Yahoo and ABC Merge to Spread the Word

Kenneth McNulty, Column

 It is already an accepted fact that Yahoo and ABC have formed a    partnership in pursuit to deliver more widespread news.

After reading articles from  The New York Times, Mashable   Business, CNN, and ABC’s website, it has become clear to me that  there is more to this alliance than what meets the eye.  Aside from  the money and praise these companies will receive, I believe the  true cause for the merger is to increase audience awareness of the  state of our world today.

Yahoo and ABC’s estimated plan for success rests in their  logic that  ABC’s top notch anchors and reporters blended with Yahoo’s unrivaled amount of viewers will create a large conduit for news to be spread. The companies claim that the new partnership is projected to garner up to 100 million viewers each month.

The new partnership will stream ABC’s online shows and events through Yahoo’s website. ABC’s most popular news broadcast show Good Morning America will now be displayed on Yahoo’s pages for people to watch at their leisure.

Now, ABC will be the main media outlet for Yahoo and its content. Each business will be sharing airtime on the other’s respective channel. The news stories from ABC will be put on Yahoo’s site, while some of Yahoo’s own reporting will be shown on ABC’s on-air shows.

ABC will still hold control over its own website, as will Yahoo. In the future though, larger scale events that occur will be covered and reported on cooperatively by both companies.

Through their joint efforts they will be able to report on bigger issues and broadcast them faster than most of their competitors because they are using both Yahoo’s website and ABC’s broadcast channel to relay the news.

This is not the first time that Yahoo and ABC have made such a commitment though. Since 2005, the companies have had a video sharing agreement through their websites.

In further efforts to increase audience awareness of what is happening in the world, Yahoo and ABC are officially joining in on the video streaming craze by showcasing their own original series of shows.

One of the new series that Yahoo and ABC will be producing is Newsmakers, hosted by many of ABC’s most popular anchors. The premise of the show is to interview affluent celebrities and world leaders.

Around the World with Christiane Amanpour is another new series that will be starting from the partnership. This show will analyze daily headlines for viewers, taking a unique approach to help viewers understand what is going on in the world.

The third show released for the lineup is called This Could Be Big. The show is to be hosted by Bill Weir, and will cover new technologic advances and devices that the modern age brings forth.

Yahoo and ABC’s alliance will create a new kind of media sharing for our digital age. Companies have done agreements along these lines before and will continue to do so in the future. But for journalists, this shows that through cooperation, the news can reach audiences that would never have been  informed before the alliance.

Whether the news is delivered through Yahoo’s site or ABC’s television program, journalism in our world is changing in such a way that content can now be shared and created by two different entities that have collaborated to deliver the same message.

To tweet or not to tweet?

Casey Compernolle, Reporter

To tweet, or not to tweet?  That is the question for many journalists who are often faced with the difficult decision between tweeting what they want as opposed to what they feel they should.

Journalists have joined the Twitter world to share news and events, but what about their opinions?  Is there an unwritten rule that prevents journalists from being too opinionated on social media?

These are questions that student journalists may find themselves pondering as well.

Elizabath Krizner, a Scripps sophomore majoring in Public Relations, said  “You sacrifice certain things when you decide to become a journalist, and unfortunately you give up certain rights in order to stay professional at all times. I think if you are representing a major corporation like CNN, it is your responsibility to draw the line of appropriateness.”

With The New York Times generating a staggering 3,743,424 followers, CNN close behind with 2,627,953, Fox News with 1,002,185 and CNBC coming in with 513,835 followers, there is proof that people are embracing the fast, accurate updates Twitter has to offer.

“Twitter audiences are not given enough credit.”  Hans Meyer, a professor at the E.W Scripps School of Journalism, said.

With regard to the grey areas of tweeting journalists’, Meyer said,  “I bristle anytime someone tries to stifle another on twitter, because if you’re a major journalist generating thousands of followers you were clearly hired for a reason: because you have a personality, and that’s a virtue.”

Recently, major corporations have allowed anchormen, correspondents, and hosts to create their own Twitter with more depth, updates, and thoughts.

Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly), a host for Fox News, has over 74,000 followers on her twitter account.  Kelly uses it as a promotional tool for her network, but also gives pregnancy updates, pictures of concerts, events, and much more.

“Authenticity is one of the core reasons people are drawn to Twitter, and if lost it could take away from the likability of users,” Meyer said.

Aside from major news outlets, there are still journalists that agree with professor Meyer’s idea of free range to voice any and all opinions—and they do just that.

Jay Rosen, a journalism professor at New York University, uses his twitter account (@jayrosen_nyu), to speak to his 67k plus followers about his take on current events.  He received backlash for tweeting that “Media bias isn’t the problem. It’s a solution.” Rosen’s tweet was in response to an article written by Jack Shafer in relation to the pros and cons of media bias.  Whether tweets such as this are controversial or not, Rosen still continues to voice his opinion on current issues through Twitter.

Some believe that if we allow journalists more free range on social media, the public will be rewarded with more depth and creativity.  Others believe appropriateness is key, and professionalism could be at risk. No one knows for certain what the future holds for Twitter, and most certainly not for the journalists that use it, but one thing remains the same: every tweet is a tweet of faith.

 

 

Journalism wins top spot as most useless degree

Raquel Harrah, Reporter

The  alarm goes off. There is no CNN blaring from the television, no newspaper to accompany the usual morning cup of coffee, no Twitter, no Facebook; the only certainty in this world is uncertainty. Confusion, panic, and ignorance take the place of reliability and accuracy.

This is a day without journalism.  In a recent ranking by The Daily Beast of most useless college majors, journalism placed number one, beating out competitors like horticulture and music for the top spot.

This study leaves readers with one question: “If a journalism major is useless, what if it were to disappear from college programs? What if journalism were left to untrained citizens and ceased to exist in the professional sense?”

“I don’t think it’s possible for a world without journalism to exist. It is very fundamental,” said Elizabeth Sullivan, Opinion Editor for The Plain Dealer.

Could the world truly not function without journalism? After all, journalism has shaped and built this country as far back as the 17th century. When destruction plagues every other entity in this world, journalism remains, and even thrives, from the turmoil.

It is almost difficult to envision journalism being stripped from this world, because citizens are so dependent on it. I tried my best to picture a world without journalism, just for a day; and like a bad dream, this is what I imagined.

1. There would be no newspaper to inform me of the previous day’s events. I turn the television on, and no cheerful man explains the rain cloud coming in from the South, so I walk out in the rain fully unprepared. Tornados could be headed my way, but I would not know.

2. Twitter and Facebook no longer exist. My computer remains idle as I walk aimlessly around with no other procrastination tool at hand. I don’t know what my friends did last night, I don’t know who is dating whom; and on a larger spectrum, I don’t know if China dropped an atomic bomb and wiped out half the country. It could happen.

3. I turn on the television to once again find something to do. There is no Saturday Night Live, no Colbert Report, and no Daily Show for my daily fix of humor. Satire no longer exists since there is no news-providing raw material. Not only do I have no clue what is going on in the world, but I can’t even laugh about the ridiculous circumstances of everyday life.

4. I head outside as I watch a chemical company dump their chemicals into a nearby water source. There are no reporters to report the corruption, no newspapers to turn to, and hundreds of thousands of people could be sick in an instant, with no explanation and no incentive to fix it.

5. Utter chaos ensues. The government embezzles money, people go on murder sprees; but who brings light to these situations? This leads to the next problem.

6. Everyone becomes a journalist. Without training or knowledge of the journalism field, everyone becomes their own journalist. Like a game of telephone, facts are distorted, rumors spread. No one really knows the difference between fact and fiction. This leads us, once again, to utter chaos. And then everyone dies.

Alright, this might be an exaggeration, but it is not impossible. Because of average pay or job availability, a website might label a journalism degree as useless, but this in no way means that professional journalism is not essential. Journalism is the stability of any society. It is a translator between the public and the government. It brings light to injustices and corruption to solve society’s problems. If people are ignorant to the problems, how can they go about solving them?

It is also a falsehood that anyone can be a journalist. Between blogs and modern media conventions, the line between journalism, citizen journalism, and idle gossip is often blurred.

Journalism in the true sense, however, demands accuracy and reliability, and its existence shapes society.

Top 10 Online Resources for the Journalism Enthusiast

Mat Roberts, Reporter

Storify- This new beta site allows users to create personalized stories using social media. Primarily teamed together with Twitter, this site is a great way for experienced social media users to gather information around all social media outlets and create a unique story perspective by adding video, text content, and pictures.

Mashable- One of the premier news sites for social media, technology and the growing trends of the web. Mashable was created in 2005 geared towards audiences within the fields of marketing and advertising by stressing the importance of a new generation of online resources.

Muck Rack- Established in 2009, due to the increasing popularity of “tweets”, this site was created for the gathering of all journalists to share their experiences on Twitter. Muck Rack is a great online source for exploring the wide array of news outlets while highlighting the importance of beat writers, daily news that spread across the web, and press releases.

10,000 words- This multimedia journalism blog site was created by Mark S. Luckie to emphasize the hottest blogging topics that include: writing, videos, photos, social networks, along with being a great resource on journalism-related job postings.

Net News Check- With a strong primary focus of business in the digital media world, this online resource is a great tool for making connections with revenue and the world of information. Net News Check is also a great window for news on the latest smartphone apps, marketing resources, and other gadgets.

Poynter- This one of a kind site was created for the dedication to teach and inspire young journalists. Inspired by Nelson Poynter’s view of independent journalism, this online site is a great outlet for updated news about journalism and offers many invigorating workshops for journalists and media leaders.

TVNEWSER- For those who love news about TV news, then this is your yellow brick road. Along with 10,000 words, this popular site is alos connected by Mediabistro, which features news on major broadcasts including: ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and NBC while also giving users tool of the best available job listings.

Fact Check- An politically-based organizational website to allow visitors to view some of the most factual articles offered on the web, ask questions directly, and learn the facts about the top controversial topics in the media world.

The Online Journalism Review- With a strong focus on the future of digital journalism and research this is a must stop spot for journalists looking to gain an advantage on increasing the depth of stories. Partnered with USC Annenberg and UC Berkley Graduate School of Journalism, this site only allows application to its extensive workshops and resources to currently employed journalists.

Fair- Founded in 1986, this blog site focuses on the fairness and accuracy in reporting, offering well-documented criticism and censorships around the media world. To discover the truths of the latest trending news, follow Fair and learn about “What’s wrong with news” and important facts on many studies and reports.

Journalistic trends mark significant alterations to the industry

Story // Mat Roberts, Reporter

Henry Anatole Grunwald, most commonly known as the editor-in-chief of Time, Inc., once said, “Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.”

In essence, journalism has evolved into the world’s single most dominant source of information and a gateway to communication with people around the globe. Though the job is never ending, the tenacious force that is journalism is a rapidly transforming system. The birth of the age of the internet, email, and the powers of telecommunication  have sparked a new generation of journalism, and in my book, there are three precise ways in which the industry has morphed.

Civilian journalism has struck the media world in an effective fashion. CNN has created iReport, which has developed into a site for anyone online to upload videos, pictures, and personal story ideas. Currently, the most popular streaming news within the site is the Japan earthquake disaster, in which many people have traveled to share their unique input. Now, news outlets around the world are asking citizens to deliver their stories and media, with some offering a paycheck at the end of the deal. The Yahoo Contributor Network allows writers, photographers, and videographers the opportunity to publish local content and get paid at about 10 dollars per story.

For journalism students, it has opened a new door of experience- “Being a part of the Yahoo Contributor Network helps me in all terms of writing a successful story. It gives me a real life consensus on meeting deadlines within the system and a realistic sense of one day being in the journalism workforce,” said Molly Wheatley, a freshman journalism student at Ohio University.

Fronteras Columbus, a bilingual weekly newspaper for Latinos living in central Ohio has posed the “freelance” idea for publishing. Anahi Vinazza-Moore, Fronteras’ editorial coordinator said, “My primary job is to properly align stories that come in from out hired freelancers. Most of our work comes from out hired freelancers that report within the central Ohio Latino areas.” Although mostly all published content that is revealed to the public is from full-time reporters and staff, the civilian journalism idea has grown to increase both production and the availability of different perspectives onworldwide information.

The next recent change in the journalism business Twitter, or even more broadly all social networking sites. Twitter has slowly evolved into a machine-like news outlet of its own, allowing people to post quick quotes. ESPN uses Twitter to pull quotes from major athletes; their “tweets” have become valuable sources of information on sports related topics. The idea has proved to be very effective so far; professional athletes can leak information on injuries, trade updates, or personal problems. Or they can talk trash to their following fans. Other major networking sites such as Facebook are  used by businesses to gain support and “likeability” within a closely connected network. Social networking will continue to open the door for businesses to grow and share information at a pace that was never achievable in the past.

For people that want to share experiences and report on an everyday basis, blogging has become the latest trend and a memorable catalyst for a changing journalism industry.

“I plan to start my own blog soon, so I use my social networks, primarily Twitter, to gain credibility and stay on top of Cleveland sports,” said Jerod Scheetz, a freshman journalism student at Ohio University.

 Blogging is not only an idea of itself, but it easily connects to both civilian reporting and social networks. Similar to Scheetz’s story, reports and social networking can be a way to gain experience, which in turn can  grow into an opportunity to begin a successful blog. The blog creation is slowly up and coming and will eventually open up jobs in the online journalism market, but for now it is last on my list.

For some, journalism is a dying piece of history on the move that will never stop growing. It will never be as important as it was in the past because of this new age of change. Perhaps those that say so are right, but in the eyes of Burton Roscoe, “A news sense is really a sense of what is important, what is vital, what has color and life – what people are interested in. That’s journalism.”

SGMD works to enhance understanding of international media

Story // Sandhya Kambhampati, Contributing Writer

From Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, global media is constantly changing.  Students for Global Media and Diversity (SGMD) focuses on these changes and analyzes the different aspects of media around the globe.

“Knowledge about global media is continually growing in importance, especially with the prominent role that the Internet plays in the distribution of news,” said Andreya Carlson, secretary of SGMD.  Carlson said the news is no longer in the hands of traditional news outlets, so anyone who wants to have their voice heard could contribute to this information transfer.

Director of the Pulitzer Prize Center on Crisis Reporting, Jon Sawyer, chats with IIJ/SGMD.

Nadia Sheng, president of SGMD, said that understanding different viewpoints and why they do what they do is also important. Because of this, Students for Global Media and Diversity focuses on all media groups and calls for the understanding of the history that makes one country’s media different from another.

SGMD has a new focus every meeting, which ties hand-in-hand with the fastpace of global media. In the past, the group has had students present their study abroad experiences, looked at media strategies in different countries, and hosted guests and speakers from various backgrounds. Sheng said the group aims to give an opportunity for members to meet new people and share their experiences in an open and respectful environment.

“SGMD implores its members to ask questions and be active in their pursuit for information and in broadening their world view,” said Sheng.

This, Sheng said, is done through guest speakers, including journalists and other experts in the field from across the country and the world. Speakers also include students and faculty members, such as Scripps Professor Kevin Grieves, who shared stories of his time working at CNN.

SGMD has also co-hosted several major events in collaboration with the International Institute for Journalism (IIJ). Last year, Jon Sawyer, the executive director of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting came and spoke to students about the issues faced all around the globe. This year, Rebecca Hamilton, Washington Post special correspondent and author of the book, “Fighting for Darfur: Public Action and the Struggle to Stop Genocide” spoke about the current situation in Darfur and the US involvement over the years.

SGMD has also utilized social media tools such as Skype to connect with people. The first Skype chat was with GOOD Community Organizer Hillary Newman who spoke to students about the website and her role. Since then, students have also gotten the chance to chat with UPIU mentors Harumi Gondo and Krista Kapralos.

As for now, the group encourages students to actively participate in discussions.

“Anyone who is at all interested in other cultures, the media, or communication strategies should stop by one of our meetings,” Carlson said.

SGMD meets on Thursdays from 6-7 PM in Baker room 236. On April 7^th, Ros Atkins, from the BBC’s program “World Have Your Say” will Skype chat with members and answer questions on what goes on behind the scenes of the show and what goes into moderating shows.