Journalism Class - Monday November 21

[krycek-rat.livejournal.com]

Krycek is sitting at Jerusalem's desk with a cup of coffee when the students arrive. He's managed to dig up the Professor's dry erase markers and has scrawled the assignment in block-print across the screen behind the desk.

Find an on-line source of headlines such as yahoo.com or msn.com.

Compare the listed headlines and skim the top five stories.

Comment on the differences or similarities and also on why those stories were the top five listed.

He appears to be doing the assignment as well, but distractedly, should anyone wish to interrupt.

Comments

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

John enters Journalism and starts to work on the assignment.

He picks Reuters (http://today.reuters.com/news/default.aspx) and MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/).

"Looks like the only two headlines these sites have in common are the cutting of 30,000 jobs at GM and if al-Zarqawi, an Iraqi terror leader, is dead after a gun battle."

"With only two similar headlines, it looks like these sites are concentrating on different areas. There is no pattern of focus, such as national and/or international but Reuters does seem a bit more negative in all their headlines while MSNBC seems to frame their headlines in a positive way."

[soldtoarmenians]

NYtimes:

G.M. to Cut 30,000 Jobs and Close 12 Facilities in 3 Years
Sharon Exits His Party to Avoid 'Wasting Time'
Cheney Assails Critics but Says Debate on Iraq Is Healthy
Scrabble Kings Vie for Linguistic Superiority
U.S. Is Slow to Respond to Phosphorus Charges

__

Yahoo:

Sharon Bolts Likud to Avoid 'Wasting Time'
GM to Slash 30,000 Jobs, Close 9 Plants
Cheney Lashes Out at Bush's Iraq Critics
Three Civilians Mistakenly Killed in Iraq
Reports Cite Mall Shooting Suspect's Anger

(con't)

[soldtoarmenians]

I'm kind of weirded out that Yahoo has all serious headlines, while the New York Times has the Scrabble piece. Not seeing Milton Bradley as one of the world's big movers and shakers here.

They've got three stories in common: the GM thing, the Israel story, and Cheney bitching out the Iraq critics - which makes sense I guess, in terms of GM being the top financial story, Sharon the top non-US issue, and Cheney the top national thing. There's a couple of differences in the headlines, though -- it seems like the Times wants to present a more balanced view of Cheney, where Yahoo just talks about him complaining. And the Times article says 12 GM facilities closing, while Yahoo says 9. (Looks from the articles like that difference might be coming from the Times counting plants that are only getting partly closed - which again kind of weirds me out, because I'd be looking to Yahoo for headlines that exaggerate the sitch, before I'd expect it from the NY Times.)

[lady-jessica-bg.livejournal.com]

Washington Post:
Sharon Quits Party He Helped to Establish
Cheney Attacks War Critics
GM to Eliminate 30,000 Jobs
Let the Campaigning Begin
(Those are the four main headlines.)

CNN:
GM cutting 30,000 jobs, closing plants
Cheney continues retreat on Murtha criticism
Sharon's 'political earthquake' shakes Israel
CIA interrogation methods 'unique,' Goss says
Ex-girlfriend: Alleged shooter sent text warnings

The main business, national, and international news are main headlines at both sites, but the Washington Post and CNN chose to focus on different national and domestic topics.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka paused in the doorway. Seeing Crichton and Xander, she felt awkward. But Crichton had always been fair, and Xander, well...Xander probably understood as well as anyone the way that Angelus could twist a person into knots.

She came in, sat down, and did the assignment.

Reuters
GM slashing production and jobs
Cheney shifts attack on war critics
US troops kill Iraqi civilians
Sharon to lead new party into polls
Nike plane with CEO lands safely after problems

NYTimes
G.M. to Cut 30,000 Jobs and Close Some Factories
Cheney Assails Critics but Says Debate on Iraq Is Healthy
Sharon to Form New Party After Call for Early Election
Former Aide to DeLay Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy Case
Nike Corporate Jet Makes Safe Landing


“Both sources carry the same content, with the exception of one. Reuters, an international news source, carries an article about US troops killing Iraqi civilians, whereas the NYTimes, a more nationally focused source, carries an article about national political scandal.

“While both sources have incisive commentary, it’s clear that Reuters provides an outsider’s take on US affairs, while NYT is an insider’s view. This is not to say that the NYT shows a pro-American bias especially. Only that its treatment of the issues focuses on ramifications within the States, while Reuters discusses in a broader context.”

[suzotchka.livejournal.com]

*does assignment while mun attempt to pull a paper out of somewhere very uncomfortable*

[marieann-d.livejournal.com]

Rogue does the assignment, scoring average. Because mun just got back from home aka dialup hell and her computer is still sucking lots.

[dbiers.livejournal.com]

After speech, D nodded to Krycek and slid into her usual spot. She pulled her laptop out and set to work. A while later, she handed him a sheet with her assignment upon it which read:

Of these only two were similar, both dealt with music file encryption and potentially malicious intent on behalf of the encryptors. The stories, be they sports, politics or leisure were put in the top slots because an editor believed they were either of importance or would be of interest to their reader-base.

GoggleNews.com (http://news.google.com/nwshp?hl=en&tab=wn&q=)


• GM cutting 30,000 jobs and closing auto plants (http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/11/21/news/gm.php)


• Sony BMG sued under anti-spyware laws (http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8E14D486.htm?campaign_id=apn_tech_down&chan=tc)


• Stewart chooses the safest route (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/2005-11-21-stewart-strategy_x.htm)


• WHO concedes battle with Aids still being lost (http://news.ft.com/cms/s/ac5acf3e-5ac8-11da-8628-0000779e2340.html)


• Mapping out a global Aids epidemic (http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/article328519.ece)

WashingtonPost.com (http://www.washingtonpost.com)


• Sharon Quits Party He Helped to Establish (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/21/AR2005112100258.html)


• Ex-Aide to DeLay Pleads Guilty (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/21/AR2005112100719.html)


• Cheney Attacks War Critics (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/21/AR2005112100276.html)


• Texas Attorney General Sues Sony (http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/)


• Journalists Who Won't Give Up (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/11/21/BL2005112100334.html)

"Here ya go, teach," she said with a wink.

[medusae-x.livejournal.com]

Duce emails her assignment in late. The headlines are out of date. She's not sure if the homework even counts. However, she was legitimately sick.