Author Archive

GoodbiPad: Pushing Technology Capabilities and Habits (For Me)

Posted on December 6, 2012 in GoodbiPad

Our class’s work on the iPad this semester has been both enjoyable and beneficial to our examination of journalism and democracy in America. With the continuing expansion of technology, news can be delivered and consumed on a huge variety of platforms, and the iPad gives users a mobile, user-friendly device with access to countless media and applications. The iPad introduced me to many useful apps that expanded my ability and options for news consumption, with Flipboard probably being one of the most useful in its function as a news conglomeration program. Flipboard allowed me to access a wide range of news stories from a variety of topics and sources, and fit perfectly with the touch screen page-turning presentation that the iPad allows. Our discovery of the “news-creation” app Storify also showed us some of the great possibilities for utilizing different media to share stories, and the iPad is a great platform to access the social media, videos, and text sources that can combine to make a unique and powerful presentation. Overall, the iPad’s combination of a user-friendly interface with access to a multitude of forms of media made it a useful and enriching tool for our class and for our overall news consumption.

On the other hand, one personal trend I did notice with the iPad was that I probably did not use it as much as I should or could have for all sorts of tasks, largely because I normally and habitually do so much news consumption on my laptop. I have not gotten into the habit of reading news while “on the go,” and I never developed the habit of frequently taking my iPad out and using it while away from my room. While the iPad is a great and innovative device, ultimately I feel like it does not offer many large-scale capabilities that are not available on a laptop. This observation likely occurs to me largely because of my own technology-use and news consumption habits, and there is no doubt that the iPad’s portability and combination of technology and media capabilities make it a very useful device. I very much enjoyed my introduction to the iPad this semester, and I feel that there is a high probability that I will be using a tablet again extensively in the future, whether professionally, leisurely, or both.

Communicating the Effects of Politics on Minorities

Posted on November 19, 2012 in Underrepresented

I looked at two minority newspapers—the Indianapolis Recorder, an African-American newspaper, and EXTRA, a bilingual Hispanic newspaper based in Chicago. Both contained an interesting variety of stories from different news topics, but it was also apparent that both operate off smaller budgets than most newspapers, as the amount of articles was small compared to mainstream papers, and the design and layout of the websites were very simple. However, these papers report on important issues with great fervor from unique perspectives.

Both of these newspapers contain stories from genres such as sports, entertainment, and community events, but both also carry a healthy dose of stories on politics and public policy, and they display concern for needs of underprivileged citizens facing financial difficulties or discrimination. EXTRA published an article describing an online guide that provides information on what health care benefits the new Affordable Care Act will bring to citizens. The article notes that Latinos often face additional challenges regarding health care, such as a language barrier and a lack of insurance benefits from their jobs, and it emphasizes that the online guide is available in Spanish as well as English. EXTRA’s informative article on health care coverage has a clear aim of providing important information to Latinos who may have trouble acquiring the health care they need.

An article published by the Indianapolis Recorder addressing the significance of President Obama’s reelection for African Americans contains some explicit comments and quotes reflecting concerns about racial inequality and discrimination in America. The article mentions that an effigy of Obama in a noose had been hung from a tree in Lebanon, Indiana, and seemed to take an angle that Obama’s reelection was an expression of America’s rejection of racial prejudice. It states that Obama’s reelection “indicates that the country is not turning its back on the racial progress made when he was entrusted with the presidency in 2008.” The director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture is quoted as saying, “In many ways, Obama’s reelection can be seen as resilience on the part of the African-American community.” This angle on the presidential election shows that this newspaper is interested in increasing awareness of racial discrimination and fighting to prevent its negative effects. Another quote in the article demonstrates the intense feelings many African Americans have about race relations and politics. A professor of African American Studies at IUPUI, in addressing Obama’s difficulties promoting social and economic improvement for African Americans, states, “We are in a war. The same war we’ve been in for the past 40 years. We are dealing with white supremacy.” This type of perspective on a presidential election would likely not be found often in a mainstream newspaper, and its presence encourages questioning of whether ideals of equality and social justice are being fully extended in America. This article provides insightful evidence of how the Indianapolis Recorder and other minority newspapers view power structures in America along racial lines and aim to encourage minority citizens to make their voices heard in the public sphere.

Prior to doing this bit of online research, I was unaware of the large number of minority newspapers across America, and it was interesting to see how these papers’ articles promoted the interests of their readers with bold candor. Most journalism aims to present only the facts surrounding a story with little editorial perspective, but these news sources openly present stories based on the interests of the populations they represent. These newspapers play an important role in American democracy by communicating the opinions and interests of minority groups that may not be printed in most mainstream papers.

Indiana Election Coverage: Driven by the Sentiment of the Electorate?

Posted on November 8, 2012 in Election Night Coverage

In analyzing coverage of the presidential election across Indiana media, I looked at articles from three papers: the Indianapolis Star, the Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne, and the Evansville Courier & Press. One trend that I immediately noticed across all three papers’ websites was that they seemed to pay more attention to the state and local election results and aftermath than those of the presidential race. None of the three websites had a story related to the presidential election placed very prominently on their “news” or “politics” page, and I had to do a bit of searching to find their coverage of the presidential election. Most of the featured political stories on these three websites discussed the results and significance of state and local races, and most of the stories on the presidential race were picked up from other newspapers or media sources with a more national base. This smaller amount of reporting and coverage on the presidential race is probably largely due to only having the access and resources needed to directly cover local races. It may also, however, reflect the Republican leaning of the state, and knowledge that many readers will not want to read lengthy pieces touting or analyzing President Obama’s victory. Because Indiana was won decisively by Governor Romney on Tuesday, there may not be great demand for extensive coverage on a national decision that did not reflect the state’s popular opinions. The coverage of state and local elections, on the other hand, are guaranteed to deliver favorable news and analysis to at least a considerable portion of readers.

It was also interesting considering the angles by which some of the stories discussed the presidential election. One story in the Indianapolis Star focused mostly on how Romney won Indiana decidedly and how Obama was unable to generate enthusiasm in the state as he did in 2008. The story quotes a professor from Indiana University in Bloomington as saying there was “a lot less excitement” for Obama in this election than the last. The article also mentions that Obama did not visit Indiana once this election cycle, as his campaign likely sensed that chances of victory were very low. A story on the website of the Journal Gazette, originally from Bloomberg News and titled “A nation divided?”, focused on how Obama gained the votes of a large majority of minority and women voters, while Romney gained a significant majority of votes from white and male voters. This article seems to portray a narrative where there is a widening ideological gap between different segments of the American population. This narrative, along with the perspective that shows Obama failed to generate much support in Indiana, draws attention to the fact that neither candidate was able to develop a wide, diverse base of support across the country, and presents the idea that despite Obama’s victory, the nation is not necessarily united behind him. It seems that there might be a subtle yet intentional negative backdrop given to coverage of the presidential election results in these Indiana papers.

Optimism and Pessimism in Presidential Endorsements

Posted on October 30, 2012 in Endorsements

I compared the presidential endorsements published by the Detroit Free Press and the Tennessean. While the two papers supported different candidates, both endorsements offered passionate commentary on the presidential race and pertinent issues at stake. The two endorsements were also interesting in that one seemed to focus more on the past accomplishments of the candidates while the other seemed to focus on the candidates’ flaws and shortcomings.

The Tennessean, which ultimately endorses Mitt Romney, does not seem to think too highly of either candidate. The article describes this presidential election as a “cautionary lesson for the future.” Its commentary criticizes both Barack Obama and Romney for faults relating to health care and foreign policy, and especially attacks Obama for contributing to the partisan gridlock that has rendered American politics ineffective and failing to establish any sort of bipartisan cooperation. The Tennessean views the economy as by far the most important issue in the election, and it endorses Romney due to his experience working with businesses and job creation. However, the article is fairly critical of Romney throughout its commentary, and it seems to endorse Romney largely through a total lack of faith in Obama.

The Detroit Free Press, endorsing Obama, seems significantly more confident and optimistic regarding its choice and America’s future. The article describes Obama’s first term as being quite positive and productive, citing as evidence the elimination of Osama bin Laden, the winding down of the war in Iraq, the increase of jobs in the auto industry, and the expanded coverage of health care. It also criticizes Romney for his tendency to flip-flop on issues and his ambiguity on methods for decreasing the deficit, and these criticisms were levied by the endorsement in the Tennessean as well. Overall, the Detroit Free Press is pretty enthusiastic in its support of President Obama.

These two papers offer significantly different outlooks on the upcoming presidential election, as well as on the current state of American politics in general. The Detroit Free Press is confident in its claim that the nation is heading in the right direction under President Obama, and views the past four years as successful progress. The Tennessean, on the other hand, is severely discouraged by the political gridlock of the past four years, and seems to support Romney largely because it simply does not believe the leadership of Obama will encourage bipartisanship or stimulate job growth. With Tennessee being a state that almost always votes Republican in the presidential election, and Michigan’s recent history of voting Democrat, it seems that biases related to readership and local influence may be at least somewhat visible here. In any case, it is interesting to see such divergent takes on the presidential election from mainstream papers in major U.S. cities.

 

Detroit Free Press Endorsement: http://www.freep.com/article/20121028/OPINION01/121026117

 

Tennessean Endorsement: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20121018/OPINION01/310180040/-1/PROJECTS18?nclick_check=1

Debates Allow for Discussion to Enter Campaign

Posted on October 4, 2012 in Debate Significance


I do believe the debates matter for the process and outcome of the presidential election. Some of the post-debate coverage on cable news networks last night polled or interviewed previously undecided voters, and these reports often showed that voters were heavily influenced or had their minds made up by watching the debate. While some of this projection might be due to the media drawing responses out of voters or voters getting caught up in the immediate emotion brought on by the debate, I think the amount of discussion about the various issues and opinions shows that Americans do pay close attention to these debates and that not everyone has their mind unshakably made up going in. I am not sure how much statistical<code></code> voter swing will be linked to the debates, but I do think Americans factor them into their opinions. Much of the discussion from last night centered on who won the debate, but I believe there was significant worth in just having the candidates express their opinions and stances in each other’s presence. So much political campaigning is done through emotional statements and criticisms that do not allow the candidates to hear each other’s responses, and the debates allow voters to hear opinions, plans, and ideologies juxtaposed in a manner that provides some context for comparison. The candidates might not always respond directly to issues, and they often politicize statements, but at least there is some form of discourse going on. In this sense, debates can give voters a somewhat deeper understanding of pertinent issues and the differing opinions that surround those issues.

What Was Left Lingering

Posted on October 4, 2012 in Debate 1

Many topics and nuanced issues were covered during Wednesday night’s presidential debate, and I had some trouble keeping up with the pace of the discourse and understanding all the details of the issues that candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney discussed. In reviewing the debate in my mind, I think some of the biggest takeaways may have come from things the candidates did not say or address, or issues that they let linger. Both Obama and Romney left me with lingering questions about their economic plans, and I wonder if journalists may be most helpful in investigating and reporting on these lingering issues.

For Barack Obama, one important issue that I think he left unaddressed was the notion that his health care plan, popularly known as “Obamacare,” will deliver a significant financial blow to small businesses and damage job growth. In the debate’s segment on health care, Romney was adamant that Obamacare would severely hurt job growth, and I do not remember Obama ever addressing this claim. I think that this may say that Obamacare’s effect on job growth and small businesses may be one of its most glaring problems, and Obama should respond in detail to this issue if he hopes for the public to gain greater faith in his health care plan.

As for Mitt Romney, I felt that he never showed enough specific evidence to show that he had a specific plan for reforms that he would enact to decrease the federal debt and bring positive change to other government operations. On multiple occasions, Obama criticized Romney for not having a specific plan in terms of cuts and changes he would implement in the federal budget and in federal regulations. Romney often responded by saying that he actually did have a plan, or by saying that he couldn’t offer a cut and dry plan right now because he would work on a bipartisan basis to craft specific details. While I think Romney made a strong point in identifying the need to work with both parties to craft specific plans, I think he also should have offered more specific details of cuts and changes he would propose. It’s difficult for voters to simply take him at his word that he will have a focused strategy and plan to make improvements once he is elected. However, Romney could have offered more specifics in past interviews or settings that I missed, and I will be interested to see if more of his specific ideas are revealed in future debates.

It is often difficult to tell who makes the most salient points during political debates, and I think paying attention to important details that the candidates do not address can reveal the critical areas in which candidates need to shore up ideas or clarify their stance or strategy to the public. Hopefully some of the problematic narratives in regards to certain issues that were played out in this first debate will be addressed in future debates and be discussed further by the news media.

Openness and Broad Perspective in Kathleen Parker’s Columns

Posted on October 2, 2012 in Kathleen Parker

I found all of Kathleen Parker’s columns to be engaging and enlightening, and her ability to address a wide variety of issues in a style that is both lively and serious is impressive and encouraging. We have discussed extensively how it is impossible for journalists to be completely objective or unbiased, and Parker embraces this notion with her columns, but she at the same time offers smart and balanced analysis that is driven by a desire to contribute to public discussion and welfare rather than a stubborn ideology. Parker is very skilled at drawing lessons of morality and responsibility out of the most salient current events, and also from her own important personal experiences.

In her coverage of the current presidential election, Parker sharply critiques elements of both candidates and parties, and points out serious issues that confront the American public at large. She evaluates Mitt Romney as being too engrossed with the mechanics of winning an election rather than being dialed in to the needs of American citizens, and identifies MSNBC’s “unapologetically pro-democratic, pro-Obama” coverage as an example of problematic television news media that fails to deliver impartial information and coverage to citizens that need it. Also, Parker’s piece on the American public’s infatuation with personality and “likability” in evaluating the presidential candidates is a powerful reminder that public policy issues, and not self-promotion, are what should drive political debates and elections.

I was perhaps most struck by Parker’s column on the issues surrounding President Obama’s stance on abortion and his visit to Notre Dame as a commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient. In discussing an issue that is both controversial and highly significant to different groups and individuals in different ways, Parker illuminates the importance of appreciating different interpretations and points of view, referencing novelist and physician Walker Percy’s statement that “one kind of truth” should never “[prevail] at the expense of another.” In a world where opinions can be extremely divisive, Parker reminds us that keeping an open mind is often the most important step in moving toward solutions and agreements. This message of tolerance and open-mindedness may signify what especially makes Parker’s columns strong, helpful, and engaging.

Does the iPad have a distinct niche?

Posted on October 2, 2012 in iPad

As someone who has never used an iPad before this semester, I am still trying to figure out exactly how a tablet device fits into my daily schedule, habits for media interaction, and means for consuming news and information. The iPad is very useful in that it packages many significant capabilities into an easily portable device, yet at the same time I have not solidly identified distinct ways and times in which I would use my iPad instead of my laptop. I feel at times like I am experiencing “technology overload” with so many means and sources by which to access news and information.

I want to first make clear, however, that I really enjoy having an iPad at my disposal. “Apps” can be really cool and useful in that they let you jump quickly to a specific source, utility, or category of information, and many apps pull stories and features from a variety of media outlets, which allows you to obtain an overview of relevant news in a minimal search time. The number and variety of apps available for download is tremendous, and I have found some apps related to personal interests that are often fun and helpful to have handy. The iPad also has fairly high-quality camera and film features, and these can be nice to have in a portable device. Aside from the nice leisure features, the apps on the iPad do allow me to access news in a sometimes quicker, more direct, and comprehensive fashion.

At the same time, I feel that the majority of the basic functions I perform on my iPad can also easily be done on my laptop. While apps on the iPad are often useful in that they are quicker to access and use, the information itself can still be accessed fairly easily on my computer, and sometimes I feel like I have two devices that serve largely the same purpose. With a portable device like the iPad, I think it has the potential to set an internal expectation for the consumer to constantly be looking up and taking in news and information. Similar to how Lippmann expressed concern that the amount of news was becoming too big for the public to absorb and interpret, the iPad presents so many capabilities and so much news that it can be a bit overwhelming to try to harness its full potential. The iPad has a wonderful interface and presents many terrific opportunities, but sometimes it feels like there is just not enough time in a day to utilize the iPad to a great extent. The iPad does present me with many great new ways to access news, but it sometimes feels like it is a bit unnecessary for me as well.

Education and Family Accomplishments Expressed in Wedding Announcements

Posted on September 27, 2012 in Wedding Announcements

I compared the wedding announcements from the South Bend Tribune and Chicago Tribune, and it seemed to me that there was a significant difference in both the style of the announcements and the background of the people whose marriage was being reported. In some ways, the announcements in the Chicago Tribune seemed to aim at publicizing family and educational accomplishments as much as marriages.

Looking at the recent wedding announcements from the South Bend Tribune, the information provided is generally much less detailed than the write-ups in the Chicago Tribune, and often the South Bend Tribune provides just the most basic personal information on the bride and groom and location of the ceremony. The South Bend Tribune may provide the hometown, occupation, and former school(s) of the bride and groom, but often only the names of the bride and groom will be mentioned in a 2-3 sentence description of the marriage. The occupations and educational degrees that were mentioned by the South Bend Tribune were all respectable and impressive, but probably don’t have the same “social polish” or appeal as many listed in the Chicago Tribune.

The marriages announced in the Chicago Tribune almost always featured one or both of the bride and groom having received a postgraduate degree of some kind. Many of the universities attended are recognizable as prestigious institutions, such as Virginia, Georgetown, Notre Dame, and Northwestern. A large proportion of the recent marriages I read about featured at least one medical doctor, and there was also mention of individuals practicing business and law. One announcement even provided a description of the groom’s family members that were former distinguished officials or businessmen in Chicago. The marriage announcements in the Chicago Tribune definitely seemed to aim at unions between upper class families with backgrounds of public influence or reputable education.

Marriage announcements likely do not speak directly to the readership demographic of a particular newspaper, but they do seem to suggest that particularly “high-profile” marriages aim to announce their unions in chief papers in big cities like the Chicago Tribune. I would speculate that both the South Bend Tribune and Chicago Tribune have audiences from across the class spectrum, but the larger papers appear to contain spaces that are reserved for upper classes.