A Class With No Sense of Humor

Snippit

2008-12-11T07:31:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to find the medium between this blog thing and the journaling thing.

I've written every day in a journal since I was in seventh grade. That's written long hand (quite a concept these days). But these past few months I've been slacking off in my journal. I still write every day, but many times entries are more like my status updates on Twitter.

Yesterday I went to a mini lecture on blogging put on by the university communications specialist. There are 15 of us who will be blogging on a university blog while studying abroad in South Africa and Madrid. He stressed to many an amateur blogger the importance of short, concise, focused posts.

No one wants to read your stream of consciousness ...

... because everyone's busy these days.

So I guess that means I don't even have time to write down my stream of consciousness in my own journal, much less read anyone else's. Or it means the digital age of journalism is taking over everything. Watch out.

Jimmy Atto: At a college near you

2008-12-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

I interviewed a pretty cool musician in October for my final project. He was really jazzed about getting his name out there. But I did feel really bad telling him that our project Web site wasn't going to be published online. So here's a tribute to Jimmy Atto:

Stage lights shone off Jimmy Atto’s blue Crocs as he tapped his foot to the rhythm of his guitar. His black curls rebounded as he thrust the final chord of his first song. The 28-year-old singer-songwriter from Detroit introduced himself and immediately began to talk with the audience.

“So I left all my shoes in Detroit,” Atto began. He told the crowd of about 50 at The Union Sports Annex that he didn’t notice he’d forgotten the shoes until he reached the University of Mississippi to play his first show this fall. By the Oct. 4 show at Marquette, he’d been wearing the same pair of worn-out blue Crocs for a week and a half.

Atto hasn’t gone back for his shoes. He’s pushing through his nation-wide college campus tour in Crocs because the best way to convey his music is through live performances, he said. This is why he spends more time performing than striving for perfection on his albums.

“Who would want to hear something that sounds perfect on an album, then come to the show and be disappointed because it doesn’t sound like it did on the album?” Atto said. “I like to overproduce at live shows and give (the audience) more than they expected.”

Atto calls himself a one-man outfit. He books his own shows, writes his own songs and plays the guitar and harmonica. His original influences were Matchbox Twenty, U2 and John Mayer, but now he’s taken on the acoustic influences Keb’Mo’, Jack Johnson and David Gray.

Atto’s development as an artist has taken a few twists and turns over the past six years.

Atto said he doesn’t really know how he ended up with two albums and nation-wide tour from his Ford Taurus he dubbed the “TaurBus.” Atto didn’t even own a guitar prior to college.

Atto used to sing along while his high-school friend, Ben, played the guitar. The self-described late bloomer ended up with the guitar as a last-minute gift when Ben forgot Atto’s 18^th birthday.

“It’s a running joke,” he said. “What inspired you to make music? Oh, my friend’s guilt.”

After teaching himself on the guitar, Atto wrote a few songs and played mainly at open mic nights in coffee shops.

“I did it when no one was listening,” he said.

Before graduating from Western Michigan University in 2002, Atto realized he wanted nothing to do with his degree broadcast and cable production. He began working on his first album, “Time Is Right.” The producer required that Atto buy a minimum of 1,000 copies of the CD, which Atto said left him broke.

“But the coolness outweighed the brokeness,” he said.

In efforts to get rid of his CDs, Atto decided to hop in the TaurBus and set out for colleges and universities. Along the way he released his second album, “Low Carb LP,” in 2004.

Atto toured steadily for four academic years after graduating. The pay on tour was sporadic and unpredictable. To make ends meet, Atto waited tables, delivered flowers and did computer consulting during the summer. Atto said he became “sucked in by the pay check” from his summer jobs and ceased his tour. But he was miserable. And he was still broke.

“I thought, ‘I could play music and I could still be this broke, but I could be really enjoying life,’” he said.

Now Atto is on the second leg of his tour, playing shows until the end of November. He calls it “resurgence.”

Atto said he’d much rather perform live than record an album. There’s more interaction. He values that simple form of communication. It’s action and reaction between performer and audience that’s just understood, he said.

Atto’s real dream is to perform a college lecture tour where everyone knows his songs and he can explain the how each song came to be.

Matt Binder, 28, studied broadcast and cable production with Atto at Western Michigan and has helped produce both of Atto’s albums.

Binder said Atto would sometimes walk into class looking beat up and tired from the night before, not from partying, but from playing.

Atto focuses on telling stories through his songs, Binder said. Often times songs are about people he’s met or has made up. Characters pop up all over Atto’s songs, and the audience hears the back-story, Binder said.

One of these back-stories is about Atto’s his little sister, Margeau Barnes, now 17.

Barnes said Atto used to take her to the fair when she was young, but she would become extremely jealous when girls would gaze over at her attractive older brother. So Atto wrote one of his first songs based on their childhood days at the fair called “Look-out.” Atto said the song gives brotherly advice and tells his little sis some things about life.

“As for what the others say/ I don’t care/ There’s no ‘older brother’s day’/ It’s not fair/ As for all the passers-by/ Don’t stare/ You will always have a guide/ I swear.”

Barnes said she gets emotional when Atto sings her song.

“He loves hanging out with his little sister,” she said. “He’s down to earth and chilled out all the time, and he always stuck up for me.”

Chill as Atto may be, Barnes added that her brother is a goofball.

Binder also recalled Atto’s silliness. Atto recorded the scratch tracks of “Low Carb LP” lying on his back on a couch in the studio “just taking it easy,” Binder said.

“He’s definitely a goofball who likes to joke around,” Binder said. “But I know when it comes to his music he’s real serious about it.”

Binder said Atto is willing to get up and play anywhere. Atto will call Binder at odd hours so he can stay awake a he drives the TaurBus across the country from show to show, he said.

“He’s a maniac like that,” Binder said. “He’s very dedicated to his craft and what he does.”

Atto wrote a song called “Ordinary” about this dedication and his tours and travels. Atto said he drives endlessly and constantly asks himself what he’s doing.

“It’s about uncertainty and solitude, knowing why you’re doing it but not understanding how you got there,” he said.

Atto said he never thought he’d reach this point in his career.

“I don’t care about being rich. I just want to make a living and I want to be able to write songs and play music,” Atto said. “And maybe I can make a little money -- enough to buy a new pair of crocs once in a while.”

Atto plans to return to The Annex for a follow-up show this spring. A date has not yet been set.

Re-examining the industry

2008-11-26T15:33:00.000-08:00

Good thing none of the content from my last post was on the exam.

It's more fun when the exam questions surprise you, anyways.

But I guess my cynicism isn't really merited, considering all of the test questions came straight from the book.

So here's a new attempt to further explore the things about online journalism that apparently I didn't quite grasp a few weeks ago:

What is a newsgroup?

After some investigation online about newsgroups, they seem useful (although not always reliable) and incredibly absorbing. Newsgroups are systems that allow readers to post e-mail messages for others to read. Members can upload files, share information and respond to questions.

Some services require payment, such as Giganews and NewsDemon. Others are college-student-sustaining-economic-calamity-friendly, such as the free services offered by Google Groups.

After a search on Google Groups, I discovered there are myriad groups from nutrition to politics to finance. There's even a group for the Medieval Society of Marquette.

In the journalistic realm, newsgroups should be taken with a grain of salt. Although they can provide background information, tips and story suggestions, newsgroups aren’t necessarily reliable sources.

But there are resources and forums specifically for journalists in an online era. One group of note is called Wired Journalists. I just joined it.

The group says it’s for journalists who want to build online skills, serve the community and advance their careers. All of the above: check.

Members can list their personal Web sites, blogs, Linkedin and Facebook profiles. They can even follow each another on Twitter.

The site features questions to which members can reply discussion board-style. A recent question simply asks, “How do you feel about journalism right now?”

The responses are insightful. Kurt Greenbaum, an editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, wrote something I found particularly intriguing:

“I feel great about journalism. I think there has never been a better (or more important) time to be a journalist, because of all the means and modes of getting information. I feel deeply concerned about the newspaper industry, however.”

That’s somewhat reassuring (says the student blogger…) but also a bit unnerving (…who also works for the student newspaper). Either way, posts like this open doors for more posts and more interactivity on the Web through newsgroups.

It's a shame I didn't look into this before that exam...

Examining the industry

2008-11-11T07:01:00.000-08:00

In efforts to study for my exam tomorrow, I’ve been going through my notes. Duh.

The first thing in there is about converged newsroom methods. They’ve become increasingly reporter-driven. Producers used to dictate where reporters went on story assignments and instructed the appropriate angle to take. But thanks to those little black backpacks accommodating thousands of dollars worth of electronic toys, reporters can take liberties like never before.

There are some pros Dr. Byers discussed in class:

1) Immediacy. Multimedia coverage can come from most remote of places.

2) Non-linear. Stories can take twists and turns as readers link to supporting pages and articles online.

3) Continuous and expanding coverage. The story develops quickly as reporters continually add updates.

4) Lower costs. Save the trees. We like digital.

5) Opportunity for getting info from a variety of sources and media. Access is endless.

6) Two-way communication: Consumers can offer their own material. Story comments appreciated, thank you.

7) Easier to travel, less distracting to onlookers. All the equipment is so tiny and fits so nicely into that backpack.

Great stuff. But what about the cons? Backpack journalism certainly isn’t the end-all be-all.

1) May produce reports that lack context and analysis. Immediacy is great, but often there’s no time to hone in on details before a reporter moves to the next thing.

2) “Jack of all trades, master of none.” I can take a few decent photos and put them into iMovie to make a nice looking audio/photo slide show. But it’s just nice. Not spectacular. (A note to my future employer: It’s not spectacular yet.)

3) Forced backpacking reduces quality. I’m tired. I don’t want to run around all day and shoot video and photos and blog and then write a story.

4) Technical hiccups. Once my iTalk drained my iPod battery and I had to take notes longhand. What!?

5) Requires multimedia convergence. We’ve seen this effort flop so many times, even right here at MU Student Media.

6) Seasoned journalists and academics are skeptical of change. Everything worked so well in the past, and this is a pretty big jump.

7) BIG DEMAND. LOW SUPPLY. (Another note to my future employer: Hello!)

2008-11-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

Regrettably, the past few posts have not been based around some ridiculous comment from Dr. Byers.

Had I been able to finish my last post, there would have been some comment on a Byers absurdity. But when the screams of students thundering down Wisconsin Avenue echoed all the way to the basement of Johnston Hall, we all got a bit distracted.

At that point three of us dashed outside armed with video cameras and notebooks to run with the pack.

And then we wrote a story about it, but that's beside the point.

The basis of my post would have been that in the midst of such a historic election and the fact that half of our class was involved with producing a newspaper that in six hours would come hot off the press with election coverage, we would still, still, have an exam the next morning.

That's an absurdity.

However, our class received an e-mail at some point throughout the evening stating that the exam was moved to next week.

And there was much rejoicing.

And then some sleeping.

And now we're studying.

Election Night 2008

2008-11-04T20:21:00.000-08:00

ELECTION NIGHT 2008 – an epic moment. The Associated Press, CNN, CBS, The New York Times, everyone has called Barack Obama as the 44^th president of the United States of America.

We’re in the Marquette Tribune newsroom right now watching CNN live. Our reporters are out on scene at the Obama and McCain campaign parties. I can only imagine the respective screams of thrill and tears of sorrow.

Here in the basement we just sit and watch. We only see the masses at Obama’s rally at Grant Park in Chicago. We see the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s joyful tears. We can only wait for formal concession from John McCain.

Don't propagate, illuminate

2008-10-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

As journalists, we are encouraged to have dirty minds. It’s our responsibility to prevent double entendres and unintended meanings from getting into print.

Although Mr. Feyrer pushes us to expand our dirty minds, he explained one word that is not dirty: propaganda.

Propaganda is the deliberate publicity of information to promote a cause, idea or philosophy. Or it can be information that damages the opposing cause, idea or philosophy. But that’s just what Merriam-Webster says.

Feyrer said propaganda is not recognizing an image for what it is.

So does that mean it’s only propaganda if you fail to recognize the manipulation? And who’s to say what is manipulated? As editors, how do we remove those propaganda goggles?

It’s necessary to check if the author is clearly identified and the facts are attributed. If it’s scholarly work and the emotional appeal is played down, then it may elucidate the situation. And it’s key that the writers and editors take responsibility for the work, according to Feyrer.

But it’s even more important to ask if the consequences of the work are accurately depicted. As long as editors illuminate a situation, we do no harm.

Feyer said the greatest danger of propaganda is misunderstanding. Our world is so complex and words are so powerful. It’s tricky to shed light on every aspect of a situation. But that’s the trap we fall into. That’s where propaganda lurks.

So as editors, we better illuminate the hell out of everything that comes through our desks.

But Feyrer added that we shouldn’t allow propaganda into the wrong venue.

So does that mean propaganda has a legitimate place in the media?

I think so.

Should it happen in the news media? No. That’s a place where journalists ought to remain objective and illuminate a situation. Readers can then make their own, educated, informed decisions.

Should it happen in the mass media? Yes. The news media provides readers with the information, then they can go out and create their own propaganda. There’s nothing wrong with persuasion in the right setting. Nothing would ever get done.

The 'boring part'

2008-10-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Dr. Byers said he gets the fun part of teaching JOUR100.

Byers teasingly mentioned this to Dick Feyrer, his scholarly counterpart who teaches the editing portion of the class.

“And you get stuck with the boring part,” a smiling Byers said.

Byers taught the editing component last year. He has apparently paid his dues.

But I wouldn’t call editing “boring.” Sure, it’s not exactly as interactive as a flashy Web site and it certainly doesn’t involve audio/video storytelling, but it’s still valuable. I’d call editing wearisome before I’d call it boring. It’s investigating a story so thoroughly that the editor becomes mentally (and sometimes physically) tiring.

And that’s quite a feat.

Of course an editor must eliminate redundancy. They must rework sentences to avoid the passive voice. An editor must also catch those pesky "affect" and "effect" errors. But as Feyrer said, you can’t correct or improve upon what you don’t understand.

Editing is getting to the heart of the story. It’s posing big picture questions and retrieving meaningful answers. It’s asking, “Why should I care?” And then it’s actually caring.

That’s not boring.

Rules of Thumb and Hand

2008-09-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

The Steve Byers Rule of Thumb: Never have a head smaller than your thumb.

Our class designed front pages last week. This week we critiqued them, and I certainly violated that design rule of thumb.

When designing a page, never make a picture so tiny a person’s face is smaller than your thumb. Never write headlines shorter than the length of your thumb either.

I’d never even opened Adobe InDesign before last week, much less had I designed a page. That may explain why my columns were off-kilter, my text didn’t wrap correctly and my heads were smaller than my thumb. My page simply looked like a solid text block with a jumble of headlines at the top.

But it’s a learning experience. Next time my elements will have a definite hierarchy. My photos will be rectangular instead of unattractive and square-like. Maybe I’ll even have some functional text wrapping around those rectangular photos. I’ll use rules between my columns.

And I’ll include more visual content.

In addition to his Rule of Thumb, Steve Byers also offered a Rule of Hand: Always be able to touch some design, photo or graphic element when you lay your hand down on a page.

I have small hands, so this is especially challenging.

The page I designed last week had one photo of Nancy Pelosi and other House representatives in the center just above the fold (and their heads were more like pinky-size). In the bottom right corner was a small (and square) photo of plastic water bottles that allegedly contained biphenyl a.

But two elements may have saved my pitiful design: The weather graphic at the bottom of the page and the teaser photos above the masthead for stories about glamour girls Keira Knightley and Lindsay Lohan. (Upon seeing another teaser photo of Miley Cyrus, Dr. Byers put the class on hold to ask if anyone knew whether the teenybopper puts collagen in her lips. Curious.)

Regardless, I violated the Rule of Hand. Majorly.

Miley and Keira aside, I needed more graphics to draw in the reader. As compelling as text may be, something needs to initially catch the reader’s eye.

Maybe I should consider adding some graphic elements to my blog.

A blog about blogs

2008-09-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

"How many hits does the average blog get per year?" asked Dr. Byers.

(Silence.)

"You gutless wonders," he said. "You guys will never be teachers."

“One hundred?” a student ventured.

“One.”

Just one hit? That seems a bit unfortunate. That either speaks to the sheer number of blogs out there or to the nonsense on some of those blogs.

But if you want to up readership there’s even software that can translate your blog into 13 different languages: German, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Dutch, Greek, French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese Simplified and Chinese Traditional. If your lucky you might be able to get Norwegian. Thanks, Taranga.Com for developing the Translator Plugin Pro. Now I know who to call when I need my J100 blog translated to Korean.

Then there are sites like Bloglines, Technorati and BlogScope that are entirely dedicated to tracking other blogs. BlogScope, developed as part of a research project at the University of Toronto, currently tracks more than 29.74 million blogs. Imagine the time you could spend just surfing the blogosphere through this single site. (I’ve not only imagined this, I’ve sufficiently stalled my studying for more than an hour- thank you, BlogScope.) And among the blogs the site tracks, there are 487.96 million posts. That makes this one look pretty puny.

But hey, at least I know I have one hit.

So thanks, Dr. Byers, for helping me meet the standard. Maybe one day I’ll rise above the average blogger.

2008-08-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Sarah's blog for the wondrously captivating class of Journalism 100!

Although the class is made up of Marquette's most eager and talented young journalists, collectively we have a very dull sense of humor. That's according to our professor anyway. I don't think Dr. Byers enjoys our silence and blank stares after he cracks a stale joke.

"Now is when you're supposed to laugh," he says. (Insert faint grins and accommodating chuckles here.) "You guys have no sense of humor."

And at this point can't quite tell if our response makes Dr. Byers uncomfortable or if he genuinely thinks we're lifeless.

Well, maybe we're still trying to get over that first-week-of-class insecurity. Or maybe noon on Mondays and Wednesdays is just too early for us to get our acts together. Or maybe we really are lacking in the drollness department.

Whatever the case, I'm still amused by the fact that we don't (or can't) force a laugh out once in a while. So here's to all the entertaining things Dr. Byers says in class--from tales to tangents to general tomfoolery--in hopes that maybe one day we'll get it.