70 percent of Americans believe journalists want Obama to win

I've been thinking of the media's current represention of both candidates and how the media is viewed liberal.

Just how many people believe the media is biased towards to the candidates?

According to the Pew Research Center, "By a margin of 70%-9%, Americans say most journalists want to see Obama, not John McCain, win on Nov. 4."

Eight percent of Americans say there isn't favoritism among journalists, and thirteen percent say they don't know which candidate most reporters support.

What's so surprising about this poll is that the margin is significantly higher than in previous elections. As compared to the 2004 election, the margin was 50%-22%, democrat to republican.

I think the media is doing a decent job at representing both candidates. Yes, sometimes there is the occasional misrepresentation, but that opinion can go either way.

If you read a recent column by Slate's “nonliberal” Jack Schafer, you’ll discover his view of working in the liberally dominated profession and why he’s not complaining. While a majority of reporters and editors are liberal, Schafer, a political minority at Slate, points that conservatives fill the commentariat in the way liberals fill mainstream reporting.

In Schafer's "The Liberal Media and How to Stop it," he writes, “The best press criticism isn't a column or a moan of disgust into a TV camera. It's writing a better story.”

If conservatives think there is a media bias towards liberal candidates and ideas, then they need to be writing the stories as well. Maybe then the American view of journalists will decrease that 61 percent candidate difference.

Journalism classes should be more than an elective

Due to changing graduation requirements, journalism classes are becoming an elective and threatening school newspapers, according to a recent article posted on poynter.org.

I admit, the thought of being part of my high school newspaper didn't cross my mind. Our newspaper consisted of a paper pamphlet with random articles. I didn't think highly of it. Look at me now- I'm a journalism major.

But with schools that take their paper seriously, enrollment numbers are down, worrying some teacher and students. This is disappointing. There are three reasons why a journalism class should be required. First, no matter the type of newspaper, writing is an important tool to learn in high school that carries into college; I often find myself thinking my research papers are written as news article.

Second, not only can a journalism class improve writing, but learning how to upload and design graphics are beneficial. These are desired skills in today's society. It makes you more marketable, and it gives you a jumpstart in college when working with media tools.

Finally, journalism affects our lives. When Americans pay attention to the news, they receive it from journalists! Knowing how reporters report may just make society a little less judgmental of the media.

Saying goodbye to the AP

The New York Tribune Company is the first major newspaper to announce the cancellation of business with the Associated Press.

As part of the contract, the drop will occur in two years. Other papers that have given the two-year notice include The Star Tribune of Minneapolis, The Bakersfield Californian, The Post Register of Idaho Falls, and several other smaller newspapers.

The cancellation, which will officially begin in two years, arose out of new rates in which the AP will charge. The AP announced the new rate system in 2007. Currently, the AP charges newspapers for a news package typically based on the buyer's location and circulation. The new structure features offering all worldwide breaking news. For an additional cost, papers can by the premium package that included non-breaking news. In 2009, the new structure will go into effect.

I had no idea the AP decided to change their rate structure. Obviously, some newspapers across the country are unhappy with the decision.

According to editorsweblog.org, "The Post Register's (in Idaho Falls) editor and publisher Roger Plothow refers to the new fee structure as 'too rigid' and 'too expensive,' pointing out that the AP hasn't adapted too well to the changing newspaper industry."

It is unfortunate the AP has decided to change what they'll offer. From what I read in newspapers, a majority of stories are written by AP reporters. Also, a majority of news headlines aren't breaking ones. Yet, the AP will be charging extra for those stories. With the current financial situation in the newspaper industry, newspapers don't want to pay extra.

What's going to happen to the newspapers that have cancelled their AP subscription? Hyperlocalism is going to saturate those newspapers.

To be a blogger!

According to a recent Slate.com article last week, there are various amounts of income a blogger can make.

Bloggers, such as LOLcat Empire, Perez Hilton, Jason Kottke, can rake in over $5,000 a month, leading the blogger's average income to be around $75,000.

The more hits a blog receives, the more it’s wanted for advertising purposes. In return, companies, such as Amazon.com and Google, hope to receive “clicks” on their ads and are willing to pay for advertisements on highly trafficked blogs.

Apparently, if you’re a good blogger, you can make a decent salary because of the number of visitors that look or read your blog. Furthermore, I had no idea some bloggers had made more than $200,000. The most significant conclusion I derive from this article is how blogs have impacted the Web’s readers.

I’m skeptical of blogs. My experience with blogs has been that they are mostly opinion based, and they appear to be more editorial, if anything else. The only difference, for me, between an editorial and a blog is that the reader can comment on a blog. If I want to read news, I’ll go to a news source. If I want commentary, I’ll read a blog.

Also, it’s become more difficult to conduct research on the Web. Search aggregators bring up blogs with the topic I’m looking for, and I don’t want a blog. Instead, I’m beginning to search the Simpson library’s databases to research, but I can only access those sources if I’m logged onto a network computer. If I weren’t a student, I’d have to pay for the databases. In order to make users pay more to use the Internet, will users eventually be forced to pay for credible information and be left with social, biased commentary?

On a side note, is there a blogging school where I can apply?  

"Teaching" youth

Supporters of both parties are going to become a little more intense as each day brings us closer to the election.

In a recent FoxNews.com article, Republican Virginia teachers are upset by a mass e-mail sent out by the state's teacher union to its members in support of Democratic nominee Obama. The e-mail asked teachers to dress in blue this past Tuesday in representation of their support for Obama.

While "Obama Blue Day" may have been a good suggestion at the time to the union, Republican teachers view it as a way to influence students' views.

At the same time, New York teacher unions have been scrutinized for distributing thousands of Obama buttons to its members.

Ann Forte, New York Department of Education spokeswoman, said, "Schools are not a place for politics and not a place for staff to wear political buttons."

I agree.

While I find these actions unacceptable, I cannot argue that they are not protected under the first amendment. But do I believe it's a form of propaganda? Yes, I do. Schools are institutions where youth should not be influenced, particularly by their educators. The media frenzy of who to support is not an appropriate setting where youths are easily persuaded. Students should not have to worry about theirs and their teachers' political beliefs juxtaposing.

Teachers should respect their students by not intentionally bringing personal views into the classroom. I find these union members' actions extremely disrespectful, and I'm disappointed in the fact that they are intentionally influencing America's youth. Education is about providing the individual with necessary tools to learn and form their own opinions.

Advertising to minorities: an avenue to pursue

In regards to our class discussions involving advertising, this most recent blog concerns just that topic. While in my African American Female Literature class, I began connecting our communications class to my literature class. It led me to ask myself, "How do minorities affect minorities?"

In my online search, I came across an interesting article, located on an online career website, pertaining to my question. According to the article, this media market has become a type of niche marketing. I fully believe the following statement in the article: "The advertising industry was founded on the belief that to sell products, you have to appeal to the majority."

It continues on to describe that the current market's "majority" is decreasing.

In today's society, the white population is increasingly becoming the minority. The United States, often referred to as being a melting pot, constantly has immigrants entering the country, or having children, that contribute to the term even more so. With more minorities affecting the target market, market strategies, and advertising in general, the mass media, as it relates to advertising, would appear to be an open market with endless opportunities to create and brand a product.

It'll make him happier, I promise...almost

As we've been discussing advertisements in class, I never realized how, according to today's standards, advertisements nearly 60 and 50 years ago were so sexist.

I've noticed a common similarity among advertisements, particularly those in the 1950s. The media (marketers) specifically appealed to women by means of making them think of pleasing their husband. For example, this pictured advertisement uses something as simple as a meat thermometer to make sure dinner's cooked correctly for him.

Now, compare that to a similar item advertised on the Web. It states, "Using a Cooking or Meat Thermometer. Have you ever cut into a roast or a turkey to see if it has finished cooking? Have you ever paid what seemed like a fortune for a beautiful steak and have it come off the grill overcooked and dry? You DEFINITELY need to use a cooking or meat thermometer!"

What a change in the marketing media! While some may argue that maybe the media hasn't done enough to close the sexist gap, I believe today's ads create a more individual, empowering buyer attitude. Now, the media understands this concept of individualism. Instead of trying to please one or two persons, the buyer is expected to satisfy his own expectations.