Twitter!!!

I did not want to join Twitter for the same reason I avoided listening to  . It seemed too high on itself, too catchy, too EVERYWHERE to ever be given a shot. Then squarespace offered a free iPhone, so I joined. 

I am now a believer. I "followed" my favorite hometown athletes, Shaq, CNN, and several other news websites and now it's like my own mini newsfeed/window into the personal side of my favorite athlete's brains. Once they threw in tiny URLs that linked to longer stories when necessary, they covered all three aspects of what makes me (and just me personally, not necessarily everyone else) care about news. Twitter is a completely customizable personal news medium.

The fall back: their limit on characters is too brief. I admire the idea behind it, but in many instances it handicaps the writer to such an extent that sometimes they must go as far as changing what they set out to say in the first place. It doesn't allow subtle delicacies like wit to shine through.

I'll give them this: there's beauty in the brevity, but it may be too much of a good thing. Extend the character limit! Perfect.

Flash Journalism and Better Understanding the World

(By Allan Vestal)

"Journalism, when done right, helps us understand the world."

I feel that this quote from Mindy McAdams' Flash Journalism is the most correct definition of the profession of journalism that I have yet encountered -- and that its concept proves extremely salient in considering new technologies' applications to reporting.

For nearly a decade now, newsrooms the country (and the world) over have been using Flash and similar technologies to tell stories.  Whether in the forms of slideshows or more interactive infographics, "Flash Journalism" is ubiquitous across today's 'vast collection of interconnected tubes.' 

And the reason for this is unmistakable: a medium that can develop a story over time, while also potentially allowing viewers to interact with the data seems an ideal way in which to cover the news.

Reporters can use this technology to create a form of understanding that has best been characterized as "ambient awareness": that is, they can use content from different traditional media to provide their audience with something increasingly akin to a first-person experience. This allows more thorough, more engaging coverage which has the potential to better describe the 'big picture' situation to viewers. When combined with the interactive capabilities of the medium, this is paving the way for audiences to gain a much deeper understanding of the stories presented to them.

Flash can also be harnessed for another equally important purpose, one that offers audiences another important level of understanding. Many stories and topics today concern a great deal of numbers and statistics. This is not necessarily a new occurrence. But with the advent of personal computers, the Internet and dynamic, interactive online technologies, such numerical figures are getting much easier for viewers to access and put into proper context.

Flash and its contemporaries are largely to thank for this, as they enable the creation of complex and responsive graphics. These technologies allow users to drill down through intricate data on any topic, from budgets to election results to reviews, starting at the most basic data and working forward to the most involved figures. This level of detail provides the user with great capabilities: they are essentially presented with all the factual data on a topic, and can then increase their contextual knowledge of the topic as much as they please.

As a side note to this, I wanted to mention an ongoing discussion among many of the proponents and facilitators of this second model. With the emergence of websites that essentially pull all of their information from outside sources -- like governmental archives -- and then repackage this data for viewers in an increasingly automated fashion, some are asking where the line is between journalism and the mere relaying of numbers.

If we define journalism by McAdams' definition, then, numerical journalism is clearly still a part of this profession. This does not mean that machines can be journalists, however: a basic level of interpretation is still necessary to make data relevant to a mass audience; professionals in this field can still earn their keep by devising new ways to analyze data.

At any rate, "Flash Journalism" is evidently becoming a mainstay of reporting on news websites everywhere. In their abilities for interactivity and change over a timeline, technologies like Flash are allowing journalists to relay numbers, as well as create multimedia pieces that reflect the absolute, experiential realities of covered topics.

By focusing on the ways in which these relatively new technologies can be harnessed to increase audiences' understanding of the world around them, newsrooms were able to add a powerful new tool to their arsenal. Such a focus will serve them well in the future, given the rapidly evolving pace of technology.

Writing for a Visual Medium- Lis White

Writing for a visual medium is hard. You need to be more concise, more to the point, and there is really no room for extraneous information. Writing for print there is a little more room for those extra interesting details that may not be the most important things,  for those people who are interested in more information, towards the end of the story. 

I had a really hard time trying to write for a visual medium after learning how to write for print. You have to put in the most important information, without including extra details that aren't pertinent. Not to mention you have make sure you aren't using to many numbers or saying too much at once, even if the information is pertinent. It seems like there is a lot less control in broadcast writing, but I assume that with experience a journalist learns how to control the situations a little more. 

KBIA story-Lis white

I listened to the story Neuticles, which was about prosthetic  testicles for dogs. I think the reporter did a fabulous job of taking a story that very easily could have been made into a huge joke and keeping it serious, at least for the most part. The nat sound was really good, and I felt like the interviews were all very pertinent. He got the first hand interview of the guy who seems to feel like these prosthetic testicles really make a difference, he got an interview from a guy who was completely opposed to them, and then he got a female interview that was at least some what indifferent, saying that it doesn't really make a difference to the dog, but she does not say anything against it either. 

I liked that the reporter stated all the information that I wanted to know about, and gave a lot of background information on the people he was interviewing. It really set the stage for exactly what point of view you were getting. Especially the detail about how the owner of Neuticles was such a dedicated pet owner that he would buy toys for his dog that costed $1000. It really gave the listener a little point of view of the consumer that this market may be trying to reach. 

Flash Journalism

I think Flash journalism is a really cool thing, if its used as something to enhance journalism. If something can be represented better in a flash graphic, kind of like the map we saw in class, then I think it is a really cool tool for journalists to have under their belt. But I feel like sometimes people just use flash to have something else to put on the page, either to make the page look more diverse in media or simply to make look more, pardon the pun, flashy. I feel like since Flash journalism is somewhat new, that there is the risk of it being overused, or it becoming a component that is expected to make a good page instead of using it only for things that are better as a flash media as opposed to any other. 

The example that was given in the reading of the earthquake in India or even the one from September 11th, seem to be text book examples of how journalism is enhanced by flash slideshows. Capturing a bunch of moments with nat sound in the background shows people the reality of what people were feeling, something you might not have time to show in a video.  

A new way of storytelling

Flash journalism is a new way of being able to tell stories with images. Its is not necessarily a picture slide show yet it adds flavor to a story. Sound adds dimension to a story that a caption can't. With flash a journalist is able to provide information in an interesting way which is attractive to the viewer. An animation online gives the viewer control of what they read or see. This differs from regular animation because the viewer is forced to see everything from beginning to end.

Flash Journalism

I was really excited to learn how to create a roll-over graphic in class on Tuesday.  The possibilities for Flash in journalism are enormous and I've always wanted to learn the program so I could take advantage of what it offers.  However, I was a little bit daunted at the complexity of Flash.  Knowing the capabilities of Flash (animation etc.), I feel like I have SO much to learn before I can do much of anything in the program.  For example, I had some glitches while simply following directions to make the graphic in class.  Since I am interested in learning the program and more of what it offers, I did sign up for the DoIT Flash classes. 

For journalists, I think Flash graphics when used sparingly and appropriately, add interactivity and help readers digest certain kinds of information easier.  For example, in a number heavy story, using a graphic allows the reader to visualize the figures and understand their relevance easier.  Also, on the web most readers do not have the patience or interest level to sort through a story filled with numbers or complicated text.  Online readers want to get the information quickly, they don't want to work to answer their questions.  Using graphics allows designers to present data or information in a easily viewed and understood way which leads to increased hits/readers.

Flash journalism

Flash journalism is a very useful tool for journalists. As our capabilities are expanding thanks to technology, we are enabling our audience to have a more comprehensive view of the news through interactivity and its six major components: feedback, control, creativity, productivity, communications and adaptivity. Natural sound paired with slideshows, animated graphics and packages are allowing for multi-platform reporting and it is easy to find something for each member of the audience. However, we must remember that must be used only as a tool. We can not abuse flash journalism in order to hide our lack of reporting or analysis. Flash journalism adds a new level of drama to stories. It can convey more information through an infographic if used correctly. 

I was very impressed by Flash in class on Tuesday. I must admit I was originally very overwhelmed, but I look forward to becoming more familiar with the program and learning to use it to its full advantages.

Flash Journalism

Flash Journalism can be either a weapon or a tool. For most, it is intriguing ad captivating. I am a person who likes flash journalism and the dramatic effects it can add to a story. I find many stories in this form more enticing and touching. It helps make the story real and connect with the viewer. Many times, pictures and sounds can tell far more than words. Without such scripted descriptions, flash journalism allows for the viewer to make their own judgments about what is going on in the picture. It gives the audience more power to feel how he/she chooses. Natural sound is the special ingredient in flash journalism. It takes the viewer to the time and place and truly puts he/she in the position of what the slideshow is telling about. Sometimes, people will argue flash journalism takes away from the journalist's full power to tell the story from the angle he/she chooses. It is somewhat of an opinion but I think in certain situations flash journalism can add a whole new level to the story. 

Flash- June 25

I think Flash is a useful tool for journalists. It can help journalists create graphics which contains more information to support their reporting. Most of traditional graphics used in the past reporting are static pictures. The information that conveyed by these graphics are limited. Compared with traditional graphics, the graphics created by Flash can show more information in multi-tier approach. Let’s take the Missouri show caves map as an example. If it were a traditional graphic, readers could only get an idea of these caves’ locations from that map. However, the new graphic created by Flash contains more information. Readers will know not only these caves’ locations, but also some additional information about these caves. Obviously, the new graphic can be a more powerful support for reporting. Therefore, I think Flash is a good assistant in reporting.

Flash

Since acquiring a very basic understanding of Flash I have called Rachel roughly 15 times with different ideas for multimedia information graphics to include in our Final project. Unfortunately, none of these have had the potential to add depth or interest to our story.

Flash can be a very effective means for displaying relevant, and often complex, information, and I have, without hesitation, thrown Flash into my box of multimedia tools. But, more often than not, I believe Flash media is more fashion than function.

As an amateur multimedia journalist and an online news addict, I am well aware of the amount of time it can take to create AND decipher interactive graphics. And, in my experiences, these graphics are rarely worth the time or effort for either party. They are an excellent way of dressing up a web page, but usually seem to lack content.

So, even though I have been known to wear flip flops on hikes and heels on walking tours, I will kindly ask nytimes.com to spend the extra couple hours reporting and spare me the fancy graphic.

Flash in media

Flash is a useful tool to help to elaborate on story points or organize large information in a simpler and visual way. The program itself is much easier to use then Dreamweaver because of very little coding you have to deal with. However to create simple graphics is kind of a monotonous task, with creating layers upon layers, can really slow the process of creating an effective graphic for a story. Thus it has only limited use, with complex animated graphics only limited to extensive feature story or long investigative pieces. For deadline stories the most that can be created is a graphic with pop-up text. It is simply an accessory to a news story.

Flash-ah-a!-Journalism June 23, 2009

Rachel Perron

I enjoyed learning about Flash. I was pretty impressed that one particular program was capable of doing so much, especially since every time we have a new assignment, we’re learning some new program. The chapters we were assigned to read did a great job of explaining its different applications, as well as which ones were appropriate to use in which ways. But where the text was really insightful, is in not just explaining when putting together a powerful piece may in fact be untruthful (such as adding music to a video slideshow), but also explaining how utilizing the natural sound and footage you have in create ways can form something just as powerful. It was also interesting learning about Packages, since this is really the idea of convergence journalism I’ve had. And most importantly, it definitely improves some of the old critiques of traditional print and broadcast journalism. People looked to online journalism as a medium with infinite space to not have to cut corners in our news stories, and Flash journalism is the bridge that can turn this possibility into an effective reality. Especially for telling complicated, or continuing stories as the chapters mentioned, these packages can give readers the background or in-depth information to really make the informed decisions they need to. 

Flash Journalism

Now, more than ever, journalists have an abundance of tools at their disposal to create new and innovative ways to analyze and present information to an audience. With Flash journalism, a journalist can create a multi-layered graphic that uses images and text to concisely give information in a hands-on format. Like most new technologies, Flash journalism should be used wisely and with a careful hand. 

Placing text on a graphic is not a quick fix, and an audience can become confused if the journalist does not include an analytical component to the piece. Information is abundant, but one of the most important jobs of a journalist is to go beyond the data, grasp the meaning of a story and portray it to the public in the most accurate, clear way possible. 

Kevin Quealy’s article about online interactive news had a quote I think any convergence student should live by, “We should remember to make it secondary to the real brains of our projects, which is analysis, perhaps in the form of some query suggestions, interesting points, or hidden trends.” Flash journalism has countless advantages for online journalism, if the journalist knows how to use it wisely

-Abbie Schmid

Analyzing the profile of a would-be leader

(By Allan Vestal)

For my assignment to evaluate a work of video journalism, I viewed NBC News Chief Foreign correspondent Richard Engel's piece "Iran's 'accidental' opposition leader takes center stage." In the piece, Engel cites two expert sources who analyze Mir Hossein Moussavi's past, and how he came to be at the center of Iran's present political firestorm.

This piece is decidedly written for the medium. This can be clearly seen in some of the choices made in its construction. The report begins with footage from protests in Tehran over the allegedly rigged re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and details much of the protests which have come to be a daily occurrence.

I feel that had this instead been a print journalism piece, there would have been far less of an emphasis on this struggle in favor of more focus on both international relations surrounding Iran's recent election and a profile of Moussavi himself. Eventually, this piece ended up with just that latter angle, interviewing experts as to the would-be leader's political resumé in addition to his views and campaign stances. I feel that in a medium where coverage (in footage, mentions, etc.) of mass protests would have been less dramatic, there would have been more of a centralized emphasis on the ultimate angle this piece took. This would have helped the piece with its most glaring weakness (in my estimation): a seeming lack of focus.

Note: this piece is being posted much later than its counterparts by others, due to my prolonged absence from last week.

Writing for a visual medium

Over the course of the past two assignments I've realized the intricacies involved with combining voice over narration, natural sounds and interview sound bites with the images I shot.  Its instinctive to tell the story for me, but I'm not accustomed quite yet to marrying voice overs with pictures to create solid journalistic pieces.  I encountered this problem mainly when I came back to the lab and began editing.  I knew exactly what I wanted the story to be, I just needed to figure out the best way to allow the components of the story to work together without competing.  For example, I debated for awhile whether to allow my interview subject to set the scene for the story or to include the information she gave me as part of my voice over.  I also found out during the past assignments that I need to learn how to better anticipate my shots.  In high school I frequently prepared shot lists, and I feel like I would have been more efficient if I had for the last assignment in particular.  I especially need to learn to be more conscious of what shots I'm actually filming.  I was certain I had at least 15 other usable shots on film before I started editing, only to find the shots were not usable or I never actually got the shot.  All in all, I think I have learned the value of planning and thinking ahead.  If I had better anticipated exactly what I would need, I could have better managed my time and shots to get only exactly what I needed (and probably had a much more solid video as a result).

Visual mediums

Visual mediums take a lot of time and work. Writing for one seems to be the easiest part. Before taking this class I did not realize how much time needs to be put in to do a video story or a photo slide show. I feel like writing captions and even articles are less time consuming. Although it still takes time to do an interview and write the actual article, it takes longer to go back in and edit video and audio.

Producing visual news

(By Allan Vestal)

Much more goes into preparing a visual-medium piece than an uneducated observer might guess.  In preparing a broadcast television package, the reporters and photojournalists involved need to identify the central topic of the story, the handful of dominant themes they feel need to be explored in the piece, and -- eventually -- an appropriate conclusion to the report.  Once this has been accomplished, these professionals must bear all these in mind when assembling the story's ideas, images and video clips (both interviews and supplementary shots).

Because of this multifaceted process, I have found producing my first package to be somewhat challenging.  It is hard work to identify the components of the story while you are shooting (or before you get to the scene); it is also difficult to choose interviewees with an eye to these elements.

Despite my difficulties with producing a broadcast package, I feel the writing process will get easier with each consecutive video report I complete, much as with any skill.  Visual journalism provides multiple levels of meaning; a large part of broadcast reporters' training, then, is fitting the messages in each level together coherently.

Writing For a Visual Medium

Writing for a visual medium can be extremely challenging. I think the only way to successfully create a piece that is visually compelling is practice. Many times, we have ideas in our heads about how things are going to turn out or what angle the story will take. It is much easier to envision something in our minds than it is to actually produce the piece in that exact way. A lot of trial and error will hopefully lead the journalist to a final product that he/she is happy with and proud of. If this is not the case, then sometimes I think it's necessary to start from scratch. If time permits, gather more information and video and start fresh. If a deadline is nearing, it is still possible to wipe what was originally created and try a new view. 

I found the TV package relatively challenging. The two minutes can length requirement can either be a help or a hurt. For me, I had a lot of great video and information that I wanted to share, but having to keep it under two minutes forced me to choose the best pieces. I really enjoyed the subjects I interviewed and the visual parts that I captured. It make the story so much more interesting to me and the rest of the viewers. Visual news is quite possibly the best news.

Writing for visual medium

I went into the field to shoot without the proper preparation for our first television package assignment. At the time, I thought I was totally prepared. I had written down the questions I wanted to ask and I assumed that filming sufficient shots of Ultimate Frisbee would be a breeze. However, about 1/2 hour into my time at Hinkson Creek, I realized that I was going to have to somehow wind together the many interviews and shots I had gathered. There didn't really seem to be any logical way to do this. All of my interviews had wandered off of the topic, and while I had some wonderful quotes from the players, they did not follow a linear story. When I sat down to edit, I finally fully appreciated the importance of following the correct process of writing for a visual medium. It is absolutely necessary to determine exactly from what angle of the story is going to be covered before going to shoot. Most of the time, it will not just happen to all magically come together in the editing lab. As Fred Shook said, I should have created the "blueprint for the story" before shooting. I was one of the skeptics before this assignment who believe that writing isn't really necessary for broadcast journalism. I assumed that the video would tell the story for itself. But I soon realized that this type of writing is much more challenging than print. It is so much easier to express what you're trying to say explicitly, using words. When it comes to weaving together nat sound, interviews, b-roll, etc. I am going to have to totally change my writing style. A bit overwhelming, yes. But I think we're all up to the challenge. :)

Writing for visual medium

For people who have got used to writing for print medium, it is hard to switch their styles to visual writing. Writing for visuals requires these people to create shorter, more oralized, and more naturalized sentences. People who write for print medium need to think about how they can make the writing better in telling stories. However, the visual writers have to think how their writings will work well with the videos.
Having been practicing writing for print medium for a whole semester, I met all the difficulties above when I started to be a visual writer. I had to remind myself to avoid any long sentences or dependent clauses in my writing all the time. I also tried to switch to less “formal” writing style. Although these problems take me some time to write for visuals, I believe I can quickly adapted to this new writing style.

Writing for a Visual Medium

If it wasn't for having to use avid I would say this was a great learning experience. But with Avid, it was simply soul crushing. I did had difficultly trying to write voice overs, took quite sometime to figure them out. You really have to write in active voice and make your sentences more concise because of the limited amount of time you have. I realized it was much easier to have a large B-Roll and edit it down to your sound byte for voice overs. The only problem with that is you get carried away with your sentences and not realize you have consumed 25 seconds of the two minute video.

June 15, 2009 - Writing for a Visual Medium

Rachel Perron

Reading Fred Shook’s “Writing the Package” was as helpful as it was frustrating in terms of explaining how to write for the visual. As my first video assignment shows, I had trouble matching what I anticipated saying in my report, with video that backed it up; my shots were more redundant than informative. But when Shook suggesting thinking of video clips as “proof” of what you’re saying in your article, I started to question whether my first attempt really was as redundant as I thought. Confused as I was, it actually helped a lot to think back to our audio assignment, and how we should state the facts and let the interview convey more of the emotion, or subjective information. Applying this visually, if I were reporting in my video that a store is on the highway, my viewers don’t need to hear and see that, but rather they need to hear it and then see how that adds to the store, which in turn adds to my story. Writing in a visual medium isn’t a opportunity to retell, but an opportunity to tell more. 

Visual Writing

Writing for a visual medium is tough, a whole lot tougher than writing for a ..umm..reading medium. Writing for readers feels like putting a puzzle together, with the opportunity to buy missing pieces (research). Writing for a visible medium is sketching out how the puzzle should eventually look, then going out and finding pieces in the wild that will fit together into a perfect picture. I am bad at this. 

We take for granted the pieces we see on television. To be honest, I don't even know how to pick those apart anymore. I'm in that nasty limbo between being a viewer and being a composer, with only enough of each side to not know what's going on. I don't like it. I hope it clears up soon. 

Visual Writing

It is a common misconception among many audiences that television and visual reporters are exempt from the pressure to write well. Reporters telling a story with video and audio have the difficult task of sifting through footage and creating a clear story able to expand and explain the issue they are covering. A useful tip from the “Writing the Package” article was to pre-plan what one wants his or her story to be before he or she shoots video and attempts to edit a package. Having a clear idea and plan of what shots and interviews will be important for the piece allows the reporter to save time and focus on capturing the most compelling moments and audio. This quote from Bob Moon from the AP Network News stuck out to me, “You must reflect on the story before the need to write it occurs.” This is an important philosophy to adhere to as we become more involved in shooting video and writing packages.

-Abbie Schmid 

Journalistic Video - Lis White

I watched a video about a dog in Seattle, Washington that had gone off the trail while walking in a park with his owner and ate some marijuana. 3 hours later he scared his owner because his eyes were glossed over and he was acting weird. She eventually took him to the vet. The Vet said he was stoned. The main concern in the story was that there was pot growing in a park that another pet could eat, or maybe even a child. 

This was a really catchy, funny story. Its not something you hear about every day. Though I think that there could have been a little more detail put into the concern, and what actions were being taken to try to make sure that this did not happen again, if they were being taken. I think that if it were a text only story, the writer would have had to go into more detail. There might be research about whether this has happened in the past, or they would have talked to the police about the actions being taken. I feel like there would have been a light hearted beginning to the story no matter what, but if the story were text only I feel like it would need to take a turn that was more serious so that it would not turn into an editorial. 

Journalistic Video Example

Lauren Matteson

I watched a video on KOMU's website about a Fulton man defacing a National Monument. Overall, the piece was very informative. It had good b-roll behind the reporter's voiceover. It had a lot of different shots and angles. A lot of them had uneven lighting and were a little out of focus. A couple errors were visible with the interviewing and the reporter's mic was showing.

If this was a text only piece, it would have been extremely boring. The story thrived on the pictures of the vandalism to make it more real and obvious. I wouldn't have been able to picture what the damage looked like if I had not seen the actual spray paint on the different objects and walls. I may not have paid any attention to this story if it was printed in the newspaper or even just on text online. The video and pictures of the vandalism kept me interested and made the story worth my time watching and learning about.

I think most news is much more interesting with video and pictures. It really engrosses the viewer and keeps his/her attention for much longer.

ONLINE VIDEO- Jenny Barrett

I watched a video on New York Times' website called The High Line: Midair Oasis.  This video story was about a new park west of Manhattan built on an elevated railroad structure.  Because this was such an unusual project, I don't think it would have made sense as an audio or text story.  The video created an image of the park that was very different from the image I had created in my head.  Using video also allowed the journalist to talk to many different sources without constantly using names, which would have been confusing.  I liked  that I was able to hear from about 7 different people in the community about both the park and the process of getting the park.  The story would have been a complete mess in any other format.

A journalistic video example

The video example I watched is a NBC story called Success and the city. In this story, the Mayor of Miami Gardens talks about the efforts they put in battling urban blight. I think the overall story is good. It covers why battling urban blight is necessary for the city and what the mayor and other staff have done to maintain the community. It also has the residents’ responses to the city’s efforts to battle urban blight. If the story could be improved in some way, I think this story should let the residents talk more about how their life changed after all the efforts had been done. The residents’ responses can reflect the city’s success in battling urban blight more truthfully.
If this story had been text only, I think it would have put lots of effort in describing the community’s current environment. While videos can directly tell audience the current situation about the community, text-only stories have to take more time to describe it.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#31190279

Online Video

I watched a video on CNN's website, "Couple flees Mexico."  The glaring issue I have (and I would assume many other people would have) is the two main subjects in the video have their faces blurred and wish not to be identified.  Before the footage of them being interviewed is even showed, the anchor says the facts they claim are hard to check.  My question would be whether or not to even air this story, especially since the couple claim to have been unknowingly working for drug traffickers in Mexico.  The entire story seems sort of sketch to me, and I seriously question CNN's judgement for airing the story.  I don't feel like the information provided is so compelling or important that it warrants the use of unknown sources, especially when fact-checking their story is not really possible.  As far as the actual video, there are shots of the river the couple crossed, and of border patrol to illustrate the couple's story.  Also, some of the interview is framed so that their faces aren't even in the shot.  For example, when the woman is talking about her unborn child, the camera is focused on her belly to compensate for not showing her face.  I feel like the story would have been better if the subjects faces were included, or the reporter talked to someone else relevant to the story who was willing to go on the record.  Additionally, I doubt the story would run if it were in print at all since the only sources refused to go on the record.

Denver Post Video

The Denver Post videos are not accessible with a straight link, only via their video gallery.

The most recent covers the USA Amateur Boxing competition, specifically amateur prodigy Louie Bird. The video falls hopelessly short. Although it accomplishes its mission of telling a story, it is dull and difficult to watch due to a lack of any journalistic presence...no narrative, no voiceovers, no sign ons or offs. Call it conceited, but I believe having that is necessary to make the story interesting and valid. I'll concede that we run the risk of affecting the events and the overrall tone of anything we touch, but people need that.  A video without a journalist is just a glorified YouTube clip. I want legitimacy. 

New York Times Video

http://nytimes.com/?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1244675448-VRo+shcxkoZUymFtX2EREA

I watched a video on the New York Times website called A Soldier's Dilemma in Afghanistan. It talks about soldiers trying to become allies with the villagers. The villagers are reluctant because of the Taliban's threats. Its is difficult for American soldiers to figure out who to trust. In the video it shows an American soldier a translator and an elder at the village talking about an ambush. This story was much more powerful in video form because it shows the surroundings and what it is actually like to be in an Afghan village. The camera also captures the rain and the rags the elder is wearing. If this story had been text only i probably would not have read it, but since it took me to the actual scene I was intrigued to learn more.

Taking Text to the Next Level

I watched a video on the website of KETV in Omaha, the station I worked at last summer. The story was about the residents of a community outside Omaha questioning the costs of building a new fire station. I thought the video did a good job of taking a topic that could be one-dimensional and expanding the issue for the viewer through shots of the proposed fire station, the actual site where the fire station would be built and conflicting opinions from sources on both sides. I thought the video might be improved by using graphics to illustrate the cost increase for building the fire station and taking input from more taxpayers directly affected by the plan. A “text only” format of this story would have been less engaging than the video because the audience would not have been able to take as much visual meaning from the basic text. Seeing video of both sides argue the issue in real time allows the viewer to better understand the strong opinions that come with the issue. (http://www.ketv.com/news/19713788/detail.html#)

-Abbie Schmid

Rachel Perron - June 9, Journalistic Video Example on the Internet

The AP Video Link on KMIZ’a Web site provided a lot of online journalist video examples, and while I really wanted to pick the story on the Dayton, Ohio man arrested in a one-piece women’s bathing suit, I resisted and chose a story on the economy’s effect on summer camps. Overall, I thought the content of the news was pretty thorough. Even though the title of the story established that conflict between parents wanting to send their kids to camp (God knows my mother couldn’t endure three months straight of me) and not being able to afford it, it digressed from this theme to talk about how local camps are doing better in some instances, and why some parents wouldn’t want to sacrifice sending their kids to camp. It also had a range of sources, but I myself would’ve liked to see an interview with a kid camper. I was also less pleased with how the video clips tied in with the story, the problem of course being that it didn’t in some cases. For example, while the reporter discussed declining enrollment and how camps are suffering and adapting, the video showed groups of kids going about their normal camp activities—only the image didn’t exactly portray to me that enrollment was down. Had the reporter explained that the 12 campers shown in archery class is a far cry from the 40 campers that attended last summer, it’d certainly make more sense. I could see how it may be easy for reporters to make such a mistake, by assuming the image shows more information or is more relevant than it actually is, whereas had it been a text-only story the reporter would have had to provide such description. And in this particular story, comparing enrollment numbers or vacant spaces would have been a great way to use fact to provide description in a text-only format. For instance: “Only four campers are sleeping in Cabin 23 this week. Last summer, all 12 beds were filled.” 

Staged, Staging, Stages

I agree with what Dave Wertheimer says in his article. As a journalist, our first obligation is to the truth. Even though media people “direct” the subjects to do something that could be very common in their life, it can’t be called news any more. They are creating the moments and stories they need. I think Wertheimer’s advices at the end of the article are very helpful. In our future career, if we cannot get what we need for the original story, we can talk to our boss and give up that story. Or we try “a different way to get the story on the air.” Compared with some fake stories or photos, I think what the viewers really need is truth.

The ethics of staged video

(by Allan Vestal)

In journalism, video is all about capturing action. This is beneficial to reporters and audiences alike, as the medium joins others like print (in which the physical can only be described); photography (which captures only a moment visually); and audio (which can be very descriptive but lacks a visual component).

But as in other mediums, there are some constraints to the form; journalistic video should be genuine. Journalist David Wertheimer explores this in his piece "Staged, Staging, Stages."

I largely agree with Wertheimer's main contention: in many instances, journalistic ideals preclude the use of non-authentic footage (video clips in which a reporter, producer or videographer arrange the subjects). When the covered topic demands, however, I feel that such videos might be allowed in the form of a clearly-marked re-enactment (an attempt at re-creating some event) or in the form of a narrated action (a subject's explanation of how some task or feat is accomplished). But in both cases, the non-authentic video must be introduced and described as such in order to maintain journalistic integrity. Such footage must only be used when its inclusion notably extends the context of the report.

An example of this would be in covering an employee at a horse farm. If a reporter (or a team of reporters) were unable to be present to film the employee carrying out a given task, they might ask the subject to walk them through the task while narrating, and then label the piece clearly as contrived.

I would set the bar much lower for this explanatory type of subject manipulation than for other types (such as the example Wertheimer gives of re-enacting a family's reaction to their relative being picked in the NFL draft). While at first this may appear to be splitting hairs, there is a categorical difference between these types of re-enactment: the former is being used to add description and context, while the latter is primarily focused on capturing a fleeting emotion.

A far better technique for the reporter in the latter example would have been to interview several family members together about what happened when they learned of their relative's success. The subjects would likely have expressed deep emotions which, when captured as they happened, could be taken as legitimate.

Staged, Staging, Stages

Despite every desire to be a the next Christiana Amanpour, I am certain that some days, even in my professional career and certainly in my academic career, I will not be an hour early with a camera ready.   I will miss moments and, on occasion, probably entire events.  And when I do, I will panic, as I so often do, about what story I can piece together with the little bit of video I have gathered. It is this reality that makes Werthermeir's piece so relevant to me.  Journalists are not perfect people.  And, unfortunately, their desire to be perfect journalists can sometimes blur the line between what is necessary and what is morally right.  It is important that I always remember that which Charles Davis has so effectively drilled into my head: a journalists first obligation is to the truth.  Recreating a moment, is no more truthful than creating a moment.  

Jenny Barrett

Staging- Lis White

David Wertheimer's article on staging makes me wonder how many news stories are actually staged? For a story done on my school in the 2nd grade, the reporter asked all the kids to say "We love Dr. Caplen" our departing principle at the time, on camera. Would that have counted as staging? He defined staging, but I don't necessarily think that he was completely clear about staging with in the newsroom. Paraphrasing, he said that it is unethical to ask someone to repeat an action that the reporter may have missed. But if you ask them to show you how to do something, even if you make it clear to the audience that you asked them to show you how to do something, that is not how the event would have occurred if you were not there. I know he addresses this briefly, but I think there are a lot of questions about staging left unanswered. I think the dilemma is more complex then he made it sound. He stated what seems like the obvious to me, don't ask someone to preform an action for a story. But I think there is a lot more to staging then he even let on. 

Staging

Lauren Matteson

I agree with most everything that has been said by students on the site. I also agree with Dave Wertheimer on his idea of staging. One of the challenges of journalism is getting natural behaviors from the subjects. Cameras make everyone act differently, especially those who are not used to being watched, followed, or filmed. I think this is where it is important to establish a trusting relationship with those you use for stories. Transparency is key. Also, if they know you are a professional journalist doing your job correctly, they will relax and behave more naturally.

The truth is our job, and once one person is asked to stage something for a package or story, they will no longer trust the news venue the journalist works for. It is a scary choice that could easily turn into a habit. Once a reporter stages something once, and the piece turns out better than expected because it was planned, it will be that much easier to choose to stage again next time.

Staging is black and white, and can be avoided with just a little extra care and discipline.

Leave Staging at the theater

I agree with Dave Wertheimer, a reporter should always try to get to a location early and capture the event in its most natural form possible. His boss made the farmer arguement, about the reporter being late for the planting. Well in my view the reporter should've planned ahead and gotten there early, being late to an event is no excuse, in professional or academic level of, journalism.
I understand that a reporters very presence can alter the situation to some extent, but staging a shot takes it one step too far. What i found shooting my shots is if you keep a good distance from your subject and let them get about their work, the subject would soon forget you're there. I ended up recording some really personal stuff, by the end of the day. Also I found what makes people more comfortable around the camera is if you have a a conversation with them about something other than story while you are setting up your equipment. There are a million ways to capture an assignment in its most natural state and there is no reason for a reporter to stage the incident.

Hugging is Hip-video story

I watched "Hugging is Hip" on NYtimes.com as an example of video journalism on the internet. I read the print story a few days ago, and this blog assignment gave me the perfect opportunity to further examine what was already running through my head. When I read the story, I felt disappointed by the lack of visuals accompanying the text. The story attempted to describe the different types of hugs popular among teens and the reasons many schools are banning that type of affection. Several of the hug types were unfamiliar and confusing to me, a 20-year-old, so I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for an older reader to visualize. As a text story, administrators and teachers were quoted with their distaste for the fad, while students, parents and sociologists defended hugging in the hallways. Fairly confusing descriptions were used. The video presented examples of the hugs, showed one of the many student protests taking place around the country and offered interviews with the writer of the original story, a sociologist, principal, students, and parents. It simply helped the story come full-circle. Many people will think that this is a silly, trivial issue when first reading about it, but by providing a video, the New York Times helps familiarize viewers with what a nuisance "three-way hugs" and more could be in the hallway.

Staging video

I believe one of the most important issues when discussing the staging and unethical editing of video is the perception of journalists by viewers. Both Dave Wertheimer and Al Tompkins touched briefly on the problem of losing the trust of the public. When viewers realize they are being deceived or experience, firsthand, the staging and recreation of a news event, as journalists, we lose all credibility. Though the majority of journalists may have the same strong beliefs as Wertheimer, with no tolerance for staging, if even one scene is faked, no news story is ever 100% believable. The public begins to doubt every print, audio and video story. Those people present at the NFL draft party Wertheimer spoke of will have no reason not to believe each story is staged and over-dramatized, just as that one was. In the minds of the public, news sources become no better than tabloids, exploiting the truth and over-exaggerating facts.

Staging is not the real thing.

In Dave Wertheimer's article about staging, I thought it was outrageous how the TV guy had the family reenact the happiness they felt. It is a lost moment in time, and it is his fault for not making it there on time. As journalists it is our job to be on scene on time and ready at any given moment. Instead of having them reenact the scene he could have just interviewed them about how they felt. I liked Wertheimer's idea about even leaving the room, just to come back to the interviewee doing something natural. The interviewee should forget that cameras are set up in order to make the story as natural as possible.

Video Editing and Ethics

I think both the posts before mine made great points.  First, I really like the point about reiterating assumptions by using staged video.  However, I also feel that Nick made a great point about the difficulty in shooting shot sequences and gathering raw material as a one man band.  Its tough to get all the shots you need, or want, for stories in the moment sometimes, especially if the event/person/story you're covering is face paced.  But, if you go into a situation with some background knowledge of what the general story is, not necessarily a planned shot list or a set of preconceived notions, I think as a converged or backpack journalist you have a good chance of getting a variety of shots that when sequenced together accurately tell the story.  You may not have the textbook recommended shot list on tape when finished, but at least you have maintained the honesty of the events. Essentially, I believe having accurate reporting comes down to doing your homework, figuring out what's happening or what the story is, and then shooting the story while remaining open to the fact that stuff happens and not everything goes according to plan (for you, or what you cover).  

Rachel Perron - June 8, Staging Blog

“Staged, Staging, Stages” explored ethical issues that have come up briefly in class discussions, and rightfully so. It’s easy to imagine which images for a particular report best explain and convey the importance, interest and relevance of a story to the audience. While this is the overarching goal for journalists, our obligation to the truth supersedes using the “perfect” video or photography (though in order to be perfect journalistic work it couldn’t be staged). Breaking this obligation to the truth destroys journalistic credibility universally, not just for the individual who decided to stage a scene. Not to mention it’s lazy journalism. I can’t imagine who would rather use a fake shot, where the subject has one of those phony “I’m trying to act natural faces on”. One of the most prevalent instances of this that Wertheimer mentions in his paper, just happens to be one of my biggest pet peeves: the interviewee walking down the street, taking a book from the shelf, reading documents in his office, all clearly done without a purpose and at the reporter’s request. Waiting around to get that natural shot isn’t just better for ethical reasons, it’s better because it produces better content. If you’re imagining what you think something is supposed to look like, chances are the viewer can imagine it similarly too, and then you’re not seeking the truth, just reiterating assumptions.

As a one man show, unethical editing might be tempting

If you assume a backpack journalists does most of his work on his own, with a camera, a marantz, and a laptop on his back, then really good journalism within ethical guidelines takes on a new meaning.

Caveat here ** I don't know how many newsrooms actually have their convergence kids do all their multi-media stuff absolutely alone, nor do I have enough experience to back up anything I'm saying**

The "Video Techniques" tutorial we read uses an example of a girl on a bike and how to capture it...50% close, 25% medium, 25% wide shots. They say an ideal shot sequence would contain a wide shot of her arriving, medium of her dismounting, then some close ups of the wheel going into place, close up of her face clicking off her helmet, an extreme close-up of her taking off her gloves, and so on. 

Here's the problem. I have one camera, and ideally it should be on a tripod. How the hell can I get all these shots? To ask her "hey one sec, let me get a shot of the bike tire going into the bike rack," is unethical. We've altered the normal stream of events and transgressed our role as flies on the wall. Read through those shots again...now imagine trying to get all of those as one person. Impossible. 

Ethics and aesthetics do not seem to get along. Looks to me like journalists get to play Phil Jackson, forcing Shaq and Kobe to play together because it works better that way. Here's to hoping newsrooms haven't gotten so cheap that backpack journalists have to do anything like this on their own, for the sake of journalism and for the sake of how journalism is perceived.

Ethical Editing

With the increasing popularity of new technologies allowing journalists to imagine and edit cutting-edge video, audio and photography, the necessity for ethical standards must remain a priority. In the article “Sliding Sound, Altered Images,” Al Tompkins discusses five major guidelines journalists should adhere to while reporting and creating stories: do not add, be judicious in your use of music and special sound effects, use special editing sparingly and carefully, exercise extreme care when altering an image and use file tape sparingly. One of the major points of the article any journalist should take to heart is to not add sound or images that did not exist at the same time. The example of combining storm video and audio taken at different moments is interesting, because I realize how simple it would be to pair them and have no one be the wiser. Stretching reality even in subtle ways has consequences for the public understanding of any news event and the integrity of journalism. 

-Abbie Schmid

KBIA: East Campus Trash story

(by Allan Vestal)
This story offers an interesting look at a problem facing Columbia's East Campus area: the accumulation of refuse. In many ways, this is a well put-together piece: the layering of natural sound and interviews, the quality of the recording, et cetera. The interviewees are articulate -- even if they are both East Campus residents. The journalist does a good job of summarizing the details himself, and using interviewed subjects only for reaction. However, the piece does fall short in one glaring regard: the position of Columbia City Council member Barbara Hoppe is cited, but there is no soundbite (sic) from her. I feel that despite the obvious logistical challenges posed to the journalist in talking with this source, having such an interview would have been much to the benefit of the piece.

Adderall story

For those students who are usually stressed out during final weeks, it is not wise to take prescription ADHD drugs, such as Adderall. I think the key to effective studying in a short amount time is working out a study plan. Plans are always very essential, so we must make some elaborate and workable plans before study. Although the drugs like Adderall can help students keep concentrated for a while, they have potential dangers to students’ health. Turning to Adderall is not a permanent solution when students face the heavy school work.

Overall, I think this story is good. It covers different voices; audience can easily understand why students use Adderall during final weeks. Also, the specialist’s explanation can arouse students’ attention to the dangers of using prescription ADHD drugs illegally.

Having lived on east campus, the first things my eyes caught was the trash at east campus. Between and my three other roomates we used to put out 7-8 trash bags a week. Although the story was about a decent topic, the execution was a little stale. I believe the reporter could have gotten in their early morning on trash day and talk to the garabage men as well. That way he could've gotten some natural sounds in as well.

KBIA Story

I listened to all four stories on the class home page, and I found all four to be interesting, relevant stories.  Although I find the idea of Neuticles a bit ridiculous, I'm not an "extreme pet owner, I suppose some people are obsessed enough with their animals to purchase the product.  Obviously, the Adderall story was especially relevant to the Columbia community and students, but I think it is also relevant to parents of students.  The Mario Manzini story and the Yoking story are both interesting for Columbia residents since they both relate to living in Columbia, though the Yoking story is aimed more at the rural areas surrounding Columbia. 

As far as the actual technical "stuff," I thought the natural sound in two of the stories was very distinctive and added layers of information to each story.  In Yoking, I thought the sounds of church music during the services made the listener feel like they were sitting in the pews with the reporter.  Likewise, in the Neuticles story, dogs barking reminds the listener (or at least for me) the dogs are alive, barking.  I realize that sounds a bit silly, but when I hear about a dog owner purchasing prosthetic testicles for their dog, I don't jump on the compassion train.  Hearing the presumably soon-to-be neutered dogs barking made me consider the actual procedure and its effects on a living, breathing animal, I guess. 

Adderall Overdrive

I have heard of many students who use adderall especially during finals week. I think its sad to what students have been reduced to because of the stress that is put upon them. Many students know that it is illegal but don't really pay attention to it. I myself know a few people who sell their prescription and make quiet a bit of money, especially during finals and midterms. Adderall is very easy to access if students just ask around. It is a helpful drug if one is prescribed to take it, but many students do it to help them stay alert and cram for exams, often times not realizing the harmful risks.

Rachel Perron - June 4, KBIA Blog

MU Works to Combat Identity Theft, 06/03/2009

 

Overall, this was a very interesting story to pick, because it provided several examples of the some of the mistakes as well as some of the areas to improve upon that we went over today in class. For instance, the natural sound used was great—an old truck with a shredder in it—it was well explained by the reporter, and took the listener directly to the place of action. Both sources gave quotes that provided the additional detail you want in a piece, particularly when Kyle Corrington, the worker, talked about what the pieces looked like after being shredded and how that’s a comforting feeling for customers, and the more official voice of general manager Jeff Germann giving advice to reduce the risk of identity theft. Some more confusing (though I may be a bit too picky) were how the name of the company was introduced and redundant quote from Germann. The shredding company’s name, Shred-it, obviously sounds a lot like shredded, and no special attention was paid to introduce that clearly, and I in fact didn’t know the company’s name until reading the script. Also, the reporter set up one of Germann’s quotes by providing a lot of information which was basically then repeated, and not in any outstanding way. Germann also mentioned at the end that there are penalties businesses can suffer for not minimizing identity theft risk, and it would have been nice to hear that information rather than repeat info. What could I have done better in two minutes? Probably not much, so I want to be sure to applaud the work. Especially considering he made a story about a shredding company as interesting as he did through audio only.

 

Sounding Out Audio

Following today’s in-class critique and listening to Taylor Reeh’s KBIA story “MU Works to Combat Identity Theft,” I realize how much I have yet to learn before mastering creating a story from audio. Reeh’s story about shredding old hard drives, disks and CDs from MU employees was well done, because he expanded the subject from just cut and dry information to a piece that brings the listener straight to the place where the destruction of the files occurs, the shredder, through natural sound. 

A more technical aspect I noticed from the piece was the clearness of voice and enunciation Reeh conveyed. His voiceovers were crisp and concise and gave the listener enough information so more opinions from the sources could be included. The one thing I would have wanted from the story was a source that brought files to the shredder or was a victim of identity theft. While the journalist localized the story, I think it could have been more personalized if he wished to expand the topic. As I gain more and more experience with audio, I realize how many possibilities for storytelling exist in simple sound. 

-Abbie Schmid

POY

I watched both the "Marlboro Marine" and "A New Dawn?"  In my opinion, both slideshows exhibited both excellent technical work in the editing booth, and excellent reporting.  I feel like both stories were told so that the audience could gain insight into the daily struggles of both the Marine struggling with PTSD and the pain-killer addicted mother.  From the perspective of the audience, I was better able to relate and empathize with both people through the extensive detailing in both stories. From the technical or editing side of the stories, I found the devices the journalists used helped successfully convey the message of each story.  Specifically, I noticed how both stories used photo series to help convey the feeling of motion.  In "A New Dawn?," motion is conveyed during the baptism section by matching the action in the photos with the spoken words of those being photographed.  In "Marlboro Marine," series of photos are used to convey motion several times.  I especially like the use of photo series at the very beginning when the Marines are filing out of a building and when the subject of the story is riding his motorcycle.  

"A New Dawn?"

(by Allan Vestal)

One of the foremost challenges of journalism is to make subjects relatable, no matter how savory their characters to the mass audience.

"A New Dawn?" by my hometown paper, the Lexington Herald-Leader, attempts to do just that. The piece follows Dawn Nicole Smith -- in many ways a stereotypical junkie -- through her experiences in drug court.

It would be easy to cast Smith, the mother of five by several fathers and a repeat offender, in the clichéd image of an addict. But by delving into the raw emotions felt by Dawn (and by her family) throughout the process, the team responsible for this piece attempt to reach beyond pigeonholing their subject.

Probably the most important part of this story was the compelling menagerie of photos from David Stephenson. The various pictures capture well the emotion and sentiments of all involved. The audio clips that are paired with the photos also help to tell the story, but I feel the photos do the brunt of the storytelling.

Also interesting about this piece is the medium in which it is presented. Reporters at the Herald-Leader pushed the audio slideshow format to its limits, adding "title cards" and commissioned music into the mix. The textual slides add a new dimension to the storytelling ability of the form, and are especially useful for telling this story, as the actions and events that shape Dawn's struggle are complex -- possibly too complex to capture in mere photos or audio clips.

The choice in adding music is also novel. In such a form of storytelling, music almost always adds a certain level of dramatism to the overall work; I feel the Herald-Leader team did well to choose a soundtrack that expressed the conflict inherent to Dawn's struggle without being melodramatic.

"A New Dawn?" captures well the emotion of a woman's struggle through drug court; having lived in Lexington at the time of the series' publication, I can attest to the compelling way in which the story was told.

POY

Some subject matter is so blatantly tragic that regardless of skill or talent, the photographs move you.  Scott Strazzante’s work tells tragic stories with familiar images.   His work asks viewers to look closely at our high schools, our peers and the class bully.   Those everyday images needed closer examination. 

The children in the photos were clothed.  They were not bloodied or emaciated, and their behavior seemed relatively typical.  But, his captions reminded us that some of the most tragic stories are often the least obvious ones.  The “Fighting for Fenger” series was especially moving to me.  I saw girls in my own high school and girls from every high school within a 7 -mile radius of my house. Girls I probably could have helped out.   

Jenny Barrett

Marlboro Man

At the suggestion of Kevin, I watched Luis Sinco's Marlboro Man. I could not agree more with everyone else. It is phenomenal how the perfect combination of photos, audio and video can create such powerful emotions. The ability to transport the viewer into the mind of the subject is truly a gift. I found myself feeling the same desperation or the heart-wrenching pain felt by both he and Jessica. This is a remarkable piece of journalism. The raw emotion captured by the photography, mixed with the audio of his guitar, the motorcycle and the sound of his lighter, provide a remarkable view into the struggles of a returning war veteran.

Powerful photography

When I glanced at four pictures in the index page, I didn’t pay too much attention to Stephen M. Katz’s The Virginian-Pilot. I thought this was one of the most common pictures that usually show up in the stories related to undeveloped countries. However, after opening this picture and reading the caption, I realized how powerful photography could be. While many stories need details to give readers big shocks, good pictures just need good subjects, composition and short caption. The Virginian-Pilot is an excellent example. From this disabled boy’s eyes, viewers could feel how hopeless and sad he was. Furthermore, with the help of caption, viewers can easily get ideas of backward social development in those undeveloped countries. Therefore, compared with detailed stories, photography can be more powerful in telling stories sometimes.