WOW!

We had some powerful presenters this last week. Thank you to all the groups for sharing your well researched information with us. I think it can easily be said that we all learned a little more about the freedoms we have but can easily loose. 

Now, out on our own, without our free speech class behind us, I wish you all the best of luck in supporting those rights! Have a great summer and congratulations to all of you graduating.

Almost done....

I know this is the hardest part of the year especially for those of you about to graduate. So I just wanted to say.... hang in there! 

I want to say thanks to the groups that have gone for giving us topics good for lively discussions, and good luck with those of you that go next week! 

P.S. Thanks team dynamite for sticking it out, it was a great semester working with you all! 

The Woes of War

War is a part of our history. Much of what we know about that history is because of journalism. Newspapers were printed with updates informing readers cheering on both sides of the wars that helped build America. Today we take a much more critical look at journalism in war because of how controversial the battles we fight seem to be. (yes, supposedly more controversial than others in American history) 

I agree with war time journalism when reporters are able to bring back a front lines look at our battles, but I feel freedom of the press has been stolen because of the blockades produced by the government. Therefore, these stories our tainted... very tainted.

As discussed in class, we really can't point our fingers in anyone direction (as I just did)- if so, does that mean we  still have to find the real points of conflict effecting freedom of the press before being able to actually influence change. Who are the parties you think are to blame???

TV land

I don't know about anyone else, but I was ready to kick off my flip flops during the Kerry flip flops scene in Outfoxed.... repetition can be so annoying. 

I think TV news is alright for catching up on some basic details of what has been going on, but really... I think the only true news sources the U.S.  can look to for actual journalism and reporting is the Associated Press or Colombian Journalism Review. 

Real journalism has become a lost art. TV broadcast journalism has become for the money, of the money, by the money of consolidation rather than something for the people. 

If someone from Fox News came to visit our class this semester what would you say to them? 

For my future....

As a journalism concentration I do hope in finding a job with a print publication after school. Since I am not a fan of corporate take-overs, except for the financial burden they sometimes help relieve, I hope to find a publication that is small and possibly even independently owned. Unfortunately they are a dying breed - practically antiques in today's internet frenzy. 

Even if it is only a few, I hope there are some newspapers who can survive to preserve a tradition that was present when free speech became a right. 

dialog project coming up....

It is almost that time to get up in front of class and present our group's dialog projects... I hope all the groups have been having a little bit of fun planning and preparing your presentations.... I think our group has. :-)

While I'm at it, I would like to say thanks to my group for keeping at it, and trying to come together to make this project more fun. 

Good luck to everyone! 

Small Town Drama

In a small town it is pretty easy to get the drama rolling. Once you do, it is not hard to pick up supporters and get sucked in by your own argument. You can even end up following the crowd you started. 

I grew up in a small town, and I can count at least two or three conflicts that have happened in the last year that got the town up in arms. Name calling happens... even in the headlines. When a local oyster farm was in danger one headline reported, "Senator Tells Park to Shuck Off" or something like that. Every once in awhile there is rumor of two people going to court over a death threat, but you never know if that is rumor or not. 

In a small town conflicts tend to stand out rather than blend in like they might in a city. In the Montana story it was unfortunate that someone with a bad way of putting things into perspective had to come along, it was like teaching a baby to swear. It is easy to push buttons in a small town, but is it worth it?