to write about the article “In Hudson River Landing, PR Pros Were Not First Responders” because it illustrates the epitome of 21st century communication. Everything is quick. For Janis Krums, taking a picture on his mobile phone of the crash landing of Flight 1549 and uploading it to his Twitter was like a text message conversation. Brief and immediate. Even more rapid was the response to the picture. “…the good journalist will abide by her congenital need for speed, and source any information she can unearth among user-generated content...and ask the company official to merely fill in the blanks later.”

Public Relations Professionals therefore, respond to these events after the information has been given, debated and finally altered. There is no alternative for this rush of fast communication but to adapt. Initially, a Public Relations Professional would give breaking news about a significant event or new policy pertaining to a company; now, he needs to sort out all the correct information from misconstrued details. On the other hand, this enhancement of technological gadgets as journalistic aid allows communication to build upon itself. The details of the story are slowly—though not meticulously—put together in order to write the complete and accurate story.

Public Relations Professionals however, face a dilemma. Though the influx of information is studied and researched for accuracy, their response time lags therefore, they find themselves “losing message control.” Neither the message— nor the medium in which the message is delivered—is chosen by these professionals. People, not professionals, have taken news to the next level.

Public Relations Professionals will adapt because it is in our nature as part of the information age. However, by the time these professionals adapt in one or two years, communication methods will have adapted as well. It could be said that communication professionals are falling behind. Cmmnctn hppns fst so dnt gt lft bhind!

Freedom of the Press Abroad

We were asked to search for “Freedom of the Press.” In the United States, Freedom of the Press is synonymous with the First Amendment. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to assembly, and freedom of the press. To American journalists, freedom of the press allows them to write and publish controversial stories. To journalists around the world, it means being attacked for reporting about a social issue.

Free will is a difficult and intricate concept to even understand. It is much less a topic to discuss objectively. Because of the differences in perspectives and values that encompass distinct societies, free will is practiced differently. Though the average blue-collar worker seems to have minimal encounters with law enforcement, the common mugger or thief has adapted to these encounters almost with perfection. They are sneaky and speedy and have learned the art of living “freely.”

Freedom of the press shares the same basic concept as these two distinct groups of people. The first believes that truth should prevail and that journalists are responsible for communicating the truth. However, the second believes that the truth only in matters that do not pertain to specific groups of people. This second group follows the notion that freedom of the press can only be practiced if certain organizations—both legal and illegal—are kept out of negative publicity.

In global terms, journalists are threatened because of stories they’ve written that expose government flaws, incredulous crime activity, and other such topics. The most surprising element of these threatened journalists is where they practice their art. Not all of these journalists are found in countries like China, North Korea, and Cuba, where Freedom of the Press is actually a right they are still waiting to practice. In fact, many are found in countries where tension between government, crime, and society is immense.

In Valencia, Venezuela, a journalist by the name of Ores Sambrano was on his way to a video store. Sambrano is known for his work reporting drug trafficking and corruption. “With chilling calm, the killer dismounted from the motorbike, pulled out his gun and shot Ores Sambrano through the head as if it were the most natural thing in the world.”

China and Cuba are the leading countries in imprisoned journalists. Mexico is the most dangerous country to practice journalism in the Americas. Colombia continues to suffer from pressure wanting biased reporting for either the guerrilla of the paramilitary groups. When Yemen newspapers reprinted Mohammed—the prophet of Islam—cartoons, journalists were arrested and newspapers were shut down. Even France, ranked 35th, witnessed their share of searches and physical attacks on journalists.

These occurrences are ridiculous. Freedom of the Press and the journalists that expose faults (that people would rather keep hidden) pose a threat. Though these threats are legitimate—these faults indeed exist—the truth does not surface because others have decided that particular news stories are not of their concern.

ExPress Freedom from the InterPress Service is dedicated to stories pertaining to global journalism and the difficulties they face with Freedom of the Press.

"Medio Colombiano": Columbian Media

I interviewed Juan Gomez, a student from Ibagué, Colombia. He is on a bowling scholarship. He first came to the United States three years ago to both bowl and study English. He mentioned various aspects of media in Colombia.

Entertainment
Although he believes that many of the television programs watched in America are quite dim-witted reality television shows, he does have to admit that other than reality television, American programs are entertaining. However, in Colombia, like many countries around the world, they have their own versions of shows like American Idol and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
The worst perception he probably had of American university life was the one portrayed in American Pie. He also believed that because in American movies, transportation is a constant, that transportation would be infinite in every city and town. American movies always show taxi’s, buses, and subways as most common aspects of American life. “Also, here in America, Hollywood movies are endless. In Colombia, I watch many more Novelas (soap operas) and documentaries.”

Radio
Just as American radio stations are divided by genre or content, Colombian radio stations are divided the same way. One of Juan’s favorite radio stations is La Mega.
The greatest difference between American and Colombian entertainment media is probably the music. He says that the few artists he listens to both in Colombia and America are international artists such as Maroon 5 and Colombian artist Shakira.

News
In Colombia, they focus more on international news than American news. “The United States deals constantly with issues that pertain directly to the United States, whereas in Colombia, both national and international news are given an equal amount of time and importance in television.”
The RCN is a television news program that is both available in Spanish and English. It is produced in Colombia and is watched via the internet daily by American citizens.




Colombian newspapers have many opinion columns, but the newspapers are impartial to certain political parties, unlike American newspapers where some written media focuses on certain political organizations and policies. The most popular of these newspapers is found online at El Tiempo.

Free Press
Though Colombia may be a dangerous place for journalists compared to the United States, the media is still protected by Freedom of the Press. Neither government parties nor officials have the power to decide what is allowed in the news. In fact, government officials have their chance to speak about certain laws and policies going into effect, before the news begins. Afterwards, a priest blesses the people and says a few words of grace before the top of the hour news begins.

When Juan was speaking about the differences between American and Columbian media, I realized that these were the same observations I made when I compared American and Mexican media. Though I am not technically labeled as an International student, I am frequently mistaken for one. My culture is entirely Mexican-based. I listen to more music in Spanish than in English; I watch the news in Spanish; my mother and I watch Novelas as well as La Academia, which is the Mexican version of American Idol.

Journalists in Mexico are probably the worst off in Latin America; journalists are murdered because of stories they’ve written about certain political groups, law enforcement groups, and especially organized crime groups, particularly drug traffickers. Freedom of the Press exists in Mexico, yet lately, crime has deterred journalists from completing their stories and even their lives.