Reading for the Week

There were two chapters assigned in the Justice Journalism online text for this week. Chapter 8 deals with covering criminal courts, which is an important beat to be informed about. Most of the cases are resolved thanks to plea bargaining. According to the author, "If everyone wanted a trial, chaos would erupt." Journalists should be aware that people are constantly attempting to settle criminal cases, and that the drama of the courtroom seen on TV is often not as it seems. Criminal charges can be misdemeanor or felony - meaning that it can be a lesser crime that bears less than a year behind bars as the maximum sentence, or can be a more severe crime. I think that the most important fragment of this chapter is about motions that can take place during the trial. Not only is it a journalist's job to understand these facts, but to have the ability to give this information to the public in an understandable way. For instance, a change of venue request would require that the location of the proceedings be changed, a dismissal may be enacted, or a "gag" (also called protective) order. Gag orders are usually restrictive on the public exposure of a certain issue. Reporters should seek guidance and use good common sense, even when it seems that such limitations are unfair. It is also important to familiarize yourself with the process of appeals, handling the death penalty and understanding the process of DNA testing.
Chapter 9, the final chapter in this online text, deals with Civil courts. Civil courts deal with only two parties, instead of the government versus one person. Another difference is that the burden of proof is far less strict. In civil cases, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant is more likely to be responsible than not, and in criminal cases they must prove the party is guilty beyond any shred of a doubt. There is a very wide range of controversies that fall into this category, as one section of the text states, "from personal injury to patents." Civil cases are often very unpredictable. The most groundbreaking cases are often the least expected, or the ones that are easily dismissed by the public. The text uses Big Tobacco litigation as an example of this. Civil cases are brought to federal court where there exists diversity of citizenship and a sum of money that exceeds $75,000. Consumers often benefit from class action suits, a type of joint effort. Reporters must pay close attention because they are not included in the exchange of information known as "discovery" between counsel of the plaintiff and defendant. Instead, the reporter must wait until this is public information so that they may disclose it. Finally, there are a number of different civil courts such as probate and estate courts, which specialize in a subject area.
The next assignment is Chapter 14 in News Reporting and Writing. This concerns beat reporting, which I will discuss the guidelines to in this entry. The first step is to be prepared- by reading background on the subject. When I am a reporter for newswatch, I carefully look into a number of sources to provide background information and clear up any questions that I may have. The next important thing is to establish a good relationship with sources, which is the primary goal of reporting in general. Reporters should be persistent, but not off-putting, which is a difficult balance to strike. Overall, do the work in person. "In beat reporting there is no substitute for personal contact." I will now write about the "beat" that interests me the most, which is science and medicine. When reporting on this: spend time on it, expect pressure, look beyond the surface, get educated, and work on translating for the everyday reader. I am interested in writing in the scientific field, which I think is a great way for journalists to connect the public with difficult subject matter by making it easier to understand, something that is essential to the well-being of society as a whole.

08

I was listening to NPR today when I heard a discussion about Barack Obama's wardrobe choice. I have also seen articles relating to the topic. Now, it has been made very clear in this blog how I feel about reports on things such as wardrobe and relationships. This one sparked my interest, however. Barack Obama had attended an event of some sort for the media and one of the members of the press made a comment that he was not wearing an American flag on his lapel. When questioned, he responded that he felt like people had been wearing the flag as a semantic measure, and did not seem to understand the patriotism behind it, and thus he chose not to wear it. He says that his words and actions should be "a testiment" to his patriotism, and that there shouldn't be a physical representation of this. Of course, Republicans have jumped all over the comment, ready to call him every horrible name in the book.
Personally, I admire Barack Obama for speaking out against the callousness that Americans have kept up for so long. It is a reminder that just because you wear an American flag, it doesn't make you a proud American. Actions speak louder than words. Good for him.
Now, I do not claim that this wasn't a stupid maneuver on Obama's part in terms of getting elected. But hey, maybe there are teens out there like me who say, show me your policy, and not your fashion choice. What kind of reporter asks a question like that anyway?

Crime Reporting Part III

Chapter 7 of the reading deals with reporting in the courtroom, and dealing with court cases. The OJ Simpson trial spurred the controversy of media coverage in this aspect. The text explains the organization of courts: There are state and federal courts, and each can exercise jurisdiction over different subjects and people. There are state appellate courts which deal with appeals of previous decisions and Supreme Courts in states as well. Each state handles cases differently and has a different organization of the system. There are 94 federal district courts, and 12 regional circuits. Federal courts may specialize in bankruptcy, or estate distribution, etc. In order to be heard in federal court, a writ of "cert" must be granted, giving the court the records of previous litigation.
In covering this beat, as with most others, it is imperative to be knowledgeable about the subject and perform the necessary background research. In the courtroom, reporters should be observant, not only seeking out important quotes and facts, but noting the emotional climate in the room. This is something that I try to be as in tune with as possible. I laughed at the quote, "Don't kick your janitor in the ass, he may be your landlord." Never were words so true. This ties into the later point about establishing an amicable relationship with the judge in a trial; he is a key resource to obtain. "establishing a relationship with a judge can help a reporter resolve disputes with court aides, obtain quick access to documents, and provide a better understanding of decisions when on deadline."
Be concise when reporting. Use court documents to your advantage. Dockets, which contain vital court information, will grow. Consider these sources: bailiffs, lawyers, docket clerks, and court reporters.
Finally, reporters should be aware of the "push and pull" between the right to a fair trial and a reporter's right to freedom of press. It is an ongoing debacle.

Crime Reporting Part II

Chapter 5 of this online text deals with how to cover crime in the context of its victims. The first thing to be deciphered is why the media covers crime to begin with. The author asks a series of questions in an attempt to frame editor's decisions: Was the crime unique? Was it especially tragice? Does someone know the victim? It is important to understand what is taken into account before a reporter can provide information. There are 5.7 million violent victimizations that take place in one year- a truly sobering figure. This means that a large percent of our population is sensitive because they have been victimized in the past.
I learned in this chapter that it is important to be sympathetic, but to keep the emotional expressions brief. I struggle with interacting with victims, perhaps because I grow so sympathetic that I get upset. This text suggests that it is best to simply state, "I'm sorry," in your initial encounter, and avoid in-depth emotional discussions. Always use caution on the scene, and be aware of the "wolfpack" journalism sense that the person may experience. Also, one of the most challenging aspects could be the recognition of post-traumatic stress disorder. If a reporter sees this, he or she should be respectful and sensitive to it, perhaps even get help for the person.
After the incident has occurred, the victim will be more prepared and comfortable to speak because they will have calmed down. It is important at this time for the reporter to have performed necessary background research, allowing them to permit the person to open up as fully as possible.
The question of graphic material is one that I have grappled with to a great extent. I would agree with the first question asked by this text, "Is graphic detail necessary to tell the story?" If a reporter answers, "no" to this question, omit the fact. End of story. Why make people distraught if they don't need to be?
Finally, almost 400,000 people, mostly women, suffer from sexual attacks or abuse. This is a subject that requires the upmost sensitivity and tact. While different media outlets have different views and opinions on printing their names/interviewing them, etc., I would strongly suggest that the individual reporter develops his or her own ethical code and to fight for it to be upheld at their place of work.

Crime Reporting Part I

The "Covering Crime and Justice" chapters open with an enticing lead about the glamor of covering crime - the sex, comedy, and tragedy of it all. It goes on to emphasize the importance of caution and tact when reporting on crime. For example, in a small town, it is absolutely crucial that a reporter maintains a good repoir with a source because he or she may need to use that source a number of times, sometimes in one day. In covering the beat, Chapter 1 explains some key terms to be familiar with. A civil case is a dispute between two parties, but a criminal case is a lawsuit that is brought against an individual or group of individuals by the government. In order to understand more terms in a more in-depth manner, it is important for reporters to meet important law enforcement figures in the region, tour facilities and shadow a police officer to gain a better sense. Miranda rights are the statements that are recited to a suspect at the time of arrest (including the right to remain silent, etc.). Bear in mind that the media is not given access after the time of the arrest in most cases - cameras do not enter the courtroom. I am not sure how I feel about this issue, because I tend to switch my opinion each time the topic is brought up. On the one hand, people have a right to know and it is the duty of a journalist to bring forward information, but on the other hand, legal processes can easily be tainted by media coverage.
The next section of the chapter raises important yet rarely-examined topics about the crime reporter as an individual. 2/3 of crime reporters are satisfied with their job, which is a high figure in this day and age. Perhaps more shocking is the figure that 96% of reporters have felt threatened on the job. This shows that it is important to avoid stress by wearing proper labels as journalists, and alerting officials at the onset of a threat. The next point made in the chapter is about the specific manner in which crime is reported. Our generation's editors and news directors should keep a more objective eye in terms of "little" versus "big" murders, crimes based on class, and socioeconomic or race-based judgments. On a related issue which I find to be of paramount importance, BE SENSITIVE. Don't knock on doors where journalists are not welcome, respect privacy, especially of sexual assault victims. When necessary sources are not receptive, seek other sources, use email in order not to harass, be persistent, and leave your information for them to contact you should they choose to do so. There are 12 questions to ask:

• Suspect and victim bios
• How the two came together
• Careful description of scene or venue
• Unusual circumstances
• Witness details
• Motives and motivations
• Financial aspects
• Credit or blame
• Moral considerations
• Context
• Projected effect
• Long-term implications

The final point made in the chapter deals with how a journalists should cope when facing arrest. The advice given is to carry credentials, take special notes on the situation, understand the rules of your state, and be respectful.

08 comments

Blog Comments:

1. http://thestorysofar-jt.blogspot.com/ - Separation of Church and State
2. http://fallingfornews2007.blogspot.com/ - McCain's Campaign for Monks
3. http://lvpdnews-lara.blogspot.com/ - $$$
4. http://lizzyswickedsweetblog.blogspot.com/ - McCain would prefer a Christian President
5. http://seagullatemycheetos.blogspot.com/ - $$ Clinton Beats Obama $$
6. http://hollysmithnewsi.blogspot.com/ - Fred Thompson
7. http://the23yearoldsophomore.blogspot.com/ - Primary Time...
8. http://man-o-man-journalism.blogspot.com/ - XM Radio Launches New Station

08

In my Google news quest for the week, I was scanning through headlines about the election, and one caught my eye. It read, "Fred Thompson's Hot Babe." According to the article, Thompson, a 65-year old divorcee is now married to bleach blond, tanned, 41-year-old named Jeri Kehn. This inevitably brings up the question of morality. The pair met in a supermarket and now have 2 kids. I realize that I complain about tabloid journalism and the uselessness of rumors, but to be honest, there is an ethical issue here. Is it love? A story of two opposites attracting? Or is it a gold-digging woman seeking political fame of some sort? Did Thompson embrace her just because of the idea of a "trophy wife?"
The author of the article humorously asserts his questions about Thompson's wife. He writes, "Look, Thompson has a balding noggin. His mug is pale, haggard and woebegone. Nobody is going to mistake him for George Clooney. Yet the old fellow persuaded a young blonde in a supermarket to 1) ask him out, 2) marry him and 3) have two kids with him. This fellow could talk Ahmadinejad out of his nuclear ambitions." I giggled... a lot.
So is our superficial society ready to judge Thompson for his own relationship? Will conservatives turn against him for his very outside-of-the-box marriage? Jeri says that the idea of a "trophy wife" is fabricated by the media because they have nothing else to talk about. Doubt it.
I really don't know how to analyze the situation - I just find it interesting. I feel that if I were to discuss my feelings, I may grow a little too intense. Perhaps another time. But women should really stick up for themselves in this aspect. No one should be a "trophy" wife.

Reading for the Week

The reading for this week was Chapter 13 in the text. The chapter explains other types of basic stories and the basic structures that should be followed when writing them. An important element of reporting is preparation. In preparing for a crime story, reporters should contact the victims, the witnesses, and police officials. In preparing for accident and fire stories, important facts to included are: a description, the location, the name, age, and address of the victim or victims, the extent of injuries and the names, ages, and addresses of witnesses. A key concept mentioned on page 272 is that "there is no magic formula." According to the author, the most important thing is to be accurate, gather the facts (who, what, when, where, why, how), and usually follow an inverted pyramid style. The variable of time has a definite effect on how a reporter covers breaking, or spot news. The level of depth of facts to be sought is directly proportional to the amount of time that a reporter is given before a deadline. Reporters should also be familiar with court proceedings and legal guidelines so that they can have a background in reporting on such issues.
Included in the issue of the press and the court is the free-press/fair trial controversy, which holds that it is possible for a jury to be swayed by too much press attention. This can lead to a change in venue, so that the jurors will not be directly involved in the press activity that surrounds the event. Finally, Megan's law states that all people convicted of violent sexual crimes should register a current address with local law enforcement agencies. 'Ethics should dictate careful reporting of addresses of sex offenders."
I find it difficult to pinpoint the subject of ethics, because I think that the idea of ethics is highly situational, however, it is my hope that the future generation of journalists will take ethics into close consideration. Sensitivity should be placed high on the priority list for someone in this field.

Reading for the Week

The first reading for this week is Chapter 8 in News Reporting and Writing. In order to discuss the other readings in more detail, I will keep this discussion brief. The chapter discusses how to be the best writer possible. Readability in writing is one of the most important skills that a journalist can have. In order to be a good writer, however, it is imperative that a journalist is first a good reporter who gathers accurate facts and is diligent in information-seeking. The elements of "good" writing are as follows: be precise (avoid biased language), use correct grammar and punctuation, be coherent, use concrete examples, show them with details, and use figures of speech that relate to readers. Of course, in my opinion, the way in which a story should be written depends on the story, so I think that a good journalist must develop the skill of deciphering this as well.
The next reading is "Politics and the English Language," an essay by George Orwell. Orwell is very specific in his critiques of other authors, and he has precise methods for "good" writing. His first criticism is articulated: "It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts." In other words, laziness breeds carelessness in writing. He identifies users of the English language as "us" meaning that he is seeing trends in the writing of all people in this nation. Orwell takes issue with the following things: dying metaphors, operators, pretentious diction, and meaningless words. Through this, it is evident that he favors precise language that doesn't "try too hard" to sound complex and vivid. Orwell also claims that political writing has little opportunity to be of great quality unless it recites a view point of someone, and does not spit out "party lines." He likens this type of writing to a recitation in church - something that is so memorized that it loses emotion in most cases. Political writing must be vivid and passionate if it is to be good. While I would agree with this statement, I think that some drab political writing is necessary, because it is important for people to form their own opinions concerning the topic in question.
In conclusion, Orwell develops a standard for good writing, a number of guidelines for improvement. They are:
i. never use a metaphor that you are used to seeing in print
ii. never use a long word where a short one is sufficient
iii. always cut a word out when possible.
iv.never use jargon when you can use simplified English language
v.break any of the rules before saying something "outright barbarous"
As a student, I would agree with most of these guidelines. Language that is too complex does nothing but take up extra time of the reader. I think that the collective intelligence of this nation could be brought upward with the elimination of so-called "pretentious" writing. This is especially true in journalism - we are a service to the public with information, not an extremely complex medium for deciphering. It is imperative that we remember this and adhere to the rules set forth by Orwell.
The next reading was "The Five Characteristics of Scholarly Prose." Before I begin a discussion of them, I will list them for reference.
i. Academic prose emphasizes nouns, not verbs. (Ex: A fumigation occurred)
ii. Academic proses uses static verbs instead of action verbs. (Ex: The field was fumigated by the farmer)
iii. Inflation and Embellishment (Ex: small, faunal species)
iv. Long,
v. Complex Sentences ( Ex: In so far as manifestations of infestation by a small faunal species were evident in the residential facilities provided for the agricultural laborers, an unwillingness to occupy, utilize, or in any manner inhabit the facilities was therefore demonstrated by the aforementioned laborers.) It is an interesting contrast between journalism and academic writing. It is almost the exact opposite of Orwell because it suggests wordiness and the rearrangement of words. It would be difficult for a trained journalist to get used to this style. I think that it is more difficult to write academically because it is a laboring procedure to find words that embellish a statement, instead of giving raw facts. Again, I feel that if we are a society that wants to have information readily available to the public, we should adjust writing so that it can be read by the general public. A more informed public is a better global situation. I do understand the basis for academic writing, but I think that journalists should adhere more closely to Orwell's suggestions.
The final reading is the report on the Incident at Three Mile Island. The Staff Report contains an analysis of how the crisis was handled by the media. Pages 165-166 discuss the errors, in detail, including apologies from people who had miscalculated damages. For example, Mattson explains his error, "My practical knowledge on this kind of situation is not as good as Victor's." Next came an account of how information had been censored during the event. Met Ed had issued an "internal update" about the size of the bubble with a special note about not informing the press. The information was then, of course, leaked by one broadcaster and the story was picked up. "In sum, the information about the bubble released by Metropolitan Edison and the NRC was inadequate and contradictory. It was inadequate because the NRC and Met Ed displayed an inability to provide complete information phrased for a nontechnical audience of reporters" (167). I can understand this to a point, but I also feel that it is the job of a reporter to disseminate information so that it can easily deciphered by readers. If this requires outside research, then that research should be performed.
The next issue with the coverage of the issue is the lack of communication between experts. The experts did not coordinate their efforts, and thus, they were not able to provide consistent, accurate information.
Nevertheless, the article identifies the reasons why coverage of this issue was so vital. They are uniqueness, fear, geography, conflicting information, coincidence, potential for catastrophe, and energy consciousness. I would argue that the public's fear is the number one reason why it is so important to get this story out to people.
I was glad to read the section about how journalists acted resourcefully to try and understand the issue at hand. Peter Stoler of TIME for example, went to a Harrisburg library for a metallurgy text so that he could learn more about the scientific aspects. It is a journalist's duty to do this.
Next, the issue of sensationalism arises. Jeff Bitzer, a TV reporter at a local station says, "A lot of people here thought the national and international media blew it all out of proportion." This reflects what the people of a small town go through when a large media presence descends upon them.
I found the content analysis to be especially interesting: "Each of the three networks presented at least 200 minutes of news about the accident during the week..an average of 7 to 11 minutes a night devoted to a single story is an impressive figure" (189).
I also found the statistical analysis to be especially interesting. I'm not sure exactly how they came up with this data, but I looked closely at the table on page 205, which showed the relationship between reassuring statements and alarming statements about specific issues. The issues of citizen reaction,information, meltdown, and future of nuclear energy tended to be more alarming than reassuring. But the public was reassured about the accident status and the threat of danger. This shows that journalists were more jumpy about the future than the accident itself.
"Also, when citizens were quoted in the media, the quotes tended to be alarming, which goes against the overall trend...This may reflect the fact that citizens in the area were more alarmed than reassured; or it may indicate only that reporters chose to quote alarmed citizens more often" (202). We may never know the answer to this
question.
Finally, I think that if extensive reports were done concerning journalism in the context of major event in our history, we could learn a lot for the future.

08

Newsday reported recently on a story about New York state's voting system and its implications for the future. I have decided to discuss this for this week instead of the typical candidate debacles and superficialities. According to this story, New York has missed the deadlines set forth by the "Help America Vote Act" or *HAVA*. The US department of justice has even sued the state over this matter. An example of the state's failure deals with the accessibility of voting for the disabled. NY has done little to address this. The current voting machines do not create a paper record of the votes tallied, which could lead to the same problems as were present in the 2000 election. Also according to the article, there are nearly $200 million waiting in the bank to be used for the program and only about $20 million has been used. It was strange for me to view my state in a negative light for its inability to comply, but it is an interesting and important thing to know.

08

Since I have strongly focused on personality based topics in past blogs, I want to take a deeper look at the current candidates' standings on real world issues. I realize that I have been complaining about the lack of coverage of real issues in the news, but I have made an effort to look up such coverage, and I think the most comprehensive guide is in The New York Times. By pooling together information from this site, and others, I am able to cite my opinions on the issue of abortion, which was the subject matter of my choice for this week.
I like the fact that the NY Times uses direct quotes in relation to the candidates' thoughts. Rudy Giuliani, for example, stated that he believes in a woman's right to chose in one instance, but was quoted at a later time, saying "I hate abortion." He then supported public funding of abortion. If it is the job of the President to act as a moral authority, it is interesting that he would contradict himself so greatly. Mitt Romney made a similar choice. A once declared pro-choice person, he then admitted, "I change my mind...I won't apologize to anybody for becoming pro-life."
Democrats have made similar shifts. John Edwards "tip-toed" around the issue by saying that he realizes that the subject is sensitive, and that America must be "respectful" of both view points. Dennis Kucinich also claims that he changed his mind after speaking with women who had dealt with the abortion issue. He is now pro-choice.
If nothing else, the example of the issue of abortion serves as a dispute for the widely held claim of a polar division between Democrats and Republicans. Both sides sway on issues and may lean toward the opposite of what their "party" would strictly adhere to. It is important for the public to be aware of this, especially on an issue as divisive as abortion.