Long Live A Legend

Actor, sports and racing fanatic Paul Newman lost his battle with cancer and died at the age of 83. He rocked the movie industry with spots in The Color of Money and The Hustler, but the first movie that the media showed to grab everyone's attention was his wise - cracking role in one of the greatest hockey movies of all time, SLAPSHOT. He played a player - coach who had a rag bunch hockey team who were led by the Hanson brothers. The media remembered him as one of the greatest actors who gave back to the community as well as being a huge sports fan. It was the only way he should be remembered.

Rupert Murdoch, a man to watch out for

Over the weekend I was reading the October 2008 issue of Vanity Fair and I really enjoyed an article by Michael Wolff about Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the Wall Street Journal. First of all, the journalist was very persistent in his interviews with Murdoch, and even though he went in with preconceived notions about Murdoch, he still delivered. I was also intrigued by their discussions on newspapers and how much political controversy really surrounds every aspect of Murdoch's decisions. He already is one of the most powerful people in the media, owning one of the most famous papers in the world, and he doesn't plan to stop anytime soon. They continued to discuss the impact he would have on acquiring other newspapers and outlets, and properly ended the story stating, "It continues to all depend on him." Is it possible that one man could truly have the power to control and potentially change the media as we know it? 

Burning Down the House

Because of the recent failure to vote for the bailout plan, the media is going to be finding many causes for the problem. Also, because of the election many people are going to be putting democrats against republicans in an effort to cast blame away from themselves. For example “Burning Down The House” blames the democrats even though it is a problem the entire country has to deal with. This video shows lots of charts, graphs and has a soundtrack which sort of distracted me from what it was trying to explain. I think its a good idea to create something simple for those who didn't follow closely the economic decline of our country but I also feel like the media should try to produce an un-biased account of what really happened so the country can know all the facts instead of hearing news stories here and there about the bailout plan all of the sudden.

"Sexy Puritan" or "rightwing-Christian anti-choice extremist"

I've always though labels are the lazy journalist's best friend. Skip the complexities, because it's SO much easier to label him as "conservative" or her as "activist." This article from Slate comments on media attempts to label Palin in a comedic tone; I find it a bit alarming that media actually tries to categorize someone, especially an interesting individual such as Sarah Palin! "Hockey mom" does not do her justice! Plus, are we getting the full story if we marginalize someone like this?

Obama Reminiscent of FDR

Obama is using a method FDR used to use to fight back against the ads the McCain campaign is producing. FDR used to do "fireside chats" over the radio to create a sense of familiarity with the people. One of Obama's newest ads has done just that. Usually campaign ads are thirty seconds long, filled with dramatic music, a serious voice-over, and bad pictures of the opposing candidate attacking his stance. Obama's campaign though has put out an ad that is an entire two minutes long, has no music in the background, and the only person's voice is Obama's who speaks directly to the viewer about what he plans to do, without attacking McCain once. The ad is meant to run in swing states and its popularity gives way that this isn't going to be the only "fireside chat" with Barack Obama.

Entertainment Weekly Knows Where It's At

I'm sure most of you remember The New Yorker's cover of the Obamas seen through Republicans eyes. Barack is dressed in "typical" Muslim garb, while Michelle dons full combat gear. The New Yorker cover was meant to critique the Republican view of the Obamas but the Obama campaign did not think it was funny. Now Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert (who else?) grace the cover of Entertainment Weekly in tribute to The New Yorker. Entertainment Weekly also did an interview with Stewart and Colbert and both do an excellent job of critiquing the candidates, their campaigns, and the media. Evidently with this issue, Entertainment Weekly definitely knows that they're doing when it comes to selling magazines.

What you could learn in a minute.

I was looking through the BBC new website today and found that I could receive what BBC considers the most important news headlines in less than a minute. BBC has a link on their website BBC One-Minute World News that highlights major headlines in the media. It is updated 24 hours and the one I watched noted President Bush's meeting with congressional members and presidential candidates about the financial rescue plan, then it moved on to report the swearing in of the new South African President, US troops engaging in open fire with Afghanistan after a US helicopter was shot down, and finally the launching of the third Chinese space craft...devoting less than 20 seconds to each topic. I understand the fast-past culture of our society, and maybe BBC One-Minute World News was aimed to keep up. Or perhaps, BBC news hoped that people would watch the clips and do further investigation on their own, but is this really likely. Considering the importance of these events and the affect they could have on our nation and even the world, is it to much to ask for more than 20 seconds each?

The Chicago Tribune's Gets a Makeover

Come Monday, September 29, you may hardly recognize the paper that you have known and been reading for years. The Chicago Tribune is going under some major plastic surgery in hopes to bring in more of the younger generation. They are responding to the decline in newspaper sales by making their paper more reader-friendly and more intriguing for young readers.

They are even changing their head logo, which has been the same for well over a hundred years. Instead of having the words 'Chicago Tribune' next to each other, they will be stacked on top of one another. This will leave space for pictures from the top stories inside the newspaper.

I also heard that the newspaper considered changing their name to 'The Trib'
the nickname many of us have come to associate with them. I read an article about this change that may take place, but they have decided against it.

In one of my classes we talked about this and some students said that if they did change their name to The Trib, it would make them not want to read the Tribune. They said they would not take them seriously anymore.

I think that the Tribune is doing whatever it takes to save their paper in these hard times, and they're making a smart move but I don't think it will do any good. It may cause some buzz and initially people may be interested in their new look, but I don't see it lasting. Newspapers need to face that times are changing. The internet is the new direction to go when it comes to news and media. I think newspapers need to follow that path and see where it takes them.

Will Yahoo! fall short?

I came across an article in the Chicago Tribune announcing Yahoo!'s new campaign to better target the ads on their webpages to the customers viewing them. Their main focus this time around is on newspaper companies who are "hoping for relief from the decline in their industry," specifically, the fact that ads are not generating as much revenue as they could be. But I wonder how much these ads will really help them out. Yes, we all see the ads as we're clicking through webpages, whether it's news on Yahoo! or our friend's profile on Facebook, but how often does anyone actually click on them, and then make a purchase from the company?

We talk about wanting to just get the news online, being able to search for specific types of articles, or just read about a few topics here and there. Is this investment worth it, playing on the fact that we are a very ADHD nation and will probably divert to an advertisement's page because we become "bored" so quickly? Or is this just another aim to improve the news industry that will fall short because it's not what people want to see or care to look at when they're reading about the latest news?

Media is Raisin' (or lowering) McCain

I was watching Fox News this morning and they had a guest appearance, John Rich, who wrote a song to support the McCain campaign. After watching the clip on Fox News I went to Youtube and found the clip of the "Raisin' McCain" music video. John Rich played the song on Aug. 1, 2008 in Panama City, Florida at a rally for the GOP presumptive nominee on the Florida Panhandle, however the song is starting to pick up more coverage, as it was aired on Fox News today. It must be stated that the McCain campaign DID NOT ask Rich to write this song. Rich stated, the song was inspired by John McCain's "true heroism." Rich said that people were saying stated that not many younger people supported McCain, and therefore he wanted to show his enthusiasm while encouraging others to do the same. After looking up the clip on Youtube, and watching it again, I felt disgusted. Is this really what American politics has come to, music videos to dazzle the voters? Whether one prefers Obama or McCain as their candidate of choice, I believe the matter here lies within the media's role as a gatekeeper in communications. Music videos of little value, such as this one, should not be a deciding factor in choosing a president and therefore should not be promoted by the media. If someone wants to write a song about a presidential candidate, that's great, but leave the music videos to MTV and out of the news.

What is Newsworthy?

In our last class someone (I forget who, sorry) suggested that the paper news should focus less on entertainment and the arts and etc, and focus more on just the world and local news. When I first heard this suggestion I thought it was terrible (as those are my favorite parts of the paper) but it got me thinking about what is newsworthy. For as long as I can remember the news has tried to be a little bit of everything. World news, local news, weather, sports, fluff pieces, comics, fashion, you name it, the paper covers it. But do articles about new recipes or finding your perfect jeans really belong in the New York Times? After all, if you are really interested in these things, wouldn't you be more likely to buy a magazine devoted entirely to the subject? I personally would miss the comics and the advice sections if they were gone, but maybe the news having something for everyone is no longer practical.

Skinny Minny

So I was in line at the grocery store and saw an article about the new '90210' girls being uber skinny. I didn't read it at the time and didn't think too much about it but then I just saw the article again on MSN. I just think it's sad how the media praises women for achieving a certain weight but then attacks these girls for being so skinny. Obviously there is a weight loss/gain issue in society because when they are not talking about how skinny someone is they are talking about how much weight someone gained and that they look bad. If a person feels comfortable in their body, then good for them. The media is so nit-picky about weight that if they stopped portraying super skinny women or harassing larger women there most likely would not be so many problems with eating disorders and women (and some men) feeling like they have to look, dress, and be a certain size to be celebrity like.

Do you Want the Palin Look?

I was checking my e-mail when I came across a video on Sara Palin. I posted the link here, but I am sorry if it will not come up on another page since it is really long. I just thought it was interesting how Fox News covered the story of Palin's hair stylist. It seems like a really big deal where she gets her hair done. I just do not understand why this is so important. It seems like the media is trying to make her more approachable, more like a person. I can understand why they do these kinds of stories. They are trying to make the public see that the candidates are real people and that they do the same things we do. These stories put them on our level, in a sense. It just amazed me how important it seems to Fox News where Palin gets her hair done. I think they should be covering more important things.

The media's hand in the financial fall outs

I came across this article in the NY Times regarding the way journalists have been covering the recent financial fall outs occurring in our country. I thought it was interesting that these journalists have been self-sensoring themselves in order to avoid a national panic. One of the most critical issues in journalism from the past and today is the issue of censorship, whether it's from government, corporations, etc. In this case, the journalists are utilizing this very thing in order to protect the citizens of the nation and their own reputations after much blame has been placed on them in the past regarding other Wall Street scandals/fall outs.

Britney Spears' Comeback

Lots of people are starting to see a much healthier looking Britney Spears.  Good for her.

But sadly and naturally, the media is looking the other way.  Even when many media outlets, blogs, and websites claimed that they were interested in Britney when she was in and out of hospitals and rehab clinics because they cared.  Well, if they cared, why aren't they interested now that she is looking better? 

Am I the only one that thinks that newsworthiness shouldn't be based on how badly someone is doing?

Subliminal bias?

Picking up the New York Times today, watching CNN and MSNBC, and glancing at the Sun-Times in 7-11, I noticed one thing: news outlets almost always mention Obama first when recapping the news. The blue candidate's name appears first, or his story is run closer to the top of the page, or there are simply more pictures of him. Its uncanny--look for it. While, granted, Obama's candidacy has set the larger precedent, and McCain has been grabbing a few more headlines because of his running mate (this could all change in a few weeks) it is a bit telling. Is the media just more excited to spotlight Obama? The better question: is that fair?

Have Your Say

We have been talking in class about the ways in which the media is trying to interact with the public more so when I noticed this section on BBC news I was really excited. Although I have heard about the recent financial crisis I've found it hard to really follow. I don't have any stocks or bonds, I don't have a mortgage, and I don't know anything about Wall Street. For me, BBC's "Have Your Say" page has been far more informative than any in-depth article on exactly what went wrong. Yes, some posters may be way off-base but at least one can usually find a variety of opinions. As much as I love the paper news, it cannot compete with the internet for mass interaction.

JonBenet Ramsey

I was watching Oprah a few days ago--the topic of the show was 'child abduction, molestation, and child pornography in the United States.' 

One of her guests was JonBenet Ramsey's father, John Ramsey--who was recently found not guilty for the murder of his daughter by new evidence.  What he said about the case and the media was very interesting.  He said that the media gave a very unreal image of JonBenet and the entire family.  Here were his main points:

-The media portrayed JonBenet's mother, Patty, as 'one of those mothers' who forces their daughter to enter beauty pageants.  This, John claims, is not true.  Patty was a supportive mom who knew pageantry and helped JonBenet do them.

-JonBenet was only a beauty princess.   This wasn't true either, John said.  She was involved in a lot of other activities and genuinely had her mother's spirit (who was also did pageants) and enjoyed being in pageants.  She played sports and took dance classes and did other things that 6-year-olds do.

I think I believe John Ramsey, even though anyone would defend their family against the media.  If John Ramsey is telling the truth about his family, the media really dropped the ball on this one.

   

Sexy Baristas

At first glance I just thought this article about scantily clad coffee girls was pretty funny, but once I got into it it really troubled me. I hate to be yet another person in media crying sexism, but I certainly don't see any sexed up male baristas in the pictures. Also it raises some disturbing questions about consumers. Steve McDaniel, owner of Java Girls said in the article that "we stimulate the sexual imagination to drive our coffee sales". Does your sexual imagination really need to be stimulated while buying coffee? And while I know that good latte making abilities and hotness are not mutually exclusive, I can't help but think that these girls are probably not hired for how well they make coffee. The author of the article seems to have a bemused tone, and I guess I shouldn't take it so seriously, but I must admit that it bothers me that the people of Seattle are willing to wait in line for inferior coffee just so they can ogle their latte girl's garters.

Is the News RELIABLE?

I just had a very interesting conversation with my good friend Ruben, who is a student at the University of Chicago studying political science. I told him that my roomate and I were watching the nightly news, just as we always do. I told him that we are interested in knowing what is going on in the world. He gets pretty passionate about things and he gave me a big lecture.
He told me that he does not like to watch the news because he feels that they only give you the news that is important to them. They can distract the public from big events going on in the world; things that the public should be knowing about besides the cute little stories the news shows. But I was wondering, then where else could we get our news unless we become reporters ourselves? Is there any reliable source?

Sexism in SNL?

To go along with this whole Tina Fey impersonation of Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live (see post below)...

Politicians are saying that that entire skit was sexist and unfair because they were poking fun at what Palin couldn't do while making Senator Hillary Clinton look like she was much more knowledgeable.  

How is this sexist? Can someone explain this?

Or is this just the media trying to stir up more controversy with the Presidential campaign?

Dancing Together, But Individually

Besides the fact that hosting a silent rave is totally awesome, this article brings up some very good points about isolationism that we discussed in class. The article references philosopher Allan Bloom's prediction that the Walkman "would contribute to a decline in civility". In a world where no one would dare go anywhere without their ipod, is a silent rave really just celebrating isolationism? If instead of reading your local news, you just get your world news online, are you isolating yourself from your community? Why go out and talk to someone when you have the whole world right at your fingertips?

Mexico's Independence

Well, this may be very different from typical things we are writing about, but I decided to write about Mexico's Independence day, which is tomorrow, the 16th. I am currently watching the ceremony in Mexico City, where the President, Calderon, recieves the Mexican flag and shows it to the millions of people surrounded by him. It is a ceremony that is portrayed very carefully and with great national pride. It is interesting to see how the cameras portray the president in a really special way. When he made his speech, the cameras were right under him to make him seem bigger than he is. The program shows people screaming with their flags and people getting emotional over this special ceremony.
I think the way the media covers specials stories really makes a difference on the impact of the event. The hosts and what the cameras show make the event stand out. It brings out all these emotions from the public. I feel like that is one of the goals of the media; they want the public to feel or think a certain way.

Anti-Islamic Media

Would you ever expect an internationally respected newspaper like the New York Times to promote anti-Islamic propaganda? Neither would I. Believe it or not the New York Times and other national newspapers like the Charlotte Observer are doing just that. The newspapers are being delivered with a free DVD called "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West”. Would they ever deliver a newspaper with a DVD about the Irish Republican Army? Simply put, No. I've never even heard of a newspaper doing anything like that- sending a free DVD out to its readers. There is definitely something going on that we're not being told and whether it's to sway elections, or just incite hate against Islam, I feel like we need to know who is behind this and why.

What Do We Really Want?

Everyday day I get at least one or two e-mails regarding the new Facebook.  It either is asking me to join a group or sending me some bumper sticker depicting the person's irritation with the new lay-out.  I personally do not understand what all the fuss is about, it honestly is not that different, but people seem to be having heart attacks over it.

Thinking of this, I recalled how the youth is supposed to be more interested in interactive websites, new technology.  The media is constantly creating new websites to complement their newspapers or television news shows, adding interesting features to entice the younger generation.  For this reason I do not understand why there is such resistance against the new facebook.  It strives to better the product, allowing more applications, a new and improved look, it is everything that the younger demographic is supposed to eat up.

The question then, is why is the response to this so negative?  Do young people actually not like new and improved technology; instead becoming as stuck in their ways as older people who swear by their morning Tribune?

Weis and Brady are partners in crime AGAIN!!!!

Not more than a week had passed when Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots, tore both is MCL and his ACL in the first game of the season against the Kansas City Chiefs and then his best friend and mentor Charlie Weis had the same thing happen to him and he's not even a player. Charlie Weis is the head football coach for the University of Notre Dame. The news showed the footage of the game over and over again. The public got a eye full of what it is like to have your leg snapped with 300 pounds coming down on you. His own player was pushed into him from behing and Charlie Weis went town like a ton of bricks. Even though Michigan lost, it was still a sweet victory! The news has been all over this story because Charlie Weis was already on the hot seat to start the season and now he is getting more coverage than ever!

Allergies and Global Warming

Have your allergies been a lot worse than usual? Over the past few months, I have noticed an increase in the amount of people being affected by respiratory allergies. Friends of mine who never had allergies before suddenly have constant tears in their eyes and are sneezing way more than usual. A recent study suggests that this increase is possibly due to the effects of Global Warming, since the higher CO2 levels in the air are rapidly increasing the growth of plants and specifically, ragweed pollen, which is the most common allergen. Bryan Walsh states "Researchers have shown repeatedly that elevated levels of CO2 stimulate weeds to produce pollen out of proportion with their growth rates — meaning you get more pollen per plant, which means more allergies." The increase in people suffering from allergies is also affecting the amount of people suffering from symptoms of asthma. It is a fact that over the past few decades, the number of patients with asthma has doubled in comparison to previous years. Ironically, the amount of CO2 levels in the air have risen dramatically over the past few decades as well. What does this research mean for those suffering with allergies? Well, for starters stop contributing to the rise of CO2 levels in the air by changing your lifestyle. Take a look at the Top 50 Things To Do To Stop Global Warming to help save our planet and even save some of the lives who are affected by health issues related to Global Warming.

Tina Fey Makes for a Better Palin than Palin Herself

After watching SNL this weekend, along with everyone else in America, I was once again reassured that the media is certainly filled with liberal bias, and as much as Sarah Palin would like to stay away from the media, the media just can't stay away from her.

As Tina Fey made a guest appearance as Sarah Palin, it really was hard to tell the difference when it came to looks. But when it came to speaking, you couldn't help but laugh and side with Tina Fey. Now I know Sarah Palin would not be doing a comedic skit as she's running for V.P., but the show did bring up some interesting points, firing jokes at her flaws and attacking her history and position as a political candidate, not her family situation that has been painted all over every news program since she was announced as the candidate. The duo of Fey and Amy Poehler (acting as Hilary Clinton) did raise the issues of a sexist bias also coming out in this election, earlier with Hilary and now with Palin.

But are the people watching this show really as informed about these topics as we'd like to think? Were ordinary citizens laughing at the skit because they think Palin is "hott"? Or are the citizens informed, knowledgable, and intellectual, like those of the Daily Show who honestly just prefer a comedic spin on things over the interrogations and boring jargon we typically hear?

Racism in Sports

A couple days ago, John Rawlings, from Sportingnews.com wrote an article titled, "Does race color discussion of bad athletes?" where he highlights that black athletes get noticed more when they do something bad in the media than white athletes. He goes on to mention that Rick Ankiel for the beloved St. Louis Cardinals was shipped human growth hormones and the media found out, but no one really made a huge deal about it. People did however make a huge deal out of Barry Bonds taking steroids. Rawlings says that's because the color of his race. OK, I will agree that it might be a factor but another factor was that he was in the race for the home run record i believe when it started, and the fact that his stats jumped up out of nowhere. Rick Ankiel is a no name player compared to Bonds. He is insufficient to the sporting world because he really was not very important at the time of the accusations. But it's not just baseball that Rawlings touches, he talks about football with the whole Micheal Vick shenanigans. Even if you do not follow football at all you most likely know who Micheal Vick is. So many different news stations covered his dog fighting case. But i truthfully do not think that race is the biggest factor in this story or even a good factor. He was hurting innocent dogs and being a huge dog lover myself i only wanted justice because he was hurting such amazing animals. He was getting all that media coverage because he was a huge celebrity in football doing something unbelievable with his money. But I guess its all how you look at it?

Which lipstick color do pigs prefer?

I recently read an article in the Chicago Tribune that described the ludicrous scene of presidential candidates putting make-up on pigs, following it up with an advertisement for other animals as well. If they will put lipstick on a pig, why not a chicken?  It then went to go on and quote interviews with establishments such as the Lincoln Park Zoo, displaying their answers to whether or not it is wrong for the candidates to only put lipstick on pigs.

After reading this I was not only a bit disturbed (lipsticks on pigs?) but also worried for the level of quality that the Tribune has usually held.  This is a widely circulated newspaper which people trust for their news on the election and the world's affairs in general.  I understand that newspapers have a variety of articles, heavy to light, but this article just seemed downright silly.  I don't know about the rest of the readers, but while reading about which underwater animals would be best suited for lipstick was entertaining, I don't really feel that I came away with anything substantial.  I would much rather have had an article that had real information on the election, not on the makeup tendencies of animals.

Woah There Charlie

Anyone else see Charles Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin on World News Tonight?  We all know both sides by now--some say she can't handle the job, others just really like her.  But Gibson's interview seemed to be coming from an angry democrat's standpoint.  Was it just me, or was his interview more like an interrogation? It seemed a little condescending, and was a lot like rapid fire.  Couldn't he at least taken a breath between questions? Or cracked a smile? 

Double standard

Joel Stein's excellent column asks an important question of voting citizens, but I think we can extend this to media coverage. He asks if people can handle a "hot" woman VP, and whether that would color our attitudes and voting habits. How about media coverage? Rush Limbaugh is practically drooling over himself, but among respectable journalistic types are reporters whetting out too much praise because of her looks? Or handing out harsh critiques to hide their crushes? We'll see these next few months.

Where is Biden?

There seems to be someone missing from the presidential race lately. Obama's VP nominee Joe Biden seems to have fallen out of the race. He's getting absolutely no coverage, even when he says something very newsworthy. A recent article from Mail Online reports Biden noting that perhaps Hillary Clinton would be a better choice for VP than himself. Biden has a reputation of shooting his mouth off, and he couldn't have said this at a worse time. Obama is already defending accusations of bashing Palin in a recent speech. However, this story about Biden is hardly making headlines. Everyone is so distracted primarily by Palin and Obama that Biden's actions are being ignored by many. However, this was a huge blow to the Democratic camp, so why isn't it getting more coverage?

Balanced coverage

MSNBC recently dumped their opinionated, and left-leaning, hosts Keith Olbermann and Chris Mathews from election duties. Might it just be a reaction to cries of "political bias" from the idealogical right? Do we have a rebuttal, FOX News?

Opinion Journalism

Perhaps opinion journalism is not real journalism, perhaps that is indeed sad that many in our age group get their news from Jon Stewart, but you have to admit, he is funny. And I appreciate that he at least admits that his show is written from a certain perspective. What bothers me is when news channels (cough, fox news, cough) state that the coverage they provide is impartial, when it clearly is not. This is a fairly hilarious clip of the Daily Show wherein Jon Stewart rips some Palin supporters to shreds. Yes, the clips are taken out of context, yes it is from a decidedly liberal perspective, but also yes: it is funny as hell.

Time to rethink...

I was just wondering if people still get their "hard news" from newspapers and television, and did a quick google search. This definitely makes me rethink what I've read--at an alarming (well, for old-school journalists) rate folks are now getting their election (ie serious) news online...already more than in all of 2004. My only question--are they really getting the news, or just shallow conceptions of it?

SCANDALOUS

Today I woke up and did my usual surfing of the net, you know clicking random links that looked intriguing. Then I came upon one that caught my eye that happened to be about, Gossip Girl. I know what your thinking, what am I doing clicking an article about gossip girls. Actually, it was an article about the "scandalous" advertisements for the CW11 show. The advertisements show the stars naked, half-naked, or about to do something that gets them naked. In the article, the stars of the show are quoted saying that they think the saucy ads are a great idea for marketing the show. I can see what the actors are saying; what could get your attention more than a promiscuous Blake Lively? However, I can also sympathize with the parents that are all worked up. How could parents be thrilled about their kids watching a show that is advertising sexual or seducing acts? Is this really a good marketing idea like the Gossip Girl stars think?

Lack of Color

While flipping through the latest issue of Vogue, I noticed something that bothered me.  Advertisement after advertisement of overpriced clothing was presented, each one featuring a blase model with the usual porcelain skin and amethyst eyes.  I thought that it might have just been a fluke, that the advertisements I was looking at were unique in their lack of color, but the more I looked at, the more disgruntled I became.  Out of the hundreds of advertisements in the magazine, less than a quarter featured either African American, Asian American, Indian, or Middle Eastern models.

This is disgruntling because we are in a society that praises itself for being diverse.  In fact, we have become so obsessed with diversity that it has even been used as a selling point.  Go to this university because it is diverse.  Come to this city because of its diversity.  We value this, and yet one of the most widely circulated magazine blatantly lacks it.

Now, I am not saying that every single advertisement needs to look like a United Nations meeting.  I simply would like to see a bit more variation in the advertisements, not the same three or four caucasian models. 

Not your average story...

Wow, as a correspondent, it can't be much tougher than this. In today's Tribune David Greising covered a dispute between the paper's parent company and Google News. The complications are immense: two huge companies, one comprising the bigwigs at the paper, arguing over the consequences of a story your section covered. Greising tried to be as objective as possible, and there's no editorializing here, but gee--not an assignment I'd be looking for. As media companies consolidate, will we see more heavyweight clashes like this in the future? For future Business writers, let's hope not!

How to reach millennials with election news?

What do news sites need to do to reach 17-to-22-year olds with online election news? Incorporating a lot of bells and whistles? Have billions of interactive features?
Not according to this study. Slimming down and avoid overstimulation seem to be key to reaching the millennials. To reach the overstimulated, less is more.

Too little too late?

In the wake of Jay Mariotti's condemnation of newspapers, it is interesting to see what's going on at the rival paper. If you haven't followed, the Tribune is changing its webpage to encompass far more media--ie, more blogs and internet-specific favorites. While the merger has certainly been planned for quite some time, and is in no way influenced by the resignation of Mariotti, it is interesting to watch how the Trib is attempting to portray itself as progressive. They're definitely trying to play up the merger and advertise it in their columns. Check this out from Sunday's paper.

Britney's Comeback?

I'm sure everyone has heard about Britney Spears' comeback on the MTV Video Music Awards last night. There was plenty of hype before the show aired about Spears opening the show, and there are many news articles about her "stealing the show" today. I do not know if "comeback" is the right word for it, considering she did not perform, but she did look great and she won three awards.

I think MTV used Britney to gain viewers for the show, especially since they knew it was on the same time as the Bears game. MTV figured that by having Britney in their television promos for the show that she would bring in many viewers. It doesn't matter if you're a Britney fan or not, people want to watch what she does-whether that is succeeding in looking great, or shall we say, possibly being a bit out of it on stage (2007 VMA's anyone?) she captures the audience's attention.

Even though many people are sick of the Britney hype, I think MTV made a smart move, and a risky one, using Spears to promote their awards show. And who knows, maybe she won't go shaving her head again, at least not anytime soon that is.

Gossip Girl

I'm a big fan of the CW's Gossip Girl. The new, second season has taken a turn in a different direction. Viewers are starting to feel the show is becoming a little racy. WGN interviewed viewers about their thoughts on the new season. It was interesting to hear other fans' opinions. One viewer called Gossip Girl "Naughty". "Tantalizing TV or just trash?" asks Mark Suppelsa,  WGN news anchor. Parents are not impressed with it.  

The show seems to be playing off of its new found racy image. Advertisements for Gossip Girl are posted all over the city, but mainly at bus stops. The advertisements display critics' quotes, one saying something along the lines of "a parents worst nightmare". I find it interesting that the CW is embracing these quotes in order to attract more viewers. It's an interesting strategy. 

Bush has a warped mindset.

In a recent 60 Minutes interview with journalist Bob Woodword, Bush's real idea of "success" is revealed. Woodward has recently published a book called The War Within which is comprised of over 150 interviews with White House officials including President Bush himself. Bush has always claimed that he listens to exactly what his generals advise him to do. That can't be true because apparently top generals do not want to add any more brigades in Baghdad. However, Bush insists on sending more troops because he feels not enough people on the Iraqi side are dying. Woodward reports that in one conversation Bush goes so far as to say "We're not playing for a tie" to Casey George, who is stationed in Baghdad. Woodward makes many people's suspicions of Bush's thoughts into solid realities. We are no longer trying to help Iraq, that is, if we ever truly were trying, we are simply trying to win. And to Bush, winning is only measured by a body count.

2008 VMA's

Tonight on the VMA’s the host, Russell Brand, a British comedian, said totally vile comments about people’s sexual lives and other things. Instead of being funny crossed the line which was apparent by people’s facial expressions, and the crowd’s lack of laughter. Maybe if he was a citizen of this country he could comment but he’s not and I think that he is inappropriate. I know that we have freedom of speech but I think that people should use discretion when talking about other people’s personal lives, even if they are joking.

sexism in advertising

In many commercials it is still the men who drink beer and drive fast cars, while the women cook and do laundry, therefore members of the European Parliament want EU countries to ban gender stereotyping in advertising. In the United States this could never pass under the First Amendment, but is it a good idea if the state tries to regulate ethical standards this way?

Tribune's editorial board

I was reading a Chicago Tribune editorial from a little while back in which the editorial board argues for keeping the drinking age at 21. Next to the article you can see the pictures of the members of the editorial board. It is diverse in its composition when it comes to race and gender, but not when it comes to age. I doubt that any one of those board members is under 40, from the look of it. (Then again, journalism makes people age faster they say....) If newspapers have a hard time reaching the younger audiences, shouldn't they have some younger people on their editorial boards? Without taking a position on the issue of the drinking age limit (full disclosure: I come from a country where you can drink at 16), wouldn't it be desirable if on issues such as these, someone who is in his twenties or thirties could weigh in? Someone who has been on a college campus in the last 10-15 years might add some valuable perspective to this and other issues relating to the younger generation. Just a thought....

Don Wycliff's take on the Palin case

Loyola faculty member Don Wycliff wrote a column in today's Tribune about the Palin pregnancy. His take is that the pregnancy is not a newsworthy issue that should be left in the private sphere. Intelligently written, thoughtful piece. One of the things I find interesting is that he argues that the mainstream media should have distanced themselves from the story even as it was pushed onto the public forum by members of the blogosphere. It might indeed be a worrisome evolution if some gossiping dirt diggers from the blogosphere (though there are also many responsible bloggers out there) start to set the national media agenda.

Media Bashes Palin

In the past week the media has focused their attention almost entirely to Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, but the attention has not always been positive. They consistently keep stating that Sarah Palin is not "good enough" to hold the title, mainly in reference to her position within her family of five children. It has been extremely saddening to see the media bash Sarah Palin because she serves as an inspiration to many young women and although the media does not flat out say that she is not good enough because she is a female, it is obvious to see that they are using the attacks on her family to keep the typical upper class, white male in office.

It is extremely important to realize media's effects on our youth because it is our responsiblity to educate and inspire them in order for society to continuously prosper. Sarah Palin symbolizes not only a strong, female leader, but hope for young women to believe that they, too can rise up above the men, which is seldomly done. We must implant the idea of a woman leader in the minds of our youthful woman to give them the inspirtation to keep trying and never give up, despite all the negativity towards them.

Leave Bristol Alone

O.k...The Republican National Convention isn't even over yet, and I'm already sick of hearing about Sarah Palin.  

But, I'm going to bring up an ethics issue concerning her children anyway.

There's usually a rule that the children (under the age of 18) of politicians, or public officials in general are off limits when it comes to news coverage.   It's usually unethical to bring children into the limelight.

So why is Palin's 17-year-old pregnant daughter such a hot topic to the media?  Just because it's a presidential race, does it mean that journalist's ethical code is thrown out the window?

It's understandable why they are talking so much about it, but it's not ethical.  Leave Bristol alone.

Detroit

Just in case anyone was interested in what is going on in Detroit, Kwame pled guilty. I don't really have much to add, besides what I said in class, but I'm still really disappointed by Kwame. Detroit has a lot to offer but people always think of it as a joke. Kwame was supposed to change that and he just made it worse.

Sexism Should Not be an Issue

The controversary issue regarding McCain's V.P, Sarah Palin, and her role as a mother and 2nd in command is getting eaten up by the media.

The media is focusing on the fact that Palin is a mother of five children, one of them being a five month old boy with down syndrome, and the other a 17-year-old teenage daughter. The critics are questioning her skills as a mother and are wondering if she will be able to handle the pressure of Vice President and also be a good mother.

This is ridiculuous. Parenting skills would not be an issue if Palin was a man. Sexism should not be an issue in this race. The media is focusing more on Palin's personal life rather than her professional values and what she has to offer as V.P. I don't remember anyone questioning men in politics who have young children at home in the past-I guess it was just assumed that the mother would take all the responsibilities.

Palin should be a role model for mothers who have children and still puruse their career dreams. I thought we were past the days when women who had children needed to quit their jobs to be stay at home moms.

Let's give young girls someone to look up to and praise Palin for her efforts, not bring her down.

Chad Ocho Cinco? More like Chad "Ocho Psycho"

Publicity Stunt: an event staged to get public attention.

Ok, nothing new, celebrities, politicians and business owners have been pulling publicity stunts for years. But how far is too far? That question comes to mind after the outrageous stunts pulled by the Cincinnati Bengals receiver, the artist formally known as Chad Johnson. On Friday, August 29, Chad Johnson legally changed his name to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco, in Broward County, Florida. The reasoning behind the name is that it is his jersey number, 85, in Spanish. He has been fairly discreet about the name change, declining to return phone calls or give a legitimate excuse for the change. When questioned about the move, he responded "Have I ever had a reason for doing what I do? I'm just having fun." Johnson, excuse me, Ocho Cinco first debuted his new name in 2006 at a Bengals home game before the legal change was made. He had had a patch made and placed over his real last name on his jersey. However, before kick-off Bengal's quarterback Carson Palmer tore it off. 

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Don't these players know that they are taking away from the integrity of the game? Fans are not watching football because they're favorite players are lunatics off the field. If you are going to make a name for yourself, do so during a game not

in a court in Broward County, Florida. All of this hype is largely due to the fact that the media gives these wild performers exactly

what they are looking for. Attention. When a three-year-old child is crying for attention what do you do? Ignore them. You don't try

give them what they want, knowing that the more attention you give the more demanding they are going to get. So, why treat these

grown men differently? By even covering this story the media is giving Chad Ocho Cinco exactly what he wants, and thats just more

attention. The worst part is, he is a good player. He has already made a name for himself on the field as one of the leagues best receivers.

I feel as though with all of this negative attention from the media, he has not been able to put his best foot forward and look ahead to

another great season. Instead, with all of the bad press his coach (who dubbed him "Ocho Psycho"), his teammates and his fans

have for the most part been alienated. Who wants to deal with such a prima donna?

Is it just me...

.... or does Sarah Palin really look like Dr. Melfi from the Sopranos?

Palin pregnancy...

A lot has been said about the Palin pregnancy. Kelly McBride wrote an interesting
column on the issue. Egg on the face for the Daily Kos though, running a story based on very thin evidence that Sarah Palin was not the mother, but the grandmother of her four month old baby and that her 17 year old daughter was the mother. But let us assume for a second that this story was true, do you think that the media would have the duty to report on this, or should privacy concerns prevail?

Slightly morbid

Today two brothers in Philadelphia pleaded guilty to charges of theft and conspiracy (among other charges) for stealing and illegally selling corpses. They sold over 244 bodies, only 49 of which have been identified so far. One body has been identified as Alistair Cooke, a famed speech-radio journalist. Cooke had died from lung cancer, making his body ineligible for any sort of transplant. The two brothers had falsified many death certificates including Cooke's. Who knows how many people received unsuitable parts for their transplants or implants. These people have made over $4.6 million in this scam. This is one of the most atrocious and sick stories I have heard in a while. Can't people just make an honest living anymore? These men obviously had no permission from relatives or medical facilities. It also confuses me who are buying these parts. This whole story was completely disturbing and left me in complete disbelief of people's morals.

Is plastic free the way to be?

BBC news announced that a determined woman's attempt to live a month without plastic was complete this past Monday in an article released on Tuesday, Aug. 2nd. Chis Jeavans declared to live the month of August without purchasing anything made from or wrapped in plastic. Because the production and disposal of plastics can have devastating impacts on the environment, Jeavans set out to significantly reduce her use of plastics. Jeavans was able to keep and use the things made from plastic which she already owned but when she had to purchase new items they had to be plastic free. Jeavans had to resort to using a wooden toothbrush and homemade toothpaste and even attempted to use bicarbonate of soda as deodorant. In conclusion of her endeavor she explained the difficulties of living a life without plastic. While I admire Jeavans dedication in her attempt to live plastic-free, is this lifestyle a realistic effort to protect our environment? It is important to limit our use of plastic in everyday life, like using canvas bags instead of plastic at the grocery store, but is it really possible (or necessary) to cut it out of our lives completely?

Students boycotting school

Today was the first day of school for Chicago public school student. Or at least most of them. Of more than 400,000 students who attend Chicago public schools, 1,000 students boycotted the first day, following the urging of a south side minister. Many more students were expected to attend the boycott, and those that did took busses over 30 miles to the New Trier High school district. The purpose of the boycott? To protest the lack of funding to Chicago public school districts. The boycotters are dedicated, and many say they will continue to protest until funding is increased. 

Retired teachers plan on setting up classrooms in various locations around Chicago to ensure boycotting students will be learning through out the protest. The ultimate goal of the boycott is to improve student's learning environments, and improve the quality of education.

What's All the Fuss About?

For the last fews days, all I have heard about is Hurricane Gustav. From weather reports to top stories, even down to the Republican National Convention, Gustav seems to have taken over every aspect of the news. In light of what happened in 2006, it seems that the whole country had become panicked for a repeat of the same. However, it seems the media has let its imagination run away with it. When word of the hurricane broke, the media began warning people in New Orleans of possible danger. The day Gustav was predicted to hit was discussed as if it was an impending doomsday. The Republicans decided to cut back many of their key speakers in order to focus on aid for the city. Now it seems that all of the hub bub was for nothing. Hurricane Gustav was cut from a Category 3 to a Category 2 almost immediately and the damage to New Orleans was no greater than that of a standard storm.

To me it seems as if the media has become far too frenzied over stories like this. Just because New Orleans had an A-typical tragedy a few years ago, does not mean that every hurricane that passes through will be of the same magnitude. Now don't they look a little silly? After all the talking, it turned out to be nothing.

Baseball at its best! Yet no coverage!

For the first time in more than 20 years, america's pasttime hit a historic mark. Five people this season have hit for the cycle. For those of you who do not know what a cycle is it is hitting a single, double, triple and a home run in the same game. Seattle Mariners Thirdbaseman Adrian Beltre and Arizona Diamondbacks Shortstop Stephen Drew hit for the cycle on the same night and combined for 10 hits. It was at the top of the news for ESPN's Baseball Tonight show, but it was not covered at all on any of the news stations. The only news that was one were stories about the war or random acts of violence. What happened to sports being something to actually cover?

Moving Out

As reported by BBC News, Iraqi forces have been told by their Prime Minister to evict all the squatters currently in Baghdad. The move comes after a recent fall in violence, but how can we be sure the climate will stay the same? Is it not commonplace for there to be a measure of peace in a war-torn country before a skirmish yet again breaks out?

The military statement, paraphrased from PM Nouri Maliki, states that "in the past few days, 275 families have returned. If squatters refuse to vacate their temporary home, they face up to three years in prison as well as fines. Those occupying official buildings could receive a harsher penalty." 

There is more than one family, I'm sure, who have no family or home to return to. What is the Iraqi government propose to do about them? Perhaps they should reassure the people that temporary camps are set up, such as those for Rwandan refugees in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. That might speed up the eviction process.

Will Obama Ever Be Good Enough?

Thursday, August 28th was the final day of the Democratic National Convention, and Barack Obama took the stage, accepting the party's nomination for president. Before Obama spoke there was a short biographical film giving Obama's history from his grandparents, parents, and finally his own childhood. The film included a timeline of Obama's life until the presidential nomination, and in the background he explained how he got to where he is now, and who he thanks for it. After the film Obama gave his acceptance speech, and gave even more detail about his childhood- like when his mother would wake him up at 4:30 in the morning to study, even though he didn't want to. And how he only met his father for a month, and then never again. After the speech I turned to PBS so watch some of the commentary on the speech. The reporter was asking other commentators what they thought of the speech, and listened to what they had to say. Then he chimed in, and said that after the Convention it was now going to be Barack Obama's job to tell the people who he is, because they didn't know anything about him. Seriously? I don't think the commentator even listened to the speech, or the rest of the convention for that matter, otherwise I'm not sure how he happened to miss that part.

DNC Coverage by CNN: Sound Meter, Really?

With the nation just nine weeks away from the culmination of the very very long presidential campaigns, we are in the middle of the nominating conventions which leave much to digest and critique.

CNN boasted being the only cable news network to broadcast full coverage of the first of the two conventions, claiming their expertise as the "best political team on television."  However, how much is too much information or too much talk?

As a news junkie, I can sit through the punditry, the emotional yet stubborn arguments. Even CNN's coverage of "unconventional" moments.  Like the woman with the toilet bowl on one of her hats. Or, the fact that the Pepsi logo (the stadium was paid millions of dollars to bear the Pepsi name for 20 years) resembles the Obama 'hope' logo.  But, what about the 'Sound Meter?'

Yep, they had a sound meter measuring the noise in the convention hall.  A green to yellow to red meter on the left hand side of the screen.  Very prominent.  Distracting and, at least for this viewer, the cause for a dizzying sensation ending up in an occasional headache.  We have a ticker, factoids, talking heads, enough to keep our eyes busy.  Do we really need to know how loud or not it is in the convention center?

Not to mention that the meter never appeared to be accurate.  It was, at best, moving up and down at the same rate and rarely ever stepped into the red zone - even when the crowd was going WILD over a speaker's moving moment.

Get rid of it, CNN.  It is just too much!

Well, it is now week two and the republicans have their turn.  They seem to be the more conservative of the two groups, so I'm not sure if it will be much louder.  

Maybe the sound meter will just reflect the chatter everwhere over the turmoil that is surrounding John McCain's recent VP choice.

Just this week John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate.  Obviously, this is a choice that is risky and could in the end cause trouble for McCain.  I myself, though, feel that while this choice is unexpected, it will bode well for McCain.  Palin appeals to the women of the United States, being a mother people can relate to her.  Also, she may be able to pick up the Hilary supporters who otherwise may have voted for Obama.  Either way, it was a risky move on McCain's part but I feel that it also shows that this country is moving in the right direction.  Often being criticized for only putting elderly white men in power, now we do not only have an African American running for the president, but a woman as a vice presidential candidate as well.

America's Favorite "Now" Time?

Last Thursday, the Major League of Baseball became the last American sport to give in to some kind of video technology aid during games. Baseball used to be America's favorite past time, but thanks to technology it has conformed to modern times. The general managers voted 25-5 last week in a morning session to use video technology to help decide disputed home run calls, fair or foul calls, and in or out of the ballpark calls. They are hoping that this introduction of technology will help umpires accurately call games.

But what about the history of the game. Baseball has been around for so long with the capability of having this technology; why start now? Well because they are hoping to put an end to controversial calls like the DeRosa home run against the Phillies. But what happened to tradition? Baseball has basically been the same since its beginning besides the new parks and safety precautions. It really has not changed but having instant replay would be changing it pretty drastically. There are the umpires on the field that are intrusted with the duty to call the game truthfully and as they see it. This technology could be saying that people don't trust umpires abilities, but i don't know. What i do know is that change takes some getting use to. Omar Minaya, the Mets GM, said, "Personally, I think with all this technology out there, at least you've got to consider it...Of course, it's how we use it. That's the key. I am a traditionalist, but I also believe that you would hate to see a season or a World Series end on a controversial play."

I guess all we can do is just wait and see what is going to come from this...

Sarah who?

I know John McCain's nomination for his VP has already been mentioned, but it was so shocking to me that I just have to comment on it. First of all, I don't think his nomination could have been any more transparent. It is obvious that he chose Sarah Palin strictly because she is a woman. However, the idea that women who supported Hillary Clinton will vote for Palin just because she is a woman is an insult to intelligent women. Sarah Palin is the complete opposite of Hillary Clinton in every way. I can't fathom what would make McCain think this was a good strategy. On Meet The Press Sunday morning, a Republican strategist was interviewed on the show. Even he was perplexed by McCain's choice and basically believed it was one of the biggest mistakes McCain could have made. McCain already has so many strikes against him, mainly his age and his history of cancer. What if something were to happen to McCain? This woman, who has no foreign policy experience and has only been the governor of Alaska for 18 months, would be our next president. People would have to be insane to trust this woman with so much power. McCain could not look more hypocritical after accusing Obama of having too little experience. I don't see how McCain could win after this choice, and I hope people can see that voting for McCain would be a huge mistake.

Avoiding the Monsters

A thirteen year old girl, named Eternity Gaddy, was recently shot outside her great-aunt's house in the Chicago area of Humboldt park. She was a young girl full of life and a willingness to follow her dreams. Her family grew up in this tough area of Humboldt park, where,unfortunately, gang violence has been a part of this neighborhood. The Gaddy family was hours away from moving to a safer area in Pensylvannia, but they could not escape the sad event of Eternity's death. Chicago police officers believe that the shooting could have been gang related and that many witnesses ,who live near where the accident occurred, do not like to come out at night because of "the monsters."
In a way, I am able to relate to this article in the sense that my parents moved from the area we used to live in. They knew that the area was not a good place to raise children and they wanted something better for me and my siblings. This article made me think so much of the fact that these occurrences are so common. Another day comes and there is another unfortunate event of a child getting shot out on the streets because of gang violence. There have been so many articles on these stories and so much more that do not get published or seen on t.v. It seems all that the police can do is to say to stay safe and follow the curfew hours. It seems like common sense, but since these events keep happening, I wonder if there is something more to do to stop the violence, especially in Chicago, a city known for its outstanding architecture and tourist attractions. How can we keep "the monsters" from coming out at night?

Goodbye to a Neighborhood so many Loved

The television network PBS has decided to discontinue airing the timeless children's show, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.  Mr. Rogers has been teaching valuable life lessons to children for a number of years. Very few branches of PBS will continue to show episodes of Mr. Rogers, among those that will not be broadcasting Mr. Rogers is Chicago's own WTTW- Channel 11. The loss of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood is sad not only for the children of this day and age, but also for those of us who watched many years ago. The reason for taking Mr. Rogers off the air? The show was no longer generating the desired ratings, and airing it was no longer worthwhile to the network. 

Although I stopped watching Mr. Rogers a long time ago, it is a sad day when something so influential and close to the heart of many, sees it's last day.But do not lose hope yet. The show will appear online, in time, and there is a possibility of broadcasting on a digital channel.