Opinion: Election represents challenge for advisers, journalism educators
By Carolyn Schurr Levin
If you were reading only The New York Times during the 2016 presidential election, you can be forgiven if you held a well-founded belief that Hillary Clinton would win the election by a landslide. On Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 10:20 p.m., Election Day, The New York Times predicted a Clinton victory by 85%, “based on the latest state and national polls.”
There is surely a lot of soul-searching going on at The New York Times and elsewhere.
The same holds true if you were reading many college newspapers around the country this fall. Millenials (adults ages 18-35) did in fact vote strongly for Clinton, and their preferences were reflected in stories they reported for their school media. My own students submitted story after story reflecting an inherent Clinton bias.
Resource for those who want printed volumes of CMA material
Now available on College Media Review: an online bookstore where the public can purchase printed volumes of CMR research annuals and buy an assortment of college media apparel and other items.
“CMR webmaster Bill Neville, the College Media Association board of directors, and CMA executive director Meredith Taylor worked together to make this bookstore a reality. A sincere thanks to them for their work,” said CMR editor Debra Chandler Landis.
After you were named the top college photographer this year, you said, “I’m kind of shocked.” Elaborate.
Photojournalism competitions are quite arbitrary, so when you are named the “College Photographer of the Year,” it’s a bit shocking, because you know that there were a lot of really incredible photographers all around the world that year who also could have won given different judges and different circumstances.
For someone else who aspires to be a top-notch college photographer, what would you suggest?
I would suggest doing a lot of internships, especially ones that put you in communities out of your comfort zone for long periods of time. I would also suggest seeking mentors who will help foster your way of working, not just your work—mentors who take the time to get to know you and recognize your quirks so that they can help you work them into strengths. Continue reading “Photojournalists: Get out of your comfort zone”
Pondering the past, present and future of journalism
Reviewed by Carolyn Schurr Levin, Stony Brook University School of Journalism
A book about the past, present and future of journalism and the news media sounds like a monumental and daunting undertaking. Yet, this is exactly what C. W. Anderson, Leonard Downie Jr. and Michael Schudson have written. In The News Media: What Everyone Needs To Know, released in September 2016, Downie, the former editor of The Washington Post and now a professor at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, Schudson, a professor of journalism at Columbia University, and Anderson, an associate professor at the College of Staten Island, start with the first newspaper in 1605 and end with robots writing news stories in 2016. The authors concede in their first sentence that “[i]t might seem presumptuous to write a book promising readers ‘what everyone needs to know about the news media’ in the year 2016.” And, yet, in under 200 pages, written in a lively question and short answer format, with engaging examples, this book is highly deserving of its lofty title.
The genesis of the book was a comprehensive report commissioned by the Columbia University School of Journalism about the present and future of the journalism profession. That report, “The Reconstruction of American Journalism,” written by Downie and Schudson in 2009, stirred significant discussion and debate in the field. The report led to a request to the authors by the Oxford University Press to add a book about journalism to its popular “What Everyone Needs To Know” series. Oxford touts the series as offering “a balanced and authoritative primer on complex current issues and countries,” written by “leading authorities in their given fields.” The series did not previously include a title on journalism and news media. But, now, fortunately, it does. Continue reading “Book Review: The News Media–What Everyone Needs to Know”
Journalism in the last 10 years has been a roller coaster of change, and many of us have probably wondered whether or not we’re teaching a dinosaur. Some programs have gone so far as to merge with other disciplines, becoming double degrees with additional courses in computers, communications, public relations, or social media. With the overlap in subjects that comes with convergent media programs have to make decisions about what they will be be able to cover and, equally, what they will not.
St. Petersburg College’s student newspaper, The Sandbox, began actively exploring change since its reincarnation in 2011. Ours is not a formal certificate or degree program, but rather an associate’s degree in mass communication with classes that transfer into the University of South Florida’s bachelor’s degree. However, the school wanted and needed an active paper to cultivate student interest and encourage practice. Continue reading “Florida college embraces online and social media”
College media hubs across the country are engaged in the 2016 elections at all levels. Their coverage includes multi-media projects, news stories, profiles, commentary, and editorial cartoons.
This week, CMR highlights work by two media operations — staff of the Pitt News at the University of Pittsburgh and series of in-depth articles titled “Your Next President,” by Christian Vasquez of The Prospector at the University of Texas El Paso.
At the Pitt News, editors created a page for college daily reporting related to the election; new stories will be added at the top day after day:
Exploring New Media Consumption Habits Among College Students and their Influence on Traditional Student Media
By Hans K. Meyer, Burton Speakman and Nisha Garud Ohio University
Abstract: This study examines news consumption habits of college students focusing on the factors, purpose and sources of new media consumption. Through a survey of 812students at a medium-sized Midwestern university, four types of news habits emerged: active, passive, civic engagement, and digital. Students actively seek digital media but consumption of these sources turns passive. New media, including mobile technology, have not completely taken over the news consumption habit of traditional sources. Continue reading “Research (Vol. 54) — Active Choice, Passive Consumption”
People still seek news, with the trend continuing away from print and toward multi-news platforms, the latest media research from the Pew Center seems to suggest.
As college media plan for 2016-2017 and continue to evolve, the following from the Pew Center may be of assistance for print, broadcast, and web-based collegemedia.
Advisers should consider pros and cons of reliance on Safe Harbor broadcast protections
By Chris Thomas President, Intercollegiate Broadcast System
Anyone who’s advised radio or television students for more than a week has faced this question: Can I say (insert questionable word or phrase) on the air? Your gut reaction is no. But are you aware that the answer could potentially be yes?
So while safe harbor is a nice thing to have on paper, let me give you a few reasons why you will want to pretend like it doesn’t exist.
Since 1978 when Pacifica Radio lost their court battle to the Federal Communications Commission over the airing of George Carlin’s Seven Dirty Words You Can’t Say on Television, there have actually been nine more instances (either court cases or FCC rulings) that have effected what can and can’t be said. But what many people don’t realize is that something else even more important than what can be said was also decided – when the rules are to be enforced.
Initially the FCC wanted a 24/7 ban on everything obscene, indecent and profane citing that they had a compelling interest to protect children from being exposed to these types of broadcasts. After some pushback from Congress (who wasn’t interested in unduly burdening our First Amendment rights), it was decided to create a “Safe Harbor” period from 10pm to 6am local time each and every night.