JSchool Students to Embark on African Adventure

Holly Moody, Reporter

From the familiar bricks of Athens, Ohio to the plains of Zambia in South Africa seventeen journalism students are in for a change of scenery over the upcoming holiday break.

Students will take flight the day after their Thanksgiving feasts to embark on Scripps’ new study abroad program, Zambia: Media, Society and Governance. This is the first year Scripps has offered this program thanks to the efforts of Dr. Kalyango, Director for the program and the Institute for International Journalism at Ohio University.

“Zambia: Media, Society and Governance” participants. PROVIDED.

“I went over and set up the program on the ground in Zambia, ” said Kalyango.

After making the proper arrangements, building a curriculum and proposing the program to the University, the trip was approved.

The program is to be offered in the future with slight scheduling changes due to the switch to semesters.

In addition, to taking J466 International Mass Media, students will also be taking one specialized course through the program to learn more about media and government operations in Zambia.

“We have lectures like [every] other class, but every session we will have a guest speaker where they will hear from various policy makers and advocates,” said Kalyango.

Students will also intern and volunteer with various media organizations and work on putting together a documentary that will be showcased during winter quarter.

Whether this is their first time traveling overseas or they’re frequent flyers, participants are eager to build themselves as journalists in foreign territory.

“I had thought about going to Africa ever since I came to college,” Adam Flango, senior magazine journalism major, said.

Flango applied for the program and was accepted over Memorial Day weekend, as were other admitted applicants. Since then, Dr. Kalyango has been preparing the group for what they are going to experience during their weekly orientation sessions.

“We’ve been immersing ourselves in learning the ins and outs of the culture,”said Flango.

For example, the group was informed that they are not allowed to use their left hand for anything while in Zambia because it is a sign of disrespect.

Despite the cultural adjustments they will have to make, students are looking forward to a variety of rewarding experiences during their stay.

“I am looking forward to working with the non-profit organizations,” Danielle Parker, a junior public relations major, said.

Participants of all majors will have something to take part in on the trip that is geared toward their major sequence.

For example, public relations majors will be working on campaigns with different organizations, broadcast majors will work on editing and shooting the documentary, and every participant will have a say in the stories that will be shown in the documentary.

“Everyone will have the ability to do what they do best,” Flango said.

This cross-cultural learning experience will be a cornerstone in the students’ careers as journalists.

“A journalist with the most perspective and the most knowledge is the best journalist,” Parker said.

 

Achieving a Balance for Effective Reporting

Holly Moody, Column

We laugh, we cry, we make jokes and may even get a little angry at times. The news has the almighty power of  evoking emotions from even the toughest of human beings in our society. However, unlike those reading or      watching at home, journalists have the tough task of removing themselves from heart-wrenching situations in  order to deliver an unbiased and accurate story to the public.

This may sound simple, but for some journalists it is not.

After interviewing CBS correspondent Byron Pitts a couple weeks ago and hearing about his experiences  reporting, I was left to ponder about reporting tragic events and began asking myself questions such as; what type of journalist do I want to be?  One that feels a connection to each story and each person who is affected? Or one whose mission is just to get the story out as quickly as possible? And, how can a journalist be so unattached when witnessing such horrific events? Is there a time and a place to be emotional?

While I still ask myself these questions, I think I’ve come to a common place on this touchy subject matter.

First, it’s important to remember that journalists are human. We, by no means, have hearts made of stone. But the key thing for every journalist to remember is that there must be a balance between professionalism and being sensitive to the subject at hand within each and every interview.

By this I mean that a journalist should not feel as though they have to build up a shield of armor to combat the emotions that they may face when covering traumatic events or heart breaking situations. It’s the compassion towards the story that drives a journalist to create something that has the power to make a difference and impact thousands of viewers. However, there must be a clear line to separate a journalist’s emotions from the reality of the story.

To help define this line, you want to be fair at all times and ensure that you are delivering all sides of an issue. A journalist writing on an emotional rampage can easily turn into bias reporting, which, in turn, can lead into a whole world of trouble and jeopardize their career. Achieving this balance may be hard, but it’s part of building yourself into a good journalist.

There have been many times where I’ve watched the evening news and, after becoming disgusted due to a story of someone else’s misfortunes, felt a sudden urge to rant on Twitter or vent my frustrations on my blog. But, it is in these moments that I have to remember that my job as a journalist is, at all times, to spread the news, not my rage and anger.

In some ways, I think it’s good to connect with a story because it makes it easier to sift through piles of information and decide what the audience really needs to see or what they too can potentially connect with. However, this connection can’t override the facts.

It can be tricky to walk this fine line between good, effective publicity and biased reporting. I wish I could give a precise measurement as to how much a journalist should be personally affected and detached from the situation. However, I believe this balance will come naturally with the more reporting experience gained.

Having this balance makes for an effective story. The most important thing to remember is that the audience always comes first. A journalist’s mission is to give the audience the truth, but also something that engages their interests whether it be good, bad, happy or sad.

SPJ and IIJ team up to welcome Antigone Barton

Holly Moody, Reporter

Ohio University’s Society of Professional Journalists and International Institute of Journalism have teamed up to welcome international health journalist Antigone Barton on Tuesday, Oct. 25^th at 5 p.m., in Scripps 111.

Barton has spent over 10 years covering health and environmental issues for the Palm Beach Post in South Florida. Having written several articles on the HIV/AIDS epidemic overseas and in the United States, Barton has had much experience covering the severity of global health issues.

From uncovering the stories of sex workers in the Dominican Republic, to the battle with HIV in Haiti’s National Penitentiary, Barton has taken an in-depth approach to reporting global health crisis. Her work is supported by Pulitzer Center reporting grants.

Barton studied Global Health Research and Ethics at Harvard University in the 2010-2011 academic year as a Niemen-Pulitzer Center Global Health Journalism Fellow. In addition, she spent a year in Zambia as a Knight Health Journalism Fellow.

All majors and those interested in international correspondence are encouraged to attend Tuesday’s event.

To find out more about Antigone Barton or to view her articles visit http://pulitzercenter.org/people/antigone-barton.

National News Correspondent Talks Tragedy and Truth

Holly Moody, Reporter

There is some news coverage we will never forget.

While many Americans experienced the tragic events of the September 11 terrorist attacks through their television screens at home, CBS chief national news correspondent and 60 Minutes contributor, Byron Pitts, was on ground zero gathering the facts of a story that told how thousands lost their lives.

Last Tuesday, Pitts discussed his experiences with covering world tragedies and the importance of reporting the truth with Ohio University’s Society of Professional Journalists members via Skype.

Specifically, Pitts shared details about his Emmy award  winning 9/11  coverage and what went through his mind  on that day.

Having just basic information prior to arriving at the  scene, Pitts said he  was unsure about what to expect and  unaware that this incident was a    terrorist attack on the  U.S until later that day. He began taking notes, with  the  assumption that people would make it out of the building  safely.

“We saw what looked like a giant white piece of paper  floating to the ground,” said Pitts. “We realized it was a  woman in a dress”.

From 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina, human death isn’t an unfamiliar sight to Pitts. Over the course of witnessing 47 deaths in his career thus far, Pitts has become used to watching tragedies occur right before his eyes.

While many may think that Pitts would become emotional in these traumatic moments, he says he does not let his feelings come between him and the story.

“Journalists much reach a balance,” said SPJ president Taylor Mirfendereski.

Pitts aims to always report the truth and humanize his stories, so that viewers can identify with them in some way. He said that humanizing stories makes the American audience appreciate traumatic situations and creates a deeper impact.

“He inspires me to do things like that,” said Broadcast Journalism major Brianna DiPilato, “—reporting hard news that informs and effects people.”

Pitts’ experiences with reporting have not only taken place on American soil. He has traveled across the world, reporting on natural disasters such as the earthquake in Haiti and has been recognized for his work under fire in Baghdad.

He also gave advice about the balance between showing the reality of situations and showing respect in other countries.

“Be careful and listen, don’t pretend to know what others’ lives are like,” said Pitts.

Many students that sat in on Pitts’ discussion identified with his goals as a journalist and what he thinks the foundations of reporting are. In turn, Pitts identified with students as he spoke about working his way up in the journalism industry.

“It’s called making your bones at CBS,” said Pitts. “You have to do certain things to be seen a certain way.”

Today, Pitts continues to report for CBS globally while staying true to the foundation of journalism.

“Honor the truth, that’s my job,” said Pitts.

Google Changing the Face of Circulars

Holly Moody, Reporter

Flipping through Sunday’s circular and clipping coupons is taking a new face thanks to the launch of Google’s new Internet circular service that began on Oct. 4.

According to Bloomberg News, the search engine has found a new way to increase revenue by making newspaper circular inserts available online. Retailers such as Best Buy and Macy’s have already begun working with Google to take advantage of this development.

Consumers can expect to see the same format seen in daily print circulars in Google’s new online circulars, featuring multiple photos and large type. In addition to being readily available at any desktop computer, shoppers can enjoy access on the go via smartphones and other mobile devices.

“If I happen to be near Dunham’s in Athens, and I want to see what they have on sale, I can access it immediately with my smartphone,” said Scripps advertising professor Craig Davis.“That’s powerful”.

Bloomberg reports that the service will personalize the promotions that consumers receive based on query topics and the locations of users.

This new format will increase traffic for advertisers by providing more than a one-click option for ads. The ad links have the ability to take users to multiple products for the same company.  By using this approach, Google could potentially increase click-through rates resulting in more revenue for businesses that use this service.

Google has taken a new approach to bringing the advertising industry into the digital age in order to increase consumer accessibility and benefit businesses.

“It is possible that soon print circulars may be unnecessary and so it’s smart to be one step ahead of the game and allow them to be found online as well,” said journalism major Felice Schwarz.

Making the switch to this online format does not come without its costs. To accommodate the currently circulating print formats, Google will also be launching a marketing campaign to include both print and online advertising.

“News circulars are still a popular means of sales promotion,” said Davis.“Google has made it better.”

SPJ to hold journalism toolbox discussion

Holly Moody, Reporter

Ohio University’s Society of Professional Journalists will be discussing various online journalism tools and resources in order to help students further their journalism careers on Tuesday, October 4 at 5 p.m. in Scripps 111.

Students will be able to gain insight on tools such as Poynter.org, an informational journalism website with the latest in journalism news, events, training, and how-to’s on news gathering, using social media, and more.

“We realize that there are not always chances for students to learn everything about the journalism profession and how to further their careers,” said Mirfendereski.

In addition, students will be shown resources via websites on how to shoot video, use photo shop and other journalism technologies.

“People want to learn these tools but sometimes can’t find the time because of classes,”said Mifendereski.

The event is open to all students and majors.

Investigative journalist advocates change

Holly Moody, Reporter

Ohio University’s Society of Professional Journalists and the Radio Television News Association joined together to welcome ProPublica journalist Marshall Allen on September 15th to discuss his investigative report on the harm of patients in Las Vegas hospitals.

Allen took on his in-depth project titled, “Do No Harm: Hospital Care in Las Vegas” during his career as a healthcare reporter for the Las Vegas Sun. After several interviews with patients, doctors, and nurses about the quality of the city’s healthcare, he became all too familiar with a startling joke.

“I would ask where do you go for healthcare in Las Vegas and the punch line was always…the airport,” Allen said.

This alarming joke started a full investigation into the negligence and malpractice of medical staff that cost the lives of many patients. Over the span of three years, Allen conducted over 200 interviews with patients who had been victims of hospital-acquired harm.

From patients caught on fire during surgery to accidental punctures and lacerations during  procedures, Allen uncovered the gruesome stories behind the treatment of patients in Las Vegas hospitals.

Through hospital documents and interviews with victims, Allen and his investigation team discovered a total of “3,689 total cases of preventable harm” and “356 where the patients died in the hospitals” according to their data. The public had been unaware of these cases until Allen’s report was released last year.

“I try to write from the patients’ point of view…I want to be the guy representing the little guy in the scenario,” Allen said.

Victims of hospital-acquired harm in Las Vegas were eager to participate in Allen’s investigation in hope that it would shed light on the wrongdoings of medical staff and put an end to such practices.  Since the report, five new laws dealing with infections have been enacted.

“I’m interested in stories that bring about change,” Allen said.

Students were left curious about Allen’s report and career following his presentation. Several asked questions about how Allen found his information and how they could get involved with investigative journalism.

“Seeing someone in the field can help you learn so much,” said Visual Communications student Allison Lembright.

Allen discussed how he got his start with investigative journalism and gave students tips on how to expand their opportunities in the journalism field. From the Las Vegas Sun to ProPublica, Allen has maintained his interest in telling stories that have the power to make a difference.

He urged students to take a step into grasping and incorporating multimedia platforms, such as interactive graphics and video, to make them more marketable in the digital age of journalism. Allen also spoke about student internship opportunities with ProPublica.

“The journalism field is looking for innovators”, Allen said.

To view Marshall Allen’s report: “Do No Harm” Visit: www.lasvegassun.com/hospital-care or view more of his stories at ProPublica.org.