2nd Guest Speakers

Cindy Michaels and Tony Consiglio local broadcast personalities made an appearance at the University of Maine November 10. During their visit the professional pair explained to the group of students what it was truly like to be in the broadcasting field, specificallyat WVII-TV, a Bangor station. 

Michaels briefly summarized her slightly non-traditional background in broadcast.  She held a nine year career as a radio personality at a local station that started with doing the news reports. After radio she moved to T.V., and became an anchor at WVII-TV.  Michaels said she “does everything really, writing, editing, reporting and more”. Her job has few boundaries, and helps where ever the station needs her.

Consiglio also gave a brief summery of his background in his field. While attending Emerson College in Boston, he became active with campus stations. After college he worked for numerous stations in New England, which he described as a totally different pace than Bangor, ME. Currently, Consiglio is the producer at WVII-TV, meaning, he puts all the news stories together to formulate the show. He and Michaels shared numerous accounts of times when they thought the show would never come together in time to air.

Both broadcast professionals emphasized the value of internships and early experience. Consiglio reminded students that they will be “miles ahead of everyone else if you get early experience”.  They both recommended working at a campus run paper, radio station or TV station.  These experience will help you build a portfolio and resume that will “grab peoples attention”, says Michaels, ” You need to promote yourself”.

The pair closed with advice to the students.  The most feared aspect in the world of broadcasting is convergence of media, people no longer want to wait to get evening news. They can get online and find out what they need to know.  Consiglio made the point to stress how important knowlage of all news mediums is.

1st Guest Speaker 11/03/08

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Nathan Stormer [photo cred. www.Umaine.edu

Visiting Speaker Lectures University of Maine Students

By Allison Clair

Word count: 348

Associate professor, Nathan Stormer, gave guest lecture to a Writing for Mass Media class Monday, November 3.

Stormer is an expert in rhetoric in journalism and graced his audience with his expert advice.

To start the lecture, Stormer opened his time to questions of students. A student asked him to go into detail about metaphors, the uses and meanings. He first explained what a typical metaphor is, a comparison not using like or as. Stormer then went into great detail about how words are actually metaphors for the meaning of words. For example, a you cannot describe a cat with the word cat, it’s a comparison of the known meaning with the word with its actual face value. Stormer stated “all words are an abstraction of the meaning.” He encouraged the class to always take into consideration a the idea that each word is a metaphor, and keep in mind your word choice in crucial sentences.

The next point Stormer addressed was how to write for the universal reader. Good writers can always find substitutes of complex terms into everyday language. Although, Stormer discussed that some words cannot be replaced. Technical terms may only have one meaning, there for it becomes the writer’s job to explain the uncommon word for the universal reader.

Stormer proceeded to answer more questions directly relating to feature articles students had recently written. One student asked how to think of different words for words you used quite frequently in an article. Stormer suggested looking at the event or situation being reported on from different “eyes.” For example, top-down or whole perspective.

The most significant piece of information Stormer lectured on was his perspective of what journalists are.  Stormer said ” you’re part of an overall text- your becoming a fragment in someones understanding of a subject… there’s a basic desire to know.”  He followed this point with a discussion on objectivity, as the idea of erasing your [journalist's]  point of view.  “Try to consciously contain your own wants, so as not to make the audience feel one way or another.” Stormer stated.

Kids Sing Politics!

Ron Clark Academy Students change TI song lyrics You Can Have Whatever You Like!

Choosen Beat

Arts/Culture/Humanities/Medicine

Substitute Professor Informs UMaine Students

On October 17, 2008, Paul Grosswiler, University of Maine professor, stood in as a substitute teacher for a Writing for Mass Media class.  The basis of the class is to learn how to write for the mass media.  All media aspects are reviewed in the class, from mastering AP style to learning how to appropriately write for broadcast journalism.

As print journalism expert Grosswiler, spent time explaining his vast knowledge on the subject to the class. Grosswiler then turned the tables, asking students to speak up with questions in a professional interview type style.

The class started by asking very typical questions, that brought the interview no closer to understanding Grosswiler’s knowledge of print journalism, like where he got his start.  The class learned Grosswiler went to the University of Missouri, where he got into print journalism.  After college his first job in the field of journalism was writing the police feed.  He then took a job at the Bangor Daily News as Copy Editor.  He described that job as correcting AP Style, editing photos and editing titles.  After being promoted to Assistant Feature Editor, he took a job at the University of Maine.

A student asked for the definition of print journalism.  Grosswiler described it as “journals, magazines and newspapers.”  

The interview then changed to the future of print journalism.  ”Where do you see print going, with the growing popularity of the internet?” Grosswiler responded ” The death of it (print journalism) has been forecasted for a while now, every new media transforms print, the medium will change how audiances read and view material. A lot will stay the same because it is the written word, it will only change is that the words will be accompanied by videos and other website links.”

A student then spoke up asking with words of advice for a prospective journalist.  Grosswiler responded ” get a degree and good grade point average. Also, have proof! Keep clips of your work, get a job at your school paper where you can learn how to conduct research, go to meetings and gather proxy for your reader.  Be able to come up with your own stories, and identify your sources. Gather information as though you (the reporter) isn’t there, because your writing in third person.  Always write in SVO- subject, verb, object (active voice), also utilize the inverted pyramid to keep your reader interested. Write in short sentences and short paragraphs ( 2-3 sentences).  Lastly, always meet deadlines.”

Grosswiler occasionally still writes, but dreams of being a muckraker because it really helped to reform government and business, he feels the media dont do enough of it (investigative reporting).  

The last subject discussed was that of a positive perspective on journalism- things happen, misinterpretation happens.  Young journalists need to hear everything they can and then factually interpret.  Grosswiler stated that ” your story is only as good as your notes.”

Advertising Group!

Advertising Group Members:

Amber Thompson

Jennifer Bishop

Allison Clair

 

Linked Law/advertising artical:

This is interesting because first off the political candidates are initially advertising themselves to the public, and they are caught in lies all the time, and it is just a fact of politics that it is okay. Something needs to be changed also in the Code of Advertising Standards to adhere to political campaigns. Politics/elections should not be excluded from Advertising standards!

free write/this week’s news.

I believe the most important story in the news this week was the presidential debate. I feel it was the most important topic in the news because of the topics they discussed. Their words on Foreign Affairs struck my fancy the most.  The most exciting thing I think that happened during the debate was when Obama said made a statement to McCain about our current president being “his president”…. I watched the debate with my dad, and he was absolutely outraged that Obama would say such a thing.  Why would Obama say that? Is Bush not Obama’s current president too?!

 

I feel Obama may have hurt more than helped his reputation in this debate.

 

A Stitch is a Stitch

A Stitch is a Stitch

      

 

The most interesting thing about Meghan Newton, a New Hampshire based Fashion Designer, is that she started out life wanting to be a doctor. Yet, early in her college career she realized her true calling wasn’t to stitch up the human body, it was to stitch her own clothing.

As a Conway N.H. native, Newton explained how the lack of high fashion in her hometown sparked her interest in the outdoors.  Along with the outdoors Newton spent time with her grandmothers, both handy seamstresses.  Newton stated that her father’s mother would make all of her own clotheing because she didn’t like the current styles in local stores. Clothing design runs deep in Newton’s blood.  The love she had for the outdoors and the skills she developed from her grandmothers lead her to find her own spot in the world of fashion, Eco-friendly clothing.

After graduating from Kennett High school, in Conway in the spring of 1999, she enrolled in a tiny college of approximately 250 students in Bar Harbor, Maine.  At the College of the Atlantic Newton majored in the schools only major- Human Ecology, which she described as a major that “teaches you how to think”.

It was during her junior and senior year at the college that Newton started to focus on fashion design.  After graduation Newton continued her education in design at the Domus Academy in Milan, and graduated with a Masters in Fashion Design.  Newton stated that the whole approach to fashion in Italy is different than say, New York City. In Italy the programs she took focused on the conception, craftsmanship, art, and beauty of a collection. Newton views American fashion as having a focus on the technological and commercial aspects of the business.  Looking back on her time abroad Newton states what she learned, “I realized how little I truly knew about the world”.

At the moment Newton works out of Concord, selling her current line, which is incredibly unique in of it’s self. (Most Recent Fashion Show) All of her collection is made out of Indian fabrics and actually made in India.  Newton’s story of how she choose India, and their fabrics to base her line in is actually quite unique.  Through school she became friends with other students of Indian decent.  Through her friendships she learned to love the culture and “energy”, so through a few more coincidental happenings, she got it in her head that India was where she could find the refined material she had be searching for to use in her line.  So after a visit to India, she found the fabrics she had been in need of and then found a place to have her clothing made, where the people would really have a first hand knowledge of the material they were working with.  Newton stated she was incredibly careful to hire people at great pay and not support any element of a sweatshop. 

Newton’s focus on Eco-Friendly clothing is a “personal choice” she states.  She thinks the provenance of her line is incredibly important.  “It’s a strong part of the brand image and consumers are starting to become more aware of where not only their food, but clothing is coming from”, Newton states, that she believes her Eco-Fashion will go beyond the ‘going green’ trend. 

With in the next five years Newton hopes to find retailers outside of New England and hopefully world wide to sell her Eco-friendly clothing.  She states that the “future” of her job drives her the most; to think of how much effect she could possibly have on the world excites her!

When asked to give words of advice for the youth of today, Newton replies “ I sill consider myself the youth of today! But, just stick to your guns, if you really want to do something, anything is possible, it may not be the easiest path, but with hard work, it is entirely possible.” 

 

 

Things I found Interesting in the AP Style Book!

September 22, 2008

 

Thing From the AP Style Book I Did Not Know.

 

1)    Dateline Section- All the stuff about what abbreviations to use always messed me up.  I also like how the book lists which cities don’t need to be followed by the state name for extra identification.

2)    Domain Names- This is something I feel my generation should have a solid handle on, it will be incredibly prevalent in our future professions because we are now such a web based society and make frequent references/listings towards websites.

3)    Draft beer- haha, we are in college. The spelling is NOT draught.

4)    Tuberculosis- the abbreviation (TB) is accepted on second reference.  It is similar to state abbreviations, yet that would be considered the ‘mailing address’ abbreviation.  [to question authority-shouldn’t it be TBR or something of that nature to correspond with other AP accepted abbreviations?!]

5)    Women- the term and usage its self. I knew most of what was under the ‘women’, but I just wanted to bring it up because, years ago, this probably would not have been included.  It shows how much has truly changed within the last century in accepted writing!

6)    Slug- It’s under sports guidelines and style.  I just don’t know what the term ‘slug’ means, and its not in the actual definition part of the style book. I’m just curious! I like the thought of being a sports writer, not like I probably will, it has just always sparked my interest.

7)    Just a general question- Why are their some words just bolded without an explanation? Are they supposed to be commonly misspelled words or something? (i.e. slumlord, shut-in, shopworn etc.)

    Quotations in the news- a few things about this got me thinking, they start by saying never change up words, then go on to say never use words like gunna or wanna.  How do you fix those quotes without changing up the real feel of an article?!

9)    Possessives- I was unaware of all the nit-picky rules that come along with possessives! I think the lengthy section will come in helpful not only in the business world I hope to some day embark upon, but in everyday writing for school and such.

10) Majority vs. Plurality- majority is more than half of an amount and plurality means more than the next highest number… SO CONFUSING, yet incredibly useful information to know, I must admit.

11) Collective nouns- Nouns that denote a unit take singular verbs and pronouns (class, committee, crowd). Yet, bands names and teams take plural verbs. 

 

Overall, I feel the topics listed in the stylebook are incredibly useful, yet common knowledge that we are all unaware of knowing.  I think however, these rules are going to take time and patience to become proficient at.

Reports of Love in Heidi Newfield’s Future

Heidi Newfield- Johnny and June lyrics

Oh there’s something ’bout a man in black
Makes me want to buy a cadillac,
Throw the top back
And roll down to Jackson town
I wanna be there on the stage with you
You and I could be the next rage, too
Hear the crowd roar,
Make ‘em one more,
I’ll kick the footlights out

I wanna love like Johnny and June
Rings of fire burnin’ with you
I wanna walk the line,
Walk the line,
‘Till the end of time
I wanna love,
Love ya that much
Cash it all in,
Give it all up,
And when you’re gone
I wanna go, too
Like Johnny and June

I wanna hold you baby right or wrong
Build a world around a country song
Pray a sweet prayer,
Follow you there,
Down in history

I wanna love like Johnny and June
Rings of fire burnin’ with you
I wanna walk the line,
Walk the line,
‘Till the end of time
I wanna love,
Love ya that much,
Cash it all in,
Give it all up,
And when you’re gone,
I wanna go, too
Like Johnny and June
Like Johnny and June

More than life itself
No-one else
This endless promise
They don’t make love like that anymore
Is that too much to be askin’ for?

And when there gonna be no tears to cry,
Only memories of our lives,
They’ll remember, remember
A love like that.

Reports of Love in Heidi Newfield’s Future-

Heidi Newfield, 38, of Healdsburg, Calif. describes the perfect man as “a man in black… the kind that makes you want to buy a Cadillac, throw the top back and roll down to Jackson Town.” Her words seep heavily with the love of southern men and the accompanied slow southern lifestyle.

Newfield discusses her lust to be on stage and becoming the next rage with the man of her dreams. Love in the public’s eye.

Through out her description of perfect love, she makes direct refrence to the late singer/songwriter Johnny Cash and his epic love story type marriage to his second wife June Carter.  The life long love story of Cash and Carter has impacted the way some people percieve true love, and Newfield is certinly one of those people, her expectations of love is at an all time high.  The couple’s life became a modern day Romeo and Juliet story, of great love and great loss. Newfield stated that she is ready to cash it all in and give it all up inorder to find the Cash and Carter type of love.

Newfield’s perception on love can be described as holding your loved one right or wrong, building a life together around a sweet and charming country song. She wants to start a historically memorable love with someone.

To close, Newfield realizes all great things will, in fact, come to an end. She states that when the love of her life is gone (passes on), she wants to go too, like “Johnny and June”.  She says this is so she will never have to spend a day missing her loved one.