Discussion Question #2
In the past century, news media has changed from simple newspapers to a vast empire of television networks, magazines, and online content that allows for multiple methods of delivering the same news stories 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People no longer want to just get the big news of the day – there is now enough time to learn celebrity gossip, the latest political scandals, and reviews of what happened on television the previous night. This can tend to dilute the actual media and take away its sense of importance and individuality, as the stories tend to bleed together. Modern news media can improve the quality of life in a way, as instant access to the information you need is important and extremely beneficial. However, one must be cautious to find the best ways of picking out the stories you need from the fluff stories you do not want.
Discussion Question #3
The story I picked is about the East Coast thunderstorms which are currently destroying homes and ripping off roofs from Maine to North Carolina. The Internet is a fantastic place to deliver this story, as the immediacy of that medium allows for people to get the story instantly. Radio and Television are also a great way to deliver the news, as people who stay tuned for that medium can also get information as it happens, with each spoken word. For this particular type of story, I would say that television would be the most effective means of supplying this information, or social media methods of the Internet. People do not have to wait for an entire article to be written and distributed, and can learn about the storm while it is developing and moving. Also, television beats radio due to the graphs and meteorology charts that can be shown over a visual medium.
Discussion Response #1 Thu 04/14/2011 10:17 AM , by: April
April, you did a good job naming the different ways that you would cover the story, but you failed to mention which one would be the most effective and why. You seem to be implying that the television coverage would be the most effective, especially since Taylor was most well known for appearing on a television show. How would you deliver the story online? Would you use a blog?
Discussion Response #2 Fri 04/15/2011 05:19 AM , by: Megan
Megan, it would help better to explain the Arizona shootings in better detail. Which ones are they? What happened? Despite the lack of detail in this story, it is interesting to hear how you heard about the story – on Facebook first, and then on the news. This showcases an incredible change in how we learn things in this world, with an emphasis on social media.
Discussion Response #3 04/16/2011 01:04 PM , by: Chantelle
Chantelle, I agree with your thoughts on the strategy of having a small section of the story to entice the viewers, especially as the sheer number of news stories makes the impact of each story less intensely felt. It is very interesting that you have started to doubt the information that is presented to you, as I feel that can happen with an overexposure to the same news stories.
Discussion Response #4 Fri 04/15/2011 03:47 PM , by: Chantelle
Chantelle, your assessment of emerging media is very spot-on, especially how it is in such an early stage of development, and how the people who typically use it have a responsibility to create ethical media. The set schedule of traditional media cannot keep up with an increasingly fast-paced lifestyle, and as such emerging media is necessary in order to deliver the news to everyone.
Discussion Question #4
Maintaining ethics as an academic writer can be difficult; all of the research you do can be so crucial to your work that you do not know any other way to say it than how the original author says it. While you may think you are creating original content, you may also be unintentionally plagiarizing by keeping too closely to the original author’s words. Services such as Turnitin and the plagiarism tutorial are great guidelines and sources of accountability for an academic writer, pointing out when something can be construed as plagiarism. The appropriate changes can be made, and a paper can be turned in with the assurance that it contains original and properly cited content. The Certificate of Authenticity is a great way to show your instructor or the person you are turning the paper in to that you took the time to search for unoriginal content, which demonstrates incredible academic honesty.
Discussion Response #5 Fri 04/15/2011 06:21 AM , by: Christine
I agree with your thoughts about how dangerous it can be to exercise plagiarism in a college environment, Christine. Due to the tools that colleges provide, it is incredibly easy to not have to do the work that you are assigned. This is where Turnitin comes in handy, as it will help to catch those who are attempting to plagiarize and curb these bad habits.
Discussion Response #6 Fri 04/15/2011 07:10 AM , by: Jacqueline
Turnitin is indeed a great tool for keeping yourself ethical, Jacqueline. Unintentional plagiarism is just as bad as any other type of plagiarism, and that can help to encourage better writing behaviors by catching those sections that you may not realize you are completely ripping off. It also helps to verify to the instructor that you are on the level when writing your paper.
