The temptation to stage is very, very strong sometimes. Even for the tiny little projects we have to do for this class, I've had to resist the temptation to stage several times. (Though I'm not quite sure about the injunction to get get nat sound...do I have to stage a little bit to get the nat sound I want? Sometimes it seems like it, at least in terms of, "Please play the game/sketch a drawing/start eating so I can record the sound of it.")
Still, the eye-rolling reaction of the poster on sportshooter.com, to the sight of the "TV guy" asking outright for a recreation, is understandable. Probably more than understandable, maybe even required for the sake of moral superiority. Documentary makers are already skating on a thin edge when they do recreations in lieu of archival footage or photographs; journalists would be beyond the pale altogether. One of the functions of a journalist is to tell a story, but it's not supposed to be a fictional story.
Jashin
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Staging Shots
Dave Wertheimer's post about staging was short and to the point. I completely agree with Wertheimer's ethical stance on staging. It isn't reporting the news. However, I also know the temptation of wanting to get something done for a class when you have other work to do. In many ways, I think being a student journalist is a lot harder than being a full-time journalist.
Wertheimer's best advice is to ask subjects to show him how they do something. This is a effective and legitimate way to give viewers information, while not reenacting the news.
Wertheimer's best advice is to ask subjects to show him how they do something. This is a effective and legitimate way to give viewers information, while not reenacting the news.
Photo Editing and Staging
Though I have little experience with video ethics, including the implication of staging video, I have a lot of photography experience. I know that the idea of cropping photographs or splicing images together in such a way that it alters the reality of a situation is wrong in still mediums, so I can only assume that the same standard should be followed when dealing with moving pictures or video footage. I think that the best photojournalists and videographers simply get it right the first time, and put in the time and effort necessary so that they get the good shot with that perfect light, or best frame, or capture the best moment at any given shoot. Using elaborate editing techniques or distorting reality, to me, is just sloppy photojournalism and a violation of the trust viewers have in journalists. It should be avoided at all costs.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
ethics in practice and under pressure
Mark Lewis
If done properly, staging can allow a journalist to tell a more compelling version of news events by alleviating the twin burdens of tenacity and creativity. Is that not true in some rare instances? Far more worrisome than newsroom policy is the young reporter or photographer who’s not yet been caught.
I don’t think any “believer” journalist would set out to lie in telling a story. More likely a scenario is that the journalist, for whatever reason (flat tire, etc.), misses a photo assignment with deadline looming. The clock is ticking and a red-faced editor is waiting. What if the ethical solution – finding another way to tell the story – is less effective than staging would be? What if the photographer knows it will not be good enough to fulfill the assignment?
In my undergraduate days, a slacker I knew fabricated a story that ran in the student newspaper. He was subsequently banned from its pages and became somewhat of a pariah in the J school. While the rest of us were writing stories for class credit, he had to write term papers. His infraction haunted him for a full two years, I think. People knew him as the guy who lied.
If done properly, staging can allow a journalist to tell a more compelling version of news events by alleviating the twin burdens of tenacity and creativity. Is that not true in some rare instances? Far more worrisome than newsroom policy is the young reporter or photographer who’s not yet been caught.
I don’t think any “believer” journalist would set out to lie in telling a story. More likely a scenario is that the journalist, for whatever reason (flat tire, etc.), misses a photo assignment with deadline looming. The clock is ticking and a red-faced editor is waiting. What if the ethical solution – finding another way to tell the story – is less effective than staging would be? What if the photographer knows it will not be good enough to fulfill the assignment?
In my undergraduate days, a slacker I knew fabricated a story that ran in the student newspaper. He was subsequently banned from its pages and became somewhat of a pariah in the J school. While the rest of us were writing stories for class credit, he had to write term papers. His infraction haunted him for a full two years, I think. People knew him as the guy who lied.
Staging Video
Tyson Sprick
I've wondered at times when watching TV whether the scenes I was seeing are truly candid. Well, after reading this article, I wonder how many really are. I have to admit that I was a bit surprised to read that some journalists in positions of power actually think it's okay to stage an event just to make for good TV.
Wertheimer mentioned that people involved in staged shots now assume that everything they see on television is staged, which is sad and unfair to journalists with any kind of morality.
"Our primary obligation is to seek truth and report it as fully as possible, not to manipulate or create news." When we stage scenes, we are getting as far away from this statement as possible. A good way to stay true to this is get the interviewees comfortable with the camera, microphone, etc. Wertheimer does this by setting everything up and then leaving for a few minutes. I've found in my little experience that people are wary of cameras and mics at first, but if you gain their trust and blend in with them and the surroundings people will open up.
There are other ways of getting good shots that don't involve compromising journalistic ethics. Perhaps the best way is to be prepared and don't miss the event in the first place. Regardless, it's important we understand that our job is to tell the truth, not make it.
I've wondered at times when watching TV whether the scenes I was seeing are truly candid. Well, after reading this article, I wonder how many really are. I have to admit that I was a bit surprised to read that some journalists in positions of power actually think it's okay to stage an event just to make for good TV.
Wertheimer mentioned that people involved in staged shots now assume that everything they see on television is staged, which is sad and unfair to journalists with any kind of morality.
"Our primary obligation is to seek truth and report it as fully as possible, not to manipulate or create news." When we stage scenes, we are getting as far away from this statement as possible. A good way to stay true to this is get the interviewees comfortable with the camera, microphone, etc. Wertheimer does this by setting everything up and then leaving for a few minutes. I've found in my little experience that people are wary of cameras and mics at first, but if you gain their trust and blend in with them and the surroundings people will open up.
There are other ways of getting good shots that don't involve compromising journalistic ethics. Perhaps the best way is to be prepared and don't miss the event in the first place. Regardless, it's important we understand that our job is to tell the truth, not make it.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Staging=Fake?
Staging? It's ok. But don't be fake.
The norm of journalism includes accuracy, objectivity, etc. That is to say, journalism has to be the truth. Journalists have to tell their audiences the facts, rather than any fake things, or scenes. Carpote wrote a non-fiction novel, which is ridiculous to me. Because when I read the book, I could not believe what he had written. That's not journalism at all.
However, sometimes you cannot avoid staging. A couple of years ago, when I was walking in a park carrying my camera to complete my assignment, I saw an old couple sitting on a bench, leaning on the back, with their eyes closed. They seemed like having a nap, very peacefully, comfortably. Then I got more close to them to get a full shot. Unexpectably, they opened their eyes... So I had to ask them whether I could take a photo of them, and whether they could close their eyes again. They were so nice, and did what I wanted them to do. But when my camera focused on them, I could not find the peaceful atmosphere any more. They closed their eyes, and sat so stiffly as bodies... That is really a bad experience of my staging photos.
Actually, I find that in America, many people are very willing to express themselves naturally toward a still camera or video camera without any trouble. That means journalists' work will be much more easier, doesn't it?
The norm of journalism includes accuracy, objectivity, etc. That is to say, journalism has to be the truth. Journalists have to tell their audiences the facts, rather than any fake things, or scenes. Carpote wrote a non-fiction novel, which is ridiculous to me. Because when I read the book, I could not believe what he had written. That's not journalism at all.
However, sometimes you cannot avoid staging. A couple of years ago, when I was walking in a park carrying my camera to complete my assignment, I saw an old couple sitting on a bench, leaning on the back, with their eyes closed. They seemed like having a nap, very peacefully, comfortably. Then I got more close to them to get a full shot. Unexpectably, they opened their eyes... So I had to ask them whether I could take a photo of them, and whether they could close their eyes again. They were so nice, and did what I wanted them to do. But when my camera focused on them, I could not find the peaceful atmosphere any more. They closed their eyes, and sat so stiffly as bodies... That is really a bad experience of my staging photos.
Actually, I find that in America, many people are very willing to express themselves naturally toward a still camera or video camera without any trouble. That means journalists' work will be much more easier, doesn't it?
Staged, Staging, Stages
Suekyoung Kim
NFL draft party and florist cases did show how ethics matter when shooting a video. Staging is never right for journalists because it alters truths. That’s why professors urge journalism students to be aware of various codes of ethics that are related to fields of their future career. Dave Wertheimer says if you do not feel comfortable putting someone in an unnatural situation, put your foot down and don’t shoot it, or figure out a different way to get the story on the air. If we don’t keep this in mind, what ensures journalistic reports different from Hollywood movies? Even though it varies in degree, however, reproducing can never be the original. What really matters most is indeed staged images could deceive its audiences. The case from “sliding sound, altered images” in which KLAS added sounds to the surveillance camera video and aired it was something. Adding sounds to the silent video to make scenes close to the real setting? In this case, the fact that sounds were added to the video tape should be verified or the sounds that did not exist in the video tape should not have been added in the first place. There are lots of codes of ethics that whoever practices journalism should keep in mind. These articles brought why the principles of journalism and codes of ethics are so worthwhile to learn about to my mind again.
NFL draft party and florist cases did show how ethics matter when shooting a video. Staging is never right for journalists because it alters truths. That’s why professors urge journalism students to be aware of various codes of ethics that are related to fields of their future career. Dave Wertheimer says if you do not feel comfortable putting someone in an unnatural situation, put your foot down and don’t shoot it, or figure out a different way to get the story on the air. If we don’t keep this in mind, what ensures journalistic reports different from Hollywood movies? Even though it varies in degree, however, reproducing can never be the original. What really matters most is indeed staged images could deceive its audiences. The case from “sliding sound, altered images” in which KLAS added sounds to the surveillance camera video and aired it was something. Adding sounds to the silent video to make scenes close to the real setting? In this case, the fact that sounds were added to the video tape should be verified or the sounds that did not exist in the video tape should not have been added in the first place. There are lots of codes of ethics that whoever practices journalism should keep in mind. These articles brought why the principles of journalism and codes of ethics are so worthwhile to learn about to my mind again.
Front Page Frisk
I thought the article on ethics was most interesting in that it brings to point a decision that most journalists will face in their careers. Do I alter an image or tape so that it appears more dramatic, and thus proposes a more newsworthy story?
Special editing is one of the don'ts that caught my attention the most. I think this is where a lot of news stories can be heightened or constructed to a certain degree and it is very common that a person would alter a clip, removing partial context from a situation to make it appear a certain way.
The OJ Simpson example was a good one. Something as simple as darkening a picture can make an ideological impact to the viewer. He appeared darker and more sinister, thus more guilty. Music is another example of a factor that effects our ideological senses. It evokes emotion and feelings that were not there when initally viewing the clip.
Overall I think journalists have to be very careful when editing and in their use when showing clips. This article raises some very good points.
Special editing is one of the don'ts that caught my attention the most. I think this is where a lot of news stories can be heightened or constructed to a certain degree and it is very common that a person would alter a clip, removing partial context from a situation to make it appear a certain way.
The OJ Simpson example was a good one. Something as simple as darkening a picture can make an ideological impact to the viewer. He appeared darker and more sinister, thus more guilty. Music is another example of a factor that effects our ideological senses. It evokes emotion and feelings that were not there when initally viewing the clip.
Overall I think journalists have to be very careful when editing and in their use when showing clips. This article raises some very good points.
Staging
Thanyarat Doksone
I have a story about staging to tell. This happened in Thailand right before I flew to the U.S. to study here. As many of you might not know, Thailand, a Southeast Asian country, takes the issue of monarchy very seriously. Thai people pay their supreme respect to them and place them highly, even higher than ourselves.
On July 10, 2007, a team of Thai college students won the first prize in the World Robocup 2007 in Atlanta, GA. A photograph was taken and sent to most newspapers in Thailand. The pictures showing the students with their winning robot, the trophy and one of them holding a picture of the King of Thailand in a frame.
That photo was put up on almost every daily in the country on the following day. However, a tabloid with the self-proclaimed largest circulation, Thai Rath, made a tiny change to it. The paper retouched the photo to get rid of the King's photo frame and made the guy holding nothing in his hand. Later, media critics in the country came out to slam the paper, as its intention was very obvious. It is a tradition in every Thai newspaper that whenever you have photos of the monarch or other royal family members on the front page. It must be placed on the top of the page layout. Intentionally, Thai Rath edited that photo, so that it could be put in the lower part of the paper to pave the way for other hard-sell headlines, which apparently were crime news.
That was a rare incidence that raised concern about media ethics in my country. I am sure staging might have been done much more frequently but nobody has ever noticed. I think this is one of the reasons the public do not trust journalists as much as they did in the past.
Throughout discussion in class, we always heard that one of the challenges that journalism faces these days is the rising skepticism toward journalists and we usually wonder why or even blame them for distrusting us. I think it is time to start questioning ourselves about what we do that makes them think that way.
I have a story about staging to tell. This happened in Thailand right before I flew to the U.S. to study here. As many of you might not know, Thailand, a Southeast Asian country, takes the issue of monarchy very seriously. Thai people pay their supreme respect to them and place them highly, even higher than ourselves.
On July 10, 2007, a team of Thai college students won the first prize in the World Robocup 2007 in Atlanta, GA. A photograph was taken and sent to most newspapers in Thailand. The pictures showing the students with their winning robot, the trophy and one of them holding a picture of the King of Thailand in a frame.
That photo was put up on almost every daily in the country on the following day. However, a tabloid with the self-proclaimed largest circulation, Thai Rath, made a tiny change to it. The paper retouched the photo to get rid of the King's photo frame and made the guy holding nothing in his hand. Later, media critics in the country came out to slam the paper, as its intention was very obvious. It is a tradition in every Thai newspaper that whenever you have photos of the monarch or other royal family members on the front page. It must be placed on the top of the page layout. Intentionally, Thai Rath edited that photo, so that it could be put in the lower part of the paper to pave the way for other hard-sell headlines, which apparently were crime news.
That was a rare incidence that raised concern about media ethics in my country. I am sure staging might have been done much more frequently but nobody has ever noticed. I think this is one of the reasons the public do not trust journalists as much as they did in the past.
Throughout discussion in class, we always heard that one of the challenges that journalism faces these days is the rising skepticism toward journalists and we usually wonder why or even blame them for distrusting us. I think it is time to start questioning ourselves about what we do that makes them think that way.
staging
Sarah Orscheln
Since the day I started taking Journalism classes at Mizzou, I have heard two things repeated over and over again. 1.) As a journalist, our loyalty is to the people and 2.) TRUTH, above all, is the most important aspect of what we stand for as journalists.
I think there's validity in the point that we not only stage something if we ask someone to recreate it, but we can also "stage" or "falsify" media when we create something that is different from the way we originally percieved it. I don't think it can be argued that there is a good deal of creativity that marries with journalism because of the fact that we have to reach our public. We try and reach the audience but there I think there's a creative line that we shouldn't dare cross because that is when we face the dangers of making up the news.
From the beginning people have tried to sensationalize news to make it more appealing to the masses. It's important to take into account the society that we live in as a result of a free press and how these freedoms can be taken away simply by clouding the truth that we portray as journalism.
Since the day I started taking Journalism classes at Mizzou, I have heard two things repeated over and over again. 1.) As a journalist, our loyalty is to the people and 2.) TRUTH, above all, is the most important aspect of what we stand for as journalists.
I think there's validity in the point that we not only stage something if we ask someone to recreate it, but we can also "stage" or "falsify" media when we create something that is different from the way we originally percieved it. I don't think it can be argued that there is a good deal of creativity that marries with journalism because of the fact that we have to reach our public. We try and reach the audience but there I think there's a creative line that we shouldn't dare cross because that is when we face the dangers of making up the news.
From the beginning people have tried to sensationalize news to make it more appealing to the masses. It's important to take into account the society that we live in as a result of a free press and how these freedoms can be taken away simply by clouding the truth that we portray as journalism.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
The ethics are getting stricter, while the news quality is not getting any better
While I agree that it is best to do what Dave Wertheimer said, the truth is in reality, it is very difficult to stick to all those principles, and it is very unclear sometimes. Sometimes all that we can only check with our conscience. If I ask someone to continue doing what they are doing to take a photo of them, it is OK. But if I ask them to do what they did again, so that I can take a photo of them, then it is staged.
Also, the media rules are now stricter than in the past, but the news quality is going down. Just watch TV and see how the hosts say ridiculous things just to bring attention to themselves and get higher ratings (O'Reilly on Fox News is a case in mind). So all this seems ironic to me. On one hand, people come up with all sorts of new ethics. On the other hand, the news quality keeps going down. Or we have two kinds of ethics: for the elite media and for the tabloids? As far as I know, the tabloids are winning.
Also, the media rules are now stricter than in the past, but the news quality is going down. Just watch TV and see how the hosts say ridiculous things just to bring attention to themselves and get higher ratings (O'Reilly on Fox News is a case in mind). So all this seems ironic to me. On one hand, people come up with all sorts of new ethics. On the other hand, the news quality keeps going down. Or we have two kinds of ethics: for the elite media and for the tabloids? As far as I know, the tabloids are winning.
Staging
Amy DiFrancesco
These pieces were very informative on the subject of staging. I found it very interesting that the simple example of putting the "good sound" with the "good video" can actually be staging. I guess this just goes to show that you need to be on point in all situations and if the whole thing isn't good, there's a good possibility it can't be used at all.
I thought they were both very good articles for us to read, because it is a problem in journalism today. In the case of the NFL draft reenactment, it shows that we all need to be careful because there are some people out there working who don't feel that they are doing anything wrong by staging. Everyone must adhere to the standards presented or else the public will have a very hard time trusting the news.
These pieces were very informative on the subject of staging. I found it very interesting that the simple example of putting the "good sound" with the "good video" can actually be staging. I guess this just goes to show that you need to be on point in all situations and if the whole thing isn't good, there's a good possibility it can't be used at all.
I thought they were both very good articles for us to read, because it is a problem in journalism today. In the case of the NFL draft reenactment, it shows that we all need to be careful because there are some people out there working who don't feel that they are doing anything wrong by staging. Everyone must adhere to the standards presented or else the public will have a very hard time trusting the news.
staging video
Jessica Malnik
Staging video is just wrong. I can think of several problems associated with staging video. Most importantly, staged video alters the truth. The main principle of journalism is to seek the truth. By altering the truth, staged video is inaccurate. Another problem is that staging video often either creates or perpetuates biases. The second that journalists stage a situation, they lose their objectivity. For example, if I just told a person to stand over there, then I have distorted reality. I have made up a situation. While many viewers would not necessarily know this, it is still unethical. Over time, the viewers will catch on, and the newsroom will lose credibility. A third problem with staging video is that if you tell a person exactly what to do, it is probably going to make that person feel awkward and uncomfortable. That person will act differently. These are just a few of the problems associated with staging video.
Staging video is unethical and deceives the public. By staging video, a journalist has essentially made up news. I strongly believe that the only place where staged video belongs is in the movies.
Staging video is just wrong. I can think of several problems associated with staging video. Most importantly, staged video alters the truth. The main principle of journalism is to seek the truth. By altering the truth, staged video is inaccurate. Another problem is that staging video often either creates or perpetuates biases. The second that journalists stage a situation, they lose their objectivity. For example, if I just told a person to stand over there, then I have distorted reality. I have made up a situation. While many viewers would not necessarily know this, it is still unethical. Over time, the viewers will catch on, and the newsroom will lose credibility. A third problem with staging video is that if you tell a person exactly what to do, it is probably going to make that person feel awkward and uncomfortable. That person will act differently. These are just a few of the problems associated with staging video.
Staging video is unethical and deceives the public. By staging video, a journalist has essentially made up news. I strongly believe that the only place where staged video belongs is in the movies.
Video Editing Ethics
Xenia Shih
On the day that we critiqued our three photo assignments, one issue that came up about my detail shot was whether or not I could have flipped the photo since it was an upside down shot of a hand. What we learned was that it would have been unethical for me to flip it because doing so would be altering the photo from its original state. Therefore, it only makes sense that the same rules that apply to photo editing should apply to video editing as well.
I was really surprised by Dave Wertheimer's anecdote about the journalist who asked an NFL draft and his family to recreate the moment in which the player found out that he had been drafted. I thought that some of the other examples, such as the one about a photojournalist marrying footage of a storm with better-quality sound than the original, were actually debatable in terms of ethics. However, I thought that it was obviously unethical for the journalist to ask the NFL draft and his family to reenact a moment.
Overall, both articles were really informative and helped me understand how much is too much when it comes to editing.
On the day that we critiqued our three photo assignments, one issue that came up about my detail shot was whether or not I could have flipped the photo since it was an upside down shot of a hand. What we learned was that it would have been unethical for me to flip it because doing so would be altering the photo from its original state. Therefore, it only makes sense that the same rules that apply to photo editing should apply to video editing as well.
I was really surprised by Dave Wertheimer's anecdote about the journalist who asked an NFL draft and his family to recreate the moment in which the player found out that he had been drafted. I thought that some of the other examples, such as the one about a photojournalist marrying footage of a storm with better-quality sound than the original, were actually debatable in terms of ethics. However, I thought that it was obviously unethical for the journalist to ask the NFL draft and his family to reenact a moment.
Overall, both articles were really informative and helped me understand how much is too much when it comes to editing.
Staging
What, I wonder, is the difference between staging video and severely taking a quote out of context in an article? It seems to me to be a pretty simple issue - just as you wouldn't change facts or quotations for a print story, you shouldn't change the setting for video or alter the content. As for having a "line in the sand," the cameraman and/or reporter is there to report what happens - if he or she doesn't get there in time for the big news, then that's the way it goes. That's it. There's no more to it.
The only real gray area that I see is asking someone to either A.) repeat something they said for the camera, or B.) repeat an action for the camera of something that actually happened.
I say no to both, simply because it opens up too many possibilities. It takes away an initial reaction - the subject now has time to change something and make themselves look better or worse. There shouldn't be multiple takes for a news story - leave that for the movies and TV.
The only real gray area that I see is asking someone to either A.) repeat something they said for the camera, or B.) repeat an action for the camera of something that actually happened.
I say no to both, simply because it opens up too many possibilities. It takes away an initial reaction - the subject now has time to change something and make themselves look better or worse. There shouldn't be multiple takes for a news story - leave that for the movies and TV.
Exit Stage Wrong
The question of staging really comes down to one thing: your gut. As we've discussed in class, there's a clear line that you have crossed when you stage a journalistic element. There are certain things that can be done that don't violate that code of ethics and there are certain things that do. The best way to tell whether or not you have crossed that line is your own feelings. You know when you have done something unethical.
Depending on the type of story and the purpose of the story, that line is followed either strictly or loosely. Still, the final blame rests on the editor. The reason those positions are in place is to manage and control the output of stories by the reporters. If the editor cannot catch a staged story or chooses to run it anyway- they are responsible as well. They are the last defense against breaches in integrity. If the reporter's conscience fails, then the editor's must prevail.
Depending on the type of story and the purpose of the story, that line is followed either strictly or loosely. Still, the final blame rests on the editor. The reason those positions are in place is to manage and control the output of stories by the reporters. If the editor cannot catch a staged story or chooses to run it anyway- they are responsible as well. They are the last defense against breaches in integrity. If the reporter's conscience fails, then the editor's must prevail.
Stage at Will
Eric Durban
Staging is probably journalism's ace in the hole. Unfortunately, it can be an easy out for lazy journalists or those pressured by deadlines. The average viewer won't think twice about the video clip they have been shown. Staging also destroys one of the key aspects of being a journalist: coming up with creative/interesting stories. The ability to stage any event allows the journalist to conjure any action, rather than a "real" situation. Journalists who always result to staging should be embarrassed for cheating their viewers. Drawing on my own reporting experiences, interviews the second time around are never the same. The subjects always seem to rush and assume that you remember what they had previously said. Raw emotion can never be duplicated. The "Do not add" advice in the Poynter article seems to be as simple as you can put it. Any journalist should be able to understand that idea. I also think that the blame for misrepresentation should fall just as heavily on the editor as it does on the journalist. Experienced editors should be able to pick up on things like that and their failure to do so deserves consequence as well.
Staging is probably journalism's ace in the hole. Unfortunately, it can be an easy out for lazy journalists or those pressured by deadlines. The average viewer won't think twice about the video clip they have been shown. Staging also destroys one of the key aspects of being a journalist: coming up with creative/interesting stories. The ability to stage any event allows the journalist to conjure any action, rather than a "real" situation. Journalists who always result to staging should be embarrassed for cheating their viewers. Drawing on my own reporting experiences, interviews the second time around are never the same. The subjects always seem to rush and assume that you remember what they had previously said. Raw emotion can never be duplicated. The "Do not add" advice in the Poynter article seems to be as simple as you can put it. Any journalist should be able to understand that idea. I also think that the blame for misrepresentation should fall just as heavily on the editor as it does on the journalist. Experienced editors should be able to pick up on things like that and their failure to do so deserves consequence as well.
Staging
Staging a photo or video is a terrible thing, because even though it may start as something it can eventually grow and cause the consumer to lose trust in the media. My question though is why anyone would even want to stage a photo or anything else? As a journalist we shouldn't go into an interview or an event thinking what the story is. We need to go in there be alert and find what the story is.
For example, in Dave Wertheimer's article the photographer who asked the recent draft pick to pose as is he was answering the call from the team that drafted him, is missing other stories. I bet he had more phone calls then the one from the NFL. I bet that family members and friends called to congratulate him, or that he called places looking into the new city that will become his home. Those are interesting stories. The photographer could have taken pictures of him after he was drafted and how he and his family were adjusting to the draft. So, even thought it is unethical to stage a photo, I also think that it can cause a journalist to los focus on other aspects of a story.
- Erick Ward
For example, in Dave Wertheimer's article the photographer who asked the recent draft pick to pose as is he was answering the call from the team that drafted him, is missing other stories. I bet he had more phone calls then the one from the NFL. I bet that family members and friends called to congratulate him, or that he called places looking into the new city that will become his home. Those are interesting stories. The photographer could have taken pictures of him after he was drafted and how he and his family were adjusting to the draft. So, even thought it is unethical to stage a photo, I also think that it can cause a journalist to los focus on other aspects of a story.
- Erick Ward
Staging video
I think the most important thing about staging video is to anticipate the action of the subject and compose the frames of the video well. It is easier said than down. In front of an object or event, we open become dazzled by the going-ons and it isn't until the time for editing that we start to realize that something is missing there.
And bad shots really kills a good video. I learned this when I was doing a video story on the renovation of Dazhalan, an historical area in Beijing. Doing video for the first time, My group members and I were able to lauch this really good story idea, thanks to the talented TV editors we were working with. However, the shots we shot weren't enough to convey the end of the story, so we were forced to use still photo slideshows, which lasts about half a minute or so, to wrap up the story. One of the shots we had was so terrible (tilted up, pan right, tilt down, zoom in, zoom out---all in one, incredibly awful shot!!) that we were forced to find substitute video for that soundbite. Although the storry itself was interesting and well-told, the video part of it really sucks. That, I think, is one of the most important features of video story that distinguishes itself from newspaper story: You can't have a good story unless the shots are good enough to edit. And bad shots, like bad lead, really turns audiences away.
So it is really important to plan the sequence of the video before hand, and know what is to be used. And I'm still learning to do that.
And bad shots really kills a good video. I learned this when I was doing a video story on the renovation of Dazhalan, an historical area in Beijing. Doing video for the first time, My group members and I were able to lauch this really good story idea, thanks to the talented TV editors we were working with. However, the shots we shot weren't enough to convey the end of the story, so we were forced to use still photo slideshows, which lasts about half a minute or so, to wrap up the story. One of the shots we had was so terrible (tilted up, pan right, tilt down, zoom in, zoom out---all in one, incredibly awful shot!!) that we were forced to find substitute video for that soundbite. Although the storry itself was interesting and well-told, the video part of it really sucks. That, I think, is one of the most important features of video story that distinguishes itself from newspaper story: You can't have a good story unless the shots are good enough to edit. And bad shots, like bad lead, really turns audiences away.
So it is really important to plan the sequence of the video before hand, and know what is to be used. And I'm still learning to do that.
Always Discuss Ethics
Su Jing
NPPA’s Digital Manipulation Code of Ethics states: “As journalists we believe the guiding principle of our profession is accuracy; therefore, we believe it is wrong to alter the content of a photograph in any way that deceives the public.”
For journalism practitioners this code of ethics is obviously right, because we all have the idea in mind that our primary obligation is to seek truth and report it as fully as possible. We should not manipulate or create news. But why in practice journalists and media always get out of line? The explanation from the news director at the Las Vegas television station is interesting. The editor explained for the editing mistake of adding sound of gunshots and slot machines in a file tape that this mistake happened because his station had gone too long without a discussion about editing standards. I think it is not an awkward excuse, on the contrary, it indicates the importance of regular discussion of ethics in media companies and journalism schools.
Reality is not perfect. We may always find conflict between the requirement of high quality sound or pictures and the journalism ethics. We need to satisfy our audience’s critical eyes and ears, which may distract us from the line of ethics, especially when we haven’t heard and talked journalism ethics for a long time. Tension in work and requirements of professional may erode the levee of ethics gradually. It is necessary to always discuss what we should not do in order to remind us the ethics, to regularly maintain the levee in our mind.
NPPA’s Digital Manipulation Code of Ethics states: “As journalists we believe the guiding principle of our profession is accuracy; therefore, we believe it is wrong to alter the content of a photograph in any way that deceives the public.”
For journalism practitioners this code of ethics is obviously right, because we all have the idea in mind that our primary obligation is to seek truth and report it as fully as possible. We should not manipulate or create news. But why in practice journalists and media always get out of line? The explanation from the news director at the Las Vegas television station is interesting. The editor explained for the editing mistake of adding sound of gunshots and slot machines in a file tape that this mistake happened because his station had gone too long without a discussion about editing standards. I think it is not an awkward excuse, on the contrary, it indicates the importance of regular discussion of ethics in media companies and journalism schools.
Reality is not perfect. We may always find conflict between the requirement of high quality sound or pictures and the journalism ethics. We need to satisfy our audience’s critical eyes and ears, which may distract us from the line of ethics, especially when we haven’t heard and talked journalism ethics for a long time. Tension in work and requirements of professional may erode the levee of ethics gradually. It is necessary to always discuss what we should not do in order to remind us the ethics, to regularly maintain the levee in our mind.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Staging belongs in the Movies
The words staged, staging, stages say it all - made up. Who wants to read made up news? That's not the point of journalism, that's not what journalists do. People can make up their own news, but they turn to the newspapers, the radio and the tv for the truth.
I believe if a journalist in any way stages something, they are not giving people what they need. People need to see news as it happened, and cameras can capture things people can't normally see.
I believe if a journalist in any way stages something, they are not giving people what they need. People need to see news as it happened, and cameras can capture things people can't normally see.
Staging Stories
Staging is an interesting issue in the journalistic society, especially as technology improves and journalists are expected to be the backpack journalists we previously discussed. In some ways, I feel staging has the potential to be a necessary evil when one person is expected to take a picture and gather natural sound for an audio story at the same time. However, no matter what kind of pressure a journalist is under, staging should never be an option. It is our duty as journalists to bring truth to the readers, listeners, watchers. The second we stage a shot or a photo or a quote is the second the audience is right about the media and "our lies and biases."
This isn't to say staging isn't tempting, even to the most ethical journalist. This is yet another reason why morals and a journalistic code of ethics is crucial to our profession. Without a strong, all-encompassing code to live and report by, the quality of journalism and the delivery of news to the audience will be sacrificed for "that perfect quote" or "could you do that again..."
Chances are, if you spent another 20 minutes with the subject of the story, you'll get a sound bite, shot or photograph even better than the first. You may even improve the story in the process!
This isn't to say staging isn't tempting, even to the most ethical journalist. This is yet another reason why morals and a journalistic code of ethics is crucial to our profession. Without a strong, all-encompassing code to live and report by, the quality of journalism and the delivery of news to the audience will be sacrificed for "that perfect quote" or "could you do that again..."
Chances are, if you spent another 20 minutes with the subject of the story, you'll get a sound bite, shot or photograph even better than the first. You may even improve the story in the process!
Keepin it real
These two articles reiterated what we already talked about in class. Not doctoring videos is vital. This is equal to not changing or making up quotes in print. Radio pieces would be even easier to do this with because there is no image to cue up to it. However, I believe that it is necessary to keep the validly by not doctoring the video because we as journalists rely on truth for our bread and butter. It is a journalist’s job to report the truth and not add to the story. While something may look better, the footage and interviews are the most essential part of the story. In the idea of Poynter, did it came out of our viewfinder?
Poynter brought up an interesting point by not using special editing techniques in the videos. This includes adding music. These elements can add to a person’s feeling toward the subject. We need to present it in an unbiased way so the viewer is able to look at the story and develop his or her own opinions about it. We need to just keep it real.
Poynter brought up an interesting point by not using special editing techniques in the videos. This includes adding music. These elements can add to a person’s feeling toward the subject. We need to present it in an unbiased way so the viewer is able to look at the story and develop his or her own opinions about it. We need to just keep it real.
All Over
So as I wrap up my Holy Road House story article, my Missourian plus article/photo gallery on the Localvore Challenge, and our group project on the interworkings of referees I realize, 'shit, I have other classes!' I have come to the conclusion that convergence reporting will rock me into a half sleep for roughly 5 hours a night, haunt me in my delusioned weariness, and slap me in the face when I'm far from ready to wake up...could you at least make me breakfast!? And as we all know, no. Eating is currently a luxury. ...And as I ramble on, I realize I don't have much of a point. Convergence is demanding, but that's why I'm/we're here. I am exhausted, but I'm learning. So, if the convergence gods feel like letting up, even the slightest amount, it would be much appreciated. But, if not, I will continue to keep on truckin. In the mean while, hope everyone else is able to get their stories done with as little stress as possible...but in reality, we're all in the same boat, clinging to our last breath of life, but making some kick ass projects in the process...
On staging
At the risk of oversimplifying an issue that occasionally has more gray area than I’m about to give it credit for, I don’t see video staging as all that much of a dilemma. We as journalists work in a profession predicated on truth and accuracy. As such, anything that could result in the deception of audiences has to go. Period.
Yes, in an ideal world we could show every major newsworthy occurrence exactly as it happened. However, as we all know far too well, the world isn’t an ideal. We don’t get every event of note on camera. So we make do with what we have. Whether it’s building a story around a particular event in a way that allows us to tell it effectively without showing said event or playing a security video that unfortunately doesn’t have sound (as was alluded to in the Poynter reading), the value of storytelling is easily trumped by the virtue of truth and transparency.
It isn’t good enough for journalists to be perfectly accurate 99 percent of the time. All it takes is one time for one allegedly inconsequential part of one story to be illuminated as fabricated in any regard, and a media outlet’s credibility can be completely shot. No matter how small a detail it appears to be, once the audience knows that we as journalists aren’t completely truthful, they will have no impetus to trust us in later controversies. It just isn’t worth it.
Yes, in an ideal world we could show every major newsworthy occurrence exactly as it happened. However, as we all know far too well, the world isn’t an ideal. We don’t get every event of note on camera. So we make do with what we have. Whether it’s building a story around a particular event in a way that allows us to tell it effectively without showing said event or playing a security video that unfortunately doesn’t have sound (as was alluded to in the Poynter reading), the value of storytelling is easily trumped by the virtue of truth and transparency.
It isn’t good enough for journalists to be perfectly accurate 99 percent of the time. All it takes is one time for one allegedly inconsequential part of one story to be illuminated as fabricated in any regard, and a media outlet’s credibility can be completely shot. No matter how small a detail it appears to be, once the audience knows that we as journalists aren’t completely truthful, they will have no impetus to trust us in later controversies. It just isn’t worth it.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Convergence Ethics
Between the the piece from Poynter.org on audio editing, and the staging piece, I think we can gain a pretty solid grasp of common ethical dilemnas facing modern journalists. With new technology comes even more possibility for questionable journalism standards, and it is important that budding journalists understand these points, even if they sometimes seem common sensical.
We recently talked about staging done by the Farm Security Administration during the depression in my history of photojournalism class, and the consensus was the same: it is never alright as long as one is a practicing journalist. Even if it is meant as a harmless, and in fact, a helpful act, it is never acceptable. Even with benign subject matter, such as the flower shop story mentioned by Wertheimer, it is still unquestionably unethical to stage for a story. Likewise, editing audio and video to be something it's not--by adding sound, music, or effects-- is also unethical. Simply put, because these can change the tone of the story, it is not accurately portraying the truth. This is not ethical journalism. And now more than ever, the profession needs a strict standard of ethics and journalists who will follow it without question.
We recently talked about staging done by the Farm Security Administration during the depression in my history of photojournalism class, and the consensus was the same: it is never alright as long as one is a practicing journalist. Even if it is meant as a harmless, and in fact, a helpful act, it is never acceptable. Even with benign subject matter, such as the flower shop story mentioned by Wertheimer, it is still unquestionably unethical to stage for a story. Likewise, editing audio and video to be something it's not--by adding sound, music, or effects-- is also unethical. Simply put, because these can change the tone of the story, it is not accurately portraying the truth. This is not ethical journalism. And now more than ever, the profession needs a strict standard of ethics and journalists who will follow it without question.
Video Staging
Wertheimer makes some excellent points. We as journalists really have to watch out for video staging because sometimes we don't even know that we are doing it. Video staging misleads the reader and a journalist's job is to report the truth and tell the readers about it. It would be a violation to stage a story and misleading to the reader.
And just as Wertheimer mentions, that one video staging exposed is a burden for all journalists. Now a majority of the public do not trust journalists in terms of staging and bias. We need to follow Wertheimer's example and be invisible as a journalist to report the news and get the truth. This is better said then done since a journalist's appearance can alter the situation. But Wertheimer offers suggests such as using wireless mics and leaving the subject alone and then catch them in their environment.
It is important that we stick to truthful, non-altered stories so journalists can report accurately and so the public doesn't think that we are misleading them. In an ideal world, we would want the public to trust us fully in terms of accuracy and the truth. But we have a long way to go to make it happen especially with media adapting to new technology.
And just as Wertheimer mentions, that one video staging exposed is a burden for all journalists. Now a majority of the public do not trust journalists in terms of staging and bias. We need to follow Wertheimer's example and be invisible as a journalist to report the news and get the truth. This is better said then done since a journalist's appearance can alter the situation. But Wertheimer offers suggests such as using wireless mics and leaving the subject alone and then catch them in their environment.
It is important that we stick to truthful, non-altered stories so journalists can report accurately and so the public doesn't think that we are misleading them. In an ideal world, we would want the public to trust us fully in terms of accuracy and the truth. But we have a long way to go to make it happen especially with media adapting to new technology.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Mario Manzini
Case of the subject being perfect in every way. Fascinating career, colorful past straight out of the movies (seriously, an escape artist growing up in a New York Mob family?), witty, lucid, probably an old hand at being interviewed, and living in Columbia no less. It certainly wasn't a chore to sit and listen through the radio story.
I thought the reporter waxed a little poetical on Manzini's appearance, but as we discussed in class, radio stories do that, and anyway it worked as a way to get Manzini's physical appearance across to the listeners. It matched his voice. Speaking of which, the introductory script went on for a while before we actually got to hear the mythical interviewee's voice. I liked the visual the reporter used - straitjacket, rope on fire - but then he kept going. I thought maybe he could have used some pithy soundbite from Manzini early on (the way newspaper articles usually put in a quote right after the lead) and then continued to set up the situation.
Jashin Lin
I thought the reporter waxed a little poetical on Manzini's appearance, but as we discussed in class, radio stories do that, and anyway it worked as a way to get Manzini's physical appearance across to the listeners. It matched his voice. Speaking of which, the introductory script went on for a while before we actually got to hear the mythical interviewee's voice. I liked the visual the reporter used - straitjacket, rope on fire - but then he kept going. I thought maybe he could have used some pithy soundbite from Manzini early on (the way newspaper articles usually put in a quote right after the lead) and then continued to set up the situation.
Jashin Lin
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Neuticles for dogs...
This story tells in a quite coherent and eloquent way. Before hearing this story, I thought neuticles is an unhuman behaviour to dogs. But now I think that if I owned a male dog, I would definitely bring him to a clinic for neuticles after hearing this KBIA story.
At the beginning, I hear the barn, which makes me feel that I am in the clinic. And in the end, I hear the sound again, as a response of the beginning. I really love this kind of editing. Also, the narrater does a good job. He relates this story in a relaxed and humorous tone. Especially when I hear his chuckle during the narration, I really feel resonant with what he is saying.
At the beginning, I hear the barn, which makes me feel that I am in the clinic. And in the end, I hear the sound again, as a response of the beginning. I really love this kind of editing. Also, the narrater does a good job. He relates this story in a relaxed and humorous tone. Especially when I hear his chuckle during the narration, I really feel resonant with what he is saying.
KBIA Stories
Suekyoung Kim
Justin Ray’s two stories about Neuticle and Adderall and Alex Grigsby’s story about Mario Manzini all three were interesting. I like the Adderall story best since I was interested in the subject of the story the most. The lead hooked me up first then the following information kept my attention during the overall running time. Study buddy, ivy league crack, the best thing happened to the college student since beer.. vs misuse, abuse, side effects.. it seems it shows the two sides of the subject very well and was informative to me who myself is a college student. He used several sources at the right times in several parts of his story. The story wasn’t boring at all and the tone of his voice was good enough to capture my attention.
Justin’s the other story about neuticle was also well done. There must be many pet owners who are interested in that information. One of my pets back home was neutered and he became a little abnormal since then. Implanting neuticles can be an option to consider for many pet owners and that makes this story informative. The story was good that it helped me to reflect implanting neuticles doesn’t set limits to only dogs and it helps control pet population. I liked the way it opened up the story with barking sound. It helped me to guess the unfamiliar term “neuticle” is related to dogs.
Alex Grigsby’s story about Mario Manzini who is in show business captivated my attention the least but was still interesting. The reason why I wasn’t very into it was because I was not very interested in the subject of the story; yet the reason why I still liked it was because the tone of narrator was exciting and the words such as straight jacket, burning rope, escapeologist, death defining stuff, adventure… were intriguing. The three KBIA stories were all great and had me think about some elements of good audio stories.
Justin Ray’s two stories about Neuticle and Adderall and Alex Grigsby’s story about Mario Manzini all three were interesting. I like the Adderall story best since I was interested in the subject of the story the most. The lead hooked me up first then the following information kept my attention during the overall running time. Study buddy, ivy league crack, the best thing happened to the college student since beer.. vs misuse, abuse, side effects.. it seems it shows the two sides of the subject very well and was informative to me who myself is a college student. He used several sources at the right times in several parts of his story. The story wasn’t boring at all and the tone of his voice was good enough to capture my attention.
Justin’s the other story about neuticle was also well done. There must be many pet owners who are interested in that information. One of my pets back home was neutered and he became a little abnormal since then. Implanting neuticles can be an option to consider for many pet owners and that makes this story informative. The story was good that it helped me to reflect implanting neuticles doesn’t set limits to only dogs and it helps control pet population. I liked the way it opened up the story with barking sound. It helped me to guess the unfamiliar term “neuticle” is related to dogs.
Alex Grigsby’s story about Mario Manzini who is in show business captivated my attention the least but was still interesting. The reason why I wasn’t very into it was because I was not very interested in the subject of the story; yet the reason why I still liked it was because the tone of narrator was exciting and the words such as straight jacket, burning rope, escapeologist, death defining stuff, adventure… were intriguing. The three KBIA stories were all great and had me think about some elements of good audio stories.
KBIA Story Blog
by Tanya Sneddon
KBIA reporter Kevin Lorenz did a segment called "Local Business Owners Respond to Festival." In this piece, Lorenz uncovers some mixed feelings about the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival which shut down much of the city of Columbia's downtown roadways. He interviews two local downtown business owners: one, from Bangkok Gardens, whose business suffered from the road closures of the festival, and also to the owner of Addisons, whose restaurant was busier than normal as a result of the festival. It was a well crafted audio piece but I could tell that Lorenz was new to the audio world because some of the edits were obvious and he only included natural sound in the beginning and end of the piece. Though well done, this natural sound could have been included at various times throughout the piece to really recreate the fun festival atmosphere. On the whole, it was an interesting and engaging piece and I enjoyed it as a listener.
KBIA reporter Kevin Lorenz did a segment called "Local Business Owners Respond to Festival." In this piece, Lorenz uncovers some mixed feelings about the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival which shut down much of the city of Columbia's downtown roadways. He interviews two local downtown business owners: one, from Bangkok Gardens, whose business suffered from the road closures of the festival, and also to the owner of Addisons, whose restaurant was busier than normal as a result of the festival. It was a well crafted audio piece but I could tell that Lorenz was new to the audio world because some of the edits were obvious and he only included natural sound in the beginning and end of the piece. Though well done, this natural sound could have been included at various times throughout the piece to really recreate the fun festival atmosphere. On the whole, it was an interesting and engaging piece and I enjoyed it as a listener.
Neuticles!
Tyson Sprick
This is great. A radio story about prosthetic animal testicles?! But as hilarious as it was, the story assignment was taken seriously, and it was actually a very informative piece. Jason Ray did an excellent job of using multiple sources to show different sides of the issue. There was just enough humor in it to portray to the listener that, yes, it's an extreme measure, but people really do implant silicon testicles into their pets. The nat sound at the beginning and end was a nice tidy frame for the story, and it set the tone. I can't say that the sounds were unpredictable though. Nevertheless, they were effective in easing the listeners into the story and fading them out as well.
I think the keys to take from this story would be interviewing multiple sources who provide different views on the subject, try to aim for unique natural sound, and have fun but in a professional way. Not all stories are serious and grim, and I think that's okay. Overall it was an entertaining, informative story that appealed to a wide range of listeners. Well done.
This is great. A radio story about prosthetic animal testicles?! But as hilarious as it was, the story assignment was taken seriously, and it was actually a very informative piece. Jason Ray did an excellent job of using multiple sources to show different sides of the issue. There was just enough humor in it to portray to the listener that, yes, it's an extreme measure, but people really do implant silicon testicles into their pets. The nat sound at the beginning and end was a nice tidy frame for the story, and it set the tone. I can't say that the sounds were unpredictable though. Nevertheless, they were effective in easing the listeners into the story and fading them out as well.
I think the keys to take from this story would be interviewing multiple sources who provide different views on the subject, try to aim for unique natural sound, and have fun but in a professional way. Not all stories are serious and grim, and I think that's okay. Overall it was an entertaining, informative story that appealed to a wide range of listeners. Well done.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
KBIA stories
My favorite story is Neuticles. I learned a new word, thanks to it, for a start. The reporter used natural sounds pretty well (the dog moaning at the end of the story), but not as impressively as what we heard in our class (the story of frogs as food in
There is hardly any sound effect in the other two stories, it seems to me. It’s understandable with “Adderall” due to its serious and “soundless” subject, but “Mario Manzini” could have been turned into a more exciting story: like some sounds to help us imagine Mario Manzine as a real, touchable guy, for example his driving a car away or listening to music. The reporter did a good job describing him so vividly though.
Mario Manzini
Eric Thibault
I thought that the Mario Manzini piece had its positives and its negatives. As a whole, I thought it was average at best, considering the potential of the subject.
The reporter did a nice job of finding an interesting story. He found a local guy with an extraordinary career, and dove further into the guy's life than just focusing on some of his stunts. I thought Manzini's relationship with his family was especially intriguing - it is ironic to have a choice between being an escape artist and a mobster.
Several angles of Manzini's life were covered, and it was good to have some family background, some reasoning for why he loves his profession, and an explanation for how he became an "escapologist." Manzini opened up and was very candid about his life - some of the credit there has to go to the reporter.
However, I thought there were several small distractions that took away from the piece. First was the description of Manzini before we hear his voice. The Popeye reference could have easily thrown the listener off, and describing Manzini's voice as having an "Italian accent" is fairly misleading. He is from New York, not Italy, and appears to have an American-Italian accent. I was waiting to hear some sort of heavy, Italian-as-a-first-language voice, which was not the case.
There were a few contradictions that went unexplained, such as Manzini describing his father as a "good" man, only then going on to talk about how he needed to get away from his family. The reporter should have sought a little more clarity. Also, if being an escape artist "saved his life," then how is his profession more dangerous than carrying a gun and being part of the mob?
On the technical side, the audio levels for Manzini also seemed to differ greatly from clip to clip. I thought the reporter used good timing on when to insert Manzini's clips, and they fit well into the context of the story.
It wasn't bad, I just thought he could have done a less-confusing job with the material at hand.
I thought that the Mario Manzini piece had its positives and its negatives. As a whole, I thought it was average at best, considering the potential of the subject.
The reporter did a nice job of finding an interesting story. He found a local guy with an extraordinary career, and dove further into the guy's life than just focusing on some of his stunts. I thought Manzini's relationship with his family was especially intriguing - it is ironic to have a choice between being an escape artist and a mobster.
Several angles of Manzini's life were covered, and it was good to have some family background, some reasoning for why he loves his profession, and an explanation for how he became an "escapologist." Manzini opened up and was very candid about his life - some of the credit there has to go to the reporter.
However, I thought there were several small distractions that took away from the piece. First was the description of Manzini before we hear his voice. The Popeye reference could have easily thrown the listener off, and describing Manzini's voice as having an "Italian accent" is fairly misleading. He is from New York, not Italy, and appears to have an American-Italian accent. I was waiting to hear some sort of heavy, Italian-as-a-first-language voice, which was not the case.
There were a few contradictions that went unexplained, such as Manzini describing his father as a "good" man, only then going on to talk about how he needed to get away from his family. The reporter should have sought a little more clarity. Also, if being an escape artist "saved his life," then how is his profession more dangerous than carrying a gun and being part of the mob?
On the technical side, the audio levels for Manzini also seemed to differ greatly from clip to clip. I thought the reporter used good timing on when to insert Manzini's clips, and they fit well into the context of the story.
It wasn't bad, I just thought he could have done a less-confusing job with the material at hand.
KBIA stories
Xenia Shih
It seems like no one else liked the Mario Manzini story, but I happened to enjoy it quite a bit. I agree that it was not the strongest story out of the trio, but I feel that Manzini's voice and his anecdotes really gave the story character. His family background and the deepness of his voice made the story really entertaining because they were unexpected. In general, I just enjoyed listening to the story because it was on a fairly novel topic.
I also enjoyed the Neuticles story because I thought that the reporter did a good job of incorporating humor into it. Not only was it informative (since I've never heard of fake testicles for pets before), but it was entertaining as well. I liked the way the reporter interviewed both the creator of the product as well as a veterinarian who thought the product was silly, therefore showing two different takes on the product.
It seems like no one else liked the Mario Manzini story, but I happened to enjoy it quite a bit. I agree that it was not the strongest story out of the trio, but I feel that Manzini's voice and his anecdotes really gave the story character. His family background and the deepness of his voice made the story really entertaining because they were unexpected. In general, I just enjoyed listening to the story because it was on a fairly novel topic.
I also enjoyed the Neuticles story because I thought that the reporter did a good job of incorporating humor into it. Not only was it informative (since I've never heard of fake testicles for pets before), but it was entertaining as well. I liked the way the reporter interviewed both the creator of the product as well as a veterinarian who thought the product was silly, therefore showing two different takes on the product.
Dog Balls
Sure, the story on Adderall is probably the best of the three. It goes deepest, has the best interviews, which likely were hard to get; and serves an important informational function. Despite all that, I’m going with Neuticles, and I’m guessing I’m not alone. The reason is simple. It’s very entertaining. And I quote, “the Cadillac of prosthetic dog testicles is priced in excess of 900 bones.” That’s brilliant. You can almost hear the reporter stifling a laugh.
In a journalistic sense, Neuticals has value because of the commonness of pet ownership. A significant portion of those owners, I imagine, have neutered or at least have considered neutering their animal. Also, the reporter does a good job of tracking down a veterinarian to speak to the motivation of buyers. Really, though, it’s all just a bunch of silliness, but why should that matter? It informs and entertains. In my opinion, the former doesn’t necessarily have to overshadow the latter.
Another thing I liked about Neuticles is that it’s short. That works for me. It was punchy, direct and complete.
In a journalistic sense, Neuticals has value because of the commonness of pet ownership. A significant portion of those owners, I imagine, have neutered or at least have considered neutering their animal. Also, the reporter does a good job of tracking down a veterinarian to speak to the motivation of buyers. Really, though, it’s all just a bunch of silliness, but why should that matter? It informs and entertains. In my opinion, the former doesn’t necessarily have to overshadow the latter.
Another thing I liked about Neuticles is that it’s short. That works for me. It was punchy, direct and complete.
KBIA Adderall Story
Jessica Malnik
All of the KBIA stories were interesting and well written. However in my opinion, the Adderall story was the best. The reporter does an excellent job of intermixing quotes with his own narration. He first introduced the issue, which included some background research. Then, he had a quote from an Adderall user. This was followed up by quotes from an Adderall seller, and various expert sources. Overall, the order of the quotes made the piece flow nicely together. The story was well rounded because of the various perspectives. The story included the perspectives of a user, a seller and experts. The reporter, also, smoothly incorporated his background research, which added depth to the story. Finally, the story has smooth transitions with good natural sound. All of these things made the story easy to follow, interesting and informative.
All of the KBIA stories were interesting and well written. However in my opinion, the Adderall story was the best. The reporter does an excellent job of intermixing quotes with his own narration. He first introduced the issue, which included some background research. Then, he had a quote from an Adderall user. This was followed up by quotes from an Adderall seller, and various expert sources. Overall, the order of the quotes made the piece flow nicely together. The story was well rounded because of the various perspectives. The story included the perspectives of a user, a seller and experts. The reporter, also, smoothly incorporated his background research, which added depth to the story. Finally, the story has smooth transitions with good natural sound. All of these things made the story easy to follow, interesting and informative.
KBIA Stories
Out of the three stories from KBIA, I felt that the Adderall and Neuticles stories were the strongest. While the Neuticles story was interesting because of its novelty, the report on Adderall use at MU was very informative. One aspect I found especially interesting was the reporter's use of anonymous sources. Normally in print stories this is frowned upon because of issues of verification and trust. In this radio piece, however, the listener hears the voice of an Adderall user and can reasonably trust that the person is exists. The Adderall story also seemed to feature all the people we needed to hear from: a user, a seller, a health professional and a MU official.
I didn't really care for the Mario Manzini story because it was difficult to follow. Also, Manzini's audio pops and in general sounds unpleasant.
I didn't really care for the Mario Manzini story because it was difficult to follow. Also, Manzini's audio pops and in general sounds unpleasant.
Adderall KBIA Story
Eric Durban
I thought the story was well written and the information flowed well. The producer intermixed interview clips well to break up the monologues. I did hear many technical issues though. Several times throughout the story the level of the reporters voice changed, as if he was recording his dialogue from multiple places. Even if he were recording from different places, he should work to make the difference negligible to the listener. Also, on a couple of the interviews I could hear cord noise and some mic interference. In all fairness the mic noise could be the fault of the interviewee. The story provided good information and the wide range of sources helped to build the story's credibility. The producer could have possibly added some effects to the narrative to make the piece a little more engaging, maybe nat sound somewhere or light music. Maybe these options aren't feasible or don't work well, but a little something extra could have moved the piece along. I have listened to NPR for years and have grown fond of the music or nat sound played before and after a piece. Perhaps it was edited out of this piece.
I thought the story was well written and the information flowed well. The producer intermixed interview clips well to break up the monologues. I did hear many technical issues though. Several times throughout the story the level of the reporters voice changed, as if he was recording his dialogue from multiple places. Even if he were recording from different places, he should work to make the difference negligible to the listener. Also, on a couple of the interviews I could hear cord noise and some mic interference. In all fairness the mic noise could be the fault of the interviewee. The story provided good information and the wide range of sources helped to build the story's credibility. The producer could have possibly added some effects to the narrative to make the piece a little more engaging, maybe nat sound somewhere or light music. Maybe these options aren't feasible or don't work well, but a little something extra could have moved the piece along. I have listened to NPR for years and have grown fond of the music or nat sound played before and after a piece. Perhaps it was edited out of this piece.
Neuticals
Justin Ray’s article on neuticals was a topic that I would have never expected to hear. The very idea of dog testicular implants is usual and a little off the wall.
I was, however, roped into listening to this topic because of that very same reason, I was interested to find out why people would give this idea consideration for their own pet in the first place and I also wanted to know more about the man who first thought of this idea.
I thought the article gave me all the information that I wanted to know and did it in a conversational and useful manner. I enjoyed the narrator guiding the story because I felt that it gave the story a structure. This was nicely balanced off with a mixture of phone interviews from the inventor, a vet and an everyday person. The use of interview felt like it gave the story some factual grounding and kept it interesting.
The reporter spoke in a clean and easy tone that was very universal and overall I thought the story was presented as a fascinating and informative manner.
I was, however, roped into listening to this topic because of that very same reason, I was interested to find out why people would give this idea consideration for their own pet in the first place and I also wanted to know more about the man who first thought of this idea.
I thought the article gave me all the information that I wanted to know and did it in a conversational and useful manner. I enjoyed the narrator guiding the story because I felt that it gave the story a structure. This was nicely balanced off with a mixture of phone interviews from the inventor, a vet and an everyday person. The use of interview felt like it gave the story some factual grounding and kept it interesting.
The reporter spoke in a clean and easy tone that was very universal and overall I thought the story was presented as a fascinating and informative manner.
In my opinion, the story about the use of Adderall was written very well, having lots of information in a concise and efficient way. The story was also very good about using many sources, in turn giving different perspectives. This allows the audience to make up their own mind instead of being "told" what to think. The way the story flowed was something that caught my "ear" as well. The story transitioned cuts very fluidly and not once did I feel there was unnecessary sound. However, I also think that a little more sound could have been added, such as natural sound. I realize that with a story like this, it could be difficult to retrieve natural sound, but sometimes the lack of background noise was pretty obvious.
A KBIA story
Su Jing
I listened to all the three stories. The Neuticles story is most ear-catching, because it is bizarre and amusing. In this story, nature sounds, interviewees’ voice and explanatory voice are well weaved together. A length of three to four minutes is an appropriate span for a radio story.
However, I want to say more about the story of Adderall. As a student, I am always interested in stories on campus. The Adderall story caught my attention because it is relevant to my life. I want to give the reporter applause for a good job of explicating the medical word “Adderall” in simple words. It was the first time that I heard the word Adderall, and I even couldn’t find it in a dictionary, but when I listened to the story, I understood the meaning of it. I could see the reporter’s ambition in this story. He interviewed students who used the drug and sold the drug, interviewed a doctor, and interviewed relevant persons who represented opinions of school. Opinions from different people made the story balanced and objective. But I also wanted to hear voice from students who doesn’t use the drug. What are their attitudes toward using Adderall and how do they tackle stress from study and tests? Additionally, a six-minute story is too long to concentrate from beginning to the end. Maybe the topic is better for a piece of TV news.
I listened to all the three stories. The Neuticles story is most ear-catching, because it is bizarre and amusing. In this story, nature sounds, interviewees’ voice and explanatory voice are well weaved together. A length of three to four minutes is an appropriate span for a radio story.
However, I want to say more about the story of Adderall. As a student, I am always interested in stories on campus. The Adderall story caught my attention because it is relevant to my life. I want to give the reporter applause for a good job of explicating the medical word “Adderall” in simple words. It was the first time that I heard the word Adderall, and I even couldn’t find it in a dictionary, but when I listened to the story, I understood the meaning of it. I could see the reporter’s ambition in this story. He interviewed students who used the drug and sold the drug, interviewed a doctor, and interviewed relevant persons who represented opinions of school. Opinions from different people made the story balanced and objective. But I also wanted to hear voice from students who doesn’t use the drug. What are their attitudes toward using Adderall and how do they tackle stress from study and tests? Additionally, a six-minute story is too long to concentrate from beginning to the end. Maybe the topic is better for a piece of TV news.
KBIA Adderal Broadcast
Up to this class, I had never really listened to radio news (excepting horrible conservative talk radio programs for entertainment), but after listening to the examples from class I may have to make it more of a habit. I never realized that radio could be as informative and well-written as print, but I’ve really started to take notice of the way radio stories are written and the way words are used.
I felt the “Adderal” story by KBIA did an excellent job of relaying lots of information very simply and effectively. The story used a wide variety of sources and the quotes were never empty and always added something to the story itself. The flow of the story was another thing that was exceptional; the story moved from local to national and from medical perspectives to user perspectives without ever breaking the cohesion of the story. The only thing I felt was lacking was the lack of natural sound. I guess it would be difficult to get natural sound from a story like this, but sometimes the background noise seemed kind of empty.
I felt the “Adderal” story by KBIA did an excellent job of relaying lots of information very simply and effectively. The story used a wide variety of sources and the quotes were never empty and always added something to the story itself. The flow of the story was another thing that was exceptional; the story moved from local to national and from medical perspectives to user perspectives without ever breaking the cohesion of the story. The only thing I felt was lacking was the lack of natural sound. I guess it would be difficult to get natural sound from a story like this, but sometimes the background noise seemed kind of empty.
Adderall
- Erick Ward
I really liked the beginning of the audio clip. The repetition of assingments, coffee, etc. along with the stress in his voice really brought me into the rest of his clip. I also think that this is a good story for an audio clip, because a lot of the people interviewed wanted to be anonymous. Visuals of the pills and the Health Center representative would have gotten pretty repetitive. Also, even though it is a long clip, because he talks to so many people and looks at this topic from a variety of angles he is able to keep me interested in the subject.
I really liked the beginning of the audio clip. The repetition of assingments, coffee, etc. along with the stress in his voice really brought me into the rest of his clip. I also think that this is a good story for an audio clip, because a lot of the people interviewed wanted to be anonymous. Visuals of the pills and the Health Center representative would have gotten pretty repetitive. Also, even though it is a long clip, because he talks to so many people and looks at this topic from a variety of angles he is able to keep me interested in the subject.
Monday, September 17, 2007
KBIA Adderall
In the clip on Adderall I loved the way the reporter listed all the stressful situations, which cause students to take Adderall. It made me feel stressed just hearing all of that. I think the reporter told both sides of the stories very well. I liked that the reporter interviewed a girl who has ADD and sells her Adderall to those without ADD, who supports the use of Adderall without ADD speak. The Health Center representative then points out the problems with taking Adderall when not perscribed. I think this reporter really got around the issue of Adderall. He spoke about a study at the University of Wisconsin and Adderall’s place on Facebook. He really came at this story from all angles and covered the issue really well. However, it is hard to listen to this much information all at once without any stimulation other than audio. It was a long piece with a lot of important information in it, but I think there was too much going on and it was a little long.
Mario Manzini
As a member of an Italian family still connected with its heritage, the part of the story that most sticks out in my mind was the inclusion of the Manzini family's place in the mob. Perhaps I'm oversensitive about the topic, but I couldn't help but wonder the relevance of that side of Manzini's life in this story. I understand it was a family tradition he didn't want to carry on, and entertaining was his way to avoid following his father. At the same time, the story makes it seem like Manzini would have been an entertainer regardless. So, if that's the case, do we need to know his family was in the mob and further support a common misconception of all Italians?
Anyway, I'm sure that wasn't the point of listening to these stories, but that's what I remember most about that one. I also have to say that I thought the reporter talked too much at the beginning. I wanted to hear Manzini sooner. In general, the reporter told a lot that Manzini could have told himself. Some background noise was distracting as well but I'm sure inevitable.
Anyway, I'm sure that wasn't the point of listening to these stories, but that's what I remember most about that one. I also have to say that I thought the reporter talked too much at the beginning. I wanted to hear Manzini sooner. In general, the reporter told a lot that Manzini could have told himself. Some background noise was distracting as well but I'm sure inevitable.
KBIA Stories
Both the Neuticles and Adderall stories on KBIA were filled with voice and context but lacked the natural sound. I don’t recall hearing any natural sound in the Adderall piece and only a clip at the beginning and end on the Neuticles piece of dogs barking. I would have liked to here maybe someone taking an Adderall pill out of a bottle or someone swallowing an Adderall pill. I feel like I needed something to help me visualize the Adderall story since I did not have any video with it. Other than that, I thought the stories were put together well. There was a good mixture of the reporters speaking and the interviewees talking. Both reporters talk to a variety of people, which gave each story more depth. Also, the editing was fairly good with both stories. I did not hear any abrupt cuts.
KBIA Stories
These three stories were a very broad range of topics. I like that there is a good variety of stories on KBIA, and how there can be something for everyone.
All three brought something a little bit different to the table. The one I found the most interesting was the Adderall story, because of its relevance to students. This information is something that is very beneficial and is shedding light on a problem that people may not know about. It gave me a lot of information that I didn't know. The story about Mario Manzini was a nice human interest piece, but I didn't see how a lot of it went into his career as an escape artist. Overall, my favorite was the Neuticles story. I even called my roommates in from the other room to listen to it, because I found it amusing (prothestic dog testicles???) and knew none of us had ever heard of it before.
The only story with natural sound was the piece about neuticles, which I think helped. The dogs in the background drove home the point about how dogs can get angry about going to the vet, etc. I don't really know how it could have been incorporated into the other two.
I still can't get over the fact that someone wanted to put fake testicles on an alligator. What is this world coming to?...
All three brought something a little bit different to the table. The one I found the most interesting was the Adderall story, because of its relevance to students. This information is something that is very beneficial and is shedding light on a problem that people may not know about. It gave me a lot of information that I didn't know. The story about Mario Manzini was a nice human interest piece, but I didn't see how a lot of it went into his career as an escape artist. Overall, my favorite was the Neuticles story. I even called my roommates in from the other room to listen to it, because I found it amusing (prothestic dog testicles???) and knew none of us had ever heard of it before.
The only story with natural sound was the piece about neuticles, which I think helped. The dogs in the background drove home the point about how dogs can get angry about going to the vet, etc. I don't really know how it could have been incorporated into the other two.
I still can't get over the fact that someone wanted to put fake testicles on an alligator. What is this world coming to?...
A KBIA Story
Thanyarat Doksone
Of all three KBIA stories, I found the story about Adderall most interesting. For college students, the introduction part alone could capture their attention easily, as they would find the story relevant to them. While the script was well-written and descriptive, the variety of sound bites did keep the listeners attracted to the story. Different sources in the news were brought up to provide useful information and opinions for the listeners and the producer kept numbers in the story simple for them to digest. Despite few abrupt cuts at the end of some interviews, the overall quality of sound was clear. Still, the absence of natural sound made the piece look longer than it actually was.
Of all three KBIA stories, I found the story about Adderall most interesting. For college students, the introduction part alone could capture their attention easily, as they would find the story relevant to them. While the script was well-written and descriptive, the variety of sound bites did keep the listeners attracted to the story. Different sources in the news were brought up to provide useful information and opinions for the listeners and the producer kept numbers in the story simple for them to digest. Despite few abrupt cuts at the end of some interviews, the overall quality of sound was clear. Still, the absence of natural sound made the piece look longer than it actually was.
Brand Neuticles
J.J. Bailey
If an entire story is based on a reporter's ability to keep the listener interested, then a story about prosthetic dog testicles will certainly do the trick. I thought the story was well put together.
There we're many natural sounds in the middle of the piece, but I didn't find myself wanting any. I felt the material and the interviews kept me intrigued and tuned in. Despite the comical subject matter, the reporter did a good job of presenting both sides of the issue and giving reasons why both camps had their convictions. The natural sounds at the beginning and the end worked as a cyclical element to the story. Also, the voice quality was really high throughout. The only question I have is: Who is buying 900 dollar, XXL fake testicles?
If an entire story is based on a reporter's ability to keep the listener interested, then a story about prosthetic dog testicles will certainly do the trick. I thought the story was well put together.
There we're many natural sounds in the middle of the piece, but I didn't find myself wanting any. I felt the material and the interviews kept me intrigued and tuned in. Despite the comical subject matter, the reporter did a good job of presenting both sides of the issue and giving reasons why both camps had their convictions. The natural sounds at the beginning and the end worked as a cyclical element to the story. Also, the voice quality was really high throughout. The only question I have is: Who is buying 900 dollar, XXL fake testicles?
Industry Leaders Abound in Missouri
Lee Morehouse
I was interested in the Neuticles story because I had heard somewhere that Kansas City was the leading exporter of fake dog testicles. I didn't know the term "neuticles" yet, and I didn't know why. Both of those insufficiencies of knowledge were addressed, and I thought the piece was very well put together. The man behind the operation had good personality which was shown well by the questions he was asked to answer. Natural sound was good but limited, but I think that was good given the comic nature of the story. It would be fairly easy to dive over into mockery given the wrong sound set. Several balanced viewpoints were given, and it was easy to follow along, something that I always find important when listening to radio stories.
I was interested in the Neuticles story because I had heard somewhere that Kansas City was the leading exporter of fake dog testicles. I didn't know the term "neuticles" yet, and I didn't know why. Both of those insufficiencies of knowledge were addressed, and I thought the piece was very well put together. The man behind the operation had good personality which was shown well by the questions he was asked to answer. Natural sound was good but limited, but I think that was good given the comic nature of the story. It would be fairly easy to dive over into mockery given the wrong sound set. Several balanced viewpoints were given, and it was easy to follow along, something that I always find important when listening to radio stories.
Neuticles?!
I listened to all of the KBIA stories, but this one stuck out to me simply for its bizarre content. The fact that people would actually invest in artificial testicles for their dog (cat/horse/bull) is beyond me, but I suppose that's beside the point.
I thought the actual piece is very well done. As far as interviews, I think there is a good selection of sources: the inventor of the product, a doctor that implants the product, and a veternarian in Columbia that highlights the absurdity of the product. There is a good combination of the reporter's voice and those of the sources. I also think that the reporter does a good job of remaining objective, and resisted poking any fun at the idea.
As far as natural noise goes, I think that considering the story theme, there is an adequate amount. The piece features the sound of dogs barking at the opening, and then another dog whimpering towards the end. There is also a clip of the company's phone recording. Past that, I don't know how else natural sound could have been incorporated.
Overall, I was impressed with the conciseness and entertainment value of the piece.
Andrea Stark
I thought the actual piece is very well done. As far as interviews, I think there is a good selection of sources: the inventor of the product, a doctor that implants the product, and a veternarian in Columbia that highlights the absurdity of the product. There is a good combination of the reporter's voice and those of the sources. I also think that the reporter does a good job of remaining objective, and resisted poking any fun at the idea.
As far as natural noise goes, I think that considering the story theme, there is an adequate amount. The piece features the sound of dogs barking at the opening, and then another dog whimpering towards the end. There is also a clip of the company's phone recording. Past that, I don't know how else natural sound could have been incorporated.
Overall, I was impressed with the conciseness and entertainment value of the piece.
Andrea Stark
KBIA's Adderall piece
What I like about KBIA’s Adderall piece is the way the story is unfolded in this lead. “Tests, papers, stress, projects, deadlines, sleepless nights, more papers, more test, more coffee, another sleepless night.” The parallel of short words ejaculated at the beginning gives the story a tense tone, and successfully leads to its theme about misuse of Adderall. Overall the entire piece is logically structured, with quotes from a variety of sources including anonymous students, student health center staff and pharmacists. The strength of the story is that it does not only cover the phenomenon from the campus point of view, but touched deeper issues about drug regulation across campuses and possible ways of avoiding over-prescription of Adderall.
But there are also questions about the ways this story is edited. At one point when one of the anonymous Adderall user said that he was able to get the drug illegally, I was wondering how he could do that. And the answer to this question does not come until Student Health Center staff gave all her opinion about the side effects of misusing the drug. My idea is that it could’ve worked better when the audience knows how severe the misuse of this drug is (ie, how easy it is for students to get this drug.) And then have in-depth understanding about the side effects, which provides better understanding about this problem. The other thing I find very interesting is the way the producers juxtapose conflicting points of view about this issue at the end of the program. It shows to the audience how differently drug users and pharmacists think, but there could’ve been a neutral third voice that wraps up the piece in a more problem-solving approach, instead of leaving audiences a strong impression about how students wouldn’t want to stop. Given that a lot of KBIA listeners are students, it wouldn’t be a great idea to let them to think about Adderall as an option when the exam comes.
But there are also questions about the ways this story is edited. At one point when one of the anonymous Adderall user said that he was able to get the drug illegally, I was wondering how he could do that. And the answer to this question does not come until Student Health Center staff gave all her opinion about the side effects of misusing the drug. My idea is that it could’ve worked better when the audience knows how severe the misuse of this drug is (ie, how easy it is for students to get this drug.) And then have in-depth understanding about the side effects, which provides better understanding about this problem. The other thing I find very interesting is the way the producers juxtapose conflicting points of view about this issue at the end of the program. It shows to the audience how differently drug users and pharmacists think, but there could’ve been a neutral third voice that wraps up the piece in a more problem-solving approach, instead of leaving audiences a strong impression about how students wouldn’t want to stop. Given that a lot of KBIA listeners are students, it wouldn’t be a great idea to let them to think about Adderall as an option when the exam comes.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
On the Adderall piece
For the most part, I really liked the KBIA story on Adderall. The reporter did a good job of keeping his points succinct and cogent, introducing his sources and intertwining his speaking parts with their commentary. I really liked the fact that for many of his sources, the reporter gave a brief summation of their overall viewpoint beforehand, which served as a foundation for the more specific commentaries he left to his interviewees. The content of the story was certainly intriguing, and the mix of voices as well as the easy-to-understand nature of speech.
If I have any complaint for the Adderall story, it’s that there probably wasn’t enough natural sound. The fact of the matter is that with the exception of a few seconds, the clip was virtually purely voices and nothing else. Granted, I’m not sure what the ideal sound backdrop for a story about Adderall is – and I need to do some thinking on that – but I do believe there probably should have been something there just to add a little color. But beyond that, props to all parties involved for a good job all around on the Adderall piece.
If I have any complaint for the Adderall story, it’s that there probably wasn’t enough natural sound. The fact of the matter is that with the exception of a few seconds, the clip was virtually purely voices and nothing else. Granted, I’m not sure what the ideal sound backdrop for a story about Adderall is – and I need to do some thinking on that – but I do believe there probably should have been something there just to add a little color. But beyond that, props to all parties involved for a good job all around on the Adderall piece.
Radio stories
I enjoyed the KBIA articles, but I missed the natural sounds. The first story, Neuticals, included the dog’s voice at the beginning and the end, but other than that, it lacked the natural sounds, which is probably the most difficult aspect of a radio story. I liked how the reporter introduced the voices and developed them.
The straight jackets story was interesting, but I missed the good conversation that was available to the reporter. The performer had a very good voice, and it could have been used more in depth. There was too much reporter talking and not enough talking by the interviewee. I did enjoy the description of the man. Without the image, it is helpful to describe the interviewee in an interesting way to hook the reader. However, I stopped pay attention, and it seemed to drag on too long.
The Adderall story was my favorite story. It had a good introduction, to open to the feeling of what that might be like to be on adderall. It lacked natural sound (some classroom sounds would have been helpful). It was easy to pay attention to the story as the whole thing flowed well and was cohesive. The best part of the story was the expert sources mixed with information and facts. This showed the impact to students making it relevant to the listeners, especially students that might be affected.
The straight jackets story was interesting, but I missed the good conversation that was available to the reporter. The performer had a very good voice, and it could have been used more in depth. There was too much reporter talking and not enough talking by the interviewee. I did enjoy the description of the man. Without the image, it is helpful to describe the interviewee in an interesting way to hook the reader. However, I stopped pay attention, and it seemed to drag on too long.
The Adderall story was my favorite story. It had a good introduction, to open to the feeling of what that might be like to be on adderall. It lacked natural sound (some classroom sounds would have been helpful). It was easy to pay attention to the story as the whole thing flowed well and was cohesive. The best part of the story was the expert sources mixed with information and facts. This showed the impact to students making it relevant to the listeners, especially students that might be affected.
Friday, September 14, 2007
When story ideas fail
So this week has been a bit of a rough one for me with regards to story ideas. My feature groups was forced to repitch today, and my Missourian shift once again went awry. The photo story I had planned became logistically impossible, and left me storyless on a Thursday. Luckily, I found a story on the women in media collection at Ellis, and I ran into a kickball league for adults that sounds really fun.
It just kind of put things in persective for me in that I need to always be thinking about story ideas. Not that I haven't before, but it needs to be somethting more active, because to have a story dues in a day or two and to have no story ideas is a place that I never want to be again.
It just kind of put things in persective for me in that I need to always be thinking about story ideas. Not that I haven't before, but it needs to be somethting more active, because to have a story dues in a day or two and to have no story ideas is a place that I never want to be again.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
KBIA--Manzini
I listened to the Mario Manzini story. I thought it was very conversational and the piece was very descriptive especially at the start with his outfits and stunts. The only voices were the reporter and Manzini but I thought they could have used more voices like fans, people who have seen his stunts, or people who have orchestrated/produced the stunts. I thought it was important that the story explained why he calls Columbia home and his past, including the NY crime. His family roots obviously shape who he is today and I think it's funny the show business actually saved him from crime. Today it seems show business ruins so many people.
I like how he has a care free attitude to life and wants to die living life as an adventure. But I thought it was odd that Manzini feels uncomfortable during his stunts in constraint and it's his job! And it's interesting that his job today is most likely more dangerous than if he would have chose a life a crime in NY.
The only criticisms I had about the piece is that it was just the reporter and Manzini. I thought they could of added in some background noise or sound effects of his stunts or him putting on one of his jackets. Also, I felt like the reporter and Manzini were disconnected. It didn't really seem like an interview to me. It was too distant for my taste.
I like how he has a care free attitude to life and wants to die living life as an adventure. But I thought it was odd that Manzini feels uncomfortable during his stunts in constraint and it's his job! And it's interesting that his job today is most likely more dangerous than if he would have chose a life a crime in NY.
The only criticisms I had about the piece is that it was just the reporter and Manzini. I thought they could of added in some background noise or sound effects of his stunts or him putting on one of his jackets. Also, I felt like the reporter and Manzini were disconnected. It didn't really seem like an interview to me. It was too distant for my taste.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
It's hard to say what I liked best out of the POYi winners. At least 98% of the photos struck me in some way, but the impacts were of course different. What I can appreciate equally is the amazing skill, timing, and fortune that went into each photo. On first impulse, I was drawn towards the science and nature photographs for their abstract beauty, composition, and geeky interest. To be honest, they were a relieving change from the hard news photographs.
From Jashin Lin
From Jashin Lin
POYi
Tyson Sprick
I really appreciated the "Final Salute" multimedia story from Rocky Mountain news. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, but it was very touching and took me to the places the article described. An in-depth article like that is good on its own, but the captivating pictures paired with touching audio really added so much to the story. Instead of just reading about the young widow crying we were able to see it and listen to her voice describe going through her husband's death.
The different presentations showed different stories and aspects from under the same umbrella, much like the text did with its different parts and sub headlines. But people identify more with images and sound, and that is why the additional audio slideshows were such a touching addition. I think this is where convergence is heading, toward in-depth features like these, and I don't think anything but good can come out of it. The first week we read opposing responses to "backpack" journalism, discussing the positives and negatives of the movement. But I'd like someone to tell me how presentations like this are "half-ass" journalism or denigrating the quality of our media. I would love to see more projects like this in the future, and I think it's inevitable that we will.
I really appreciated the "Final Salute" multimedia story from Rocky Mountain news. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, but it was very touching and took me to the places the article described. An in-depth article like that is good on its own, but the captivating pictures paired with touching audio really added so much to the story. Instead of just reading about the young widow crying we were able to see it and listen to her voice describe going through her husband's death.
The different presentations showed different stories and aspects from under the same umbrella, much like the text did with its different parts and sub headlines. But people identify more with images and sound, and that is why the additional audio slideshows were such a touching addition. I think this is where convergence is heading, toward in-depth features like these, and I don't think anything but good can come out of it. The first week we read opposing responses to "backpack" journalism, discussing the positives and negatives of the movement. But I'd like someone to tell me how presentations like this are "half-ass" journalism or denigrating the quality of our media. I would love to see more projects like this in the future, and I think it's inevitable that we will.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Good Pictures
Eric Durban
The photos displayed were all fascinating. So many of them cut to the core of who we are as people and what our world is like. I particularly liked the "Holdout" photo of a woman leaving her house after Katrina. Before, during, and after the disaster the media flooded our country with anything they could think of showing. Some of it was great journalism, and other things were just shown for the sake of covering the subject. Photography can take us to places will never be and this photo certainly did that. I believe this is also an instance of the power of photography over video. The event becomes much more gripping and intense because we have it captured in one image. Live TV is great, but I don't think it would have been able to do justice to this moment as the photo did.
The photo of the gypsy boys was also very intriguing. It was almost a profile picture without being a profile. We see their facial expressions without seeing their eyes. Having the tattoo's in the photo kind of creates the profile. To me it seems like the boys recognize each other from their various animal tattoo's. It takes the reader into a new world they probably haven't encountered.
The photos displayed were all fascinating. So many of them cut to the core of who we are as people and what our world is like. I particularly liked the "Holdout" photo of a woman leaving her house after Katrina. Before, during, and after the disaster the media flooded our country with anything they could think of showing. Some of it was great journalism, and other things were just shown for the sake of covering the subject. Photography can take us to places will never be and this photo certainly did that. I believe this is also an instance of the power of photography over video. The event becomes much more gripping and intense because we have it captured in one image. Live TV is great, but I don't think it would have been able to do justice to this moment as the photo did.
The photo of the gypsy boys was also very intriguing. It was almost a profile picture without being a profile. We see their facial expressions without seeing their eyes. Having the tattoo's in the photo kind of creates the profile. To me it seems like the boys recognize each other from their various animal tattoo's. It takes the reader into a new world they probably haven't encountered.
POYi
Sarah Orscheln
I noticed that the first place newspaper photographer of the year differed a lot from the first place magazine photographer of the year. The newspaper shots seemed to focus on one thing, and one thing well, emotion. The emotive expressions of every shot don't leave you guessing. There is ample background to help set the scene in each shot (for example: the cage in the bus that the woman and two boys are sitting in shows us not only the woman singing and the boys blank stare, but the window, the cage etc. as well). The magazine photos of the year were my favorite. I loved it that there was so much attention to detail, and yet the shots seemed well composed and focused. I never felt like a shot was too cluttered, and often it was a shot of A LOT of different things. There were so many components that made each scene worth looking at. I felt like each photo told a story about the people in it. Whether it be the two men out in the field with the red-hatted knome, or the little boy peering up at ritzy elites at the social, each photo left me wanting to know more about the people it represented.
I noticed that the first place newspaper photographer of the year differed a lot from the first place magazine photographer of the year. The newspaper shots seemed to focus on one thing, and one thing well, emotion. The emotive expressions of every shot don't leave you guessing. There is ample background to help set the scene in each shot (for example: the cage in the bus that the woman and two boys are sitting in shows us not only the woman singing and the boys blank stare, but the window, the cage etc. as well). The magazine photos of the year were my favorite. I loved it that there was so much attention to detail, and yet the shots seemed well composed and focused. I never felt like a shot was too cluttered, and often it was a shot of A LOT of different things. There were so many components that made each scene worth looking at. I felt like each photo told a story about the people in it. Whether it be the two men out in the field with the red-hatted knome, or the little boy peering up at ritzy elites at the social, each photo left me wanting to know more about the people it represented.
POYi
Suekyoung Kim
I didn’t even recognize how long I was browsing through POYi. All the pictures were absolutely more than worth to click on. “Final Salute” by Jim Sheeler and Todd Heisler was really well done, needless to say. That story truly included voice, complexity, and context. I could vaguely imagine (I wouldn’t say I totally understand their feelings because it may sound imprudent to people who had lost their beloved.) how Beck had felt when he was heading to deliver Cathey’s casualty notification, how great Katherine’s anguish was, and how hard to get the people’s voice into the story. I couldn’t help but shedding tears as I was reading the stories. A lot of Iraq-related stories are out there, yet “Final Salute” is outstanding among them. I would get scared to ask people in sorrow if I could interview them. Good journalists must face with asking hard questions and creating comfortable environment for interviewees to tell their stories. I learned from this award-winning story that putting the theory into practice is something I have to struggle with.
My second favorite multimedia story was “Christoph Bangert in Iraq.” I liked the way he told the story with photo slide. Barring multimedia award winning stories, world understanding award pictures captivated me the most. Those photos made me ponder some questions. DR Congo, homeless children, and wounded messengers all depict children. Those children in each story are not in the same situation but they all seem to appeal to viewers’ sympathy. Maybe it is empathy, not sympathy. I admit that those pictures were great and I really liked them so much, however, I couldn’t get rid of the feeling of children were used to intensify viewers’ emotions. I may be wrong. Don’t people feel different when they see children begging for money? This may not be adequate analogy but sometime I feel children are used as a means of bringing people to their senses. Another thing that made me meditate was the last picture of “homeless children of Ukraine.” The boy in the picture died two weeks after the photograph was taken. Is it okay to publish a photograph of someone dying? For me, the feeling was different after having read the caption. Knowing someone is dying is something at least to me. In the end, those pictures were great inspiration to me and I want to be able to take high quality photos like those of POYi.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
The Link
Sorry everyone, the link I posted previously is not available. If you are interested in it, please click on this available one. http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/world/20070826_CHINA_OVERVIEW_FEATURE/index.html#
The photos I enjoy
I am overwhelmed by the large number of good photos in this website. It is too difficult to choose the one I like most. The winners in Sports Action, for example, are just beyond my words. The photo of two surfers competing of Eric Luse managed to capture the high surge of a wave in such a way that reminds me of the paintings describing fishermen fighting against a violent sea storm. It is a great curve, by the way, the way the wave launches itself forward. The viewer has the feeling of going to be engulfed by it.
I often like looking at portrait photos, as I enjoy communicating with the characters in them. The strangest of them here is “All eyes on you” by Sarah Orr, in which only the upper half of the face of the woman with her eyes was shot. And such sharp and critical eyes she had.
Another favorite of mine is the pictorial photo by Kevin German “The Sacramento Bee”, in which he shot a red track shoe splashing through the sand. The sand flies up and forms all kinds of patterns, while the red shoe seems to stop, hovering. A thick splash of sand creates a frame for the eye-catching shoe. Only art can make something so mundane so beautiful.
I often like looking at portrait photos, as I enjoy communicating with the characters in them. The strangest of them here is “All eyes on you” by Sarah Orr, in which only the upper half of the face of the woman with her eyes was shot. And such sharp and critical eyes she had.
Another favorite of mine is the pictorial photo by Kevin German “The Sacramento Bee”, in which he shot a red track shoe splashing through the sand. The sand flies up and forms all kinds of patterns, while the red shoe seems to stop, hovering. A thick splash of sand creates a frame for the eye-catching shoe. Only art can make something so mundane so beautiful.
POYi
Undoubtedly, every picture that won the POYi is a masterpiece. They make viewers feel shocked, and then ponder on the background information of the scene, or the photographers' opinion expressed through those pictures. However, most of them are too serious, negative and depressing. Is it the only way to shoot the negative part to make the pictures more profound and valuable? I am not so sure.
If you have interest in serious photographs, you can click this link below, to see the pictures of China's environment, which were taken by a photographer from the New York Times. They are also very impressive, and depressing as those winners' of POYi. When I watched them, I indeed learned much from them. It inspired many thoughts of mine, but also made me feel a little uncomfortable. At least, I will not watch them any more..
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/world/20070826_CHINA_OVERVIEW_FEATURE/index
In the winners gallery of POYi, the "New Pope Annouced" by Barbara Davidson from the Dallas Morning News is my favorite one, because it is really enjoyable. In this picture, the sisters are naturally laughing, out of happieness and excitement when they watch TV and know that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has been elected to be the new pope. In terms of the content of this picture, sisters' laughing is impressive enough for viewers. Also, it has news worth in the election of a new pope. When it comes to the composition of this picture, it also quite successful. That is emphasized by Karen many times is that viewers eyes will firstly grabbed by the lightest part of a picture. In this one, the sister sitting in the sofa wears white dress, so she is the highlight part of the picture. Her looking is the most vivid and touching one in these four sisters. On the other hand, this picture meets the rule of third pretty good. The heads of those two sisters in focus are all on the top one-third line of the image. Beyond that, the photographer press the botton while the sister in blue dress is touching the image of the new pope on TV screen. This motion is quite vivid, and can well express the excitement of her.
If you have interest in serious photographs, you can click this link below, to see the pictures of China's environment, which were taken by a photographer from the New York Times. They are also very impressive, and depressing as those winners' of POYi. When I watched them, I indeed learned much from them. It inspired many thoughts of mine, but also made me feel a little uncomfortable. At least, I will not watch them any more..
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/world/20070826_CHINA_OVERVIEW_FEATURE/index
In the winners gallery of POYi, the "New Pope Annouced" by Barbara Davidson from the Dallas Morning News is my favorite one, because it is really enjoyable. In this picture, the sisters are naturally laughing, out of happieness and excitement when they watch TV and know that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has been elected to be the new pope. In terms of the content of this picture, sisters' laughing is impressive enough for viewers. Also, it has news worth in the election of a new pope. When it comes to the composition of this picture, it also quite successful. That is emphasized by Karen many times is that viewers eyes will firstly grabbed by the lightest part of a picture. In this one, the sister sitting in the sofa wears white dress, so she is the highlight part of the picture. Her looking is the most vivid and touching one in these four sisters. On the other hand, this picture meets the rule of third pretty good. The heads of those two sisters in focus are all on the top one-third line of the image. Beyond that, the photographer press the botton while the sister in blue dress is touching the image of the new pope on TV screen. This motion is quite vivid, and can well express the excitement of her.
Dali and Johnny Holiday
Eric Thibault
All of the presentations were great, but I really liked a couple of the lighter-spirited ones. The "Dali Around Philly" slideshow covered a mildly interesting topic, but did a great job of presenting it. Apparently (and I think I remember hearing about this), the Philly Museum of Art had an exhibit of Dali's work, and advertised it by showing his face around the city. Eric Mencher showed a lot of originality in how he displayed Dali's face in several everyday settings. By taking picture's of Dali's face on buses, buildings, and steps, it really gave the viewer a feel of walking around downtown Philadelphia. Also, because he moved Dali's face around the screen and showed it from different perspectives, it almost give a "Where's Waldo" feel to the slide show. Standing alone, very few of the pictures would be considered to have Dali's face as the main subject. However, since the viewer was consciously looking for him, he stood out (not to mention that the face itself is a little creepy).
The other presentation that I enjoyed was the Johnny Holiday audio slide show. Holiday, 92, has found a second career late in life as an actor. I thought that both the pictures and Holiday's voice conveyed his excitement at finding this new passion. It also showed an older man in a light that isn't usually seen - full of energy, always moving, looking towards the future. I found myself wanting to watch him on TV, if only to see if he acted with the same zeal that he appeared to have in this piece.
All of the presentations were great, but I really liked a couple of the lighter-spirited ones. The "Dali Around Philly" slideshow covered a mildly interesting topic, but did a great job of presenting it. Apparently (and I think I remember hearing about this), the Philly Museum of Art had an exhibit of Dali's work, and advertised it by showing his face around the city. Eric Mencher showed a lot of originality in how he displayed Dali's face in several everyday settings. By taking picture's of Dali's face on buses, buildings, and steps, it really gave the viewer a feel of walking around downtown Philadelphia. Also, because he moved Dali's face around the screen and showed it from different perspectives, it almost give a "Where's Waldo" feel to the slide show. Standing alone, very few of the pictures would be considered to have Dali's face as the main subject. However, since the viewer was consciously looking for him, he stood out (not to mention that the face itself is a little creepy).
The other presentation that I enjoyed was the Johnny Holiday audio slide show. Holiday, 92, has found a second career late in life as an actor. I thought that both the pictures and Holiday's voice conveyed his excitement at finding this new passion. It also showed an older man in a light that isn't usually seen - full of energy, always moving, looking towards the future. I found myself wanting to watch him on TV, if only to see if he acted with the same zeal that he appeared to have in this piece.
Pictures of the Year Awards
I really enjoy looking at great photography, so this page was filled with all sorts of goodies for me.
The photo package I liked best was "Upstate Girls". That exposed me to a world I have never seen or experienced before. The situations of the women in the photographs is something completely alien to me. I think that is the point of photojournalism: to expose and capture a world that most people are unfamiliar with. I was amazed at how close the photographer got to the subjects in the piece and how she was accepted into their homes to capture this very personal stories.
I also really enjoyed "Final Salute", as I see most people who have posted before me did as well. This story is absolutely heartwrenching for the families involved and for the man who has to go tell families that their family member has died in the course of duty. The picture that really got me was the wife lying over her now-deceased husband's casket. I cannot imagine that I would react any differently if in this situation. Once again, I can't believe how the photographer was able to capture all these personal moments. I am completely in awe of their ability to capture the emotions of the situation.
Perhaps on a flipside, a picture that I was really shocked by was the picture of the child soldier in the Democratic Republic of Congo package. I have heard a lot about child soldiers through the 'Invisible Children' campaign and it is still shocking to me each time I see it. This is an incredible photo that shows something, which I think is wrong, that is a practice in our world with clarity and emotions.
I am floored by all the pictures and can absolutely see why they all won awards.
The photo package I liked best was "Upstate Girls". That exposed me to a world I have never seen or experienced before. The situations of the women in the photographs is something completely alien to me. I think that is the point of photojournalism: to expose and capture a world that most people are unfamiliar with. I was amazed at how close the photographer got to the subjects in the piece and how she was accepted into their homes to capture this very personal stories.
I also really enjoyed "Final Salute", as I see most people who have posted before me did as well. This story is absolutely heartwrenching for the families involved and for the man who has to go tell families that their family member has died in the course of duty. The picture that really got me was the wife lying over her now-deceased husband's casket. I cannot imagine that I would react any differently if in this situation. Once again, I can't believe how the photographer was able to capture all these personal moments. I am completely in awe of their ability to capture the emotions of the situation.
Perhaps on a flipside, a picture that I was really shocked by was the picture of the child soldier in the Democratic Republic of Congo package. I have heard a lot about child soldiers through the 'Invisible Children' campaign and it is still shocking to me each time I see it. This is an incredible photo that shows something, which I think is wrong, that is a practice in our world with clarity and emotions.
I am floored by all the pictures and can absolutely see why they all won awards.
pictures of the year award
Tanya Sneddon
http://www.poyi.org/63/NPOY/story01_01.php
This link goes to the picture that stopped my eagerly clicking finger and gave me pause as I stopped to explore this photograph and the feelings it conveys. Titled "Wave of Destruction," this photograph was taken by Barbara Davidson for the Dallas Morning News. In it, a little boy plays a plastic trumpet, which is literally the only personal possession he has left. He is standing in the ruins of his home, which was destroyed in a tsunami that his Sri Lanka. As I look at this picture, I feel pain. I feel the pain of the little boy, who is so naively concentrated on the (seemingly) only positive thing he has lest, and I feel pain as I sit comfortably here in my plush overstuffed chair and mourn for this boy and his hardship. I also think that I am naive because I had no idea the extent of the destruction caused by the Sri Lanka tsunami. This photograph is powerful for several reasons: one, it brings me to a place that I otherwise would not have gone. Two, it conveys a mood of destruction but of hope despite hardship. It is a candid shot of a little boy's day, where toys are still important and, in his case, serve as a brief release from the tragedy this boy and his family must be facing.
This photograph deserves a first place award for newspaper photograph of the year. It taught me, the reader, something that could only be fully appreciated through pictures, and with this photo, a news story would gain perspective and introspection into the life of a child in the wake of a horrible storm.
http://www.poyi.org/63/NPOY/story01_01.php
This link goes to the picture that stopped my eagerly clicking finger and gave me pause as I stopped to explore this photograph and the feelings it conveys. Titled "Wave of Destruction," this photograph was taken by Barbara Davidson for the Dallas Morning News. In it, a little boy plays a plastic trumpet, which is literally the only personal possession he has left. He is standing in the ruins of his home, which was destroyed in a tsunami that his Sri Lanka. As I look at this picture, I feel pain. I feel the pain of the little boy, who is so naively concentrated on the (seemingly) only positive thing he has lest, and I feel pain as I sit comfortably here in my plush overstuffed chair and mourn for this boy and his hardship. I also think that I am naive because I had no idea the extent of the destruction caused by the Sri Lanka tsunami. This photograph is powerful for several reasons: one, it brings me to a place that I otherwise would not have gone. Two, it conveys a mood of destruction but of hope despite hardship. It is a candid shot of a little boy's day, where toys are still important and, in his case, serve as a brief release from the tragedy this boy and his family must be facing.
This photograph deserves a first place award for newspaper photograph of the year. It taught me, the reader, something that could only be fully appreciated through pictures, and with this photo, a news story would gain perspective and introspection into the life of a child in the wake of a horrible storm.
emotional and engrossing
After reading, watching and listening to “Final Salute,” I have a greater appreciation than ever for the value of cross-medium journalism. The different elements integrate seamlessly, silencing distraction and dragging the reader/viewer deep into the story. The writing was uncluttered and punchy, and the photography was amazing; it was the mortar that made the building stand.
I doubt any backpack journalist could compose a package as well as the Rocky Mountain News did. Perhaps that wouldn’t be their goal. But when looking at something that works so well, it’s hard not to value virtuosity above versatility. Journalism may be changing, but specialization still appears to be highly effective, provided the news organization is willing to commit the necessary resources. Perhaps that’s what is changing.
I doubt any backpack journalist could compose a package as well as the Rocky Mountain News did. Perhaps that wouldn’t be their goal. But when looking at something that works so well, it’s hard not to value virtuosity above versatility. Journalism may be changing, but specialization still appears to be highly effective, provided the news organization is willing to commit the necessary resources. Perhaps that’s what is changing.
Pictures of the Year
Xenia Shih
I enjoyed browsing through the pictures of the year because they were all so creative and compelling. I was blown away by the first place winner for Magazine Multiple Page Feature Story, "Autumn in Arcadia." All of the photos from that feature story were absolutely stunning. I noticed that the photographers of "Autumn in Arcadia" also won second place in the same category, so I took a look at their other feature story, "Spirit of the Wild," and I was just as awed by the photographs that they captured for that story. There is no question in my mind that those photographers deserved both first and second place in that category.
Another particular photo that caught my eye was "Pollution in the Czech Republic" by Tamas Dezso. I thought it was really interesting how Dezso captured the cooling towers and power station chimneys in the background to illustrate pollution while at the same time capturing the beautiful landscape in the foreground. The juxtaposition of nature and man-made pollution was really unexpected. Also, by taking the photo in black-and-white, Dezso gave it a much darker mood than it would have had if it had been in color. The severity of the black-and-white contrast on top of the nature/pollution contrast gave the photo a tragic feel.
I enjoyed browsing through the pictures of the year because they were all so creative and compelling. I was blown away by the first place winner for Magazine Multiple Page Feature Story, "Autumn in Arcadia." All of the photos from that feature story were absolutely stunning. I noticed that the photographers of "Autumn in Arcadia" also won second place in the same category, so I took a look at their other feature story, "Spirit of the Wild," and I was just as awed by the photographs that they captured for that story. There is no question in my mind that those photographers deserved both first and second place in that category.
Another particular photo that caught my eye was "Pollution in the Czech Republic" by Tamas Dezso. I thought it was really interesting how Dezso captured the cooling towers and power station chimneys in the background to illustrate pollution while at the same time capturing the beautiful landscape in the foreground. The juxtaposition of nature and man-made pollution was really unexpected. Also, by taking the photo in black-and-white, Dezso gave it a much darker mood than it would have had if it had been in color. The severity of the black-and-white contrast on top of the nature/pollution contrast gave the photo a tragic feel.
Pictures of the Year
Jessica Malnik
I thought that all of the Pictures of the Year were brilliant. They managed to capture every single detail. These photographers have a gift for knowing what is the ‘right picture’ for the story. They know how to effectively capture the mood in every photo. After looking at a majority of photos, I realized why the “Final Salute” sounds slideshow was the best. The photos captured every detail and emotion. For example, the photo of a Marine’s hands on top of the folded American flag was excellent and extremely moving. The detail and the lighting accentuate the photo. I know that there is no such thing as the perfect photo, but this photo comes very close. The “Final Salute” slideshow illustrates how excellent and detailed photography can change a story. Without these photos, the story would be just another story about the causalities of war. Yet, the photos give the story a new identity. By visually showing a few families, who had recently lost a loved one, it added a more personal element to the story.
I thought that all of the Pictures of the Year were brilliant. They managed to capture every single detail. These photographers have a gift for knowing what is the ‘right picture’ for the story. They know how to effectively capture the mood in every photo. After looking at a majority of photos, I realized why the “Final Salute” sounds slideshow was the best. The photos captured every detail and emotion. For example, the photo of a Marine’s hands on top of the folded American flag was excellent and extremely moving. The detail and the lighting accentuate the photo. I know that there is no such thing as the perfect photo, but this photo comes very close. The “Final Salute” slideshow illustrates how excellent and detailed photography can change a story. Without these photos, the story would be just another story about the causalities of war. Yet, the photos give the story a new identity. By visually showing a few families, who had recently lost a loved one, it added a more personal element to the story.
"The Final Salute"
Lindsey Foat
It’s clear to me why Pictures of the Year International awarded RockyMountainNews.com’s multimedia piece “The Final Salute” first place. Living in Colorado Springs, CO, I’m used to getting a lot of coverage of military casualties, because of the numerous military facilities and bases located there. Following Maj. Steve Beck, whose job it is to notify families when their Marine dies, gave Jim Sheeler and Todd Heisler a very powerful window into the lives of grieving military families.
Of the various segments, Heisler’s photographs of the widow of 2nd Lt. James Cathey were unbelievably effective at showing the torturous nature of grief. Pictures of the pregnant Mrs. Cathey draped over her husbands coffin at the airport and sleeping next to the coffin on an air mattress, which Marines prepared for her more, more effectively illustrate the loss and cost of war than the commonly captured pictures of a the funeral. While Heisler’s work shows his sensitivity towards his subject, the emotions portrayed remain palpable. A photo is successful when for moment you’re entranced by some element of the picture. Watching “The Final Salute” I experienced many such moments.
It’s clear to me why Pictures of the Year International awarded RockyMountainNews.com’s multimedia piece “The Final Salute” first place. Living in Colorado Springs, CO, I’m used to getting a lot of coverage of military casualties, because of the numerous military facilities and bases located there. Following Maj. Steve Beck, whose job it is to notify families when their Marine dies, gave Jim Sheeler and Todd Heisler a very powerful window into the lives of grieving military families.
Of the various segments, Heisler’s photographs of the widow of 2nd Lt. James Cathey were unbelievably effective at showing the torturous nature of grief. Pictures of the pregnant Mrs. Cathey draped over her husbands coffin at the airport and sleeping next to the coffin on an air mattress, which Marines prepared for her more, more effectively illustrate the loss and cost of war than the commonly captured pictures of a the funeral. While Heisler’s work shows his sensitivity towards his subject, the emotions portrayed remain palpable. A photo is successful when for moment you’re entranced by some element of the picture. Watching “The Final Salute” I experienced many such moments.
Best Multimedia Story
I was touched by the multimedia story Final Salute. It set a good example of how to tell a story by both pictures and words for me. I like the detail pictures in this story particularly. For example, the picture of family member caressing the dead soldier’s hands, the picture of the soldier’s mother resting her head on her husband’s shoulder as a Marine honor guard folds the flag that dropped the soldier’s casket and the picture of a 4-year-old boy peering from behind his uncle during the funeral service. The photographer took pictures from different angles and showed us pictures of a soldier’s funeral from the eyes of his friends, from the eyes of his parents and from the eyes of a young kid, all of the pictures convey emotion and power. Just like the title of one of the stories "Feel the Weight", I can feel the weight of the pictures and words.
Multimedia POY
I looked through a lot of the "Pictures of the Year," and was just so intrigued at the talent level of the photographers. What gets me the most is just that intuition that good photographers have to get an image at just the right time, in just the right place. The picture that caught my eye the most, with me being a sports guy and all, is one titled "Giant Tunnel," by Donald Miralle. The shot was taken of the New York football Giants in a tunnel, just as the team is getting ready to take the field. At the end of the tunnel, all you can see is light. The perspective of the photo is right behind the players, and what caught my eye even more was that Eli Manning, the starting quarterback, is right in the middle. Since a team usually "builds" around the quarterback, I thought this was appropriate.
A true sobriety check..
SO- I have been posting in the other room-- MY BAD here is the posts from last week and this week:
August 29th:
------NOW here is this weeks post!
For the Missourian this week I went to a sobriety checkpoint to shoot video for the Missourian website. This was my first experience shooting at night. After looking at the finished video, as well as receiving an e-mail from Karen, I saw that there was a tilt in a couple of the shots within the video. I have to be honest, I did notice something of a tilt while I was shooting, though I thought it was the view finder which was not straight, I felt my eyes were playing tricks on me. I don’t know why there was a tilt and this is something I need to learn how to correct. I did think that some of my video was shot well. I was able to get detail shots, and close ups of what happened. I learned that it is an ongoing process to continue to search for bits and pieces of the whole picture. The smallest detail can lead to a big sequence of events, like the guy I shot at the end, I saw he was struggling to pass the line test and the eye test so I continued to shoot and ultimately he got arrested and cuffed right in front of the camera. My frazzee died before the night was half over, so in the future I will use it more sparingly. The experience as a whole was great.
August 29th:
Convergence 4804-the beginning...
This week has been very hectic- BUT even though I am overwhelmed with things to do and it is only the second week, I feel confident I will get through- Traveling to a 150 year old Theater was amazing and knowing that it is only 15-20 miles away from Columbia is also such. I am a little aprehensive about what the next month will bring, because I want to do good work, not only in the field of journalism, but in my core classes- I think with my story I did good work, found a good angle, and got alot of good sources to back the information up which made it appealing to others.
=SSliker#21
------NOW here is this weeks post!
For the Missourian this week I went to a sobriety checkpoint to shoot video for the Missourian website. This was my first experience shooting at night. After looking at the finished video, as well as receiving an e-mail from Karen, I saw that there was a tilt in a couple of the shots within the video. I have to be honest, I did notice something of a tilt while I was shooting, though I thought it was the view finder which was not straight, I felt my eyes were playing tricks on me. I don’t know why there was a tilt and this is something I need to learn how to correct. I did think that some of my video was shot well. I was able to get detail shots, and close ups of what happened. I learned that it is an ongoing process to continue to search for bits and pieces of the whole picture. The smallest detail can lead to a big sequence of events, like the guy I shot at the end, I saw he was struggling to pass the line test and the eye test so I continued to shoot and ultimately he got arrested and cuffed right in front of the camera. My frazzee died before the night was half over, so in the future I will use it more sparingly. The experience as a whole was great.
Multimedia Awards
- Erick Ward
The best thing that I can say about the six sites mentioned for this award, is that I feel like all of the stories were enhanced by seeing it from different mediums. Some multimedia sites leave you looking for information, because they show you only one aspect of the story from different mediums.
One site that I thought was particularly well-done was "A third tour of duty in Iraq." I think the site was easy to get around and there were a lot of views on the war. The slide shows under "In His Words" were really interesting, because they talked about a lot of aspects of the war. How they are treated by the Iraqis, what they tell their family, and the dangers are faced are all discussed with pictures, audio, and text. The audio of James Welter Sr. is also well done, and gives another view of the war. Last, the videos showed things that people rarely get to see. How the marines search homes and buildings, and do their jobs was interesting to see in a video.
The best thing that I can say about the six sites mentioned for this award, is that I feel like all of the stories were enhanced by seeing it from different mediums. Some multimedia sites leave you looking for information, because they show you only one aspect of the story from different mediums.
One site that I thought was particularly well-done was "A third tour of duty in Iraq." I think the site was easy to get around and there were a lot of views on the war. The slide shows under "In His Words" were really interesting, because they talked about a lot of aspects of the war. How they are treated by the Iraqis, what they tell their family, and the dangers are faced are all discussed with pictures, audio, and text. The audio of James Welter Sr. is also well done, and gives another view of the war. Last, the videos showed things that people rarely get to see. How the marines search homes and buildings, and do their jobs was interesting to see in a video.
POY Multimedia Winners
Thanyarat Doksone
I found all triumphant works in Pictures of the Year’s Best Multimedia Story or Essay category truly awe-inspiring.
After taking a look at it, I hardly doubted why “Final Salute” won the first prize. Not only had the reporter and the photographer employed most aspects of multimedia resources in their story-telling, but also the Rocky Mountain News seemed to know which means of media elements would have the most impact on its readers. It dedicated the main part of the article to the descriptive, impressive and praiseworthy essay, of which I found was a compelling way to prepare the readers for the next elements of media: audio slideshow, video, and discussion forum. The tone of the report was carefully controlled, so the readers could smoothly run through all sections without experiencing any mood interruptions or sudden emotional transitions while looking at the story.
“A third tour of duty in
Meanwhile, “Dali Around the City” showed a different angle of multimedia feature. Without descriptive words, it let the viewers explore the story via vibrant audio and visual presentations. This way, the viewers were aroused by a thirst to know more about the idea behind the composition and, most importantly, the subject in the story.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Multimedia Stories
From among the multimedia stories, my attention was most arrested by Pictures of my Neighborhood. The stark honesty of the photos coupled with the voiceovers during the slideshows created a deeper effect than would have been achieved had each element been presented separately. It was seeing the woman holding her baby while smoking crack and hearing her talk about how she lost her kid because of her addiction that made it so powerful. When media attacks my senses in more than one way, it has a more profound effect and is able to carry a deeper, more versatile message.
multimedia winners
Andrell Bower
I'm inclined to say the Rocky Mountain News multimedia story certainly earned its first-place spot, especially when the runner-up was the USA Today story. But I'm not sure if I think that way because of how in-depth the story was in general. The RMN story was more obviously a print story that was turned into a web package, whereas the second-place story seemed as though it could have been conceived as an online piece.
Although I thought the RMN story excelled in content, the production of both stories could have been improved.
The RMN story didn't have an actual video, despite the video section they had in the package. That video was just a repeat of a portion of the slide. I don't think putting audio over a slide show makes it a video, but perhaps I'm wrong. I think any multimedia story could improve with the addition of video, and when the RMN gave the year-long assignment to the reporter and photographer, perhaps they just weren't thinking enough in terms of multimedia to direct the photographer to shoot video. Or perhaps he wasn't trained to, which reinforces the usefulness of "backpack" or multimedia journalists. Something to consider, however, is the appropriateness of video. The photos were probably a more tasteful way to capture the grief of the families. One annoying thing about the story was the pdf links to the print version. Surely they could have made it into one interactive pdf instead of making me download a bunch of pages individually!
The USA Today story was disappointing in its shallowness. The introduction to the person they were featuring was either pathetic or I missed something. I hope no one at USA Today thinks a fancy multimedia presentation is a substitute for content. On a positive note, having audio of the 22-year-old had impact. It's one thing to read the man was 22, but to hear the youth in his voice really crystallized the fact he is barely an adult on his third Iraq tour of duty. The amount of video was a plus, but I question the appropriateness of some of it, for example, the video of the home search. Even Iraqis need privacy. (duh - I'm being somewhat sarcastic here).
In any case, it's nice to see recognition for multimedia efforts.
I'm inclined to say the Rocky Mountain News multimedia story certainly earned its first-place spot, especially when the runner-up was the USA Today story. But I'm not sure if I think that way because of how in-depth the story was in general. The RMN story was more obviously a print story that was turned into a web package, whereas the second-place story seemed as though it could have been conceived as an online piece.
Although I thought the RMN story excelled in content, the production of both stories could have been improved.
The RMN story didn't have an actual video, despite the video section they had in the package. That video was just a repeat of a portion of the slide. I don't think putting audio over a slide show makes it a video, but perhaps I'm wrong. I think any multimedia story could improve with the addition of video, and when the RMN gave the year-long assignment to the reporter and photographer, perhaps they just weren't thinking enough in terms of multimedia to direct the photographer to shoot video. Or perhaps he wasn't trained to, which reinforces the usefulness of "backpack" or multimedia journalists. Something to consider, however, is the appropriateness of video. The photos were probably a more tasteful way to capture the grief of the families. One annoying thing about the story was the pdf links to the print version. Surely they could have made it into one interactive pdf instead of making me download a bunch of pages individually!
The USA Today story was disappointing in its shallowness. The introduction to the person they were featuring was either pathetic or I missed something. I hope no one at USA Today thinks a fancy multimedia presentation is a substitute for content. On a positive note, having audio of the 22-year-old had impact. It's one thing to read the man was 22, but to hear the youth in his voice really crystallized the fact he is barely an adult on his third Iraq tour of duty. The amount of video was a plus, but I question the appropriateness of some of it, for example, the video of the home search. Even Iraqis need privacy. (duh - I'm being somewhat sarcastic here).
In any case, it's nice to see recognition for multimedia efforts.
Dalicious
Since so many of the photos captured me and held me captive,
it took a long time to get to the Multimedia photo essays. Before I voice my opinion on those, I must say that each one of the spot news winners were incredible. The images from Iraq and Togo were horrific and captivating, placing me in the moment and holding me in that second when the image took place. That being said, I feel as though those images led to me liking the Dali essay so much.
So many of the winners were photos capturing strife and anguish. These emotions are always beautiful for photographs and always make compelling images. Sometimes I find myself growing weary of the emotional wrenching of photos from war zones. With the Dali photos, it was a flash of creativity-both in subject matter and presentation- that was needed and well received.
I thought it was a clever, original idea that was executed well. Beginning with the steps, I felt drawn in. It's such a strange image of him and it's all over the town. The photograph I especially liked was the one in the storefront window using the reflection. It gave you the feeling that everywhere in the city, Salvador Dali was there, looking over your shoulder. He was everywhere, and I felt like by showing all the places his face was, it gave you the sense of him haunting you. It almost mirrors the madness of Dali himself.
it took a long time to get to the Multimedia photo essays. Before I voice my opinion on those, I must say that each one of the spot news winners were incredible. The images from Iraq and Togo were horrific and captivating, placing me in the moment and holding me in that second when the image took place. That being said, I feel as though those images led to me liking the Dali essay so much.
So many of the winners were photos capturing strife and anguish. These emotions are always beautiful for photographs and always make compelling images. Sometimes I find myself growing weary of the emotional wrenching of photos from war zones. With the Dali photos, it was a flash of creativity-both in subject matter and presentation- that was needed and well received.
I thought it was a clever, original idea that was executed well. Beginning with the steps, I felt drawn in. It's such a strange image of him and it's all over the town. The photograph I especially liked was the one in the storefront window using the reflection. It gave you the feeling that everywhere in the city, Salvador Dali was there, looking over your shoulder. He was everywhere, and I felt like by showing all the places his face was, it gave you the sense of him haunting you. It almost mirrors the madness of Dali himself.
"First Place"
As I looked through the POYI website, I was really drawn to the newspaper photographer of the year winner, Barbara Davidson. In each of her photos, she caught the emotion in the moment. I really liked her picture of Agatha Anene, a girl who attended Queen of Rosary secondary school located in a small village of Eziowlle, Nigeria. What intrigued me about this picture is the angle that Davidson took Anene’s picture. Another reason why I am drawn to this picture is the wall. Teachers and employers have always told me to never shoot someone right next to the wall and that there should be some distance between them. The reasoning behind that is because if you shoot someone away from a wall, it reduces that person’s shadow. When I look at this picture, I cannot tell if Anene is standing right next to the wall or not. If she is right next to the wall, I would like to know what kind of lighting she used or how many lights she used and if any filters were used while shooting this outside. Moving away from the technical side of this picture and more towards the journalistic side, you can see lots of emotion in Anene’s face. She looks tired and this could be because “Pupils have to trek long distances to class in rubber sandals or bare feet,” as said in the caption.
POY: Medell Stories From An Urban War
By Mu Li
Conflict and appeasement, decadence and vulnerability, wealth and poverty, religion and drug, life and death. These are the words that characterize POY magazine multiple page news story, "Medell Stories From An Urban War".
I was awestruck by the cover photo of this National Geography photo story when I first look at it, and knew I was at the front door of a great story. There are photos that really shows what you would normally would not see, and stories that people would recall right at hand, but this is a photo story that contains the most absorbing drama and penetrating social documentary, one that people do not normally see within hundreds of thousands of stories. This is a story about people, and their situation in a relatively small country in South America. And you will know much more about their lives even though you are thousands of miles away.
On the cover is a tell-tale photo of a child bride gazing into the camera with scornful desperation in her eyes. She holds two rotten bananas in one hand and the painted face of a smaller child in the other, against the background of a filthy street of fruit sellers and garbage cans. It is as if she has picked up a meal for she and her murky brother. The photo left readers something to think about: Why should children become plagued with hunger and desperation?
The second photo seems to be the answer to this question. The photographer captures portrays of a hive of gangs upfront and upward. The half-naked guys peers down to you as if they are ready to hit you in the face, and make you wonder how much damage has they brought to the city. Then an array of scene-setter and detail shot put you directly in the heart of Medell. Multiple layers of the city life -- partying young people, a mother who has been shot, the rich, the rebels. Then the wrap-up photo of a small girl fixing aside at the side of wires, looking stranded.
While the entire story is left to be narrated by the text, the photos tells you much more about what it is like to be in a drug-plagued city and the desperate struggle of people to survive. The most notable part of this photo story is how the photographer has manipulated visual elements--people, items, setting--to tell a complicated story. What he/she did was to break up the story in identical scenes, and put readers directly at the center of the story by giving them the real-life view. This is something that is worth learning.
Conflict and appeasement, decadence and vulnerability, wealth and poverty, religion and drug, life and death. These are the words that characterize POY magazine multiple page news story, "Medell Stories From An Urban War".
I was awestruck by the cover photo of this National Geography photo story when I first look at it, and knew I was at the front door of a great story. There are photos that really shows what you would normally would not see, and stories that people would recall right at hand, but this is a photo story that contains the most absorbing drama and penetrating social documentary, one that people do not normally see within hundreds of thousands of stories. This is a story about people, and their situation in a relatively small country in South America. And you will know much more about their lives even though you are thousands of miles away.
On the cover is a tell-tale photo of a child bride gazing into the camera with scornful desperation in her eyes. She holds two rotten bananas in one hand and the painted face of a smaller child in the other, against the background of a filthy street of fruit sellers and garbage cans. It is as if she has picked up a meal for she and her murky brother. The photo left readers something to think about: Why should children become plagued with hunger and desperation?
The second photo seems to be the answer to this question. The photographer captures portrays of a hive of gangs upfront and upward. The half-naked guys peers down to you as if they are ready to hit you in the face, and make you wonder how much damage has they brought to the city. Then an array of scene-setter and detail shot put you directly in the heart of Medell. Multiple layers of the city life -- partying young people, a mother who has been shot, the rich, the rebels. Then the wrap-up photo of a small girl fixing aside at the side of wires, looking stranded.
While the entire story is left to be narrated by the text, the photos tells you much more about what it is like to be in a drug-plagued city and the desperate struggle of people to survive. The most notable part of this photo story is how the photographer has manipulated visual elements--people, items, setting--to tell a complicated story. What he/she did was to break up the story in identical scenes, and put readers directly at the center of the story by giving them the real-life view. This is something that is worth learning.
"Final Salute"
It’s no surprise “Final Salute” won first place. The topic speaks to people’s emotions during our current situation with the troops in Iraq. The photos and captions alone gave me goose bumps, although some of them were hard to follow.
I thought the photos with the shadows were a little confusing. Others like the casket in the plane seemed grainy, but that could have been my computer. Regardless, they showed the effects of the war in a more compelling way than other stories can. With such a sensitive topic, I imagine few readers will be harsh critics of the photos.
I thought the photos with the shadows were a little confusing. Others like the casket in the plane seemed grainy, but that could have been my computer. Regardless, they showed the effects of the war in a more compelling way than other stories can. With such a sensitive topic, I imagine few readers will be harsh critics of the photos.
POY: Spot News
I looked through dozens of pictures on the POY website, and while all of them were emotional, informative, and beautiful, none left as big of an impression on me as the pictures for spot news. One of them, "Orphaned in an Instant," won the catergory for its portrayal of an orphaned Iraqi girl seconds after her parents had been shot by US soldiers. Looking at the picture as a viewer, I was automatically transported to the viewpoint of the girl: the blood on her body, the anguish on her face, the larger than life soldier standing next to her. The photographer perfectly captured the horror of the moment.
From a journalistic perspective, I appreciate the photo even more. It must have taken a lot of guts to be able to take that picture when the situation was so horrible and sad. But it told a story that needed to be told in a way that makes it very real for the reader. The use of light and dark perfectly sets a tone of grief and drama. I think sometimes we are concerned as photojournalists that we are invading people's personal space. Sometimes that might be true, but there are also times when uncomfortable emotions and situations must be captured and shared.
From a journalistic perspective, I appreciate the photo even more. It must have taken a lot of guts to be able to take that picture when the situation was so horrible and sad. But it told a story that needed to be told in a way that makes it very real for the reader. The use of light and dark perfectly sets a tone of grief and drama. I think sometimes we are concerned as photojournalists that we are invading people's personal space. Sometimes that might be true, but there are also times when uncomfortable emotions and situations must be captured and shared.
I was sure to look at all of the winners--everything in the collection is remarkable, especially to a budding photographer. The one that stood out to me--for the photography as much as the power of the story--was the "Final Salute" from the Rocky Mountain News, a multimedia story about the marines who deliver the news of a relative's death in combat. The story is, for lack of a better word, heartbreaking. And the photographs contribute greatly to the affect the story has on its readers. After reading the copy, listening to the audio, and looking at these photographs, I couldn't think of a more trying job to have.
They are pictures of the families of fallen soldiers, a segment of the population for whom this war is especially difficult. Further, they are pictures, among others, at the moment these people are told that their husband/father/son has died. Compelling material, made even more so by exceptional photography.
Many of the pictures capture the pain in the faces of both family and other marines. One that especially stands out to me is a detail photo of a white gloved marine holding the hands of a civilian. I love it for its simplicity and power. I imagine it was not a difficult image to capture, but it says everything about the situation. Another is a photo of a marine's casket being unloaded from what looks like a commercial airliner, complete with passengers in the window. I think the photo does a good job of contrasting the banality of the flight with the event of a wife waiting for her dead husband as the plane arrives. There are more pictures that floored me, but I could go on for pages and pages.
They are pictures of the families of fallen soldiers, a segment of the population for whom this war is especially difficult. Further, they are pictures, among others, at the moment these people are told that their husband/father/son has died. Compelling material, made even more so by exceptional photography.
Many of the pictures capture the pain in the faces of both family and other marines. One that especially stands out to me is a detail photo of a white gloved marine holding the hands of a civilian. I love it for its simplicity and power. I imagine it was not a difficult image to capture, but it says everything about the situation. Another is a photo of a marine's casket being unloaded from what looks like a commercial airliner, complete with passengers in the window. I think the photo does a good job of contrasting the banality of the flight with the event of a wife waiting for her dead husband as the plane arrives. There are more pictures that floored me, but I could go on for pages and pages.
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