Former Rocky Mtn News Editor talks about the value of newspapers

See Jay Ambrose's comments here via the Abilene Reporter News: http://reporternews.com/news/2008/jul/24/newspapers-provide-the-detailed-information/

We need journalists!

Over "Zell"ous? Billionaire makes cuts at newspapers

Take a look at the cake newsroom employees at the Hartford Courant munched on after Zell cut jobs. Immature or not? http://poynter.org/forum/view_post.asp?id=13502

More than half-million people accuse Fox News of racism

Thousands signed petitions to protest Fox News' coverage of Obama; Fox refused the boxes of petitions--but Stephen Colbert showed them on his faux news program. For the story, see
http://www.socialmedia.biz/2008/07/620000-people-p.html

Correspondents' dinner 2008

Check out the gossip at http://http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/generalities/ferguson_to_newsers_you_cranky_magnificent_bastards_83409.asp

Video "news" clips from The Onion

These clips from the fake-news folks at The Onion look so real, it's scary!
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/diebold_accidentally_leaks

NYT: Bloggers causing tension in sports coverage

Because we will begin our discussion of the ethics of sport reporting, I think this is a relevant article--especially considering our recent discussions about posting information online:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/business/media/21bloggers.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

PRSA code of ethics--just FYI

http://www.prsa.org/aboutUs/ethics/preamble_en.html

Rock star Gabriel offers new site to cut through all the clutter

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9918853-7.html?tag=nefd.lede
The new Filter site is a "recommendation engine." It tries to get to the truth.

Spam on Twitter out of control

Writer Adam Ostrow explains he's getting hundreds of msgs a day from advertisers and other people promoting their services or products via the social networking tool Twitter.
http://mashable.com/2008/04/14/twitter-spam-out-of-control/

Welcome to News 2.0

http://www.observer.com/2008/what-s-news-who-knows-welcome-print-2-0
The New York Observer explains.

Kimmel show to offer "live" ads

Adweek.com reports that Jimmy Kimmel is offering live ads to its advertiser--just like late-shows used to do years ago.

New mag created for socially conscious

Medialifemagazine.com reports on the new publication titled GOOD.

Tweet, tweet! I am a sock puppet!

Journalist Len Edgerly is an active blogger, tweeter, blipper, flicker, and so on--I learned a lot from him this weekend at a Colorado Press Women's workshop in Evergreen. Here is his site that lists what he presented on Saturday. http://del.icio.us/LenEdgerly/ColoPressWomen08

Infomania!

http://current.com/items/88897939_infomania_04_10_08
Current TV presents a new half-hour of Infomania. View the first installment at the above link.
Conor, the host, is open to a conference call with our ethics class about the show, politics, his life, anything. Take a look, and we can discuss.

"Beating" video raises ethical questions for news media

Ethics Newsline reports on the following: LAKELAND, Fla.A disturbing video of teenagers beating an acquaintance has raised ethics questions on several levels, including the societal implications of the apparently staged-for-video assault and the moral responsibility of media outlets that aired the tape.
Read the entire article at http://globalethics.org/newsline/2008/04/14/videotaped-beating-raises-ethics-questions/

Another opportunity for the amateurs, I mean, citizen journalists

Mediabistro.com reports:
CBS Eyes Mobile Citizen Journalism
CBS is expanding into mobile citizen journalism. The network has launched CBS iMobile, a Web site where newshounds can upload photos and videos from their camera phones.
Although the Web site is live, MocoNews reports that it seems to only work with Verizon Wireless phones so far. Hopefully that will change by the time CBS actually promotes the service. According to the article, CBS iMobile had a quiet launch during CTIA and the network is expected to start publicizing it as early as this week.

"Tupac" reporter still has his job

Editor & Publisher gives an update on the status of the L.A. reporter who reported a story using false FBI documents. http://www.foliomag.com/2008/asme-consider-photoshopping-guidelines

UK may ban "photoshopping" celeb photos

And now the American Society of Magazine Editors is discussing the same. Read the Folio report at http://www.foliomag.com/2008/asme-consider-photoshopping-guidelines

Can you see me now?

The L.A. Times reports on what's in the future for our cell phones: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mobiletv15apr15,1,5994888.story

More ads: Dogs in Central Park promote a good cause

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Alternative_media_43/Where_dogs_play_message_that_works.asp
Interesting way to gain attention to a cause

PR Watch summarizes recent "spying"

A Bad Week for Corporate Spies
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on Mon, 04/14/2008 - 15:46.Topics: corporations democracy environment ethics labor public relations
From MAD magazineIf Cara Schaffer contacts you, be wary. Take emails and online comments from "activist2008" and "stopcorporategreed" with a grain of salt. Londoners, be on the lookout for Toby Kendall, a.k.a. "Ken Tobias." And activists everywhere should think twice before putting documents in the recycling or trash bins.
Over the past week, reporters and activists outed three different corporate spying operations. As John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton wrote in their 1995 book "Toxic Sludge Is Good for You!": "Movements for social and political reform have often become targets of surveillance. ... The public relations industry has developed a lucrative side business scrutinizing the thoughts and actions of citizen activists, using paid spies who are often recruited from government, military or private security backgrounds."
Last week's revelations show that these underhanded tactics are very much in use today. And they don't just impact the groups being infiltrated. By privileging corporate interests, effectively giving them the first and last word on an issue, they distort vital public debates

FCC wins 'Lifetime Muzzle Award'

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=19897
The First Amendment Center has awarded the FCC an award for two decades of bad decisions.

Professor's office door creates 'hostile environment'

http://insidehighered.com/news/2008/04/10/lssu
Is this a freedom of speech issue or just poor etiqutee?

Ms. Couric, you're out--according to rumors and the WSJ

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Dayparts_update_51/The_word_CBS_s_giving_Katie_the_toss.asp
Medialifemagazine.com reports today that CBS is giving Couric the shove and is shopping for a new nightly news anchor.

Station returns to capture young male audience

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Cable_20/For_G4_the_task_of_crafting_an_identity.asp
Will this cable program survive with its reviews of video games?

Liquor ads! Are they appropriate for college newspapers?

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/commentary.aspx?id=19877
Commentary from the First Amendment Center

LA Times retracts story information about Tupac

http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2008/04/us_la_times_concludes_sources_were_fabri.php
Did this reporter have Google? Editorweblog gives us the update on March 17 story.

Nielsen buys IAG; more ratings on the way

http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3629035
Clickz reports on the purchase.

Big media stockholders in a tizzy!

From MediaPost: http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=80026

More ads in your face--for a good cause?

Medialifemagazine.com reports on how advertisers can "go green":
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Out_of_Home_19/Your_client_wearing_green_on_Earth_Day.asp

Ethics and educators: Dilemmas abound

Ethics newsline does a round-up of recent ethical dilemmas involving educators:
http://globalethics.org/newsline/2008/03/31/ethics-in-education-focus-of-press-reports/

Another silly sandwich ad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbRVd3kmwMU
Watch two roast beef sandwiches chatter. Who signs off on this silliness?

More on "ads are everywhere"!

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Out_of_Home_19/Your_client_shopping_at_airport_stores.asp

The young and hip allegedly pay attention to ads on plastic shopping bags they get with purchases at airport stores.

Journalism students don't despair

http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2008/03/27/journalism-school-graduates-how-to-increase-your-chance-of-finding-a-job-and-decrease-your-chance-of-having-to-vent-on-angryjournalistcom/
The site angryjournalist.com shouldn't make J-students disheartened.

Report: Internet addiction should be labeled disease

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=125987
Adage.com reports: "A Prominent Doctor Considers the Mental State of Internet Addicts. But, Hey, What About the Dealers?"

Buyout leaves Newsweek's cupboards bare?

Radar reports on the buyouts: http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/03/newsweek-buyouts-writers-david-ansen-gates.php

And more media buyouts are listed at mediabistro.com: http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2008/03/27/journalism-school-graduates-how-to-increase-your-chance-of-finding-a-job-and-decrease-your-chance-of-having-to-vent-on-angryjournalistcom/

Writer consider NPR National Pentagon Radio

http://www.alternet.org/stories/80604/
Is NPR reporting the biased information from the Pentagon--or is it remaining independent and balanced? This writer explains the problem.

Death by newscast?

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=19855
The AP reports that a woman blames the news media for her husband's suicide

Socially responsible: Gore foots bill for ad campaign

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/31/algore.uselections08.climate
Former U.S. vice president Al Gore is spending $300 million on global warming ads.

Ashton K spoofs the press: Celeb mags worried?

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/03/25/2008-03-25_mags_watching_ashton_with_disbelief.html
Ashton Kutcher spreads false news via his new show Pop Fiction.

Private Facebook photos unveiled!

From medialifemagazine.com:
Say cheese: Glitch unwalls private Facebook photos
Be warned: Despite a recent upgrade to ensure privacy on Facebook, a security lapse yesterday allowed anyone to see personal photos on the popular online social networking site. The security breach was discovered by a Canadian computer technician, Byron Ng, who reported it to The Associated Press, which verified the lapse. Facebook reports that the breach only lasted about an hour. Last week, Facebook announced that it had added more privacy guards to ensure that it keeps its 67 million members’ profiles personal. Ng was able to circumvent the new protections using a computer-coding trick that he shared with an AP reporter. The reporter then had the ability to look through personal photo albums that were supposed to be private, including one of Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. It’s not the first security breach of this type. MySpace.com, the world’s largest online social network, had a security lapse earlier this year during which its members’ private photos were also exposed.

Banning junk food ads: It's going global

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/New_media_23/War_on_kiddie_junk_food_moves_online.asp

Check out the latest on advertising to children. Junk food is evil!

Internet access at work: Now employees watch videos all day

http://globalethics.org/newsline/2008/03/17/one-more-workplace-ethics-problem-watching-online-videos/

This report examines how much time is wasted by employees who watch sites such as YouTube.com while they are supposed to be working.

Cereal flake sells for big bucks: What's the world coming to?

From Medialifemagazine.com reports the following: Illinois-shaped cereal bit sells for $1,350 Who says your breakfast cereal isn’t worth taking a closer look at? A corn flake shaped like the state of Illinois has sold for $1,350 on eBay. The flake will find its home in a collection of Americana and pop culture items, new owner Monty Kerr says. Kerr runs TriviaMania.com and is interested in starting a traveling museum. He plans to have someone pick up the flake by hand to avoid damaging it. The now-famous flake was discovered by two Virginia sisters while eating breakfast. It has sparked other state-shaped corn flake auctions as well as a cottage industry including Illinois corn flake T-shirts. The auction lasted more than a week. The sisters, who plan to use the auction proceeds for a family vacation, say they are just relieved the auction and the hoopla surrounding it are over.

More advertising in new places

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Out_of_Home_19/Your_client_s_message_at_the_drugstore.asp

Medialifemagazine.com reports on the latest places ads are positioned. This week: drug store security pedestals.

You can't pray for beauty!

From the Guardian:http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/12/asa.advertising
Christians upset that a gal in lingerie is praying for beauty in this ad campaign.

It's a social thing

http://www.adrants.com/2008/03/socialthing-the-new-social-thing.php
New site let's you put flickr, facebook and everything else on one site. I can't catch up with all of this! The site, which was brought to my attention by adrants.com, is being introduced at South by Southwest.

Coast Guard recruitment ads appeal to Jerry Bruckheimer fans?

http://www.adrants.com/2008/03/military-service-glamourized-with.php#more
Adrants comments on the latest TV ads from the U.S. Coast Guard.

MSNBC cancels Tucker Carlson's show

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/tucker_canceled_other_programming_changes_ahead_79352.asp?c=rss
Read the "sad" story here.

For the clip of Jon Stewart with Tucker Carlson (2004), see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFQFB5YpDZE

Public doesn't trust press

See the study information at http://globalethics.org/newsline/2008/03/10/over-half-of-americans-say-they-tend-not-to-trust-the-press/

Collegian and Gannett: It's over

http://www.splc.org/newsflash.asp?id=1709
The Student Press Law Center reports that Gannett and CSU are no longer talking about possible purchase of Collegian.

DIA blocks sites to protect kids

Media Life reports the following: "If you’re traveling in or out of Denver International Airport with your laptop, you won’t be able to access porn. Or Vanity Fair magazine’s web site. Or the hipster site boingboing.net. That’s because airport officials are blocking sites they believe to be racy or unfit for youngsters’ consumption. The Denver Post reports that airport officials decided to prohibit access to potentially provocative web sites when the airport's free wireless service went online in November. While critics say the airport is employing the same technology used by repressive regimes in the Middle East, airport officials say they would rather deal with infrequent complaints they receive about lack of access than deal with irate parents."

Stunt or gimmick?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/books/06esqu.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
The New York Times reports that Esquire magazine publishes a "diary" of Heath Ledger's last days--not all of it is true, though.

Made-up memoir of gang life blasted

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/books/04fake.html
Once again, another writer publishes "a memoir" that is false.
Motoko Rich of the NYT reports the following:
"In 'Love and Consequences," a critically acclaimed memoir published last week, Margaret B. Jones wrote about her life as a half-white, half-Native American girl growing up in South-Central Los Angeles as a foster child among gang-bangers, running drugs for the Bloods.
The problem is that none of it is true."

Blogs being blamed for suicide

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/business/media/03blog.html?_r=1&8seia&emc=seia&oref=slogin
Accroding to NYT Times writer Bob Tedeschi, "Visitors to AgencySpy and AdScam, two sharp-tongued blogs written by advertising industry insiders, posted comments blaming the sites for contributing to the suicide late last month of Paul Tilley, 40, the creative director of DDB Chicago. " Read the story at the above link. Could blog postings really contribute to pushing someone over the edge?

Diversity training for CU online newspaper staff to come

http://dailycamera.com/news/2008/feb/22/diversity-training-for-campus-press/
CU's journalism dean mandates diversity training after a "columnist" did a satire about Asian students.

From the UNC Mirror: an editorial about CU and CSU student journalists:
http://www.uncmirror.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&uStory_id=6fe9564a-1177-4acb-810a-bd3622f554d8

Peck's story about Gannett's independent newspapers at SPJ.org

SPJ posted this last week:
GANNETT MAKING THE MOVE ON STUDENTS?
In August 2006, Gannett Co. bought its first independent student newspaper. It followed up last year with the purchase of its second independent student paper. This year, there are rumbles that the company is looking at purchasing still other student papers. SPJ member Lee Anne Peck examines how two student newspapers have fared since their acquisition.
Go to SPJ.org to read the story.

Cricket fever in Fort Fun?

From Angela Natividad via Ad Rants
Stanford 20/20 Tries Drumming Up Cricket Love in the US

See all those colorful words at left? It's not just a hodgepodge of nonsense. It's a manifesto. Its job is to encourage you to visit YouGottaSeeThis2020 with the express intention of cultivating your new passion: cricket.
And then, and then, you'll have to turn on your TV from January 26-February 24 and follow cricket. (Oops.)
The campaign, which aspired to educate the fine people of Fort Collins, CO about cricket while channeling the Caribbean party atmosphere of Stanford 20/20 (eh?), was put together by PUSH. The reaction was described thus:
Crowds are attending the viewing parties, concerts and events in large numbers. Home viewers are sharing their thoughts online at the Stanford 20/20 U.S. message board. Teachers are adding cricket to their physical education programs, and the kids of Ft. Collins are even playing makeshift cricket matches in their neighborhoods.
Simply stated, the people of Ft. Collins have caught Stanford 20/20 Cricket fever.
The question of the hour is, "But will Colorado Cricket Fever become pandemic?" (And if it does, where can we get our shots?)

'Snide advertising' too mean?

http://adage.com/cmostrategy/article?article_id=125053
Richard Rapaport, writing in Advertising Age, says snide advertising is just plain dumb. Read his comments at the link above.

Interesting, unique ad campaign to begin in Denver

http://www.adrants.com/2008/02/denver-to-remove-less-from-homeless.php#more

A billboard campaign to help the homeless in Denver: worth a look.

Encyclopedia woes in France

The Independent reports that an encyclopedia published in France is losing sales because of the Internet, but is the information from Web sites always reliable?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/frances-favourite-encyclopaedia-falls-victim-to-wikipedia-784420.html

Making money from Spears' apparent mental illness

http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/mixed-media/2008/02/19/britney-spears-mental-illness-and-the-tabloids
Time to leave Britney Spears alone--it's the right thing to do.

Socially responsible or not? Talking about autism

From MediaLife.com:
Autism advocates rap CBS over 'Brother' statements Another television network is under fire over the issue of autism. An autism charity called Autism United has demanded top bosses at CBS apologize after a contestant on “Big Brother” used derogatory language to refer to people with autism. The contestant in question, Adam Jasinski, said if he won he would use the money to open a hair salon for “retards,” by which he meant people with autism. He was quickly reprimanded by another housemate. Autism United says that while Jasinski displayed “gross ignorance,” the producers of the show are also to blame as they chose to use these quotes in the show. CBS yesterday issued a statement condemning Jasinski’s comment. The incident comes not long after ABC came under fire from the American Academy of Pediatrics for an episode of new legal drama “Eli Stone” in which a lawyer wins a big case after arguing that a child’s autism has been caused by a childhood vaccine. While the show does state that science has not found a link between the vaccine and autism, the AAP believed the episode left the impression that the vaccine was at fault."

Whoops! Headline doesn't match photo

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/askeditor/stories/021408dnediasktheeditor.bc1d8c24.html
Dallas Morning News makes wrong choice on photo it publishes. "Ask the editor" George Rodrigue explains what happened.

NIU newspaper staffers maintain professionalism

Student or staff member? http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/business/media/18college.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&8seia=&oref=slogin&emc=seia&adxnnlx=1203530611-zDw0Iy3w9G3XI5WiJKlmFw

A video: http://getfreshcut.com/2008/02/17/covering-a-tragedy-niu/

Code of conduct protects kids

From the Guardian's Richard Wray:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/18/news

"Media companies including the BBC, Channel 4, Google, Yahoo and social-networking site Bebo have signed up to a new code of conduct, to be announced today, designed to give parents more information about the suitability for children of audiovisual content available on the internet and mobile phones.
The new content information guidelines have been developed by industry and the government's independent advisory body the Broadband Stakeholder Group, backed by regulator Ofcom. For the first time, they extend the existing principles of broadcast consumer guidance across the wider new media industry.
The guidelines do not cover user-generated content such as that found on YouTube or adverts. Instead, they call for all commercially generated content available online or on mobile phones to be flagged if it is unsuitable for particular age groups or contains content that may harm or offend."

Clothing ad uses Bin Laden double

http://commercial-archive.com/node/142631
Using Bin Laden in an ad campaign. Tasteful or not? Check out the video at the above link

Controversial comment about Chelsea becomes big problem

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/clinton_no_temporary_suspension_or_halfhearted_apology_is_sufficient_77088.asp
Newscaster says Hillary is "pimping out" her daughter, is suspended, and the Clintons says his apology is not good enough. Ouch! Comments above from mediabistro.com

Super Bowl ads draw racism criticism

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/business/media/06adco.html?ref=media
Should the pandas in this ad for Salesgenie.com speak with Chinese accents? And what about its other ad where an Indian man is harassed? Lots of ads are criticized, actually. See what you think.

Third-party endorsements: OK or not?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/business/media/07jarvik.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin
The man who created the artificial art years ago appears in an ad for the drug Lipitor. He is shown rowing--which he doesn't do and a body-double was used--and is not licensed to practive medicine. Yet, he allegedly takes the drug. Hmmm.

Britney versus Bush: Who gets the most coverage?

According to Think Progress, Britney Spears recently made the news more than President Bush. See the story at http://www.local10.com/news/15181084/detail.html?rss=mia&psp=news

Believable or not? Detroit mayor apologizes to city for his inappropriate msgs

Northern Colorado student Haley McNeill pointed out this PR ploy:http://www.local10.com/news/15181084/detail.html?rss=mia&psp=news
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick apologizes for his alleged affair with his wife at his side--in a church.

J-school creates site for citizen journalists

http://www.kcnn.org/about/cuny_journalism_school_launches_web_site
What are the legal and ethical responsibilities of citizen journalists? Just the same as any professional journalist--but many citizen journalists don't know the ins and outs. CUNY J-school has created a helpful Web site for those who need to know more.

Magazine editor apparently doesn't know ethics

From Columbia Journalism Review: "The new chief of an upcoming Wall Street Journal magazine aimed at the superrich quoted her business partner in a Times of London column and mentioned their business—a small chain of yoga studios—in other columns without telling readers of her interest in it."
Read the story at http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/downward_facing_dog.php

ET pulls partying Heath Ledger segment

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/01/entertainment-1.html
February sweeps brings out the worst in TV programming. Entertainment Tonight and Inside Edition planned to air a 2-year-old video of Heath Ledger, who recently passed away, on the first day of the February sweeps. Ledger is allegedly "under the influence" in the video.

DU newspaper adviser tells photog to make sky blue

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=28059
Poynter's columnist Romenesko points out this dilemma: The photo editor of University of Denver's Clarion says his adviser thought the sky was too white in a photo and that "I should have colored the sky blue in Photoshop so that it looked better." Justin Edmonds refused to do it. "She then told me that if I didn't do what she asked to make the pictures better then she would find someone else who could." Dozens of SportsShooter.com readers have commented on Edmond's post. Click on the link to read more.

Sandwich wars turn nasty

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/business/media/29adco.html?_r=1&ref=media&oref=slogin
Subway is suing Quizno's over an ad made for a contest. Read the New York Times story.

Mag for Iranian woman order closed

Iran magazine shut down because of morally questionable content: http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/CultureAndMedia/?id=1.0.1819565032

Pope asks media to act ethically

http://www.ejc.net/media_news/pope_calls_on_media_to_adopt_info_ethics/
Info-ethics is like bio-ethics, the Catholic pope says.

Utah Supreme Court OKs reporters privilege

http://www.ejc.net/media_news/utah_high_court_adopts_broad_privilege_for_reporters/
Utah Supreme Court OKs privilege for reporters; no need for them to identify confidential sources in court: a positive move for journalists.

Ads are everywhere--even in security baskets at airport

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Alternative_media_43/Now_ads_in_security_baskets_at_airports.asp
Another place for advertisers to get their msgs to targeted audiences. Ingenious or too much?

Covering the death of Heath Ledger

http://www.foliomag.com/2008/ethics-covering-heath-ledger
The weekly entertainment mags fight for the check-out line sale.

Just for fun: Sloppy proofreading leads to outrage

http://www.mlive.com/news/saginawnews/index.ssf?/base/news-25/120110166445440.xml&coll=9
A classified ad that should have been placed under "animals for sale" instead gets placed under "good things to eat." The outrage!

UK automobile ads and the environment

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jan/24/ethicalliving.climatechange?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront
Media Guardian's "Ethical Living" columnist points out how auto ads overseas make fun of environmentalists. Ouch.

Such hoopla! Gannett scares CSU Collegian staff

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080123/co_campus_paper_gannett.html
Interesting that I should be working on a story for Quill about the two Florida college newspapers bought by Gannett several months ago while this uproar is going on in my own back yard. One Florida college newspaper says having Gannett as its publisher hasn't changed a thing.
This story from the Denver Post: http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_8056845

Writing obits before a celeb is dead too morbid?

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/295850
The Associated Press has written Britney Spears obit--just in case. This practice of writing obits of the famous has been done by newspapers and wire services for years. But it makes some people a bit queasy. Take a look at the story at the link above.

In Afghanistan, don't print info from the Internet then take it to school!

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/23/mental-note-do-not-print-stuff-from-the-internet-in-afghanistan/
Yikes. A college student in U.S.-backed Afghanistan printed an anti-Islam article from the Web and took it to school to discuss with faculty and peers. Now he may be sentenced to death.

Myths about the "Google generation"

The "Google generation," born after 1993, are not as savvy on the Internet as one would think. They plagiarize a LOT. See the results of the study at this link: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080118-the-google-generation-not-so-hot-at-googling-after-all.html

Oops! Headline about race, gender irks South Carolina women

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/21/emails.race.gender/
A headline of CNN's home page has upset its readers, viewers; it seemed to say will African-American South Carolina women have to choose between race and gender when it comes to Obama and Hillary.

Illegal movie file sharing by college students--or not?

The Motion Picture Association is a bit off with its percentage of college students illegally downloading movies; see the story at http://insidehighered.com/news/2008/01/23/mpaa

Latest LA Times editor fired over budget

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/22/AR2008012202970.html
Read the story about the firing of the third L.A. editor in three years by media critic Howard Kurtz; he writes: "A new editor is brought in, promises of journalistic excellence are made, financial reality intervenes, and before long the editor is banished, leaving behind a stunned newsroom. "

McDonald's pulls ads from report cards

Adage.com reports the outrage in Florida where a school district was allowing ads by McDonald's on student report cards. McDonald's was printing the cards for the district. Hmmm. Here's the article:http://adage.com/article.php?article_id=123176

Take note: Wikipedia is not a reliable source!

Posted at http://www.journalism.co.uk/2/articles/530941.php on 17/01/08 by Oliver Luft

Agence France Presse has banned its journalists from using Facebook and Wikipedia as sources, the agency's London bureau chief told a Lord's Committee yesterday.In response to a question from the Lord's Committee on Media Ownership and the News about the trustworthiness of online sources, Pierre Lesourd said that internal rules that governed the entire organisation prevented journalists from relying on many new 'virtual' sources for news."We have internal rules that are regularly updated [on this matter]. Wikipedia for example, we have a written rule inside the company that forbids any journalist using Wikipedia," he said.
Facebook is also not acceptable.
"We have the same thing, updated last week, for Facebook because of the incident with Bilawal Bhutto in Oxford."Some newspapers picked up pictures on Facebook about Mr Bhutto, which turned out to be fake."We are trying to be vigilant about it but, obviously, everyday a new virtual source appears. We have to be very careful."Speaking to Journalim.co.uk today, Mr Lesourd clarified the policy, stating that reporters working for the international agency could not pick up information from these sites for news without referring to other, more reliable sources for factual clarification.
Amen!

Diane Keaton uses the "F" word, all hell breaks loose

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-language18jan18,1,820058.story?coll=la-entnews-tv

After Diane Keaton uses the "F" word on "Good Morning America," entertainment execs gather to discuss social responsibility vs. artistic freedom. See the Los Angeles Times story at the link above. The word just slipped out! Should ABC be fined?

Golfweek editor fired over noose cover photo

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ordine/blog/2008/01/golfweek_editor_fired.html

Just in: The Baltimore Sun reports the editor of Golfweek was fired today after publishing a cover photo of a noose--the photo was supposed to represent a comment made by a Golf Channel analyst about Tiger Woods. See the full story at the link above.

Ms. magazine refuses ad from American Jewish Council

Ms. magazine refused to run a full-page advertisement submitted by the American Jewish Congress featuring three prominent Israeli women because it did not fit with its mission. See the New York Sun story at http://www.nysun.com/article/69607

Hypocritical or not?

Kicking a photographer: Where's the rule book?

From Medialifemagazine.com:
Politician kicks off his term by booting photographer
Verbally abusing media members is a rite of passage for politicians, but most draw the line at physical abuse. That’s why a recent confrontation between a member of Colorado’s House of Representatives and a Rocky Mountain News photographer is causing so much rancor in the state capital. Rep. Doug Bruce allegedly kicked Rocky Mountain News photographer Javier Manzano in the knee Monday after Manzano snapped a picture during the state body’s morning prayer. The photographer fell backward and knocked over a camera. When word of the incident leaked, it caused a firestorm in the Colorado capital, where a House special committee has been formed to investigate the conduct of the Republican state representative, who has refused to apologize. Bruce, who just began his term, has called for Manzano to apologize instead, insisting the photographer broke the rules of decorum by taking pictures during prayer, though there’s no rule on the books against such action.
More on this from the First Amendment Center via AP:
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=19555
See the video here:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/videos/detail/bruces-kick-tape/

Dowd's/NYT's dateline problem

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2008/01/dowds.php
Read the story at the above link (from blogger/reporter Greg Sargent) about esteemed New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd. She apparently filed a story from Jerusalem with the dateline of a city in New Hampshire! Yeow. The NYT says this is no problem. What do you think? Misleading or not?

Also, the NYT editorial page editor is quoted in a New York Observer story at this link:
http://www.observer.com/2008/rosenthal-blasts-critics-over-dowd-column

Men's Vogue mag makes promises it does not keep

The men's version of Vogue magazine has lost credibility among celebs because of promises not kept. Never lie! See the ugly truth at this link: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/01/10/2008-01-10_mens_vogue_mag_driving_stars_crazy.html

Sears' Web site too customer friendly?

Look up your Sears purchases and anybody else's! What? Sears has no comment. See the dilemma at http://ethicsnewsline.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/sears-criticized-over-privacy-issues/

LA TImes: Mags exploit celebrities' children

The Los Angeles Times reports: On last week's cover of Life & Style magazine, a toddler pouted above the headline "New Trouble for Shiloh." Good thing the 20-month-old daughter of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie can't read, because the story went on to detail the "sad pattern" of her neglect. Just a week earlier, Life & Style's cover line screamed, "Britney's Kids to Be Tested for Drugs: The crisis at home is the most heartbreaking it's ever been!" Celebrity children are targeted by tabs and gossip Web sites, and the emphasis isn't on family values. Read the story: http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/image/la-ig-kids6jan06,1,2841363.story?ctrack=5&cset=true

Bhutto's son would like some privacy, please

The son of assassinated Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has pleaded for the media to respect his privacy as he continues his studies at Oxford University. He has taken over his mother's role mother's role as the chairman of her party. He's upset by "the lengths journalists have gone to access comments about me on the social networking site Facebook."
See the story at http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=39859&c=1