Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Introduction: CNJ 461; University of Miami
Welcome to the blog for CNJ 461. By the time you read this you will have already read the syllabus and we will have already discussed the assignment, but let's review anyway. Each week I want each of student in the class to post a comment about one thing you think the Miami Herald or another local news media organization did right or did wrong. Be specific. Include the url or clips. Explain your reasoning in about 50 or fewer words. I and yoru classmates may or may not agree with you, but that's not the point. The point is the discussion and the time you will spend thinking about local news. You will receive full credit as along as you make a good faith effort at this. For these posts (as opposed to other assignments in class), I am not terribly concerned with writing style, though some clarity will certainly help. If someone identifies what you intended to use before you do so, find something else. There will be plenty of opportunities. Read all of the comments. We will discuss in class. I have not done this in earlier semesters, so this is somewhat experimental. I reserve the right to modify the guidelines as we proceed and as in all similar matters, please exercise reasonable discretion given the format and our class purposes. Enjoy.
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Kate Koza
ReplyDeleteMonday, January 26
7 News at 5:30 PM
Only the first two stories had any relevance to South Florida - the lead regarding "Hit and Run Horror" death of a Ft. Lauderdale kidney doctor (that was exploited and overly dramatized), and the second, mentioned only in brief, of jury selection for the terrorists accused of plotting a Sears Tower attack. The kidney doctor piece received a good three minutes while the terrorist trial was summed up in five seconds. The following eight stories had no timely or locational relevance for local residents and even included a three minute continuous re-play of a jewelry store robbery in Glendale, CA ("Crime on Camera" - 7 likes alliterations).
The only of the first ten stories that was well-reported involved a fifteen year old who reported to work at a Chicago police station dressed in a regulation uniform, drove a cruiser for the day, and wasn't exposed as a fraud until six hours later when the police chief realized he didn't look familiar. The reporter offered up relevant implications for station security and internal incompetence of understaffed facilities.
Chris Valencia
ReplyDeleteMiami Herald (print version)
After observing the Miami Herald everyday this week, I couldn’t believe that the article mentioning the House passing Obama’s economic stimulus package wasn’t featured on the front page of Thursday’s newspaper. Instead, the entire article was featured in the business section. However, on Wednesday’s paper I thought the Herald did a good job explaining how the funding for the new Marlins stadium was going to work out by designing a chart to coincide with the article
“UM embarks on landmark study of Latino Health” by Ana Veciana-Suarez
ReplyDelete(Tropical Life Sec. 10E; Tues. Feb. 3rd)
While I was reading the Herald, I was actually quite content that they would feature a story such as this one. Since there’s a predominately large Hispanic community in Miami, the study featured in the paper mentioned health risks evident in the Latin community that I’m sure not too many Hispanics were aware of. The fact that the Herald managed to create some awareness by reporting the study was a good thing and beneficial to the Latin American community.
Front Page of Miami Herald (Thursday, February 12, 2009)
ReplyDeleteSome might argue with me, but I feel that the Valentine's Day story that appeared on yesterday's front page ("Love Bird's on a Budget" by Ina Paiva Cordle) didn't belong there. It was a touching story and it kind of gave me some ideas for Valentine's Day, but that's pretty much it. I don't think a story such as this one takes precedent over what happened in Afghanistan this past week or the real estate condominium market cash. Yet, none of those appeared on the front page and were scattered throughout the paper.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/902423.html
ReplyDelete“Buffalo plane crash victim was 9/11 widow, activist” by Devlin Barrett, 2.13.09
Despite being from New York and having a close emotional attachment to the 9/11 terrorists attacks, I was a little distraught when I read the follow up story to the Buffalo plane crash that featured one of the victims who happened to have been an activist for 9/11. As interesting as her story may be, I am sure there were many people with interesting and important life stories that died in this crash and it would have been beneficial to dig deeper and feature other victims as well. It took the focus away from the real tragedy at hand, which was the devastating crash that killed 50 people after crashing into a house and exploding into flames. I would have been interested to hear more about why they believe this crash happened and I genuinely feel for the other victims of the crash who the Miami Herald has somehow made insignificant and unimportant compared to this one specific victim.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/901854-p2.html
ReplyDelete"Number of South Florida homeless students on the rise" by Trenton Daniel
2/14/09
It is difficult to write a story about poverty and homelessness because more than likely, most people will not want to talk about it publicly. Though I thought the writer did a good job in engaging the reader by including people experiencing the issue, I felt that there was not enough information regarding the cause of such a rise in homeless students (Except for the one line that attributed the rise to foreclosures and evictions). Also, I finished reading the article feeling helpless. I would have liked to read about ways (no matter how small) to actively help this situation.
Just a quick note about the website...As I logged on to www.themiamiherald.com, the VERY FIRST thing I noticed was in the upper left corner and it read "Highlights: Chris Brown-Singer says he's sorry and saddened." First of all, the story was a shell compared to gossip of TMZ.com or People Magazine, but I'm shocked that that is what my eyes went to first. There was a huge colorful picture with the Venezuelan flag, but for some reason, this entertainment news (nonsense) caught my eye. I just thought it'd be interesting to find out if anyone else noticed that first.
ReplyDelete"Venezulean vote will let Hugo Chavez run again"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/583/story/906138-p2.html
This article along with every article I read about Chavez in the Miami Herald takes a negative tone towards him. I say this because the first thing you see when you open the site is a picture of Chavez with an ominious shadow behind him. Also,the positive changes he has brought to the poor is not mentioned until the end of the piece while how he managed to close a 17 point gap is placed higher in the article. Consequently, the reader realizes that there was widespread disfavor of Chavez before reading why his base voted for him. Even if the order of this article was not changed,why people voted for him should of had its own subheading as it does not belong under "Chavez closed the gap" and is hidden without its own.
Now, I am no fan of Chavez, I actually disagree with most all he has done, but it is the job of the newspaper to inform not to put their opinions into their piece. Therefore, I really did not care for this article.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/906325.html
ReplyDeleteThe article that I read concerned controversial ex Miami Manager, Howard Gary's recent death. Though I was not aware of Gary's corruption laden legacy prior to reading the article, I was initially pleased to see the taste that authors Elinor J. Brecher and Luisa Yanez demonstrated when writing the piece. Including his firing in the lede, while also mentioning his more esteemed position as Miami’s first black city manager, they demonstrated kind impartiality. But once I started reading the article I was plagued with the question, is an unbiased article necessarily preferable when discussing the deceased? Having been born in Buffalo and with significant ties to Chicago, I am certainly no stranger to corrupt politics. And in my experience I have found that it is all too easy to report the death of a notorious politician in an extremely impartial manner. While I am unsure whether a deceased wrongdoer should be specifically vilified or exonerated upon their death, this article left me confused as usual. The authors speak about his accomplishments and also spend a great deal of time discussing the intricate details of his wrongdoings, but do so in a way that leaves the reader perplexed as to his guilt or innocence and then move smoothly along to his parents’ divorce. While I’m not sure whether this is a matter of ethics, necessarily, I do believe that this article aims to cover Howard Gary’s life, but does not actually do so. Bouncing around from scandal to biography to fluff to praise, I finished the article and realized that I don’t really know anything about Howard Gary, not even his funeral arrangements.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (online)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-bn-0217-coworker,0,6296392.story
This article caught my eye first because the headline contained an abbreviation that i didnt understand (BSO)
The article discussed the murder of a caregiver by her coworker while at their patient's residence. I found one passage that made me speculate the entire article:
The victim, whose name is being withheld until her relatives are notified, was pronounced dead at 10:52 p.m.
I dont agree with publishing the news before the relatives are notified. It seems that the news does not necessarily affect the safety of others if they are not informed, and seems a little less substantial to release the accused's name and not victim. I would hold it for more info and until the relatives were informed and the nature of the crime investigated.
http://www.miamiherald.com/486/story/907270.html
ReplyDelete"Budget cuts, pay freeze on horizon at University of Miami" -->
Given its content, I was particularly intrigued by this Miami Herald article this week. Though I had read the press release President Shalala emailed to students and faculty last week regarding the impact of the economic downturn on the UM campus, I was left with numerous questions. Namely how, in the course of a mere month, projections and rhetoric have been so altered. I was quizzical after receiving Recession Email No. 1 last month - it seemed that, even taking into account the hiring freeze, the Board of Directors was oddly optimistic about there being only minimal effects on everyday UM operations. This month's email more closely what I had expected months ago - many realities on the UM campus will have to be significantly, and appropriately, altered.
The Herald article did a great job of enumerating UM's fiscal conditions, as well as explaining expenditure trends over the past eight years. I knew that the purchase of Cedars Medical Center comprised a significant outlay of funds and utilization of loans, but it seems it had a much greater financial impact than I was aware of. I also appreciated the recognition of UM's private status by the Herald, and liked how they explained the difference between UM's financial situations and those of both public institutions such as UF and other, smaller private Florida universities.
Though Ms. Cordle did a great job selecting quotes from both President Shalala's press release and spokeswoman Jacqueline Menendez, she leaned too heavily on Menendez's expertise and perceptions. I think quotes from both students, paying parents, and faculty (whose incomes will be affected by salary capping) would have strengthened the article and added a humanizing element, as in "This is really happening and real people are being impacted - these are not just numbers." However, I understand the article was coming from a hard news angle, and as such, I felt the article was both insightful and clarifying.
-Kate Koza
In Reply to Ed's Take on Chavez's article:
ReplyDeleteTo be frank I don't believe that there is much Chavez has done to benefit his people.
I do agree that as journalists we must step aside our positions to give our readers a full view of the situation, however we cannot also lose what we represent as a democratic press who upholds the rights of an individual.
On your same point of view, while covering Nazism, there should have been a deeper look at the benefits of the movement. Were there any? Unfortunately, yes. The nazi regime also gave some funds to communities, schools--but we must ask ourselves-- is this important for the viewer to know and is it appropriate?
In the case of Chavez, he is often written in a light that is fictitious. Yes, he has given minuscule amounts of money to social programs (compared to the billions Venezuela makes in natural resources alone that he spends on Russian Planes, vacations and the enrichment of his followers), but they are ineffective, corrupt and not widespread. What is consistent and strong is the class division he has created, the corruption he has established as government, the blaming and hatred of the United States for all of Venezuela's problems, a mass-brain washing of the populous and thousands of businesses and people being killed and striped away by the government with no due reasoning.
This vote of this past Sunday establishes that this evil force will now proliferate like a Castro dictatorship. Unlike Castro however, Chavez has a larger military, strong monetary ties with nations that have irresponsible uses of their nuclear technologies and an openness of his hatred of free speech and press.
For me, if the article failed to emphasize that Chavez has in his spare time, occasionally focused on a few projects is insignificant and shouldn't make the article a bad one, but could reflect their understanding of the situation in place. Just as if we, when covering another delicate topic (Holocaust), we wouldn't try to ameliorate its appearance if the facts aren't prominent.
-Melanie D'Andrea
3 more South Florida doctors accused of Medicare fraud
ReplyDeleteMiami Herald
Feb. 17, 2009
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/907266.html
Jay Weaver and The Miami Herald have been dogged in pursuing this long-running Medicare fraud story. It's an excellent example of watchdog journalism, informing the public of indiscretions that affect a taxpayer-funded program.
The article details the arrests three physicians submitting millions of dollars in false claims for obsolete HIV therapy and money laundering.
Stepping back, the series is an excellent example of a newspaper pursuing a story and sticking with it as it develops. It's difficult to do that when resources are tight, so the Herald's continuing coverage of this story is commendable.
http://www.miamiherald.com/101/story/911595.html
ReplyDeleteSouth Florida events struggle to hold on to corporate sponsors
I thought it was particularly interesting and relevant the way the Miami Herald has started covering the South Beach Wine and Food Festival going on this week. Usually, stories tell the basic story of how thousands attend this popular Food Network event and who is there, and what is going on. This year, the Miami Herald took a different angle. In this story Elaine Walker shows how South Florida and large local and national corporations and companies are suffering due to the economic slowdown. This popular yearly event had problems this year holding onto sponsors, such as Public, and Macy’s. I thought that the writer took a good, and different angle relating it to recent events, and showing how even these large corporations are cutting back.
Miami Herald print version
ReplyDelete(“A Valuable Lesson” by Ileana Morales; Sec. 2B/Metro & State; Feb.19, 2009)
I think the Miami Herald did a great job of covering a particular story, in which elementary school kids were being taught to save money and put it into a savings account. As a kid, I always hated when my parents used to tell me to save my money. However, given the economic situation that we’re in I think it’s important to educate children in how to save money. By featuring a story in the paper such as this one, it might allow for other parents or parental guardians to take similar routes used in the article and influence their kids to save money and become responsible adults in the future; at least financially anyway.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/912917.html
ReplyDelete"Faltering economy means lean times for South Beach models" by Robert Samuels, 2.20.09
I think the article about the economy and the modeling industry is very shallow and has absolutely no depth to it. It tries to get the reader to sympathize with the models but it simply portrays them in a stereotypical and unintelligent way. If the Herald is going to do a story about the modeling industry and how the economy has effected it, you would think that they would write something a little more meaningful than the fact that the models are spending more time at the beach now than at work. That information is meaningless and does not successfully show a negative economical effect, it just emphasizes the glorious life these people still lead. The article makes us resent the life they live and realize that we may be suffering from the economy, but they seem to be doing fine. In fact, the article even says that the models have more time to relax and escape from their usually busy, hectic schedules. There should have been a more serious tone to the article and some more intelligent quotes, perhaps from the agencies themselves and their thoughts on how they are suffering. There is a possibility that I have completely missed the mark on this article and it is supposed to be sarcastic and lighthearted. In that sense, I think it is inappropriate to have put it on the front page of the Herald site under “business.” I was expecting a serious article. However, I can praise the writer for one thing, serious or not, it is very well written. I enjoy the wit and use of poetic license throughout the article, such as when it is written, “This game is informal, for not one, but two, of the annual local beach volleyball tournaments have been spiked,” and referring to the economy as “economic ugliness” in an article about the world of glamour.
The lead story on NBC-6’s ll pm newscast on Feb. 15th was about a retired Miami police officer being shot in his own home. They interviewed a neighbor in the piece and I noticed the top of the mike flag (which was the only part visible in the frame) was blue. I thought this was strange but didn’t think much of it. The next story was about Venezuela’s vote on term limits and the same thing, the mike flag was blue on the interview. Then, I realized they were using Telemundo 51’s mike flags and essentially their SOTs (Sound on Tape). NBC 6 and Telemundo 51 are both O&O’s of NBC-Universal. Thus, they share a lot of news materials and even broadcasting centers in Miramar. Cost-cutting is leading to less eyes and less voices investigating stories in South Florida. Stock holders are the only people benefiting from news sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis week I read an article titled "The Mickey Rourke that Miami knew is a favorite for an Oscar." It was on the website at http://www.miamiherald.com/213/story/915678-p3.html.
ReplyDeleteI like this story because it is a story about the Oscars but it is localized. The lead and angle of this story, involving his struggles in Miami before he achieved his current fame is inspiring. Who does not like an underdog story?
However, in this story they refer to his friends back in Miami as homies. This seemed odd to me. Even though they explained Rourke as the "bad boy" of Miami when he was younger it is no reason to use slang to refer to his friends.
Two other things I appreciate in this article is the detail they give about his childhood and that they gave his father a chance to refute the claim that he beat his son.
The front cover of the February 18, 2009 paper was a great mix of hard and soft. Of course, there was coverage on Obama’s attention to foreclosures, A-Rod, and a Texas banker’s alleged $8 billion fraud; however, there was coverage on the Marlins’ spring training (big center cover pic of spring training) and Teacher of the Year. Although some might disagree and say that front page news should be hard core and more “important” news, I feel it was a variety that was just right. Sports doesn’t always get too much coverage on the front page. The Marlins article served well in informing the readership of new additions to the team and in hyping Florida for Opening Day and what the team is doing to prepare. The education article on a teacher touches base with another great audience: teachers, children, and parents. Positive education stories bring a new light to education, as all the audience is used to hearing is about the budget cuts and angry teachers and parents. Different coverage is sometimes GREAT coverage; Keeps the audience entertained and changes routine coverage.
ReplyDeleteMiami Herald print version
ReplyDelete(“Iraqi police kill U.S. soldier, interpreter” by Brian Murphy; 12A; The World)
I understand that this is a world piece, but why is this not on the front page of the Herald? I’m not sure as to why I’ve been obsessed with the order or manner in which the news is organized in the Herald, but I feel that this story is front page material. You barely see anything about the war in Iraq on the front page anymore and I don’t think that’s right, especially when there’s always something going on there.
Obama: US combat in Iraq to end by Aug. 31, 2010
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/515/story/924256.html
My first pet peeve that I noticed about this story is that, when it was on the front of the Miami Herald website the title read "Obama announces troop withdrawal schedule" and once you click on the link it reads "Obama: US combat in Iraq to end by Aug. 31, 2010" it is just something I disagree with, I think the specific title should be on the front page as well, but it may be done to get readers to click on it to find out specifically when, which then might be a good tactic, but since it's in the main title anyways I don't think it makes much of a difference. Specifically, with the article something I think the Herald did well was they stated, " the Aug. 31, 2010 end date for Iraq war combat operations is slower than Obama had promised voters as a candidate. The timetable he pledged then would have seen combat end in May 2010.” I think by stating the date that Obama had pledged as a candidate, the paper is remaining objective, giving you all angles to the story not just that Obama finally decided to withdrawal some troops in the future. On the other hand, it does seem fairly close in date and we all know that what candidates promise, can’t always be actualized in the same manner due to other factors that come with actually being president. The original, vague title on the front also implies that troops will be withdrawn in general, but as I have already read in the past and in the article they later mention that Obama will send even more troops to Afghanistan, so it is not true in their case. The article remains objective though by showing both sides and raising the idea that although they are eventually withdrawing some troops from Iraq, they are also sending a lot of troops to Afghanistan.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/923937.html
ReplyDeleteThe Miami Herald did a great job at reporting a Miami Police cruiser crash. The details remain sketchy but the Herald used a freelancer’s photo of the accident. The female officer was not dressed in unifrom, was not given a sobriety test until three hours after the accident, and no accident report has been issued. This smells like the blue shield is protecting it's own. But with the help of an independent voice bringing light to this issue, it may get resolved justly. Without the use of the media to inform, this incident would go below the radar and potentially unresolved for those involved. The journalist was very fair to both sides (MPD & the car owner) and presented the facts to date. As of today, the officer is suspended with pay. Well done, Herald.
Miami judge blasted for scolding runaway girl
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/925739.html
I think the reporting on this article was good and detailed. I liked this article because of the investigative nature of it. Often, officials in power (police, government officials, judges, etc) take advantage of their authority and use it to do/say things like the judge did. It is important for jounalists to be out there to remind them that it isn't okay and there are responsible reporters who will publicize these things. The article did not mention what will happen to the judge for his statments to the minor, and that either means that it was unreported or that nothing will happen to him. If the reason is in fact that nothing will happen to him, I would have liked to know that from reading the story. Other than that, I appreciate the investigative reporting!
http://www.miamiherald.com/515/story/925701.html
ReplyDelete"Obama facing tough decisions on Guantánamo" by Carol Rosenberg
The article is about how defenders and detractors of Guantanamo Bay. I have a few things to say: First, it is my understanding that you don't put accents in the English language, and if you do then hundreds of newspapers need to adjust their writing style. I understand we are in Miami and all, but the Miami Herald has a spanish newspaper - El Nuevo Herald so put accents in that one. Second, I really like how did story has subtitles and bullet points that help you get the important highlights. And third, I really like how the author started the article by summarizing Obama's week with Congress.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/obituaries/story/922188.html
ReplyDelete"Former Fort Lauderdale civic leader" by Elinor J. Brecher
I decided to comment about the obituaries section. Andrew DeGraffenreidt was the first black to serve on the Fort Lauderdale City Commission. DeGraffenreidt was a historic figure and being the first black to serve in the commission, and with our first black President, I believe the Miami Herald should have focused more in this article. All the quotes were about his professional work, not about him as a person. When it comes to obituaries I think its better to describe the person personally to receive an emotional feedback from the readers.
I read several obits, and I think the Herald should stop writing cookie-cutter obits, step away form the norm, and write obits that inspire emotions and feelings in the readers.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/front-page/story/928036.html
ReplyDelete"AIDS drugs' success fuels a new apathy"
An AIDS article on the front page! Great! AIDS is a big taboo, one of those things like rape that people rather not touch. But, guess what? It is something that NEEDS to be talked about. It is a well-written piece, it's front page news, and it's also about a project being produced by the FIU School of Mass Comm students. That's where it hits most. People think that AIDS is largely present in circles of gays, prostitutes, or drug addicts like students in the article say; however, the feature begins with the story of Damaries Cruz, a 20 year old girl who had sex with her BOYFRIEND. She’s out there to do what needs to be done; to break the “stigma.” I think the whole story and every aspect of it (it being covered by young comm students, it being on the front page, and it covering a girl who sought sex in her own monogamous relationship and later learned she was HIV positive) can serve as a huge wake-up call to today's youth.The greater majority believes that as long as they're not sleeping around and they "know" their partners, there's no danger. But there is no shame in asking that one partner to get tested before sharing deep intimacy. As for those who aren’t seeking out monogamy, and STILL choose to wear no condoms for the sake of pleasure, like the article says ---> this is just too “lax” and ignorant.
If you check out the article, there are several links to the FIU students’ webisodes (the webisode series can be viewed at www.MiamiHerald.com/299/story923541.html.) The project was done by Florida International University journalism class to produce a four-part series of webisodes called The Stigma Stops With Me. This can also serve as a site to go to, to maybe compare the production of the students with some of our students’ productions. I thought the videos were well done. Although I don’t know much about video production, the video serves the purpose of their project and delivers the message with back and forth clips of Damaries and the students. Great story. Great job raising awareness, Miami Herald!
http://www.miamiherald.com/459/story/928550.html
ReplyDelete"Florida considers charging bottlers for state's water" by Mary Ellen Klas
I have been following the herald and more specifically the stories regarding the water shortages, the drought, etc. So when I read this article I was outraged. I had no idea that the little clean spring water that we have we are not only giving it away, but giving it away for FREE!!! Nestle sucks over 500,000 gallons EVERY DAY!!! ... And with all of this, the Florida DEP had no data about this until last December. Well, when it comes to the writing the story was really well-written. Also, you could tell there was a fair amount of investigative reporting in it. The only thing is that the article didn't mentioned what Gov. Crist was planning to do with the 6-cents-a-gallon state tax on commercial water.
On another note, below the image provided there was a hyperlink for related story about the integrity of the bottles being produced at Nestle. With TV and the internet taking over most audiences for news, I felt this was a great way of maintaining their readers interested.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/929572.html
ReplyDeleteI found the article entitled, "South Florida wish lists could face test in Congress," quite informative and coherent, which is rare for a locally-produced article discussing nuanced local earmark attempts. Lesley Clark did a wonderful job cohesively enumerating the more weighty and visible attempts by Florida lawmakers in both the House and Senate to secure funding for local projects as part of the federal spending bill that will subsidize state and local operations until September.
Clark craftily includes subtle indication of the inherent contradictions between Florida lawmakers' votes and provisions to the bill with their supposed platforms on pork spending. For instance, she mentions Mel Martinez's inherent opposition to big government spending (and points out that he "Twittered" vociferously against passage of the $410 billion bill during Obama's speech), yet later in the article points to the fact that Martinez is the 35th highest spender in the Senate, including responsibility for $500 million of the current bill. This places him far ahead of his Democratic counterpart from Florida, Bill Nelson, who openly supports increased government spending but ranks 76th. Neither of these interesting facts could be interpreted as leading or bias on Clark's part, as they can be interpreted in a number of ways. However, they shed light on an interesting paradox that begs questions of transparency and veritable intent on the part of Florida lawmakers.
I am yet unclear on why Martinez finds "improved beef cow operations" worthy of $599,000 of federal money. Can such a thing be empirically researched and improved? Do the improvements have to do with increased production of meat or actual lifestyle enhancement for beef cows themselves? I think we can all agree that beef cows should be made as comfortable as possible during their time on earth, but what exactly does $599,000 get these cows? I, for one, would like some answers. Clark should consider a bovine-centric follow-up article in which she reveals the seedy underbelly of Florida cattle operations.
The 16th annual former Marley Fest, now known as the Caribbean Fest was held all day Saturday at Bayfront Park. I was curious to see how the Herald covered an event that is fairly prevalent in the city. The day before the show, The Herald ran a Q&A with one of Bob's sons, Julian. He spoke partially about the upcoming show as well as a new album of his coming out and also the economy. Overall I liked the idea of a Q&A preview with the Legend's son.
ReplyDeleteThe day after the show, there was no coverage of the event...absolutely none. Instead it spoke about a small show three of the Marley Brothers played later that night. There were probably around 30-50 people at the Florida room that night and most likely over 4000 at Marley Fest. I just don't understand how they would make that decision of covering the minor event instead of the major.
I watch the nightly newscasts all the time, and literally every night its the same thing. These network newscasters have nothing better to talk about than the economy. I realize that the economy is the most prevalent issue facing America at the moment, but simply reporting dreary numbers every night cant really be helping the situation. In the end, its really all about investor confidence, and these nightly newscasts aren't restoring any of it. Can't they find something cheery to talk about? My day usually gets pretty dreary around 6 pm when either Brian Williams or Charles Gibson tells me how our country is going straight into the gutter with its economic deficiencies. Its pretty sad- but it must bring ratings to them because 1) they havent changed course at all, and 2) they probably have nothing else to talk about. Yea, the DOW Jones just fell under 7,000 points, and were facing a multi trillion dollar deficit. Can't we just leave these facts for the middle of the newscast, instead of always leading off with it? I hate that these network newscasts just paint a picture of doom and gloom, especially being a college student myself, knowing I'm going to be thrust into the wildly chaotic and unfriendly place that people call "the real world." I want to hear positive things, things that motivate me to do positive things in the world. I'll tell you right now, these network newscasts just make me want to roll over and go back to sleep in the morning.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/933427.html
ReplyDeleteI was browsing through the Herald’s website, and found the “University of Miami student studying abroad found dead” story. Thus, I thought it would be interesting to see how it was reported compared to that of The Hurricane. The Herald covered the news as if it was just simply another death. Maybe its that fact the I am a UM student and find it a tragedy when one of our classmates dies, but I just found that the Herald could have done a little bit more reporting and maybe interviewed friends to make the story a little more sensitive and interesting; not simply another death. It basically stated facts, and sort of left out who he actually is and all. Maybe what is missing will show up in an obituary, but I simply feel like this story was cold and way too simple.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/935774.html
ReplyDelete"Disabled Iraq war vet becomes Coral Gables police officer"- by Jennifer Lebovich 3.06.09
I enjoyed the article about the war vet who was injured in Iraq and was just sworn in as a Coral Gables police officer. At first by the headline on the front page of the Herald website, I thought the article was going to be just another war article but as I read it, I was drawn in by the story behind Jason Recio. I think it was great how Lebovich wrote not only about Recio being sworn in, but also about his war experience, how he was injured, and what happened when he came back home. I think this article did a great job of drawing the reader in and keeping the article special and interesting.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/939740.html
ReplyDeleteI had a big problem with the news section of the online Miami Herald. When you went on the page, the first story you saw was about politicians on Capitol Hill using the social networking tool Twitter. The story sad that more and more politicians are using Twitter and it may make Twitter unpopular. The story was completely pointless. I can't think of anyone who would care about politicians using Twitter.
The second story was more important, but it had nothing to do with Florida. You didn't see anything about South Florida until you went to the third story. It was about Miami Central High students and teachers attempting to help the students pass the FCAT. I found it odd that The Miami Herald would talk about politicians using Twitter and aid to Haiti before it would talk about education in South Florida.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/942205.html
ReplyDeleteVisiting the Miami Herald's website this afternoon I was shocked to see a story called "Florida Lawmakers Consider Ban on Bestiality." While the fact that there is not a law forbidding people from having sex with animals in Florida (or even that there needs to be such a law, for that matter) upset me, the Herald's coverage was able to raise my spirits. In the story, they included an off color incident that occurred during a Senate agricultural committee meeting regarding the definition of animal husbandry. While it made Miami Senator Bullard look like a complete fool, her gaffe was our gain. Jokes are a tricky business in journalism, but I believe this time, The Miami Herald did it right.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/942447.html
ReplyDeleteThis story is about beaches in Florida, which are cuurently the third dirtiest beaches in the country. I think that this was a well-written and definitely relevant. Many UM students love using the days they don't have class as beach days. Thousands of people come down to South Florida for the beaches. Many people might not think about how dirty the beaches actually are.
One thing that I thought made this article really good was its use of statistics. Many could say to themselves "Well, how dirty can they actually be?" This article tells you exactly how dirty they are. Beaches are a key part of South Florida appeal and I thought this article really brought something interesting to light.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/955416.html
ReplyDeleteThis article talks about the bonuses AIG has recently given some of their employees. These bonuses total $165 million. I think that this story is very well-written and very important to everyone. Everyday more and more people lose their homes. They are asking themselves "Where is my bailout?". They are cutting back in every aspect of their lives. Then you have a company like AIG. They got a bailout of $170 billion, with a B. They have also been promised another $30 billion, again, billion with a B. They claim that they need it to get out of the hole they are in and then they go and pay the executives that got them into the hole bonuses. What sense does that make?
This article sheds more light on the bonuses these people were paid. it also gives an interesting side note. The article says that the people were given the bonuses so they would not quit. However, 11 of the people who received the bonuses have already left. This article shows people that nine times out of ten these people just simply don't get it.
The Miami Herald, front page, in print
ReplyDelete"NFL Player was drunk, source says."
This headline leads into a story about a Cleveland Brown player in a car accident in which a pedestrian was killed. I think this poorly done for two reasons. One, "a source says" seems very tabloid-ish to put in a headline. Two, it is a very big accusation to make without naming a source or having a second source. It will be interesting to see how this story pans out.
On page 6A of the Sunday Miami Herald, there is “A Message to Miami Herald Readers and Advertisers.” Here, Publisher David Lansberg assures readers and advertisers that the Herald is in good financial shape. Although, Mr. Lansberg fails to mention how the Herald recently trimmed its budget. It wouldn’t have sounded as good with layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts. In addition to touting the largest news staff in South Florida and the ad continues to say that the Herald has the largest reach of 1.4 million adults. I believe this ad came in response to Time’s article declaring the Herald #3 on the list of papers to go digital by year’s end. My response to all this is simple. Wow! A newspaper is in such fear that it has to declare economic stability. But we must not get delusional… journalism is a business. And noting such, it must declare to its readers and potential revenue sources (advertisers) that the company is strong… even if their lying through their teeth.
ReplyDelete"Ex-TV 'psychic' Miss Cleo revels in new life"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/358/story/964529.html
I couldn't believe that when I get to the homepage of the Miami Herald today, in the "highlights" which should be the most important news of the day on the side of the webpage one of the headlines is "Miss Cleo
TV 'psychic' now gay rights activist", I think an article about Miss Cleo is not that important in comparison to a lot of other world events or other breaking news. Also, the majority of the article focuses on her past as the spokeswoman for the Psychic Readers Network, and her famous commercials and law suits against her company not on the fact that she's a gay activist as the headline says. There is only one sentence that actually mentions her involvement as an activist and it states, "came out as a lesbian, released a spoken-word CD, and started a radio show" which isn't saying much. So what if she came out as a lesbian? I don't see that being news, especially when the article barely focuses on that within its body. It's not like she is doing something major in the world of gay rights. It just didn't seem very relevant, and the story does not stick to the headline.
www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/964581.html
ReplyDelete"Mexico Offers $2 Million Rewards for Drug Lords"
I found this article incredibly interesting. It is about the Mexican government offering rewards of $2 million for 24 of the top leaders of drug lords. it seems that Mexico is starting to crack down and take their drug problem seriously. However, the article does say that this is, in part, due to pressure from the US government.
For a long time, Americans have been hearing about border problems with Mexico and Mexican drug lords pushing large amounts of illegal drugs into the United States. This issue is something that almost every person has an interest and a point of view on the matter.
This article is well-written and something that is important. There is a large drug problem, especially around the Mexican border. It is nice that something is finally being done about it.
After discussing the increasing amount of celebrity culture masquerading itself as real news, I decided to peruse The Miami Herald’s main page to see whether this rang true locally. To my surprise I found that there was only one celebrity mentioned on The Herald’s main page, a small, yet prominently placed story pertaining to Anna Nicole Smith’s case being under review. Reading the story I was pleased to find that it was not particularly sensational, and seemed to cover relevant topics. I question, though, since the investigation in Broward County will not be reopened, whether a case of similar importance pertaining to a common citizen would have received such coverage, if any at all in the paper. Overlooking that, I commend The Herald for covering the story without making it appear to be a larger deal than it actually is.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/front-page/story/970030.html
ReplyDelete"Plantation High students get hand pulling up their pants"- Hannah Sampson 3.27.09
I thought the article on the Herald's website about Plantation High putting a stop to sagging pants was inappropriate for a front-page story. Although the message that the writer was trying to get across throughout the article is an important one, and although the issue of sagging pants is relevant across the nation, the article itself was still inappropriately placed. The front page should be used to feature stories with urgency and of utmost importance. This story seemed lighthearted and somewhat insignificant, especially in comparison to everything that is going on in the nation today. Perhaps it should have been placed in a later section of the paper. While reading the article, I felt like the reporter was trying too hard to turn an insignificant minor story into one worthy of front-page status by linking it to President Obama. The issue of sagging pants is so minor in the grand scheme of things that a story about it does not deserve to be on the front-page no matter who is mentioned within the article. I think there could have been better use of quotes as well. A writer should be able to pull quotes from an interview that are unique and interesting. Some quotations used such as, “They gave it to me ‘cause my pants were sagging,” should have been left out all together. It isn't until the end of the article that the reader realizes the true significance and relevance of the issue. A story that takes that long to portray importance should not be on the front-page.
"Miami Dolphins fan gets 35 years in fatal I-95 DUI crash"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/970672.html
I think overall this article conveyed the message the writer was going for and was well-written. Although, it had some flaws. My first problem was with the title. A drunk driver that killed a father and daughter and injured 5 others does not need to be refered to in the title as a Dolphins fan. I understand he was coming from a game, but in a title it just makes people think it has something to do with the Dolphins team. The article gave a well-thought out description of the events that took place on the night of the crash, and the writer did a good job of conveying that the drunk driver was emotionless after what happened and showed no remorse, through use of quotes. In the last two paragraphs, just something I noted was that describing the father that was killed without stating who they are talking about in the first paragraph of the two isn't coherent. Some of what was said in the last paragraph could have been mentioned much sooner about the victims.
"Florida jobless rate hits 9.4 percent, highest since 1976"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/970685.html
This article was informative and I appreciate the numbers that the journalist provides. It helps the reader understand the unemployment issue better. I would have like more reporting however. I find that the story was rather short and did not provide enough information such as what the government is doing to help solve this problem. I also feel that quotes from people who have been effected by this issue would have made the story more interesting and attractive to readers. It was lacking that human interest component. I also would have liked to see what the unemployment rate was in 1976 since it was part of the headline. This is a very big problem that is effecting the entire country and after reading this article I felt as if there was no solution. I understand that it was a hard news story, but still, even hard news stories can offer those things.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/976469.html
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this article from the Miami Herald. I found it to be highly informative and was shocked to learn that 80% of Floridians financially contribute to the treatment of smoking-related illnesses. It left me with a few questions, though, namely, where exactly is this money going? While I am generally pleased with the Herald's reporting, I believe that this article could have been made much stronger with more financial detail. This financial crisis has certainly increased the public's concern with money, and I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing. Divulging the intricacies of where tax-payers' money is being spent creates a more informed and interested reader, and that helps the country and the news paper.
On a completely unrelated note, I took particular interest in the last two paragraphs regarding the possibility of calling the tax by a different name. I am reminded of the Texas pole tax that has been in the news lately, and think that while in that case the word tax exists as a clever pun, it may be wise to rename the fee so smokers understand that the money they are spending is going directly to the disaster that they are promoting.
Last night I watched NBC-6's 11pm Newscast. Of course the top stories were about the auto companies’ financial woes. Specifically the reporter was talking about Chrysler. He went to speak with a Chrysler dealer about the financial stability of the company and their dealerships. He went to Massey-Yardley Chrysler. On the surface this looks like an innocent sound bite. But any loyal NBC 6 11pm news viewer knows that Massey-Yardley Chrysler is a big advertiser on NBC 6. The devil's advocate in me says that NBC6 sales department was happy that the reporters “happen" to choose that dealership to give "free" primetime advertisement. Perhaps I'm wrong and it was simply a coincidence. But maybe not!
ReplyDeletewww.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/976469.html
ReplyDeleteI found this article very interesting. I think that the most interesting part is "the 80 percent of Floridians who don't smoke are subsidizing the treatment of the smoking-related illnesses of those who do." As a non-smoker, this fact upset me. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you, both first-hand smoke and second-hand smoke.
This tax increase could bring a lot more money into Florida, which, in this economy, is something that is needed. I thought it was unusual that Governor Christ doesn't really support the increase. not only would it bring in more money, but if the tax increase was $1 per pack, that could dissuade people from buying cigarettes because they do not want to spend the money.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/982553.html
ReplyDelete"U.S. jobless rate is highest since 1983"- by Jeannine Aversa
4.03.09
The article about job loss was well written and very informative. I thought the writer did a successful job at conveying pertinent information and incorporated information that maybe our generation would not be aware of. This is important because we are the future of this nation and it is important for us to be aware of the economical crisis. I do not know anything about finance and business, and normally would not read anything based on that topic, but the headline really stood out to me and drew my attention. It was a very appropriate article to have on the front page because the topic is so timely and important to this country and it provided the reader with information about the unfortunate realities of today’s economy. All in all, the reporter wrote an excellent article and the Herald finally got it right this time and appropriately placed the story.
http://www.miamiherald.com/795/story/984213.html
ReplyDeleteObama set to ease Cuban ban on travel, money
This story was on the opening page of the herald online. As as granddaughter of a Cuban who fled in 1961, and who has always wanted to travel to Cuba, I was interested to read the article. It was an overall great article that reported on the Obama's plans to remove the ban on travel from the U.S. to Cuba. However, after reading the story I was left wanting more. The story was written by an AP writer, and not a Miami Herald writer for starters. Secondly, as Miami has such a large community of Cuban exiles, I would like to know what they think about Obama's plans. I guess, I would like to see a story written on the perspective of the Cuban people by a Miami Herald writer. In the end, something was lacking, and the Herald sort of didn't follow up on the story and how it can change the Miami, and Cuban community.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/988176.html
ReplyDeleteI think that the Herald did a great job reporting this story. This was the first I had heard of Cheryl Aleman, but by the conclusion of the article, I was fairly fully caught up with her recent indiscretions. They gave the perfect amount of back story while also incorporating the recent news. I found it odd, however, that the Herald reported that she was appealing the $9,000 cost of her investigation without any further explanation. They also write that the man with whom she was walking pushed a Miami Herald reporter out of the way. It is also noted that she responded to her reprimand with a simple “God bless you and the court.” While I understand that it is the newspapers role to report the facts, I am unsure as to whether she was happy with the ruling. I want to know whether she appeared remorseful as she spoke to the judge, or how she reacted when the reporter was pushed. Her lawyer is quoted in the article saying that this has been a learning experience for her, but I’m not convinced. I think this story could have greatly benefited from a more descriptive narrative of the events.
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/michelle-obamas-grand-european-tour-the-fashion-week-in-review-442754/#photoViewer=1
ReplyDeleteThere are so many compelling events that happen every day. Why is this the lead story on yahoo.com? I think its ridiculous that Michelle Obama's fashion- or what she wore on her trip to Europe is considered to be a newsworthy issue. There are polar bears starving to death in what was once frozen ice around the Arctic Ice shelf. (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article767459.ece). There is a mass of non biodegradable garbage twice the size of Texas floating in the Pacific Ocean right now, and its threatening to permanently destroy countless aquatic species and ecosystems. There are many far more news relevant stories that our public should be informed of than what Obama decided to pull out of her dresser this morning. Down with sensationalism, up with relevance!
-Post by Austin Davis
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/988526.html
ReplyDeleteI think that this article is well-written and very relevant to South Florida. Since before I was born, Cuba has been off limits. Castro has been at odds with the United States and the United States does not want to deal with an unruly dictator. I think that it is great that the U.S. is finally trying to work with Castro, and he is finally a willing participant. There are many people right here in Miami that would benefit if the restrictions on visiting Cuba were lifted.
This article is longer than most articles and it is very detailed and very well-written. Many young people do not know much about why the United States and Cube have never tried to work out some sort of agreement. They also have never heard anything entirely positive about Cuba. However, this article changes things. This article makes the United States look good and it makes Cuba look good. This article was very well researched and I thought it was very good.
"Arena Wins Green Award" by Jose Pagliery April 8, 2009
ReplyDeleteI found this article to be very different and insightful. I had no idea that the American Airlines Arena was an environmentally friendly built structure. More so, I had no idea that it is only 1 of 2 sports venues in the country to receive an award for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Who knew that the arena had a heat reflecting roof and water-efficient landscaping? Despite this pleasant news, I was a little disheartened that the architects and planners designed the arena like this as a means to save money, not to be eco friendly. Still, I think the article was a great way to show that we should all be moving in this green direction. And the best part of course is that, as shown with the American Airlines arena, it is actually more cost effective to go green. I hope that this article will inspire more architects to do the same.
"Many Feeling Facebook Fatigue" by Martha Irvine April 9, 2009
ReplyDeleteThis article spoke about the possible downturn of social networking ranging from Facebook to Twitter. I found it very interesting that according to the article, though almost 50% of people still enjoy these forms of networking, there is a growing sense of alienation/boredom that comes with it. I thought this feeling was long overdue. I would much rather have a phone conversation or person to person conversation with a friend rather than send a text or facebook message. Finally an article that agrees!This article expressed exactly what I have been thinking for a while and so I must admit the sense of relief I felt after reading. I liked the relevance of the article because facebook, myspace, twitter, etc are things that really do pertain to today's society. Though social networking remains stronger than ever among the people I know, I do not doubt the growing fatigue it is causing, as stated in the article. It really is only a matter of time until we ALL feel it. Lastly, as far as the writer's style, she did a good job in getting many perspectives (from different age groups, locations, and professions)and I especially enjoyed the alliteration technique in the headline!
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/995986-p2.html
ReplyDeleteAmericas summit is a big deal in Trinidad and Tobago
I thought this story was really well written, researched, and timely. A lot of Americans and people don't know what the Summit of the Americas is, and so this story was really informative and helped people (including myself) understand how the Summit will affect Trinidad and Tobago and future international relations in the hemisphere. It is a long story that shows how Trinidad and Tobago is changing its ways to make a good impression. The story is also divided into sections that makes it easier to read and understand. These sections are security, how trade will change in the hemisphere, and Obama's role as well. In the end, I thought this story was really well written and informative.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/999405.html
ReplyDeleteI found this piece regarding a local man's tax fraud by way of Swiss bank account to be particularly interesting. Movies glamorize Swiss bank accounts and their usefulness for stashing secret money and it was fascinating learning that this no longer seems to be the case. I found one ethical question in the piece however, one that is certainly not unique to this article. The piece reads, "William B. McCarthy, an attorney for Moran, couldn't immediately be reached for comment." What exactly is meant by "immediately reached?" In many cases, silence and the infamous "no comment" insinuate guilt or at the very least ambivalence and rudeness. How long must a journalist wait and how many attempts to contact must be made before such a line can be written? Do e-mails count? Text messages? At what point does absence become evasion?
http://www.miamiherald.com/1460/story/999046.html
ReplyDeleteI found the headline to this article interesting because I am often drawn to issues involving constitutionality.
However I think this article is extremely lacking on information. The story was about a Judge in Florida overturning the 2008 Sellers of Travel Act. The act increased service charges for travel agencies booking trips to Cuba for Cubans who fled to escape Fidel Castro. The article did not shed nearly enough light on why the act was created and subsequently passed.
The article also failed to connect the ruling to the Constitution. Those who are informed know the connection but to the average reader it may not be as clear. In addition, it did not explain both sides of the issue as well as it should. It didn't give the implications of the ruling or say what it means for immigrated Cuban Americans.
On the upside, I felt the article was very timely in shedding yet another problem in the immigration debate. But it's a huge issue and the Herald should have used the ruing as an outlet to explain the immigration debate to the average person who may not be as well informed.
http://www.miamiherald.com/business/breaking-news/story/1002530.html
ReplyDeleteMerrick Park has always been known for the upscale shopping. I've been there several times but mostly to window shop. That's the problem in this economy. People can't afford to shop at Burberry, Tiffany and, Roberto Cavalli. Considering the array of high-end stores it's no surprise General Growth, the owner of the mall, has filed for bankruptcy.
This article brought to light even the top one percent isn't spending money like it used to. General Growth also owns Bayside Marketplace, Kendall Town Center, Pembroke Lakes Mall; and Mizner Park in Boca Raton.
http://www.miamiherald.com/505/story/1002056.html
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't surprise me teenagers are taping themselves having sex. That in itself is part of the problem. It has become something we've heard about many times to the point where it's no longer shocking.
The recent trend the media calls "sexting" has only fueled the fire for teens thinking it's okay to broadcast themselves to their friends and boyfriends.
We're avoiding the message our culture is sending to teens about sex. Pop culture feeds these kids with the idea that sex is no big deal. News flash kids: it is a big deal. If you can't handle the responsibilities of having sex you shouldn't be having it.
I think the article does a good job at reporting the story. However, it should have connected the incident to the larger issue. The larger issue being the growing number of teens who are getting sex-Ed from Paris Hilton.
Plane crashes into Oakland Park home, at least one dead
ReplyDelete"http://www.miamiherald.com/416/story/1004542.html"
I thought first things first, the article is relevant. This is what the Herald should be talking about, things that local people can relate to. Granted the article is about Fort Lauderdale and in the Miami Herald, but they still did a good job in that people will care because of the proximity. It's also a sad story topic, but I like that they also made readers aware that this is an ongoing problem that the Fort Lauderdale airport has been having with poor maintaniance and with planes crashing as soon as they take off. This is important because they are raising an issue that needs to be taken care of, which is what good journalism should do. The article was also very informative and answered every question I had when I first glanced at the headline, meaning they covered all angles.
Miami-Dade cop arrested in cash, drug sting
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1004561.html
On one hand, I liked that this article is once again relevant to Miami residents unlike some stories I've seen in the Herald lately. I also appreciate that for once it's a story about a cop being arrested for their wrong doing (assuming it is the truth), in a time when many people feel cops get away with a lot or are above the law. That isn't to criticize law enforcement because I am thankful for what they do, but it's nice to see they are not above the law. However, that is only in an idealistic world of course. We don't know how many get away with things of that nature or worse.
I feel the Herald could have delved into that angle a bit more, maybe spend a little more time on the article. It seems to be more of a short news brief, than a newspaper article. That may have been the intention though. Otherwise, they could have focused more on elaborating on what happened when the officer was arrested. The story only gives brief details on the circumstances. There also aren't many credible sources being quoted. Whether it was lack of time to find someone or not. They only have one small quote from the police director, I think they could have done better than that. Nevertheless, I like that they are reporting on topics such as this one.
April 18th's NBC-6 11pm newscast had quite a unique story in the A-block. Anchor Amara Sohn visited the Dadeland Mall where there was a fashion show featuring Project Runway's host Tim Gunn. Not only was she a fashion show judge but she then made herself a part of the story. She had Gunn comment about how great she looked. That's bad. But I could live with silliness on a silly story on a Saturday night. But then within the story, Sohn heavily promoted Project Runway. Harmless, right? No! First of all, this is news... not promotions. Second of all.. it's self promotion. Project Runway airs on the Bravo Network (which happens to be owned by NBC-Universal... the same owners of NBC-6.) This is so deceptive to the general viewer. Most viewers won’t connect the dots. Those who know a bit a media can clearly see its promotions. Don’t do promotions in news and don’t get the reporter so involved in the story!
ReplyDeleteBroward child's suicide raises questions about medication
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/front-page/story/1011223-p2.html
This story was on the front page of the Herald online. It automatically called my attention for its headline, and made me want to know how was it possible that a child had committed suicide. As I clicked on the link and was led to the full story, it found that it was a well written story that provided facts with back up sources. The story told how Gabriel Myers hanged himself in the shower a couple of weeks ago, and how it was related to the several anti depressant medications he was taking. I was amazed and saddened to know that an 7-year-old child would kill himself, and that it might have been entirely due to medications that he might not have needed in the first place. In the end, the story was really interested and well written, and basically was a warning to parents about the side effects of certain medications mentioned in the story.
Shame Is Fleeting
ReplyDeleteTimothy Egan
http://egan.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/shame-is-fleeting/
This editorial about the public redemption of figures that have been the subject of scandal or crime is an important one. By talking about how the public and the media so willingly forgive shameful events, Egan speaks to the sensationalism that now occurs in the news media. People are now more invested in these figures because of the scandal. Many times the public is routing for a comeback. Take, for example, Britney Spears. Her trials and turbulations appear on even the most credible news sources. The public wants to hear what she has to say because they feel connected. Perhaps the lack on interest in the news business has less to do with the actual reporting, and more to do with what is being reported on. If we continue to count entertainment as news and mix personal and professional lives in the media, much of the credibility of the entire structure suffers.
"Florida may issue Christian license plates" by Amy Hollyfield
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1016751.html
The article mentions how if lawmakers pass a bill in the Legislature Florida would issue a license plate with the image of Jesus and another with a cross. At the end, most people were against getting plates with religious symbols...It was interesting how the reporter did not feel the need to mention how this even has to go through legislation. Florida has more than 100 specialty plates with several new ones proposed this year and according to the first amendment American do have freedom of religion. So why not make a specialty plate with religious symbols?! However, the reporter did mention how coming up monday there will be a push to eliminate all specialty plates within two years in favor of specialty stickers sold for use on standard Florida license plates. Throughout the article these was not a single picture... as reader I felt the need to see what sort of symbols the plates had on them or how the new stickers would look like. Or at least a description of the plates, it would make a difference to as me because i would approve them if its a simple "I believe" tag as opposed to "an anti-devil" plate... Another thing I would have like the reporter to cover is how the economics of the plates will change with the new stickers... Something interesting was that the article had already been comment by people of different religions mentioning how she didn't mention how atheist or other religions besides Christians would feel about this. Overall it was a nice article but it lacked important information
Eddie Fishman
ReplyDeleteWhen I logged on the MiamiHerald.com the first story I saw was "Athletic Association Votes to Cut high school sports games to save cash." This article caught my attention as I was surprised that the lead article was not about the pig flu going around which has dominated the news today. Also, sports naturally are more interesting to me than hard news.
I read the article and felt that it was very short. There was very little background information about the decision and only one quote. This could be because there were several articles that came before it that I did not read or that the Miami Herald just wanted to get the information on their website and the rest of the story will come later.
Another part of this article that slightly surprised me was the fact that there was only one picture on the website, of a highschool baseball game. I feel like that since all highschool sports are being cut a slideshow would have been better here.
Always interesting were the comments at the end of the page that were disgusted at this new plan. I really think the comment part of online news adds a lot to the article.
Eddie Fishman
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1020407.html
After reading the article on Florida highschool sports being cut down, I looked over the breaking news. The article titled FOrmer Commerce secretary Carlos Guiterrez name to UM's Board of Trustees caught my eye.
It interested me becasue it had to do with an insitution that I am associated with. I also wanted to read this article because I had recently finished an article about the Board of Trustees naming a new chair. Therefore, I wanted to see how the herald wrote a similar article.
Overall, I like the article. Its short length was appropriate. Also, it being placed under breaking news was also a good idea. It was a timely piece and was not overly dramatic. Consequently, the small headline under this section fit it nicely.
One thing I would of added to this piece would be adding a picture of Gutierrez to this article. A stock photo would not have been hard to get and would of added something to the article.
Eddie Fishman
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/459/story/1021874.html
The article I read today was "Reported Case of Swine Flu awaits confrimation." Besides being the headline story, the picture on the front page caught my eye. THe picture of three people walking with masks on their face was interesting enough but the bright yellow lines on the street caught my attention as well.
I was impressed with this story that it did not over-hype the chance of swine flu being present in Florida. It admitted that there was a chance that this possibilty of swine flu could just be an overaction.
I also like the slideshow and the related content options. This story was very brief as it is a developing story but these additional links give people that want more information the option to get it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/business/economy/29trade.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper
ReplyDelete“Pork Industry Fights Concerns Over Swine Flu”—this article in today’s New York Times discusses the current swine flu epidemic and its relation to the pork industry. I like the angle of this article because with many people currently panicking over the flu, it tries to relax consumers by clearing up that there is no connection between the flu and the consumption of pork. Though many Americans are paranoid and have stopped eating pg at all costs, and now the pork industry is currently suffering for it. Many countries have even halted the importing of any type of pork at their borders. This article is completely timely and relevant, and I believe even necessary to put consumers minds at ease about the swine flu in at least one aspect.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/1022744.html
ReplyDelete“Legislature Close to Passing Mandatory Seat Belt Law”—this article in today’s Miami Herald discusses a new law that would allow police to give out tickets for drivers not wearing seat belts. This bill received overwhelming support by the senate and may come into action. If this law passed, Florida would join Washington DC and 26 other states who already have this approved. In my home state of NY we already have this law passed. I agree with this law because it forces us to protect ourselves while we’re driving. This article brings up a good point which I had never thought of which is that many people believe this law increases racial profiling and invades personal rights. I agree that this could increase racial profiling but I don’t agree with the idea that it invades personal rights as wearing your seat belt is the law, and if you don’t wear one you are breaking the law and therefore have the right to be punished.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/1025501.html
ReplyDelete“Schools to learn writing FCAT results Thursday”—This article in today’s Miami Herald is a short summary discussing the main points about the FCAT exam (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests). There is no substance to this article as it just states facts about the tests, including statistics about grades and what students have scored in years prior. This article is relevant as this is a subject most parents would be interested in if it affects their child, but the article doesn’t tell you anything important. It simply states statistics and there is no angle to the story. The results for the exams aren’t out yet and they should have waited to write this article until they are out so they could bring substance and important information into the story.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/issues_ideas/story/1016514.html
ReplyDelete“Obama’s first 100 Days anything but quiet”—This article in today’s Miami Herald discusses Obama’s first 100 days in office and how important and productive they have been. The subtitle states “They’ve been anything but quiet—he’s signed more executive orders in his first 100 days than any president since FDR.” I like this article, listed on the main page of the Miami Herald website, because although every media outlet has brought to our attention in the past 48 hours that yesterday was Obama’s 100th day in office, I like the spin that the Herald took as they went into detail about all of his accomplishments. The headline is catchy and makes the reader wonder what he has done for the paper to make the statement that it’s been “anything but quiet.” They also feature a slideshow of the Obama family to go along with the article. I think the media-hype around his 100th day has became a little ridiculous as it’s just the 100th day, not the 1st anniversary, but it’s interesting to break down his first 100 days and see exactly what he’s done so far. Many people are wondering if he’ll live up to the hype that surrounds him, and this article profiles his time in office, answering peoples’ questions thus far.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miaminewtimes.com/2009-04-30/news/liberty-city-shootings-raise-questions/2
ReplyDelete“Silence and death in Liberty City”—This article in today’s Miami New Times discusses a string of shootings in Liberty City that include many Northwestern Senior High students. This article was featured as a top story on the main page of Miami New Times’ website. This article goes into graphic detail about the shootings and deaths that have occurred over the past few months in Liberty City, but there is no clear angle on the story. The article and its headline caught my attention, as well as the picture they showed with it of guns and bullets, but I was disappointed as the article was not what I thought it would be about. It was very broad and was only interesting because of the statistics and slight emotion they gave surrounding the gang violence in Liberty City. The article was mediocre at best as it didn’t give me any insight into the problem. I felt they should have discussed what is trying to be done to fix this problem as well as what is the current status on those wounded during the shootings they discussed. This was my first experience reading the Miami New Times and I was disappointed in the quality of the writing. It seems to be more of an entertainment/miscellaneous paper, rather than a paper you would go to for hard news stories.
http://www.justnews.com/health/19370792/detail.html/
ReplyDeleteAfter watching WPLG’s Local 10 evening news segment, I was critical over the station’s coverage on the Swine Flue also known as H1N1. The segment took sensational news coverage to the extreme, with the intention of not just informing the viewer, but sending him/her into a full state of panic and fear. The coverage focused on the first outbreak in South Florida, which targeted a 17-year-old senior at Hallandale High School. In the segment the anchor made it clear that this was the first outbreak of the Swine Flue in South Florida, when in fact the student had only been sent to the hospital for further examinations. At the point of coverage, the results were yet unknown. In addition, the segment featured a type of map indicating which of the states had already been infected by the flue, and of course Florida was among the infected. They also showed a clip of the child’s mother crying out how the Swine Flue is no longer just on TV, but that it is real now. Personally, if I was not educated on this type of flu and had not known that treatable medicine was readily available, I too would be in a state of panic and run around wearing a mask and gloves. Maybe that information should have been included in the segment to educate the viewer.
http://www.justnews.com/health/19370792/detail.html#video/
ReplyDeleteIronically, in a second coverage of the Swine Flue, by WPLG’s Local 10, the flue is described as mild and not as severe. In the segment, which was posted on-line on Tuesday, May 5, 2009, officials said it appears the virus may not be the mass killer some had initially feared. Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security Secretary, is further quoted saying that they had started to see encouraging signs that this virus is mild and its spread limited. In the segment it also said that Mexico, following a five-day shut down is to return to normal. Napolitano is quoted again, saying that the virus is not becoming deadlier but has rather spreading throughout the globe. While this news segment was more informative about the virus as a whole, it also served to retract the initial assumption, which stated that the virus was not the mass killer it was first assumed to be. However, the broadcaster could not help but bring in a bit of sensationalism and fear in the closing of the excerpt, by relaying that officials said, “even if the flue dies down with the warmer weather it could come roaring back when the flue season hits in the fall”.
http://www.miamiherald.com/slideshows/#050309_after_gitmo
ReplyDeleteIn a multimedia slide show posted on-line by the Miami Herald, a combination of photographs and various audio interviews and narrations served to tell a different story of the Guantanamo Navy Base. Photographer, John VanBeekum, first displays photographs the viewer is probably expecting, that of Muslim detainees dressed in white, bent over in prayer. But just when the viewer comes to the conclusion that this slide show will feature nothing but the morbid photographs of the faceless detainees, the photographer takes a sudden twist. The viewer is suddenly faced with photos of navy seals testing out their swimming skills, of a barbershop, of a still empty cemetery reserved for Muslim detainees, a thrift shop, a radio station, a hospital, a library, a bowling alley, a day care center for the soldier’s children and of nights at the beach. But, just when the photographs can't get any friendlier, the photographer takes yet another sharp turn, only this time it is a darker path which features the detention center’s approved stops on the Pentagon Tour. Including several cells, shackles attached to some of the detainee’s feet and of a chair in which the hunger strikers are strapped and fed. The reporter of this multimedia slideshow, Carol Rosenberg, further tells the reader of the struggles and restrictions the photographer has to deal with. At the base, photographers are not allowed to show the captives faces, as a matter of fact a sensor studies all the pictures each night, and decides which the photographer can keep and which he must destroy. While the quality of the slideshow is not the best, the story that is told through the photographs is extremely well done, and not at all what the viewer probably expected to see.
http://www.miamiherald.com/107/story/1034165.html
ReplyDeleteFeatured in the Business section of the Miami Herald, the story titled, With income drying up, moms to the rescue, takes a different spin on the economy. The story mainly features stay at home moms, who are working from home to help pay for the families expenses during these tough economic times. While some of the featured mothers, are taking on the load of their unemployed husbands to earn the families money, others are preparing for even tougher times. This is truly a different type of business story, since it features mainly housewives, a subject not often seen in the papers business section. The story, while a bit feature-like, serves a different purpose than some of the others commonly featured to describe the hard ships of today’s economy. Instead, this story is of hope and of those individuals not just fighting to stay afloat, but also succeeding to remain several feet above the water. The story does have a somewhat feminist point of view, but for this story it seems an adequate position to have, as several wives and mothers have chosen to remain at home to better serve their family and children. It truly is a heart warming and inspiring subject to feature in the business section.
This is just another example of the media blowing things out of proportion. The swine flu "epidemic" isn't nearly as serious as they're making it out to be. Yes, some people have died. But, just because you get a cough, that doesn't mean you're infected with a deadly disease. I don't think this is a bad article. I just think that Americans should learn more about things before they decide they should panic.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to post the article
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/05/AR2009050501905.html
http://www.miamiherald.com/486/story/1034171.html
ReplyDeleteThe article featuring Father Alberto Cutie, by reporters Jaweed Kaleem, Lydia Martin and Charles Rabin, was well balanced and successful in portraying all sides of the story. There are quotes from some who are outraged by his infidelity to the church, and by some who are willing to forgive him for his transgression. The opinion of representatives of the church is portrayed, as well as their reasoning for removing Father Cutie from their church. There are some of his followers, who feel he has broken the ultimate vow, and others who understand that he is merely human, and should not be judged for one wrongdoing when he has done so much good. However, the placement of the article as well as the chosen title, appear to have one negative perspective, and that is of condemnation. The article is featured as the top news story on the Miami Herald web page, thus making it appear more severe than it really is. In addition, the title, “Scandal in the sand for Father Alberto Cutie”, sound a bit sensational and over the top. I feel that the story is set up to make it look more severe and negative of a situation than it really is.
http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/1039790.html
ReplyDeleteThis atticle was about low income mothers and how they can learn financial skills to realize their derams and full potential. The angle and clarity of the story was easy to grasp and although money can be a dry subject, the actual story was still fresh enough to want to read. I definitely enjoyed the content and the reporter made sure to point out many different scenerios that mothers find themselves in reagrding financial distress, but I don't feel like the article deserved front page status. Being featured as the tops news story in the Miami area gives it quite a lot of attention and despite the importance of the story, i feel like it was more human interest driven rather than hard news. It would have been beneficial to list somewhere in the article where anyone reading the story could get more information on the topic because if this really is such a problem, then having these resources would stregthen the validity and the newsworthiness of the story. Talking about the IDA programs and the YMCA programs was a good starting point, but more information could follow.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1039466.html
ReplyDeleteThis article has been circulating for the past three days and I honestly don't understand why continues to be such "big news" and why people want to read up on this "huge story" that has not changed since it was first reported. The story is relevent to a very pressing issue of todays world but the coverage on it is over the top and misses the point. A huge focus of the story is on the woman he is "in love" with and talks about how she has gained celebrity status. The angle it is written from seems to glorify this priest for following his heart so to speak and doing what he wants instead of staying objective and explaining why something of this nature is such a big deal in todays society. In terms of what was positive about the story, the quotes were actually quite interesting and shocking which is important when deciding what to cut in a story. Also, there was a huge list on the side of the article with links to where someone interested in the story could seek out additional coverage.
This is just irresponsible. How could the White House do something so stupid? As if they've never done stupid things before... but anyway, this story depicts how an Air Force jet flew dangerously close over New York City, inciting citywide panic. The guy responsible for this debacle has already resigned from the organization. I like the quality of reporting in this story, as the writer does a good job at truly portraying the Presidents frustration with this matter. I guess all I have to say is: why would anyone working in the White House allow something so mindless to occur?
ReplyDeletehttp://uk.reuters.com/article/UKnews1/idUKTRE54815320090509
This really makes me sad. The Obama administration has basically guarenteed the extinction of Polar Bears. He will not use the endangered species act to mandate a reduction of greenhouse gases. I didn't think this article was anything too special, I just thought the content was important enough to discuss. The polar bear is a majestic and noble creature, and it will be a shame to see them go.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/889/story/1039826.html
ReplyDeleteAlthough the swine flu is a hot topic nowadays, many articles seem to exagerate what the real situation is by finding dramatic stories within the facts that will obviously attract readership. Contrary to the rest, this story really keeps it simple and to the point thanks to the AP press. It was written in a proficient and organizational matter that reported facts and realistic details that were relevent to the story. The fact that the swine flu has been confirmed in Costa Rica is pretty newsworthy especially considering how many tourists from the US travel to Costa Rica every year( me being one of them...).
At this point, this type of coverage is much appreciated for its attention to details that are substantiated by evidence and not hearsay.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30646855/
ReplyDeleteThis article within msnbc was lacking in the professionalism department. Covering the swine flu as well( in regards to my above post) this article uses incorrect grammer, saying "more scary" instead of "scarier" and wraps up with "Both patients are recovering nicely, if that makes you feel any better." I sometimes like this type of writing style but i strongly believe it needs to be saved for blogs, editorials and enterntainment news instead of being the type of language appropriate for hard news stories. The story seems to have all the facts right but due to the tone taken trhoughout the article I somewhat question it's validity. I suppose I'm just not used to this type of writing style accompanying hard news...
Priest's confession: I'm in love
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1039466.html
I found this article interesting because it directly relates to our class discussion on the ethics behind publishing a person's name based on their relation to a public figure. In this article, a Roman Catholic Priest, who is prohibited by religion from getting involved with or married to a woman, confesses to loving a Miami woman that he met in church. The article says, "Cutié would not confirm her name, saying he wanted to protect her privacy and noting she is not a public figure." The Herald reported her name anyway as Ruhama Buni Canellis, 35, a divorced mother living in Miami Beach. The Herald seems to have side-stepped the ethics issue, however, because they reported her name as "identified in media reports" instead of personally taking responsibility for the identification and therefore the possible repercussions of a false ID.
Honors student by day, homeless by night
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-homeless-student-mayocol-b050809,0,3643757.column?page=1
I think that this feature piece was a nice break from the stories about the horrors of the economic downturn. It showed that despite hardships that people are enduring in the current economic client, people can pull through if they have enough conviction. As mentioned in the article, there have been multiple stories in recent news about fathers committing murder suicides because of their own economic state. Duane Harris, the pieces main focus, explains that he doesn't understand this, saying, "Those stories I see about fathers killing their families and committing suicide really get to me. Why would they do that? Over money? Nothing can ever be that bad." I think that this piece was important because the newspaper shouldn't be a fear tactic, and often publishing an disproportionate number of crime stories will do just that.
Economic rebound won't be enough to save Florida's budget in 2010
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/1040792.html
This article talks about the fundamental flaw in Florida's tax structure: it requires population growth to succeed. The article explains that in order to rebound, the Florida government will have to both cut spending and raise taxes. On top of this, the recession is expected to reduce tourism to Florida. This story shows the basic principle of journalism as a check on the government. True, there is no true investigative journalism, but the article shows the government's flawed system and the eventual effect it will have on Florida residents.
Thriving Afghan drug trade has friends in high places
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/578/story/1040794.html
I found that the details in this article made the story much more compelling. As we discussed in class, often the details get left out of a news story because they may make it too explanatory or feature-y. However, by including details such as "Ford Ranger Pickups" and "Toyota Land Cruiser" it shows how corrupt the drug trade in Afghanistan is and gives support that it may inadvertently be being funded by the US government.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/v-fullstory/story/1040795.html
ReplyDelete"Father Cutie: From talk shows to talk of town" by Lydia Martin
5.09.09
When I first began to read this article, I questioned whether or not it was appropriate for a front-page story. I then realized that it was a clever move on the Herald’s part to place a story such as this one on the front page because it appeals to a broader audience. The article does not have a stiff and serious tone as many front-page stories do. It was risky to spotlight an article about such a sensitive topic as religion, especially in an area like South Florida where many people are extremely religious. It is successful at bringing a lighthearted feel to this serious and touchy subject. It uses celebrity to draw in a different type of reader. By emphasizing the issue of true love throughout the article, it appeals to the readers’ emotions and keeps them hooked. The ending quote is appropriate and effectively brings the article to a close. The only drawback is that perhaps the writer was a bit too opinionated throughout the article and only expressed one side of the story. It seems as if they were trying to advocate for the reverend and get the reader to sympathize with him, which may not sit well with the extremely religious reader. In the end, I thought the Herald was smart to change it up a bit and put a happy, light story on the front page. The article ended up being relevant, thought provoking, and emotionally appealing.
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/1042208.html
ReplyDeleteMom killed, daughter hurt, woman robbed after pickup rams van
This article's content was hard to read because of the distrubing reality that hit home for this community on Mothers Day. The reporting did a nice job of getting the sequential information accurate and trying to portray to the reader exactly what the chain of events were. The lead was very catchy and although the story has a serious and very sad story to fold out, the initial first paragraph made me want to read more and find out exactly what happened. In terms of what the journalist could have done differently, it would have been beneficial to gather quotes from anyone who was actually around the scene when everything happened. Granted, the fire fighter spokesperson may have been the only one with actual facts and insight into the tragedy, their must have been some onlookers or neighbors that witnessed some of this happening. Nevertheless, it was a solid piece that hopefully will be followed up as time goes by so we can find out the condition of the daughter and perhaps any motives this man had when he committed all these crimes.
Congress again ready to tackle funding of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/1042087.html
This story examines some of the deeper issues within one of the most controversial debates in Washington. The war in Iraq as well as our troops being stationed in Afghanistan has been a hot topic of debate for some time now and this story tells us exactly what is expected...another delay in decision making because of budget. This war has obviously cost the United States millions of dollars and this journalist points out that soon we will be hitting the trillion dollar mark. War funding has definitely ballooned and now with the economy is so much trouble, people are heavily reconsidering where money for the military should really go. When refering to Quantanamo, the reporter is acreful to point out that even closing the prison brings in heavy heavy administrative costs. The rticle is definietly relevent and timely because many decisions will be made this week regarding allocations of funds and both sides of the coin are fairly reported with quotes from Senate seats from both Republicans and Democrats.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1040741.html
ReplyDelete"Gay activists in Fort Lauderdale say Obama can do more" by Amy Sherman
5.10.09
The article about President Obama and his support, or lack there of, of the gay community was extremely informative of the event that took place in Fort Lauderdale. The writer was successful at hiding any personal political viewpoints and also did a good job at keeping her own opinions out of the article, which contains a lot of topics that people may have strong views on. The quotes used were appropriate and informative; however, it could have been beneficial if she included more quotes from the leader of the national Democratic Party that contained answers to some of the questions posed throughout the article. The article describes the event effectively but lacks some substance other than expressing the fact that some who were once in support of Obama are now questioning him. I do think the Herald did a good job at covering the event, but could have expanded on the content.
Money launderers wash billions through international trade
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/154/story/1041027.html
I found this article very relevant and interesting since a lot of the money being laundered is coming through Miami ports. The story does a good job of letting the reader know the huge profit margins involved in money laundering. The article also explains that it is too easy to launder money through international trade. Additionally, the article emphasizes the severity of the problem, saying that if one avenue is closed for money launderers, the criminals will find another. The only part of the article that I take issue with is the beginning paragraph. The first paragraph reads as a feature, and, in my opinion, does not do a good job of introducing the article. It reads, "Imported plain cotton pillow cases from France that cost more than $900 apiece and new bulldozers exported to Venezuela that cost $387 each. Such prices seem highly suspect -- and could be examples of someone using international trade to launder money." Some may actually pay $900 for pillow cases from France, and I'd be willing to bet that most people don't know how much a bulldozer costs. While they are good details, I think that such a serious story should have started with a more fact-oriented lead.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"Poll: Most Miami-Dade Catholics oppose celibacy vow"
ReplyDeleteMay 11, 2009 (date corrected)
http://www.miamiherald.com/1463/story/1042096.html
This article reported the results of a poll The Miami Herald commissioned, asking Catholics in Miami-Dade about the recent scandal involving Father Alberto Cutie. It's a fairly typical poll result story, but I think individual voices were limited and relegated to the very end of the story. I understand that there have been many stories with people's opinions, but this was not properly packaged for print. Online, you you can link to those stories or comments. But for this article in print, the story should have included a greater variety of voices higher up. Specifically, all the people they quoted were older than 60. Including more varied perspectives also would make this article more interesting and would make this a better piece of journalism.
Money launderers wash billions through international trade
ReplyDeleteMay 11, 2009
http://www.miamiherald.com/business_monday/v-fullstory/story/1041027.html
I'm going to do something a little different for this comment -- completely ignore the content. Instead, I'm going to focus on the byline:
By JOSEPH A. MANN
ma9jose@aol.com
Who is this guy? I don't recognize his name, there's no note at the bottom saying clarifying who he is, etc. I assume he's a freelance contributor or The Herald somehow purchased the story, but I have no idea. Why is his role not disclosed? News organizations need to be very transparent with their readers. If not, they will lose credibility. Usually The Herald has a reporter's company e-mail below the byline or "For The Miami Herald" to indicate he or she is a contributing -- not staff -- writer. This has neither. I've seen similar bylines in the features section -- including some with taglines at the end -- but for news it make no sense at all to omit such information. It looks like a well-done article, but who is this guy?
"Down-and-out moms get a boost on special day"
ReplyDeleteMay 11, 2009
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/1042076.html
This article is a good example of covering an underrepresented community -- the homeless and formerly homeless -- in a non-stereotypical way. For one, homelessness is not the focus, but instead a detail of the story. The story idea is a good ethical choice because all too often we see one stereotypical image of the homeless in the news media and this article shows another side of it. Thus, it offers an important angle and helps to show a more complete perspective of what it means to be homeless or formerly homeless.
Mom killed, daughter hurt, woman robbed after pickup rams van
ReplyDeleteA woman died and her daughter was in serious condition Sunday night after an accident that left nearby residents terrorized and a suspect bitten by police dogs.
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/1042208.html
Aside from the content, what is this headline and specifically subhead?? It is confusing, uses very vague identifiers for the people, and uses very suggestive language. Maybe not all were "terrorized". That seems like a broad generalizion using fairly strong language. The content of the story makes leaps all over without explaining who was in the car or what condition all of them were in. It also doesn't tell us the charges against the man.
Judge: NFL's Donte' Stallworth can go to Atlanta for medical care
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/459/story/1042607.html
This is a follow up to a story that happened in March where a football player in a dui accident killed a pedestrian. However, in the summary they don't mention what his sentence was from the trial. It says he is training for football- so does this mean there is no consequence?? The story leaves too many questions
Weston Boy Scout who died on 20-mile hike was top student, wanted to achieve Eagle rank
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-scout-death-bn051009,0,6813684.story
This sad story was well done. It included several quotes from family, troop members, witnesses, medical personal, and police. It also included a link to a guestbook to sign for the boy and a link to a map of the trail he was hiking on. Very thorugh and well researcehd
Weston Boy Scout who died on 20-mile hike was top student, wanted to achieve Eagle rank by Sallie James
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-scout-death-bn051009,0,6813684.story
I agree with Chelsea it was a well written story and it contained every information necessary. The article also included the info about the upcoming service and a nice picture of the boy that was downloaded from- of course-facebook. Overall, its a sad story that makes the reader feel bad because they didn't had the chance to meet such a great boy, as that what you want out of a obituary.
A life of tension, fear for sexual predators living under Miami bridge
ReplyDeleteMay 2, 2009
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/1029919.html
This coverage is sometimes maligned as sympathetic towards convicted sex offenders, but it's a fair portrait of the life some now endure after serving their time. After they served jail terms or received treatment, they are now living under the Julia Tuttle causeway because they are not permitted to live certain distances from schools, parks and other locations, which only leaves them under this bridge. The coverage focuses on the residents situation and tells their stories, which is another example of covering an underrepresented community. Despite their past actions, giving them a voice brings to light their situation and let's the public decide if they are being treated fairly or not. The project, which includes an article and video, is also a good example of following up, as this is at least the third time The Herald has covered this story.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1043629.html
ReplyDeleteI just read this story about the track and I thought the lead was actually really good. A part of me wanted to dislike it because it wasn't really "hard news" to me, but then again I think I am a pretty typical reader and it caught my interest. I thought it was well done.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/breaking-news/story/1043656.html
ReplyDeleteFor this story I enjoyed that pretty much everything I needed to know was in the lead. As a huge fan of online news I enjoy being able to just scan down the line and see what's going on. I did, however, find the story itself to rather dry - but I guess what are you going to do?
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1042078.html
ReplyDeleteFor this story I found the lead a little too goody-goody if that makes sense. I feel like if I were in the senator's position I would not really want my story leading off with that. And as a reader it made me not really want to take the article that seriously at all.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-crist-senate-announcement-051109,0,1954712.story
ReplyDeleteWhile this story isn't exactly Miami-Dade at all, I still consider it local enough for me! I liked this piece and thought the Sun Sentinel did a good job with it. I'm not even super into politics at all and it kept me engaged throughout the whole piece, but it wasn't a lot of fluff to me.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-scout-death-bn051009,0,6813684.story
ReplyDeleteI found this story to be interesting. I liked how they took the more positive angle on this young man's death. I think that it was presented in a really classy way, and I think it was really respectful to the family as well as informative.
Today's announcement by Florida governor Charlie Crist that instead of seeking re-election this coming year, he will instead throw his hat into the already crowded ring for consideration as Mel Martinez's replacement for U.S. Senate set off a media frenzy (albeit an expected one).
ReplyDeleteFor once, I feel that the Miami Herald did a good job of covering the story. (http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1044168.html). While I usually feel that the Herald exudes overt bias, makes blatant grammatical errors in their haste to post stories before other papers, or chooses poor quotes to substantiate political stories, their front page online feature breaking the story was surprisingly balanced, giving readers the mere facts rather than embellishing with not-so-subtle opinion. Very few subjective statements were made, other than labeling Crist's announcement "low-key." I thought the paper did an adequate job of posting the news in a timely fashion without the content suffering as a result.
It is unsurprising that the Miami Herald again merited my personal ire and disgust for running the McClatchy wire story entitled, "In space, Europe Gets Ahead of U.S." The space RACE is over, and the Miami Herald needs to get a clue and stop turning everything into an "us versus them" situation.
ReplyDeleteThe story refers to the fact that days after the U.S sent astronauts up to repair the 18-year-old Hubble telescope, the European Space Agency will launch two new high-tech telescopes - Planck and Herschel. The article goes on to tout the advanced technology of the new European telescopes and compare them with America's supposedly crapy counterparts. The American space experts quoted emphasize and re-emphasize the fact that Europe and the U.S. WORK TOGETHER and benefit from each other's technologies, but the writer of the article seems to disregard this.
The article seems intended to anger readers and have them call their congressman and demand more space spending. One would think that amidst a huge recession, when people all over this country are losing their jobs or at the very least cutting back, space spending and competition wouldn't be discussed in such a petty way. And besides...a battle to prove who can spend more in space???!!! Is the writer five years old? Or an Enron executive??!!
Sometimes I think that if the French read the Herald, then I can understand why they kind of hate us.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1044374.html
ReplyDeleteThe main picture you see in the front page of The Miami Herald online, is the picture of the six Liberty City man charged with conspiring with al Qaeda.
One of them was acquitted today. If the man was found innocent, why is his picture still being part of the article?
For some readers this photo can be misleading.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/nyregion/13crash.html?_r=1&hp
ReplyDeleteLately there seem to be more airplane crashes, and this is a subject that definitely interest the readers.
As a reader, I liked how this article depicted the conversation between the two pilots before the accident.
Very interesting!
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ReplyDeletehttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/1043587.html
ReplyDeleteIn today's article in the Miami Herald "After quake report, Hugo Chávez shakes fist at TV station," it is evident the sad and difficult situation Venezuelans are going through.
Hugo Chavez is threatening to close Globovision, the only television channel in Venezuela that criticizes him.
The lack of freedom of speech and freedom of the press is scary.
As a journalism student, I am highly disappointed with Chavez interest in prohibiting the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-05-11-airlines-modify-seats_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
ReplyDeleteI find this article very interesting especially during the current economic crisis. The was compelling given that US citizens are constantly interested in new ways to save money while maintaing a relatively normal lifestyle. Articles that pertain to the current economic situation are always worth the public's reading time since everyone is essentially going through the same thing. Newspapers that choose to illustrate stories and issue where progress is apparent or even imminent are bound to sell as well as people in the US are looking towards anything for optimism.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/05/11/science/space/20090511_ATLANTIS_FEATURE.html?ref=multimedia
ReplyDeleteI think The New York Times did a good job introducing the Crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis.
Well done multimedia package, it also has an article related to the shuttle.
This is great especially for those readers interested in learning
more about the astronauts. The biographies are concise and easy to follow.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/between_the_covers/2009/05/sarah-palin-to-publish-memoir.html
ReplyDeleteMy first question is "who cares?" the election is over and I don't see how this is remotely newsworthy. Sarah Palin has had her fame and all that remains is a cult following not unlike Star Trek fans.
I think the real issue for discussion is how Palin got a degree in journalism.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1045261.html
ReplyDeleteHaving worked for the Dept. of Ed. in Washington I'm particularly passionate about this. I'm very happy the Herald covered a story like this. Often issues affecting education in America get lost among news specials about the war in Iraq.
How is it that we are justifying giving wall street hundreds of millions of dollars and denying schools asking for far less.