Milestone!

My first published article for Patch.com

http://newhydepark.patch.com/articles/remembering-memorial-day-in-new-hyde-park

Good media, good media, now SIT!

Image by Beverly & Pack via Flickr

Logging on to the WWW this morning, I expected to see the usual Memorial Day headlines that contain the keywords ‘BBQ,’ ‘beach,’ and ‘sun.’

Of course I saw those, but I was happy to see a lot of headlines calling for people to actually remember what Memorial Day is.

The article I wrote on Memorial Day focuses more on the meaning than the actual pageantry the holiday has become over the last few years.  We see commercials for ‘Memorial Day Sales!’ and American flags line the streets up and down, but rarely do we ever stop to think about what our great servicemen and women have sacrificed.

So while you’re chowing down on your all-American hamburger and fries and enjoying the weather (if it’s nice where you are) take a moment to discuss with your loved ones what it would be like if we did not have the freedom we do.  While it is certainly not a perfect freedom, it is one that our country has fought hard for.

Enjoy your day!

Good advice for photojournalists

Image via Wikipedia

New York City cops detained this photographer for filming a soldier in Penn Station.  They thought there was a law prohibiting it.  Nope there isn’t.  And for any aspiring photojournalist you never have to hand over your camera or your memory card/film.

Check out the Huffington Post run-down of the event: click here!

Why I believe journalism is more important then ever…

Image via Wikipedia

In a brief kerfuffle with my dad earlier today, we discussed different methods of interviewing.

I am covering a local story tomorrow and was telling my father how I planned to interview, politely introducing myself and then asking permission.  My father suggested I print out a so-called ‘press pass‘ and go by that.

Aside from that, I think in today’s world journalism is needed now more than ever.  The industry may now be heavily segmented, with so may places for a person to get information, and in so many ways as well.  Social media is changing the game every day.

When most people read an article, whether the conventional newspaper way, or the 21st century method of online or by mobile device, they are reading for the information.  Somehow, in some way, that information is aiding them.  Based on the beliefs of the reader this article could be a strong or weak dissonant about a hot topic.  People pick and choose their news sources based on cognitive dissonance, only reading what they want to hear.  Google allows us to search for answers.

But how can we trust every article we read?  Advertisements have become so invasive today that some people cannot figure out an advertorial from an article.  And look at every blog or self-named website that claims to be a reputable online paper.  Do you really know who is going out and getting the story?  Or is the internet too full of clutter that we believe whatever sounds the best to us?

The New York Times recently implemented on Twitter a more interactive model between their journalists and their readers.  I believe this is a great way to restore the faith in journalism.  It is important to read a story that has the professional research behind it.  With more trust between the writer and the audience, a new trust can be formed.

So the next time you read an article, local, national, international, trade, or business take a moment to think about the time and research the writer did to complete it.  Impostors on the internet impede on the professionalism and may give false information.  You can’t believe everything you hear, but your best bet is to trust the information supplied.

Boom! Head shot!

Just wanted to add that yesterday I had my first head shots taken!  One of my best friends is a professional photographer (she goes to F.I.T, I call her professional because she is fantastic!) and she took the shots.  She’s going to get them back to me soon I will pick the one I like the best and voilà, my first professional head shot.  Excited to put it on this site, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  So glad I have great and talented friends.

If you would like to check her out I have her on my networking page, but you can click here to go to her official website!

Looking for feedback on this one

A post from someone I follow on tumblr.

I would like to know what people think of the argument raised in this Tumblr post.  In a 140-character world I can understand the abbreviation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s name.  I even abbreviated Osama bin Laden‘s name in several of my posts!

The point that the media is abbreviating his name, yet not other names like Jared Lee Loughner is interesting.  I want to know why it is so selective.  I have even seen Khalid Sheikh Mohammed‘s name spelled out in postings.

Anyone want to sound off on this?  What do you think is the most ethical/reputable thing a journalist could do?

Also, was this poster correct in saying that Dominique Strauss-Kahn is a rapist when he has not been proven guilty or innocent yet?  I would think a seasoned journalist such as this poster would know about this.  It is subjective when used in terms such as that.

Grades are in…

And I did really well in all my classes.  I actually did better than I thought in my J2 class, guess my professor saw my growth during the semester.  I’m ready for big things this summer.

Yesterday was really hectic for me, I woke up early for an internship interview.  However, as soon as I woke up my mom told me my dad needed to be taken to the hospital because he was injured at work.  He’s okay, thank god, but it was hard to keep a clear mind during the interview.  I think I did really well in the interview.  If they do hire me, it probably won’t be until next month and I’d be a blogger for an entrepreneurial internet company.  I’m looking for experience, because it will give me a leg up when I graduate.

I also feel like its been a slow news week.  Any big stories I should be interested in?

World didn’t end!

Glad to see everyone survived judgement day.

We had heard about May 21st being judgement day for some time now.  But, where did it start?

Well, after some use of the wonderful internet, I picked this short and concise Christian Science Monitor article to help explain what exactly was going to happen and who started it.

Here it is!

Enjoy!

Oh, and I’ll be having some longer posts on their way this week.  Just been settling back in at home for the rest of the summer.

Speaking of infographics!