Studying the intersection of journalism, interactive communications and public discourse
The first time I traveled to Philippines to visit my maternal grandparents, I was astounded to learn that they didn’t have a telephone in their home. It was 1989, and there was only one telephone in their entire town of Burauen, Leyte. To communicate with my grandparents, my mother in Connecticut had to either write them a letter, or, call …
From an article on the national news wires: “Want to live longer? A new study suggests that where and how you live may be stronger predictors of longevity than access to health insurance or higher income.” Among states, Hawaiians are living longest, around 80 for men and women, followed by California, Connecticut, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, …
The New England Associated Press News Executives Association (NEAPNEA) Web Site contest winners were announced today. For 2006 best entertainment site, the winner is: www.ctnow.com – The Hartford Courant Detail from the judges’ comments: “Hartford may not be the hottest entertainment town in the country, but judging from CTNow.com, it’s a lot closer than many …
Shortly after the sad and terrifying events of September 11, 2001, I discovered this website – hereisnewyork.org Here Is New York is an archive, an oral history, an online memorial, a community of contributors, a “democracy of photographs.” Another good website of audio oral histories about 9/11 is storycorps.net. Hear people speak about the events in their own words, in their own voices …
Interesting story today on NPR’s Morning Edition about Wikipedia. “Wikipedia is the ever-evolving work of hundreds-of-thousands of volunteer writers and editors who range from high school students to academic scholars. This leaves the online encyclopedia open to criticism and ridicule. That doesn’t seem to stop people from using the site as a source for knowledge.” …
In the spirit of pointless, time-wasting online fun, I’ve created a special ICM501 anthem. Listen to it here: http://www.sr.se/P1/src/sing/index.htm?key=X6N2TLGS# (It may take about 20 seconds to load… worth the wait) My most recent ctnow.com summer intern – a terrific QU journalism undergrad – sent me a funny happy birthday message using this same Swedish Radio website. …
ICM501 classmate Allan Hoving wrote a great line in his first response paper: “We can call up every bit and serve out every byte, but the Hubble telescope still wears glasses and the election of the President of the United States hangs on paper chads.” I agree with Allan. Technology is far from perfect. I didn’t discuss Vannevar Bush’s …
Yes, I’m not ashamed to admit that celebrity news is my guilty pleasure. Here’s the latest tidbit from Hollywood, proven with a scientific study: “Celebrities are more in love with themselves than the average person.” The study found that reality TV stars were the most narcissistic of all celebrities. Female stars were also more likely than …
“Society rightly distrusts the modeling done by a single mind,” observed J.C.R. Licklider and Robert W. Taylor in their 1968 essay, “The Computer as a Communication Device.” “Society demands consensus, agreement, at least majority.” Licklider and Taylor’s decades-old statement applies today to the general distrust the modern American public seems to have of the news media. Traditional news gathering organizations have historically portrayed …
More evidence how the web is changing the news business. In an article today from the BBC: Free weekly newspapers have been around for years, but the launch of London’s third free daily on Monday is further evidence that the public seems less inclined to pay for their news fix. Most 18- to 35-year-olds expect …