This chapter actually threw me off for a little bit. It was actually a little different from what I am used to. Chapter three was strictly about journalism writing. The chapter’s main point was to make a clear statement of the news point and when possible add a detail that makes the story stand out.

There’s a part in the reading where it told me to ask myself what is different about each story. Although this isn’t about creative writing it made me think to my own writing. What makes my writing different? What makes the stories different? How are the stories different from each other? I feel like I’m writing a lot of the same things, but a lot of it isn’t the same.

The one thing I have learned from these readings is to be clear and concise. Simple and straight to the point and hold the pretty things for later.

Keep it easy. No one likes to be confused.

Keep everything short, sweet, and to the point. Don’t make it pretty. Everything doesn’t always need an explanation. On the first page it says: “News writing should be clear, concise, accurate, and interesting.” I learned a lot from this reading and was reminded of a lot of things I had forgotten as well. “Writing is the art of second thought.” You put everything down, but it isn’t perfect. So then you go through it again to make it perfect. Editing the piece by finding the perfect balance of words, going big and fancy isn’t always necessary. Everything doesn’t need to be decorated; things can stay as they are.

“Simplify. Avoid clutter. Prune. Think twice.”

Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/david_puttnam_what_happens_when_the_media_s_priority_is_profit

That accent is distracting me. It reminds me from when I was in Ireland, although it isn’t an Irish accent. I could honestly just listen to it and not do anything else with my life. Anyone with a British, Irish, or Australian accent can just come up to me and rant to me about their life and I don’t think I will remember a thing they said. Just keep speaking. Please. I am a great listener, I swear.

What I learned form this Ted talk was that, yes the media has a duty of care becuase people will and can believe anything you tell them. What people read, people will take that side. If they read negative, they feel negative about the situation. Read positive, take positive. If they don’t reading or care, they are considered neutral but very uninformed. Basically no matter what you are, vlogger, reporter, etc. You are always held to a high standard and are given a rep. Once that rep is lost, you will never get it back. People remember the negative better then the positive, because its easier.  Just as it is easier to do bad, then to do good.

The news does have a duty to care and to stay that way you must be: reasonable, productive workable compromise, and honest with facts. People must also have trust and leadership, to be true to that and with who they are. People will believe whatever they read and whatever they are told if they have no information about the subject.  If you don’t want people to lie to you, why lie to the people?

Some questions about facts: What are facts? What are opinions? Could opinions become facts?

Ted Talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/alisa_miller_shares_the_news_about_the_news?language=en

Oh yay! Another Ted talk. I remember reading somewhere last year that nobody watches Ted talks. Rather, that they just play in the background while people do something else. I remembering being one of those people. I’m pretty sure I’d still be apart of that group if I had wifi at my house. Although since I am sitting at a Starbucks with nothing other to do then my homework. I’ll pay a bit more attention.

That was the fastest 4 minutes of my life.

Basically the news about the news is that people care about overseas news, but news reporters don’t report it. From the video I learned that: “News networks removed 50% of their oversea stations and that covering Brittany Spears is cheaper.” Getting news online isn’t reliable either and that a lot of it is just retold stories. Also people get alot of their news from the local news. Although it isn’t surprising that the local news only covers 12% of overseas news. People are interested, its just no one covers it. People say college grads know less about the world becuase they are not interested. Rather the percentage of college grads who are interested has grown to over 50%. The news about the news is that everything costs money.