Kiya Edwards' Weblog

In the story reported by FOX News, controversy about President Obama's alleged bow, or rather, bending at the waist, to Saudi King Abdullah is examined.

The report moved beyond stereotypes because it analyzed both sides of the argument. It did not state Obama, who has said the American people need to create better relationships with Muslims, bowed for that reason and did not bow in his recent visit to Queen Elizabeth. The argument was not one-sided, therefore both sides needed to be covered; and that they were.

The story first talks about conservatives who were outraged with the bow, and that the White house denied it was bow. Through a quote from the Washington Times editorial, "By bending over to show greater respect to Islam, the U.S. president belittled the power and independence of the United States," one argument about this cultural debate is clearly written.

And although the reported chose the term "significantly stooping" to describe the alleged bow, analyszed from actual footage, the story nonetheless showed the opposing side in an unbiased way by adding information from history.

US hospitality is examined by protocol experts, suggesting that even if it were a bow, it may not be such a problem conservatives have made it out to be. The reporter reminds the readers of the interactions of presidents Clinton and Bush and their encounters with foreign leaders.

Adding that information is helpful because it goes beyond saying what actually happened and provides the reader with information that might even create better cultural sensitivity and understanding, while still not ignoring the opposing, conservative viewpoint.

Posted by edwar292 at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the New York Times story, "Google and Big Music Labels Bet on Downloads in China," percentages are mostly used to convey what is going on.

The percentages share that: 99% of downloads in China violate copyright laws. The competing Chinese company, Baidu, has a search market share approaching 65 percent. About 84 percent of China’s nearly 300 million Internet users download music over the Web, and most of it is used for cellphone ring tones.

These three sets of numbers are not overwhelming. The only slight confusion is what a search market is as it pertains to music. The 65 percent could have been dumbed down by adding an analysis; something like, this is large compared to the music share of Google, which is just half (or doubled- I do not know). This is an example of how the reported could use math to crunch numbers and tell the story more effectively.

The third use of numbers is especially easy to understand. Although this reporter has been using exact numbers, there are only four within the entire story. Therefore, seeing 84 percent out of a stated population is not overwhelming to "calculate"; to see that it is the majority of internet users.

Posted by edwar292 at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New York Times reporter Tim Weiner wrote the obituary for 77-year-old fold singer Odetta Holmes.

Sources include: an interview with her manager, Doug Yaeger, research on venues at which she performed (Carnegie Hall, bohemian coffeehouses in San Fransisco, nightclubs in New York), research on celebrities she influenced (Janis Joplin, Rosa Parks, Bob Dylan, Jean Beaz), an interview with Odetta to the New York Times in 2007, research on her upbringing and life in Birmingham, Ala. in the 1930s, research on her family, an interview with National Public Radio in 2005, an interview with Dylan to Playboy in 1978, an article from Time Magazine in1960, research on artists with whom she worked on albums, research on awards she received (National Endowment for the Arts, 1999, Living Legend tribute, 2003) and an article from the Boston Globe in 2006.

This obituary has a standard lead.

"Odetta, the singer whose resonant voice wove together the strongest songs of American folk music and the civil rights movement, died on Tuesday in Manhattan. She was 77."

The lead begins with the name; her full name is not announced until much later in the obituary. It then goes on to say what she did, sing. It shows, and does not tell, what kind of an influence she had, which identifies her character; she must be influential if she is being named strong within the civil rights movement music and folk. Within the same sentence, when and where she died is announced. The lead then standardly declares how old she was at the end.

This obituary successfully shows what an impact Odetta had on culture and on people. Not only does the colorful language come from direct quotes from people who cared about her, but also from the descriptions. The obituary does not go on repetitively with, "she sang really well," but instead gives in detail snapshots of the impressive venues she performed at and names celebreties everybody knows she influenced to mark her fame; and talent. This information is enough for the reader to understand who she was and why she was famous.

Posted by edwar292 at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune has advanced the free screening of a movie premiering at the Riverview theater in Minneapolis Monday.

This advance does not use any sources of people involved with "Goddess Menses & the Menstrual Show," but it does list, of course, the theater company who has made the film; Youth Performance Company.

The lead is, "getting the lowdown on that time of the month doesn't have to be a curse." It tells the reader what the article is going to be about as well as the film. One unique aspect of the movie's theme is breaking the "embarrassing" barrier and talking about uncomfortable subjects, and this advance has chosen just that as an angle.

The nutgraph further explains what the audience can expect from the film and also information on when and where. It relates the personal to general in the nutgraph by saying what this theater company as a whole does, and specifically what it will do for the audience.

"Youth Performance Company goes a few steps further -- and funnier -- with "Goddess Menses & the Menstrual Show," playing one time only, free at the Riverview on Monday."

The advance goes on to explain a few scenes from the film that tie into the angle that coming of age for girls should actually be a topic in which girls can relate to one another in nonchalant discussion.

The reported crafted this story in such a way that it is more than a listing by providing detailed descriptions of what, within the film, is funny and of novelty. She does not say, "I saw this film and it was hilarious," but rather provides details where the reader can figure it out for him or herself.

"There's a spoof on old-timey instructional videos, and advice on how to deal with your monthly "friend" at summer camp and deflect teasing from boys."

Posted by edwar292 at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune (AP) covered the story Tuesday about police who shot the once famous chimpanzee after it attacked a friend of its owner, which has since had many follow-ups. The second follow story goes deeper into the story, attempting to further answer the "why" of the first.

The lead in the first story is,
"HARTFORD, Conn. - A highly trained 200-pound chimpanzee who once starred in TV commercials for Old Navy and Coca-Cola was shot dead by police after a violent rampage that left a friend of its owner badly mauled." (Star Tribune)

This lead explains first why this specific chimpanzee is news-worthy and then goes on to say what happened to it, by whom and who else was affected. The second lead, however, plays more with words and while the background information of its prominence remains, the information on what happened to it is deleted. However, the lead does introduce the topic of the article; so much background on his lifestyle to potentially answer the unresolved from the previous story.

"STAMFORD, Conn. - Travis the chimpanzee, a veteran of TV commercials, was the constant companion of a lonely Connecticut widow who fed him steak, lobster and ice cream. He could eat at the table, drink wine from a stemmed glass, use the toilet, and dress and bathe himself." (Star Tribune)

Although the second lead leaves the reader slightly less aware of what happened to this chimpanzee, both leads adequately address the novelty and quirkiness of the story.

The first story continues on with naming who specifically was involved: the chimpanzee, the owner and the friend it attacked. The article then goes on to explain how the attack happened, including details such as after the chimpanzee had escaped from the house, the owner had to stab her own pet several times in order to save her friend while they tried to get it back into the house. The evidence is then backed up with a quotation attributed by a police officer.

The report then naturally attempts to explain why this happened.

"There was no provocation that we know of. One thing that we're looking into is that we understand the chimpanzee has Lyme disease and has been ill from that, so maybe from the medications he was out of sorts. We really don't know," Conklin said.

It then wraps up with more details from the attack including what happened afterward and injury reports. The last of the inverted pyramid discusses police's previous involvement with this chimpanzee and more details on its fame.

The second story explains the novelty of the situation by comparing human-like characteristics the chimpanzee used to mimic with the animal-like vengeance that unexpectedly came out. There is a brief explanation of what happened during the attack. The focus is rather on the explanation. A primatologist is quoted, and then a few more details about the attack are provided, however, nothing new. On the other hand, new information about what the chimpanzee owner did following the attack was reported, including statements from a police call.

The story said possible reasons from the tea the chimpanzee drank that morning having Xanax in it to zoologist explanations of unpredictable behavior in chimpanzees.

The second story is a response to the first in that it further advances the news. The Start Tribune has since had a few articles as following stories from the first, all serving the role to provide more information about what happened as well as new information that has come.

Posted by edwar292 at 9:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the article written by the New York Times and published also in the Star Tribune, about Pope Benedict's planned visit to Israel in May, the fact blocks are presented in a way that summaries both history and the most recent news.

The news is that Benedict has made the announcement about going, so the first fact block is about where and to whom the announcement was made. It then goes on to talk about other details about the trip.

The conflict is introduced in the next news block, and then it is at last explained why this is newsworthy. There are then several paragraphs about why the trip is meaningful. The first is literally a history lesson about tension between 1939 and 1958 and is followed by current news and Benedict's role in the controversial matter. This order is affective because the background information is necessary for knowing what is going on today.

However, despite the fact that the most recent news is that the trip was announced, as a reader I wanted to know in the lead why this trip was meaningful for peace. It was not explained until after the long, wordy background information that needed to be picked apart.

The story then goes on to add opinions of other prominent figures which add different angles and viewpoints while clarifying what the overall objective of the trip is for.

Posted by edwar292 at 11:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the article posted by the Washington Post about Shepard Fairey, the Obama artist's arrest, there are five attributions. They are the police, Officer James Kenneally, spokesman for the Suffolk District Attorney Jake Wark, statements from the museum, and Fairey's Attorney Jeff Wiesner,

This story is not lengthy, and the attributions are scattered throughout the story.

The information comes form people pertaining to the case which make the story hard news and not mushy; there is no quote from a Fairey fan or friend. There are no direct quotations from Fairey.

The information from the museum also provides variety. The statements put no particular person to blame but instead report the latest information of where Fairey is now and what happened after his arrest.

The overall set up of the attributions in this story is very clear and covers facts from important sources. I hear from his lawyer and, from the conflicting side, notices from police. There were no confusing elements to this story because the facts were represented clearly by appropriate people and organizations.

Posted by edwar292 at 11:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Minnesota Nice was apparently on vacation early Sunday when a Plymouth man allegedly assaulted members of the Russian National Ballet Theater at the Doubletree Guest Suites in downtown Minneapolis." (Star Tribune)

This lead not only says the most important, hard facts of what happened, but it also does so in a captivating, creative manner. Using a term such as Minnesota Nice would catch any Minnesotian's eye. To then read on that it went on "vacation" is humorous and makes the reader question, "why?" Why would this be newsworthy? It must have been something bad and out of the ordinary. The lead continues to be strong because it follows the creativity with the facts and goes from general (a commonly know phrase) to specific (providing details) within one sentence. The "when" is clearly stated, Sunday, and the "what" is captivating enough to make the reader want to know why these dancers were assaulted.
The lead also ends strongly because it addresses the address. Although I am from Minneapolis and consider myself to be theater and dance savvy, I did not know where the Doubletree Guest Suites were. This reporter was thinking ahead because she too assumed some of her readers might question such a detail in a lead. It is really important to leave readers curious, but not clueless, so it was a strong choice to add that the suites are located in downtown Minneapolis.
While this story does not contain prominence, violence is nonetheless a pressing concern for most residents. Therefore, I think the reporter chose to use some humor in the beginning for the mere purpose of drawing readers in to a likely uncomfortable subject that is hard news.

Posted by edwar292 at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)