Farris 411

The end of the year

2006-05-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this year is coming to an end. Why do I always feel like that? It's stupid, really. It isn't like I know what's coming or how time works. I guess sometimes things go by so slowly and others go so fast. Yet, here I sit, the end of the year facing finals and still shocked that I have to find something to do for a summer.

It's been a good year. A lot happened, so things stayed interesting! I mean, it's definitely not every semester that the VP shoots a guy in the face or that the governor tries to eliminate the basic right of women to have jurisdiction over their own bodies. Hmm, let's see...Sioux Falls had an interesting mayoral race, someone thinks it will be a good idea to expand USDSU, there was a grisly murder in Sioux Falls. and lots more.

With the classes that I took this year and beginning at the Collegian, I really feel like I have not only more knowledge, but a lot more experience and a greater understanding of a lot of elements. I tried new things and met a lot of new people (I've never taken a class with that many ag journalism people!). All around, a good year...

I can't think of a good title...

2006-05-02T15:25:00.000-07:00

So, sorry to all those who have been dying to read my blog! The internet at our house has been quite uncooperative.

I just got home from my job in the SDSU Admissions office and while I was at work today, I was thinking about th hundreds of tours I have given. From there I started thinking about the different kids I've met who have been interested in journalism in one form or another. I've met these kids, talked to them, given them tours, even did a faculty visit in the summer when no professors were here! This made me wonder...how good of a job did I do? How many of them came here?

I know it's a strange thing to be wondering about, but as I look all around and see friends getting ready to graduate, I realize that will be me in only one year. And I want to know that I'm leaving SDSU with quality students who will try as hard as I have to make SDSU and the JMC (and the Collegian!) stronger and even more respected.

I think it's tough, because even here at State, the largest school in South Dakota, I often have to defend the school or dept. against out-of-state schools like U of M or UNL and even USD, with their fancy-schmancy Neuharth Center. Maybe I am overly idealistic, but the size of the school or the number of computers isn't the most important thing...

Now I have to go. All this pondering has made me slightly depressed about getting jobs and leaving school, et cetera.

Responsibility

2006-04-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

Dave Munson recently won the mayoral race in Sioux Falls. I heard a lot of people saying they didn't think he could possible win due to the scandal over his finances. I, personally, was taken by surprise by his victory. But the whole situation got me thinking about something else.

Munson got a lot of negative press for his mistakes. Don't get me wrong-I think it was well-deserved. There is never an acceptable occasion for lying to your constituents. However, I wondered if the scope and length of the coverage didn't get a little out of hand and lend itself to needlessly bashing him. You see this so many times in the communications industry and it's always circular. Do people become unpopular because of the coverage of their mistakes, or are they getting coverage because their mistakes have made them unpopular?

Being a journalism major, I am often asked why something was given the coverage it got or why this story was on the back page when it was more important than that. I can never really answer because everyone has different opinions on what is newsworthy, but I oftentimes have to debate with myself over the real neccesity of some stories or the way they are covered and a million other things. I hope that when I actually work in the industry, I will gain more insight into the methods and reasoning of editors and publishers. Until then, I will probably always question why this person has a story about them or if this problem really needs to be on the front page AGAIN and so on and so on...I hope I find out sooner than later.

The week is over...

2006-04-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year. The end of classes is in sight, yet juuuust out of reach. I am quite ready to be finished with tests and papers and quizzes, but I'm also pretty nervous about starting my internship. I'm sure I've vented about this before, but I just want to do a good job and not feel like a fool (at least still after the first few days!).

With trying to get everything done for classes, I almost forget about my activities. The other day, we had the last planning meeting for the Collegian this semester. Whoa!! Already? I feel like I just started working there. I'm looking forward to next year. Hopefully I can stay in the same position. I've had a lot of fun working at the paper this semester. There are going to be some changes, but dealing with those is just good experience.

Like I said, I'm excited to start at the Daily in Mitchell. Being in one of the larger cities in South Dakota will be exciting, especially with the governor's race and the changes in city government that Mitchell recently faced. It will also be nice to live at home this summer and not worry about too much...considering this is the last summer I will spend as a student before GRADUATING next year. EEEEEEEEEKK!!!

The Journal

2006-04-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

I went home this weekend and settled in to catch up on all the back issues of my hometown paper, the Sanborn Weekly Journal. I read all the news and happenings of Woonsocket, Letcher, and Artesian (meaning who went over to who's house for dinner!). I was then talking to my parents and heard about all the changes the Journal is instituting. They are really encouraging thier readers to become more oriented to the internet, as well as using it themselves. For example, they now have people email them the news of where they went and who was with them, instead of calling everyone on "the list."

I think what the editor of the Journal is trying would be one of the hardest things to do in journalism. They are trying to modernize a paper while still keep the publication familiar to the people who have been reading it for decades. There are a lot of people in Woonsockt who would freak out if the paper changed radically one week. Small town papers are the life's blood of South Dakota journalism. I think every paper should be commended for the balance they achieve between small town news and news of a larger scope. The diversity between one paper and the next is something I love. The difference in coverage from one small town to another is a lot of fun to observe and I hope it never gets homogenized. I think South Dakota would lose a lot of heritage and tradition if the news were to stop being localized, to a point.

I, however, am not sure I would like to own a paper as small as the Journal. It would get pretty monotonous, which is one of the things I know the current owners are trying to change. One the other hand, I do know that it would be nice to know that what I do is so treasured and appreciated. I suppose it all depends on your goals and what is really important for you to accomplish. I hope Hilary is getting what she wants out of this endeavor.

Good for her!

2006-04-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

I have never been fond of Katie Couric. I have never really understood why people make such a big deal about her when I don't think she participates in difficult journalistic efforts. I am sure it is harder than in looks, but what I am getting at is does she do the research and write the questions for the segments on the Today show? That is all I'm asking...

OK, 180 degree turn! I think it's great that Katie Couric is going to be a major news anchor and the first woman at that. Anytime a woman can break into a forum previously held only by men, I will cheer for whoever that may be! (Well, there are some exceptions to that, but I can't think of anything right now.)

I also hope this means there will be more of a platform for women to actually break into the nightly news forum. I've never understood why it was only men, anyway. Did people think women couldn't handle it? Well, I suppose men run the administration of these networks, so that could explain a little bit. Or a lot.

I also saw on another student's blog that they were concerned about Couric showing disloyalty to NBC with the move. That's business, I guess. Was she supposed to down what some (OK, me) consider a better job, ASIDE from the money and perks they probably threw in? I don't think that's selling out. I think she earned this job and the perks are CBS's way of showing her they know it's going to take a lot to make the transition.

So Much News!

2006-04-08T23:15:00.000-07:00

There has been so much going on in the news lately. From the Sioux Falls mayor race to the immigration law to the Iran missile tests and possible nuclear threat, keeping up with the news is a full-time job!

The assignment we had in Editing the other day was good experience at taking the news of today and deciding what is the news of tomorrow. It really makes you think about what you want to read and then reevaluating that on the grounds of what others will want to read, or more importantly, what they should read. It's easy to ignore things you're not interested in most of the time, but in this job, you have to be pretty selfless and remember that as a member of the media, you may be helping set the agenda for the public's concerns.

I was also pretty freaked out during class the other day though. I read pretty in-depth about the Iran missile tests and was pretty startled by the advancements they are making (or claim they are-there's some contention on that point). I hope they can be stopped from doing some things they are moving towards, but at the same time, I don't want the US to have to commit more troops to global peacekeeping.

Media and the Internet

2006-04-05T00:22:00.000-07:00

I read an article today talking about how movies studios are going to start offering movies digitally online in an effort to prevent illegal burning of DVDs and pirating of movies. I thought this was pretty amazing, especially when they were talking about how the studios were going to keep offering them sooner and sooner, some being available the same day that the DVD comes out. I appreciate them using the internet as a new medium to preserve the integrity of their business and the rights of the people involved. Sometimes the movie studios can seem like these giant conglomerations of people only out to make money (which a lot of times they are), but situations like this make me realize that technology is making it easier and easier to take advantage of "The Man" as well.

It was also another signal that the internet is being used for more and more as every day passes by. While I appreciate it and the things it provides and makes easier, I am also kind of sad that it is starting to erode the simple pleasure of heading to the theater and getting lost in a movie while sitting in the dark. How great can watching something on your computer really be?

Carroll returns to the US

2006-04-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

I have been reading about journalist Jill Carroll's return to America after her release from 82 days in captivity. The statements she has made telling of the false statements she made under duress were quite interesting. The article I read said some conservatives had spoken out against her and the fact that she made the statements that were critical of the US or our military. I could not believe this. Carroll was KIDNAPPED. She was being held HOSTAGE. She didn't know if she would live or die and these people are saying she should have faced a longer captivity or punishment rather than just say what they wanted and get out of there? Well, I would certainly like to know what situations these self-righteous individuals have found themselves in that they are qualified to say such things.

On a related topic, all of the articles I have read mention that the paper Carroll was working for, the "Christian Science Monitor," has played a big part in her life since her release, having a colleague accompany Carroll home from Europe, using the paper's headquarters as the reunion site for Carroll and her family, and serving as the only outlet for news on Carroll since her release. Seeing as how she was really a freelancer, the paper's extreme involvement seems a little sketchy. I mean, do they really need to be this involved? There is a part of me that gets the impression they are doing this for publicity for themselves. I hope I am wrong and they are just trying to help, but I just think it's a little wierd. Maybe they are doing this because they partially feel responsible for Carroll's situation. That might explain it.

YAY!!

2006-03-30T20:42:00.000-08:00

I got my internship! It's even the one that I wanted. This summer, I will officially be the Mitchell Daily Republic's intern. When I heard the job description, I knew this was the job I wanted-working on thier summer progress editions, interviewing veterans from all over the region about their experiences and contributions to the country and their communities. With my major in journalism and minors in English and history, this is the perfect chance to combine my loves of writing, story-telling and the past.

What a relief to finally know what my summer plans are, as well! I am the type of person who wants to plan everything as far in advanced as I can, so not knowing for a while there was starting to get me down. But now I'm back in clouds and so happy to be spending the summer doing something that sounds so interesting and FUN!

Argus Leader Speakers

2006-03-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

I have enjoyed all the speakers that have visited our classes this year, but having a female reporter come in and talk was nice. Don't get me wrong, Monica LaBelle didn't blow the roof off of any sexism scandals or anything, it's just easier to picture yourself in your future workplace when you're talking to a woman than a man.

It is also kinda cool (in a geeky way, I'm sure)to read the paper and recognize names of the reporters. You talked to them about how they write stories or what their day is like, so you have a little insight on what it took to get that story into the paper. I will especially be looking forward to seeing a piece by Monica about my fellow News Ed students who are financing their educations with ag sales.

It's Harder Than It Seems!

2006-03-22T04:14:00.000-08:00

I was editing the Collegian Monday night and was asked to help come up with about three different headlines. It was like my mind hit this big wall. I could think of NOTHING...well, nothing good anyway. I stared at the stories, searching for a single word that would give me something. And no, none of my ideas will be in the paper this week!

The thing that I find funny (or annoying, depending on your mood) it that just that morning, I had learned about writing headlines in News Editing! As I took notes, I thought, "OK, I can do stuff like this. I can remember not to do this and to include this."

Well, I was wrong. Not only could I not remember anything I wrote down in class, I could think of NOTHING! It was kind of humbling. While it was only one day in my life, I can definitely see myself as someone who will have to tun around the newsroom asking others to help me think of a headline.

Federal budget, etc

2006-03-17T18:06:00.000-08:00

$9 TRILLION?!?! Whoa. When I read that figure, I was stunned. All the figures in the budget story swam before my eyes as I moved from one to the next. $2.8 trillion total budget, $781 billion increase, increases on this and that...I could only conclude when it was over that I will never find my niche in economic reporting. No Wall Street Journal for me!!

It would be hard for me to report on issues like this. I know I can and do report objectively about news when I write stories, but when they are for school, its different, I think. Sometimes I feel like if I choose to write stories for the duration of my career that will not allow me to express my opinions or stifle them, I will be cheating the causes or people I believe in. Does that make any sense at all? I guess I will just have to become an op-ed columnist. Or review books or something.

It's been a long week and I think this is something that could turn into me rambling on and on while I try to explain or justify myself, so I will not start and sign off.

Hmm...the South Dakota budget is about 244 times SMALLER than just the increased borrowing limit for the federal budget of the United States. That's pretty mind-boggling...

Lusk Fellow

2006-03-16T18:24:00.000-08:00

Having Noel Hamiel here for three days has been an enlightening experience. Although he probably thought I was following him from the student luncheon to News Editing class to the Collegian, I got a lot out of all my meetings with him. His perspectives on what papers in South Dakota need to do to survive was interesting and his genuine interest in and support of the other students was encouraging. His takes on editing and the aspects from which it could or should be approached were helpful. I know it is one of those things that people approach differently and many times I wonder if there is a better way. His advice was well-taken.

I just hope he didn't take being booted out of the Art Museum too hard.

Internship Stress

2006-03-14T21:28:00.000-08:00

So, finding an internship is not an easy thing. Finding the RIGHT internship that will keep you interested for an entire summer is REALLY hard.

I recently had an interview for my first choice internship (Cross fingers!). After it was over, I analyzed the questions, thinking, "Should I have talked about this? Maybe I could have mentioned this too." Talking yourself up is HARD. The long cycle of interviewing and waiting and repeating really makes me dread graduation.

In the end, I think the experience will be really positive. I hope it helps me figure out exactly what kind of journalism career I want, since it will be the first time I spend writing day in and day out for that long of a time. Perhaps it will make me realize that I aspire to be an eternal student, copy-editing at the Collegian!

Caught up over Spring Break

2006-03-12T22:45:00.000-08:00

When I went to Utah for a few days this past week, I was happy to see the hotel I stayed in supplied the rooms with a free paper every day. (OK, so it was probably included in the price SOMEWHERE, but it was delivered to the door every day!). The fact that someone in the hotel management thought it was important enough to make sure people could read the news every day was pretty great to me. And it wasn't even like I was in a hotel full of businessmen, I was in an on-campus hotel at the University of Utah that is mainly used by visiting students!

It was impressive. Many people brush off the need for news when they are on vacation. While I admit to being one of them every once in a while, it was different, yet nice, to be in a situation where I didn't ignore the news because I didn't have to go searching for it.

I Love America

2006-03-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

I know it's corny, but I am very glad to live in a society where I can get online and read the news, news that ranges from the serious (President Bush's visit to Afghanistan and pledge to capture Osama Bin Laden) to the silly (a boy on a field trip stuck a piece of gum onto a $1.5 million painting and left a mark the size of a quarter).

I think one of the reasons Americans aren't well-informed is that they take the news for granted. I started thinking about this as I skimmed the AP's most emailed stories and realized that in many countries, they would be censored heavily, as would most of the other years. I casually pick up papers almost every day and read about what happens in my state, my country, and the world without even giving a thought to the multitude of countries who are barely told what happens within thier borders.

Cyber-thieves, audits, and the death penalty

2006-02-27T08:39:00.000-08:00

The news today had a lot of good stories. I wouldn't want to make the decisions that went into creating today's front page! Between all of the controversy in the state legislature to the death penalty case of Elijah Page to the national news of Haliburton carrrying off a ton of money they apparently don't deserve, I didn't know what to read first!

The death penalty case will be a good one to follow. The fact that Page is giving up his right to appeal and openly disagreeing with his lawyers about it adds a real human interest aspect to an otherwise open-and-shut crime story. What is really driving him to accept the penalty? Will his lawyers go against his wishes and still fight for his survival? What kinds of things are going on that we haven't found out about yet? WIll Gov. Rounds get involved? There are lots of possibilities.

In regard to the keylogging software story on the New York Times page, I am glad to see that the public is made aware of it. Hopefully the news about these types of scams gets out early enough that people can monitor their activities and not be caught off guard. It also makes me nervous, too, because the creators of indentity theft or bank fraud schemes also read the news and that just tips them off to start using the next invasion of privacy software that they have come up with. It's one of those vicious circles, I guess.

I am also hopeful that the legislature's hesitancy to pass the USDSU bill carries out all the way. Two more days...

They're everywhere

2006-02-26T18:31:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how many typos and misspelled words I have noticed since starting News Editing. I always thought I had a good eye for it, but now they are popping out all over the place. I even saw one on C-SPAN today! (They forgot the "l" in "popular")

I know I shouldn't feel happy when other media make mistakes since we are all part of the same effort, but I can't always feeling slightly reassured.

Also in today's news, I was checking out the Argus Leader Web page and was very interested in the top story, about merging county governments into one collective government for Sioux Falls. Since the USDSU controversy, I've been involved in many conversations about there being two places in South Dakota-Sioux Falls and Non-Sioux Falls. I feel like it's starting. That's not good, because it's only one more thing to frustrate me about this state. It will probably be convienent for the citizens, but will just encourage the local government or corporations to use as leverage in attracting state funds or contracts. I will not anticipate the outcome, but it will be interesting to hear what others think about it.

Guest Speaker 2/23

2006-02-23T23:16:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed the guest speaker that was in studio on Wednesday. I'm sorry to say that I don't remember his name though.

He was very energetic and had a lot of great experiences to share with us. His dilemma with the Superman headline was funny, as well as thought provoking. It's one of those situations where you like to think you know what you'd do, but once you analyze it a little more, you just get more and more unsure about what the path should be.

His stories of the day-to-day workings of a copy editor were a nice inside glance at a profession that it becoming pretty appealing to me. In the end, I enjoyed because of how much he conveyed his love of the job.

We Spelled It Wrong..WE KNOW!

2006-02-20T23:34:00.000-08:00

Over the past two to three weeks, I have developed a new respect for editors of all kinds-copy editors, beat editors, whatever. I have gotten a tiny taste of what they go through every day and know the fortitude and determination needed to show up day after day.

What really got me was tonight when I was editing the Opinion page of the Collegian and had to read some letters from readers letting us know about and commenting on the spelling errors in the last issue.

While some may be encouraged by reader comments because it means they are paying attention, I was just a little annoyed. Not by the fact that they called our attention to the errors, but the tone in which some people did it. Some (and I'm also including personal comments, not just letters to the editor) made it sound as if we were just sitting around the office saying to ourselves, "We don't feel like giving that page a second run-through ... let's just let it go to press as is. Who cares if a word or name is spelled wrong, no one will notice and it's not as if it will reflect badly on us."

We read the paper when it's done. We are usually the first to see a mistake we missed. We (or maybe just me that is irked by this) don't need others rubbing our faces in the fact that we were up until 2 a.m. getting a paper out for THEIR enjoyment and our eyes got a little tired.

Why it matters

2006-02-18T21:09:00.000-08:00

I recently read a report by journalist David Gregory, chief White House correspondent for MSNBC. He discussed the recent media furor over Cheney's hunting accident and whether or not it was really news and if the media took coverage too far or not.

I definitely agreed with his points that when an elected representative with huge influence over the everyday lives of millions of people does something out of the ordinary, it is news. I also agreed with his discussion about Cheney letting his press people and others involved put the blame on Whittington and then abruptly changing his stance and changing everything by accepting all responsibility. That would set off red flags with even the greenest reporter and the press has only been doing their job when it comes to gathering information.

Aside from the aspect that Cheney seemed to be hiding from the press, there were other angles to see the story from. As Gregory said:

"This episode was also emblematic of how the Vice President chooses to communicate with the press and by extension the public. It also revealed tension within the White House between the staffs of the President and Vice President."

If something of this magnitude isn't at least worth a sidebar, I don't know what it. Gregory's article has given me new standards and guideposts to measure newsworthiness against. Anything that can help other people see things from a new angle and inspire new thoughts and discussions is the realm of a journalist. I think he did a good job, both covering the story and defending his livelihood.

The Collegian

2006-02-15T22:29:00.000-08:00

I have now been a copy editor at the Collegian for two weeks. I really enjoy it and can tell that it is going to be beneficial to me in more than one way. Not only am I gaining valuable newsroom experience, but I am noticing that it is improving my own skills. Even the day after my first editing session, I was examining my own writing more critically and seeing things I hadn't seen before. It can only improve from here.

It's also a very fun time! One a.m. at the Collegian office gets pretty crazy!

A Heart Attack..but it's MILD!

2006-02-14T17:48:00.000-08:00

Considering the minimum response the White House has had in the whole "hunting accident" situation, I have to wonder what involvement they have had in the repeated announcements about the health of Harry Whittington. How can a metal bullet in his body traveling to his heart and causing a heart attack ever be considered "mild?" Who is the press representative for these people?

And in the report I read, it said, "Hospital officials said they were not concerned about the six to 200 other pieces of birdshot that might still be lodged in Whittington's body." Hmmm...there may be 200 pieces of metal lodged somewhere inside Whittington, one of which has already caused a heart attack, but no one is concerned.

What I am concerned about is who these doctors are trying to impress or please with their reports or what the press is trying to do with these little reports that give off a vibe that more is being hidden than disclosed.

What else could possibly happen?

2006-02-12T18:19:00.000-08:00

As if their approval ratings aren't low enough, now the vice-president is going around shooting people. Personally, I got a big laugh out of it.

While it will probably be a short-lived news item, it comes at a bad time in the term of Bush/Cheney. At least they won't be running for election soon and needing any campaign contributions. These are the days during which I am sure Cheney wishes the government had control over the media and could censor whatever they didn't want seen.

But overall, I just think it's funny.

The Bush Administration

2006-02-11T16:07:00.000-08:00

Whether it is Hurricane Katrina or wiretaps, the New York Times seems determined to sock it to George W. It's almost as if the reporters want to start a slap-fight between members of the Republican and Democratic parties.

I will say, however, that I am happy that the wiretap story is getting a lot of coverage. I think this is truly a situation that the American public needs to be kept informed of. As more and more Congress members become involved and take up a stance, it just gets more and more interesting, especially since several Republicans have broken party ranks with President Bush.

The uncovering of truths in the Hurricane Katrina case is also getting quite controversial. That Mike Brown is saying that Bush doesn't notice anything but terrorism is a pretty heavy accusation. At this point in his term with his approval ratings as low as they are, it has to be tough for Bush to face this situation. Americans were already upset enough at the simple fact that a hurricane happened, let alone that it may have been ignored.

The Argus Leader Sports Crew

2006-02-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

If anyone ever has any doubt that sportswriting isn't fun, they should spend an afternoon with the Argus Leader's sportswriters. The sheer energy that Stu Whitney and Mick Garry, along with Chris Solari, show makes one see how much fun they truly have with their jobs.

The concept of the podcast was also quite interesting. It is a good way to integrate the technology of today with current events. I also think it helps personalize the Argus Leader staff to the readers. This could account for why many of the casts are so popular and have repeat listeners.

I also liked hearing thier backgrounds. It makes me more comfortable, when I compare them to myselves, to know that I am doing everything I can to better myself and my writing. Since I just started at the Collegian, I am happy knowing I am taking steps in the right direction.

Will Everything Eventually Just Be a Suburb of Sioux Falls?

2006-02-05T20:57:00.000-08:00

I clicked on the "Argus Leader" webpage top story only to read that Sioux Valley Hospital has been granted vast influence over the USD Medical School and their recent donation allotments. After detailing the administrative contracts and agreements, the article talked to several people and got their opinions on the partnership. The piece wrapped up by discussing whether or not this jurisdiction will influence Sioux Valley in wanting the med school to Sioux Falls.

Is this angle only being explored because of the recent USDSU controversy? If there wasn't a huge argument going on about whether or not there are intentions to create a seventh state campus in Sioux Falls?

Either way, I suppose it couldn't hurt. If one current event inspires a reporter to dig a little deeper into another topic, then the public that reads it will only be more informed.

Scandal at State

2006-02-02T21:53:00.000-08:00

I love my school and am very proud to be a Jackrabbit!! I am so proud that I am an Admissions Ambassador and recruit future Jacks. Then, something blows up in the news and State has to deal with the repurcussions. And that only makes my job harder...

Wait, it makes BOTH my jobs harder. One as a public representative and the other as a journalist. I know that this is news and needs to be reported, especially since this is the type of thing that people feed on like little vultures. But I also have a conflict of interest...I can't do my job objectively as a reporter, then turn around and spin SDSU they way I want to-as a place where everything is great, because that's how it's been for me.

Is it OK to tell your editor that you are not OK with doing a story? I want to think it is because I'm not a person who can stand not trying my best and when I am trying to do two jobs at once, I don't feel like I could do either to my standards.

There is one saving grace...I am not in a situation where I have been asked to write about it yet.

Robert Morast

2006-02-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed our guest speaker today. I thought the insights Robert provided on making the transition from reporter to editor were very helpful. The fact that he also balances his editing and writing is pretty impressive. His spin on how the skills from one job can make the other easier or give him a different perspective as an editor now were also interesting to hear. Since I would one day like to make that same transition, I think I will remember a lot of what he said.

His area of expertise, being entertainment and pop culture, is one that I have always liked reading about. I am not sure how good I would be as a writer because I tend to think that my opinions are the only ones (No one will ever convince me that Jack Nicholson is a good actor or that Coldplay's songs don't all sound alike). I also don't have the guts quite yet to put my opinions out there for everyone to slaughter. I can defend a story because I can rely on facts and witnesses, but when I have to justify myself, I think the job can turn tricky. That's one of the reasons I admire entertainment reporters so much.

Tiny Papers Can Pander

2006-01-29T20:49:00.000-08:00

I am from a town where, quite literally, everybody knows your name. There are about 700 citizens of Woonsocket, SD, and I would estimate that every week, all 700 sit down to read the "Sanborn County Journal" (formerly the Woonsocket News). There are some sections of the newspaper that I'm sure more "modern" editors would consider obsolete, but they are probably the most read sections of the paper. The first would be the social news, where citizens of Woony can call the paper and tell who came over to their house for dinner, who was at their party, or who they went to visit. The other is the editorial page, where anyone and everyone can spout off their views on agriculture, politics, or the swans that live on Lake Prior, pretty much with no censorship.

I read the paper this week, cover to cover as always. When I finished, I had the feeling that I was back in high school once again. This is the way our paper has always been, where when it's a slow news week, they will include a page from one of the first years of publication.

I have to commend the editor for not trying too hard to modernize the Sanborn County Journal. She is a recent SDSU college grad and it would have been very easy to pick and pull a lot apart. Aside from digital layouts and photography and a somewhat bigger amount of state or national news, the paper is the same. It's a case of an editor knowing their audience very well and delivering what they need and want.

No 'J' in Participate

2006-01-29T20:46:00.000-08:00

Ironically, I discovered a spelling error in my News Editing textbook today. I guess even the pros slip one in here and there too.

Too Involved?

2006-01-28T22:38:00.000-08:00

I was perusing the Argus Leader webpage today and looked over the editorial section, where they had a piece devoted to the building/expansion of USDSU. I thought they had a pretty good way of setting it up that also keeps the Argus safe from being accused of having an opinion one way or another. They asked a question, much like a discussion board, and then had many, many responses from people with all different kinds of opinions, from all walks of life, all with different reasons.

At the same time, as I was reading, I got SO frustrated. Some of the people seemed to have valid opinions with some kind of evidence. Others just appeared to be picking a side. The more I read, the angrier I got.

After participating in my News Editing discussion board earlier, which made me think about how I would handle emotion and newswriting, I had to think about it again. I know that objectivity is going to be one of the hardest things for me to maintain as a journalist. I am very aware of it, so I like to think that makes me better at it.

Hopefully, I only feel this way about the USDSU story because I am a current SDSU student and I don't like to think about the system undermining the success of my university. I am glad to have the chance to really think about objectivity outside writing and to discuss it. Maybe by getting my ideas out there, I will find my niche and get used to it.

Open Government??

2006-01-25T13:09:00.000-08:00

No news on Katrina...Is President Bush covering up for himself, the Republican party, his political allies, or all three? No matter what he says, he has to know how this looks to the millions of Americans who want answers as to why the government that can afford an $80 billion war in Iraq can't organize support for one of our own states. I'm sure those who are still without homes in Louisiana are waiting to know for sure.

This story made me pretty angry. On the same day that Bush's administration makes the news for demanding that Google release details of searches entered by users, it also makes the news for failing to release any information itself. Everyone has different reasons and justifications for not making everything public, but it doesn't change the fact that our government is shutting itself up from the very people it needs for support and who need it, as well. Open government is essential to the media, maybe that's why I feel so strongly.

I definitely feel that the Katrina document story had good placing on the front page of the National News section on the New York Times website. If I could tell everyone that the government, Bush in particular, is keeping things from us, I'd shout it from the rooftops, so I might have put it on the homepage. Another possibility would be to place the Google search story and the Katrina document story together, so people might judge for themselves. Then again, not doing so could be a little more objective.

I will admit, I am a biased Democrat. I'm still working on the objectivity.

The downside of being a reporter

2006-01-22T20:47:00.000-08:00

Today, I read several articles about the journalist Jill Carroll. The Christian Science Monitor reporter who is being held in Iraq while governments barter for her release and the release of women Iraqi prisoners has been the source of much controversy lately.

I think that no matter who is writing the story, any reporter could be inclined to express some righteous indignation at Carroll's situation and editors may feel OK with letting it by. However, I think that many writers and editors did an exellent job covering the facts of the story without getting too caught up in relating to the story.

One story that I read (on the Christian Science Monitor webpage) made me see the story from yet another angle. It contained a quote from Carroll's father, James. He said,"Do not sacrifice an innocent soul. Instead, use Jill's abilities as a reporter. Allow her to be your voice to the world. Her life as a reporter would better serve your purpose than her death."

I found this to be so inspiring. To know that even in times of peril, journalists hold the right of expression, speech, and truth tells me that we are never powerless.

Getting started

2006-01-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! First of all, my name is Holly Farris. I am a junior journalism major (specializing in the news-editorial sequence). My hometown is Woonsocket, SD and several parts of my blog may include bits and pieces from my tiny hometown paper (I have been asked several times if it's a joke publication). An example of how small we are talking about is that anytime the paper is over 8 pages, it is a very special occasion. I know, however, that many of you will actually relate to this situation.

I love to read and that includes newspapers, magazines, and books. I am looking forward to having an outlet to talk about anything that impresses or frustrates me, as many of my friends aren't journalism majors and don't understand quite why I get so fired up over the daily news.