Discussion Questions
1. I think that a newspaper's educational level should reflect its target audience, or its readership. A more 'sophisticated' newspaper, such as The Australian, deals with more 'in-depth' or international issues, etc., and has a certain level of assumed knowledge among the readers. This is not to say that other, perhaps more locally directed, newspapers are not as valid or worthwhile, it is more a case of giving the readers what they want.
In the case of the Newcastle Herald, my town's main newspaper, I think it is tailoring its educational level at the right level. Newcastle has such a wide cross-section of people with vastly different economic, social and educational levels. The readership extends across this hugely. In terms of being an accessible newspaper it is fantastic. Anyone could read a story and be informed, with little to no assumed knowledge required.
An interesting point I found in the text was: "The challenge is to keep the language from becoming predictable and static while maintaining the tone and dignity of straight news reporting" (Conley & Lambel, p. ) This, to me, seems a very difficult task, as even the simple news writing assignments we have had this semester have been daunting. It has been more a case of not knowing where to begin, let alone considering lifting language so as not to become flat.
2.I don't think that reporters should interpret news events and inject their thoughts into news stories. The text states that words "centre on whether it is factual" (Conley & Lambel, p. 156). This is so important, especially in newspaper reporting, where it can even become dangerous. A reporter must remain credible to its sources and readers, or make sure not to "invest the story with false importance" (Conley & Lambel, p. 142)
Although, journalists should have 'styles' as "a journalist without style is a journalist without substance, and a journalist without substance is ... not a journalist" (Conley & Lambel, p.147). I wonder if forming a style comes naturally or whether you have to work hard to make one? Perhaps it is a little bit of both.
3.I think it is very important for news writing to stay independent of changing language, e.g. Americanism. News writing is the "product of centuries of linguistic evolution" (Conley & Lambel, p. 146).
I would find it very off-putting if I was to read a newspaper article which showcased slang or Americanisms, unless it was a article discussing language. I would find the newspaper to lack credibility and would probably dismiss it. In some magazines, journalists try to use slang, perhaps more as a technique to appear intimate and comfortable. This is completely different to 'hard news' as it concerns serious matters, and has a duty to the public.
4. Yes, I think newspapers do have a serious commitment to accuracy. As I said before, inaccurate journalism can even become dangerous. A newspaper has a contract with society to present news in the most accurate way possible. This extends so far as to ensure that names and titles are spelt correctly. Many people, including (and perhaps the most) people who are in the newspaper for the first time can become very upset if their names are incorrectly spelt. It may be only a small detail to a journalist, but it is not to the individual.
5. I would most probably contact my supervisor and prepare an apology to be ran in the next days newspaper. If nobody has contacted the newspaper yet, there may be someone who will soon (or most probably Mediawatch). It is must more important to retain your credibility rather than hope for the best. Hopefully, I would have researched my story a little bit better rather than having to run an apology for a serious mistake! This definitely highlights the need for thorough research.
-------------------------------------------------
VCAT hearing under way into late-night lockout plans
Posted Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:22pm AEST
Map: Bendigo 3550
A tribunal hearing about a proposed lockout for late-night venues in Bendigo's central business district, in central Victoria, has started in Melbourne.
Police had been pushing for a 1:00am AEST curfew, while venue operators prefer a 3:00am lockout.
The two parties had been in talks on a 2:00am compromise, but failed to reach an agreement.
The hearing, in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), is expected to finish today.
------------------------------------------------
Discussion
This article is very interesting to me, especially surrounding all the media attending that Newcastle has been facing. I have heard barely anything about the Victorian lockout scheme.
The lockout situation came as a retaliation to violence and disorderly behaviour in the Newcastle CBD. This was further heightened by the death of an elderly man called Frank Newberry, who was bashed to death and robber in his grocery store.
Newcastle residents were opting for a similar 1:00am curfew, however local and state government as well as hotel and club owners were pushing for a later time, and have come to the agreement of a 3:00am lockout.
It is sad that Newcastle and Melbourne have had to come to such measures. If only people were intelligent enough, and able to handle themselves well enough, to not be a danger to themselves or others around them.
Link to a Newcastle article
Newcastle Lockout
Measures used to try and combat the Newcastle Lockout
Rock Out Against the Lock Out
Monday, August 27, 2007
Week 6 - The Upside Down Pyramid
Discussion Questions
1. No, I would not include the comment. It is the job of a journalist to present the news are accurately as possible. You would have to insist to the source that you were unable to run the comment. Anything that is printed holds a great deal of responsibility. Running something that is untrue could come back to haunt you and damage your credibility.
2. I think then I would contact somebody, such as a supervisor, and discuss where to go from there. "Justification is sometimes offered by publishing the other side of the story the next day" (Conley & Lamble, p. 135), so maybe the newspaper could adopt a similar situation to offer balance.
If another newspaper was running a similar article, perhaps the story could be looked at from a different angle. I think that I would still want the story to run, as it is definitely relevant if another newspaper is publishing something similar. Newspapers are always crossing over on their stories in some way.
3. First of all, I would survey the scene, taking time to look for dangers and threats, and to get a "clear overview of the situation" (Conley & Lamble, p. 129). I would ten question some people at the scene of nearby who say they saw or heard the situation when it was reported to police. However, everything must be confirmed later. The five W's and the H are natural elements to include. It would be silly to try and get answers from emergency personnel who are trying to control the situation or treating someone.
I would start by writing a summary introduction that, "highlights the most dramatic element" (Conely & Lamble, p. 130). It would show how the first began and how the injuries occured. The best quotations would be placed high in the story to support the opening paragraph.
4. Yes, the inverted pyramid is the effective method of structuring material. Even though some people may quit reading the story half way along because they know the material becomes less and less important, however readers, "want to be told the most important facts immediately" (Conley & Lamble, p. 125). By only reading these first few paragraphs, readers can become reasonably well informed. It is the most, "efficient structure yet devised for communicating news quickly and clearly" (Conley & Lamble, p. 125).
Australia ranks low in world gun ownership: survey
By Leigh Sales and wires
Posted Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:50am AEST
Australia has one of the lowest rates of gun ownership in the world, according to the annual Small Arms Survey, released in
Europe overnight.
The independent research project, based at the Graduate School of International Studies in Geneva, catalogues weapons production, stockpiles and illicit arms transfers.
In recent decades the Government has tried to reduce civilian gun ownership, notably through a weapons buyback scheme after the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996.
It has worked, with figures estimating there are only about 15 guns per 100 Australians.
In comparison, the United States has an estimated 90 guns for every 100 civilians - the highest rate of gun ownership in the world.
India has the world's second-largest civilian gun arsenal, with an estimated 46 million firearms outside law enforcement and the military, though this represents just four guns per 100 people there.
China, ranked third with 40 million privately held guns, has three firearms per 100 people.
Germany, France, Pakistan, Mexico, Brazil and Russia are next in the ranking of country's overall civilian gun arsenals.
On a per-capita basis, Yemen has the second most heavily armed citizenry behind the US, with 61 guns per 100 people, followed by Finland with 56, Switzerland with 46, Iraq with 39 and Serbia with 38.
The survey uses published reports, gun registrations and other means to formulate its figures.
It does not make any findings regarding the possible link between gun ownership and violence, a highly controversial topic.
The study also shows three quarters of the world's small arms are held by civilians, with rapid and unchecked urbanisation a key driver behind their proliferation.
Of the 875 million small arms in circulation, some 650 million or 75 per cent are held by civilians.
There are 270 million small arms in the US.
The survey also shows civilians are acquiring greater numbers of increasingly powerful guns, and that this trend is likely to continue for the forseeable future.
"The connection between per capita wealth and gun ownership is strong enough to suggest that as long as gun ownership laws are not changed, greater national wealth leads to greater gun ownership," the report said.
Brazil's firearm homicide rate is greater than some war-torn countries, with the number of victims tripling to 21 per 100,000 from seven in the period 1982-2002.
Post-conflict societies also remain at risk from gun violence as many weapons still remain in circulation among the civilian population and societies often lack a robust regulatory and security framework, the report noted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discussion
Australia has one of the lowest rates of gun ownership in the world - and thank goodness for that. I am proud of Australia for its gun laws, in stark contrast to that of America and their present situation.
The stats on America, "estimated 90 guns for every 100 civilians", and that it has the highest rate of gun ownership in the world (270 million small arms), is completely outrageous. I know some people think it is a constitutional right, but surely they can see these laws are causing more harm than good. Especially in the rate of high school shootings and fatalities.
This article holds a certain amount of currency, especially highlighted by the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996. I was fairly young when this occurred, but can still remember the huge implications it caused.
I recently talked to someone who was upset about the weapons buyback scheme, and who thought it unnecessary. This really opened up my eyes to the opinions of some people, even though I completely disagreed with him.
It is a sad world where greater national growth leads to greater gun ownership. I am just glad that Australia has had enough sense to do something about the situation, rather than add fuel to the fire.
Interesting Link:
Gun Control
A opposing view-point to gun control laws in Australia:
Opinion Piece
1. No, I would not include the comment. It is the job of a journalist to present the news are accurately as possible. You would have to insist to the source that you were unable to run the comment. Anything that is printed holds a great deal of responsibility. Running something that is untrue could come back to haunt you and damage your credibility.
2. I think then I would contact somebody, such as a supervisor, and discuss where to go from there. "Justification is sometimes offered by publishing the other side of the story the next day" (Conley & Lamble, p. 135), so maybe the newspaper could adopt a similar situation to offer balance.
If another newspaper was running a similar article, perhaps the story could be looked at from a different angle. I think that I would still want the story to run, as it is definitely relevant if another newspaper is publishing something similar. Newspapers are always crossing over on their stories in some way.
3. First of all, I would survey the scene, taking time to look for dangers and threats, and to get a "clear overview of the situation" (Conley & Lamble, p. 129). I would ten question some people at the scene of nearby who say they saw or heard the situation when it was reported to police. However, everything must be confirmed later. The five W's and the H are natural elements to include. It would be silly to try and get answers from emergency personnel who are trying to control the situation or treating someone.
I would start by writing a summary introduction that, "highlights the most dramatic element" (Conely & Lamble, p. 130). It would show how the first began and how the injuries occured. The best quotations would be placed high in the story to support the opening paragraph.
4. Yes, the inverted pyramid is the effective method of structuring material. Even though some people may quit reading the story half way along because they know the material becomes less and less important, however readers, "want to be told the most important facts immediately" (Conley & Lamble, p. 125). By only reading these first few paragraphs, readers can become reasonably well informed. It is the most, "efficient structure yet devised for communicating news quickly and clearly" (Conley & Lamble, p. 125).
Australia ranks low in world gun ownership: survey
By Leigh Sales and wires
Posted Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:50am AEST
Australia has one of the lowest rates of gun ownership in the world, according to the annual Small Arms Survey, released in
Europe overnight.
The independent research project, based at the Graduate School of International Studies in Geneva, catalogues weapons production, stockpiles and illicit arms transfers.
In recent decades the Government has tried to reduce civilian gun ownership, notably through a weapons buyback scheme after the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996.
It has worked, with figures estimating there are only about 15 guns per 100 Australians.
In comparison, the United States has an estimated 90 guns for every 100 civilians - the highest rate of gun ownership in the world.
India has the world's second-largest civilian gun arsenal, with an estimated 46 million firearms outside law enforcement and the military, though this represents just four guns per 100 people there.
China, ranked third with 40 million privately held guns, has three firearms per 100 people.
Germany, France, Pakistan, Mexico, Brazil and Russia are next in the ranking of country's overall civilian gun arsenals.
On a per-capita basis, Yemen has the second most heavily armed citizenry behind the US, with 61 guns per 100 people, followed by Finland with 56, Switzerland with 46, Iraq with 39 and Serbia with 38.
The survey uses published reports, gun registrations and other means to formulate its figures.
It does not make any findings regarding the possible link between gun ownership and violence, a highly controversial topic.
The study also shows three quarters of the world's small arms are held by civilians, with rapid and unchecked urbanisation a key driver behind their proliferation.
Of the 875 million small arms in circulation, some 650 million or 75 per cent are held by civilians.
There are 270 million small arms in the US.
The survey also shows civilians are acquiring greater numbers of increasingly powerful guns, and that this trend is likely to continue for the forseeable future.
"The connection between per capita wealth and gun ownership is strong enough to suggest that as long as gun ownership laws are not changed, greater national wealth leads to greater gun ownership," the report said.
Brazil's firearm homicide rate is greater than some war-torn countries, with the number of victims tripling to 21 per 100,000 from seven in the period 1982-2002.
Post-conflict societies also remain at risk from gun violence as many weapons still remain in circulation among the civilian population and societies often lack a robust regulatory and security framework, the report noted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discussion
Australia has one of the lowest rates of gun ownership in the world - and thank goodness for that. I am proud of Australia for its gun laws, in stark contrast to that of America and their present situation.
The stats on America, "estimated 90 guns for every 100 civilians", and that it has the highest rate of gun ownership in the world (270 million small arms), is completely outrageous. I know some people think it is a constitutional right, but surely they can see these laws are causing more harm than good. Especially in the rate of high school shootings and fatalities.
This article holds a certain amount of currency, especially highlighted by the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996. I was fairly young when this occurred, but can still remember the huge implications it caused.
I recently talked to someone who was upset about the weapons buyback scheme, and who thought it unnecessary. This really opened up my eyes to the opinions of some people, even though I completely disagreed with him.
It is a sad world where greater national growth leads to greater gun ownership. I am just glad that Australia has had enough sense to do something about the situation, rather than add fuel to the fire.
Interesting Link:
Gun Control
A opposing view-point to gun control laws in Australia:
Opinion Piece
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Week 5 - The Lead: Will the Reader Follow?
Discussion Questions
1. Because I am studying a journalism course, and we have been told about the habits in which people read the newspaper, I try to make an effort to read as much of a newspaper's content as I can. Although, I must admit there are a few sections that are often not even touched. These sections would be:
1. The sports section - I am really not interested in sports, I'm sorry I know I should at least stay informed about large stories. This is something I could improve on.
2. The drive/car section - Yes, as typical a female as I am, the car section does not enthrall me. I have a car (if you can call it that) and until I need to purchase a new car, this section does not interest me.
3. The Life/Wellbeing section - These are mostly in weekend newspapers, and I must admit that I do sometimes scan these for interesting reads. I do not find the content to this section very interesting most probably because it is directed at a different demographic to me.
4. The TAB/Racing section - Do I need to explain this?
However, in terms of being more technical (for instance, the headline, first paragraph, photograph, etc.) and when I am consciously aware of it, I tend to think that I look at the photograph/image first. Following this I dart to the photograph's caption and the headline to establish a context for the image, and if this story sounds interesting, I read the following text.
This seems to be quite similar to the chapter's view of preferences of eye-tracking. These being; 1. a photograph, 2. the photograph's caption, 3. the biggest headline and 4. the intro of the story with the biggest headline.
2. As strange as it might sound, I don't watch that much television. It may be my working hours or it may just be my quality of reception at home, but I just don't find many television shows to be interesting. Nearly all of the few shows I tune into are on the ABC and are only in certain half-hour blocks. This is sounding quite pretentious. Although, I have been known to watch the odd Australian Idol performance night.
I try to read the newspaper as much as possible. I think this is because it is embedded in all the students how important it is to be up-to-date on current affairs, or from a technical/writing perspective.
I am not sure what would encourage me to spend more time reading my local paper, as I tend to buy both the Sydney Morning Herald and the Newcastle Herald as frequently as I can. Perhaps if these were offered as the University in a more "street press" style, such as being free and easily acquired, this would encourage me to read it more regularly. Although the newspapers are offered at the University to be read for free, most of my reading occurs at home.
3. I think that writing trick intros are not worth the hassle to get your reader simply to the second paragraph. A writer should never jeopardize their integrity or insult/annoy their readers. As it states in the chapter, "The intro should never promise more than it delivers" (Conley & Lamble, 2006). I know I have suffered this ploy many times and have felt suitably cheated. If you're story has not got a strong news value to being with, perhaps you should re-evaluate why you are writing it to begin with. If there is not choice, then you should simply do you're job instead of trying to be as attention grabbing as you can instead of reporting the facts in a clear way to your readers. You may not be remembered for this story but at least you wont be remembered as being a false advertiser.
4.I think this would be a situation faced by many journalists, and I can see it happening to me! This books restates throughout the importance of the introduction. The chapter states that when formulating the intro, you should look for "angels ... to become the raw product from which the intro will be delivered". If the writer is having trouble formulating an intro that wont gel, perhaps they could try the "over-the-fence technique" (Conley & Lamble, 2006). This is "when you think of how you might summaries the material if you were telling a neighbour about the story" (Conley & Lamble, 2006). However, this is probably extremely helpful in a newsroom/"hard-news" situation, but for a feature writer this may still be quite unhelpful. Perhaps then, you should think of the strongest part of the message that is in you piece, and consider questions such as "What is the big picture?", "What news angles do I have in mind?" or "What are the implications?".
Perhaps if these do not lead you to your great introduction, you should organise your information into "vital", "possibly important" and "useless" categories. This may change the scope of your introduction completely.
5. I think in a situation like this you should immediately contact your sub-editor. It is not worth it to not only ruin you article but to also offend your sources. Letting something like this happen will not only embarass you, but will also embarass your sub-editor. Therefore you're interests are allied. Then there is the point of offending you're sources. If these sources are quite important, or they are used regularly, then in offending them it is safe to say that you will be cutting major ties. Even if these sources are not regularly used, they are still members of the public who have an opinion and who will voice it to other members of the community. You should not tarnish your name or the name of others for a mistake that can be easily corrected.
----------------------------------------------------------
Agent says Simpson book to be published
Posted Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:00am AEST
In the book, OJ Simpson describes how he would have killed his ex-wife (file photo). (Reuters: Fred Prouser)
A New York publisher is to go ahead with the release of If I Did It, OJ Simpson's hypothetical account of the murders of his ex-wife and one of her friends.
A spokesman for literary agent Sharlene Martin did not identify the publishing house involved in the deal or specify when the book would come out, saying only that further details would be released on Tuesday.
Ms Martin's spokesman says that the book, in which former American football star Simpson describes how he would have killed ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and friend Ronald Goldman, was to be repackaged by the new publisher.
The publisher "pledged to leave Simpson's manuscript entirely intact, but they will also add key commentary," spokesman Michael Wright said in a statement, without elaborating on the commentary.
Plans by Simpson to release the book last year sparked a wave of outrage across the United States, prompting publisher HarperCollins to scrap the title and for Fox News to cancel an accompanying television interview.
Simpson, who always has vehemently denied the 1994 killings, was acquitted of killing his ex-wife and Mr Goldman after a racially charged trial in 1995. The verdict sparked outrage in much of America.
He was later found liable for the deaths in a 1997 civil suit and ordered to pay $US33.5 million ($39 million) in damages to Mr Goldman's family.
The case took a further twist when a US judge in March handed the rights of the book to the Goldman family as payment for the $US33.5 million damages award never paid by Simpson.
---------------------------------------------------
Discussion
American football player OJ Simpson should not have been allowed to release this book. And whoever, the publishing house is, they have very low morals.
OJ Simpson is clearly trying to capitalise on his story, even though all of his income should be going to the Goldman family, to whom he is indebted $33.5 million. However, he receives an American Football pension, and law protects pensions from these kinds of positions (even though the pension is $33,000 per month).
His trial is often noted as "the trial of the century", in a verdict of not guilty for the two murders (his wife and wife's friend). The verdict was seen live on TV by more than half of the U.S. population, making it one of the most watched events in American TV history. Immediate reaction to the verdict was noted for its division along racial lines.
Simpson was later found liable in a civil case.
This book is clearly going to sell a huge amount of copies. I really do hope the revenue goes towards the Goldman family, they deserve it much more than Simpson.
Link to CNN trial of OJ Simpson
CNN
1. Because I am studying a journalism course, and we have been told about the habits in which people read the newspaper, I try to make an effort to read as much of a newspaper's content as I can. Although, I must admit there are a few sections that are often not even touched. These sections would be:
1. The sports section - I am really not interested in sports, I'm sorry I know I should at least stay informed about large stories. This is something I could improve on.
2. The drive/car section - Yes, as typical a female as I am, the car section does not enthrall me. I have a car (if you can call it that) and until I need to purchase a new car, this section does not interest me.
3. The Life/Wellbeing section - These are mostly in weekend newspapers, and I must admit that I do sometimes scan these for interesting reads. I do not find the content to this section very interesting most probably because it is directed at a different demographic to me.
4. The TAB/Racing section - Do I need to explain this?
However, in terms of being more technical (for instance, the headline, first paragraph, photograph, etc.) and when I am consciously aware of it, I tend to think that I look at the photograph/image first. Following this I dart to the photograph's caption and the headline to establish a context for the image, and if this story sounds interesting, I read the following text.
This seems to be quite similar to the chapter's view of preferences of eye-tracking. These being; 1. a photograph, 2. the photograph's caption, 3. the biggest headline and 4. the intro of the story with the biggest headline.
2. As strange as it might sound, I don't watch that much television. It may be my working hours or it may just be my quality of reception at home, but I just don't find many television shows to be interesting. Nearly all of the few shows I tune into are on the ABC and are only in certain half-hour blocks. This is sounding quite pretentious. Although, I have been known to watch the odd Australian Idol performance night.
I try to read the newspaper as much as possible. I think this is because it is embedded in all the students how important it is to be up-to-date on current affairs, or from a technical/writing perspective.
I am not sure what would encourage me to spend more time reading my local paper, as I tend to buy both the Sydney Morning Herald and the Newcastle Herald as frequently as I can. Perhaps if these were offered as the University in a more "street press" style, such as being free and easily acquired, this would encourage me to read it more regularly. Although the newspapers are offered at the University to be read for free, most of my reading occurs at home.
3. I think that writing trick intros are not worth the hassle to get your reader simply to the second paragraph. A writer should never jeopardize their integrity or insult/annoy their readers. As it states in the chapter, "The intro should never promise more than it delivers" (Conley & Lamble, 2006). I know I have suffered this ploy many times and have felt suitably cheated. If you're story has not got a strong news value to being with, perhaps you should re-evaluate why you are writing it to begin with. If there is not choice, then you should simply do you're job instead of trying to be as attention grabbing as you can instead of reporting the facts in a clear way to your readers. You may not be remembered for this story but at least you wont be remembered as being a false advertiser.
4.I think this would be a situation faced by many journalists, and I can see it happening to me! This books restates throughout the importance of the introduction. The chapter states that when formulating the intro, you should look for "angels ... to become the raw product from which the intro will be delivered". If the writer is having trouble formulating an intro that wont gel, perhaps they could try the "over-the-fence technique" (Conley & Lamble, 2006). This is "when you think of how you might summaries the material if you were telling a neighbour about the story" (Conley & Lamble, 2006). However, this is probably extremely helpful in a newsroom/"hard-news" situation, but for a feature writer this may still be quite unhelpful. Perhaps then, you should think of the strongest part of the message that is in you piece, and consider questions such as "What is the big picture?", "What news angles do I have in mind?" or "What are the implications?".
Perhaps if these do not lead you to your great introduction, you should organise your information into "vital", "possibly important" and "useless" categories. This may change the scope of your introduction completely.
5. I think in a situation like this you should immediately contact your sub-editor. It is not worth it to not only ruin you article but to also offend your sources. Letting something like this happen will not only embarass you, but will also embarass your sub-editor. Therefore you're interests are allied. Then there is the point of offending you're sources. If these sources are quite important, or they are used regularly, then in offending them it is safe to say that you will be cutting major ties. Even if these sources are not regularly used, they are still members of the public who have an opinion and who will voice it to other members of the community. You should not tarnish your name or the name of others for a mistake that can be easily corrected.
----------------------------------------------------------
Agent says Simpson book to be published
Posted Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:00am AEST
In the book, OJ Simpson describes how he would have killed his ex-wife (file photo). (Reuters: Fred Prouser)
A New York publisher is to go ahead with the release of If I Did It, OJ Simpson's hypothetical account of the murders of his ex-wife and one of her friends.
A spokesman for literary agent Sharlene Martin did not identify the publishing house involved in the deal or specify when the book would come out, saying only that further details would be released on Tuesday.
Ms Martin's spokesman says that the book, in which former American football star Simpson describes how he would have killed ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and friend Ronald Goldman, was to be repackaged by the new publisher.
The publisher "pledged to leave Simpson's manuscript entirely intact, but they will also add key commentary," spokesman Michael Wright said in a statement, without elaborating on the commentary.
Plans by Simpson to release the book last year sparked a wave of outrage across the United States, prompting publisher HarperCollins to scrap the title and for Fox News to cancel an accompanying television interview.
Simpson, who always has vehemently denied the 1994 killings, was acquitted of killing his ex-wife and Mr Goldman after a racially charged trial in 1995. The verdict sparked outrage in much of America.
He was later found liable for the deaths in a 1997 civil suit and ordered to pay $US33.5 million ($39 million) in damages to Mr Goldman's family.
The case took a further twist when a US judge in March handed the rights of the book to the Goldman family as payment for the $US33.5 million damages award never paid by Simpson.
---------------------------------------------------
Discussion
American football player OJ Simpson should not have been allowed to release this book. And whoever, the publishing house is, they have very low morals.
OJ Simpson is clearly trying to capitalise on his story, even though all of his income should be going to the Goldman family, to whom he is indebted $33.5 million. However, he receives an American Football pension, and law protects pensions from these kinds of positions (even though the pension is $33,000 per month).
His trial is often noted as "the trial of the century", in a verdict of not guilty for the two murders (his wife and wife's friend). The verdict was seen live on TV by more than half of the U.S. population, making it one of the most watched events in American TV history. Immediate reaction to the verdict was noted for its division along racial lines.
Simpson was later found liable in a civil case.
This book is clearly going to sell a huge amount of copies. I really do hope the revenue goes towards the Goldman family, they deserve it much more than Simpson.
Link to CNN trial of OJ Simpson
CNN
Monday, August 13, 2007
Week 4 - A Know For News
Discussion Questions
1. This has been posted after question 5.
2. If I was writing this article I would focus on the value of currency. The issues surrounding this woman are vast with a huge amount of controversy. Immigration and detention in Australia are serious issues . "Media must determine the strength and relevance of any new comment or circumstance and assess what, if anything, it adds to the debate. Does it add a new dimension?" - when concerning this case I would think it definitely would. Issues of protest would be raised concerning the treatment of asylum seekers, and much debate would be raised.
The second value I would choose is Human interest. This is definitely a story which would "interest humans". Although this is a news value that is sometimes linked with entertainment, I believe serious issues have there place under this heading. They can "inspire empathy or arouse community concern".
My third news value would be conflict. This issue would spark much debate within society, and have a heightened public interest. There would be issues sparked not only among society in general, but between politicians and various community groups. Running stories concerning conflict encourage individuals to develop their own opinions.
3. I would run the story on Prince Charles. He offers a larger prominence news value to that of the mayor. Even though the mayor's speech is much more valid and credible, there is no denying that Prince Charles would evoke much more public scrutiny of the subject than running the mayor story.
4. Any piece of information that people did not know before
5. No, they should not be assigned equal value. Different stories rely on different news values, "the five Ws and H can appear in multiple combinations and in different order of importance in any particular story". (Conley & Lamble, p. 83). However, each of them should be should be listed as close to the beginning of a story as possible.
--------------------------------------------------
More Australian survivors arrive home for treatment
Posted Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:11pm AEDT
A 58-year old man has been transported to hospital after being flown home to Australia from tsunami affected Sri Lanka.
Ambulance officers met a specially-charted plane from Colombo and picked up the man who had multiple wounds and lacerations.
He is currently in a stable condition in St George hospital in Sydney.
Also on the flight was Anya Rowlands who is still coming to terms with the extent of the damage along coastal areas of Sri Lanka.
"I was shocked when I saw the news reportage on the TV because when you are actually in something I don't think it's nearly, it doesn't feel like it is when you are there so we've just sort of been helping tourists and things and some local people get connected with their families," she said.
Ninth Australian confirmed dead in tsunami
Posted Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:16pm AEDT
A ninth Australian has been confirmed dead as a result of the tsunami disaster, with many more still missing.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has identified the ninth Australian victim as 61-year-old Canberra woman Magdalene Balachandra.
Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Secretary Bruce Billson says concerns are held for the wellbeing of nine other missing Australians.
"There are 27 Australians in hospital at the moment," he said.
"I am pleased that we've confirmed the safety and whereabouts of 3,121 citizens and we're also working through the almost 5,000 possible Australians who may also be in the region."
The other Australian victims include a 6-month-old baby and an 81-year-old woman from Western Australia, three men in their 50s from Queensland, a 16-year-old boy from Victoria, a 3-year-old girl from New South Wales and a 39-year-old man who is a permanent resident of Australia.
Authorities say it may take days and in some cases weeks to identify victims due to the fact some bodies are in a very bad state.
Ninth Australian Confirmed Dead In Tsunami
Melbourne tsunami victim's parents arrive home
Posted Thu Dec 30, 2004 6:49pm AEDT
The parents of 16-year-old Melbourne boy Paul Giardina, who was killed in the tsunami, have flown home from Thailand.
Paul's body will be returned to Melbourne tonight.
His uncle, Vince Parisi, says it was very difficult for Paul's parents to return without their son.
"You know they've had a terrible three days, or four days, you know, the cuts and bruises mean absolutely nothing, it's certainly emotional trauma that they're suffering," he said.
Melbourne tsunami victim's partents arrive home
More than 720 dead from quake, tsunamis in Indonesia
Posted Sun Dec 26, 2004 11:06pm AEDT
A total of 721 people have been confirmed dead in Indonesia from a powerful earthquake and tsunamis that struck the northern tip of Sumatra island today but the toll is expected to rise.
First sergeant Suwarno, a police spokesman in the Sumatran region of Aceh, said in his district there were 378 dead, while other parts of the province reported updated fatality figures.
"The search is continuing and it is believed that there are still more than 100 others killed as many people are still missing," said First sergeant Suwarno, whose office covers the North Aceh region.
Doctor Fadli Hanafiah, director of the Cut Mutia hospital in the Lhokseumawe area of Sumtra's Aceh province, added that 83 fatalities had arrived so far.
"Bodies continue to arrive from various areas," he said
An officer on duty in east Aceh district who declined to identify himself said that 29 people were found dead in his area.
Earlier tolls from local officials in the Aceh district of Bireuen confirmed 95 dead, while in the neighbouring province of North
Sumatra, the fatality figure was put at 54.
More than 720 dead from quake, tsunamis in Indonesia
Earthquake, tsunamis kill thousands in Asia
Posted Sun Dec 26, 2004 11:06pm AEDT Updated Mon Dec 27, 2004 3:07am AEDT
•
The world's fifth-largest quake in a century hit southern Asia on Sunday, unleashing a tsunami that crashed into Sri Lanka and India, drowning thousands and swamping tourist isles in Thailand and the Maldives.
Exact death tolls throughout the region have been difficult to confirm but reports suggest over 6,000 people have been killed.
The worst hit areas appear to be Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.
A wall of water up to 10 metres high triggered by the 8.9 magnitude earthquake swept into Indonesia, over the coast of Sri Lanka and India and across southern Thai tourist islands.
Sri Lanka, where officials put the death toll at 3,225, appealed for emergency international assistance, President Chandrika Kumaratunga's office said.
Around 1,600 people have been wounded and 1 million people, or 5 per cent of the population, were affected, Sri Lankan officials said.
"The President has declared a state of national disaster due to the seriousness of the situation," her office said.
The death toll in India has been put at about 2,000 and in Indonesia over 1,800.
The earthquake of magnitude 8.9 as measured by the US Geological Survey first struck at 7:59am local time off the coast of the northern Indonesian island of Sumatra and swung north with multiple tremors into the Andaman islands.
The earthquake was the world's biggest since 1964, said Julie Martinez, geophysicist at the US Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado. "It is multiple earthquakes along the same faultline."
It was the fifth-largest earthquake since 1900, she said.
"These big earthquakes, when they occur in shallow water... basically slosh the ocean floor... and it's as if you're rocking water in the bathtub and that wave can travel basically throughout the ocean," USGS geophysicist Bruce Presgrave told the BBC.
In Sri Lanka, thousands fled the worst tsunami in living memory, scrambling to higher ground for fear of another wave.
"The Army and the Navy have sent rescue teams; we have deployed over four choppers and half the Navy's eastern fleet to look for survivors," said military spokesman Brigadier Daya Ratnayake.
The worst-hit area appeared to be the tourist region of the south and east where beach hotels were inundated or swept away.
"Our naval base in Trincomalee is underwater and right now we are trying to manage the situation there while rescuing people," said Navy spokesman Jayantha Perera.
At least 1,800 people have been killed in Indonesia after the powerful earthquake and tidal waves hit the island of Sumatra.
A spokesman for the ministry's Centre for Emergency Preparedness said most of the casualties were in Sumatra's northern Aceh province, with about 1,400 dead around the main city of Banda Aceh.
Medics and police around Aceh said they expect tolls to keep rising with the full extent of the devastation caused by the quake not yet known.
Communications with the remote province have been hampered by downed power and telephone lines.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has declared the area a national disaster.
Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands, lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire where plate boundaries intersect and volcanoes regularly erupt.
To the north in Thailand, officials reported one wave 5 to 10 metres high hit hotel-lined beaches on Phuket.
At least 257 people had been killed and more than 1,000 injured, officials said.
"It happened in cycles. There would be a surge and then it would retreat and then there would be a next surge which was
more violent and it went on like that," Paul Ramsbottom, a Briton on holiday in a Phuket beach bungalow, told BBC World TV.
"Then there was this one almighty surge. I mean literally this was the one which was picking up pickup trucks and motorcycles and throwing them around in front of us," he added.
One foreigner was known to be among the dead in Krabi.
Thai television showed scenes of devastation on one Phuket beach.
Store fronts were damaged and cars and motorcycles were strewn around after being tossed about by the powerful waves.
A Thai man carried one elderly Western man in swimming trunks to safety on his back, ITV showed.
Officials said more than 600 tourists and locals were being evacuated by air and sea from Ko Phi Phi, the tiny island made famous by the 2000 film The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
The Thai government ordered the evacuation of stricken coastal areas, which included popular beach resorts on the islands of Phuket and Krabi.
There are now reports of around 2,000 people being killed along the southern Indian coast and rescuers were searching for hundreds of fishermen missing, government officials said.
In the state of Tamil Nadu, a government official said at least 1,600 had been killed.
About 100 people had died in Madras, the city's police commissioner, K Natarajan, told reporters.
"The bodies in the hospital are mostly young women and children."
Fifteen people, including a British man, have been reported dead in the Maldives.
President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was to declare a national disaster in the archipelago whose coral atolls are a magnet for tourists from around the world, said chief government spokesman Ahmed Shaheed.
"The damage is considerable," Mr Shaheed said. "The island is only about three feet (one metre) above sea level and a wave of water four feet (1.3 metres) high swept over us."
The international airport was unusable, he said.
"It is a very bad situation. It is terrible," Mr Shaheed said.
"As you know it is the peak tourist season. We are trying to get reports from those areas. The whole of the Maldives is a tourist area so we are just hoping and praying."
The world's worst tsunami in recent history struck on July 17, 1998, when three waves ripped through Papua New Guinea's northwest coast, killing 2,500.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has set up a special hotline for people with relatives in South-East Asia and south Asia.
The number is 1 800 00 22 14.
Earthquake, tsunamis kill thousands in Asia
----------------------------------------------------
5. The Indian Ocean tsunami was a terrible tragedy. The press gave the tsunami proximity in two ways. The first way was to indicate the tourist factor of the areas effected, most notably in Indonesia which was highly popular around this time of year. "The worst-hit area appeared to be the tourist region of the south and east where beach hotels were inundated or swept away", This gives huge proximity to the tsunami, and articles definitely reflected the, "cultural bias within the media and the community" (Conely & Lamble, p. 91).
The second way the tsunami was given proximity was to focus on Australian's that had been killed or badly injured. Examples of these are above with "Ninth Australian Confirmed Dead In Tsunami" and "Melbourne Tsunami Victim's Parents Arrive Home". These articles are very confronting, and the tsunami becomes highly relevant to us.
These articles, spanning their focus from Australia to China and Indonesia, show just how huge the impact was, as it effected so many countries and people. This video clip shows some of the devastation caused by the natural disaster.
1. This has been posted after question 5.
2. If I was writing this article I would focus on the value of currency. The issues surrounding this woman are vast with a huge amount of controversy. Immigration and detention in Australia are serious issues . "Media must determine the strength and relevance of any new comment or circumstance and assess what, if anything, it adds to the debate. Does it add a new dimension?" - when concerning this case I would think it definitely would. Issues of protest would be raised concerning the treatment of asylum seekers, and much debate would be raised.
The second value I would choose is Human interest. This is definitely a story which would "interest humans". Although this is a news value that is sometimes linked with entertainment, I believe serious issues have there place under this heading. They can "inspire empathy or arouse community concern".
My third news value would be conflict. This issue would spark much debate within society, and have a heightened public interest. There would be issues sparked not only among society in general, but between politicians and various community groups. Running stories concerning conflict encourage individuals to develop their own opinions.
3. I would run the story on Prince Charles. He offers a larger prominence news value to that of the mayor. Even though the mayor's speech is much more valid and credible, there is no denying that Prince Charles would evoke much more public scrutiny of the subject than running the mayor story.
4. Any piece of information that people did not know before
5. No, they should not be assigned equal value. Different stories rely on different news values, "the five Ws and H can appear in multiple combinations and in different order of importance in any particular story". (Conley & Lamble, p. 83). However, each of them should be should be listed as close to the beginning of a story as possible.
--------------------------------------------------
More Australian survivors arrive home for treatment
Posted Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:11pm AEDT
A 58-year old man has been transported to hospital after being flown home to Australia from tsunami affected Sri Lanka.
Ambulance officers met a specially-charted plane from Colombo and picked up the man who had multiple wounds and lacerations.
He is currently in a stable condition in St George hospital in Sydney.
Also on the flight was Anya Rowlands who is still coming to terms with the extent of the damage along coastal areas of Sri Lanka.
"I was shocked when I saw the news reportage on the TV because when you are actually in something I don't think it's nearly, it doesn't feel like it is when you are there so we've just sort of been helping tourists and things and some local people get connected with their families," she said.
Ninth Australian confirmed dead in tsunami
Posted Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:16pm AEDT
A ninth Australian has been confirmed dead as a result of the tsunami disaster, with many more still missing.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has identified the ninth Australian victim as 61-year-old Canberra woman Magdalene Balachandra.
Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Secretary Bruce Billson says concerns are held for the wellbeing of nine other missing Australians.
"There are 27 Australians in hospital at the moment," he said.
"I am pleased that we've confirmed the safety and whereabouts of 3,121 citizens and we're also working through the almost 5,000 possible Australians who may also be in the region."
The other Australian victims include a 6-month-old baby and an 81-year-old woman from Western Australia, three men in their 50s from Queensland, a 16-year-old boy from Victoria, a 3-year-old girl from New South Wales and a 39-year-old man who is a permanent resident of Australia.
Authorities say it may take days and in some cases weeks to identify victims due to the fact some bodies are in a very bad state.
Ninth Australian Confirmed Dead In Tsunami
Melbourne tsunami victim's parents arrive home
Posted Thu Dec 30, 2004 6:49pm AEDT
The parents of 16-year-old Melbourne boy Paul Giardina, who was killed in the tsunami, have flown home from Thailand.
Paul's body will be returned to Melbourne tonight.
His uncle, Vince Parisi, says it was very difficult for Paul's parents to return without their son.
"You know they've had a terrible three days, or four days, you know, the cuts and bruises mean absolutely nothing, it's certainly emotional trauma that they're suffering," he said.
Melbourne tsunami victim's partents arrive home
More than 720 dead from quake, tsunamis in Indonesia
Posted Sun Dec 26, 2004 11:06pm AEDT
A total of 721 people have been confirmed dead in Indonesia from a powerful earthquake and tsunamis that struck the northern tip of Sumatra island today but the toll is expected to rise.
First sergeant Suwarno, a police spokesman in the Sumatran region of Aceh, said in his district there were 378 dead, while other parts of the province reported updated fatality figures.
"The search is continuing and it is believed that there are still more than 100 others killed as many people are still missing," said First sergeant Suwarno, whose office covers the North Aceh region.
Doctor Fadli Hanafiah, director of the Cut Mutia hospital in the Lhokseumawe area of Sumtra's Aceh province, added that 83 fatalities had arrived so far.
"Bodies continue to arrive from various areas," he said
An officer on duty in east Aceh district who declined to identify himself said that 29 people were found dead in his area.
Earlier tolls from local officials in the Aceh district of Bireuen confirmed 95 dead, while in the neighbouring province of North
Sumatra, the fatality figure was put at 54.
More than 720 dead from quake, tsunamis in Indonesia
Earthquake, tsunamis kill thousands in Asia
Posted Sun Dec 26, 2004 11:06pm AEDT Updated Mon Dec 27, 2004 3:07am AEDT
•
The world's fifth-largest quake in a century hit southern Asia on Sunday, unleashing a tsunami that crashed into Sri Lanka and India, drowning thousands and swamping tourist isles in Thailand and the Maldives.
Exact death tolls throughout the region have been difficult to confirm but reports suggest over 6,000 people have been killed.
The worst hit areas appear to be Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.
A wall of water up to 10 metres high triggered by the 8.9 magnitude earthquake swept into Indonesia, over the coast of Sri Lanka and India and across southern Thai tourist islands.
Sri Lanka, where officials put the death toll at 3,225, appealed for emergency international assistance, President Chandrika Kumaratunga's office said.
Around 1,600 people have been wounded and 1 million people, or 5 per cent of the population, were affected, Sri Lankan officials said.
"The President has declared a state of national disaster due to the seriousness of the situation," her office said.
The death toll in India has been put at about 2,000 and in Indonesia over 1,800.
The earthquake of magnitude 8.9 as measured by the US Geological Survey first struck at 7:59am local time off the coast of the northern Indonesian island of Sumatra and swung north with multiple tremors into the Andaman islands.
The earthquake was the world's biggest since 1964, said Julie Martinez, geophysicist at the US Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado. "It is multiple earthquakes along the same faultline."
It was the fifth-largest earthquake since 1900, she said.
"These big earthquakes, when they occur in shallow water... basically slosh the ocean floor... and it's as if you're rocking water in the bathtub and that wave can travel basically throughout the ocean," USGS geophysicist Bruce Presgrave told the BBC.
In Sri Lanka, thousands fled the worst tsunami in living memory, scrambling to higher ground for fear of another wave.
"The Army and the Navy have sent rescue teams; we have deployed over four choppers and half the Navy's eastern fleet to look for survivors," said military spokesman Brigadier Daya Ratnayake.
The worst-hit area appeared to be the tourist region of the south and east where beach hotels were inundated or swept away.
"Our naval base in Trincomalee is underwater and right now we are trying to manage the situation there while rescuing people," said Navy spokesman Jayantha Perera.
At least 1,800 people have been killed in Indonesia after the powerful earthquake and tidal waves hit the island of Sumatra.
A spokesman for the ministry's Centre for Emergency Preparedness said most of the casualties were in Sumatra's northern Aceh province, with about 1,400 dead around the main city of Banda Aceh.
Medics and police around Aceh said they expect tolls to keep rising with the full extent of the devastation caused by the quake not yet known.
Communications with the remote province have been hampered by downed power and telephone lines.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has declared the area a national disaster.
Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands, lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire where plate boundaries intersect and volcanoes regularly erupt.
To the north in Thailand, officials reported one wave 5 to 10 metres high hit hotel-lined beaches on Phuket.
At least 257 people had been killed and more than 1,000 injured, officials said.
"It happened in cycles. There would be a surge and then it would retreat and then there would be a next surge which was
more violent and it went on like that," Paul Ramsbottom, a Briton on holiday in a Phuket beach bungalow, told BBC World TV.
"Then there was this one almighty surge. I mean literally this was the one which was picking up pickup trucks and motorcycles and throwing them around in front of us," he added.
One foreigner was known to be among the dead in Krabi.
Thai television showed scenes of devastation on one Phuket beach.
Store fronts were damaged and cars and motorcycles were strewn around after being tossed about by the powerful waves.
A Thai man carried one elderly Western man in swimming trunks to safety on his back, ITV showed.
Officials said more than 600 tourists and locals were being evacuated by air and sea from Ko Phi Phi, the tiny island made famous by the 2000 film The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
The Thai government ordered the evacuation of stricken coastal areas, which included popular beach resorts on the islands of Phuket and Krabi.
There are now reports of around 2,000 people being killed along the southern Indian coast and rescuers were searching for hundreds of fishermen missing, government officials said.
In the state of Tamil Nadu, a government official said at least 1,600 had been killed.
About 100 people had died in Madras, the city's police commissioner, K Natarajan, told reporters.
"The bodies in the hospital are mostly young women and children."
Fifteen people, including a British man, have been reported dead in the Maldives.
President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was to declare a national disaster in the archipelago whose coral atolls are a magnet for tourists from around the world, said chief government spokesman Ahmed Shaheed.
"The damage is considerable," Mr Shaheed said. "The island is only about three feet (one metre) above sea level and a wave of water four feet (1.3 metres) high swept over us."
The international airport was unusable, he said.
"It is a very bad situation. It is terrible," Mr Shaheed said.
"As you know it is the peak tourist season. We are trying to get reports from those areas. The whole of the Maldives is a tourist area so we are just hoping and praying."
The world's worst tsunami in recent history struck on July 17, 1998, when three waves ripped through Papua New Guinea's northwest coast, killing 2,500.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has set up a special hotline for people with relatives in South-East Asia and south Asia.
The number is 1 800 00 22 14.
Earthquake, tsunamis kill thousands in Asia
----------------------------------------------------
5. The Indian Ocean tsunami was a terrible tragedy. The press gave the tsunami proximity in two ways. The first way was to indicate the tourist factor of the areas effected, most notably in Indonesia which was highly popular around this time of year. "The worst-hit area appeared to be the tourist region of the south and east where beach hotels were inundated or swept away", This gives huge proximity to the tsunami, and articles definitely reflected the, "cultural bias within the media and the community" (Conely & Lamble, p. 91).
The second way the tsunami was given proximity was to focus on Australian's that had been killed or badly injured. Examples of these are above with "Ninth Australian Confirmed Dead In Tsunami" and "Melbourne Tsunami Victim's Parents Arrive Home". These articles are very confronting, and the tsunami becomes highly relevant to us.
These articles, spanning their focus from Australia to China and Indonesia, show just how huge the impact was, as it effected so many countries and people. This video clip shows some of the devastation caused by the natural disaster.
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