Global Media News

Is it Appropriate For Journalists To Use Carnage And Gruesome photos In The Media?

      Do you remember going to the movies and seeing your first horror film?  Was their a ton of blood in it?  Was their a gruesome death that made you say "oh my god, what did I just see?"  Even though your leaving the movie theatre with the thought of "well that was just a movie. Nothing like that will ever happen in society today."  On the other hand, do you ever  have the thought, what if that gruesome mass murder I just saw in the movies, became a reality?  Well the answer is plain and simple. YES.  The images that were considered gruesome and carnage in that movie, can be seen in the media at anytime when a horrific crime takes place.

     An event that has brought up the discussion and debate of how journalists show gruesome and carnage photos in the media for example, was the Boston Marathon Bombings. The second this mass murder took place on that Monday afternoon in downtown Boston, you knew this would be the headlines in the paper the next morning for sure. However, what you didn't know, is what will the front page of the newspapers look like?  You don't think they would actually show a person lying in there own blood would you? Well if you think they wouldn't, you are wrong.

     The front page of the Daily News that next day, was a very powerful photo.  The picture was very gruesome and carnage, as there was a pool of blood all over the sidewalk, as an elderly man lies their in pain with a citizen trying to come to his aid.  Right next to the injured marathon viewer, was a women siting on the sidewalk as well, just sitting their just traumatized. 

    So the question now comes to rise.  Is it appropriate for journalists to  show gruesome and carnage photos like this and post them in the media?  The answer is yes.   You're objective is to show the readers the reality of life and death, but on the other hand, you don't want to shock or upset the viewers and readers.

     According to USA Today, every news organization has a standard on what their suppose to post online and in the media.

    "You don't want pictures to be a horror movie. You want it to be storytelling. It should provide some evidentiary purpose." says Nina Berman, a photography professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.  Usatoday

    According to Bob Cohn, the digital editor of The Atlantic, Mr. Cohn has very similar thoughts to how Mrs. Berman feels.  "We thought it was such an honest and powerful representation of the tragic impact of the bombings" nytimes

     However, many people may not agree with Mr. Cohn and Mrs. Berman's statements.   People will often ask the question, does showing a dead body in the media really serve a purpose? Many people think their is no need because it shows disrespect to the deceased and the deceased's family members.  Sadly, that is not how journalists and the media think though.

     "Our job is to deliver the news and in the case of an international tragedy, we have a responsibility not to shy away from the real human toll," Snyder said. "We respect readers' decision whether or not to look." Usatoday 

     Many people and citizens in society do not enjoy seeing gruesome and carnage photos.  People in society are very sensitive in the 21st century and it doesn't take much for someone to get upset or annoyed by a photo that a journalists publishes in the media. 

     Readers and viewers will always make a comment on photo that is gruesome and has carnage in it.  What they have to understand is that the journalists or organization has a job to do still, and that job is to capture a graphic photo that shows the pain of what took place. 

     You never want to see a gruesome photo.  Especially one that is authentic and isn't edited by the media before being posted. Seeing these photos can turn your stomach inside out.  They almost leave you speechless.  However, these photos are shown and published in the media for a reason.  Their published and posted to tell a story and to show you how horrid the event that took place really was.  People in society may not be happy with that answer or decision that the media takes, but in time that is something they will have to get used to.

  Last but not least, the question comes up again, is it appropriate for journalists to show carnage and gruesome photos in the media?  Some will say it is appropriate, and some will say its disrespectful and disgusting. 

  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but really do you're homework before making a comment on whether it is appropriate or not, because if a viewer or reader doesn't like your input, you may be in some trouble.

 

   

    

 

 

 

 

    

    

  

 

 

      

                                 

    

 

What Does Grasswire Represent In The New Media?

 

 

 

 

 

    

     Grasswire is the new and upcoming platform in the digital newsroom in the media.  This spectacular new tool is helping journalists all around the world not only tell a story, but their own stories, as well as editing them.

     Now the biggest question you probably are thinking to yourself is simple. What is exactly Grasswire? You may also be thinking, why are so many journalists starting to use this tool in the media?

   However, before we answer those questions, it is important to know when and who started this important new media tool.  According to Grasswire, Austen Allred, and Levil Notik are the co founders of Grasswire.  Grasswire was founded on October 1, 2014 and has become a huge hit in the media world ever since.

  Now the big question all new and upcoming Journalists seem to have.  What is Grasswire? Grasswire is a news platform that is now allowing the opportunity for journalists to write their own stories on their own, as well as having people contribute and put their own two cents in as well on what they think.  However, that is not the only thing Grasswire is allowing journalists to do.  With this new helpful tool, you can also use slack to help communicate with other colleagues and Journalists to make your story even better.

     "We're giving people a space to tell the stories that they think are important, to work with other people within our community and our collaborators" said Matthew Keys Journalism.co.uk

    Grasswire brings a significant tool to the media newsroom. It brings a media view that is very important when the word accuracy comes to mind.  According to techcrunch, you can show posts, so that you can make them appear at the top of the page you are on.  On the other hand,If you see something that is incorrect or maybe even your second guessing, you can disprove it by posting a source with the URL to information that shows it is incorrect.  When you share your specific post on social media, all of these links are shared with it which is very helpful for Journalists to complete their stories. 

      Now some people may not think this tool is helpful. Many journalists start to use the word refute, which means to prove wrong by argument.  However, Austen Allred has a different point of view.  

     "I feel like the ability to refute something is not that incredibly difficult. The real power of journalism is when we have massive amounts of people trying to scrutinize whether or not that is accurate enough.” TechCrunch

     Grasswire is even being seen and used on Snapchat now.  Grasswire was introduced to snapchat to show powerful images, as well as powerful useful information.  For instance, like images of fires in a valley, or the aftermath of a powerful earthquake, or even the suspect of a murder in a court case.  Having Grasswire on Snap chat is a good thing because it allows journalists to find and see first hand events from a live stand point.  This will allow them to make there story even more descriptive and insightful since they witnessed the image or video.

     I believe that the creation of Grasswire is only beneficial to Journalists now and upcoming Journalists in the future.  This is a tool that will be very helpful to Journalists when it comes time to writing their stories, as well as needing ones opinion or contributions.  This tool will also make the news in the media more accurate. journalists now have an opportunity to confirm updated n up to date news reports and facts using reliable and real sources. 

     Therefore, with slack and the new addition of Grasswire, it is very simple and helpful to write a story, as well as communicate with others. The combinations of these two fascinating media tools set up what you can call a digital newsroom for Journalists.  Many journalists will have different opinions on Grasswire, but it still a social media news discovery that will expand and become even bigger in the near future.  

 

      

    

 

 

 

 

 

Apple plays hard ball with publishers over ios9 news app

 

 

 

Just this Wednesday Apple has allowed users to use a new News app on IOS 9. The app’s features allow users to visualize a more personal experience with custom layouts, animation and photo galleries. The content on the app comes from the big dogs such as CNN, ESPN and The New York times, leaving many former publishers concerned.

However the concern first began when apple introduced publishers to the new apps terms and conditions via email. Apple stated they would be allowed to redistribute publishers work under apple terms if they do not receive a reply to the email. If publishers do not agree to the terms and conditions, they are unable to publish on the new News app. What had publishers looking at apple as downright crazy though, was the way apple abruptly delivered the news.

Mike Ash, a programmer at Plausible Labs. Says “You’re going to consider me bound to terms you just declared to me in an email as long as I don’t respond? That’s completely crazy. You don’t even know if I received the email!” 

Graham Hann, head of technology, media and communications at the Taylor Wessing law firm states:” the terms and conditions themselves are about on par with every other contract within the industry, except Apple is wrongfully making the automatic opt-in assumption. “I don’t see how the notice could form a binding contract without a positive reply,”

Unsurprisingly Apple has played hardball before. Just one of the many examples is when Apple Music service offered a three-month free trial which leaves labels with no royalties during that period. In this case Apple also gave very slim heads-up. It is understandable that Apple always strives to have the most and best content on their apps, However there is no doubt they can do things differently. Primarily change the way they send their terms and conditions that makes it an automatic opt-in. 

Fantasy Sports: Legal or Illegal?

 

If you own a TV, chances are you've been bombarded by the dozens of commercials by FanDuel and DraftKings from every direction. These websites have been under great scrutiny since their inception in 2009 and 2012 respectively. The main argument against these websites is that it is considered gambling and no skill is required to win.

The co-founder and CEO of DraftKings, Jason Robins, begs to differ. In an interview conducted by Fortune, Robins claims that the reason these sites have received so much flak is due to, "jealousy because they didn't think of it first". This may very well be true, but critics can't stray away from the fact that it is ultimately a form of betting. Regardless of all the nay-sayers, these fantasy sports games are considered to be legal in 45 states because skill is required in order to win, not luck.

The argument that fantasy sports is "skill based" rests on the idea that it takes a deep understanding of your favorite sport and team rosters. By studying a teams matchup, players health and production, you are able to narrow down the odds of that particular player having a good or bad outing that week. This in turn ensures that the user has a higher possibility of winning by playing the right players, rather than depending on luck.

Fantasy sports are here to stay. The bottom line is that they've gained too much momentum to be stopped. With the likes of Disney and FOX as partners and sponsors for DraftKings, it has upgraded the website to a "Unicorn Company" . So sit back, pick your favorite sport, and join the craze that took the U.S. by storm.

Sports Journalism is Opening New Doors to Women in Media

(Image from Instagram @jessmendoza2

Are women interested in Sports Journalism?

Sports Journalism has been a male dominated field for years, but every day we are seeing more women getting into the field. This is great for women journalist who's looking to enter the world of sports. According to a report by the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports, Sports Journalism is still a male dominated field yet and only few women has a job as a Sports Journalist in a major Newspaper or Sport Channel. More than ninety percent of Sports editors or writers are men. However, many doors are opening for new media professionals women's. From sports blogs to women in TV, everyday we see how  young media professional women are getting better position in the Media World.

However, According to Ed Sherman from Poynter.com, today we can see how more women are read, seen and heard on various platforms in sports. Sherman also said how women were not even allowed in locker rooms and know we can see women's sports editor such as Mary Byrne, who joined ESPN.com after leaving USA Today. In huge part this is because of the magic of the Internet and social media. Many of this young women are getting jobs because of their blogs, or personal websites where these young media professionals are reaching new people. This is how some companies spot some of these young minds and even offer women's jobs after seeing their value and online portfolios. According to Mallary Jean Tenore, now more than ever, young journalists need to show how they can help newsrooms navigate the changes they’re undergoing.

More women are getting into male dominated jobs in sports and in major media networks and newspapers. Another example is Sportcaster and color analyst, Jessica Mendoza, who this year became the first female broadcaster in the booth of ESPN College World Series. A month after, Mendoza became the first female analyst for a Major League Baseball game in the history of ESPN.

Once You Post, There's No Going Back....Except On BuzzFeed

Even though BuzzFeed strives to make itself more than just a list and quiz filled website, many of the organizations journalists are finding their posts being deleted for different reasons.

The American news media company describes itself as "the social news and entertainment company" as it "redefines online advertising with its social, content-driven publishing technology."  They also believe that,

(Image taken from Huffington Post)

"BuzzFeed provides the most shareable breaking news, original reporting, entertainment, and video across the social web to its global audience of more than 200M."

Ironically enough, their "shareable breaking news" and "original reporting" are argued to be at risk of being deleted at the company's discretion.  According to Gawker, BuzzFeed is well known for deleting its writers' posts for reasons of unfunniness, tone, and plagiarism.

An article posted on the website in 2012 regarding a political debate between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney was deleted two days after it was published.  Authors Zeke Miller and McKay Coppins reported their opinions on the debate, stating that they believed Romney was the winner of the debate and that Obama was a "weak leader."  Despite the fact that I, and many others, disagree with the journalists opinions, they do have a right to report on the topic and publish an article based on what they saw.  BuzzFeed's response to the deleted post was that it was a "technical glitch," whether that be the truth or not.

Another journalism fail on BuzzFeed's part took place when an article on Dove soap was taken down because it criticized the manufacturers latest ad campaign.  Huffington Post reports that in 2014, over 4,000 posts were deleted from the BuzzFeed website for "not aging well."  When BuzzFeed Life editors  Emily Fleischaker and Peggy Wang addressed the Dove incident in an email to staff, they stated:

"When we approach charged topics like body image and feminism, we need to show not tell. (That’s a good rule in general, by the way.) We can and should report on conversations that are happening around something that we have opinions about, but using our own voices (and hence, BuzzFeed’s voice) to advance a personal opinion often isn’t in line with BuzzFeed Life’s tone and editorial mission."

While BuzzFeed's reputation on this topic seems to be poor, Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith admits that the decision to delete over 4,000 stories was not the result of a "really-well-thought-out process."  Everyone has different opinions and journalists have every right to speak their mind about issues without the fear of their reporting being removed.

What is the Blossom Bot?

There are many new inventions popping up that allows individuals to connect/navigate social media. The Blossom Bot is one such invention. This bot is an "intelligent bot within the Messaging app Slack, it was created by the New York Times data science team to remove any guess work when it comes to posting on social media"(Shan Wang). The bot, according to Shan Wang, predicts how any type of post, be it a blog or an article, will do once it's posted on social media. The device also allows the writers to see which stories they should promote more.

The bots function, says Michael Castillo " is to sort through the performance of the Times 300 stories on social media and decide which of those to publish". With so much stories to go through less than half of that gets published on social media. The bot solves the problem of reading so many stories. Blossom in a way, is taking over the job that these journalists had when it comes to predicting a readable story. 

The bot offers a way for the news companies to offer compelling stories to their readers as well as keep up with the current trend. Gone would be the days where people are clueless about what interesting stories they should check out because the bot provides it to them.

This might offer some competition to other news companies out there as well in trying to bring up their views. Al Jazeera, following in the path of New York Times, found a way to receive timely news updates through Slack. Like the Times, a bot was created by Alaa Batayneh, a producer and data analyst for Al Jazeera English's online department. He created Seena, to allow reporters to obtain analytical data in a timely manner as well as know which stories are trending on social media. 

 “People aren’t always looking at email or news wires. Something like this helps the team to stay alert and updated during meetings, lunch breaks,”  said Batayneh, on the effectiveness of Slack. With its platform Slack provides journalists the ability to create things that will ultimately provide a beneficial service to all media professionals.

How is Netflix Using Data Anylasis to Hook Fans?

    

     When it comes to a pilot of a brand new show a few questions come to mind. Will this show last more than a season? Is this show going to be as good as the writers and directors say it is? Am I the only person that is watching this show?  Many questions come to mind, but some questions that don't come to mind away is what happens if I do like it? Will I become hooked and addicted to this show? What Episode number is going to get me hooked?

     According to Netflix, their is currently a conducting a study to help try and pinpoint that very moment that you get addicted to a certain show.  The pilot that you watched that you may watch that may make you have some curious questions, may be your new favorite show at the same time after you watch an episode or two.   

     Now what is known as the "hooked episode"  or otherwise known as the pilot is simply called episode number one. Believe it or not but a large percent of viewers do get hooked off the pilot. Take a guess at what percent of viewers gets hooked off the pilot. 20%? 35%? Maybe 50% even? Well if you think it's one of those, than your not even close actually.  A enormous amount of viewers get reeled in straight from the first episode.  The number is actually a fascinating 70% of viewers who watch the pilot, end up watching the whole first season and usually much more.  (Hollywoodreporter)

     However, if only 70% of the viewers do get hooked, than what do the other 30% think of the pilot episodes?  Do they not watch the rest of the season? On the other hand, do you think they keep watching and than get hooked and fall in love with the new series that is being introduced to the network?

      "Given the precious nature of primetime slots on traditional TV, a series pilot is arguably the most important point in the life of the show,” says Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer for Netflix. (Hollywoodreporter) 

   Not everyone is hooked right away though and that may not be a bad thing.

     “However, in our research of more than 20 shows across 16 markets, we found that no one was ever hooked on the pilot. This gives us confidence that giving our members all episodes at once is more aligned with how fans are made.” (Digitaltrends)

    In the upcoming years, with all the new shows being created, and all the new pilots being advertised and showed, that number from 70% is expected to grow. 

     Netflix is expanding and go international with its TV shows and become even bigger than what it is now.  Now when it comes to other countries watching Netflix, some countries tend to get hooked quicker than another country may.

      "As we expand internationally, this problem becomes even more challenging with the addition of new movies and shows to our catalogue and the increase in number of languages" (Telecomtv)

     Like anything else in life, you may fall in love with something at that very moment and always love it, or you may judge something right away and just have to give it time.  Netflix is considered to be exactly that.  You can either fall in love with the pilot and become addicted and hooked, or you may have to watch an intense episode or two before you finally say "I absolutely love this show." Either way, which ever one you chose, the chances of you getting hooked to the specific TV show you are watching is very likely.

     Netflix will continue to advertise and show the TV world why people of all ages become so addicted and hooked right away.  Therefore, while watching Netflix, Beware and watch at your own risk, because if you do love the pilot episode of a new hit series, than you will become hooked and addict within no time.  

    

 

    

 

    

 

What is Twitch and Why Does Everyone Want a Piece of It?

Twitch is quickly becoming the most used app in gaming consoles since its launch in 2011. Twitch is a live streaming video platform which allows viewers to watch other gamers play their favorite games and other live events such as concerts and major sporting events. At first it, the idea of watching other users play video games is a bit nonsensical, but when you take into account the volume of viewers and the revenue that can be generated, it actually makes a lot of sense. 

Since its inception in 2011, Twitch has generated 55 million users each month. SODAPOPPINTV is one of Twitches top streamers with a following of over 400,000 followers. Each follower has the ability to donate money to their favorite personality on Twitch. This gives users the possibility of bringing in upwards of tens of thousands of dollars based solely on donations. In 2013, SOPAPOPPINTV received a donation of $41,000 from one of his followers. This is a staggering amount of revenue for just playing a video game.

Amazon, the now owner of Twitch, hit the jackpot with this acquisition. With a $970 billion price tag, Amazon now has the capabilities of reaching the millions of users Twitch racks in every month. Being the number one seller of hard goods in America, Amazon now virtually occupies "screens" of all sorts. By collaborating Twitch with popular Amazon products such as The Kindle, Fire TV, and the Fire Phone, the margin for revenue is vast. Amazon may have struck the deal of the century, appealing to the quickly growing "gaming generation" and also marketing their products to the millions of Twitch users.

 

Digital Media a New tool for Reporting Activism

The use of digital media has grown over the years to be a powerful tool with connecting people worldwide. Besides using social media to keep up with celebrities, current events and gossip people are using it to have conversations on various social issues. An example of this would be to create international aid without the government  and with people online  fundraising on the behalf of refugees. Gissur Simonarson felt compelled to start a fundraising campaign after seeing a man selling pens to support his family.

Other forms of using digital media on reporting activism is the use of hashtags. Hastags play a huge role with online activisms, as well as photography.  Various online campaigns were started in support of a cause such as Nigeria's #Bringbackourgirls. The campaign was inspired the people of Nigeria who were frustrated with the government treatment  of the kidnapping of 276 girls  from a school in Bono state, Nigeria. The hashtag was popular use in US with 44%  versus in Nigeria a 22%.  The use of digital media in activism allows for the concerns of citizens to become engaged, create visibility  and to go offline to get involved in real life.