Story #2 Ideas

Idea #1

Is the economy impacting people's plans to get married? The recession has had a large impact on peoples ability to spend money and I want to research whether this problem has gone as far as postponing a wedding. I would interview different catering businesses and see if popular wedding destinations have had to reduce their prices. Possibly see if the combination of rising divorce rates and a bad economy are stopping people from wanting to spend thousands of dollars on a wedding.

Idea#2

What impact does summertime have on weight loss subscriptions? Do more people subscribe for dieting plans during the summer and how much does this increase? I would interview representatives from weight loss organizations such as Weight Watchers and Jenng Craig. I would also research if people drop weight quicker during the summer on weight loss programs than they do during the other months. I would also possibly touch on the issue of eating disorders and the anxiety summertime can bring to certain girls. I might also include healthy ways to diet and easy ways to figure out a steady weight loss plan depending on your body type.

Special Leads

1.) The Seattle Times- contrast lead

Studies have shown yoga has many health benefits, including increased flexibility and strength and reduced stress. But starting a program can be intimidating.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2011942091_yoga24.html

I think that contrast leads can have great potential to illustrate a point you want to make in an article. I think that this is an awful contrast lead though. It does not encourage me to want to read on.

2.) The Seattle Times- question lead

Melting pot or racial divide? The growth of interracial marriages is slowing among U.S.-born Hispanics and Asians. Still, blacks are substantially more likely than before to marry whites.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2011953807_apusinterracialmarriage.html

I like how this is a question lead but also goes on to gain the reader's attention by giving some details. This not only poses a question but encourgaes me to read on.

Second-day lead

In recent news, a 4-year-old girl is discovered missing from her crib when parents return home from a movie. No new leads have been made in the investigation but police have knocked on every door within a six-block area and found no traces of the young girl. 

News article #1

With summer off to a start, a new pattern of crime begins to emerge in Pullman. Three quarters of assaults stop during the summertime in Pullman but the potential for burglaries is at an all-time high.

            “Pullman is a destination town, for one reason or another, Chris Tennant, a commander at the Pullman Police Department said. “Some people come to party and others come to commit crimes.”

            According to the Pullman Police Department Activity Statistics, on average, almost 13 reported assaults take place in Pullman each month during the fall and winter semesters at Washington State University. Reported assaults drop to a low average of only three assaults each month once WSU students leave for the summer.

            Alcohol-related crimes, such as assault, fluctuate depending the amount of campus activity. There is less crime during the summer than other parts of the year, Tennant said. The decrease in crime is related to the decrease of students on the WSU campus.

            Rachel Tapert, a WSU student and member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, tells about a fellow sorority sister being sexually assaulted in their chapter house a few years back. “The man who broke into our home was highly intoxicated and assaulted one of our sisters while she was sleeping in her room,” Tapert said.

            Risk of assault heightens during the school year just as burglary tends to increase during the summer. According to a Pullman Crime Report, property crimes are twice as likely as violent crimes when compared to a national average. Criminals are aware that a majority of WSU students head for home during the summertime and this leads to many potential break-ins.

When the population on the WSU campus drops, so do assaults. Unfortunately alcohol is to blame and this is not simply coincidental. Ten to 15 years ago there was a giant dip in crime-related phone calls received by the Pullman Police Department during the summertime, Tennant said. More students have begun to stay for summer classes in the recent years though and the crime-related phone calls have not been dropping as dramatically, Tennant said.

            As students clear out for vacation breaks or the summertime, burglars become attracted to Pullman, Tennant said.  In recent news, a burglary took place this past January on the WSU campus while students were home for the holidays. There were reportedly more than 20 victims and 10,000 dollars worth of goods stolen.

            Break-ins are a common crime when burglars know houses are vacant and witnesses are limited. The campus activity at WSU directly affects the types of crime that will or will not take place within the Pullman community.

International News Assignment

1.) I think that the internet would be highly effective for Al Jazeera. The internet allows me and other viewers to hear about international news in an easy-to-access manner. The only problem with this website is its lack of advertisement. I have never heard of these type of sites before, let alone Al Jazeera. I think that other U.S. citizens would also like to know about sites like these because they are a great way to learn new or further details about current controversies. 

2.) I do not think that Al Jazeera English should be allowed to broadcast in the U.S. Although I do believe that people should be allotted the right to speak freely of their opinions, I also think that our country needs to have boundaries. America has had much controversy in the Middle East in recent years and I feel that we need to be careful on what doors we allow to open, so to speak. It is important to learn and hear about different debates and opinions, but for now I do not feel that the positives would outweigh the negatives for this particular situation.

3.) I feel that U.S. news is often censored, in a sense. Although we learn a good deal of important information through the news, certain topics and stories get more attention and focus than others. Al Jazeera seemed to focus on an array of different global issues though. I felt that Al Jazeera informs not only a greater amount of information, but also a greater amount of controversies and opinions within that information. 

4.) I think that rule #5 under the code of ethics is the only one that partially stands out to me as an issue. Rule #5 talks about the importance of information remaining non-bias. Although I feel that Al Jazeera touches on many different controversies, I still believe that all news sites are biased in one way or another. The news has the power to impact so many people's decisions and I feel that all reporters want their ideas to be both heard and respected. I did not see any extremely bias opinions on the Al Jazeera website, but I did observe a particular lens that they wanted me to view the information through. 

A good example of a summary lead

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/sports/19galea.html?ref=sports 

The lead:

A Toronto doctor provided unapproved drugs to professional football players, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in federal court in Buffalo.

From the article titled: 

Doctor Charged in N.F.L. Doping Case

This article is a great length and includes all the necessary details in order for a reader to understand the five W's properly.

News article ideas

Idea #1
I would like to talk about the main 'hot spots' in Pullman during the summer time. Two popular spots to hang out at are the Dunes and the Cliffs. I have never stayed in Pullman during the summer, but I have heard about accidents taking place either at these places or commuting to them. I want to finds facts and inform ways for students and other young adults to remain safe.
I think that past accidents will allow me to teach readers on what to look out for and be aware of.

Idea #2
I would like to interview peoples reactions and personal stories about the impact that increased tuition rates would play on their education. I want to know if this summer session has less enrolled students than in years past. I feel that summer enrollment may have dropped in order for people to adequetly save for future semesters. I also want to discuss certain expenses that could be cut out of WSU's budget.

Idea #3
I would like to research safety ideas for students staying during the summer time. Is there more burglary during the summer due to the lack of people in town? I would discuss ways to be extra careful and how to protect yourself when less people are around to both protect you or witness a crime. I would also talk to the Pullman police and see if types of crime change during the summer vs. fall and winter semesters.

The Drudge Report vs. The Huffington Post

Both of these news sites have similar layouts along with relative main stories. The difference lies in how these topics are discussed and the views that they hold. The Drudge Report tells a story about President Obama, yet frames him in a way  that could be seen as him incompetent of his presidential roles. The headline for the story is "Russia Lectures Obama on Iran 'Sanctions'."  The word 'lectures' in this title makes Obama seem incapable or unaware of the particular affairs taking place. After making this conclusion, I would assume that The Drudge Report is a conservative paper who does not agree with nor respect Obama. The Huffington Post has a bold headline that states the amount America has spent on the Afghan war. To me, The Huffington Post seems to be blaming our country's monetary issues on previous republican president, George Bush. This paper gives a liberal viewpoint on the war and seems to blame many current issues on the past presidency. 

The criteria for choosing news stories seems to be relevant with current issues, but the leading stories are still what journalists know will sell the most copies. Although many leading stories do discuss topics of importance, I truly believe that money is the number one driving force behind decision-making. Stories regarding the war or presidential elections have been dominating the news attention for some time now. Newspapers know this topic arises much confrontation and curiosity, both characteristics which will sell papers. I do not doubt most newspapers desire to inform, but I do doubt their priorities at times. Although popular news stories are often times informative, it does not mean that they are what should be deemed as most 'important.'

Both The Huffington Post and The Drudge Report have fairly bold headlines. Although the stories do relate with the headlines, I feel that both newspapers allowed their headings to be much stronger than they were able to support. A strong headline should lead into a strong news piece, which in hand means that hard facts need to be present. I understand that a headline is what captures a reader, but I do not find it credible nor fair for a newspaper to abuse this privilege. 

I do believe that both these sites have the power to influence the public because they are not afraid to pick one side of an issue. The less neutral that a newspaper remains, the more influential I believe it to be. Although I may not necessarily agree with a newspaper's point of view, it still has the power to make me think in a different light than I may on my own. Neutral newspapers do not hold this same power because they are unable to require their readers to remain objective and critical. A piece which simply informs does not allow much emotion to spark in its reader. 

Money Causes Confrontation

It is unfortunate the impact money can make. Money, or business success, often drives people to act and respond in particular ways. The oil case between Chevron and the Ecuadorean people may be related to the environment, but more importantly these two groups are arguing over who will pay for the clean-up of the rain forest. The spokeswoman who represented Chevron in both films was portrayed in two different lights. This example demonstrates the power that framing can have in media news. The questions and statements that are mentioned during an interview greatly impact how the audience will interpret and judge an issue. It was insightful for me to have seen more than one side on this issue or else I do believe that the media and/or Chevron would have had the ability to shape my thoughts. My personal advice to people who watch and learn from the media is to be careful and remain critical. 

Another example of media framing and shaping is displayed in a story about the war on Iraq in 2004. 

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/16526/media_framing_of_war_in_the_2004_presidential.html?cat=37