It's about time for all my law school applications to be sent in. I've become obsessed with analyzing my chances at every law school in existence and recently started looking back on my undergraduate major choice in the eyes of an admissions officer. Because law schools discourage a pre-law major, and many schools have stopped offering it, students applying to law schools are from all across the board. The American Bar Association provides guidelines for choosing a major that will be helpful in law school. This is how journalism stacks up:
Analytic/Problem Solving Skills: Check. Journalists are constantly using analytical skills. News selection, spotting holes in stories and deciding on the most important information seem to apply to journalism only. But they develop skills that can be used anywhere.
Critical Reading Abilities: Check. The ABA recommends reading about a wide range of topics. Anyone who has read in-depth pieces on the economy or politics knows journalism isn't simplified all the time. Journalists, more than anyone else, need to know a little bit of everything. History, government, literature and economics were all covered during my first years in the major, leaving me fairly well-rounded.
Writing Skills: Check. "...lawyers must learn to express themselves clearly and consicely." As journalists, we're studying the art of communicating clearly and consicely. Of course, not everyone in the law field remembers this basic rule. Lawyerly essays are unnecessarily long, wordy and jargon-filled, and I will probably be expected to write like that once in law school. One thing I know for sure is that it will be against my will.
Oral Communication and Listening Abilities: Double check. A good reporter is more than just a writer.
General Research Skills: This one should be obvious.
Task Organization and Management Skills: Supercheck! Deadlines, anyone?
The Values of Serving Others and Promoting Justice: In my honest opinion, I think the media can do this more easily than a lawyer. Journalists played a large role in pushing along the civil rights' movement, uncovering Watergate and denouncing the actions of McCarthy during the Cold War. On a smaller scale, reporters always ask the following question when writing typical daily stories: How is this beneficial or important to my reader?
General Knowledge:
I think they might be talking about journalism:
"Some of the types of knowledge that would maximize your ability to benefit from a legal education include:
* A broad understanding of history, including the various factors (social, political, economic, and cultural) that have influenced the development of our society in the United States.
* A fundamental understanding of political thought and of the contemporary American political system.
* Some basic mathematical and financial skills, such as an understanding of basic pre-calculus mathematics and an ability to analyze financial data.
* A basic understanding of human behavior and social interaction.
* An understanding of diverse cultures within and beyond the United States, of international institutions and issues, of world events, and of the increasing interdependence of the nations and communities within our world."
Now that I've paid my respects to journalism, I want to mention a few reasons why it can be negative to offer no pre-law undergraduate major.
I sometimes feel disconnected from my major and class. It's hard feeling like you're the only one in a class not getting experience in a newsroom or creating a portfolio of your best clips. I know I probably should have gotten an internship by now anyway, but I just can't give up my very well-paying job as an LSAT teacher for a field I know I don't have a future in. It reminds me of that childish feeling of not fitting in. I'm the outcast.
Senioritis soars to a new level. I know...next year's going to be worse. It's not like I'm getting a break. But I'm so excited to finally be able to immerse myself academically into the field of law. It's the field I'm going to be working in for the rest of my life! It was hard studying for a marketing exam when the LSAT was creeping up and it's hard reading about long-dead journalists when there are whole Web sites that let me see who got into my favorite schools. Rushing around on deadline to write a news story is impossible when your heart's not in it. I did say I enjoyed journalism, and I wouldn't pick another major. I also listed the valuable skills that journalism has given me. But perfecting my interviewing technique and becoming a great headline writer are not as interesting as touring law schools. These next few months of law school applications are a big deal!
There will never be a great solution to this problem. Schools can't offer a pre-law major. What's someone to do with an almost-law degree? However, prospective law students are expected to become near-experts in a field they like only second best.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Journalism for Dummies
I went through my first NewsU course last night and did not find it very useful. However, Poynter is not to blame. Journalism itself is the culprit. I chose the course called "The Interview" in order to improve at what I feel is the most difficult and most essential part of good reporting. The course is simplified, providing information that all journalists and journalism students should already know. The interactive game does not give online students a chance to practice. It only lets them choose their speed by clicking along a pre-determined path. Clicking the mouse prompts the in-game journalist to ask interview questions that only require a yes or no answer, and another click of the mouse will answer a cell phone call from Chip, who lectures on why that journalist should have asked open-ended questions.
But as I was trying to think of ways the game might be improved, I realized something. It can't. After journalists learn the few text-book basics of interviewing, there's nothing more to teach them. A journalist who reads bookshelves of interviewing guides will not be any better than the journalist in the field practicing the skill. This is why the NewsU course failed to meet my expectations. The actual information we learn in any journalism course, from Intro to Advanced Reporting is simple. It's applying it that's the hard part.
Now I know for next time to pick a subject I know nothing about with the goal of familiarizing myself with a subject, not improving.
But as I was trying to think of ways the game might be improved, I realized something. It can't. After journalists learn the few text-book basics of interviewing, there's nothing more to teach them. A journalist who reads bookshelves of interviewing guides will not be any better than the journalist in the field practicing the skill. This is why the NewsU course failed to meet my expectations. The actual information we learn in any journalism course, from Intro to Advanced Reporting is simple. It's applying it that's the hard part.
Now I know for next time to pick a subject I know nothing about with the goal of familiarizing myself with a subject, not improving.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Google Maps: Easy and Effective
The story of the day seems to be the fires in California, and I found a good example of an effective way to use the Google Maps we talked about in class a few weeks ago. Not surprisingly, the Los Angeles Times has thorough coverage of the fires. A link on the homepage takes Web surfers to a Google Map that includes locations of each fire and information on the number of homes destroyed and people injured. This map is an example of a tool that is simple to use but valuable. The precise location of the fires is something that residents of California need to know, especially if they have evacuated from the area and have no other way of knowing about the houses and valuables they left behind.
The New York Times also has a map of the fires. Although I think it looks more professional than a Google Map at first glance, it does not have anywhere near the value. The small picture cannot be enlarged, and the only cities on the map are San Diego, Santa Barbara, Malibu and Los Angeles, leaving people to only estimate where the fires are occurring. It isn't as imperative for the New York Times to include detailed information, but because this is such a large national news story, it would make it much more interesting. In this case, there is no doubt that the map by The Los Angeles Times wins. A map such as the one used by the New York Times would not have satisfied the needs of their readers.
The New York Times also has a map of the fires. Although I think it looks more professional than a Google Map at first glance, it does not have anywhere near the value. The small picture cannot be enlarged, and the only cities on the map are San Diego, Santa Barbara, Malibu and Los Angeles, leaving people to only estimate where the fires are occurring. It isn't as imperative for the New York Times to include detailed information, but because this is such a large national news story, it would make it much more interesting. In this case, there is no doubt that the map by The Los Angeles Times wins. A map such as the one used by the New York Times would not have satisfied the needs of their readers.
Monday, October 1, 2007
A little too close for comfort...and I want to be a lawyer?
Last week in JOU4201 we sat in with another class to hear Christine Montgomery speak about her job with the Web department at the St. Petersburg Times. I actually kept thinking that it was for JOU4341 because the lecture was entirely applicable to the class. At first she showed us a few fun and creative multimedia projects. They weren't amazing, but they did demonstrate the variety of things you can do on the Web. Some projects even crossed the line into silly.
She ended by introducing us to a Web special report called Doubt. It is a detailed view into the murder trial of Leo Schofield. Viewers can hear Schofield tell his story, trace his whereabouts on a map and come to their own conclusion about the murder. The report probably contains more information than a juror, who was present at the trial, could tell. I noted some interesting things about this report.
First, it's important to know that I read and listened to the whole report. I lie here sick with a fever, but the report grabbed me and never tested my attention span. Looking back, I realize how much text I must have read. All of that information in a newspaper would be overwhelming, even if supplemented with interesting photos.
Also, the story was more understandable because of the graphics. I probably wouldn't have paid attention to his alibi if I couldn't visualize the route he took. Even if I did pay attention, it wouldn't have meant anything to me.
The fact that viewers could watch Schofield tell his story is also important because we are able to pick up on facial expression and gestures. Those are things that journalists claim are most important to notice while interviewing a person but the average viewer doesn't get many chances to see them.
During the Seeds of Doubt section of the report, viewers are given the opportunity to hear a phone conversation with another suspect and his grandmother. However, the audio clip doesn't play automatically because it contains explicit language. Everything on print and TV is censored, but the Web allows us to decide for ourselves. Gory pictures that would have newspaper editors arguing can go online with a warning attached.
Finally, I must end this by saying that after being engrossed in such a mystery and feeling so close to the characters in this case, I am left feeling slightly disturbed. :-\
She ended by introducing us to a Web special report called Doubt. It is a detailed view into the murder trial of Leo Schofield. Viewers can hear Schofield tell his story, trace his whereabouts on a map and come to their own conclusion about the murder. The report probably contains more information than a juror, who was present at the trial, could tell. I noted some interesting things about this report.
First, it's important to know that I read and listened to the whole report. I lie here sick with a fever, but the report grabbed me and never tested my attention span. Looking back, I realize how much text I must have read. All of that information in a newspaper would be overwhelming, even if supplemented with interesting photos.
Also, the story was more understandable because of the graphics. I probably wouldn't have paid attention to his alibi if I couldn't visualize the route he took. Even if I did pay attention, it wouldn't have meant anything to me.
The fact that viewers could watch Schofield tell his story is also important because we are able to pick up on facial expression and gestures. Those are things that journalists claim are most important to notice while interviewing a person but the average viewer doesn't get many chances to see them.
During the Seeds of Doubt section of the report, viewers are given the opportunity to hear a phone conversation with another suspect and his grandmother. However, the audio clip doesn't play automatically because it contains explicit language. Everything on print and TV is censored, but the Web allows us to decide for ourselves. Gory pictures that would have newspaper editors arguing can go online with a warning attached.
Finally, I must end this by saying that after being engrossed in such a mystery and feeling so close to the characters in this case, I am left feeling slightly disturbed. :-\
Sunday, September 23, 2007
I'm getting ready to begin interviews for the first class deadline and I'm realizing that I have no idea what I'm doing. Not only have I never used anything but pen and paper in an interview, but I've hardly ever watched audio slideshows on the Web. Naturally, I set out to find some examples. I wanted something more than just a video. I needed an example of narration, photos and interview clips as a guide.
I searched the St. Pete Times and Gainesville Sun without much luck. However, the New York Times had plenty of audio slideshows to choose from in almost every section of the site. I picked the slideshow on Mattel's recalls at random but found some useful information. While the narrator remained constant throughout the slideshow, clips of interviewees were placed throughout the story, in places where they would most logically make sense. It was very similar to a written news story in that way. The narrator's voice was distinguishable each time because it was always done with very clear audio, while the clips of the interviews all had background noise. While it can be hard to tell strangers' voices apart, that made it very easy to follow even without video. The only time it did get confusing was near the end, when two or three voices were talking to each other but were not identified.
This week I'll be interviewing two people about Bob Graham. Hopefully, I'll be able to blog later about the differences I saw in interviewing with the intent of capturing audio. As I said earlier, I'm completely inexperienced as of right now.
I searched the St. Pete Times and Gainesville Sun without much luck. However, the New York Times had plenty of audio slideshows to choose from in almost every section of the site. I picked the slideshow on Mattel's recalls at random but found some useful information. While the narrator remained constant throughout the slideshow, clips of interviewees were placed throughout the story, in places where they would most logically make sense. It was very similar to a written news story in that way. The narrator's voice was distinguishable each time because it was always done with very clear audio, while the clips of the interviews all had background noise. While it can be hard to tell strangers' voices apart, that made it very easy to follow even without video. The only time it did get confusing was near the end, when two or three voices were talking to each other but were not identified.
This week I'll be interviewing two people about Bob Graham. Hopefully, I'll be able to blog later about the differences I saw in interviewing with the intent of capturing audio. As I said earlier, I'm completely inexperienced as of right now.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Today I was browsing the Gainesville Sun's Web site when I realized how different their videos are from actual broadcast news. I watched a video of reporters who were outside their comfort level and commenting on the next Gators game, and then I watched a video called "Silent Football," taken during a football game for the deaf.
http://www.gainesvillesun.com/section/multimedia01
I thought the second video was really interesting because it seemed so uncut, as if I were viewing the whole scene from the field. The clip opens with a coordinator or teacher talking with the referees as they are deciding on the hand signal that is to replace the whistle. It depicts reality so much more than anything on broadcast news because there are no time limits online. It looks like a home video more than it does a story on the 11 o'clock news. A journalist's job is to tell a story in a way that allows the reader or viewer to understand it clearly. A great journalist can tell a story in a way that makes readers feel like they were there. Web sites run by newspapers now have not only the tool -- but the obligation -- to put these videos on the Internet and show viewers the entire story. Online journalism is a different world as the role of gatekeeper diminishes and consumers of the information decide for themselves.
I then watched a video of a Latino festival and it was more of the same type of footage. The only difference was that there were more interviews in that clip. The interesting thing about those interviews, though, was that the people were barely heard over the sound of the band in the background, making it feel more personal and real.
http://www.gainesvillesun.com/section/multimedia01
I thought the second video was really interesting because it seemed so uncut, as if I were viewing the whole scene from the field. The clip opens with a coordinator or teacher talking with the referees as they are deciding on the hand signal that is to replace the whistle. It depicts reality so much more than anything on broadcast news because there are no time limits online. It looks like a home video more than it does a story on the 11 o'clock news. A journalist's job is to tell a story in a way that allows the reader or viewer to understand it clearly. A great journalist can tell a story in a way that makes readers feel like they were there. Web sites run by newspapers now have not only the tool -- but the obligation -- to put these videos on the Internet and show viewers the entire story. Online journalism is a different world as the role of gatekeeper diminishes and consumers of the information decide for themselves.
I then watched a video of a Latino festival and it was more of the same type of footage. The only difference was that there were more interviews in that clip. The interesting thing about those interviews, though, was that the people were barely heard over the sound of the band in the background, making it feel more personal and real.
Friday, September 14, 2007
As I begin this class, I have no prior knowledge of convergence in media. None of the other classes I have taken at UF have allowed practical experience of the skills required in this area. Many journalism textbooks mention the trend toward convergence in a few paragraphs -- maybe even a chapter -- but they don't prepare me in any way to deal with the Web.
However, I do realize how imperative it is to learn these skills. I stumbled across an example recently that's only slightly related to this class, but it does show the importance of utilizing the Web in every field. I was reading a marketing textbook this week that was discussing the declining popularity of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. After receiving a $2 million grant from IBM to create a new Web site, the museum was able to draw more visitors. The site - http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/ - takes online visitors on a "Virtual Visit" and allows artwork to be looked at more closely by zooming in. This isn't media convergence, but it does show that marketers who ignore the Web will be left behind, just as journalists will be.
As for newspapers, I am still viewing these sites as a user and obtainer of information -- not a media-pro. What I always find to be most helpful as an average viewer is the election coverage. This is a huge area for the Web because it's impractical to list a summary of candidates, qualifications and major issues in the newspaper each day, especially a year before the actual election. Every major newspaper seems to have been able to build a kind of crash-course election guide, but they differ in some aspects.
http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/candidates/index.html
The New York Times has every candidate displayed, along with the issues they support and videos of them. One of the things I really like about the New York Times coverage of the candidates is that they separate them into the groups "Officially Announced" and "Widely Mentioned," while the Washington Post doesn't provide information about these people.
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/?nid=roll_08campaign
The Washington Post, though, gives more information overall about the current candidates. By clicking on one of the links, you can see all the issues that are dominating in the campaign and the amont of mentions the candidate has given to each issue. It even has a tool that allows users to put the issue tracker on their Web sites. The Washington Post also has photos and videos of each candidate's complete career, as well as a financial summary and campaign tracker. I can't really think of any information that's been left out by this site. If anything, it's a bit overwhelming. But because of the additional information that we can post on the Web, an average American who wants to make the most informed election decision will be able to do just that.
However, I do realize how imperative it is to learn these skills. I stumbled across an example recently that's only slightly related to this class, but it does show the importance of utilizing the Web in every field. I was reading a marketing textbook this week that was discussing the declining popularity of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. After receiving a $2 million grant from IBM to create a new Web site, the museum was able to draw more visitors. The site - http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/ - takes online visitors on a "Virtual Visit" and allows artwork to be looked at more closely by zooming in. This isn't media convergence, but it does show that marketers who ignore the Web will be left behind, just as journalists will be.
As for newspapers, I am still viewing these sites as a user and obtainer of information -- not a media-pro. What I always find to be most helpful as an average viewer is the election coverage. This is a huge area for the Web because it's impractical to list a summary of candidates, qualifications and major issues in the newspaper each day, especially a year before the actual election. Every major newspaper seems to have been able to build a kind of crash-course election guide, but they differ in some aspects.
http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/candidates/index.html
The New York Times has every candidate displayed, along with the issues they support and videos of them. One of the things I really like about the New York Times coverage of the candidates is that they separate them into the groups "Officially Announced" and "Widely Mentioned," while the Washington Post doesn't provide information about these people.
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/?nid=roll_08campaign
The Washington Post, though, gives more information overall about the current candidates. By clicking on one of the links, you can see all the issues that are dominating in the campaign and the amont of mentions the candidate has given to each issue. It even has a tool that allows users to put the issue tracker on their Web sites. The Washington Post also has photos and videos of each candidate's complete career, as well as a financial summary and campaign tracker. I can't really think of any information that's been left out by this site. If anything, it's a bit overwhelming. But because of the additional information that we can post on the Web, an average American who wants to make the most informed election decision will be able to do just that.
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