Posts Tagged ‘Schudson’

Back to the Dark Ages

Posted on December 6, 2012 in GoodbiPad

And so I recede back into the technological darkness from whence I came, disconnected from the world and alone. Or so that’s how I feel….
Yes today we reluctantly return our iPads. The too-close-to-magic machines have reached the end of their journey with us as we complete our class. As I reminisce on the endless hours I spent studying, reading, exploring and generally messing around on the iPad, I realize how quickly it integrated itself into my day-to-day life. I used the thing at every possible moment, whether it be in class for a reading or to study news stories or to play numerous mind-numbing games while on a long car trip.
And as much as I kid, I am sincere when I say that this iPad really changed how I read the news. The Flipboard app simulated an infinitely interactive newspaper and helped me maintain a strong connection to stories I would have never discovered otherwise. Our Twitter page was only a button away. Within seconds I was able to scan the big stories of the day, just by looking at our Twitter feed. And the user-friendliness (sp?) made all other computers seem like an old western telegraph machine. Jumping from web browser to news story to blog post to twitter was as easy as can be.
I am even more sad when I realize how much more as left to be discovered. I only recently found out how to take screenshots and every day I find another news app that I want to check out. I have a weird guttural feeling that despite all the wonderful experiences I had with the iPad that I still have left so many possibilities out on the table. I guess the ipad can do that – it makes you feel as if the information at your hands is infinite and that no matter how much time you spend on the darn thing you’re always going to find new efficient tricks or apps that open up another world to connect to. I understand now why Apple is sometimes considered a cult – and I’m chugging the kool-aid.
I have even considered getting an iPad for myself for Christmas….or at least an iPhone for Christ’s sake. I need something to satisfy my fix. And that’s the way things are going now, news has become a 24/7 ordeal and the public is constantly connected. Whether it be an iPad, an iPhone or some sort of other lesser smartphone (I kid, again), the source for news has become the palm of our hand, it is at our fingertips. As soon as I discovered the vastness of news media on the iPad the problem wasn’t staying connected or keeping on top of it all, the problem was disconnecting. Surprisingly, the endless information was not overwhelming – it was fluid, easy to find and constantly available. Having the iPad was a peek into what journalism has become and how it connects a multitude of publics – something we have never seen on such a large scale. With the advent of internet and now devices like the smartphone or tablet the news has become personalized. As Michael Schudson claims, traditional lines within journalism have become blurred. The distinction between writer and reader has disappeared, as has the difference between a blog post or a newspaper article or a tweet. Everything has meshed together and this seems to be for the betterment of the informed citizen. As a class, we became part of the future and participated in a new system of news-reading. Having to remove myself from that world feels like being sent back to the 5th grade. GoodbiPad

Objectivity and Opinion in Parker’s “Introducing President MSNBC”

Posted on October 2, 2012 in Kathleen Parker

Kathleen Parker’s articles do very similar work to that being done by this blog and our twitter feed, as she creates connections between many of the concepts we read about with various current events. In her article “Introducing President MSNBC” in particular, Parker’s critical and likable voice brings practical meaning to some of the class texts.

Parker, like Marvin and Meyer, in their article “What Kind of Journalism Does the Public Need?” calls for a greater sense of transparency in journalism, as she writes, “Surrendering pretentions to objectivity, news organizations (including Fox) can declare their political objectives and make the best case.”  While she is critical of news organizations, she is an equal opportunity critic, pointing out issues within news organizations across party lines.

In this same article, Parker also discusses the phenomenon of television personalities morphing into celebrities.  I think that when Giuliana Depandi, formerly known merely as an infotainment news personality on the E! Channel is suddenly making news for having a baby via gestational surrogate with her husband, the first winner of the Apprentice, it is clear that the epidemic of television personalities as celebrities is upon us.  Parker discusses this transformation as “unavoidable,” being that “We naturally feel a bond with people in our kitchens and living rooms every day.” However, she warns, “TV journalists risk becoming the event themselves rather than the events they cover.”  This point is also one relevant to our readings, as Schudson writes about the manipulation in journalism, stating, “The temptations of the reporter-source relationship are real” (135).  While Parker does not offer a solution to this lack of balance, her presentation of the issue in a clear, engaging manner raises attention to the matter, further opening discussion about objectivity and opinion.