How Did the Photojournalist Get the Image?

WHEN THE BRITISH government decided to triple the cost of college tuition, students in London went on the rampage. They burnt cars, smashed windows and then kicked Prince Charles limousine (and allegedly shot it with paintballs).

There was not a plan for the protests - they began in front of Parliament and then roamed throughout the city.

The photojournalist who created the above image, which ran on the covers of newspapers around the world, was fairly lucky. You can read about his adventure here. It details his good instincts and technical smarts in creating an image of the royals in their car, panicking while surrounded by screaming youths.

Annoying? Yes. Newsworthy? Not Sure.

WARNING: WHAT YOU will see in the above video is shocking (if you are a 13-year old girl from Nebraska) and unbelievably annoying.

But the clip has been run on major news programs across the country and, sadly, around the world.

The video shows teen idol Miley Cyrus taking a hit of salvia from a bong. Salvia is not considered a drug in California, where this video was shot, but salvia is controversial - it is said to cause hallucinations. Some people have called for it to be considered a drug and banned.

Is this video newsworthy?

Do People Have the Right to See Government Documents? Or is Wikileaks Really High-Tech Terrorism?

THE MAN BEHIND Wikileaks, a website that reveals previously undisclosed information, has been labeled as a whistleblower, high tech terrorist and a hero of information.

Wikileaks is slowly been releasing a 15-year cache of cables from US embassies around the world.

In response, the White House released this statement: “We condemn in the strongest terms the unauthorized disclosure of classified documents and sensitive national security information."

There are more than 250,000 emails and other correspondence, mostly with US officials complaining about dignitaries from other countries. Much of the released information is fairly tame, though feelings could be hurt. For instance, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is described in the cables as an "alpha-dog." Afghan President Hamid Karzai is reported to be "driven by paranoia." And German Chancellor Angela Merkel allegedly "avoids risk and is rarely creative."

Does the public have the right to see these documents?

Should Wikileaks founder Julian Assange (pictured above on the cover of Time magazine) be arrested for espionage (rather than the unrelated sexual assault charges he is currently being held on in London)?

Is Assange a hero or a terrorist?

Is Wikileaks journalism?

Can "Hyperlocal" Revive Interest in Journalism?

THE JOURNAL REGISTER Company is set to launch a hyperlocal news portal for the greater Philadelphia region.

“This site will be powered by the audience and will benefit – through traffic and revenue – those who publish their content here,” said JRC VP for content, Jonathan Cooper, who will speak at a PhIJI event on Tuesday (12/7) at 6:30 in Tuttleman 303AB. “We realize the benefit of plural voices in the community. There are hundreds of sources for news about Philadelphia and we will link to those who do it the best.”

Last month, local PBS affiliate WHYY launched their own hyperlocal/ public affairs journalism site. And Patch has been building sites in the surrounding suburbs. A few other hyperlocal efforts have started within city limits.

All of these places think that readers want information about their own backyard - news and information that is personalized to their neighborhoods and communities.

Do you think hyperlocal will save journalism?

MacMillan: "We Can't Seem to Agree if We Need More War Coverage or Less."

JIM MACMILLAN WENT to Iraq because he wanted to be a part of that story, to show the world what was happening there. He was influenced by the Vietnam-era images that changed the tide of public sentiment and he wanted to do something similar in Iraq.

He had spent two decades honing his craft as a photojournalist prior to going to the Middle East. He attended hostile environment training in preparation, learning about weapons and crisis situations.

"I thought I was ready," he said yesterday in class. "I had no idea what I was in for."

During his year covering the war as a photojournalist with the Associated Press, Jim survived three roadside attacks, two car bomb explosions, a kidnapping attempt and a bullet that struck his helmet. Plus he slept on cardboard (when he was lucky), spent days on end in a cramped Bradley Fighting Vehicle, he lost 40 pounds because of the intense heat and unusual food, and he became friendly with numerous members of the military who were killed in action.

"The cost of war is incalculable," he said.

What he witnessed has had a psychological impact on him, and he studies the impact of war journalism on the public. Everyone is impacted differently - for some, seeing violent images desensitizes them to such atrocities. For others, it pushes them to take action. And there are countless reactions in between.

"We can't seem to agree if we need more war coverage or less," he said.

Here are a few other things he said that stood out to me:

• Being embedded with the troops was "like seeing life through a straw, incomplete."
• But by the time he arrived in Iraq, it wasn't safe to travel alone as a Western journalist.
• He rode on 225 combat missions, ranging from 5 minutes to two weeks, though most lasted around 2 hours.
• There was constant stress - sniper fire and attacks while with troops, and from his apartment, he could hear shelling.
• Because he was with troops so often, he formed friendships with many soldiers. But he was still able to craft images that were objective, he said.
• When he became too comfortable with a unit, he traveled with a different unit.
• Other Associated Press photographers documented the insurgents.
• Jim and a team of AP photographers were awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the most prestigious award in print journalism, for their coverage. "You can't celebrate the award," he said. "I feel relieved but it doesn't get you anywhere."

• He started as an art school student. Then he got a police scanner and started freelancing spot news to newspapers in Boston.
• In recent years, he has developed video skills.
• He's also very engaged in social networking.

What stood out for you?

Should Journalists Pay for Information?

BRETT FAVRE ALLEGEDLY used his cell phone to send images of his man parts to a former New York Jets sideline reporter. The website Deadspin paid $12,000 for the images and voicemails that Favre allegedly left the reporter.

Is there anything wrong with journalists paying for information?

"When you pay for a story, you're making a contract with the person who supplies it and that means you're no longer acting independently," Hagit Limor, the president of the Society of Professional Journalists, told the Washington Post. "People will say anything in pursuit of money. The public should assume you're reporting something because it's true, not because someone received money to say it."

Still, many news outlets find ways of compensating subjects of their stories, even if the compensation doesn't take the form of a direct payment.

If it is common practice, is it still wrong?

(Image via the New York Sun)

Can Animation Be Journalism?


AN AIRLINE PASSENGER recently opted not to go through the full-body scanner at San Diego International Airport. Instead, he requested the full-body pat-down. But when the security officer explained what would happen, the passenger said, “If you touch my junk I will have you arrested.”

The passenger captured the entire event on his cell phone video camera, and the raw video has gone viral.

A Hong Kong-based news operation creates animated videos of news stories, like the airport incident. Watch the video above.

Is the animation an appropriate way to handle a news story? Could this be the future of journalism?

Jesse Pearson: "We Strive to be as Inclusive as Possible."

A GOOD MAGAZINE represents the editor, Vice magazine editor Jesse Pearson said in class yesterday.

"The mag needs to be about my curiosity," said the Levittown native who has lead the magazine since 2003.

This year, Vice did a photo spread involving bears (burly gay dudes) dressed as vikings. Pearson assigned a gay pornographer to do a Q&A with Karl Lagerfeld. That same issue features a fashion spread with models in caskets, looking like they're dead.

"It's just something I always wanted to do," Pearson said. "Models lead these really unhealthy lifestyles."

Actually, he said he always wanted to dress up actual dead people and photograph them. He probably could have done that. He has no editorial oversight whatsoever, he said.

Here are a few other things he said that stood out for me:

• The monthly magazine is free, so it is advertiser funded. But the advertisers have no influence on the content of the mag (Dickies did pull their ads after a male unit was displayed in all it's glory in the mag).

• A revealed testicle in a photo in the bear shoot had to be discussed with the publisher. It ran in the mag.
• There is occasional "branded content" but that is not usually handled by the small editorial team. "It makes me uncomfortable," Pearson said.
• He doesn't consider other mags to be competition because Vice is free.
• Since the mag is distributed for free, he really doesn't know who is the audience. "Doing this mag is like shooting into a vacuum," he said.
• His 88-year old grandmother reads Vice on her iPad.

• Every issue of the magazine has a theme, like catastrophe, Iraq, fashion, Appalachia, sellouts, etc.
• There are only four staffers on the US edition. But they have loads of freelance contributors, and there are more than 25 offices/ editions (each with their own staff) around the world.
• The contributors tend to have a connection to Pearson, and most have a similar ideology.
• He respects Jackass. "I think it's brilliant, like Vaudeville," he said.
• If Vice was a television talk show, it would be like Dick Cavett.
• He has no sell lines on the cover of the mag because he doesn't have to worry about newsstand sales. "I don't know who would do sell lines if they didn't have to," he said.

• Vice is not a hipster mag, nor do they claim set the standards for what is deemed "cool." Pearson said, "We strive to be as inclusive as possible."
• He is planning to step down from Vice after the next issue. He wants to work on projects beyond the one-month-at-a-time pace, maybe books and freelance stuff.
• "I love this city more than New York," he said of Philadelphia.

What stood out for you?

Vice Magazine: More Than a Hipster Bible?

ON TUESDAY, VICE magazine editor Jesse Pearson will visit class.

Vice magazine started in Montreal in 1994 as a government-funded project. It's now a for-profit, advertising-driven magazine circulated to more than one million people around the world and they have offices in 30 different countries.

The mag has stories from around the globe, about random subjects like fashion, immigration, music, skateboarding, hatred, Iraq and just about anything else. They publish an annual photography issue, and the work of world class photographers like Terry Richardson and Ryan McGinley are in nearly every issue.

Vice is very comfortable with male and female nudity, curse words, sexuality and stuff that isn't politically correct.

"Lenny Kravitz is the biggest fucking twat I've ever met in my life," Pearson said in 2003. "He is arrogant and dumb and boring. He even had a guy carrying the back of his extra-long cardigan like he was a fucking bridesmaid. Joe Strummer was surprisingly cool. Really personable and funny and didn't want anyone to leave. He had time for anybody that wanted to talk to him. He even wrote our DOs and DON'Ts one month."

The New York Times accused Vice of creating "a trailer-park sensibility, embraced with and without irony, that has taken hold among postcollegiate society."

In that same article, Robert Lanham, author of The Hipster Handbook, said, "Of all the magazines that are out there, I think that's the one that nails hipster culture on the head."

What an awful thing to say!

The editor of the UK edition says that Vice isn't just a hipster mag where young people can learn where to find the latest jeans. They are taking a different approach in appealing to the younger audience by doing "serious" work, like documenting drug abuse, prostitution and wars in the Middle East and Africa, among other subjects.

"There are people out there who want to learn," said Andy Capper, Vice's UK editor, "and who don't want to be talked down to."

Vice now has retail stores, an online broadcast outlet, a music label, a pub/ music venue in London and an ad agency attached to the global brand.

Check out Vice's website. What do you think?

Making Friends, With Marc Zumoff.

EVERY DAY MARC ZUMOFF wakes up, the sun is shining and life is good.

"I'm happy to be me," he said in class today, despite the dreary rain outside.

Zumoff, a Temple grad, is the voice if the Sixers. He's one of only 30 pro basketball play-by-play announcers in the country. He flies in chartered planes, stays in fancy hotels, eats quality meals and then gets to watch some of the world's top athletes from the front row at mid-court. That's his job. He gets paid to talk about basketball.

It wasn't always this grand. When he was in college, he received so many rejection letters from potential employers that his parents suggested he become a pharmacist rather than a broadcaster. He started at a small radio station in Trenton, earning peanuts for wages. He slowly worked his way up the broadcast ladder, ultimately joining the Sixers in 1994.

He offered a few steps for reaching your dreams.

- Reach out to anyone you know who might serve as a connection to a person in charge. Make friends. You need those connections so that you stand out in comparison to all the other applicants for jobs and internships.
- When you write to the person in charge (in email or snail mail), Zumoff said to write three things:
1. Make the personal connection.
2. Ask to meet face-to-face.
3. Mention that you will follow up.

- When you sit down and meet with them, Zumoff said, don't bore them with your life history. Listen to them. Subtly remind them of your personal connections.
- Dress appropriately, as though you are interviewing for your dream job.
- In advance of the meeting, do research and arrive prepared with questions.
- Ask them for other people you should speak with (because this person is now a connection to other people for you).
- Slide them your resume, clips or demo reel before leaving.
- Stay in touch with everyone. Send thank you notes.

- When you get the internship, come early, stay late and do even the stupid stuff with a smile. Your bosses are watching you.
- In the end, it will take more than just connections to land the dream job. You need to work hard. Real hard. "No one hands you anything," he said. "You have to earn it. Pay your dues."
- Never burn bridges. It's a small, small world.
- Believe in yourself and your abilities.
- Surround yourself with positive people.

"Do whatever you have to do to get in the door," Zumoff said. "Get in the door and then move on toward that dream job."

What stood out for you?

Do You Want News With an Attitude?

DURING TUESDAY'S ELECTION, Fox News drew larger audiences than any other cable news operation.

Fox News averaged 6.96 million viewers in prime time on Tuesday, according to ratings results from the Nielsen Company, the New York Times reported. CNN averaged 2.42 million viewers. MSNBC averaged 1.94 million viewers.

Does that mean that people with conservative leanings were more engaged in this election? Or is this a sign that viewers want information with a particular slant?

If news with an agenda is gaining larger audiences, should other networks and news programs try presenting the news with more analysis and maybe some opinion?

Should journalists abandon the idea of objectivity?

Is The Alleged One-Night Stand a Story?

LAST WEEK, GAWKER.com ran an anonymous, first-person story from a Philadelphia man who had a one-night stand with Christine O'Donnell, the Republican candidate for Senate in Delaware.

"We'd probably knocked back five Heinekens when Christine leaned over and whispered in my ear that she wanted to go back to my place," the author writes.

There are lurid details in the story. They, for the record, did not have sex, according to the story.

The O'Donnell team responded by saying that "such attacks are truly shameful." Her opponent's team responded by saying, “It’s cowardly and despicable that they would publish this garbage.”

Is this newsworthy?

(the image is via Gawker.com)

Can Journalists Attend Political Rallies?

SEVERAL NEWS ORGANIZATIONS have banned their journalists from "participating" in political events, including the upcoming event in Washington DC with Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

"NPR journalists may not participate in marches and rallies involving causes or issues that NPR covers," reads a memo sent to NPR staffers. "This restriction applies to the upcoming Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert rallies."

The news organizations argue that journalists could lose credibility if seen at those events.

Should journalists be able to attend political rallies? Are they allowed to have their own political opinions?

Should they be registered to vote within a specific party? Or should they remain undecided or independent?

Do You Fire the Analyst For Speaking His Mind?

NPR NEWS ANALYST Juan Williams was fired last week after making an appearance on the O'Reilly Factor and saying, "When I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."

Is that cause for termination? Wasn't he hired as an analyst, a person who is paid to offer his opinions?

Or, was his termination justified as it revealed him to be something of a bigot?

NPR released a statement that included this justification: "His remarks on The O'Reilly Factor this past Monday were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR."

Many conservatives are saying that NPR caved in to the far left. Many liberals have called Williams a bigot.

How would you have handled this situation?

Don't Agree With Your Guest? Can You Leave?

FOX NEWS HOST Bill O'Reilly appeared on the morning talk show The View last week and a shouting match ensued.

O'Reilly said that 70 percent of Americans don't want a mosque near Ground Zero because Muslims attacked America on 9/11. Joy Behar, one of show's hosts, walked off the set, followed by co-host Whoopi Goldberg.

"That is such bullshit!" Goldberg said. "Extremists did that!"

After the two walked off, Barbara Walters, another co-host, said, "You have just seen what should not happen. We should be able to have discussions without washing our hands, and screaming, and walking offstage."

Was it wrong for the two hosts to walk off the set? Were they obligated to listen to the views of an invited guest? Or are they allowed to follow their convictions and leave when they feel offended?

What would you have done?

What's Love Got to Do With it?

A CHICAGO BROADCAST sports reporter was recently fired and the reasons remain something of a mystery.

However, there were recent published reports saying that the reporter was dating Nick Boynton, a defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Is a romantic relationship grounds for dismissal? Is it wrong for reporters to date/ marry people they may have to cover professionally?

(Photo via Bleacher Report)

Are Free Newspapers Devaluing News?

NOW THAT WE are all used to free information readily available online, there is a great debate happening about establishing paywalls on news websites. The rational is that news is expensive to produce and the audience should pay for the information.

The problem that began online is also seen in print, where free newspapers have become popular around the world. The Metro, which has a Philadelphia edition, boasts the 5th largest newspaper circulation and is the most read free daily newspaper in the country.

“Free newspapers are, in many cases, devaluing the currency," Phillip Crawley, publisher and CEO of Toronto's Globe and Mail, said last week. "It’s the equivalent of elevator music.”

The criticism of free newspapers is that they generally lack depth in their stories, they rely upon salacious content and they are too broad in their coverage (so as to appeal to the largest common denominator). Oh, and they're stealing readers from newspapers that still charge for print editions.

Are free newspapers the ultimate form of democracy or the murderers of serious journalism?

Annette John-Hall: "This is Just My Truth. I Welcome Conversation About it."

JOURNALISM IS ON the job training, Inquirer metro columnist Annette John-Hall said in class today.

While on the job, Annette was verbally assaulted by a baseball player and hit on by a basketball player. She sampled a marijuana brownie. She's received thousands of emails and comments on her stories, not all of which have been pleasant. She's met celebrities (Denzel!) and befriended famous athletes. And she's traveled the world reporting and telling stories.

Here are a few things that stood out to me:

- She started covering sports while attending San Francisco State University.
- She then went to work for the Oakland Tribune, followed by the Rocky Mountain News and the San Jose Mercury News.
- She was one of the first black women reporters covering the NBA.
- As a sports reporter and columnist, she worked with athletes to make the locker room environment more friendly to women.
- "As a woman, the job is so much more difficult," she said, referring to being a sports journalist. "I had to be beyond reproach. It's a very fine line between being friendly enough to get info but not too friendly."
- In reference to the Mexican TV reporter Ines Sainz, Annette said, "When you go into a locker room, cover yourself up."
- Half of the athletes don't read the newspapers and those who do don't look at the bylines, she said.

- She left the sports department because she was tired of working nights and weekends (and holidays). She wanted more regular time with her family.
- Sports reporters are expected to be critical, whereas news reporters are supposed to be objective.
- As a metro columnist, her job is to reveal her point of view. "This is just my truth," she said. "I welcome conversation about it."
- Even though she lives in New Jersey, she tries to give voice to the thousands of people who get ignored everyday.
- She does not just sit at a desk and rant. She is a columnist, not a pundit.
- She is confident and argumentative and she goes into stories with an idea of what she will find. But if the story turns out to be different, she'll report what she learns.

- She suggests you learn multimedia skills. "The more moves you have," she said, "the more in demand you'll be."
- She said that a lot of your success will come from who you know. But it is really about what you're willing to do (i.e. go the extra mile).

What stood out for you?

Thinking of Studying in London? Do It.

JOURNALISM IS AN excuse to do some really cool stuff. Sure, the industry is changing and some people are super negative about the future of the industry.

But if you have to work for a living, journalism is about as rewarding and as fun a career as you will find. For real.

The Temple London students this past summer spent six weeks documenting the music scene. We hung out with musicians, producers, magazine publishers, broadcast producers, venue operators and lots of other cool folks. Then we made the magazine above.

If you are considering journalism or studying abroad, do it (both of them).

Dude, Where's my Column? Or, Should the Journalist Sample the Chronic?

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER METRO columnist Annette John-Hall, who will visit J1111 on Tuesday, wrote an article today about the legalization of marijuana.

While visiting her native California recently, she witnessed the debate about proposition 19 (the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010) which is on the ballot for November. It would essentially regulate the use of recreational marijuana.

John-Hall attended the International Cannabis and Hemp Expo in San Francisco and she visited the a vendor who offered marijuana samples. Here is some of her story:

"More than a few vendors offered some of their choice herbs for me to try. I just said no. After all, I was working.

But then I happened upon the Edibles section, a tantalizing array of brownies, cookies, parfaits, and caramels. I'm a sucker for sweets. What the heck. I popped a piece of a brownie, as tiny as a gum drop, into my mouth.

I was suckered all right. It didn't take long before I realized that, wow, this isn't your mama's pot. It's much more potent."

Was it wrong for her to sample the goods? Or, is it fine to experiment with illegal substances in the name of journalism?

(the photo comes from John-Hall's facebook page).

Do You Show the Alleged Bad Guy Just Because Police Think He/ She is a Criminal?

A VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY student was killed on Wednesday when his car was struck by a stolen vehicle doing more than 100 mph. The stolen vehicle fled the scene but was later found by police.

On Thursday, police arrested a 21-year old West Philadelphia man whose fingerprint was found on the stolen vehicle. Police paraded the handcuffed man in front of the media, and the alleged perpetrator's image was run all over television, online and in newspapers.

"He entered the courtroom as wide-eyed as a preschooler and dressed like one, in a blue Cookie Monster hoodie," read the lead of the Daily News' story on Friday morning. "But Kenneth Woods is more monstrous than any Muppet, Delaware County authorities said yesterday."

But by Friday afternoon, police had another suspect in custody and they revealed that their original suspect was innocent. That left the media scrambling to clear Kenneth Woods' name. Both the Inquirer and Daily News put the corrective story on their front pages on Saturday.

And that raises the question: should the media should images and reveal the names of people SUSPECTED to be guilty of committing crimes? Or should the media wait until there is a conviction before they publish information?

Perp walks have been in existence for a long time but in the age of the Internet and 24/7 news, are the media rushing to publish and/ or air the story before all the facts are known?

Or should the media continue this practice? After all, they didn't claim the guy was guilty. The police are the ones who made the mistake.

Thoughts?

Would You Turn the Potential Advertisers Away?

THE WASHINGTON POST will no longer accept advertisements from massage parlors, arguing that many of the parlors are actually thinly-veiled houses of prostitution.

Many newspapers and magazines continue to run such advertising, arguing that the massage parlors have valid business licenses and are therefore, legitimate businesses in the eyes of the law.

Craigslist recently shuttered its "adult services" section, and many other newspapers - The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Boston Globe and the Los Angeles Times, among others - quit accepting massage parlor ads several years ago.

Should journalistic outlets reject advertising dollars from businesses they suspect to be illegal?

Should the Anchor Have Revealed That He was Also a Victim of a Pedophile?

OVER THE WEEKEND, while performing an interview on live television, a CNN anchor announced that he had been the victim of a pedophile (it's in the above video around the 5:25 mark).

The anchor was discussing the case of an Atlanta bishop who allegedly sexually abused boys at his church.

After listening to a sound bite and then talking to supporters of the Bishop, the anchor said, "I have never admitted this on television. I am a victim of a pedophile when I was a kid. Someone who was much older than me."

The anchor didn't go into detail about his own experiences. But he later added, "Those are the things that they do. The language, 'This doesn't make you gay, if you do this.'"

Was it wrong for the anchor to interject his own experiences into a story? Does his admission make him biased? Can he be an objective journalist if he's an alleged victim himself?

Should the Media Set Standards for the Public?

PBS PULLED THIS skit with Katy Perry and Elmo from Sesame Street after a viewers complained about Perry's attire and the lyrics to her other songs.

The video was posted online as a teaser to the start of the 41st season of the famed show. Some viewers complained, like this person:

"Good gracious, I've never been so outraged!! Sesame Street and Elmo meet Katy Perry?! Have you seen what this woman promotes in her music and videos? I am appalled that you would let her anywhere near beloved Elmo, especially dressed like that!"

Should PBS have pulled the skit from the show? Are they giving in to a conservative minority or are they being responsible to the children? Both?

Is it the role of media to establish public standards for speech, dress and behavior?

Do You Make the Jackass Famous? Part II.

WHEN JACKASSES RUN onto the field at Phillies games, the Phillies broadcasters refuse to show the ensuing drama as it might glorify the actions of the idiot. And running onto the field is illegal (and stupid ... we're in a playoff run, jackass).

Apparently, the Atlanta station has no issues showing the interloper. That's their video above. That means the footage exists and media outlets, including Philadelphia broadcast news shows, can access the footage. Should they run it?

Should newspapers run images and/ or the name of the running fool? Is this actually a story? Or is the media just encouraging future dumbasses to go for it?

Do College Students Prefer Print?

THE POYNTER INSTITUTE reports that students actually prefer the print edition of their school newspaper over the online version.

They cite a spring 2010 study by Student Monitor that found that 56 percent of students "don't even know if their campus newspaper is available online." Around 63 percent of students classify themselves as "frequent or light readers of the print edition of the campus newspaper."

One advisor says that their college newspaper remains popular because it is free, convenient and relevant to students' lives.

Do you read the Temple News in print? Online? Why (or why not)?

What's a Female Sports Journalist To Do?

WHEN INES SAINZ, a reporter from Mexico's TV Azteca, walked into the Jets locker room on Sunday, she was greeted with catcalls and hoots from the players.

Locker rooms are awkward places for interviews in general - journalists need information as quickly as possible after games and practices, so the athletes often have cameras thrust in their faces immediately after they get out of the shower. Sometimes, the players are draped in towels. Sometimes they are buck naked.

On top of that, there is often a high-testosterone, macho mentality among world-class athletes who are celebrated multi-millionaires. And the locker room is their territory.

It can be an especially difficult environment for female sports reporters. If that female sports reporter is attractive, it can be worse - as was the case with Sainz, a former Miss Spain.

FYI: Women were actually banned from most men's professional locker rooms until 1977. Some bans remained in place until 1985. Male reporters are not banned from WNBA locker rooms (and never have been - the league was created after the gender issue in sports was a major problem).

The incident with Sainz has generated fierce reactions - from people saying that the high-testosterone behavior is the norm in a locker room and that Sainz brought on the issue herself, to people saying that her gender should not be an issue, ever.

What should we learn from this incident? What is the lesson for female sports reporters (or aspiring female sports reporters)?

To Have Or Not Have an Opinion?

Fox29 has a new format for their 10:00 pm newscast and it has invited criticism from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Inquirer interviewed journalism educators and journalists about Fox29's new opinion and commentary initiatives that have become the focus of the show. Even the journalists who are reporting breaking news are asked for their opinions.

"We're saying if you're going to report a story, you had better know that story inside and out, and push back when people aren't telling you the truth," the news director told the Inquirer. "We'll stick with stories longer. We'll do fewer of them but report them in greater detail."

The news director and other Fox29 folks rationalize the move by saying that they need to be different from the other broadcast news outlets in town.

The Inquirer article alludes to editorializing, pandering and populist boostering.

At the same time Fox29 is being slammed for having an opinion, Jon Stewart is praised for having one.

Is Fox29 doing anything wrong? Aren't they asking their reporters to do what magazine article writers have been doing for decades?

What should news operations be doing?

(by the way, this is re-posted from the Entrepreneurial Journalists of Philadelphia blog)

Is it Wrong to Take Care of Your Own?

ON THE FRONT PAGE TODAY, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran an excerpt from a new book, Tasting Freedom. The book chronicles the life of Octavius Catto, a 19th century Philadelphia civil rights activist. It was written by Dan Biddle and Murray Dubin, two longtime Inquirer staffers (though Dubin recently retired).

Is there anything wrong with the Inquirer hyping and publicizing a book written by two of their own (Biddle is the Pennsylvania Editor for the paper)?

The article includes information about how to purchase the book (via Temple University Press). Is that ethical?

Should Journalists Ignore the Bigot?

A FLORIDA MINISTER plans to burn copies of the Koran on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

The US government has pleaded with the minister not to do this, fearing it will incite violence from Muslims, putting Americans in peril.

"It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort in Afghanistan," said General David Petraeus, the commanding officer in Afghanistan. "Were the actual burning to take place, the safety of our soldiers and civilians would be put in jeopardy and accomplishment of the mission would be made more difficult."

The minister leads a congregation of only around 50 members. But he has reached a worldwide audience with this stunt, largely because of the Internet and the media.

Should the media help tell this guy's story? Or should they ignore him?

Dude, My Private Parts Are Pictured Online!

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE gathered in Fairmount Park on Sunday for the Philly Naked Bike Ride, then stripped down to their birthday suits and rode bicycles through the city.

Just about everywhere they went, people took their pictures and shot video of them. A lot of those pictures and videos wound up online. Some even landed on news websites.

Are people allowed to shoot images and video and publish them online? Do the riders have any say in whether their naked asses wind up all over the Internet?

How should news outlets handle this story? Can they post images and video of people in various states of undress? If people are fully exposed, is it ethical for the news outlets to show them in all their naked glory?

Photo via Phrequency.

Is the Candidate's Kid Public Fodder (And Are Journalists Allowed to Publish facebook Images)?

THE SON OF a state representative/ gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota was busted for underage drinking - while on the payroll of his father's campaign.

An alternative weekly newspaper broke the story and used old facebook pictures (above) of the 20-year old.

This is a two-part ethical dilemma:

1). Is the kid newsworthy? Just because his father is involved in politics and is a candidate to become governor, should the son also be considered fodder for the news media?

2). Is it acceptable for the media to publish images from facebook?

What's the Name of That Cee Lo Song?

CEE LO GREEN HAS an Internet sensation with the song in the above video. But it will never get airtime because of the song's title, chorus and punch line. Such language is prohibited over public airwaves (radio and broadcast TV) by the Federal Communications Commission.

Print outlets are not prohibited by the government from using such language. Still, the New York Times wrote a 1,078-word story about the song on Monday and never revealed the lyrics, let alone the title. Instead, the author described it as "a certain crude phrase."

Should newspapers run curse words if they are relevant to the story?

Should Journalists Rate the Teachers?

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES recently examined every third through fifth grade teacher in LA schools and measured them for effectiveness using a controversial method.

Then they created a searchable database and published it online.

The teachers freaked out.

"It is the height of journalistic irresponsibility to make public these deeply flawed judgments about a teacher's effectiveness," the LA teachers' union wrote in a statement. "The database will cause chaos at school sites, as parents scramble to get their children into classes taught by teachers labeled as 'effective' by a newspaper."

Is it the role of the newspaper (or the media in general) to do such research? Should they have made the results public?

Have the teachers rights been violated?

How Far Would You Go to Get a Story?

BARRY LEVINE, A TEMPLE grad, executive editor of the National Enquirer and friend of J1111, recently recounted to New York magazine his fondest memories of life in tabloid journalism:

When his helicopter was blasted with shotgun pellets over Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith’s wedding; when Mike Tyson dragged him into a hotel stairwell and threatened to kill him after Levine asked if he was gay; when his news team was “attacked” by a swarm of tarantulas after sneaking onto Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch; when he had two reporters cross a meadow wearing a sheep costume to get inside Michael J. Fox’s nuptials; when he sent ten operatives into a hospital dressed as doctors and nurses with clipboards rigged with tiny cameras to snap the first pictures of Lisa Marie Presley’s baby.

Would you wear a sheep costume to sneak into a wedding just to get a story? Would you pose as a doctor to get pictures otherwise unavailable? Is there anything wrong with that?

The National Enquirer, which unabashedly pays for information, broke the story of presidential candidate John Edwards' affair (with a woman who gave birth to his child) and was considered for a Pulitzer Prize for that investigation.

How far should journalists go to get a story?

By Explaining the Details of the Proposed Mosque, Are Journalists Showing Their Bias?

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS issued a memo to staffers last week regarding how the proposed Lower Manhattan mosque should be referenced in their coverage. Among the directives was a change in what the mosque would be called - rather than simply the "ground zero mosque," the AP told staffers to refer to it as the mosque "near" ground zero.

"The nearness of the mosque to the WTC site is, of course, at the root of the whole controversy," wrote AP standards editor Tom Kent. "There's nothing we would or could do to conceal that. But 'ground zero mosque' leaves the impression that the mosque is right where the World Trade Center stood. In fact, the site of the proposed mosque and Islamic center is not at ground zero, but two blocks away in a busy retail area."

Opponents of the mosque immediately jumped on the AP, saying they were taking sides in the issue (generally, the liberal/ Democratic/ pro-Muslim-side). Conservative pundit Michelle Malkin called the AP memo "a re-tread of a pro-mosque talking points memo."

The AP responded to criticism by saying they are only providing factual information.

"Readers are entitled to know the geographical facts of the situation," Kent continued. "Then they can judge it for themselves."

Are they taking sides by clarifying the situation?

How Did You Spend Your Summer Vacation?

FOR SIX WEEKS, 18 Temple University students documented London as part of the School of Communications & Theater's study abroad program.

Our focus was on London's massive and diverse music scene but we also learned about the food, fashion, lifestyles and various cultures of the city.

We interviewed countless people, including producers and a correspondent from the London office of NBC News, the publishers of STATION magazine and the operators of the Roundhouse (a creative arts incubator for young people, as well as popular music venue).

We traveled to Stonehenge, Bath and Brighton. We cruised the Regent's Canal on a boat, drank tea at the Orangery at Kensington Palace, toured Fuller's Brewery and saw a lot of good concerts.

You can learn more about our musical adventures here. You can see what we learned about London here. And you can see our images from London here.

The SCT London program runs during the spring and fall semesters as well as during summer session II. Click here for more info.

Did Time Mag Cheat Rolling Stone (Or Just Scoop Them on Their Own Story)?

ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE did a huge story about Stanley McChrystal, the commander of allied forces in Afghanistan, and his criticism's of the Obama administration. As a result of the story, McChrystal tendered his resignation to the president - his remarks in the article, which he admits are accurate, could be considered as insubordinate.

But there is another controversy surrounding the story: Time magazine published the Rolling Stone story online in full pdf version nearly two days before Rolling Stone did - and nearly five days before the Rolling Stone print issue hit the street. Another site ran the pdfs as well but that page has since been removed.

Rolling Stone sent advance copies of the newest issue to media outlets before going to press - like many magazines do - as a way of drumming up publicity. They said that they did not give pdf versions to Time, nor did anyone from Time contact them for permission to run the pdfs online.

Was Time just doing good journalism by beating Rolling Stone to their own story? Or did Time violate Rolling Stone's copyright by printing pdfs without authorization?

The Journalists Admit Falsifying the Image. So, We're All Good, Right?

OUTSIDE MAGAZINE PUBLISHED a cover story about cyclist Lance Armstrong. He posed in a plain blue T-shirt for the cover shoot. But when the mag hit the streets, Armstrong discovered that his shirt now read, "38. BFD."

Apparently, the article alludes to the idea that Armstrong being 38-years old is no "big f***ing deal."

He was pretty fired up when he saw the altered cover. He tweeted:

Just saw the cover of the new Outside mag w/ yours truly on it. Nice photoshop on a plain t-shirt guys. That's some lame bullshit. #weak

Is there anything wrong with PhotoShopping the cover to make it more appealing to readers?

"We wanted to create a provocative image and make a bold statement about the fact that, because of Armstrong's age, many cycling fans are skeptical of his chances in this year's Tour de France," Outside's editors wrote in defense of their action.

The magazine actually placed a note on the cover reading: Not Armstrong's real T-shirt.

Does that make anything better? Does Armstrong have a legit reason to be upset?

Does it make any difference that PhotoShopping mag covers is a regular practice?

Should Journalists Show Suicides on TV?

A MAN ACCUSED OF MURDER in California was cornered by police at the edge of steep cliff. Turns out he was also a porn star. The standoff lasted a long time - allowing news crews to arrive on the scene.

With dusk approaching, the man decided to leap off the cliff, committing suicide. The news crews captured the entire suicide. Then they showed it on air. Multiple times.

Is it wrong to show the video of a person dying?

Do You Believe The Journalist or the Athlete?

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS' WIDE receiver Dwayne Bowe is quoted in ESPN the magazine as saying:

"You hear stories about groupies hanging out in hotel lobbies, but some of my teammates had it set up so there was a girl in every room. The older guys get on MySpace and Facebook a week before we go to a city; when a pretty one writes back, they arrange to fly her in three or four days in advance. They call it importing."

The quote caused a stir - so much that Bowe apologized publicly. But he denied making the statement. He says he was misquoted.

ESPN says they have Bowe on tape but they won't make the tape public.

Should they? Or should the public just trust that the journalists are responsible?

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