Reading Journal 2

The industry standard is that a reporter must continually aim for is the truth. Any information being presented in a journalistic context must contain validity as well as maintain objectivity about the matter being reported. It is important for reporters to continually utilize pieces of information that can be contained in statements made word for word by a variety people and organizations. News sources like the Huffington Post and the New York Times,each have their own way of documenting events that have happened. Reporters from each source all vary in how unbiased their versions of the truth turn out to be.

The article, "Iran Sets Bail For Two Jailed Americans," in the Huffington Post covers the recent bail amounts posted for two imprisoned American hikers. Writers Patrick Walters, Jeff Baenen, and Matthew Lee who contributed to the article analyzed the circumstances in which the two hikers are to be released. Their observations of Iran's diplomatic behaviors helped create convincing reasons as to why President Ahmadinejad had decided to spontaneously release these men. In the second paragraph of the articles, the writers assume that the Iranian President is releasing these men as a political strategy to appear as a more humane country at an upcoming UN General Assembly session. Even though this political strategy is not Iran's reasoning behind their actions, the writers cleverly insert words such as, "appeared" in order to allow readers to search further into the article for reasons to believe why this is Iran's motives for their brief benevolence. In that same paragraph it is mentioned that another prisoner had been released around the same time last year. The writers also continually bring up certain valid pieces of information about the purposefully distant diplomatic relationship between Iran and the US as well as addressing reason for the hostility being shown by both nations. By providing contextual information about the general political behaviors of both nations, an educated objective view can be generated without relying on empty and biased assumptions. The coverage of factual motivations for bitterness between these two countries made it appear more believable that this had been some sort of ploy by the Iranian government. The piece frequently brings up how grateful the families of the two hikers are for the return of their two boys. By utilizing direct quotes from representatives of the families, the writers are able to express a truthful happy response to the events that had transpired.

NY Time's writers Alan Cowell and Rick Gladstone covered the hikers story in, "American Hikers to Be Freed in 2 days, Ahmadinejad Says." Throughout their reporting Gladstone and Cowell utilize implicating words in relation to the actions carried out by various parties. Within the third paragraph of the piece the non partisan aspect of journalistic truth starts to fade. Without validation to this claim at any point in the article, the third paragraph opens with writers asserting that the hikers punishment was, "unusually harsh," and was viewed as, "an increasingly tough public relations problem for Ahmadinejad abroad." It is unfair for these writers to assume that it can undeniably be stated that the punishment was extremely harsh, and that the Iranian President was in a crisis without collecting proper sources to legitimately assert this claim. The writes wrongly attached the word, "cautious," to an optimistic brief statement made by Hillary Clinton regarding the US relations with Iran following the release of the two writers. By applying a verb such as cautious to a brief statement that clearly didn't carry that sentiment made Hillary's words appear as if they were implying something that had not been quoted in the article. Throughout the article maintain a subjective tone of hostility towards the actions carried out by the government of Iran. Animosity in the writers words most strongly take place when the bail amount posted for the two hikers is referred to as, "…a ransom payment for their freedom." This assumption by two writers is changing a factual name for bail and addressing it as a much aggressive notion.

Both articles have a goal of reporting the truth about what is transpiring regarding the release of these American hikers. The Huffington Post contains a story that allows readers to observe factual quotes and information without words or phrases that would suggest a bias or contentions point of view. However, with application of certain negative sentiments the article of the NY Times presented itself as a story trying to coat the truth with unnecessary aggression.

Mitt Romney: Three Articles

On September 6th 2011, Mitt Romney announced his full scale plan for economic recovery if he were to be elected President of the United States. News mediums the New York Times, Huffington Post, and USA Today analyzed the ramifications of following through with Romney's economic policies. The NY Times piece, "Romney Lays Out Plan to Revive Economy," explores in great detail how both members of the democratic party and Romney's fellow conservatives some of whom are running against him for GOP nomination, are completely opposed to his ideas. A mainly pessimistic observation of the reactions to Romney's plans were displayed in USA Today's, "Romney's job plan blasted by GOP rivals, Democrats." Even though the Huffington Post, "Mitt Romney Jobs Plan: Presidential Candidate Unveils Proposal Before Obama's Speech," represented the factual negative reactions to Romney's ambitions, they did so with presenting a certain mindfulness of the boldness in his ideals.

Comparatively these three articles draw on similarities in story structure as well as addressing all of the feedback his plan had received. Each piece had a lede that represented how Romney's mission was received by all parties. As each article descends down the inverted pyramid, information is given about the context of Romney's ambition and the continued critiques from his opponents of both political stand points. All of the articles contain an overview of the major aspects of Romney's plans such as, creating 10 concrete actions that will reduce taxes, lift government limitations to allow for more free trade, and call for more oil and gas drilling.

Both USA Today's, "Romney's job plan blasted by GOP rivals, Democrats," and NY Times, "Romney Lays Out Plan to Revive Economy," do not bother to present the notion of much of a positive outcome coming from Romney's proposal. The NY Times displays different statements made by both republicans and democrats alike that all consecutively pan Romney's audacious attempts for prosperity in the economy. Romney's plan is compared to Reagonomics and is revealed as typical conservative idealism, but quotes from his critics in the piece dismiss his plan as no less than delusional. USA Today, implements statements from both Romney and his opposers in an order that completely strips Romney's plans of any merit they could potentially carry. The end quote of the article compares finding salvation from one of Romney's proposals to purchasing one of the rarest items ever sold on E-Bay.

The Huffington Post, expressed the same negative reactions to Romney, but not without expressing proper reasons for his ambitions. This article had also touched upon why Romney is so fervent about his ambitions. In addition to the critiques made to Romney's plan, mention was made of how ideally what he is proposing should help our country from over spending and increasing jobs and productivity. It had also been pointed out that Romney's ideas for less costly federal regulation in business are not foreign and would potentially be benevolent towards the fragile state of our economy.

Craig Solomon

9/5/2011

Intro to Journalism

Heather Chaplin

Hurricane Irene created the perfect excuse for 22-year-old vagrant Winslow Laroche to blow his way into a comfortable apartment on Hancock St. The Bushwick apartment and the five residents locked inside sustained more damage from one unwanted guest than the evacuated danger-zones of Manhattan.

"My roommate who was not here was used by Winslow as a welcome tool for a weekend stay," said Tyler Zuker, 20 year old junior at Eugene Lang College and one of the five tenants of this apartment .

Laroche made claims that he had been invited to wait out the storm with Craig Solomon, one of the other tenants. This had perplexed the other residents because Solomon had taken up shelter in his Long Island home and was not expected to return until the storm passed. As soon as public transportation had shut down, the floors of apartment 1R became the bed, ashtray, and garbage can for Laroche.

Abuse of his presence had occurred during the previous school year when Laroche transformed into a parasitic couch surfer. According to his claims, Laroche is a student of Media Studies at Eugene Lang and has an apartment off of the Morgan Avenue stop. Both of these "truths" have been debunked by the victims of Laroche's invasion.

"After living with our "extra roommate" this whole year, the idea that he actually went to school and had a place of residence appeared to be a complete pathological fib, due to his failure to leave our house or even attend a class that had not been cancelled," said Solomon.

As the city rapidly begun to reawaken after the non existent disaster, the comfort of the Brooklyn apartment was too homey for Laroche to want to leave. All of the residents of 1R knew that their first school week would be spent in the company of this dirty free loader if someone didn't give him a jolt out. Laroche was asked to leave repeatedly by Zuker, only to be payed no mind like a child were to ignore a request to clean their room. To make matters worse Laroche tried and failed to turn the roommates against each other and assert his loyalty. However, each tenant had all of their own reasons to not trust or enjoying spending time with Laroche.

It all came to head after an intense verbal confrontation between Zuker and Laroche. Zuker had perviously had his Ipad and Ipod accidentally borrowed by Laroche.

"Dude it just fell into my backpack I had no idea I had it for a week," lied Laroche.

Zuker pointed out how Laroche clearly has trouble following obvious polite requests and Laroche laid accusations of harassment on him. Shouting had ensued when Laroche finally got the hint and decided never to return to apartment 1R. This was not before intentionally forgetting his belongings as he had done so many times before and attempting to lurk till he blends in with the furniture he dirtied.