Task one
Used to be journalists covering news events as objectively as humanly possible. Now we have bloggers who write in real-time and pundits who analyze the news and offer their opinions. One poll even found a quarter of all Americans 18-29 years said they turned to “The Daily Show” and “Saturday Night Live” to learn about and understand the news.
1) Are these shows informing, entertaining, or editorializing? Should the news be entertaining?
In addressing the main questions of this discussion promptly, please also discuss some mix of the following questions in your response.
2)Are bloggers and pundits crossing the line to editorializing with their biased questions, interpretative news and public advocacy? Or are they adding the kind of texture and depth to the news that unbiased writers can’t offer?
3)Is a pundit a journalist, or do pundits give journalists a bad name?
4)What exactly qualifies one to be a journalist or a pundit? What does a journalist do that’s different from a pundit and vice versa? Is Stephen Colbert a journalist or a pundit? What about Seth Meyers? John Oliver? Trevor Noah? What were Jon Stewart, Chris Matthews, Larry King, and Lou Dobbs?
TASK 2: Chose one scenario and come out with a News lead
A few final reminders:
Do not put any names in the lead.
Come out with a single sentence.
Use 20 or fewer words.
Write in an active voice.
Use verbs in past tense.
Use a day of the week for the time element.
If the scenario does not clearly state a day of the week for the time element, assume you are writing a breaking news story Saturday about events that happened that same day.
Assume the news lead will be published in a newspaper the day after its events happened.
Eliminate every single word that’s not essential to the meaning of the sentence.
If the scenario provides the name of a community but not the state in which it is located, use your home state.
Thoroughly study the lectures in your Course Resources, particularly
Scenario 1
Fred Foster, 60, spent 3 decades designing municipal parks for small towns, making enough money to retire early and open an antique shop in Greenwich, Conn. He ran the shop, L’il House of Treasurers, as a charity to help finance a trap and neuter program for stray cats in the city. He’s charged will importing products made from endangered animals to sell in his tony shop. The L’il House of Treasures on Main Street was raided on Wednesday by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents, who found $175,000-worth of products made from endangered sea turtles, hippopotamus, West African black rhinos, pangolins, ostriches, and other animals. The products included blades, handbags, and decorative mounts. Foster was taken into custody.
Scenario 2
There’s been a robbery at Colonial Mall in Flagstaff, Ariz. A man walked into the Starfire Jewelry store about 10 minutes before the mall closed on Saturday, then before anyone stop him, smashed a glass jewelry case with a hammer and scooped out watches, bracelets and engagement rings. A salesclerk sitting behind the counter fixing a watchband started screaming. Her name’s Louise Mitchell, 46, of Chilton Lane, according to the police report. The man fled with his booty. Some people in the mall heard the screams, saw the man running, and took up the chase. At least a dozen men and women pursued the man into the parking lot. “Guys like this, they need a job,” said Kevon Steffans, one of the shoppers who joined the chase. Once in the parking lot, more people began chasing the man. Former Northwood High School football player Jeffrey Oats, managed to tackle the man as 20 or 30 other people surrounded the two on the ground. Oats, 37, is a security guard for drinks. Police identified the man as Todd Taylor, 18 of Marigold Lane. He was charged with grand theft and is being held on $25,000 bond. Taylor became so frightened that he tossed the bag of loot into the crowd, Officer Jane Tripp said
Scenario 3
Two small planes collided, dropping debris on several homes in Harkensville, Iowa, on Monday. Several people are dead. Three people were in the plane. Julius Smallwood of 4780 Valley Rd., who was piloting the single-engine Piper Cub, is dead. The Piper Cub was towing a banner to promote Tuesday’s air show at the county’s airport. Smallwood worked for Aerial Promotions, Inc., in Des Moine. His plane flew into a single-engine Cessna 172 carrying a flight instructor and a student from the Pratt Air Academy headquartered at the Municipal Airport. Police are withholding their names pending notification of next-of-kin because they both died. The Cessna crashed into the roof of Bobby and Abbey Strickland’s home at 9201 Holbrook Pl., killing two-year-old Damien in his high chair. His parents were taken to St. Joseph Hospital in Harkensville with undisclosed injuries. The Piper Cub slammed into the backyard of Carey and Carmen Aliotta of 9225 Holbrooke Pl. One of the plane’s engines fell through the garage roof at 840 E. Pelham Ave. around the corner, destroying a Toyota Camry parked inside that was owned by Marielle Mason who boards at the home. Laurie Laud, another roommate, called 911 after she saw a body fall onto the next house, 841 E. Pelham Ave. owned by Elton Amanpour. He was not at home. Tracy Poke, who was smoking a cigarette on her porch at 850 E. Pelham Ave., told police she saw the Cessna get caught on the other plane’s banner before they fell from the sky.
