Week Three – Inquiry Activity: Cecil the Lion

The story I chose to focus on for this Inquiry task, relates to the death of Cecil the lion and the alleged/confessed killer, Walter Palmer. The story has swept across the world and social media in the last week, and continues to be a major focus for news organisations world-wide. At the time of this post, the most recent development in the story is the apology that Walter Palmer has put forth to his dental patents, regarding the incident, and the disruption to their medical care.

In reviewing the lead paragraphs for each story I was surprised to find that they were all very similar in both tone and expression. This is in direct contrast to the Gold Coast Titans exercise that I completed in week one – where the same story had a differing tone from the outset. The stories outlining the events of Cecil’s death and the alleged killer are abundant across all forms of news sources, yet from my readings the values remain largely the same (Dockterman 2015; Levy 2015, Wotchit News, 2015).

It made me wonder about the values of the news and the values of society, and the merge in news stories. The death of Cecil has echoed across the world – rage and disgust have all been directed towards Walter Palmer for his accused role in the incident. From any perspective, it’s a heartbreaking story of a defenceless animal, killed ‘mistakenly’ for ‘sport’. Is there really room for differing values in a story that so clearly presents the tragedy of this animal’s death? In the news, are there new stories that will simply be shaped by the values of human compassion – over the desire to push perspectives or agendas?

The story of Cecil is one that haunts me. It was devastating and I found that as I read more I was only filled with more rage and disgust at the death of this beautiful animal. An article, written by Rose George (2015), summed my feelings up perfectly – and as I type this now I am still filled with the hollow feeling of sadness and loss. It makes me wonder then how could news values be any different towards the sad story of this animal…

References

Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe, (n.d), digital image, AFP/Zimbabwe National Parks, viewed 31 July 2015, http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/6655998-3×2-940×627.jpg

Dockterman, E 2015, ‘Dentist who killed cecil the lion writes letter apologizing to his patients’, TIME, 29 July 2015, viewed 31 July 2015, http://time.com/3977018/cecil-lion-walter-palmer-letter/?xid=IFT-Trending

George, R 2015, ‘The hunter who killed Cecil the lion doesn’t deserve our empathy, The Guardian, 29 July 2015, viewed 31 July 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/29/hunter-killed-cecil-lion-walter-palmer

Levy, M 2015, ‘Cecil the lion: dentist Walter Palmer writes apology letter to patients’, Sydney Morning Herald, 30 July, p.10

Wochit News 2015, ‘Dentist apologises for killing Cecil the lion’, video, 29 July 2015, viewed 31 July 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHR5YM_9MdQ

Week Three – Technical Activity: Quiz Response

This quiz this week was tougher than I expected it to be. I did my best to prepare, by reading the textbook chapter twice, but it wasn’t enough to get 100% the first time around. On my first attempt I scored 8/12 so 66% – not bad I suppose, but not great.

The eternal struggle I have with these quizzes is that I simply read too fast – when I really should slow down and appreciate the sentence and how it is constructed. This is something I want to reflect on in another post later in the week, but for now I am content with having reached 100% on my second attempt.

As previously mentioned in another quiz reflection – although my perfectionist side will never forgive me for admitting it – I am always happy to get things wrong. I am a very firm believer in that by getting things wrong, you have a greater chance of learning from your experience. In something as simple as an English quiz, getting things wrongs means that you know where you can improve!

From a critical stand-point, the only question I disagreed with was the one pertaining to never mixing ‘you’ and ‘one’ in the same sentence (Hicks 2013, pp.36). I feel like in some cases this is a matter of writing style. As the feedback suggests, it is effective in persuasive writing, and the argument could be made that some media stories aim to be persuasive.

It is definitely food for thought.

References

Hicks, W 2013, English for journalists, Routledge, London, England.

Week Three – Practical Activity: Storify Reflection

The Storify experience of signing up was one that was hassle-free – but still managed to leave me feeling dazed and confused at the way in which social media is taking the wheel of the news and media landscape. From what I can tell, stories which seem to ‘make the news’ on Storify are ones that are either highly popular or highly publicised.

While social media outlets are praised revolutions in communication, which is some ways they most certainly are, I feel overwhelmed by how much there is. Rosen (2015) discusses the triumph of consumerism across the globe, including the way in the internet, via technology, has allowed us to connect to the news. Where up-to-the minute news and all the world’s information is accessible on the devices we have in our pockets, the news has never been more available or abundant.

Increasing research is focused on exploring the role of social media in contemporary news consumption, including the role of sense-making in the current media landscape (Pentina & Tarafdar 2014). Continuing research in this field suggests that the internet has made us savvier in seeking out current information in the media, but as always there are enduring concerns placed around both reliance and credibly of news sources (Veinberg 2015).

Similarly, the way in which we consume news has inevitably changed the way in which news is presented, with the transmedia age leading the evolution (Jansson & Lindell 2015). With the diversity, accessibility and sheer volume of news available to people today – are we more connected to the goings-on in the world or are we simply drowned out by all the white-noise of over exposure and information overload?

That is the saving grace of Storify to me. In this new world of endless social media posts, updates and status changes – Storify attempts to do the thing any sane person would want to do, which is bring it together.

As a casual Facebooker, an apprehensive Tweeter and now a fresh, if slightly hesitant, Storifier – I am learning more and more, that there is no escape from this social media revolution. To have the way in which I consume news challenged, wasn’t a reality that I expected from this course, but it is one that I am facing. Almost a form of exposure therapy this course is going test my news limits and this blog will be here to document every moment of it.

Feel free to check out my Storify account which includes my first attempt at Storify!

References

Jansson, A, & Lindell, J 2015, ‘News Media Consumption in the Transmedia Age’, Journalism Studies, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 79-96.

Pentina, I, & Tarafdar, M 2014, ‘From “information” to “knowing”: Exploring the role of social media in contemporary news consumption’, Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 35, pp. 211-223.

Rosen, R 2015, ‘The triumph of consumerism’, The Atlantic, 24 July 2015, viewed 26 July 2015, http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/07/america-culture-the-sixties/399485/

Veinberg, S 2015, ‘Digital native’s attitude towards news sources’, Public Relations Review, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 299-301.

Week Two – Technical Activity: Quiz Response

So, I didn’t go as well as I had hoped the first time around for this quiz. I got 6/10 for my first attempt and realised after the fact, that I had fallen back into bad habits. Having read the chapter the night before, I was perhaps overzealous in getting the quiz complete. Where I fell down was in questions relating to tense, commas, adjectives and sentence structure.

I feel a little bit embarrassed about my poor score on the first attempt – when reading back the parts that were relevant I wanted to cover my face with my hands. BUT! I am a firm believer that you learn more from your mistakes and I feel as though my writing will be improved having made those goofy errors.

The comma question is one that really stands out to me. Where I was taught in primary school that commas are essential in providing room to pause in sentences – this is not actually the case according to the text.

The good news is, that on my second attempt I got 100% – and my future commas, or at least I hope, will always be on point.

Reference

Hicks, W 2013, English for journalists, Routledge, London, England.

Week Two – Inquiry Activity: Trendsmap

As part of this week’s inquiry activity, we were to look at the relationship between Trendsmap, Twitter and the News. As per the activity requirements we were to look at our own area to see what the top stories were. Trendsmap seemed pretty quiet for Bundaberg, but there was a single hashtag that appeared yesterday – #mickfanning.

On July 20^th, Australian surfer Mick Fanning survived a shark attack while competing in the J-Bay Open World Surf League even in South Africa (ABC News 2015). He survived unharmed, after he reportedly punched and kicked out at the shark as it broke his leg rope.

Bundaberg, mostly known for its locally brewed rum, is also home to a passionate beach loving community. Just a few kilometres from Bargara beach the sea, sun and surf is a key element of the Bundabergian lifestyle. While I wasn’t expecting to find much in the way of Twitter usage in the Wide-Bay area, the single hashtag I spotted yesterday was one that made complete sense given the community; and also demonstrates the relationship between the tweets and news stories in local media.

As you might expect, the stories of Mick Fanning’s dramatic attack and escape swept across Australian media – including the Newsmail, a local news source in the Wide-Bay. The story, much like those which appeared in larger publications, outlines the shocking moments and the aftermath (Newsmail 2015). Embedded into the story is even a Tweet, from the World Surf League (@wsl) showing a captured moment of Mick Fanning and fellow surfer, Julian Wilson, taking a moment after the attack.

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Task Reflection

In reflecting on the activity, it reminds me that just because I am not into Twitter (at least not yet) doesn’t mean that the world isn’t. As a new medium to express thoughts, information – and even just to tell stories – Twitter is not something that is going to disappear over night. Instead, it is creeping up more and more, especially in the media, as a way to facilitate the communication between people across the world.

Sharing news has never been more easier or more accessible and it makes me wonder about the shape of news in the years to come.

References

Ames, K 2015, Blog Activity – Week 2, COMM11007: Media Writing, CQUniversity e-courses, https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/

‘Mick Fanning escapes shark attack in J-Bay Open surf event in South Africal’, ABC NEWS, 20 July 2015, viewed 21 July 2015, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-19/mick-fanning-clashes-with-shark-in-south-africa-surfing-event/6632214

Mick Fanning’s shark scare: ‘I saw the thing thrashing’, NewsMail, 20 July 2015, viewed 21 July 2015,http://www.news-mail.com.au/news/mick-fannings-shark-scare-i-saw-thing-thrashing/2711328/

Week Two – Practical: Twitter Account

As per the requirements of this week’s learning activities I have made a Twitter account (Ames 2015). While I am no stranger to social media, this will be my first experience with the Twitter platform.

As a component of this week’s task, we were to identify and follow at least 20 different journalists. Finding popular and reputable news sources (i.e. ABC News, Guardian Australia, SBS News) to ‘Follow’ wasn’t difficult – but what I did find was that it was harder to find Twitter accounts belonging exclusively to a Journalist, rather than a News organisation as a whole. I am currently following 23 Twitter accounts, with the hope that once I get more comfortable, that number will grow.

Since Twitter has come about, I have always found it really interesting the effect that only a few words can have when accessible by many – or in this case millions. My intention further down the track is to expand this post with a reflection on my initial thoughts of Twitter vs. the experience of being an active and participating user of the social media website.

If you are reading this and interested, feel free to follow me!

Reference

Ames, K 2015, Blog Activity – Week 2, COMM11007: Media Writing, CQUniversity e-courses, https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/

Week One – Technical Activity: Quiz Response

I thought I would do a short post on my response to the first weekly Quiz. While the quiz was simple enough, it took me two attempts to reach 100% on the quiz and made me think about the way in which I observe information critically.

While the task mainly focused on most grammatical differences, the quiz reminded me that observation is key in comprehension – and by extension comprehension is key to critical thinking.

I am looking forward to jumping into Week 2 of the course!

Reference

Hicks, W 2013, English for journalists, Routledge, London, England.

Week One – Inquiry Activity: Gold Coast Titans

The first task set for this blog is to review and compare the way the same story is presented in different ways (Ames 2015). The story in this case revolves around the NRL club the Gold Coast Titans.

Source: NRL Photos

NRL takes control of Gold Coast Titans

Written by and presented on the NRL home website, this article describes the take-over of the Gold Coast Titans Club, by the NRL.

Where the audience of this article is presumably NRL fans and enthusiasts, the NRL is presented as the ‘hero’ of the situation, assertively taking control of the Gold Coast Titans club, where they are struggling under “serious financial difficulties”.

The focus of this article is purely on the NRL’s move to take over the club, with key quotes and phrases to reassure fans that that the club would remain on the Gold Coast and it would be “business as usual for the football team”. Highlighting the new found security of the club and minimal changes to the clubs board of directors, the tone article emphasises the stability and strength of both the NRL and the Titans.

Five-year blueprint convinced NRL boss to save Titans just weeks before Gold Coast NRL club would have folded

Appearing in the Gold Coast Bulletin, the article again focuses on the take-over of the Titans club by the NRL, but with a difference in both tone and scope. It is assumed that the intended audience for this article are the local people of the Gold Coast area – who are also likely to be strong supporters and fans of the Titans.

The angle of this news story is distinctly different to the article presented on the NRL website. Where on the NRL site, the move to take over the club was presented as a show of strength by the NRL, the focus of this piece highlights the frailty of the Titan club at this time. The language choices which describe the club as being “in danger of folding due to crippling financial commitments and off-field dramas” present the story in a much more dramatic and ‘sensational’ light. This also coupled by the fact that this article also includes information relating to a drug surrounding the club at the same time as the “bailout” – which the NRL article failed to mention.

Similar to the NRL article, the key messages within this article present the take-over as a positive, if more dramatic view, change for the Titans club. Key references within this article take aim at central members of the organisation, including the Gold Coast Titan’s co-owner and founder Michael Searle, which differs from the NRL article.

Gold Coast Titans taken over by NRL, placed in voluntary administration after drugs scandal

Published on the ABC News website this article again takes a different view towards the Gold Coast Titans story. As the ABC is a national news source, it is assumed that the audience of this piece of writing is intended for the wider Australian public. This distinctly contrasts to the previous articles which were likely written for invested NRL fans.

Less dramatic than the story presented in the Gold Coast Bulletin, but more critical than that of the NRL, the article written by the ABC presents information pertaining to the NRL organisations move to take over the club and the recent drug scandal of the Titans.

Without dramatising either the take-over or the drugs with emotive language, the ABC article discusses with key quotes the strength and stability the NRL is offering the Titans, and the re-occurring issues with drugs across the NRL.

References

Ames, K 2015, Blog Activity – Week 1, COMM11007: Media Writing, CQUniversity e-courses, https://moodle.cqu.edu.au/

‘Gold Coast Titans taken over by NRL, placed in voluntary administration after drugs scandal’, ABC NEWS, 24 February 2015, viewed 20 July 2015, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-24/nrl-takes-over-control-of-gold-coast-titans-amid-drugs-scandal/6247574

Meyn, T 2015, ‘Five-year blueprint convinced NRL boss to save Titans just weeks before Gold Coast NRL club would have folded’, Gold Coast Bulletin, 24 February 2015, viewed 20 July 2015, http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/nrl/five-year-blueprint-convinced-Copyright of NRL Photosnrl-boss-to-save-titans-just-weeks-before-gold-coast-nrl-club-would-have-folded/story-fnj9yd9w-1227237781936

NRL, 2015, ‘NRL takes control of Gold Coast Titans’, 24 February 2015, viewed 20 July 2015, http://www.nrl.com/nrl-takes-control-of-gold-coast-titans/tabid/10871/newsid/84020/default.aspx

Week One – Practical Activity: Introduction

Hello! My name is Heather, an undergraduate student at CQUniversity, and this is my academic blog for COMM11007 (Media Writing), Semester 2 2015.

I am currently completing a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Human Resources and Management – and chose Media Writing as an elective course. While I am not majoring in communications or journalism, I have a keen interest in both writing and the media.

My aims for this course are very simple in that I hope to learn a lot and achieve to a high standard. I am an ambitious student with a true desire to immerse myself in the courses that I undertake and the learning experiences they have to offer.

I am really looking forward to this course and can’t wait to get stuck in!