October 2012 Archives

For this analysis, I compared the websites for the Pioneer Press and the Star Tribune. I noticed that each uses quite similar multimedia options.

Each website has a lot pictures and videos. Each website also has ways for readers to further connect with the news outlet through Twitter, Facebook, and by subscribing to RSS feeds.

A video can complement a news story by providing an even more in-depth look at a topic. For example, if the story was covering court proceedings, the video might show a press conference with one of the attorneys. So instead of simply re-telling the content of the story in video format, the video serves to enhance the reader's/viewer's understanding of the issue. It serves to help the viewer think about the issue in terms of the "big picture."

The writing in the news stories on each website is a lot more formal than that of Facebook or Twitter. The language especially makes a difference on the news outlet's Twitter feed because a tweet can only contain 140 characters. Economy of language is incredibly important when it comes to news writing, and nowhere is that more evident than in a Twitter feed.

A mother came home to find two of her children lying in a bath tub with stab wounds Thursday night, CNN reported Saturday. The mother then witnessed the nanny turn the knife on herself.

The nanny, Yoselyn Ortega, allegedly stabbed Lucia and Leo Krim, according to CNN. A third child, Nessie Krim was unharmed.

The children's mother, Marina Krim, expected the nanny, Leo and Lucia to join her and Nessie at a dance studio where Lucia took lessons, according to CNN. When Ortega did not show, Marina Krim went to her apartment.

The children's father, Michael Krim, a CNBC executive, was coming home from a trip, and was notified of the incident by police when he arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to CNN.

The children were pronounced dead at the hospital, and Ortega was taken to the hospital and arrested once police arrived. However, no charges have been filed, according to the Huffington Post.

Five people were duck hunting Saturday morning when their boat capsized in Lake Elysian, according to the Pioneer Press.

Four people survived, but the body of Brady Hruska, 17, of Waterville was pulled from the lake, according to the Pioneer Press.

Waseca County authorities received a call around 6 a.m. Saturday, according to the Star Tribune via the Associated Press.

Hruska, a football player, was scheduled to play in a game Saturday night, according to the Pioneer Press.

Protests have emerged in several cities in Spain due to the Prime Minister's proposed economic plan, the BBC reported.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's policy includes tax increases and spending cuts in education, according to the BBC.

Approximately 25 percent of people in Spain are unemployed, according to the BBC.

Rajoy's plan is an apparent attempt to forestall a bailout, according to KTVU via the Associated Press.

Spain has been experiencing economic difficulty since 2008, according to KTVU via the Associated Press.

Colorado police arrested a 17-year-old community college student Tuesday on suspicion of murdering Jessica Ridgeway, USA Today reported.

Ridgeway disappeared earlier this month on her way to school. Her body was recovered five days after she disappeared, USA Today said.

Police identified the suspect as Austin Reed Sigg, who is a student at Arapahoe Community College, USA Today said.

Police arrested Sigg Tuesday evening, after receiving a call from Sigg's mother, USA Today reported.

"I made the call, and he turned himself in," Mindy Sigg said, according to the Star Tribune via the Associated Press. "That's all I have to say."

Colorado police say they believe Sigg was involved in another crime in May. An unidentified Colorado woman was jogging near the Ketner Lake Open Space when she claims a man attacked her from behind and attempted to subdue her with rags doused in chemicals, according the Star Tribune via the Associated Press.

The musicians of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra have been locked out due to stalled contract negotiations, Kare 11 reported.

This is the first lock out in 53 years, Kare 11 said.

Financial hardships for the orchestra have made it almost necessary for the musicians to forgo a portion of their salary, according to Kare 11.

All concerts through November 4th have been canceled, and ticket holders will be notified of their option including either refunding or exchanging tickets, according to the Marshall Independent via the Associated Press.

The Star Tribune is reporting that Kristine Peterson, of St. Francis, hit six people who were attempting to cross Oak Street at Washington Avenue in the area of the University of Minnesota known as Stadium Village.

Alcohol was a factor in the incident, and Peterson was arrested for DWI, according to CBS Minnesota. Peterson's blood alcohol concentration has not been released, but it was over the legal limit of 0.08, according to the Star Tribune.

Peterson was released from jail Sunday evening, and is scheduled to appear in court on November 26th.

The New York Times reported a story about a Christian group that is urging parents to keep their children home from school on a day when the school will embark on an anti-bullying campaign that will encourage students to interact with other students with whom they may not normally come in to contact with.

The Christian group, the American Family Association, sees "Mix It Up Day" as a thinly veiled attempt to promote homosexuality.

The Southern Poverty Law center, which created "Mix It Up Day," intended the day to be about celebrating diversity in their community.

Most of the sources in this story are spokespeople for the above mentioned groups who spend the article refuting the claims of the opposing group. The sources are introduced one right after the other, as if the author of the article wanted to present both sides fairly. Attribution in this story is set up exactly like we have learned about in class: attribution comes after the quote, two-sentence quotes are split by the attribution, the author consistently attributes by using "said," and said is listed first if the quote being used comes from someone whose long title is included in the attribution. The attribution is effective; it leaves little doubt as to who is making any given claim.

Kare 11 via the Associated Press reported Sunday that Coach Kill of the Minnesota Gopher football team suffered a seizure after the Gophers lost to Northwestern on Saturday.

Kill was present for all of Saturday's game, Kare 11 reported. Kare 11 also said that Kill has a history of seizures.

The LA Times reported that Kill was released Sunday.

Kill was reported as being in "excellent health," the LA Times reported. He will be working this week to prepare for next week's game when Minnesota takes on Wisconsin.

The New York Times reported over the weekend that another person has died from fungal meningitis after receiving a steroid injection.

NBC news is reporting that at least 200 people have been diagnosed and at least 15 people have died as a result of receiving the contaminated injections.

A Massachusetts company may be under investigation after allegedly shipping the contaminated steroids to 23 different states, according to the New York Times.

Seven suspects, detained in France, are being held on suspicion of terrorist activity, according to the BBC.

The New York Times reported that police found bomb-making materials where suspects were arrested.

Police suspect two of the detainees of being involved in an Islamic terrorist cell, the BBC reported.

According to Paris prosecutor Francois Molins, who was quoted in the BBC article, the alleged terror cell is one of the most dangerous in recent memory.

Molins compared the alleged cell to to the Algerian-based Armed Islamic Group, which instigated attacks in the late 1990's.

Anoka's big Halloween parade is just around the corner, and parade organizers denied Justin's Gift, a LGBT youth group, the privilege of walking in the parade, according to MPR.

Parade organizers let the students down via letter dated September 25th, claiming they had reached capacity for parade participators, MPR reported.

However, MinnPost reported that parade organizers hadn't even requested a lisence for the parade until yesterday.

According to both MinnPost and MPR, Jefferson Fitek, the vice president of Justin's Gift, was quoted as saying:

"The kids are pretty upset. We're trying to show these kids that they're part of the community and unfortunately it backfired and sent a completely different message."

Jerry Sandusky has been sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison, according to The Washington Post

Sandusky, a former football coach at Penn State, was convicted in June of over 40 counts of sexually abusing young boys, according to The New York Times. Sandusky's sentence could last as long as 60 years.

Despite his conviction and sentencing, Sandusky maintains his innocence.

The Washington Post reported that Sandusky's attorney, Joe Amendola, plans to file an appeal as he feels the defense did not have enough time to properly prepare.