Food for Thought

I saw this poster in one of the many hallways over at Sinclair Community College last week and I had to go back today to take a picture.  While I'm not working on a communications degree, the jobs that it directly applies to are numerous (I think that was the idea it was trying to convey to the viewer).  I'll leave it in its native size so you can get a better look at most of the careers/positions listed.

Media Matters Radio Debuts on SiriusXM

From the SiriusXM website:

New: Media Matters Radio

Starting this weekend, SiriusXM left will air Media Matters Radio, a live, interactive show from the team behind Media Matters, the Internet-based, progressive research and information center.  Hosted by Ari Rabin-Havt, Executive Vice President of Media Matters, and Bradley Herring, Executive Producer for the site, the two will analyze a mix of print, broadcast, cable, radio, and Internet media outlets for conservative misinformation and alert listeners to take action.  

Guest Paper: Sinclair Clarion

While not commercial publications, I do enjoy reading school newspapers to peruse the work of our nation's future journalists.  The Clarion is the official paper of Sinclair Community College and I had the chance to pick up their initial fall edition yesterday on a visit to their campus.  An 8-page broadsheet, the publication incorporates local news/information with syndicated items from McClatchy Newspapers.  One of those pages is dedicated to opinion (editorials, cartoons, letters) and is reflective of a healthy relationship between the editorial staff and their readership.

Happy Constitution Day!

On this date in 1787, the United States Constitution was adopted by the Constitutional Congress (to be officially ratified in June of the following year).  This document would serve as the framework of how the nation's government would be organized and that government's relationship with various entities (states, citizens, residents).  While it's the First Amendment (contained in the later adopted Bill of Rights) that journalists rely upon in the performance of their professional duties, that original document had to be in place to help clarify the freedoms that most of today's Americans take for granted.

As a 'boomer', I used to watch a lot of television while I was growing up.  One cartoon series I fondly remember was 'Schoolhouse Rock' and they ran an episode that gave an brief overview of the Constitution (and put the preamble to music--making it easier for me to remember).  Through the magic of YouTube, I thought I would share it with my readers.  Enjoy!

A/V: City Marks Tenth Remembrance of 9/11 Attacks

(NOTE: this is my first attempt at doing traditional reporting.  I attended Sunday's ceremony and took still and video images to document the details of the event.  Some conflicting priorities and technical 'glitches' prevented me from posting this sooner--unfortunately, 'Murphy's Law' is alive and well and living in my laptop and the item was eventually posted on the afternoon of the 14th.  I had the chance to meet several media and center representatives at the event and I appreciated their tips and feedback on my initial efforts.)

City Marks Tenth Remembrance of 9/11 Attacks
By JoB!
September 12, 2011 – FAIRBORN, Ohio

 Several residents display their personal patriotism among several hundred gathered for the Fairborn remembrance event.

In the spirit of a community that treasures its deep personal and economic connections with the military and national security, residents of this southwestern Ohio city gathered on Sunday afternoon to remember the nearly 3,000 men and women who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  A solemn and patriotic crowd of between 200 to 300 people assembled at the city’s National Center for Medical Readiness (also known as ‘Calamityville’) for the hour-long National Day of Service and Remembrance program that featured remarks by US House representative Steve Austria (R- Beavercreek), state senator Chris Widener (R-Springfield), and two guest other speakers with direct connections to the events on 9/11 and the ongoing wars against terrorism.  Mayor Joan Dautel served as the master of ceremonies with other city, county and military officials in attendance.  Members of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Honor Guard performed colors posting and retrieval duties and an element of the Fairborn Police Department flanked the assembly in full ceremonial uniform for this special occasion.

Happy Birthday NBC!

On this date in 1926, the National Broadcasting Company was formed by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA--remember them?) as the first major broadcast network in the United States (radio first, television added in 1938).  Headquartered in New York City's Rockefeller Plaza, NBC currently owns/operates 10 television stations and has a network of nearly 200 affiliates throughout the United States and its territories.

Guest Paper: Columbus Dispatch

Living in an region within a few hours drive of four (Indianapolis, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati) of the largest 62 cities in the United States, I frequently have the opportunity to sample their journalistic offerings.  As someone who grew up with newsprint-stained hands, I prefer the physical copy to the online versions and currently subscribe to the local Dayton paper and the Sunday edition of the New York Times.  Whenever I visit those other cities, I try to buy a copy of their current edition as a show of solidarity for the traditional newspaper industry.

I made a short trip to Columbus yesterday for family-related business and made sure to keep that streak alive.  To document my support, I will post photos here to keep a running account.

A personal note:  while I understand the financial constraints that papers now face and novel ways they must now employ to attract customers for their advertisers, putting flaps or stickers or anything else on the front page detracts from the aesthetics of the reading process (the 'pre-processed' version is on the left above while the final 'converted' version is on the right).

On Film: "A Face in the Crowd"

(I'm introducing still another feature to the blog which will highlight how journalism and/or the media is portrayed in movies and books.  Unless more is required for assignments in my program, I will only provide a short synopsis and focus on the main takeaways from the film/book.)

I'm not just an entertainer. I'm an influence, a wielder of opinion, a force... a force! -- Lonesome Rhodes

A disclaimer:  I admit that I probably would never have watched this movie if it wasn't for the repeated linkage former MSNBC (and now Current) commentator Keith Olbermann made between its leading male character (Lonesome Rhodes, played by Andy Griffith) and conservative radio host Glenn Beck.  While I initially took Keith's word for it, I could not give my own educated opinion until I viewed this 1957 Elia Kazan film last week.  To Mr. Olbermann...your judgment was spot on!

This entry is not to bash Mr. Beck or to impugn his ideology but to allow me to introduce some items from the film that fall into the journalism/media category.  If you haven't seen the movie before, I would recommend you stop reading now so I don't spoil it for you.

A/V: WPAFB Beds Down Displaced Aircraft

(I'm starting another feature here to highlight the use of self-produced audio-visual products to complement textual content.  I normally don't carry a true camera around with me so cellphone-quality images/sounds will be the norm for unscheduled events.)

Four C-5 Galaxy aircraft from the West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th Airlift Wing take up temporary residence on the base (photo by author)

DAYTON, Ohio -- Several dozen US military aircraft deployed to southwestern Ohio this weekend to escape the anticipated wrath of Hurricane Irene as it churned a path along the country's Eastern seaboard.  Small two-seat Marine Corps A-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft commingled with much larger Air Force transports on the tarmacs at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base who played host for personnel and planes from installations as far away as New York, Delaware, West Virginia and North Carolina.

BREAKING NEWS!!! Earthquake Strikes Eastern US

(I'm starting a feature here to document important events that attract the attention of major media outlets.  These exercises should help me refine my reporting skills.  This first attempt was one I was personally involved with.)

 (graphic courtesy of US Geological Survey--usgs.gov)

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck eastern parts of the United States earlier this afternoon.  The temblor, centered in the Charlottesville, Virginia region occurred at 1:52PM Eastern Daylight Time and was felt as far away as Toronto, Ontario and regions in the Midwest (this reporter felt mild shockwaves at his Ohio residence shortly after the quake was announced on MSNBC).  Washington, DC, just 90 miles northeast of the epicenter, experienced the brunt of the event and the initial jolting sent workers scurrying outside their offices to seek safety.  There were no immediate reports of any injuries or significant damage but most tourist attractions on the city's Mall were closed to perform safety inspections and two nuclear reactors near the Virginia quake zone were taken offline for precautionary reasons.

Time of posting:  3:31PM EDT 23 Aug 2011
Time of event:  1:51PM EDT 23 Aug 2011
Difference: 1 hour, 40 minutes

R.I.P., "Fairness Doctrine"

The FCC officially ended "fairness" yesterday

According to the Washington Post's Post Tech blog, the Federal Communications Commission  officially ended the 60+ year old "Fairness Doctrine", a policy (not enforced since 1987) of ensuring equal time for the airing of opposing views/opinions on the public's airwaves.  I'll provide a personal perspective on this in future postings.

Posted at 03:23 PM ET, 08/22/2011

FCC removes Fairness Doctrine from the books

By Cecilia Kang

The Federal Communications Commission said Monday it has abolished a controversial speech rule known as the “Fairness Doctrine” requiring broadcasters to present opposing views of controversial issues.

The regulation, which hasn’t been enforced in two decades, has been criticized for years as an over-reach of media industry speech rights.

(more at the link provided above)

Print vs. Online

As a current subscriber to the New York Times (and someone who grew up with newsprint stains on my hands), I felt that this article was speaking directly to me...

 

 

Print vs. Online 

The ways in which old-fashioned newspapers still trump online newspapers. 

By Jack Shafer

Posted Friday, Aug. 19, 2011, at 5:47 PM ET

A little over five years ago, I announced that I was canceling my subscription to the New York Times. My cancellation wasn't in protest of Times coverage of the Middle East, ethnic minorities, religion, sex, or any of the other thousand hot-button issues that cause readers to kill their subscriptions. I was getting rid of my newsprint New York Times because the dandy redesign of NYTimes.com had made it a superior vessel for conveying the news.

(more available at link provided above)

The Curriculum Tab

If you browse around the site, you will notice a 'Curriculum' tab in the menu bar above.  I am currently enrolled in the University of Massachusetts at Amherst's online Continuing & Professional Education program to earn a Certificate in Journalism.  The tab lists the details of this program and what will be occupying much of my free time over the next year or so. 

My first class will be Introduction to Journalism class (JOURNAL 201) which starts right after Labor Day and continues all the way into early December.  This might be very elementary material for a person who has multiple degrees but I want to start this program on the 'ground floor' to better understand the principles introduced and vocabulary shared with my fellow students and future contemporaries.  Although I'll probably be one of the oldest participants, my motto is that it's never too late to learn something new--it just takes a little longer to remember it!

Welcome to the Blog!

Just a quick hello to anyone who might've tripped over this site through Blogger or via a search engine.  I'm in the early stages of set-up right now with a deadline of September 6th to be fully operational.  Items in progress include a autobiographical sketch, creation of a blogroll and commentary on current issues/incidents in the journalism/media field.  I hope to use this website in conjunction with other UMass resources to totally immerse myself into their certificate program. I guess you're never too old to chase your dream.