Independent Media

I thought that Jeff Cohen's discussion on the state of independent media was interesting and thought provoking. To be honest, I had never really though about independent media and how it is affecting my future as a journalist. I had always been skeptical about a possible career in something that would probably not be able to offer me health insurance or a steady salary. I know that sounds shallow and naive, but I have worked in the real world and understand the difficulties that a "backpack" journalist might encounter.
But hearing about Josh Marshall's media organization forming was exciting to me. I'm even interested in finding an internship at one of the multiple online media services popping up.
My only criticism of the idea of independent media is the idea that biased journalism is ok as long as transparency is used. I disagree with this idea. Yes, it is honorable of these mediums to admit a specific slant, but where does that leave the average reader? Trying to figure out which media outlet is telling them the whole truth. I know that corporate media cannot and will not offer this level of truth, but slanted Internet media outlets leave the reader having to consume multiple news outlets and deciphering what is the whole story. This is not necessarily a bad thing but how many average readers are going to search out every aspect of a story...not many.

"Off Course"

To be honest I'm really feeling torn about this issue. I grew up in middle class, small town America. My friends and I absorbed any amount of pop culture we could in order to better understand "the world outside of Downsville," which of course is a gross distortion of what reality is. And I watched many of my friends' parents censor what they could consume. I, on the other hand, was pretty much allowed my freedom of choice in movies, books and television. My parents monitored what I did and if there was anything questionable we would discuss it. I'd like to think that is why I am the person I am today.

Massing's arguments are compelling though. His critique of The New York Times is one that I have never heard before. I had always absorbed the culture section as an elitist critique on high fashion, art, theater and entertainment. I had never considered its ability to report on social trends in pop culture and how the effect middle America. I actually never really thought that section knew what Middle America was.

Perhaps that is the basis of Massing's article, that The New York Times culture section is out of touch. Reporting on pop culture issues would offer a stronger more well-rounded section. And many people are concerned about social issues involving video games and rap music. I just don't know if those kind of issues would spark a greater debate that would lead to censorship. To me, our freedom to choose what content we take in is a precious gift. But I do think that a healthy discussion about pop culture and its effects on children and families is needed in this country -- and maybe that's just what the culture section in The New York Times needs to appeal to a broader audience. 

McComb's quotes

The whole idea of agenda-setting has really hit home for me recently. As the new assistant news editor at the Ithacan I am constantly making help make decisions on what the readers on this campus consume in news. It's a difficult decision, and sometimes a double edged sword. I agree with the first quote when it says, "newspapers do considerably more than signal the existence of major events and issues." It is frightening, really, to think about how much power and control news organizations have over their audiences, including me. But I think putting only a negative connotation on the idea of what editors do everyday is not fair. Sadly, many consumers of news do not use multiple news outlets to become informed. If a person only reads one newspaper, then yes, that newspaper's agenda is ingrained in that reader. Newspapers are run by humans, not robots. As much as journalists force themselves to remain unbiased they still have human flaws. Newspapers are still run by corporations looking to make money and many times unwilling to pay for more reporters. I personally don't feel that as an editor I carry an "agenda" with my choices in what news goes on the front page. But journalism is a trade asking for perfection while being run by imperfect humans. And if those major stories were not on the front page of every paper, consumers would question why one would have something different than all the rest.

State of the News Media

I have actually read the extensive research by The Project for Excellence in Journalism before, but found this introduction to be quite extensive in information without having to read its normal length in content. The research done was surprising and interesting, I knew that campaign coverage and the war in Iraq were present in the news holes but had no idea how present.

What I found most interesting was the study done on foreign policy related issues in the news. The "chicken or the egg" theory applies to the question of which came first, news organizations not covering foreign affairs because readers don't care, or readers not caring about these issues because news organizations don't cover it. I personally think that news organizations don't cover it because it doesn't sell as much as sensationalism does. But it is also the responsibility of the readers to buy and demand a more global news product.

The idea that news organizations are missing the "bread and butter" topics is also an important observation. Indeed, issues like health care, education and the economy require more attention to trends then to actual breaking news in each subject. As the new assistant news editor at the Ithacan I am dealing with this first hand trying to come up with story ideas that will pertain to students following national trends.

I found it surprising that more readers wanted to hear about gas prices. Working at the Albany Times Union this summer, I was constantly listening to writers and editors fight over ways to put a new spin on a story that dominated the whole summer. I personally have seen enough soccer moms filling up their gas guzzling SUVs for a lifetime.