SJSU- Investigative Reporting Day
Be a little optimistic. Make new friends. Keep old friends. Keep your promises. Morals to live by? These were 4 mindsets recommended for future Investigative reporters at feature panel investigative reporters and Pulitzer Prize winners. San Jose State University, sponsored by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, held an Investigative Reporting Day and had a panel of professionals, two SJSU alumni, to answer the question: “Can Investigative Reporting Save Journalism?"
Yes was the answer given by Mark Katches; Pulitzer Prize winner and SJSU alum, David Williman, Pulitzer; prize winner and SJSU Class of 78”, Lance Williams; from the San Francisco Chronicle and one of the men behind Balco’s steroid scandal, and Bart Roberston; who works on the “Tainted Trials/Stolen Justice” for the San Jose Mercury News. Lance Williams gave us the four recommended mindsets for all investigative journalists. Other panelist like David Williman spoke about news in general saying, “All news is inherently “investigative.” He also urged the listeners that journalists are not “stenographers”, the need to be “rigorous with facts” and above all the “need to be unbiased to political sway.”
There was also a realistic opinion about the future of print journalism. It was mentioned that many news reporters do a lot of the same work. Consolidation may have to be the best course of action in order to adjust with the company’s budget and revenues. But the consensus of the panel was that investigative reporting should not only be immune to consolidation but should be built upon to grow or “evolve” as one member put it, within the ever changing environment.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
NO MEDAL FOR 1ST PLACE
1 MINUTE
A WOMAN AT THE NIKE WOMENS MARATHON WITH THE FASTEST TIME DID NOT WIN FIRST PLACE
A FIFTH GRADE TEACHER FROM NEW YORK…ARIEN O’CONNELL POSTED THE FASTEST WOMENS TIME IN THE RACE BUT DID NOT PLACE FIRST BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT SIGNED UP AS AN ELITE RUNNER. ELITE RUNNERS ARE GIVEN A TWENTY MINUTE HEAD START
O’CONNELL…WHO BURST INTO TEARS AFTER HER BEATING HER BEST MARATHON TIME BY 12 MINUTES WATCHED THE AWARDS GIVEN OUT NOTICING SHE HAD BEATEN THE FIRST PLACE WINNER BY MORE THEN 10 MINUTES.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE LONG-DISTANCE PROGRAM FOR USA TRACK AND FIELD JIM ESTES SAID THE THEORY IS THAT, BECAUSE THEY HAD SEPARATE STARTS, THEY WERE NOT IN THE SAME RACE
O’CAONNELL IS NOT BITTER THOUGH…SHE POSTED HER BEST TIME EVER, ENJOYED A WEEKEND IN SAN FRANCISCO AND GETS TO GO HOME WITH A STORY TO TELL.
1 MINUTE
A WOMAN AT THE NIKE WOMENS MARATHON WITH THE FASTEST TIME DID NOT WIN FIRST PLACE
A FIFTH GRADE TEACHER FROM NEW YORK…ARIEN O’CONNELL POSTED THE FASTEST WOMENS TIME IN THE RACE BUT DID NOT PLACE FIRST BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT SIGNED UP AS AN ELITE RUNNER. ELITE RUNNERS ARE GIVEN A TWENTY MINUTE HEAD START
O’CONNELL…WHO BURST INTO TEARS AFTER HER BEATING HER BEST MARATHON TIME BY 12 MINUTES WATCHED THE AWARDS GIVEN OUT NOTICING SHE HAD BEATEN THE FIRST PLACE WINNER BY MORE THEN 10 MINUTES.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE LONG-DISTANCE PROGRAM FOR USA TRACK AND FIELD JIM ESTES SAID THE THEORY IS THAT, BECAUSE THEY HAD SEPARATE STARTS, THEY WERE NOT IN THE SAME RACE
O’CAONNELL IS NOT BITTER THOUGH…SHE POSTED HER BEST TIME EVER, ENJOYED A WEEKEND IN SAN FRANCISCO AND GETS TO GO HOME WITH A STORY TO TELL.
Broadcast Style Exercise
Please review this news story for errors in broadcast style, as well as for typos, etc. Correct the errors and post the revised story on your blog.
NORTHWEST AIRLINES ANOUNCED THAT IT IS CUTTING IT'S DOMESTIC FARES BY UP TO 40 PERCENT FOR HOLIDAY TRAVELLERS.
CEO OF NORTHWEST AIRLINES FRANK DEWITT SAID WE LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS A HOLIDAY GIFT TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BY FRIDAY FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN NOV. 12 AND JAN. 14 IN THE LOWER 48 STATES…ALASKA AND CANADA.
DISCOUNTS VARY DEPENDING ON TRAVEL DATES AND ARE NOT AVIALABLE ON CERTAIN POPULAR DAYS…INCLUDDING NOVEMBER 23, NOVEMBER 26, DECEMBER 23 AND DECEMBER 26.
WITH THE DISCOUNTED, NON-REFUNDIBLE FAIRES…A PASSENGER COULD TRAVEL ROUND-TRIP BETWEEN BOSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO FOR 500-DOLLARS ON CERTAIN DAYS.
Please review this news story for errors in broadcast style, as well as for typos, etc. Correct the errors and post the revised story on your blog.
NORTHWEST AIRLINES ANOUNCED THAT IT IS CUTTING IT'S DOMESTIC FARES BY UP TO 40 PERCENT FOR HOLIDAY TRAVELLERS.
CEO OF NORTHWEST AIRLINES FRANK DEWITT SAID WE LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS A HOLIDAY GIFT TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BY FRIDAY FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN NOV. 12 AND JAN. 14 IN THE LOWER 48 STATES…ALASKA AND CANADA.
DISCOUNTS VARY DEPENDING ON TRAVEL DATES AND ARE NOT AVIALABLE ON CERTAIN POPULAR DAYS…INCLUDDING NOVEMBER 23, NOVEMBER 26, DECEMBER 23 AND DECEMBER 26.
WITH THE DISCOUNTED, NON-REFUNDIBLE FAIRES…A PASSENGER COULD TRAVEL ROUND-TRIP BETWEEN BOSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO FOR 500-DOLLARS ON CERTAIN DAYS.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The monkey wrench that brought commuter railroads to a halt on Monday was wielded by a squirrel. If you were one of the 50,000 Metro-North Railroad commuters, trying to get out of Manhattan on Monday, your train probably did not show up. Apparently, a squirrel journeyed onto the Metro-North power lines and created a power surge. The surge weakened an over head bracket causing one of the wires to droop. A train, passing underneath the wire, became entwined with the wire and tore down all the power lines.
According to Donna Evans, a Metro-North spokeswoman, the squirrel was electrocuted during his exploration of the power lines. Crews restored service on Tuesday.
According to Donna Evans, a Metro-North spokeswoman, the squirrel was electrocuted during his exploration of the power lines. Crews restored service on Tuesday.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Reporting with Numbers
Please refer to the “Math for Journalists” section in Inside Reporting (Ch. 4, p. 84-85) for the information you will need to complete these exercises. You’ll need to review the segments on calculating percentages and figuring the mean and median (p. 84), as well as the “idea file” bullet points (p. 85) on how to present numbers.
1 - $80 million is 60 percent of the budget
- $6 million is 5 percent of the budget
- 34 million is 28.3 percent of the budget
Local college revenue for the budget comes mostly from the state; two-thirds of the total budget, grants and gifts; just below one-third the budget, and the remaining from student tuition; 5 percent.
2)
Name
Sentence
Donald Lee
1 year prison, 2 years probation
Richard Smith
1 year prison, 1 year probation
Wesley Mitchell
14 months prison, 1 year probation
Mary Jones
1 year prison, 1 year probation
Juan Rodriguez
1 year prison, 2 years probation
Harold Rothstein
8 months prison, 1 year probation
Michael Reese
7 years prison, 5 years probation
154 months of time spent has an average of 22 months.
Months of convicts- 8, 12, 12, 12, 12, 14, 84…12 months is the median.
The median figure is the most useful in this chart because one of the prison sentences, Michael Reese, is considerably higher then the rest of the sentences. Using the average would be eschewed by the 84 month sentence when the sentence closest to it is 14 months.
3)
State sales tax is 7.25%
$5 spent would be $.36
$75.40 a year in savings
Please refer to the “Math for Journalists” section in Inside Reporting (Ch. 4, p. 84-85) for the information you will need to complete these exercises. You’ll need to review the segments on calculating percentages and figuring the mean and median (p. 84), as well as the “idea file” bullet points (p. 85) on how to present numbers.
1 - $80 million is 60 percent of the budget
- $6 million is 5 percent of the budget
- 34 million is 28.3 percent of the budget
Local college revenue for the budget comes mostly from the state; two-thirds of the total budget, grants and gifts; just below one-third the budget, and the remaining from student tuition; 5 percent.
2)
Name
Sentence
Donald Lee
1 year prison, 2 years probation
Richard Smith
1 year prison, 1 year probation
Wesley Mitchell
14 months prison, 1 year probation
Mary Jones
1 year prison, 1 year probation
Juan Rodriguez
1 year prison, 2 years probation
Harold Rothstein
8 months prison, 1 year probation
Michael Reese
7 years prison, 5 years probation
154 months of time spent has an average of 22 months.
Months of convicts- 8, 12, 12, 12, 12, 14, 84…12 months is the median.
The median figure is the most useful in this chart because one of the prison sentences, Michael Reese, is considerably higher then the rest of the sentences. Using the average would be eschewed by the 84 month sentence when the sentence closest to it is 14 months.
3)
State sales tax is 7.25%
$5 spent would be $.36
$75.40 a year in savings
JOUR 61 – AP Style Exercise (S-Z), v. 2
15 errors / 15 points / 1 bonus point
Please identify and correct the AP style and other errors in the following sentences.
1) When he heard the building scheme for the new high school had been rejected, Bill pulled out his stationary; wrote a letter of protest. (2)
2) Ben really knows his scriptures, but he knows little about The Talmoud or The Shariah. (3)
3) Her home in upstate New York is surprisingly ultramodern and rather unique for its middle class neighborhood. (4)
4) To celebrate Veterans Day, the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, troupes of former soldiers will march down Main Street, carrying U.S. flags. (3)
5) Word-of- mouth has it that Ellen will windup with the only “A” in the class. (2)
6) When Sara spotted the Louis L’Amour paperback, she asked who’s book it was. She couldn’t believe it was John's. After all, nobody reads westerns anymore. She had no idea he was such a weird-o. (3)
BONUS:
· The man was arrested for brandishing a 12-gauge shotgun outside his home. (1)
15 errors / 15 points / 1 bonus point
Please identify and correct the AP style and other errors in the following sentences.
1) When he heard the building scheme for the new high school had been rejected, Bill pulled out his stationary; wrote a letter of protest. (2)
2) Ben really knows his scriptures, but he knows little about The Talmoud or The Shariah. (3)
3) Her home in upstate New York is surprisingly ultramodern and rather unique for its middle class neighborhood. (4)
4) To celebrate Veterans Day, the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, troupes of former soldiers will march down Main Street, carrying U.S. flags. (3)
5) Word-of- mouth has it that Ellen will windup with the only “A” in the class. (2)
6) When Sara spotted the Louis L’Amour paperback, she asked who’s book it was. She couldn’t believe it was John's. After all, nobody reads westerns anymore. She had no idea he was such a weird-o. (3)
BONUS:
· The man was arrested for brandishing a 12-gauge shotgun outside his home. (1)
Sunday, October 5, 2008
1) He hopes to make one billion dollars by the time he’s forty. Already, he figures, his net worth is between $2 and $3 million, depending on current stock prices. (3)
2) Lt. Col. John Carpenter was a cadet at the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the Seventh Fleet. (4)
3) 21 winners were named two days after the 3rd Annual Procrastination Awards ceremony. (3)
4) It was a one sided game and he was a poor loser. After losing the play off, when his ball went out-of-bounds, he made an offcolor remark that could be heard in the stands. (4)
5) Hundreds of people attended Sundays race to watch 75 top bicyclists peddle across the finish-line. (3)
6) Every winter, the Jone's and the Kinney's pour over travel brochures, planning their summer trip together. This year they’re hoping to go to Panama City. (3)
2) Lt. Col. John Carpenter was a cadet at the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the Seventh Fleet. (4)
3) 21 winners were named two days after the 3rd Annual Procrastination Awards ceremony. (3)
4) It was a one sided game and he was a poor loser. After losing the play off, when his ball went out-of-bounds, he made an offcolor remark that could be heard in the stands. (4)
5) Hundreds of people attended Sundays race to watch 75 top bicyclists peddle across the finish-line. (3)
6) Every winter, the Jone's and the Kinney's pour over travel brochures, planning their summer trip together. This year they’re hoping to go to Panama City. (3)
Friday, October 3, 2008
redefining news
I really like the EveryBlock site. After looking through the "Crimes" section for San Francisco, I was reminded of old community boards. The old community boards were mainly used to inform the public of town events, jobs, lost pets or stolen items. The problem with those boards were their location. If you wanted to view them, you would have to go to them. EveryBlock allows these same curious people the luxury of viewing them in their house. It also has a wider range of posts, such as crimes, restaurant inspections, zoning permit and pool inspections. It also allows a person to not only view there immediate area but communities close by as well. A potential problem is where the information is coming from. This is what the site says about its information:
"Each type of information we publish on EveryBlock comes from a specific source, with a specific method. We obtain some data by parsing government Web sites and crawling the Web; in other cases, governments send us data that isn’t available online."
Though I appreciate the information, if I really want to know the validity of the content I still need to research the sources. Yet, that is the same tactic we would need to pursue with newspapers and broadcasts. I am not sure what kind of accountability these kind of sites are held in comparison to the major media such as libel and misinformation outlets. I would like to believe with proper oversight and journalistic integrity, sites like these would be a wonderful outlet for community communications.
"Each type of information we publish on EveryBlock comes from a specific source, with a specific method. We obtain some data by parsing government Web sites and crawling the Web; in other cases, governments send us data that isn’t available online."
Though I appreciate the information, if I really want to know the validity of the content I still need to research the sources. Yet, that is the same tactic we would need to pursue with newspapers and broadcasts. I am not sure what kind of accountability these kind of sites are held in comparison to the major media such as libel and misinformation outlets. I would like to believe with proper oversight and journalistic integrity, sites like these would be a wonderful outlet for community communications.
Top News 5
The much anticipated Vice Presidential Debate took place yesterday in Michigan. The first and only VP debate was between Democratic Nominee Senator Joe Biden and Republican Nominee Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. In one of the most watched elections in the history of America, the VP debate drew almost 70 million viewers, Nielsen Co. reported.
Why was it so heavily watched? Biden has been in the senate for 36 years with a track record ranging from foreign policy to tax reform is known for being a little short tempered and a bit long winded. Sarah Palin, a 20 month Governor of Alaska, who's stance on hot button issues is virtually unknown to the American public and after many shaky interviews with Katie Couric and Charles Gibson have left the many American questioning her ability to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
In all fairness, I felt that the debate was almost a tie. Biden, in my opinion, won the debate by a small margin because of his knowledge and experience on major issues. Palin held her own with her shining personality and loose grip on the concepts of the major issues. Major issues being foreign policy, the economy, health care and the war in Iraq. At best Palin portrayed a person who is not afraid of challenges and has an acute ability to connect with the average American.
I believe that Palin was able to live up to her abilities as an affective debater but not a person I would feel comfortable running the country.
Why was it so heavily watched? Biden has been in the senate for 36 years with a track record ranging from foreign policy to tax reform is known for being a little short tempered and a bit long winded. Sarah Palin, a 20 month Governor of Alaska, who's stance on hot button issues is virtually unknown to the American public and after many shaky interviews with Katie Couric and Charles Gibson have left the many American questioning her ability to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
In all fairness, I felt that the debate was almost a tie. Biden, in my opinion, won the debate by a small margin because of his knowledge and experience on major issues. Palin held her own with her shining personality and loose grip on the concepts of the major issues. Major issues being foreign policy, the economy, health care and the war in Iraq. At best Palin portrayed a person who is not afraid of challenges and has an acute ability to connect with the average American.
I believe that Palin was able to live up to her abilities as an affective debater but not a person I would feel comfortable running the country.
Truck
An out of control asphalt truck wreaked havoc in El Cerrito, leaving the driver with two broken legs and a house completely destroyed. The crash, which happened on Moeser St., also left parts of El Cerrito, Berkley and Richmond with out power. The 10-wheeler hauler snapped a power line, severely damaged at least five vehicles and smashed into a local residence.
Detective Sgt. Shawn Maples, with help from form Police Chief Scott Kirkland and Detective Ken Zinc, pulled the driver from the over turned hauler seconds before it burst into flames. Maples said, “We dragged him out in a heartbeat while the truck went up in flames. I just wanted to get him out of there.” According to Maples, the driver’s legs were mangled and he couldn’t move.
Ruben Sharma, whom lives across the street from the home that was destroyed said, “First, I thought it was a major earthquake. This is unbelievable.” His front yard is littered with bricks, broken glass, car parts, splintered wood and palm fronds.
Rescue workers had to cut the roof of a Honda sedan to free the trapped driver and a parked electrician’s truck on Moeser was knocked over to the next street. Both were struck by the hauler.
The driver of the hauler, a San Jose man whose name was not released, broke both of his and is listed in serious but stable condition at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.
Detective Sgt. Shawn Maples, with help from form Police Chief Scott Kirkland and Detective Ken Zinc, pulled the driver from the over turned hauler seconds before it burst into flames. Maples said, “We dragged him out in a heartbeat while the truck went up in flames. I just wanted to get him out of there.” According to Maples, the driver’s legs were mangled and he couldn’t move.
Ruben Sharma, whom lives across the street from the home that was destroyed said, “First, I thought it was a major earthquake. This is unbelievable.” His front yard is littered with bricks, broken glass, car parts, splintered wood and palm fronds.
Rescue workers had to cut the roof of a Honda sedan to free the trapped driver and a parked electrician’s truck on Moeser was knocked over to the next street. Both were struck by the hauler.
The driver of the hauler, a San Jose man whose name was not released, broke both of his and is listed in serious but stable condition at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.
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