Slideshow Profile

For my slideshow profile, I wanted to talk with a freshman who is already strongly involved on campus, since I think getting involved is something freshman don't do enough of and regret later in their college careers. Because the marching band is getting so much publicity from their upcoming performance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I decided to so my slideshow on Steve Hammon, a trumpet player. The band will provide excellent nat sound and the photos of practice will hopefully turn out.

TV editing techniques

http://www.foxbaltimore.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wbff_vid_2000.shtml

In this VOSOT, the anchor is first shown with an OTS graphic about swine flu that matches the link on Fox's Web site.
The next shot is a wide shot of people waiting in lines outside of Enoch Pratt Library waiting to get flu shots, followed by a close up shot of the needles in the vaccines themselves.
The reporter writes to the corners of the story by saying how families are urged to get both seasonal and swine flu vaccines for their children as another wide shot of people coming into the Library and a close up of a man getting the shot follow.
A SOT of a woman working at the clinic shows her talking about the risks of not getting the flu shot, but the information is new and not recycled from the reporter's story. Her voice goes slightly into the next frame, which is a close-up shot of needles and a wide shot of another person getting a shot.

Audio story ideas

For my audio story, one idea would be to talk to freshmen who have jobs as well as a school schedule to juggle.
I would focus on two freshmen with different jobs; maybe one off campus and one on-campus, etc.
For nat sound, I could record noise in the store/place where they work, then fade into them speaking about what it's like to work in Towson and how they balance a job, school and a social life.
I could take a photo of them at work helping customers, folding clothes, etc. depending on the job.

Summary leads in broadcast style

Print lead: "City Council members introduced legislation Tuesday to allow same-sex marriage here. If it passes, as expected, Washington would be the first city below the Mason-Dixon line to allow such unions. The city’s bill is expected to become law by December."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/us/07marriage.html?ref=us

Broadcast lead: Same-sex marriage could be legal in Washington, D.C by December if legislation passes as expected.


Print lead: For Edgar Allan Poe, 2009 has been a better year than 1849. After dozens of events in several cities to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth, he's about to get the grand funeral that a writer of his stature should have received when he died.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/06/us/AP-US-Poe-Funeral.html?em

Broadcast lead: Baltimore will put one of it's greatest writers to rest, only 200 years after his death.


Print lead: The Centers for Disease Control has partnered with the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) to monitor the effects of the Swine Flu vaccine. The CDC hopes to avoid previous mass-vaccination mistakes, notably the 1976 swine flu scare, with this initiative.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/sns-health-swine-flu-vaccine-safety,0,1840139.story

Broadcast lead: If the effects of the new Swine Flu vaccine have you worried about vaccinating yourself and family, the Centers for Disease Control is hoping to put your mind at ease.

Attacking the feature story

My feature story is going to be a "how to" piece for freshmen on how NOT to be a "dorm dummy."

I plan to talk to freshmen living in different dorms on campus and ask them what the main issues they're having with dorm life this year.
I'll probably pick two or three of the most brought up topics (ex. roommates, illegal things in rooms) and talk with RAs and dorm supervisors to get their input on how to live wisely on campus.

For my photo I'll ask to follow an RA on rounds and take pictures of them if they have to stop in rooms for violations, which happens pretty regularly in the Towers due to noise.

The Wall Street Journal Formula

In the extensive human interest story "Coming out in middle school," New York Times writer uses an anecdotal lead featuring Austin, a gay middle school student unsure of what to wear to his first gay dance.

About nine graphs down, after giving a second anecdote of another gay middle school student, the nut graph of the story explains "Though most adolescents who come out do so in high school, sex researchers and counselors say that middle-school students are increasingly coming out to friends or family or to an adult in school."
After the nut graph, the story goes on to explain why the reader should care. The issue of gay children in middle schools would be something parents should address to their own children in middle school, as the writer addresses the issues of bullying and harassment of openly gay children.

The story, though nine pages in length, ties back to Austin in the end, the typical conclusion of a Wall Street Journal story. Austin wanted to attend an event sponsored by PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), and he was allowed as long as he had one of his parents with him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/magazine/27out-t.html?pagewanted=9&em

Feature Story Ideas

I'm kicking around two major ideas for my multimedia feature story.

The first idea is a feature on how not to be a "dorm dummy" during your freshman year.
I would talk with RAs and dorm building representatives about the most common violations freshmen make, during what times of the year they happen, and how they get caught.
I would talk to freshmen who live on campus about the kinds of violations they witness, any misconceptions they might have about things they can "get away with," or not get in trouble for.
I would also interview students and RAs about dorm etiquette. Common troubles roommates have, how to make the best of living in the Towers vs. old side housing like Richmond or Newell, etc.

The second idea is about Towson's reputation as a "suitcase school."
A lot of students live close to campus and go home during the weekends despite the thriving on-campus activities that are provided weekly, many for free.
I would also mention the community and city life we have at our disposal in Towson, and about whether students take advantage of it, or even know it exsists.
I would also talk with students who always spend weekends away and students who always stay on campus on weekends. I would discuss with them the pros and cons to this, and how they use their time at school and away to make the most of their college experience.

Summary vs. Feature Leads

While summary leads in hard news stories focus on getting the "who, what, where, when, why and how" to the reader as quickly as possible, feature leads focus on drawing the reader into a story that he or she might skim over regularly.

In this bright published by The Baltimore Sun, a short feature is started with a summary feature lead. Unlike a summary news lead, which includes the main information of the story, a summary feature lead gives the reader a preview of what the story is about.

"It's not the Black Pearl, but Johnny Depp's yacht has been spotted docked around the Chesapeake Bay this week."
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/news/bal-johnny-depps-yacht-0918,0,7487498.story

In this feature about an intersex horse racing in the Tony Maurello Stakes this week, a narrative lead is used to present to the reader a specific character in the story, in this case, the horse.

"Martha Maxine might seem like an ill-fitting name for a 5-year-old male horse, but there is an explanation. He used to be a she."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/sports/19racing.html?ref=sports

MCOM 258

Hello new and previous classmates!

My name is Lauren Slavin and I am a sophomore pre-mass communications major at Towson University.

I'm also the arts editor of The Towerlight and am on the search for new arts writers! If you are interested in an awesome way to hone your journalism skills in the areas of feature writing or arts writing, please contact me!

I'm excited about the multimedia skills we will be developing this semester in Journalism and New Media II. I went to a college journalism college last spring and what all the experts and journalists we talked with said the type of journalism taking over is something called "one man band," where a reporter is responsible for writing, retrieving audio, taking photos and video for their stories and putting it all together in a package.

I'm not the best photographer or videographer, so I hope to learn some tips on making this part of my "one man band" transition easier.

Picture This

Not-so-ugly mug shot, featuring Rachel Rabold

A view of Stephen's Hall

Action shot, featuring Towson Men's Rugby

And of course, the lovely Professor Spaulding

100 Word Story Exercise

A 3-year-old girl was trapped in a Laundromat washing machine yesterday, according to Rockland police chief.
Jennifer Childs was in the washer for more than five minutes before she was rescued by a local passer-by.
Screaming from within the Glen Rock Laundry and Dry Cleaner caused Rockland resident Paul Hecker to rush into the store. He was able to break the washing machine door to help the child escape.
Childs climbed into the washer and was shut in by her seven-year-old sister, according to Police Chief Robinson.
Childs was admitted to Rockland Hospital yesterday and is listed in good condition.

Ledes Con't- REVISED

Lede 4: A proposed bill will increase the penalties for committing identity theft in Towson, where rates lie above the national average.


Lede 5: A $1.2 million grant to Towson school districts will support the Community Helping Hands program, a leading effort to help at-risk youth, according to the Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy.

Lede Practice- REVISED

Lede 1: The husband of Mayor Sabrina Datolli was severely injured in a car accident Thursday due to negligence on behalf of another driver.

Lede 2: City council members raised the issue of creating a board to oversee building changes downtown at their monthly meeting.

Lede 3: A Senate plan to store nuclear waste in the Nevada desert will provide a safe haven for more than 77,000 tons of radioactive waste, Secretary of Energy said.

Extra Credit Post

Comma Rules

Rule 1: Use commas in compoun sentences when clauses are separted by a conjunction such as "and," "but," "for," "nor," or "yet."
Ex: She was not a good journalism student. nor was she a good blogger.
Ex: She wasn't pretty, yet she had an excellent singing voice.

Rule 2: Use commas to separate elements in a series.
Ex: She is good at writing, proof-reading, reading and spelling.
Ex: Prof. Spaulding is well-dressed, personable, smart and funny.

Rule 3: Use commas when attributing from quoted material. Use them also in greetings.
Ex: "I think this fundraiser was the best this year," she said.
Ex: "Good morning Mother," the girl said.

Rule 4: Commas follow introductory matter, such as after an introductory clause. Commas also follow two or more introductory prepositional phrases and are used with a phrase that contains a verbal.
Ex: Drifting off to sleep, Lauren smiled.
Ex: In the fall of her junior year, Martha broke her leg.

Rule 5: Commas follow the salutation of a friendly letter and the complimentary close of any letter. A colon follows the salutation of a business letter.
Ex:
Dear Prof. Spaulding,
I hate grammar.
Sincerely,
Lauren Slavin
Ex: Dear President Caret:

Rule 6: Commas follow all items in a date or full address.
Ex: I have lived in Crofton, Maryland, my entire life.
Ex: August 9, 1990, is my birthday.

Rule 7: Commas surround nonessential words or phrases.
Ex: My mother, who is in her fifties, dyes her hair.
Ex: Ruth, my mother, is a nurse.

Rule 8: Commas surround words of direct address.
Ex: I understand, Prof. Spaulding, that you are trying to torture us with all this grammar.
Ex: Lauren, please don't procrastinate.

Rule 9: Commas indicate omitted verbs, usually expressed in another part of the sentence.
Ex: Fire causes damage to building; to family, greater loss
Ex: Student dies from grammar overdose; professor, from grief.

5 Most Common Grammar Problems

1. Punctuation
Problem? Use of punctuation without a rule.
Ex: Use of commas to separate elements (such as adjectives, verbs or nouns) in a series.

2. Subject and Verb Agreement
Problem? Confusing the verb tense used for singular and plural nouns.
Ex: Improper verb tense to match a subject

3. Correct Use of Pronouns
Problem? Incorrect use of substitutes for proper nouns.
Ex: Creating sexism by using improper pronoun choice.

4. Sentence structure
Problem? Passing off fragments and run-on sentences as correct sentence structure, as well as using faulty parallelism and modifier placement.
Ex: Listing without using parallel stucture.

5. Word Usage
Problem? Improper use of unorthodox spelling or idiosyncratic language.
Ex: Confusing the words "pore" and "pour."

Summary Leads

What is a summary lede/lead?
~The opening sentence or two of most news stories designed to summarize the story quickly. A summary lead writting online is written in the past tense and includes a time element.

Examples:

"Responding to global outrage, especially in Pope Benedict XVI’s native Germany, the Vatican for the first time on Wednesday called on a recently rehabilitated bishop to take back his statements denying the Holocaust." (The New York Times)

This lead does an excellent job of providing the reader with specific details of the story (such as the mentioning of outrage over the Pope's actions in his country of origin) in active voice. The lead also succeeds in summarizing the story while leaving room for further explanation, which draws the reader into continuing the story instead of just scanning the headline and pictures. The lead's introductory clause, however, leaves it faulted from the standpoint that it backs into the main point.


"Maryland ranked No. 1 in the nation in the percentage of high school seniors in 2008 who earned a passing score on the rigorous, college-level Advanced Placement exams, according to a report released today by the College Board." (The Baltimore Sun)

Unlike the previous example, this lead gives the most important detail of the story first and foremost (Maryland's ranking on high school seniors who earned passing scores on their AP exams), followed by necessary detail (such as the citing of it's source) in active voice.

"The Kyrgyz Parliament will vote Friday on a measure that will close a key United States military base, potentially jeopardizing NATO supply lines to Afghanistan, the Kyrgyz government said Wednesday. " (The New York Times)

This lead is slightly longer than the first two examples, but provides the reader with specific imformation about the entire story that remains concise and in active voice.

Chapter 14 Discussion Questions

1. Objectivity: journalists stick to observable facts and avoid injecting their opinions into news reports.
~Interview multiple sources to gain all sides of a story and differing viewpoints
~ Interview more sources than those who can provide only basic answers
~Work to promote topics of importance in the public eye

2. Thoroughness: give the audience as much information as possible so they can understand what is happening and make informed decisions based on that information.
~Find the best sources and evidence for every story
~Explain what is being reported so readers and viewers can understand what is happening.
~Get to know and understand your subjects so you can develop intelligent viewpoints

3. Accuracy: getting the facts straight in a story.
~Beging interviews by getting basic questions (name, age, title), and repeat that information back to the source to verify it is correct
~Do not rely on secondhand information
~Check information from interviewed sources against original sources

4. Fairness: Represent all sides of a story as fairly and accurately as possible
~Letting people respond when they think you have reported something incorrectly
~Do not "frame" stories
~Represent the other side of the story as extensively and accurately as possible.

5. Transparency: gain and maintain public trust by being as open as possible about what biases you bring to a story, how you got the information for your story and how you choose which stories to report on.
~Provide information on how you acquire sources and information
~Let your audience take part in choosing what kinds of stories should be reported on
~Offer a behind the scenes look into how your publication exsists

About Me

Hello Blogging world.

My name is Lauren Christine Slavin. I am an 18 year-old freshman at the fine learning establishment that is Towson University. I currently reside in Richmond Hall in a room roughly the size of a cupboard.

I hail from the suburban wonderland that is Crofton, Maryland. I have a mother (Ruth), father (Gene), older brother (Kyle, age 21) and 25-pound tabby cat named Peaches.

I enjoy reading, writing, being with my friends and fantastic boyfriend Zach, and, more recently, knitting.

I am currently the assistant arts editor of Towson University's student run newspaper The Towerlight, and I'm majoring in Mass Communications under the Journalism and New Media track.