The Right to Know

The Right to Know

Moranda Frenette

     Many believe that while being ruled by a democratic government, that the release of information is necessary for a fair ruling. However, some also believe that how wikileaks has been revealing private information is a "political warfare." In my opinion, I believe that every man and woman under government rule deserves to have the right to know of important choices that the government is making. On the other hand, it is also very important that some information is kept from the public ear, such as war plans or anything of the such that may potentially put other people in danger.

     If placed in the scenario where I would have critical government information that the public would benefit from knowing, as a journalist my decision to publish the information would be rather difficult, especially considering the government had specifically asked me to keep it to myself. However, as a person being ruled under a democratic government I truly believe that every one deserves the right to know. So, as a journalist with important information, I would publish it for my fellow citizens to know and understand what is going on, however the information would not be exaggerated in any way and would make sure the information was released simply for the better of the people.

     In this article, posted on Time concerning wikileaks, the information that Julian Assange had released through wikileaks. Since this information was released, it caused an influence of danger to the people who lived in the country, as well as the military. In my opinion, this secret information should never be available to the public and anyone with common sense must keep from making it public. This is also why I disagree with wikileaks and Julian Assange and what they stand for. They put many in danger on account of their stupidity.

http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2034488,00.html     

The "Ignorant" Interview

The "Ignorant" Interview 

By Moranda Frenette 

     During this interview, Barbara Frum did an excellent job at keeping calm and dealing with Sandra good relating Lynette Fromme by staying calm. The first time Good began to go off track, Frum mentioned politely that they could discuss it later on in the interview. She did this by patiently waiting for Sandra to finish her sentences and then changing the way she was asking her questions. Also, she never once said something ignorant or rude towards Sandra and tried to avoid changing the subject.

     If Barbara Frum had of been more aggressive or confrontational then the outcome of the interview could have been much worse. I would assume that Sandra Good would have reacted with even more attitude and give many more insults. Also, I believe that Sandra would have hung up way earlier after she would become so heated.

     One question that Frum asked that is considered an effective question was "When was the last time you seen Lyntette Fromme?" This is because it is an easy question that could have been answered with a simple time frame answer. However, of course, Sandra went off topic and told Barbara that her questions were very "rude" and "ignorant". This question would have leaded on to further questions and then Frum's interview would have been completed.

     Some things that would be good to remember when preparing for an interview are that you must be patient and comfortable with the questions. Also, questions with "yes" or "no' answers should be avoided and each way a question is being asked is important; make sure to ask properly. Lastly, you must most definitely avoid embarrassing questions that make the person being interviewed uncomfortable.

     As a student journalist, if I even encountered an interview that went as badly as Barbara Frum's with Sandra Good, I would now know that patience is key. Also, I would try and ask the questions the same way she did (slightly changing so that it doesn't seem "rude").

     If I had the choice to interview one person, that person would be Adam Sandler. I believe that an interview with him would go very well as he shows the characteristics of being an understanding and nice person. I also believe he would be very easy to cooperate with and where as he is a funny individual, it would make the interview more comfortable.

http://www.cbc.ca/archives/discover/great-interviews/i-am-a-man.html
     

Courthouse Visit

Courthouse Visit

Moranda Frenette

     Personally if I was a professional journalist I would enjoy doing courthouse and crime reporting. This is because I find the information within a court house involving crime situations rather fascinating. Also, some court cases seem to drag on over the same information over a lengthy amount of time.

    Although, in some ways I think it would be hard because many criminals and family members of set criminal would see your face and be able to read what you had written about their loved one. As a journalist for these cases and investigations, you would have to be very careful to avoid taking sides because if as a journalist, you were more lenient towards the side of the for say police officer rather than the one who is being convicted of a certain crime, could result in trouble with the public.  

     When first walking into the courtroom this morning, November 25th of 2014, I felt extremely stressed to hear what the cases were about. However, I only expected to hear one case, not 2 or 3. During the experience, my emotions fluxed back and forth, I was disgusted by one of the men involved and what he had a hearing for. As for the other person, I felt almost a sense of sympathy, she was young and had four children at home and one away getting a further education, but she did deserve to be held under custody for the crimes she had committed. After the trials, my mind was still stuck on the facial expressions of the people involved, the first man was straight faced, and the second woman showed signs of crying. However, through the entire time we spent at the court house, the judge always had a stern look. It was as if they had almost become hardened after hearing so many cruel, or stupid cases.

     Personally, a job in the court room doesn't overly interest me very much. I certainly wouldn't like to deal with the things they do on a daily basis. Although, I am very glad and grateful that these courageous people are able to do so for the protection of our regions. The only job I would personally consider would be that of a police officer, although, it is a very long shot for me to steer my life in that direction. 

     The court hearings were nothing like what I thought they would be, perhaps it was because the only thing I experienced even remotely close was watching a movie or television show. Everyone involved wasn't as strict as I thought they would be, but they most definitely did not tolerate foolishness in the court room. Of course, they are human beings as well, but it greatly surprises me on how people can do these set jobs. 

Caught in Lies

Caught in Lies

Moranda Frenette

Personally as a reader, I have experienced encounters in which I thought the work of the article had been factually incorrect or even fabricated. This is because when reading an article, there is usually multiple other articles containing similar information. Sometimes, an articles facts simply do not add up and it makes readers question the actuality of the information in the article. Also, people can't exactly trust all of the information found on the internet, it is so easy for anyone to say anything and publish it.

My reaction to the two articles are that I was surprised about how such well known and professional journalists would make up news that is not entirely true. Perhaps it is because they were attempting to make the news more interesting to the reader, either way, journalists should try to enhance the important information while still keeping each point entirely true.

I completely agree with Jack Shafer's statement, "most liars make things up for the simple reason that they don't have the talent or the ability to get the story any other way." I agree because it is very blunt and truthful, the only talent liars have is having a strong imagination and usually that is a gift, until you get caught.

In my opinion, colleges and universities don't have a huge effect on who graduates but is unable to handle the responsibilities and pressure of being a professional journalist. They simply allow them to graduate depending on their excellence in the course. Although, if a student is caught struggling with a course, they are suggested to take something else or try different methods of completing the work.

An ombudsman does have a great effect on the news, as well as keeping articles readers under control. Their responsibility is to inform readers as to why their complaints are correct, or incorrect, and why. They include the reader and give them information that may not be given in the article as to why certain things were written the way they were. An ombudsman does most definitely improve the newspaper.

Hard News vs. Soft News

Hard News vs. Soft News

Hard News:

Kelowna man stabbed to death in random bus attack

This article, found on the cbc website, is considered hard news because it deals with an important issue with society that revolves around murder. This article catches the eyes of readers which are interested in things that have a huge impact in a frightful way, in no way is this article enjoyable, but it is very informative and makes people aware of the fact that they must be cautious.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/kelowna-man-stabbed-to-death-in-random-bus-attack-1.2819496

Ottawa attack: Was Michael Zehaf-Bibeau's attack a terrorist act?

This article, found on the cbc website, is considered hard news because it deals with a very effective event that happened in Ottawa Canada's attack. It revolves around the man who had attacked Canada's soldier Nathan Cirillo and killed him. This caused a whole new uproar with Canada's attacks and it makes the Canadian's question whether or not it was the act of a terrorist. 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa-attack-was-michael-zehaf-bibeau-s-attack-a-terrorist-act-1.2818329

Soft News:

J.K. Rowling releases new Harry Potter short for Halloween

This article, found on the cbc website, is considered soft news because it is made for the entertainment of readers. It gives people a sense of excitement to find out what J.K. Rowling has released for information that will give fans and idea of where she had gotten some of her creativity and unimaginable ability of writing from.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/j-k-rowling-releases-new-harry-potter-short-for-halloween-1.2819295

New leopard frog species found in New York City

This article, found on the cbc website, is considered soft news because it is made for the entertainment of specific readers. The idea of finding a new species of frogs may be fascinating to readers interested in the environment and wild life, but has no great effect on many people around the world.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/new-leopard-frog-species-found-in-new-york-city-1.2818343

In-Between News:

Stephen Colbert praises Kevin Vickers: 'To Hell with Bruce Willis'

This article, found on the cbc website, could be potentially considered either hard or soft news. This is because it includes important information to do with politics, revolving around the Ottawa attack and the new found "hero", Kevin Vickers. Although it could be soft news because it was made more for the entertainment of the reader.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/stephen-colbert-praises-kevin-vickers-to-hell-with-bruce-willis-1.2819327

What is Newsworthy?

What is Newsworthy?

Moranda Frenette

Grizzley bear entered Claudia Huber's House

Timing: 3/4
     This article deserves a rate of 3/4 because in a short amount of time many articles on the topic were posted to the cbc news cite. This allows people to keep a close watch on the precise evidence and what events had occurred. But, it may not continue to be updated regularly.

Significance: 3/4
     This article was considered under breaking news, meaning that many people have interest in the bear going into the families window and taking the life of the woman. This type of news captures the interest of numerous readers around the world because of such unlikely events.

Proximity: 3.5/4
     The situation that occurred in the article took place in the Yukon, so it does have a great effect on Canadian readers. Although, Grizzley bears are not common in many places throughout Canada, but they do have relatives such as black bears, which are less vicious but still frighten many people.

Prominence: 2/4
     The prominence of this story is only about half, this is because the person in the house whose life had been taken wasn't well known throughout the world. Whereas, if someone with greater publicity would most likely have made the article become more viral than it already is.

Human Interest: 4/4
     This article has a great effect on the humans of the world considering it being such a frightful event. Readers would also have great sympathy for the family involved in the attack.

Final Newsworthy Mark: 15.5/20
   
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/grizzly-bear-entered-claudia-huber-s-house-before-fatal-attack-1.2805905

Man's confession leads to discovery of 7 bodies in Indiana

Timing: 3/4
     This article, although posted on October 20th at 9:55, then updated at 12:28 the same day, has decent timing because it shows that the case is being watched and updated very frequently; keeping people interested.

Significance: 4/4
     The significance of this article is greatly considered because seeing as 7 women were found in one hotel all murdered by the same man is very frightful to the reader, as well as interesting where as he had confessed his actions.

Proximity: 2.5/4
     The whereabouts of this event was in Indiana, which made it relatively insignificant to Canadian readers. Although, it does have a great effect on readers from Indiana, specifically Hammond.

Prominence: 3/4
     The prominence of this story was considered to be a high rating, this is because where there are multiple people (7) involved it helped to make the publicity of the article greater.

Human Interest: 4/4
     The human interest rating on this article gets full rating, this is because it is frightful to the reader because of the capability of cruelty in mankind. There is also a mournful feeling to the story because there would be so many people involved with mourning losses of these seven women.

Final Newsworthy Mark: 16.5/20

 http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/man-s-confession-leads-to-discovery-of-7-bodies-in-indiana-1.2805614

Ebola Outbreak: Nigeria declared free of Ebola by World Health Organization

Timing: 4/4
     The timing of this article deserves full credit, considering there are many Ebola updates throughout the world. Also, many people are frightened by Ebola spreading and where this declares that they are "Ebola-free" gives readers a sense of hope in the matter.

Significance: 4/4
     Ebola has a great significance throughout the entire world, there had been threats of it to every country and this exact article informs people that the case is getting better.

Proximity: 4/4
     This exact case doesn't greatly have an effect on the Canadian reader, but it does have a strong emotional pact on many. This is because even Canadian readers are happy to hear about the good news Nigeria had received. Also, where the World Health Organization declared the news, it made it more trustworthy.

Prominence: 4/4
     Full value is given for prominence because so many people were greatly effected by the struggles of Ebola, and this news would have such a strong emotional overwhelming for those who live, or have family in this designated area. It also has readers throughout the world excited for the hopeful news declared by the World Health Organization.

Human Interest: 4/4
     Human interest in Ebola is already worldwide. This makes this article relevant to all the information people are seeking and has many people excited because of it.

Final Newsworthy Mark: 20/20

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ebola-outbreak-nigeria-declared-free-of-ebola-by-world-health-organization-1.2805522

Kelvin Constant to be sentenced in Fredericton stabbing death

Timing: 2/4
     The timing of this article has little effect on its grading, this is because how the crime had happened in February and was updated in October, where many people would have forgotten the crime had even taken place.

Significance: 3/4
     The significance of this story is that it was such a young man being killed, and this would emotionally effect many reading the article.

Proximity: 4/4
     This article was very impacting on those who live in Canada, especially New Brunswick considering Fredericton was always considered such a safe city.

Prominence: 2/4
     The article didn't have much effect on many people, unfortunately, this is most likely because Christian Salas, the man who was killed, was not likely well known. But, it did have a little effect because of the whereabouts of the crime, a safe city, Fredericton.

Human Interest: 3/4
     This article is interesting to the reader because of the age of the man killed, 24, as well as the city in where the crime had taken place. It would effect readers throughout all of New Brunswick, and in some parts of Canada.

Final Newsworthy Mark: 14/20

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/kelvin-constant-to-be-sentenced-in-fredericton-stabbing-death-1.2807338

Young Woman Causes Fatal Accident -Unaware That the Driver was her Brother-

     A 22-year-old woman by the name of Adrianna Winchester, crashed into an oncoming vehicle and taking the life of the other driver. Winchester was unaware until after the accident that the person driving the other vehicle was her own brother, TJ Winchester. The accident took place in Bakersville, Louisiana between the hours of 1 pm to 2 pm, on Wednesday, October 1st.

     Officials say that the cause of the accident was most likely fatigue as well as the use of cellular devices. 

     Around 12 PM, TJ Winchester had dropped of his son, Lucas, age 4, at his usual daycare service so that he could go run errands.

     An anonymous witness on the scene had declared "The accident was most likely involved with cell-phones, I had met the first driver before and saw the phone in front of her face, taking out views of other oncoming vehicles."

     Both siblings were unaware of the whereabouts of each other, it had just been an average day for the both of them. Until, both of their lives, as well of their families were changed drastically.

     On October 5th, at Whitney Court, located just outside of Bakersville, Louisiana, Adrianna had the chance to plead her case. Witnesses say that she was "unable to speak" or had "trouble dealing with the situation. Where, most likely, any person in this situation would have difficulty as well. This case, had a lack of a winning situation, they were all losers. Court continues the following week, on October 12th, 2014.