End of the Line

You have been one of the best teachers I have had in the J-School thus far. You were always so helpful. I could tell you wanted us to do well by the amount of examples you showed us and by your willingness to be available to us. I felt like I got a lot out of this class through the various tutorials, examples, and projects. I really liked how you gave us the extra time to fix our assignments after critiques. I know other teachers did not do that, and their students were always stressed and their grades suffered. I felt like we had a nice and relaxed learning environment.

The things that I would have been changed to the course were not under your control. I wish we could have had more time to learn Flash. I think an actual Flash project would be very beneficial. I would have added the Flash lesson instead of the audio lesson. I think that audio lesson is definitely necessary and should continue to be taught; but doing the audio project then the audio slideshow was repetitive. Many of the audio stories and audio slideshows presented in class were very similar to each other. I think the same basic skills were learned and used in both projects, and that the audio slideshow alone could suffice.

I felt that this class more than any other thus far has given me skills I can use and projects to showcase my abilities. This was a great class to kind of wet my feet. Even though convergence isn’t my track, I think learning the different programs will benefit me in any communication future I choose. I was initially nervous about this class, but I have learned so much and have confidence in the path I have chosen.

I wish you good luck as you begin school for your doctorate and with everything else! I will try to keep you updated on my various pursuits.

Thank you!

 

Sensitivity

This story was brought to my attention last night and I haven’t seen much development since. It’s a tragic story, but it peeked my interest as a young woman in the community. The first thing that struck me about this story was the assault occurring on Denim Day; and while I think that was coincidental, it is an unfortunate coincidence.

I know there would be an update if available, but I can’t help but think through the ethical issues the reporters are dealing with. This is such a sensitive issue, and the girl is reportedly in an unknown condition at the hospital. I hate to say I’m interested to see how the local reporters (especially since some of them are students) will handle the situation, because it is a horrible occurrence, but I want to see how this pans out. When will they release her name? How will they release the story of what happened to her? Will she be willing to give interviews? Will she recover?

The issue of privacy is a big deal in this case. She is currently in the hospital, and she obviously underwent trauma. This is a hard thing to report on. I also wonder how the police will handle information regarding the case in an effort to protect the victim.

I feel incredibly insensitive to be commenting on this, because it is a story and situation that is still evolving. I don’t mean any disrespect to the girl. I am looking from a journalistic standpoint how this will be reported because there are many ethical concerns.

 

The incident occurred in the 2900 block of Rangeline Road near Big Bear Boulevard.

Tupac at Coachella 2012

A hologram of Tupac Shakur performed with Snoop and Dr. Dre at Coachella.

Coachella is a music festival held in the California desert. Every year thousands attend to a usually impressive line up of musical acts.

Coachella usually makes the news for various reasons, but this year there was a media explosion. A hologram of Tupac Shakur performed with Snoop and Dr. Dre during the festival. This was unusual because Tupac has been dead since 1996. For days, my Facebook and Twitter news feeds were dominated by Youtube videos, articles, and generally people freaking out.

This brings about an interesting question on where things will go from here. In our culture today, things rarely happen once and cease. I think this technology, like many other things, will be driven into the ground. I don’t like the possibilities of where it could be taken. I can see people making entire concerts of deceased performers and doing a tour. Even after the initial buzz of the one concert performance there has been talk of taking the Tupac hologram on the road with Snoop and Dr. Dre. I don’t like the idea of resurrecting certain performers for profit. I think that this could tarnish some people’s image years after they have passed. I think it would be an exploited gimmick to make money. Not to mention it could be disturbing for some people….(Me.)

It will be very interesting to see where this technology is taken. I would like to see it fade out quietly, but I don’t know if we’ll be so fortunate.

The New Face of Politcal Cartoons

Poltical cartoons have been around a really long time. Some of the earliest poltical cartoons in America started emerging in the mid-1700s when rumblings of a Revolutions were beginning. Since that time, the artform has endured with little alteration. The subjects change with each President, notable political figure, and poltical events that occur, but the exaggeration of facial features and portrayal of incompetance remain.

One of the first political cartoons

While poltical cartoons still remain relevant, I think new mediums are beginning to take prominence in political satire. Saturday Night Live (SNL) has a long standing tradition of impersonating poltical figures in its show. However, the more recent innovation of Youtube has given old SNL sketches a new chance at reaching audiences. Tina Fey’s impersonation of Sarah Palin has over 12 million views.

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on an episode of SNL

The most recent trend in political satire I have seen has come in the form of memes. Two weeks ago I was introduced to the Tumblr Texts From Hillary. It is hillarious. Memes are spread very quickly across the internet, and most sites are open to submissions. That is why I found it particularly interesting when Hillary Clinton submitted her own meme to the Texts From Hillary website. She thought it was funny and reached out to the creators. I find the memes interesting because this is reaching an entirely different demographic than traditional cartoons. These memes are being made and viewed by a younger demograhic. It’s a new kind of humor for the new generation.

I think this is a new era for political satire because it is taking so many different forms and it being embraced by some of those it pokes fun at. I think while the idea of political cartoons will always be around, the form it takes and the audience it reaches will always be evolving.

Trombones serenade at spring concert

A small crowd gathered in Whitman Recital Hall at the University Of Missouri on April 11, 2012. The trombone ensemble comprised of 11 students played for family am friends in their spring concert.

A fellow music student, Jimmy Hibbert attended the performance.

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“I know several people in the performance, and it counts towards my required recital attendance,” said Hibbert.

Music majors are required to attend so many performances as a part of their final grades.

Eight pieces were performed at the recital. Among them were two quartets that featured certain members.

Speaking of….

Mobile journalism! This is our topic of class this week so I wasn’t really planning on blogging about it. Then a news story happened this morning that I couldn’t ignore; a jet plane crashed into an apartment complex in Virginia Beach. While tragic, the event itself wasn’t what changed the topic of my blog. Instead, it was the coverage of the story that really caught my attention. CBS News has a slideshow of photos of the damage. The majority of the photos have photo credits to people’s personal Facebook and Twitter accounts, a few of the pictures were screen shots from a television broadcast, and one was a Google maps image. Three or four of the 25 pictures were taken by Colin Mackay; I Googled searched the name and it did not unearth a photographer, so it might be more citizen journalism. This is CBS News… and they are using pictures from social media websites to put up content fast.

It really blows my mind that the people are the ones who are delivering the news more than ever. It almost seems as journalism is becoming more of an aggregate and distribution role. The first pictures I saw of the event this morning came from a Twitter account, and are by far the most impactful I’ve seen in the coverage.

One of the first pictures of the wreckage

At a time when almost one-third of American adults have smart phones, it is possible for anyone to cover issues in almost real time. People are everywhere and journalists are stretched thin among many projects. 3G, wifi, and mobile hotspots make it possible to access and upload to the internet almost anywhere. The technology is fairly recent but the transformation will be permanent. I think this poll maybe an accurate representation of adults, but it does not include teens and young adults. I know the percentages would be much higher in these demographics.

I am one of the few college students without a smart phone, at most it is a minor inconvenience. However, as a journalism student and technological laggard, I will present my case for a smart phone to my parents in May when I have a phone upgrade. I’m crossing my fingers for an iPhone.

 

An Era of Online Protests

Social Media is changing everything. It is a hot topic for journalists because it is transforming the way our jobs are done. But now, in an ever wired world, even protests are moving online to garner more attention and support. The most recent example that has taken the media by storm is the tragic story of Trayvon Martin. The story has been gaining a lot of momentum with the recent release of the 911 phone call tapes, and most currently Obama’s statements about the case.

Travyon Martin

One of the driving factors behind the publicity in Trayvon’s case is social media. The first I had heard mention of the case was on Twitter earlier this week, and now I see it all the time. Many of my friends have posted petitions for signatures, and their personal feelings on multiple social media sites. It’s hard to get on a social network without noticing Trayvon’s presence. I follow several news organizations on Twitter, and they have been really pushing the story.

I think this is a huge issue because many people in the U.S. believe we are past racial issues. Cases like Trayvon Martin’s serve as a wake up call that these issues are still present and dangerous.  I think Trayvon’s age is also adding to the horror of the situation because he was was young boy. In many articles and tweets I have heard Trayvon referred to as the Emmet Till of our generation. After reading several articles about the situation, I have found the facts align across media organizations. Every article describes the innocence and fear of Trayvon, and the disobediance and hysteria of Zimmerman. This is an emotional case where right and wrong seem evident, and still tragedy struck.

People gather to protest and raise awareness about the case of Trayvon Martin

Social media has generated a lot of attention for this heartbreaking case. I think it will only grow as the investigation and possibly court hearing continue. It’s just amazing to me that people across the country are able to connect, organize and take action without ever meeting. Social networks and social media will always be evolving, but for now it is growing in it’s ability of advocacy, awareness, and action.

A Critical Eye

I feel a little bad for writing this post. I don’t want to bring a critical perspective to a company that helped pioneer coroporate social responsibility, but I think that all the hype needs to be brought back down to what could be the reality. Toms Shoes has started a phenomenon of giving shoes to a child in need when a pair is purchased. This “One for One” mission has created a lot of buzz for the company. People are more willing to buy the shoes, (Which can be expensive. $80 for ballet flats?!) because they believe they are helping less fortunate children across the world.

I am not disputing that they give out shoes and help kids. They do. I am critical of the after effects of Toms Shoes; what happens when Toms drops the shoes, leaves, and doesn’t return because they have distributed to that village. I have owned several pairs of Toms and I notice the life span lasts about 6 months, and I don’t even wear them everyday. When I refer to the life span I am talking about the shoes literally falling apart. The cloth shreds and tears to leave holes in the shoes. They are cloth and rubber shoes, so I don’t think it’s much speculation to say they aren’t very protective. I wonder how long these shoes last for children in areas with rough terrain who wear them constantly. Three months?

Old, worn out Toms shoes.

I have had these feelings for a while, and yet have purchased a pair of Toms since. I don’t mean to rag on the company, I think the idea is admirable. However, I can’t help and think of what happens to the kids after the shoes fall apart. It impacts the children for a very short time . I think the explosion of the Toms movement is based on people  feeling like they are getting the best of both worlds by helping kids in foreign countries and making a fashion statement.  I like the mission, I don’t like the movement. I just wish there was something that could keep the children in shoes permanently.

That’s when I ran across this blog. While I had a problem with poor quality, this blogger saw global and economic implications. My issues with Toms instantly seemed trivial. I think this blogger brings up a lot of strong points, not only for Toms but for a lot of charity organizations.

I think there is a lot to think about and inspect when looking at charity/social corporate responsibility organizations. J1100 Principles of American Journalism taught me to always look with a critical eye. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. I didn’t mean for this post to turn into a rant, and I don’t want anyone to think I am anti-Toms. I just think it is important to investigate and question everything in an age where technology can have strong implications.  

Toms founder Blake Mycoskie at a shoe drop.

Adweek’s Top 10

I am a Strat Comm major, and while I have not decided exactly what I want to do within the program, I find advertising fascinating. I found that especially true after taking J2000 Cross Cultural Journalism. I began to examine and look at advertising much more critically than I  had before. Now, I was looking at the demographics represented in advertisements, as well as who the target audience might be, and if I thought it was an effective advertisement. Suddenly watching television commercials made me analyze every detail. It made me dislike a majority of advertisements. However, it also made me very appreciative of effective, and smart advertisements.

Adweek compiles a list of the best commercials at the end of every year. I am a little late to be reviewing the list, but I will add my own two cents regardless. The top 10 list included five that I was familiar with, and five that I hadn’t seen before.

The five that I knew were: Chrysler, “Born of Fire” , Cravendale, “Cats with Thumbs”, Nissan Leaf, “Gas Powered Everything”, Snickers, “Focus Group”, and Volkswagen, “The Force”.

Something that the article discussed that I thought was interesting was the new trend of good automotive ads. Traditionally car advertisements focus on the solely on the cars, but now more advertisements are utilizing creativity to entertain viewers.

I noticed three categories into which all of the top commercials could be placed; humor, sustainability/green efforts, and a human connection. I think that humor is an easy way to connect with viewers, but I also think it is hard to make a commercial that is funny and not stupid. I think that was the key for the success for the Canal+, “The Bear”, Cravendale, “Cats with Thumbs”, Snickers, “Focus Group”, and the Volkwagen, “The Force” commercials.  Sustainability/green efforts are a recent trend that make people feel better about themselves. The commercials that capitalized on that were; Chipotle, “Back to the Start”, and Nissan Leaf, “Gas Powered Everything”. I thought the human connection commercials were the most powerful. These commercials that utilized this category were technology advertisements. I think this was a really smart idea for them because they were showing a personable aspect of their product. The commercials that used this were; Chrysler, “Born of Fire”, Deep silver, “The Dead Island”, and Google Chrome, “Dear Sophie”.

My would sit here and try to name my favorite commercial, but they’re all so different that I don’t think I can compare them fairly.  I really liked all of them. I think that effective advertisements that entertain and compel the public are a rare find, and I think all 10 of these commercials meet those standards.

True/False

 

 

True/False Film Fest is this weekend! True/False is a film festival hosted in Columbia that gains national and sometimes international attention. This festival started in 2003 and has grown tremendously since it’s inaugural year. Last year, the festival attracted more than 30,000 people.

True/False focuses on presenting non-fiction documentary films. However, music, panel discussions with film makers, concerts, a True Life Run, public art, and other activities comprise the weekend program. The True/False website is very interactive and helpful when looking for information about the festival.

I have three tickets for movies at the festival, two of which I got for free. (Score!) I will be attending The Island President, and Comic Con on Saturday and Ai Weiwei on Sunday. Descriptions of the movies can be found on the website. I am the most excited for Comic Con. It was directed by Morgan Spurlock who has created other films such as Super Size me, and The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. I like him. I think he is snarky and produces films that appeal to demographics that may not typically watch documentaries. I did buy my ticket for this movie, but $3 isn’t going to set me back too far.

 

 

I find that each year, I gain more interest in this festival. I already have plans to volunteer in the festivities next year, which is a vast improvement from my apathy last  year. Besides, I should take advantage of the opportunity to see free films while I can! I really enjoy documentary films, and some of these come straight from the Toronto and Sundance festivals. I feel like that’s a fairly big deal for a Missouri town.

One film I did want to view was Undeafeated. Afterall, it just won an Oscar and was made by a former MU student. But apparently every other student had the same feelings I did because it sold out quickly on Monday morning.

True/False captures the whole weekend from photographers as well as their online presence. I think their website, as previous stated, is awesome. It was easy to navigate, interesting, and effective in it’s dissemination of information. I especially love the pages with the movies and musicians.

Basically, I’m excited for my first True/False experience. I think it ties in with multimedia in multiple in the way that it is covered, but also in it’s mission.