MCOM 100W: Writing workshop in Mass Media

Copy Edit World

noreply@blogger.com (Christina Salacup) — Tue, 8 May 2012 01:26:00 -0700

http://adfonic.com/about/team/victor-malachard/ 2 typos found: -recognised -organisations The revised version A recognized leader with over 10 years experience in telecommunications, IT and new media, Victor has a strong track record of achievement within both corporate and start-up companies and real experience building new organizations from the ground up.

NPR Radio Interview Analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Christina Salacup) — Mon, 2 Apr 2012 16:56:00 -0700

In the podcast “Blurring the Line between Life and Death,” the host, Terry Gross, mentioned the process of organ donation and the controversies associated with it. She had read the book of one of her guests who talked about cases of brain-dead. The questions were about the procedures and ethics involved in the donation process. The interviewees were asked to explain their side regarding the issues. The host will refer to a case and then, she will ask the guest again to answer the topic question during the entire show. The host and one of the interviewees used follow-up questions when they were either not agreeing to the claims or wanting to argue the opposing views. Gross used multiple strategies like the rhetorical appeal: logos in which, the logical reasoning is applied through use of studies, facts and so on. She also used the compare and contrast technique to shed light on the conflicting point of views. The host usually brings up an issue like the lack of information available to the public before signing-up as an organ donor. In addition, she disagreed about one of the explanations by Dr. Freeman. Gross did not favor any of her guests although she was very firm in trying to iron out the inconsistencies in the medical side. I realized the importance of separating personal views from facts as an interviewer. It is also vital to confirm to the interviewee if you have the right information. I must say that it is an example of a good interview because it is thought-provoking without any sign of bias from the host’s side.

Comparing Media

noreply@blogger.com (Christina Salacup) — Sat, 3 Mar 2012 21:56:00 -0800

Newspaper
The San Jose Mercury News article “1 killed, 4 wounded in school shooting in Ohio,” Thomas J. Sheeran of Associated Press wrote the story with contributions from Dan Sewell and Andrew Welsh-Huggins. It is only one-page long. There were four pictures provided: an indoor prayer service, parents and students walking outside the school, the S.W.A.T. team and people evacuating from another middle school. The writers also described the event based on what they saw on television. They included short interviews from two students, a hospital spokesperson and a chief of police.

Television
The news from Nightline’s “Ohio School Shooting: Hero Teacher” was about five minutes. It also included interviews from students who were emotional. Some parents, authorities and a news consultant gave their insights about the incident. Unlike the newspaper, the reporter provided some information about the suspect including the name and the recorded 911 call. The news also recognized the coach who aided in minimizing the casualties. This medium provided more in-depth coverage of the event.

Online News:
The Yahoo Finance news titled “Suspect in custody after Ohio School shooting” came from Reuters. It only gave general details about the incident and lasted for one minute. The name of the suspect and the number of victims were not disclosed. The reporter was not shown and only her voice was used. This media outlet appeared to look like a very short broadcast version. It had an advantage over the newspaper because it captured the emotions and gestures which were mostly lacking in print.

Fly on the Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Christina Salacup) — Thu, 1 Mar 2012 00:55:00 -0800

I must be lucky because no one else is hanging around here today. As usual, I am sitting again at my favorite spot where it is not too close by the glass wall on my left and the couches on my sides. Now, I am starting to type on the keyboard to access my email and this place is still quiet. It is a little bit different because it has been less than two months since I used a desktop. I love this place when I do not get distracted by either students chatting or groups of people walking nearby. But what is great here is that they have a radio/cassette player and I am in the mood for music. I come here when I do not need to access the printer or a quiet place to stay. I also like the advantage of not going to check in and out with a staff person whenever I need a computer because I do not have my laptop with me. There is only one receptionist behind me today and he is quiet too. There is a student who walks in and then, they are talking now. After a few minutes, she walks away and the music becomes louder again. I reach for my soda on the left side of my table. I prefer to eat here sometimes because I can multi-task and enjoy my privacy at the same time.

The Mystery Character

noreply@blogger.com (Christina Salacup) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:18:00 -0800

Her distinctive voice was her greatest asset. Everyone praises it because she sings like she has no lungs. She was also adored for her beauty and model-like figure. Not many people know that she had a sense of humor. Her teeth and smiles were charming too. She had different hairstyles and outfits all the time – but mostly sophisticated.

My Favorite Writing

noreply@blogger.com (Christina Salacup) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:03:00 -0800

One of my favorite writings is from the book titled “Yahoo Hotjobs From Learning to Earning Success Strategies for New Grads” by Dan Finnigan and Marc Karasu (2006 Sterling Publishing, New York). It has valuable information from job hunting to interview tips. I can say that this is like a bible for every graduating college student because it explains things like the types of skills in a more detailed way. I was surprised that most of the contents are not found in other books, taught in classes or even available from their previous Hotjob’s Website.

I really like the advice from Donald Trump on page 17. He says that it is important to articulate what you want and why you are doing it. It also includes this question: “How can you sell yourself without sounding boastful?” Some job seekers are unaware that they may be doing this or if they do, they probably think that it is what employers want to hear. The other question which might not come immediately to mind is “Can you persuade me in less than 30 seconds?”

I realized that knowing these questions will help me get more job offers in the future. It is not a long message but it was direct and it gives a clear idea about interviewing etiquette.