I've always treated each one of you as a journalist. In my mind, there is very little difference in what you do and what employees of a news organization do except that you get a grade... and they get a paycheck.
Are J-school students really journalists?
If a journalism school offers real world experience, should the students who participate be protected by reporters’ privilege? That’s a key question in a case involving a professor and students at Northwestern’s Medill J-school.
David Protess runs the school’s “Innocence Project” in which students investigate old crimes looking for wrongful convictions. In the past decade, the school says, “[they] have uncovered evidence that freed 11 innocent men, five of them from death row.”
Protess and his students believe they’ve found another wrongful conviction and Northwestern’s legal clinic has filed a petition for a new trial. But local prosecutors are suggesting that the students may have been under pressure to prove the case in order to get a good grade in the class. As the Associated Press reports, the prosecutors have subpoenaed the students’ grades, private emails, notes, unpublished memos and expense claims. That kind of information would typically be protected by the state shield law but the prosecutors claim the students aren’t journalists, so they’re not covered.
The case raises concerns for all students who do “real world” journalism as part of their course work. And it underlines the need to bring shield laws up to date in today’s multimedia world when anyone can be a journalist. The latest draft of a federal shield law does just that, by covering anyone who does journalism, even if they don’t get paid for it.
It is not that I am not driven, it is just that I have not found something interesting to write about.For example, I would suppose that I could find a story on a new invention or innovation and discuss the details about its relation to modern life. The story is very interesting to me, but not to others. I think what would help me is if I learn how to spice up my stories.
ReplyDelete-Stephen Birt
How to be more driven ...
ReplyDeletei as a student can be more driven by putting my effort in all of my work. aso by , taking time out to actually think a bout what my story should be about and make sure i have everything that i need . Another thing is , not to percrastinate and not wait on others to get the job done .
As a level five student I am driven by the events that cameramen and women go through to get fantastic shouts and make a story news worthy. I used to be curious and wanted to know how a news crew could make something that seemed so simple and boring,simple and interesting. I want to produce a story like the ones on t.v. and trying to make one is what is keeping me driven.
ReplyDeleteI would try to do my package as soon as possible and as good as possible. I wouldn't just let a good package leave my sight like it is nothing to care about. All I need is a way to go to the action.
ReplyDeleteAs high school journalists i feel that we hit snags when it comes to finding stories that are intriguing and school appropriate as well as finding interviews with people that will take us seriously but once we can get past those things i feel that we can come up with very good news stories
ReplyDeletemrs watson you are a good bolster. i think that you are right about keep working even somone is not there. our group is sometimes mostly depending on one person and i think by them us commenting this blog is important, i feel like we should put an effort toward trying without the person that we need.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, this really shouldn't be a problem for me. Being able to be motivated, and enough confidence, I actually thought that I would be able to do that. Throughout this year, I found out that it is way tougher than I thought, especially if it isn't a great skill at all. I can try to be as creative as possible, ask for feedback on my ideas. And, mostly, be confident that it's a great idea. It's not like I'm not capable, maybe it's my lack of journalism, with the questions, whoever to interview, and haven't adjusted as good as I should.
ReplyDeleteI believe I am more driven by wanting to improve my work. Everytime I do something, I want to better than before. I am driven to improve my writing as well as shooting and editing packages. Hopefully I will able to improve in these areas of the field.
ReplyDeleteFor me I think I do my best when I know about the subject i'm doing a package for .This way I know what I need to ask if I have to interview someone,what B-role to get and I can plan out what I want it to look like when I begin to edit.Having a deadline is important too.Sometimes you don't get as much done as you should,but then when you relize it's due the next day it makes you work harder and finish.
ReplyDelete-Amanda :p
ummm i think that, well for me to be driven i need to be kept busy doing something always and i need a little push because i am a lazy person and if you dont force me to do stuff i wont do it i will just sit and do nothing or act like im doing something. But maybe if you push a little bit more i think i can be more serious(not to say that im not serious bt im just hardheaded) and get more things done.
ReplyDeleteI tend to give up when i get disappointed. I get disappointment because either someone is not doing something or something is going wrong. I am driven by something that interests me. I will do it if i am not interested but it will not be my best work. Lately i have been slacking i will admit but that is for personal reasons. I feel like i can do better than i have. Wayyyyyy better. :)
ReplyDelete