Comm455/History of Journalism

The feature section of newspapers and magazines have definitely transformed over time. While human interest stories have been covered since the Roman acta in 47 a.d., the type of human interest pieces have seen some changes.

One topic that I have noticed to be quite an interesting addition to the feature section are long-form stories on the ins and outs of weddings.

Over time, an obsession with weddings has swept across the nation. While weddings normally were small affairs back in the day, today according to TheKnot, the average couple spends close to $31,000 for their wedding day. And in some occasions, that number can go all the way to $200,000. Wowza.

theknot.com

With the growing popularity of weddings and the booming business it has created, it is no surprise that the field of journalism would hop on the bandwagon.

Today there are numerous publications and sections of renowned publications dedicated solely to every aspect of a couple’s special day. In fact, there are journalists who dedicate their lives to covering various aspects of a wedding.

From the story of how a couple met, to the ends and outs of their wedding planning, and finally to the big day, a wedding journalist has lots to discuss in their coverage of this great occasion, especially in today’s world.

A great example of how weddings have infiltrated the feature section and the world of journalism overall is seen with Washingtonian magazine. On their magazine’s website, under their “long-form” section, they are currently featuring an article titled, “How Indian Weddings in American Became So Amazing- and So Pricey.” The fact that an article focused solely on weddings is prominently featured on their website shows a shift in our culture to favor the coverage of weddings. There is also a specific section on their drop down menu titled “weddings,” which features various articles focusing on weddings, including advice on how to plan a wedding and charming profiles on local couples.

lovelifeimages.com

And if that wasn’t enough wedding coverage for you, the Washingtonian also has a separate magazine dedicated to weddings called Washingtonian Bride and Groom. (Check out their Instagram page if you are looking to gush over some picture-perfect wedding ceremonies.)

So as you can see, weddings have definitely made their way from small announcements hidden deep within a newspaper to being the main attraction in numerous publications. 

On February 26, 2016, FIFA elected Gianni Infantio as the new president replacing Sepp Blatter. Infantio previously served as the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) General Secretary.

President Gianni Infantino after being elected FIFA President. CREDIT: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-27/australia-excited-for-promise-of-fifa-president-infantino/7205380

The election of Infantio comes after a three year investigation leading to indictments of 14 people involved with FIFA and sports firms by the U.S. Justice Department.

“The most serious are the racketeering charges, which allege that the officials turned soccer ‘into a criminal enterprise.'”

Led by U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, 47-counts indictment were unsealed and addressed to the public.

14 People Indicted Over FIFA Scandal CREDIT: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/32998735

U.S. Attorney General Lynch stated, “The most serious are the racketeering charges, which allege that the officials turned soccer ‘into a criminal enterprise.'” To many, the corruption of FIFA came as no surprise, but the Justice Department being able to have enough evidence for a case. Evidence was a hard thing to come by in the past with the corruption in FIFA. Although Sepp Blatter was able to keep his name out of the indictments, FIFA executives and sponsors led the charge into making changes at the top. Although FIFA will not change the sites of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA looks to end their corrupt ways of awarding bids to the World Cup.

Source: http://images.rarenewspapers.com/ebayimgs/1.9.2013/image050.jpg

It was no surprise that European nations were weary of the newly formed United States of America in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War. No one knew how to deal with a nation that repelled it’s British usurpers. Based on the various interpretations of the Articles of Confederation, one would assume that the newly established government would topple over before it even began it’s job. The government would not be granted the right to tax until the creation of the Constitution. It was in the midst of this drowning state that Thomas Jefferson pursued trade agreements with the European nations. On his expedition to Europe in 1787, Jefferson realized just how much the rest of the world thought about the new playground of the west.

To say that “opinions varied” would be a significant understatement. According to foreignpolicy.com, European newspapers suggested that America was in a state of uncontrolled chaos. European newspapers also claimed that state governments were collapsing, Congress held no power, and that the people were fleeing to Canada. If papers didn’t bash the state of affairs in America, they ominously predicted the threat that the loss would have on the future prosperity of Britain. They feared the fate of the remaining British colonies. They feared a future Britain contained to Ireland, Scotland, and England. How were they to get ahead of Spain and France when they lacked the significant resources that had been made available to them in the new world? Anecdotes predicting the future of Britain filled British newspapers. There was an overwhelming assumption among the British that their kingdom would collapse from the economic disadvantage. Ironically, these newspapers published this information halfway through Britain’s first Industrial revolution, in which the economy flourished and industry bloomed throughout England. The standard of living grew consistently throughout the country. The addition of the agricultural revolution increased the standard of living as well.

Depiction of George Washington as a young, British soldier in the French and Indian War. Source: http://images.rarenewspapers.com/ebayimgs/1.9.2013 /image050.jpg

The end of the revolution brought relief in Britain as well. Many English newspapers praised the establishment of the United States. One paper, the Westminster Chronicle called the Americans “bretheren”. Despite the destruction of Loyalist’s lives and property, the British still felt a connection to the newly found nation. After all, the nation was established by those who once lived under the same crown. For some British newspapers, the transformation was a welcome end to the hardships suffered by the colonists. One significant founding father was admired by many British papers: George Washington. Washington was declared as having “integrity” and was admired for his leadership by the British papers.

It is safe to assume that English papers practiced selective printing during the years preceding the revolution. Perhaps they could not imagine a stable state without an powerful monarchy. Perhaps they could not believe that a barbaric state composed of hardened criminals could stop the crown. One thing is certain: they did not receive the news from the Americas with open arms. It had to be twisted and manipulated to please the masses, many of whom lost their monetary investments in the new world. No American accomplishments were proudly proclaimed in European papers. They did not observe the application of revolutionary ideas and the establishment of America’s democratic foundations.

The Watergate complex located in Washington, D.C. covering a total area of 10 acres is well known by many due to the Watergate scandal. In 1972 the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee was located in the Hotel and Office Building on the sixth floor. It was broken into, and telephones got wiretapped and documents were also photographed. The investigation of this case would prove to be one of the biggest stories reported at that time, and would earn Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward widespread recognition. Gene Roberts would later on state that their reporting was, “maybe the greatest reporting effort of all time.”

The Washington Post teamed up two young journalists Woodward and Bernstein, and together they did most of the original news reporting on the case. As the two pursued reporting about the break in at the at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee, they relied on an anonymous source “deep throat.” This source was Mark Felt whom was a high ranking official at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to the Washington Post,

“With access to FBI reports on the burglary investigation, Felt could confirm or deny what other sources were telling The Post reporters. He also could tell them what leads to pursue. Woodward agreed to keep his identity secret, referring to him in conversations with colleagues only as “Deep Throat.” His identity would not become public until 2005, 33 years later.”

watching Nixon address the nation (source: www.utexas.edu)

After 33 years of speculation and guesses by everyone who knew of the case felt’s identity was revealed. Vanity Fair published a story titled, “I’m the guy they called deep throat.” The following day after it was published Woodward wrote a first person account of their relationship and how he relied on him for guidance throughout the scandal. Felt died on December 18, 2008 3 years after his identity was revealed.

Woodward and Bernstein coauthored the book All the President’s Men about the Watergate scandal in 1974. They also coauthored The Final Days about Nixon’s resignation in 1976.

(source: www.gettyimages.com)

Through helping uncover the Watergate crime, Woodward and Bernstein earned the Washington Post the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for public service. The public can view the reporters’ notes and the taped door that initially lead to the investigation. They are on display at the News Corporation News History Gallery at the Newseum in downtown Washington, D.C.

(source:http://www.newseum.org/2015/05/31/watergate-case-study-deep-throat/)

(source: http://www.newseum.org/2015/05/31/watergate-case-study-deep-throat/ )

This is the only instance in U.S history where the reporting done by journalists has lead to the resignation of a president. The role of the press is truly significant as suggested by the results of the historic Watergate scandal.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15040888

Christopher Columbus was not the first explorer to discover North America. Let’s get that important tidbit of information out of the way. There is a lot of debate surrounding the issue of who “discovered” America; and it is a argument to have another day. There is something, however, that can and will be explored today and that is how sagas show the Viking’s voyage to Vinland.

Vinland is an area in North America, the eastern shore of Canada. First found, assuming that we are not discussing the Native population that was already present on said land, by the great Viking, Lief Errikson in 1000 ce. The voyage was recorded in both the Saga of the Greenlanders and Erik the Red’s Saga. Both of these sagas give a great description of the voyage to Vinland and of Vinland itself. The only problem is that these sagas were are not considered to be truthful of all the events that occurred.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/vinland-map.html

The sagas about the great voyage to Vinland, or the land of wine, were considered to be fables, or folktales, that were written purely for entertainment until 1961. A viking settlement was found in L’Anse Aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada. Many would say that the vikings discovered North America, however, that is also widely contested.

“What they did in America did not change their own or anybody else’s view of the world….There was practically no feedback from the Vinland voyages. What is most remarkable is not that the Vikings actually reached America, but that they reached America and even settled there for a while, without discovering America.” – Daniel Boorstin

http://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/exploration/norse-north-atlantic.php

In 2012, people were excited about a new voice coming to cable TV – Melissa Harris-Perry. The MHP intrigue lies in the fact that she’s more than a personality. She wasn’t groomed for TV, but for academia teaching at top Universities like Princeton,University of Chicago, Tulane and most recently, Wake Forest.A tenured professor, and African-American host, she was a rarity on T.V.  Originally just a trusted fill-in for the The Rachel Maddow Show, she was eventually given her own MSNBC show to much excitement. 

Melissa Harris-Perry via Andar Sawyers for The New York Times

Harris-Perry was profiled in the New York Times and written about in other major publications like Reuters, NPR and the Washington Post.

This was in 2012. 

Surprisingly enough, her show was one of the highest rated shows between the 18-35 age market for her time slot – Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10-12am. MHP prided herself on the variety of voices she represented, from ‘black trans women to latino republicans’. There was (and is) a lack of diversity on air and she brought it.

While she isn’t as big of Anderson Cooper or Rachel Maddow, she’s makes headlines. Here she is going off in defense of poor people and here covering the transgender population. MHP wasn’t my favorite, but she is good, very good. While sometimes over enthusiastic, she’s smart and when it comes to politics, she knows what she’s talking about. MSNBC at one time, agreed. 

It’s three months into 2016,  and MHP is no longer on MSNBC.

So what happened?
A lot happened, but the catalyst of the situation was an internal e-mail sent to the #nerdland team. Harris-Perry accused the network of ignoring her requests to meet and basically forcing her hand. A short summary of a complex situation, one of the more memorable lines is –

“I am not a token, mammy, or little brown bobble head. I am not owned by Lack, Griffin, or MSNBC.”

The drama didn’t die down from there, executives responded by saying that there was no intention of cancelling her show, but she left them little choice. Since her departure, and most recently, she went on The View  to talk about her dramatic MSNBC departure. In MHP style, she compares MSNBC to a boyfriend, a lukewarm boyfriend at that.

With diversity on the fritz, and MHP off-air,  I wonder what this means for correspondents and specifically what MHP will do next.

-J.

With the release of the new show American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson, details from the real-life case have been circulating through various news sources.

When it came to the trial that began in 1994, Linda Deutsch, a reporter for the Associated Press, had one of the best seats in the house.

dailynews.com

Deutsch truly lived a reporter’s dream. She started young as a general assignment reporter in 1969 but was later thrown into the life of court reporting. When she was first sent to backup one of AP’s veteran reporters, she found herself immersed in what we now know to be one of the biggest stories of our time: the trial of Charles Manson.

Throughout her career, Deutsch covered some of the biggest cases our nation has ever seen, including the cases of Patty Hearst, Sirhan Sirhan, and Michael Jackson.

But while her list of sensational cases she has covered is miles long, the one case that stands out to her the most is the trial of O.J. Simpson, or as people like to call it “The Trial of the Century.” Deutsch was praised for her covering of the trial, especially by O.J. Simpson himself, her personally called her to thank her for her fair coverage of the trial. Deutsch remained in contact with Simpson even after the trial and wrote a book on the case titled “Verdict: The Chronicle of the O.J. Simpson Trial.”

In an interview with The Sun, she stated that the Simpson trial was so influential and unique due to the immense amount of media coverage and the fact that it crushed the idea of the American Dream.

Here you had someone who was rich, handsome, healthy, everything America wants to be, and all of a sudden it comes crashing down. That’s a big story in any area. And before O.J. there was no 24-hour-a-day media presence… Having it televised, bringing it into everybody’s home, made a distinct difference in how involved people came.

 

people.com

We were all OJ-holics, the whole country. There was nobody who didn’t talk about it — on the streets, in the restaurants, in the stores. Everybody seemed to have a stake in the outcome of this trial, and it was a true murder mystery. It was never exactly predictable how it would come out.- Linda Deutsch

On March 6th 2016,  Former First Lady Nancy Reagan passed away.

Here is what was on the cover major newspapers the next day.

Monday March 7th, 2016

Looking at top of each front page, called “above the fold” we can see the majority have a picture and a story about the passing of the first lady. The is one paper that does not, the Washington Post. Instead the Post’s top headline is that of a baseball stadium in Havana Cuba that is preparing for the arrival of President Obama for a baseball game with the Tampa Bay Rays facing the Cuban National Team.

  above the fold

  below the fold

From a graphics standpoint I think this is interesting for a few reasons. First, while other papers have Reagan on the cover, the fact that the Post does not makes it stand out. I see this as a good thing. In the world of digital media, the majority of the Post’s readership would have already known about the passing of the former first lady. The would not likely know about the the baseball game in Cuba.

One thing that is interesting is why the post about baseball is on the front page anyway? Since Washington is a big hub for politics, a story like this does make some sense as a top story, since President Obama will be traveling there. at the same time though, Nancy Reagan was a powerful person in Washington as well. As first lady, she kick started the “just say no” campaign in regards to drugs.

Overall I think the digital expansion of news online is affecting newspapers in an interesting way, starting with the front cover. News organizations have to adapt to the fact that a paper may not be the breaking source for news anymore, so that have to come up with ways to attract eyes to the page.

As journalism began to increase in popularity as printing presses came about, many of the stories were focused on crime or war stories. Though some of these stories had political aspects to them, nothing had quite as much focus on politics as the Acta Senatus had centuries before this development.

       Acta Senatus Tablet

The Acta Senatus was Julius Caesar‘s way of letting the people of Rome know what their representatives did in the Senate. Today, political sections in newspapers look both familiar and different compared to the stories found in the Acta Senatus.

Though it is believed that the Roman Senate may have been keeping track of their activities since 449 B.C., the records were not made public until 59 B.C. These publications continued until at least 222 A.D., meaning they were around about as long as newspapers have been here in America.

Example of political journalism today. Can be found at http://www.politico.com

However, though the sections and content may look the same, that is where the similarities end. Newspapers today are mass produced and meant for everyone, whereas the Acta Senatus was posted in Rome and typically only copied for the elites who could read them.

Also unlike the Acta Senatus, today’s newspapers are not government publications, but typically privately funded ones. Though this form of political coverage today suffers from ownership bias itself, it is preferable compared to having political news being produced by the politicians themselves.

Today we see news sources like The Hill and Politico carrying out the tradition of the Acta by covering political affairs in our own capitol. Whether it is in Rome, Washington D.C., or Paris, covering politics has become an essential part of journalism, and for that we can thank the Acta Senatus.

Credit: http://idsgn.org/images/the-end-of-movable-type-in-china/lead-type__full.jpg

During the time of the Late Tang dynasty, Feng Tao, the prime minister, ordered the block printing of the Five Classics. From then on, important public works within China were block printed for distribution to the elite. Bi Sheng would later invent the movable type, which would lead to a revolution in printing. According to The Invention of Moveable Type, the process of utilizing the movable type press required extreme patience and the use of various substances such as turpentine, wax, and burnt paper. The movable type pieces also required extreme patience. Many of the pieces used for printing had to be created on the spot, especially if they were unique characters. Each piece of type had to be carved out of clay, and then fired. Additionally, the pieces of movable type required constant care to keep them functional for future use. Clay type pieces were used instead of wood because they were less likely to become deformed after multiple uses.

Credit: http://www.historyofinformation.com/expanded.php?id=25

An iron plate would be affixed with the aforementioned clay pieces. Once the iron plate was prepared with the various inking substances, the plate would be pressed down on the paper, leaving a clear depiction of the Chinese characters. The clay characters were also very easy to remove from the iron plate. When the characters were not in use, they would be placed on a wooden rack. According to The Invention of the Moveable Type in China, the process of using this press was tedious for hundreds of copies, but when compared to creating thousands of copies, the process seemed efficient. The printing legacy of moveable type would lead to a legacy of printing. Four hundred years later, Johannes Gutenberg would create the printing press, revolutionizing printing and changing the western world forever.

“Social media, especially how I used it, isn’t real. It’s contrived images and edited clips ranked against each other. It’s a system based on social approval, likes, validation in views, and success in followers. It’s perfectly orchestrated self absorbed judgment.”

–Essena O’Neill

Could you imagine only being nineteen years old with over half a million followers on Instagram? How about also having 200,000 subscribers on a YouTube channel and Tumblr? On top of your success and popularity, you receive free gifts and products from companies that are practically begging you to promote them. You have endless business deals being thrown your way on a daily basis. Oh, and don’t forget- you have millions of people wanting to be YOU. You can achieve this dream by simply posting a picture.

http://www.teenvogue.com/story/essena-oneill-breaks-down-her-perfect-makeup-selfies

Nowadays, it seems like this is the ideal state of success for many young adults. By being Instagram famous, we receive money/ gifts from well-known businesses as well as validation from the public. How much easier can it get? According to the media star, Essena O’Neill– the more popular you get, the harder this type of career becomes.

Before Essena revealed the cold truth about her social media career to the public, she was everything stated above and more. Her glamorous lifestyle on Instagram featured a life of luxury, beauty and pure happiness. Her Instagram was filled with desirable photos such as bikini posts on the beach promoting her model-like figure or jaw- dropping selfies that displayed her top of the line make-up. As she climbed the scale of fame and fortune, Essena ended it all by speaking out to her followers stating, “social media is not real life” and “I was lost, with serious problems so beautifully hidden.”

In November 2015, Essena released a video of herself in complete distress claiming that the life she posted on social media was all a fluke. She explains,

“If anything my social media addiction, perfectionist personality and low self esteem made my career. Over- sexualisation, perfect food photos, perfect travel vlogs- it is textbook how I got famous. Sex sells, people listen to pretty blondes, I just happened to talk about veganism a trending thing non YouTube.”

She continues by sharing her old Instagram posts that once promoted her incredible life and revealed the true story behind each picture. In one post she explains how she once had acne but decided to cover it all up by applying a lot of makeup. The “old” Essena was pleasing the public in hopes of receiving thousands of likes. However, the “new” Essena realizes that by basing your happiness on aesthesis, it will damage your spirit.

The media star that once pushed a fake lifestyle on the public now realizes that the mental and emotional suffering is not worth it. Recently, Essena has launched her new website known as, “Let’s Be Game Changers” which teaches the public about the vicious game that social media plays.

Click the link to find out more about Essena O’Neill: The Model Who Quit Social Media

Nellie Bly was an American journalist known best for writing an in depth expose on abuses taking place in an asylum. While writing this piece, Bly went undercover as a resident to better understand the inner workings of her subject. Her consummate approach to storytelling earned her a name among the ranks of famous muckrakers of her day. To this day Bly is celebrated for her journalistic achievements.

Her pioneering career began while struggling to find work as a young teacher in Pittsburgh. She wrote a letter to the Pittsburgh Dispatch expressing her displeasure with their coverage of working women, admonishing the author for their narrow mindedness and shedding light on the challenges women of her time faced. Impressed by her passion and craft, the paper hired her.

By 1887, Bly began writing for the New York World. She was given the assignment of covering the conditions of a notorious home for the mentally ill in New York state. Rather than observe its residents or conduct interviews with staff, Bly posed as a patient and entered the asylum for ten days. Her story got the attention of many in the community and actually created social change among lawmakers and locals who saw the mistreatment of those institutionalized at the center.

Bly also made a name for herself by traveling around the world on a solo journey in just 80 days. This trip brought her even more fame, and she went on to write a book about her travels. Whether Bly used her experiences to give others a voice, went undercover or staged a great adventures, she holds a place among the world’s best journalists and one of the original muckrackers of her time.