Thursday 14 December 2017

Facing Fake News

After reading the article I learned that the term "yellow journalism" came from a popular New York world comic called "Hogan's Alley." This featured a character dressed in yellow named the "The Yellow Kid."This was Led by newspaper owners William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer.

Satire Versus Fake News. Themanatee.net published a story on how the government of New Brunswick cuts funding to Santa Claus.The Dangers of and Reasons for Fake News, "Click-bait." The 18-year-old, who lives in the small Eastern European town of Veles, says he made at least $60,000 in the past six months by posting fake news about the American Election. I think that this is true because people have done this a lot. They think of something that they could get people to believe and then they lead them in with a good title. After they watch this fake news, it gets spread around. 

Fake or real news. In the first video they asked 7,800 students if they could tell the difference. More than 82% of them were not able tell the difference. In the second video they had  fake and real news that was on the internet and ask them to tell the difference. Most of the people had a hard time with telling the difference . Don't Believe Everything You Hear Or See On The Internet. Most of the time it is not true. 

Spotting Fake News. In the videos they mainly say to be careful about the fake and real news because you never know what might be the right one. Most of the News story's they talked about were mostly about Donald Trump.

Monday 4 December 2017

Whistle Blowing

The article I picked was the one on Vice News Canada. It is about how Canada made up these certain laws that will protect journalists and their anonymous sources from search warrants and police surveillance. Bill S-231, was first introduced by Conservative Senator Claude Carignan in November 2016 after news broke that Quebec and Montreal police had been spying on journalists to find the sources of embarrassing leaks. The new bill allows journalists the right to refuse to disclose information or documents that could identify a source who has requested anonymity.

I think that we should have the right to know what are government is doing and what they are planning on doing/talking about. However, I do believe that some of the things that the government knows, are things that should be kept unsaid. I feel this way because they may know things that we shouldn't know.

I think that its good because it makes it harder for the police and other agents to find out who the whistleblowers are.

Wednesday 1 November 2017

Caught in Lies

Most of the news I hear/read/watch today usually seems legit. I do however know that there is a lot of fake news out there today. Some of them are doing it on purpose because they are doing it for comedy/attention. To me I think that making fake news is dumb because there are people that believe it, then they start to tell others and that specific news gets spread around when it is not true.

When I read the news articles I thought that they were surprising, but after reading them and really thinking about it,  it does not shock me to see that professional journalists have fabricated news. I think they should do news that is real and that is important to the people reading. 

I agree with Shafer's assertion because liars tend to make things up and convince themselves that what they are telling others is true. This is also how I believe that this is also a reason on why a lot of rumours get spread across the world about government and other things like that. 

I truly believe that colleagues and universities should make sure graduating journalism students can handle the type of stuff that is going to thrown at them. They will need to use these types of skills when they are out in the real world. 


Tuesday 24 October 2017

Hard News Vs. Soft News

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.4364172/madagascar-needs-doctors-and-money-to-fight-plague-outbreak-that-s-killed-nearly-100-1.4364208

This article on the CBC News site "Madagascar needs doctors and money to fight plague outbreak that's killed nearly 100" is definitely hard news. This is a hard-hitting story on a plague outbreak in Madagascar. It has a sad/depressing point of view. Since August, it has killed 94 people. The headline of the article states that they in need of help. This is also another way that shows how this is Hard News. 


http://www.etonline.com/walking-dead-cast-explains-crazy-season-8-premiere-exclusive-89651

This article on the Entertainment Tonight News site "The Walking Dead' Cast Explains That Crazy Season 8 Premiere (Exclusive)" is definitely a soft news story. This is a human interest story. There is a lot of people over the world that watch the walking dead, and also listen to the news about that show. This is one soft news story where the type of story it is can be based solely on the topic and the headline.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/10/23/why-trees-arent-turning-red-in-ontario-and-quebec-this-fall_a_23253305/?utm_hp_ref=ca-homepage

This article on the Huffington Post News site "Why Trees Aren't Turning Red In Ontario And Quebec This Fall" is a blurred news story. This is a human interest story because it affects us as humans because some people are worried about global warming. There are also people who don't really care about why the leaves aren't changing color.  



Tuesday 17 October 2017

What is Newsworthy?

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/10/14/california-wildfires-rising-winds-force-hundreds-more-to-flee-their-homes_a_23243576/?utm_hp_ref=ca-homepage


Timing - 4/4
This is a news story that has been in the public view since October 13, 2017. It is the latest rescue mission to happen in which there are firefighters and civilians trying to get to there loved ones, and to try and save some of their personal belongings. I gave it a 4/4 on timing because it is an update on the California wildfires.

Significance - 4/4 
I gave it a 4/4 on significance because of the number of people killed, and homes destroyed. At least 35 people have been killed and over 5000 homes and businesses have been destroyed. It has not only grabbed the attention of the people of California but also has been seen by many over the world. 

Proximity - 3/4 
The geographical proximity is not close to a Canadian reader, but Canadians can connect to this story as we have had our share of fires that have almost turned disastrous. It is a story that connects to Canadian history, and it is a story we hope has an ending that turns in a positive way.

Prominence - 2/4 
The story has prominence because of the number of people killed and the unique rescue attempts that are being made. I gave it a lower mark because few know who these people are in the world. Even now their names were not mentioned anywhere.

Human Interest - 4/4 
This story appeals greatly to emotion as people hope and pray that the fire outbreak calms down and no more deaths occur.

Final Newsworthy Mark - 17/20



Timing - 2/4
This news story happened on April 26, 2015.  On Saturday, a 33-year-old man died after falling five stories in a rappelling event in downtown Montreal. I gave it a 2/4 because this is an old article and this accident happened two years ago. 

Significance - 3/4
I gave it a 3/4 on significance because this incident happened in Montreal. Montreal is very close to New Brunswick. It is about eight and a half hours from here.

Proximity - 2/4
This happened relativity close to New Brunswick, but I do not think the incident was big enough for people to know about it world wide, so that is why I gave it a 2/4 on proximity.

Prominence - 2/4
This story has prominence, but not enough to get a higher mark. why? because few people know about what happened and also that not a lot of people know who this guy was.

Human Interest - 4/4
This story appeals greatly to emotion as people hope and pray that nothing like this happens ever again and that people will always be safe when doing a rappelling event.

Final Newsworthy Mark - 13/20

Tuesday 10 October 2017

Sunnyvale Tragedy

Early this week, Sunnyvale trailer park was struck by a tragedy. The tragedy was a tornado that struck down early Saturday morning around 8:30am.

With support from the rescue team and people from the trailer park coming together, they are able to help out and make the situation better than what it is. They are all coming together to help the people that are in need and to also help clean up the mess that has happened. Residents are starting to build shelters for the people who are without

According to the Fire Chief. Waterbomb the damage was so extensive that it will take weeks to completely clean the mess that has been caused. "We are all traumatized from what has come into play, but we will recover from it" said Waterbomb.

"I feel terrible about what happened and I will feel very relieved when everything clears up and becomes peaceful again" said Sally Washburgers. 
Aftermath of the scene.


Monday 2 October 2017

Starting With the Basics

In this news article, it involves two Ontario men who were sentenced 20 and 22 years in prison respectively on Thursday after prosecutors had called for life terms for their role bringing nearly 2,500 kilos of cocaine into Ontario in 2013. They are Vito Buffone of Caledone and Jeffery Kompon of Welland. Their sentence comes amid as a “large scale drug investigation” targeting cartel members in southern Ontario, Niagara Regional Police spokesman Phil Gavin told VICE News on Friday. I found that this article was very simple to read and that the lead got straight to the point. this article informed us of the most important details in the beginning and also towards the end. In this article Phil Gavin told VICE News on Friday, The sentencing comes amid a “large scale drug investigation” targeting cartel members in southern Ontario. I found that this article doesn't have a great ending because it just cuts off after telling what the drug smugglers were sentenced with.
https://news.vice.com/story/ontario-men-sentenced-for-importing-coke-amid-crackdown-on-sinaloa-cartel 

In this article, it involves A 29-year-old Quebec man who was sentenced to nine years in prison on Friday after he was found guilty of attempting to join Islamic State militants abroad in Syria. Ismael Habib was the first adult in Canada to be convicted at trial for travelling abroad to participate in terrorism, an offence that was added to the criminal code in 2013. A Quebec Court gave Habib eight years for attempting to leave Canada to fight with an extremist group. He also gave him one year for providing false information in order to obtain a passport. Yes, the lead was effective because they got their point across and made it very easy to understand. Majority of the information was told in the middle of the article. it stated most of the information I mentioned above. Habib says he wants to leave Canada to live out his religious beliefs and desire to join ISIS. yes, the article has a good ending. it closes off with some good facts and doesn't leave us on a cliff hanger.
https://news.vice.com/story/quebec-man-sentenced-to-nine-years-in-prison-for-attempting-to-join-isis