Hurricane Katrina...the thoughts of one educator

I've been a bit surprised that more of my students have had little interest in discussing the rescue and recovery efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi. My hope is because we are so early in the semester that the students are still trying to gauge my teaching style, settle into the new academic year, and perhaps internalize for themselves what has taken place in parts of the south.

Have other journalism educators seen the same lack of willingness to discuss the hurricane, its impact, or its associated media coverage? If so, what explanations do you have? If not, what suggestions can you share with others in an effort to get our students thinking and talking about what they have read, heard and seen in recent days?

The jailing of a journalist...

...in China.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/31/
international/asia/31secret.html

A worthy read...

...and an interesting discussion piece for educators and news professionals -- just when SHOULD a reporter become part of a story?

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition
/life/20050831/d_media31.art.htm

Kudos to Judy Woodruff

Kudos to someone who in my opinion is one of America's great TV news journalists.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/
massachusetts/articles/2005/08/29/
judy_woodruff_named_visiting_fellow_at_shorenstein_center/

Katrina coverage

The Sun Herald in Mississippi has an ongoing blog discussing Hurricane Katrina. You can link to it here.

http://eyesonkatrina.blogspot.com/

There also are comments/questions from citizens.

Natalee Holloway as a ratings winner

Justified criticism here...

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/24/arts/television/24cost.html

Remember the movie "The Blob?"

Well,perhaps it can be re-made...as "The Blog!"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/
wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/16/AR2005081601229.html

Judith Miller's critics continue

The (perhaps) most recent criticism can be found here...

http://www.latimes.com/news/
opinion/commentary/la-0e-scheer23aug23,0,5764039.column?coll=la-util-opinion-commentary

Journalism education and the real world

A dynamite piece by Dr. Michael Bugeja, the director of the journalism school at Iowa State...and, in the interest of total disclosure, one of the great people in journalism education.

http://chronicle.com/free/v51/i49/49b01601.htm

Citizen journalists

Interesting assessment of the role citizen journalists play in the news gathering process...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/
nation/2005-08-04-toronto-photos_x.htm

The BBC

Indeed, sometimes it is necessary (and very worthwhile) to look to the other side of the pond for news.

http://nationaljournal.com/powers.htm

Blogs -- some critical questions

An excellent analysis of the long-term prognosis for blogs.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/
eandp/columns/shoptalk_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001009362

One review of Current TV

It is not a particularly flattering one.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/
wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/02/AR2005080200203.html

Current TV

The new TV network inspired in part by former Vice President Al Gore is now available. There has been some media interest in the new network, I think because of Gore's involvement more than anything else (but perhaps you disagree with me).

Either way, I'm curious to see what people think of the new enterprise and whether there is any consensus on the factors needed to see that Current TV survives and thrives.

Here is its home page...

http://www.current.tv/

FCC commissioners

President Bush reportedly is close to naming new commissioners to the FCC. (Note: You might be required to register with TVWeek.com in order to read the entire article; however, the registration is free.)

http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=28491

Journalists and jail

A Cincinnati Enquirer writer tells of his being sentencing to jail for failure to reveal sources. A well-written, firt-person account.

http://news.enquirer.com/
apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050731/NEWS01/507310392/1056