Assignment 2 Story Ideas

Idea 1: Domestic Violence and Prevention in the Palouse

• Interviewing someone from ATVP
• Possible police interview--are domestic violence rates higher or lower in the summertime?
• Self-defense classes available?

Idea 2: Trails of the Palouse

• Want to go hiking and don't know where to go?
• Where are easy/medium/difficult trails to hike?
• Trails that are easily accesible (if you don't have a car)
• Trails for bikes, rollerblades, strollers, etc.

Special Leads

Narrative Lead: There is more going on than the spoken word

Example: A Florida woman wanted bigger breasts and thinner arms so badly authorities say she was willing to break the law to get them.

A good lead, it leaves the reader wanting more. The lead does not address how exactly this lady broke the law, but it addresses her motivation behind doing so.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011944962_makeover25.html

Contrast Lead: Compare and contrast

Example: In Santa Cruz, Calif., volunteers will re-enact every word and movement in the famous courtroom scene. In Monroeville, Ala., residents dressed in 1930s garb will read aloud from memorable passages. In Rhinebeck, N.Y., Oblong Books will host a party with Mocktails and recorded music by the indie band the Boo Radleys.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/books/25mock.html?src=me&ref=general

I wasn't sure if it was exactly compare and contrast, but I thought so because the lead is comparing all of the ideas together but contrasting all the different ways the different places are celebrating the anniversary of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

Second-Day Lead Exercise

Lead: Police are still searching for 4-year-old Angela Melissa Norton who was found missing from her crib last night at 10:30 p.m. when parents Samuel and Maria Norton had returned home from a movie.

WSU Professors Enjoy Summertime in the Palouse-- Final Draft

Washington State University’s communication professor Roberta Kelly and philosophy professor Nathan Nicol favor summertime in the Palouse when they can unwind, relax and enjoy a few months of quiet.
Ever wonder what your professors are up to when the majority of WSU students head home for summer? Many professors, especially Roberta Kelly and Nathan Nicol, prefer the summer months when the Palouse has calmed down and they are left with a little more free time.
However, not too much free time. Clinical sssociate professor and assistant dean of undergraduate studies of the WSU Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Roberta Kelly is currently teaching two time consuming writing courses and has four journalism interns. WSU philosophy professor Nathan Nicol, on the other hand, while not teaching any courses the first summer session, stays extremely busy with keeping up on independent research and caring for his newborn baby girl, Beatrice Ava.
Besides research and the daily demands of parenthood, Nicol enjoys playing the acoustic guitar and taking baby Bea for walks. Kelly, when she can catch a break from grading an endless stack of papers, enjoys relaxing with a nice book, showing horses with her daughter or cleaning the barn on her farm. However, Kelly said her fun won’t start until the middle of June when the first summer session is over.
Both Kelly and Nicol prefer Pullman in the summer mainly because it is a little quieter and there is less traffic. During the summer, a student may likely bump into Kelly at the Moscow Co-Op, Winco, the bank, or out to breakfast every once in a while at the Sandpiper. Nicol may be seen at the arboretum in Moscow or the Sunnyside Hill Park with little baby Bea, or perhaps watching a Bears game at the local Pullman Sports Page Tavern.
As far as summer travels go, Kelly and Nicol don’t venture far from the Palouse. Kelly will travel to nearby cities such as Spokane or Lewiston for various horse shows, the Lewiston Fair Grounds or to visit her father and Nicol has plans to attend the Cubs game in Seattle this summer at Safeco Field.
Kelly’s favorite thing about the Palouse in the summertime is watching the fields. “I like watching the fields change from all the different greens to gold,” she said. However, neither Kelly nor Nicol seem to love the dry heat of the Palouse in the summer. Nicol, originally from Chicago, admitted to missing some of the crazy rain storms.
Nicol is scheduled to teach summer courses in later sessions, but he explains the importance of using this break from classes to stay on top of his research.
“Publish or perish,” Nicol said. “The days when you could just be a good teacher are over.”
Kelly has been teaching in the College of Communication since 1985 and makes a daily 30-40 minute commute to WSU from her home on the outskirts of Moscow, ID. Nicol, on the other hand, has been in Pullman for about four years and lives in Pullman near Sunnyside Hill.
Kelly has lived outside Moscow ever since her early days at WSU and plans to retire here on her farm. Nicol too plans on staying in Pullman for a while and explains that the low crime rate and good public schools are ideal for raising the baby.
Nicol also explained that WSU has a good spousal accommodation program, meaning the university hired both him and his wife. He doesn’t plan on going anywhere else unless something changes with the new budget cuts or they receive a similar offer elsewhere, which is rare in today’s economy.
Both Kelly and Nicol seem to have their summers packed full of various activities. Whether in the classroom, working on the farm, taking baby Bea for a walk, or catching a baseball game, WSU professors lead normal lives like the rest of us and enjoy their summertime in the Palouse.

1st Article DRAFT

Article 1--DRAFT
WSU Professors kick back, enjoy summertime in the Palouse
WSU Professors loosen up (a little) during summertime in the Palouse

5 W’s—Who, what, where, when, why
How it happened

Lead: WSU Professors Roberta Kelly and Nathan Nicol loosen up (a little) in the Palouse during the warm, summer months.

Lead: WSU’s Communication Professor Roberta Kelly and Philosophy Professor Nathan Nicol favor summertime in the Palouse when they can unwind, relax and enjoy a few months of quiet.
Ever wonder what your professors are up to when the majority of WSU students head home for summer? Many professors, especially Roberta Kelly and Nathan Nicol, prefer the summer months when the Palouse has calmed down and they are left with a little more free time.
However, not much free time. Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies of the WSU Edward R. Murrow School of Communication Roberta Kelly is currently teaching two time consuming Com295 courses and has four journalism interns. WSU Philosophy Professor Nathan Nicol, on the other hand, while not teaching any courses the first summer session, stays extremely busy with keeping up on independent research and caring for his newborn baby girl, Beatrice Ava.
Besides research and the daily demands of parenthood, Nicol enjoys playing the acoustic guitar and taking baby Bea for walks. Kelly, when she can catch a break from grading an endless stack of papers, enjoys relaxing with a nice book, showing horses with her daughter or cleaning the barn on her farm. However, Kelly said her fun won’t start until the middle of June when the first summer session is over.
Both Kelly and Nicol prefer Pullman in the summer mainly because it is a little quieter, and there is less traffic. During the summer, a student may likely bump into Kelly at the Moscow Co-Op, Winco, the bank, or out to breakfast every once in a while at the Sandpiper. Nicol may be seen at the arboretum in Moscow or the Sunnyside Hill Park with little baby Bea, or perhaps watching a Bears game at the local Pullman Sports Page Tavern.
As far as summer travels go, Kelly and Nicol don’t venture far from the Palouse. Kelly will travel to nearby cities such as Spokane or Lewiston for various horse shows, the Lewiston Fair Grounds or to visit her father and Nicol has plans to attend the Cubs game in Seattle this summer at Safeco Field.
Kelly’s favorite thing about the Palouse in the summertime is watching the fields change from all the different greens to gold. However, neither Kelly nor Nicol seem to love the dry heat of the Palouse in the summer. Nicol, originally from Chicago, admitted to missing some of it’s crazy rain storms.
Although Nicol is scheduled to teach summer courses in later sessions, he explains the importance of staying on top of his research. “Publish or perish,” he said, “the days when you could just be a good teacher are over” (Nicol).
Kelly has been teaching in the Communication School since 1985 and makes a daily 30-40 minute commute to WSU from her home on the outskirts of Moscow, ID, while Nicol has been in Pullman for about four years and lives in Pullman near Sunnyside Hill.
Kelly has lived outside Moscow ever since and plans to retire there on her farm. Nicol too plans on staying in Pullman for a while and explains that the low crime and good public schools are ideal for raising the baby.
Nicol also explained that WSU has a good spousal accommodation program, meaning the University hired both him and his wife. He doesn’t plan on going anywhere else unless something changes with the new budget cuts or they are to receive a similar offer, which is rare in today’s economy.
Both Kelly and Nicol seem to have their summers packed full of various activities. Whether it be in the classroom, out working on the farm, or taking baby Bea for a walk, WSU professors lead normal lives like the rest of us and enjoy their summertime in the Palouse.

Al Jazeera Assignment

1. How effective do you think the Internet will be for Al Jazeera as it attempts to reach a U.S. audience?
I think the internet will be extremely effective for Al Jazeera as it attempts to reach a U.S. audience. I had never heard of this station before, but after spending time on LiveStation watching it I could see how it could become very popular. It raised many controversial topics, debates, and takes on information that people otherwise wouldn't have access to. If there could be some advertising done, or ways to get the word out about Al Jazeera, I believe through the internet it could very easily reach a large portion of the U.S. audience.

2. Based on your own observations, do you think that Al Jazeera English should be allowed to broadcast in the U.S.?
I have mixed feelings on whether Al Jazeera English should be allowed to broadcast in the U.S. Generally, I would say yes because of the "Freedom of Speech," but this station is broadcast and head-quartered in the Middle East and I can see how that would be extremely controversial at this point in time.

3. What, if anything, do you notice about Al Jazeera's approach to telling the news? How is it different than the U.S.-based TV news outlets that you have experienced?
Al Jazeera's approach seemed a little different because it openly raised many different global controversial issues. It didn't seem to have as many limits on the scope of information that they could bring up. I also noticed that it seemed they spent a little more time on each issue than a regular news broadcast would.


4. While on the Al Jazeera site, be sure to check out the network's published Code of Ethics. Based on your own observations, do you think they are adhering to them?
After reviewing the code of ethics, it seemed to me that they were adhering to almost all of them. The only one that I would question is balance. Its difficult for any news station to provide an equal balance to its audience, but I did notice that they would generally stand by one side when presenting issues on the broadcast. The rest seemed very accurate to the station and it seemed they focus on sharing the truth.

Summary Lead Example

Seattle Times-- Man Arrested for Ripping Off Drug Customer

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2011886106_man_arrested_for_ripping_off_d.html

A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of robbery early Monday morning despite his protests that he was actually the victim, police said.

Just after midnight Monday morning, Seattle PD Gang Unit detectives saw a disturbance in the 100 block of Pine Street in which two different groups of people claimed they had been robbed by the other party. After interviewing everyone involved, detectives learned that an intoxicated man had encountered the victim on the street and offered to sell him an ecstasy tablet, police said. The victim gave the man $20 for the ecstasy and waited as the suspect went to retrieve the tablet from a car.

The suspect's friends drove up and the suspect jumped into the car. The victim, intent on getting his ecstasy, also jumped into the car. The suspect then pulled out a knife and told the victim to get out of the car. The victim wisely complied, minus his $20 and ecstasy.

That was the point when detectives saw the disturbance and intervened.

Despite the suspect's claims that he was actually the victim, he was booked into the King County Jail for investigation of robbery.



By John de Leon

anderson article aware case chevron class comments damages department drudge ecuador estranged feel felt follow found headline huffington husband idea important information interesting interview jordan judge lewiston lorna missing months mother news offer people police pollution post professors pullman report safe seemed sites stories summer teaching today video violence vs

created at TagCrowd.com

Three News Pitches

Idea 1: Missing Clarkston Mom
Rachel Anderson, a Clarkston resident and mother has been missing since April 16th. I reviewed an article today describing her estranged husband's history of violence both towards her and other women in the past. Anderson's car and cell phone have been located and she was said to have disappeared in Lewiston, but last seen in Moscow. Where is Rachel Anderson? It is not often that people in only a few towns away go missing. It has been almost a month, and today is the first I have heard about the missing mother.

Anderson's estranged husband is in custody now, but I feel awareness about the missing mother needs to be raised. While Pullman has the "small-town" safe feel, it is important to be cautious and aware that no one is ever totally safe from harm. Where is the mother? Do the police have hopes on finding Anderson or are they now looking for a body? It would be interesting to hear what leads the Lewiston Police are following on the case, and what the community is doing in hopes of finding Anderson.

Two sources could be the Lewiston Tribune who wrote an article on the estranged husband, and also the Lewiston Police Department who has been handling the case.

Idea Two: Protecting Yourself
This is my first summer session in Pullman. While it is now beautiful, sunny and seemingly relaxed, I still feel it important to be aware of your surroundings and to take proper safety precautions. With less people in Pullman over the summer months, that also means more time people are spending alone. Who are your neighbors? What is the crime rate over the summer in Pullman? What are some safety tips that Pullman Police could offer as a type of warning to students for what they have experienced in summers prior? Is there more or less violence over the summer months? I know that many police tips often all sound the same, "Don't walk anywhere alone at night" etc., but as a young, college female I would be interested to know about the crime rate in the area during the summertime. As well as what I could possibly expect, good and bad.

Another avenue I could take with this story is interviewing the Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse. A center mostly for abused women and children. How does their center hold up during the summer months? Do they offer any workshops open to the public on self-help or protection? Are there any classes in the community that raise awareness about violence? Everyone thinks nothing could ever happen to them, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Two sources for this case could be the Pullman Police Department, and the Alternatives to Violence in the Palouse.

Idea Three: What do your professors do all summer long?
Have you ever awkwardly bumped into a teacher or professor while at the grocery store or somewhere totally random outside the classroom? I've found that it doesn't happen often, but it always a little odd when you do. Do you say hello? Will they recognize you? What are they shopping for? Where are they always hiding? As it being my first summer in Pullman, I am extremely curious as to what many of these professors do with their time. While many teach a summer class or two, what else do they do in Pullman when it is practically dead? Do they celebrate the departure of student's for a few short months? Do they travel? What do they do?!

I think that many college students would be interested to know how their professors spend their summer months in Pullman, if in Pullman at all. It is always interesting to learn about the lives of others that we never really hear anything about. For this article, I could interview a few possible professors. I could interview some that are teaching summer classes, or also try to track down one or two that are not teaching any summer classes. Are those not teaching summer classes still in Pullman? Or do they have families and lives they have built here over the years? It would be interesting to interview professors in the communications department, but also in other departments to get a feel for the wide variety of activities that our professors engage in.

The News Aggregators

Each day in class this week, I have been introduced to new things. Yesterday was the Drudge Report and the Huffington Post. While I honestly don't know that much about either of the sites, they both seem to share at least a few things in common. Firstly they are both news sites that offer up a variety of new information to the public, both starting with a major headline. However, when first visiting the Drudge Report their major headline didn't seem as "in your face" as the Huffington Post. The Drudge Report's layout also appeared to be a little less organized and professional looking as the Huffington Post. Another common factor between the sites that I noticed was that they both displayed advertisements somewhat equally throughout the page. The Drudge Report starts with one at the very top, and the Huffington Post has one right after its title. A major difference that I noted between the two news sites was that the Drudge Report offered links to stories written by other news outlets, whereas the Huffington Post posted articles on their page. I found the organizational layout of the Drudge Report was a little more difficult to follow, and that the Huffington Post's layout tried to direct the reader's eyes to the articles they felt were most important. Most of the headlines that I clicked on seemed to have stories that followed, but one could clearly tell that both sites made headlines stand out that they felt were most important. After reviewing both, the Drudge Report seemed to be a little more conservative but I did find similarities in both.

Ecuador vs. Chevron

Before class today, I was completely unaware of the Ecuador vs. Chevron case, a big controversial debate that has apparently been going on for the last 16 years. After watching the two videos presented in class, I had a better idea of the conflict but still felt there was a lot of missing information. The first video definitely seemed to have a more "Murrow" journalistic style. It investigated the issue, talked to the people on both sides, and gave some insight on the basics of the issue for those who may not have had any idea (like me). The second video, however, appeared to be in a less journalistic style and focused more on interviewing the experts of Chevron. Every person that was interviewed in the Chevron YouTube video was some type of expert or Chevron consultant. The video didn't really offer up any new information about the case, just denied certain claims and allegations. Although, it did raise some key points about the case that I was not aware of from the first video. For example, the fact that in 1998 there was an inspection and all companies were released from future charges of pollution. Both videos offered important facts to the case, but the second video was definitely more biased and didn't offer as much information.

When trying to discover more about the case, I came across a few articles written by some active environmentalists that clearly sided with Ecuador. For example, an article called "Chevron Lies, People Die". However, an article I found most interesting described Chevron's latest tactic to avoid the $27 billion in damages. This article claimed Chevron is using another dirty PR trick, and is trying to claim the judge of the case is biased and needs to be removed. They claim they have proof from videos that the judge has already made his decision on the case, and that it totally unfair. In the Ecuador vs. Chevron article, it is clear that Chevron is again made out to be the bad guys of the case.

I don't know enough facts about the case from the limited amount I have learned today to make a fair judgment, but if I was the deciding judge I know that at least a portion of the $27 billion would need to go to pollution clean up. What amount is actually necessary to effectively clean up the areas is another matter of debate, but I would strongly agree that Chevron is liable for many of the damages and should have to pay the resulting costs.