So nice to have a summer job!

I knew with the economy and budget cuts, it would be a challenge to find a summer internship this summer. More specifically - a job back home! In fact, two summer internships - the State Journal-Register and the Department of Agriculture, both had budget cuts that forced them to either not hire as many interns or not hire at all. Therefore, I feel very fortunate to have a summer internship that sounds like I will enjoy very much.

I will be working with the Midwest Dairy Association as their summer intern. For those of you not familiar with the MDA, its main purpose is to promote the dairy industry and its products, as well as educate the public on dairy nutrition. As the summer intern, I will have a variety of duties, including: writing press releases, traveling to staff meetings, helping with publications sent out annually, as well as working the entire Illinois State Fair in the Dairy Building! I will be very close with the butter cow this year, so be sure to come and visit me if you visit the fair this summer.

I am so glad to have had these journalism classes prior to taking this internship, as I have learned a lot about writing and being a journalist. Learning how to research more efficiently, using "tighter" wording and learning how to get the main message across quickly will help me with this internship.

All in all, I am very excited about interning with the MDA. I will have the opportunity to communicate with the MDA interns in Minnesota and Iowa as well, so it should be a great summer!

What I have learned about journalism this semester

Before enrolling in JOUR 420, among a few other journalism classes, this semester, I had the naive idea that journalism is all about being a good writer. And boy, was I wrong. Granted, a journalist must be a good writer, but I have learned there is so much more to journalism than just being a 'good writer.' These days, a journalist must know how to tell a story visually, the difference between online and paper stories, how to make an ethical decision, and yes - how to do math!

I will never forget the day I realized that people really don't read an entire story in a newspaper. All this time in high school, I had this assumption that people read a story thinking about how the writer built the introduction and body, as well as the vocabulary used. But, no. People want the main idea of the story and then move on. They want visuals that help tell the story in a compelling way.

As far as editing goes, an editor must be able to make quick decisions and be ready to defend it. After learning about headlines and cutlines, I realized that headline must be carefully constructed. For example, I had always thought of "Man bites dog" as a headline - simple and easy to write. But there is so much more to take into consideration. It must be short and to the point, but must also tell the story. In addition, online stories must be taken into consideration when writing a headline. The editor must think about what most people would seach for in a search engine to ensure easy access to the story.

Yes, I have learned not only how to be a better writer and how to hone my grammar skills, but I have also learned that journalists must be a 'jack of all trades.' It's a little differernt from what they show in the movies.

Should I be worried?

As a journalism student, many people give me a worried look when I tell them I take several journalism classes here at school. They often ask me, "Isn't journalism a dying industry?" You should see the look they give me when I tell them my actual major is in agricultural communications! Then the jokes begin - "Oh, so you talk to cows?" To which I reply: agricultural communications is basically a degree in communications with a focus in agriculture. These types of conversations no doubt make me think about the major I'm in. However, I have come to love what I do, and I have no hesitations about being in the wrong major. Yes, I think journalism will change - it is inevitable. But I am confident about the area and don't feel the need for panic. Right now, some people may be worried about journalism's role within the Internet, which is understandable. Once its role is determined, however, I believe journalism will be 'back on its feet.' We will always need our news, and to get that reliable news, we need reliable journalists. Maybe I'm being optimistic because I'm in the major, but I do believe journalism has a future. Yes, it may change, but what ever stays the same?

Catching the "Cowboy Spirit" this summer!

As I make my last-minute plans for a summer internship back home in Springfield, I have found myself adding a little bit of "spice" to my typical summer plans, thanks to one of my fellow agricultural communications peers. Though plans are still in progress, I would love to attend the National Ag Media Summit, which will be hosted in Texas this summer. Besides getting to enjoy the beautiful scenery, I would have the opportunity to interact with media professionals in the industry from across the nation. Several public relations professionals, photographers, journalists and designers attend this summitt to learn about the most up-to-date ideas in the industry.
So you may be asking what there will be at this summit. Several seminars and workshops will be held that will give students the opportunity to discuss the future of agricultural journalism, how consumers and producers can reconnect with each other, and what to expect from this type of career in the future.
I am hoping to broaden my horizons this summer and attend this year's 11th ag media summit. Hopefully I will be able to travel with a few of my ag comm. peers and have the opportunity to site-see around Texas at the same time!

My Discovery of the AP Exchange!

Let me just say that as a college student, I sometimes lack on listening to the news. Back home, I always watch the 6 o'clock news each night. However, here at school, it's just a different story...as a student, you are "busy." Each semester, I make it a goal to catch up on the world around me, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. I was happy to discover the AP exchange web site in lab this week. It gives a quick and easy way to browse not only breaking news, but also developing stories. It is convenient, and for people who only want "selected" news, they can simply choose which category they would like. This is not to say other news web sites do not offer this. The AP exchange, however, just lists the stories without distractions.

My favorite story was about the South Carolina widow who had been dead for 18 months and nobody even noticed. While this is very sad, I enjoyed the conversation I had with my news team about this bizarre story. The first questions most of us had was, "Oh, so the dog died, too?" Come to find out, the dog had actually died of thirst. Authorities said there was enough dog food in supply. Readers tend to enjoy these types of stories, because they offer a break from the typical hard news each day. It leaves the actually story to the imagination, which is what many people enjoy, just as my news team did.

The Future of Agricultural Newspapers

As I decided on my research paper topic for this class, I found I had a hard time deciding what I would like to do. It's not that there's a lack of subjects to talk about in the editing world, but it's finding what interests you. I decided to follow my passion for agriculture. Back home, my dad will always get the AgriNews publication, along with Farm Week, Prairie Farmer, among many others. When I get a chance to sit down and read them, I find myself thinking about what we discuss in lecture (which I guess is the point). In one of my agricultural communications classes, we discussed the future of agricultural publications and what role they will play in the future with farmers. The main area of concern, however, was with radio in the agricultural communities. My father, however, tunes in daily to our local agricultural station to catch the markets and get caught up on what's going on with issues that could affect him.

As I narrow down my focus of research, I would like to explore the future of agricultural publications. It would be interesting to interview editors to see what they think about the issue, if there is any concern. I would like to have a better understanding of the current state of the agricultural communications world, as I will be entering it soon. I find this topic very interesting, and as a farm girl, nothing makes me feel more at home than kicking back and reading my AgriNews.

Profanity's role in a paper

I found lecture this week very interesting as we discussed word choice of editors - especially when it comes to profanity. How far is too far? This question is even harder to answer in this society, because more words and actions are "socially" accepted today than ever before. Does this mean the newspaper should follow the trend in how society is communicating?

My thought is no. A newspaper should serve as an example of proper grammar and writing without any distasteful content. In my opinion, a newspaper should something a family can enjoy without having to worry about an R-rated movie or even a suggestive commercial come on during dinner time. Although it may seem our society is changing more and more, there are still plenty of people who believe in using "clean cut" language.

I understand when an editor chooses to use a profanity word to get a point across, depending on which word it is. As we discussed in lecture, it all depends on the context of the word, which makes everything a lot harder when making a decision. However, I believe newspapers should avoid using profanity at all costs. This is not to solely avoid conflict or disagreement among the readers; it is to give the people a newspaper they can enjoy without suggestive comments or profanity. Call me old-fashioned, but I would never want my newspaper to be one of "those" media sources many think of.

Why I will never say a photographer "snapped" a photograph

I am in JOUR 425 this semester, and one of our projects is to take a picture. That task seems simple enough, right? Well, that's what I thought going into this project. However, this picture had to be newsworthy - something that could possibly go on a front page. It had to tell a story, rather than show what something looked like.

I started out on my mission to get a photograph (I should have started sooner). I stopped in at Bevier Cafe and took a few pictures of the staff working. I got a great picture(at least what I thought was) of the Chef working. However, this picture was simply the Chef chopping up vegetables. People could see he was working in a kitchen, but it did not tell a story. Yes, it was a "pretty" picture, as the bright green lettuce contrasted very nicely with his black and white apron. But it was not a newsworthy photo.

I never realized how difficult it is to take a great picture for a newspaper. I recently heard somebody talk about "snapping" off some photos. Immediately, I thought to myself..."snapping pictures?!" After completing this assignment, I see it more as capturing a moment that tells a story. It can take as little as a half an hour or as long as an entire day to take a great photograph. Patience is of essence.

Therefore, from this point on, I have so much more respect for photographers. It truly is an art that takes practice, time and patience. Hopefully I can find these attributes to get a good grade on my re-do photo assignment!

To run or not to run?

Editors face many ethical decisions with a newspaper - especially the photos. Through happiness, anger and sadness, photos have the ability to activate a lot of emotion and thought. But how far is too far? Readers sometimes accuse newspapers of selling their papers through emotion. Editors must make careful decisions when evaluating a photo. Although there are ethical considerations, there is not always a single, correct answer.

1. I chose to run the first photo of Bud Dwyer (1a). This photo gives the readers a clear enough image of what was happening. I believe the last two would be too graphic for readers to see. The second photo is OK. I like the first photo better, because it is not only more dramatic, but it is also a better picture. We discussed this photo in my J250 class (Ethics and Diversity) class last semester. A photographer also had a picture of Dwyer spinning the pistol around in the air. My ethical limit would be when he puts the pistol in his mouth and fires.

2. I debated a lot about this photo. The photo shows a little boy mourning the loss of his dog. I think this invades his privacy and would also play too much off the reader's emotions. However, the picture of the dog is clean; there is no blood, and the audience cannot see its face. I would only consider this photo if there was a situation that caused a car to hit the dog. For example, maybe the highway needs improvement.

3. This photo does not need to be published in a paper. If the picture with the dead dog was invasive, this picture is ten times more dramatic and intrusive. This picture shows too much emotion. Readers would not get much out of the photo either, besides tragedy.

4. This photo adds nothing to a paper. A story about a shooting in a newspaper plant would be more than sufficent. The readers do not need to see a picture of a dead man to believe there was a shooting.

5. This photo could be run, but only because the boy ended up being OK. I thought he had died at first, but after I saw he was OK, I think it is acceptable. I admit it is a very intesting picture, but it may not be for everybody. If I had to take a chance, I would run this.

6. No. This picture would not run in my newspaper. The upside to running this picture is that perhaps the perpetrators could be indentified. However, I believe this is the lesser of the good now. I'm concerned for the victim's privacy. Most likely, the only person who'll recognize the girl is her. Many readers would also be offended for such a graphic photo.

All editors have their own opionions and ethical standards. Editors must know the audience but also respect the subject's privacy and emotions. Whatever choice editors make, they must be able to back up their reasons when readers complain about a certain picture - or else it can come back to haunt them.

Fun with Words!

Every now and then I like to learn a new word that I can use to impress my friends with; afterall, I would not want to come off as anserine (silly, foolish, stupid). I came across a web site devoted to people who have similar interests as me - having fun with words! Some people would say that learning new vocabulary is boondoggle (an unnecessary activity). In case you would like to know, the web site is http://www.rinkworks.com/words/funwords.shtml.

I enjoy spending time with my editing friends in lab and critiquing the DI each day. But there is one thing I wish I would remember - food! When I get home from my long day, I eat rather edaciously (consuming, voracious, devouring). After eating so much at once, I find myself in a long, rejoiceful pandiculation (the stretching that accompanies yawning).

I can only hope each of you visit this web site so you too can become immersed in the epeolatry (worship of words) of words! Have fun and be sure to use a new vocabulary word today! Maybe you could even become a neologist (one who makes up new words).

Lincoln Hall Closing Down?

Let me just say that I love the Daily Illini. I depend on reading it in class, to catch up on campus events and maybe even around the world if I'm lucky. However, there are times when I read something that I have to do a double take. As we have seen in JOUR 420 lab, words in headlines are sometimes misspelled, and typos are present. This is not to say that any newspaper is perfect. I think the reporters and photographers do a great job in bringing information to the public. One story, however, will always stick out in my mind.

At the beginning of last semester, as students were arriving back to campus, a story was written on Lincoln Hall's renovations. The article was great and very informative. But the picture really confused me. It was a picture of the two main doors of Lincoln Hall with a piece of notebook paper that had "Closed for the year," or someting of that sort, written in black marker. Walking to class one day, I had seen this and thought it was strange. I assumed a sign like that would be more authentic looking. After seeing the picture again in the D.I., I thought the same thing, but didn't pay much attention to it.

One day, in my JOUR 250 class - Ethics and Diversity - we were talking about misleading photos. My professor brought up the Lincoln Hall story and the confusing photo. A student in the class worked at the D.I. and knew the story behind the photo. According to this student, The student photographer had made that sign himself and taped it on the doors.

Isn't this "illegal" in photojournalism? I knew something didn't feel quite right when I saw the picture. As an editor, I think I might have followed up on my "gut feeling" and done some more research or at least ask the photographer about the picture. Because from my understanding, Lincoln Hall is not completely closed - there are still classes, exams and meetings held in some rooms. This information I received may or may not be true, but I at least know the photo was fishy, and many students felt mislead. Just putting up a simple sign on notebook paper put a dramatic effect on the picture.

If anything, this is a reminder at how observant editors must be. If something does not feel right, you should always check it out. Our job is to give the readers the straight facts and not mislead them.

Accelerated Reader Fan

"You're crazy," my roommate said, during an inevitable all-nighter our freshman year. Molly had just finished a term paper and needed to revise it. She had spent hours writing and was in no mood to read any further. "I'll do it!" I said as I sprung off our not-so-soft futon. Ever since freshman year, random papers and homework assignments appear on my desk with a note asking me to read it. However, I developed a love for reading and writing at a much younger age.

In grade school, I was the girl who thought the Accelarated Reader program was "the thing." I would do anything to see my picture advance to the next point level as I scored more points. Yes, I'll admit - I competed with one other girl in my class. I still have that picture today. I will never forget one of my most vivid grade school memories - when I read a book to the principal - Betty Spaghetti, to be exact. Miss Garret, my principal, gave me a blue ribbon that said, "I read to the principal today."

In middle school, my next big thing was the spelling bee. It was something that got my blood pumping and my heart beating. I laugh now, but I would make myself physically ill since I got so worked up. Preliminaries would come around. I would make the final cut to compete at regionals, which meant I got a big book full of words to...study! And I did. I never really won a major award at a spelling bee, but the memories are very present today.

High school made me realize my true passion for writing. I enjoyed my advanced composition classes - they were my favorite classes in high school. The front desk was my seat, as I eagerly waited to receive my grade for the previous papers I had written. For some reason, my communication skills are at best when I write. Small details are like spices in a recipe - they add so much substance that makes a piece enjoyable to read.

As a junior at the university of my dreams, I am able to fully realize my potential as not only a writer, but also a communicator. I would like to say I'm not as big of a "writing nerd" as in the past, but some of my friends would beg to differ. But hey, I have also discovered another passion of mine - dancing! This wouldn't be related to editing...or would it?