Crazy in the news room

Today there were many deadlines to meet because our final presentation is due tomorrow. Everyone was working hard today getting all their drafts polished and typed and rehearsing for the news cast act. I have been given the task to do the introduction to the act and informing the audience what our project is about. Since I was absent yesterday i had to work twice as hard as everyone else, but i still finished it by the end of the day. I hope we do well tomorrow.

- Jonathan

Our Mascot, Thick Skin

Our CAP has chosen a mascot. Our mascot embodies the thick skin and ethics required for great journalism. We named our mascot Thickskin and below is a picture of him.

LAYC FIELD TRIP

Yesterday was my first time visiting the Art and Media part of the Latin American Youth Center. It was interesting to see other students art work.The sound effect of traffic in the basement was also a new experience, being that it sounded so real. The smell of upstairs brought back memories of fingerpainting in kindergarden. When we enter the computer lab we learned about the different types of air-waves. There are public, private, and corporate radio station. I learned about NPR( National Public Radio), its a radio sation from the 70's with adults talking with each other about various topics. It was also fun to hear teens voicing their opinions over different genres of music.



--Darryl "J.R" Estes

My Reflection on the medicap10 experience

MediaCAP was a public policy program, which teached students about the media, and how it related to public policy. Within the three weeks, we learned many interesting things about media and the types of media through various trips, movies, and discussions. I learned alot of things that I could use in everyday life about media. At the beggining of this CAP, I can honestly say that I thought it was going to be a very boring capstone, because it was introduced that way, but as the days went by I realized that my thoughts were wrong. Before this program, there were many things that I didn't know about media so, I was surprised to learn so many things that had to with media. I also learned about the first amendment, and how it is used alot in creating certain types of media. The first amendment is the freedom of speech, the press, and the right to change the government if it is not fulfilling it's job. We visited many places that explained this, and many different secrets about the media, and its expectations. Overall, I learned many different things regarding media, and how it is used for many ways. For example, entertainment, gossip, and information. We met many different people that made a difference in media like ombudsmans, journalists, and editors. I really enjoyed my experience being o in this CAP, and I hope that many other people get the opportunity to experience something like this, because I think that it is something that many young youths, or even older people can enjoy and learn alot from.
~~~ASHLEY

Commercial announcement: The woodsfinn skin thickening rope.

Kelvin: How is your job going?

Erick: Man it stinks.

Kelvin: Why?

Erick: Because I don’t have a thick skin.

Kelvin: Me too.

Soraya: I have a solution for your problems.

Erick: what's that?

Soraya: It’s the woodsfinn skin thickening rope.

Erick: Come on lets try it.

Soraya: Lets go.

Kelvin: This commercial was brought to you by the woods Finn skin thickening rope corp.


Soraya Chavez, Erick Villalta, Kelvin Ferrufino

First Omblogsman Ever !!!

On June 20, I was chosen to be the first ever omblogsman. As omblogsman I will evaluate issues of public concern and try to adjust the entry with the utmost objectivity. I will also seek an honorary membership in the ONO, the national Organization of News Ombudsmen, and also inquire about fellowship oppotunities they offer. I will serve as Mediacap10's omblogsman for a year, until the next omblogsman is selected next June. Every Saturday, I will go through the blog and read the comments that are left on each article. On Sundays, I will write a column, addressing public concerns and comment on the accuracy of an article.


MediaCap10 Omblogsman
*** Capriko Robinson***

The New Republic

Today we visited the building where The New Republic is written. there we met many people that has something to do with what is put in the magazine. The first person we met was Richard Just who is the deputy of the magazine. He told us the history of the magazine and how they operate. He did a good job making sure we knew the difference between the news and The New Republic which was that news is objective and The New Republic is opinionated. Another thing that is different about the news and The New Republic is is that The New Republic isn't as diverseas they should be and the news is. Also at The New Republic there is no ombudsman meaning there is no one to make sure the journalists are being objective because the purpose of the magazine is to express ones opinion as long as the information used to support arguments are accurate. Even though The New Republic is opinionated they still operate like a regular magazine by sending journalist out to places and gathering information to support the argument that they are going to make. This magazine is left meaning democratic.When asked what The New Republic meant he couldn't give an definite answer but said when the magazine was started in 1914 every other piece of news was conservative and they wanted to come out of tradition and show that something better is possible.
The second person we got to meet was Rob Anderson. he is George Town graduate who edits, writes and deals with the technicalities of The New Republic website. On their website you can look at articles in the magazine, online articles and even visit their blog The Plank. He explained the difference between online media and what's printed in the magazine. The differnce is that online media gives you a quicker response to the news. Even though online media gives a quicker response to news it has its downfalls such as not having many people read the article before it is published which produces not that good of a quality article.
Our group also got to meet Ryan who is the whitehouse reporter for The New Republic who was the first to rate is job a perfect ten. his job is to meet with the presidential candidates and profile them. some of the candidates for the 2008 presidential election that he has already interviewed are Hillary Clinton (democrat) and George Allen (republican). Once someone is elected the beginning of their term is his main focus and towards the end he starts to interview future candidates and this cycle continues. He believes that once a person ask the people for the power to make decisions everything they did that contributed to making them the person they are should be told as long as the information is accurate. therefore nothing is private except the lives of the children and the first lady. This is a very interesting statement.
The fourth person we met was Marrissa who is in charge of fact checking, editingand foreign policy. Her job is very interesting. I say this because most foreign policies are made her in the Distric of Columbia. Also because of the genocide going on in Darfur and seeing how the other countries react to whats going on. Her job is also pressuring because she has to make sure that each article written is did so accurately ever since the controversy with Steven Glass who made up satories and used unaccurate details.

The last person we met was Mike who has been working with The New Republic for six years. Before coming to The New Republic he has done work for the Boston Globe and the Boston Pheonix. His job is to go to congress and question state Legislaters. He likes congress because people just walk around with no body guards and he can walk right up to them and ask them any question. Also because at congress there is a lot of gossip and many social networks for journalists which makes it an easy place to write about.
Overall this trip was a great experience and voted second best trip of the mediacap10 project. Thanks TNR for taking time out of your busy schedules to talk with us we really appreciate it .
Written by Van J. Reed

Rate Your Job...

Throught the course of our CAP, Rashad Saleem has asked the people we meet to rate their job on a scale of one through ten. I have made a chart of how people rated their jobs. Only those who mentioned their job on bad days were graphed with a different number on the x-axis of the graph.

Click here to see it.

--Italo Cruz

Our Visit To The Progress and Freedom Foundation

Today, we went to the PFF, the Progress and Freedom Foundation, and met Mr. Adam Theirer, who is a senior fellow there. Mr. Theirer has about 15 years experience working in public policy think tanks. Among them all, he specializes in media and communication laws and has written 5 books mainly about mass media and 1st Amendment law. He gave us each a copy of the book Media Myths : Making Sense of the debate Over Media Ownership. He told us that when media began, there was no first amendment and that people would deem something they read in a newspaper unacceptable. He also told us that even back then , the media was somewhat tainted because to publish papers, they used the system of patronage, where one wealthy person would sponsor a paper, and because of this the sponsor could dis/approve an article for publishing. ( What Mr. Theirer taught us about patronage was also in Good Night and Good Luck, when CBS aired stories about Sen. Mc Carthey, ALCOA did not really want to sponsor them.) Mr. Theirer also told us that the news was more partisan in the early days, as opposed to how objective it is today. After WWII, he told us that the media became more democratic. he told us that we are fortunate because if we question a source or type of media, we can choose another branch of media beacuse our generation has a "media abundance". He also told us that he advocates media freedom,that corporations and commercialists should step in as fit, and that they their freedom should be excerised when, how, and where ever they wnat it to. He feels that gov't should not regulate the "soapbox" of media because it encourages tainted media and does not allow open media speech.

-- Capriko Robinson

THE ATTACHED SISTERS IN MEXICO

UNIVISION A HISPANIC NEWS SAID THAT TWO MEXICAN GIRLS REGINA AND RENATA WERE BORN ATTACHED BY THE ABDOMONS. IT SAID THAT THE TWO SISTERS WERE ATTACHED FOR ABOUT 10 MONTHS. THE SISTERS PARENTS SONIA AND FEDERICO TALK ABOUT HOW WORRIED THEY ARE ABOUT HOW THE OPERATION IS GOING TO GO. I THINK WHAT THESE TWO PARENT ARE GOING THREW IS VERY HARD BECUASE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE TWINS BECAUSE ONE OF THEM CUOLD DIE OR BOTH OF THEM COULD DIE AFTER THE OPERATION. THE DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE NEWS REPORT IN IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH IN THAT THEY ARE GIVING IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND SOMETIMES ONE THE NEWS REPORTS ARE GIVING DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVIDENCE AND SOMETIMES LEAVE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS OUT BUT THE OTHER REPORT MIGHT SAY WHAT THE OTHER REPORT LEFT OUT.

-ERICK VILLALTA-

The Origins of Thick Skin

On June 16th, we learned through the film Good Night, and Good Luck. The film followed Edward R. Murrow’s coverage of Sen. Joseph McCarthy hunt for communists. The film also features roles played by George Clooney and Robert Downy Jr. The film is entirely in black and white, and uses real footage of congressional hearings and of Sen. McCarthy. The film leads us through CBS’s decision between keeping corporate sponsors and providing the public with an informative and controversial newscast. There are also side stories like Robert Downey, Jr. and his wife trying to hide their marriage from CBS employers, and the suicide of a CBS anchor. Murrow challenges Joseph McCarthy to reveal the evidence he uses against people he accused of being communists, and because of this McCarthy accuses Murrow of being a communists. McCarthy had very little proof for this and was eventually investigated by congress for his actions. CBS lost many sponsors because of the anti-McCarthy newscasts and decided to cut the newscasts to one hour programs that would run on Sunday afternoons, instead of primetime on Tuesdays. In this film, virtually every character smoked and drank hard liquor. This, the fact that Dr. Watson of AU told us that “News people love to drink liquor”, and that we saw a Russian news anchor on a smoke break outside of VOA led our CAP to believe that “thick skin”, which is necessary for a career in journalism, is created through the consumption of liquor and unfiltered cigarettes.

--Italo Cruz

Lenny Bruce....

This post is about Lenny Bruce. I got words and phrases from the book The Trail of Lenny Bruce. The book was given to me by the author Ron Collins. Phrases in quoation marks are from the book.

Leonard Alfred Schneider (Lenny Bruce) was born in New York. "During World War II he served in the Navy on the U. S. S. Brooklyn, a light cruiser, and was discharged in 1946". After spending some time in odd jobs like in strip bars, he moved to Hollywood to study acting. In 1947 he changed his name to Bruce, because he said the Leonard Alfred Schneider sounded too way Hollywood. In the 1950’s, it was the breakthrough decade for Lenny as for many other comedians. Instead of Lenny who would rather be called Bruce because he thought his first name didn’t stand out to the people. His humor was just way to much for people to stay and listen. Bruce also worked and did performance in strip bars in Brooklyn and Baltimore. That is where he met a stripper, "who worked under the name Hot Honey Harlowe". Bruce later married her in 1951. Bruce appeared on the Arthur Godfrey Show and Steve Allen Show, where he drew national attention with his daring act such like making fun of taboo, religious views, blacks, Jews, homosexuals, and many other disturbing but funny topics. He was also very famous to saying the “dirty words”. The “dirty words” are these bad word that you couldn’t say in public television, these word you would most likely hear on Showtime at night. In the 1960’s, it was a special times that Bruce. He got to think about what he has done in a nice, cold, dirty jail cell. In 1961 Bruce was thrown in jail and charged for the things he did. In those time he was not allow to perform in Britain, England, and Australia. His material gotten so dirty that he couldn’t perform them inside night clubs or strip bars. "This eventually lead up to the “HOW TO TALK DIRTY AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE“, by Hugh Hefner in 1963". It appeared in Playboy over the next two years and in books. This is something that protected Bruce to say anything he wanted in his performances but to the police it didn’t matte. In this time when he did a performance he saved his dirty act to the end because he wanted the people going to his act to have a nice time and with all the cops there, he just really wanted to test them. "In spite of all the pressures from the police, court system, and other groups of people, Bruce refused to clean up his language". "All my humour is based on destruction and despair". If the whole world were tranquil, I'd be standing in the breadline, right back of J. Edgar Hoover" he once said. "In 1964, Bruce was convicted of giving obscene performances at a Cafe in Greenwich Village". In his later years Bruce became addicted to heroin. In 1963 he was found guilty of illegal possession of drugs. "Bruce died of an overdose on August 3, 1966, in his home on Hollywood Boulevard". He was 40 years old. During his time, he was fighting for what he thought was right. He thought that a man should be allow to do whatever he wants to say in his act and show not worry about it and get thrown in prison for it. "Bruce's in his daring way of breaking rules, and his “dirty words” influenced such comedians as George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and Robin Williams". This man changed the way in what is funny and what is not, what is good, what is bad, and so on. Sadly to say this man died in a way that no one should died. He was doing things that messed up his body. Still the memories and the things he did are still around and even though today young people might not of heard of him, he is still an important factor of how he change world around.

-Francisco Velasquez

Visit to the Freedon Forum in Rosslyn, Virginia

Today we went to the freedom forum and met with Mr. Ronald Collins. He talked about the first Amendment and where he taught school. He has taught constitutional law and contractional law at the George Washington law school. He talked about himself; he went to the back and told us we can get some soda or some water for us to drink.\Three or four minutes later he came back with two of his interns, Eric and Lu. He started to talk about the first Amendment and why it is so. He said if there is 90% of truth and the other 10% is false that the "First Amendment sometimes protects the false not the truth". Sometimes we use the false speech to help us to learn from our mistakes in life. He gave us words to think about like fighting words and hate words. He explained about hate words like the N-word for black people and the H-word for the Jews. He asked all of us who should control information or if it should even be control.
Mr. Collins said sometimes Gov't does control some info., but that info. protects the public- for example, false advertising. Last he gave us an important quote "too much freedom could kill you". Freedom comes with a price. He said people should take risks in life but not stupid risks. I think that Mr. Collins is a great speaker and we learned a lot from him. We also looked at some important Freedom related artifacts and replicas; this inlcuded, but was not limited to: a piece of the berlin wall, a headless statue of Vladimir Lenin, and the prison door from a jail cell Martin Luther King, Jr was imprisoned in.

--Mark Pabico