‘Worst weatherman’ serves as example to broadcast students

Story // Raquel Harrah, Reporter

Splashed across YouTube and even popular cable network shows like Tosh.0, the world’s worst weatherman from Ohio University can be humorously embarrassing for anyone to watch, but especially traumatic for broadcast journalists who see their greatest fear played out before their eyes.

The pressure of blinking lights, yelling producers and a large camera pointing in your face can evoke panic in the hearts of anyone. Broadcast journalists have to live with the battle between nerves and a successful show every time they go to work, and according to some reporters like Cleveland WKYC reporter Maureen Kyle, it doesn’t really get easier.

While a smoothly running show elicits no response from audiences, one slight flub or mess-up can cause a stir worthy of millions of YouTube hits, a shattered ego and quite possibly, the end of a broadcast career.

Things can turn sour rather quickly, even with people that have been trained to deal with the cameras. Miss Teen South Carolina made an impact at the 2007 Miss Teen USA Pageant when she froze in front of cameras and delivered a nonsensical answer filled with more than enough “and such as.”

To spare future Ohio University alumni from embarrassment, here is a simple run-down of common mistakes and how to handle on-air flubs.

The “deer-in-the-headlights”: This is more of a rookie mistake. Suddenly the lights and cameras cause a reporter to go from calm and prepared to a stage of shear panic. Most people can be sympathetic to this since it happens to most anchors or reporters when they first begin. This can happen when a projector suddenly goes out, leaving no words to read. Taking preemptive measures like reading through and trying to memorize the script can help to avoid this situation. Seasoned reporter Maureen Kyle still remembers the first time she was on air and had a “deer-in-the-headlight” moment where she could not speak out of nervousness and was quickly pulled off  air. Most producers recognize the beginning of this mistake and handle it by switching  back to the anchor. If this happens, apologize to the producer and other members of the show and learn from it. According to Kyle, usually people will find that after their first freeze-up, it is not as nerve-racking as they visualized and it gets easier from there.

Unavoidable biological problems: Sometimes bodily functions like voice cracks, coughs, sneezes, etc.,cannot be helped. “I remember one time my voice cracked on air and I said, ‘Well puberty just hit me like a ton of bricks.’ You have to acknowledge it and move on, say ‘excuse me’,” said Gabe Ross, weatherman and anchor for WOUB.

“That guy”: The background shot: Sometimes on-air mistakes go beyond the territory of the reporter. When reporting from another location, people will do nearly anything to get their 15 minutes of fame, even if it means ruining your professional integrity. “Everyone wants to be on TV and sometimes you’ve got to play in the fun but still be professional,” Ross said. Have someone on the side quietly usher them away from the shot if they are being too disruptive, or move away from the situation and continue as if nothing happened.

Technical difficulties: Any live program can experience  technical problems, and it is the job of the reporter or anchor to work through them. Ross suggests pretending as if what just occurred was supposed to happen. Again, humor can also help to handle the problem with grace and integrity. Ross said he was anchoring the weather and the technical director pressed an incorrect button which made Ross disappear from the green screen. “I appear to disappear,” he said, and then the director immediately corrected the mistake.

With all mistakes, it’s important to keep in mind that as humans, they happen. Humor can be the best ally in dealing with them, but always stay professional and maintain composure to preserve journalistic integrity.

SPJ brings Hollywood to weekly meeting

SPJ showcases variety of journalism-related films to convey important changes in industry

Story // Leah Petrovich, Contributing Writer

The Ohio University chapter of Society of Professional Journalists is changing its routine this week with a movie night that lends itself to journalism history. SPJ programming co-chair, Graylyn Roose, said the typical meetings are meant to “educate members with different and useful information that will help to prepare for a career in journalism.”

SPJ has had past success in preparing workshops and programming speakers for meetings, and this movie is meant to be equally as fun and educational. The agenda for the night will include watching various journalism-related movie clips and observing how journalism has changed and how it has stayed the same throughout history.

A few titles members can count on seeing are: “All the President’s Men,” “Goodnight and Good Luck” and the classic, “Citizen Kane.” SPJ will show three to five minute clips, and afterward the group will have a discussion about the Hollywood portrayals of the journalism industry.

With anticipated bits of inaccurately reflected journalism in the film, a goal of the SPJ discussion will be to highlight ways to improve the negative connotation Hollywood has given journalism. Roose explained that another issue of discussion will be online blogging. Roose said online blogging is an aspect of journalism that has changed and will be illustrated in the movie clips.

Because tonight’s SPJ event differs greatly from the usual speaker or workshop, new members are encouraged to attend and enjoy the films.

“SPJ always enjoys seeing new faces,” Roose said.

The meeting will be held in Scripps 111 tonight at 5 p.m.

Research is a vital element to a story. Anyone in the journalism field would agree, but with the accessibility of public documents and places changing, a struggle to gather the proper information is emerging.

Ohio’s Open Records and Open Meetings laws, commonly known as the “Sunshine Laws,” define a public record as “any item that is kept by a public office that: (1) is stored on a fixed medium, (2) created, received, or sent under the jurisdiction of a public office and (3) documents the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations or other activities of the office.”

In other words, the document must actually be used in the office’s operations, or it is not considered a public record.

The exceptions to a record being in the public domain are more clearly defined and include numerous documents. According to sec- tion 149.43, medical records, probation and parole proceedings, and adoption proceedings are a few of the many documents protected by privacy laws.

So what does this mean for journalists? Ohio University Professor Mark Tatge, with 30 years of industry experience and 3 1/2 years of teaching in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, offers some concrete examples of what is happening with the accessibility of public documents.

“You used to be able to look up the driver’s license number of anyone, if you had their birth date and their name,” Tatge said. “You can no longer get these records. Those records are all walled off.”

The issue of privacy is the main defense in restricting access to public documents.

“There’s been a concerted effort, not just in Ohio but nationally, to remove things that were in the public domain and make them private,” Tatge said.

In addition to laws restricting access to public documents, rules determining how the documents are issued and stored pose an en- tirely different concern.

“There’s a tilting of the balance of power between business and government,” Tatge said. “Businesses have been given the right to basically sell the information that was previously in paper form.”

In addition to the shift in power of handling public documents, more questions have arisen as a result of the advancements in technology and the ways to share and store information.

“There’s been a trend toward walling off things that were once public, on the privacy grounds; yet, in other areas, privacy is eroding quite rapidly when we go to the Internet, in terms of cookies, and the information collected on people that’s stored and processed,” Tatge said. “There are a lot of contradictions.”

On a local scale, OU has faced its own difficulty in defining a public document. Tatge said the university has not been very coopera- tive with opening information to the public. He further stated that OU does not have a clear definition as to what a public record actu- ally is. “They have a very mixed record here,” Tatge said.

Media students face similar situations with the university.

Patrick Henderson, a senior majoring in broadcast journalism, said in an e-mail that he and fellow WOUB students have encountered problems with entering public buildings to tape a story.

The main buildings on campus where students have encountered opposition include Baker University Center, Ping Recreation Center, Alden Library and numerous residence and dining halls, Henderson said.

“University Communications and Marketing has essentially made up new rules over the past two years to try and limit camera access to these buildings,” Henderson said.

The reasoning behind limiting media access varies by building.

Henderson cited an incident in Ping that involved someone taking pictures of women in their workout gear for pleasure. The incident resulted in stricter rules including permission from the center to use video or camera equipment in the building. Henderson added that Alden Library claims allowing media access disturbs the environment, while Baker University Center is another matter entirely.

“The key thing (in Baker) is that they have only enforced the new regulation when it has to do with a topic they don’t want to be covered, and when it is a topic that puts the university in a positive light, they don’t typically intervene,” Henderson said. “This kind of enforcement is typically seen in Baker Center and not the other locations.”

To continue the fight for access to public arenas like Baker, Alden and Ping, a designated week known as Sunshine Week will take place March 13 through March 19.

According to the organization’s website, Sunshine Week is “a national initiative to promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information.”

Henderson plans to attend the 2011 Ohio Sunshine Summit at OU, hosted by the Society of Professional Journalists and taking place on Feb. 26.

“It should be a really good experience for the students who are coming and it will be a great forum for the exchange of ideas about freedom of information,” Henderson said.

 

Innovative thinking and student initiative come together to form Ohio University Media Business Association, a new addition to the portfolio of organizations inthe E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Co-founders Emma Morehart, a junior studying magazine journalism, and Brian Grady, a freshman pursuing the broadcast sequence, have developed a fresh idea for a JSchool group, and they are nowworking to close the gap between thinking and doing.

OUMBA is an entrepreneurial-focused group with a current interest in new media.This organization broadly defines media in order to foster new ways of thinking about the possibilities it can offer. Morehart and Grady are currently workingwith advisor Tom Hodson, former director of Scripps, to bring their inspiration tolife. Committed to their goal of innovative thinking, they welcome students with avariety of majors to their meetings, which are held Tuesdays at 6 p.m. in Scripps114.

A combination of in-class and true-to-life experiences brought Grady and Moreharttogether to create this organization, which extends further into Catalyst, anincubator that develops project ideas for members of OUMBA. Both students agreethat other peers have many great ideas, but they can’t be put into action without some guidance on how to make them a reality.

“The school offers opportunities for new media,” Grady said, “but we don’t have the tools to make them happen.”

Professionals often advise student journalists to take the steps necessary to get ahead of the game, but in this case, it’s much easier said than done. With the right resources, like those that will be available through OUMBA, it will be much easier to practice this outside of the classroom.

Grady has real-world experience to place this idea in motion as well.

“Last year I tried starting a business. It didn’t work out. Getting the team executed and organized was tough,” Grady said.

This adventure helped Grady see the need for such an organization as OUMBA within Scripps. A lack of business knowledge and experience quiets many students’inspirations, and with good reason, since there is a large amount to learn in this area.

Although this concept is new to our university, many other schools have already established a similar type of group.

Louisiana State University has developed a small business incubator within their School of Business. Kent State University, renowned for its business school, has a similar mission for its Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation.However, OUMBA stands apart from such competitors being that it is organized by undergraduate students.

The co-founders hold big ambitions for the future of OUMBA. However, they realize this is not a short-term goal. For now, they set out to offer all the help theycan to students with an entrepreneurial aspiration.

“We plan to gather resources as an incubator in order to make people’s ideas happen,” Grady said. “This is an initiative that OU as a whole has been trying to establish.”

Morehart is excited about their future plans of running the group like a business in itself.

“We’re starting this as a media-based thing, but in the future, if the businessschool wants to try this, we’ll go for it,” Morehart said.

In a few years, she hopes to see OUMBA with its own resources, including office space and technology, needed to maximize its potential. The biggest constraints they currently face include collecting money and developing personal business knowledge needed to move forward with this concept.

Being surrounded by motivated students like Grady and Morehart is one of the many priceless contributions given to Scripps students. With such great aspirations,the future of OUMBA is sure to be filled with growth and a remarkable outcome.

Having graduated just last quarter, how smooth has the transition been from journalism student to full-time, working journalist? Has the transition to seeking employment been a tough undertaking?

When I graduated at the end of November, I was definitely ready for a break. I spent time with family and friends during the holidays, while sending out my resume to newspapers and magazines across Ohio. Although I received many rejection notices, I stayed positive and made the most of my free time by networking and using word-of-mouth to learn about job openings. It was stressful at times, especially because I haven’t started working yet; however, I have been accepted for a six-month fellowship position as a multimedia journalist for The Gleaner, a daily newspaper in Henderson, Ky. I’ll be moving in two weeks and cannot wait to start!

Graduating during a tough economic time creates an increased amount of job competition for recent graduates. How did you handle this competition post-graduation?

One of the first things I did after I graduated was contacted my former employers to seek advice about how to enter the current job market. I received a bunch of different suggestions, such as increasing my Web presence and learning a new technological skill (HTML coding, videography production, etc.). Everyone I spoke with also stressed the importance of relocation, explaining that, although journalism jobs may be few and far between in my hometown, many exist in other places and not to be afraid to extend my search outside Ohio. I was able to use all of the advice to find the fellowship in Henderson.

What career endeavors or additional schooling goals are you preparing yourself for?

I’m confident that I will continue my education at some point but know that I need some real-world experience first. I plan on working for at least two years before considering graduate school – that way I’ll have a better grasp on what field to study. It would also be incredible to receive my PhD someday and be able to teach at the college level, but that’s more of a long-term goal.

What has been a rewarding aspect of being a working journalist as opposed to a student journalist?

Well, ask me that in a few weeks and I’ll give you a better answer! I can say that when everyone returned to Athens for Winter Quarter, I was a bit jealous that I couldn’t be there, too (forgetting about the nasty weather, of course). However, I am looking forward to starting this next adventure with different kinds of challenges in a new environment!

While Ohio University is in the midst of a hiring freeze and anticipated budget cuts, Tom Hodson recently started his new position as interim director and general manager of WOUB.

Hodson, the former director of the Scripps school, will now face a new task of taking on the financial difficulties WOUB is facing.

He is replacing former director, Carolyn Bailey Lewis, who applied for state disability retirement in early October and is expected to hear the official ruling this week.

Hodson, who was notified Nov. 26, 2010 by Dean Gregory Shepherd of the College of Communications regarding his promotion, only had one month to develop a “game plan” before officially beginning his new job on Jan. 3.

Shepherd asked Hodson to take on the new role because of his “unique set of skills and experience (and)strong association with the broadcasting business, but also great experience as an academic leader,”  Shepherd said.  All of which play a factor in Hodson’s goals.

During his month of planning, Hodson identified three main goals to focus upon during his time as interim director.

The first of his goals  is “making sure the center [WOUB] is financially solvent and on a good financial footing,” which is “a major challenge with dwindling service resources.”  This includes maintaining the center’s six TV and six radio stations.

Hodson plans to research what money is available for WOUB and identify cost saving efficiencies while planning to “keep the same services or figure out how to improve service but at a lesser cost than in the past.”

For starters, Hodson plans to use much more website-based distribution to reduce cost.

He will also be researching some national Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) content to determine how cost-effective they are compared to more locally produced shows.

With the next fiscal year beginning in July, WOUB will not know its budget allocation until March at the earliest.  From there, Hodson expects to spend from March to June tailoring the budget.

“The budget is a huge issue, with so many unknowns,” Hodson said. Historically, the annual budget is around $5 million, although it’s expected to decrease this year with anticipated budget cuts.

WOUB receives the majority of their funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) who helps underwrite the cost of the PBS content.  The problem WOUB is currently facing this year is PBS changing their formula for programming fees, and the money received from CPB are from essentially interlocking formulas, Hodson said.  Meaning both will need to be determined before WOUB will have any idea of the upcoming budget.

WOUB receives funding from grants, donations and directly from the university just as other units of OU. This  is dependent on all the sources of revenue the school is receiving.

Also on Hodson’s to-do list is the integration of the center with the five Scripps schools to help make it possible for students to receive academic credit for certain jobs performed at WOUB.

“[We] want to promote use of student and faculty together,” Hodson said.

Approximately 250 students work through WOUB without receiving academic credit, though some do earn a small amount of money, an aspect Hodson wishes to improve.

“[We want to] give students real professional experience with academic credit,” Hodson said.

Most work done at WOUB is categorized under volunteer enterprise when used to update professional portfolios.

It is already a work in progress since Hodson has started reaching out to the schools to integrate them more toward an academic mission. He will also be working with classes and talking to directors to see what common ground they currently have.  Currently, Hodson said there is some linkage between academics and WOUB but nothing very productive.

Eventually, Hodson hopes to update and modernize the approach the center takes to news and entertainment and bring it more into the 21^st century.  With technology having changed  more in the past five years then in the past 60, it presents a major problem, Hodson said.

“I am especially interested in seeing WOUB become an even more important player in the education of our students, providing them cutting edge experiences in all aspects of media production and delivery,”  Shepherd said, indicating it will be a problem that Hodson can solve.

Some of the more modern and cutting edge techniques are surprisingly more cost-efficient, Hodson said.  For example, “It’s much cheaper to populate a website than to do a live television program.”

Although the budget will have an effect in the development of the center, “The budget won’t keep us from modernization,” Hodson said.

Meanwhile, Hodson is unsure if he will fully become the permanent director and general manager at WOUB.

“I have an uncertain time frame here,” Hodson said.  “These are times of change and excitement in the media professions and we are dedicated to ensuring that our students graduate with the abilities to lead the way.”

The discovery story of Ted Williams is one that could inspire just about anyone. It offers hope to the homeless man, searching for means of survival. It offers encouragement to the healing addict, that there is life after dependence. But what does it offer to the journalist, laboring day after day, who finally made an impression?

It was a long night of studying when, from across the room, my friend pulled up a video someone had e-mailed him. That was the first time I experienced The Voice. I was shocked — as most were — when I saw the face issuing the words, sounding just like the professional dialogue of a radio host.

A reporter from The Columbus Dispatch allegedly had the first video copy, the same one that many of us first saw on YouTube. There are many sides to the story surrounding the exposure of Ted Williams’ talent, but underneath all of the politics lies a powerful story.

I bet I can tell you the first thing that came out of just about everyone’s mouth when they first caught wind of this story: “Wow, what a lucky break.” But when I think of this story, I see that it can be boiled down to more than any fabulated coincidence. In fact, it is this kind of story that many of us will someday strive to find. In turn, this is the standard of work that can offer new inspiration to our studies and our time spent in the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism.

Some controversy has risen following the release of this divisive story. Many believe that Williams caught a break that he didn’t deserve, considering his sticky past that has been called to attention. Apparently, this was a past that Williams’ newly found fame could not shake. Just days after his video hit the Web, news circulated that he had broken his alleged sobriety. In response to this controversy, Williams checked himself into rehab.

In my opinion, this validates the fortune he came upon. Given the opportunity, it seems that Williams will try to turn his life around, and he deserves that second chance, no matter what luck or talent may have brought him to it. The point I’d like to stress here is this: If one journalist’s inkling can bring this much favor to a man who has an exceedingly shaky track record, imagine the possibilities when applied elsewhere. This single account shows us all the effect that any one piece of journalistic work can have.

Setting aside the personal convictions anyone may hold on this topic, it is an anecdote alive with morals that journalism students should be thinking on mulling over. Such ethically challenging stories are the ones that keep our field in constant flux, reminding us to set our own standards as well as our own priorities.

If this can get you thinking on one thing, let it be your motivations for your future career.  What will be your incentive to flourish as a professional communicator? If you’re still riding on, “Because I like to write,” maybe it’s time to dig a little deeper. Stories like the discovery of Ted Williams prove that if we set out to use our talents to make a difference, we may hold the power to change lives.

With the new methods of journalism emerging (or rather, merging), many  aspiring journalists wonder exactly where the industry is heading, what works and what doesn’t.  For magazines, the production options appear to be determined simply by what works financially while still achieving specific goals. The campus publications at Ohio University provide insight into this magazine production world.

OU’s print magazine, Backdrop, distributed throughout campus since winter of 2008, uses various sources of income to produce an issue.  With print copies distributed each quarter, approximately 30 percent of the magazine consists of advertising, which is how most of its funds are acquired, said Annie Beecham, a 5^th-year senior and publisher of Backdrop.

Backdrop also holds fundraisers, , receives aid from the Student Activities Commission (SAC) and $20 quarterly dues from the magazine’s members, Beecham said.

When it comes to expenses, Backdrop’s main cost is printing the actual magazine, consisting of 48 pages.

“Sometimes if we have events we need money for, odds and ends, or if we print flyers, that can add up,” Beecham said.

Elizabeth Sheffield, Scripps senior and editor-in-chief of Backdrop, said that these smaller costs are often out-of-pocket expenses.

Beecham also commented that Backdrop breaks even with every issue and maintains the constant expenses for each  quarter.

“It’s not how much can we spend, so much, it’s how much is it going to take,” Sheffield said.

Backdrop also has its content available online.

“There’s no incentive to hoard the information and make it only available in one location. Since the students don’t have to pay for the magazine, the objective is to make it obtainable regardless of any obstacle,” Sheffield said.

Beecham added that page length extensions are to be added when the funds are available.

“I’ve been really happy and kind of surprised that, while everyone harps about this economic crisis that we’re going through, that we’ve really done as well as a non-profit organization,” Sheffield said. “Even though we live in a college town and in one of the most impoverished counties of Ohio, I’m impressed that we manage to do this and that it works every time. We’d be lying if we said it was easy, though.”

Conversely, OU’s first fashion magazine, Thread, uses similar financial approaches, but with slightly different goals in mind.  Utilizing a strictly online medium, Thread faces different challenges.

“The main reason we wanted it to be online was to expand our readership from just here in Athens,” said Jamie Ratermann, founder and editor-in-chief of Thread. “We get not only Ohio, but all over the United States, and we’ve gotten overseas (readership).”

Ratermann added that the concept of an online magazine “is still a new idea.”

Publishing costs for the magazine on the website are approximately $200 to $300 per issue. Styling is an important part of the magazine, since it is a fashion publication, Ratermann said.

Last quarter, Thread began adding advertisements in the magazine, which help  pay for a large quantity of the costs. The magazine also plans to use SAC funding this quarter

“I’ve looked into printing costs for other things, and I know that printing costs can get up to thousands of dollars,” Ratermann said. She added that with publishing twice a quarter and having no page limits for the magazine, online publishing is more financially efficient.

Ratermann said  that the recent integration of print and online, because  many people don’t desire to purchase print anymore,  is what makes Thread successful and “effective for students who might not have the cash.”

Ratermann also commented that being online is helping model magazines such as Vogue, and that “the application (of online) is where we’re headed.”

The university’s magazine publications, while differing in content and publication processes, demonstrate that the goals of a magazine can be achieved, whether they are to provide full-access or go global.