jackofallgeeks | Media Today (A Conversation)

So what's your favorite TV show?

It was Seinfeld. I stopped watching TV in general after they killed that show. I used to like Who's Line and Drew Carey, but they're too crude for me now. once in a while I'll hear about a show I might like, but can never remember what or where or when.
And you?

I love who's line! I used to love the x-files (and still do) but my current favs are Scrubs and CSI, but I don't get to see them because I'm always at the Tower on thursdays

X-files was cool, early on, but I didn't enjoy it so much later. Who's Line just feels scummy now - it's all about sex, and I don't go for that. Never heard of Scrubs or CSI - what're they?

Well, they're shows based on sex.
Just kidding!
Scrubs is a comdey about young doctors, and CSI is a show about crime scene investigators who use science and sruff to catch the criminals.

(My friend, I consider all shows on TV these days as based on sex - including the News. i have little respect for the media in general. They don't impress me at best, and at worst insult my intelligence.)
Actually, those sound interesting, if not something I'd be into.
I can't even THINK about surgery or disease, let alone watch it, and Cop shows (and the like) never appealed to me much.

As a future journalist, I hope you give us another chance.

If you give me a reason to take you seriously - if you assume your readers are intelligent and not just fleshbots - and if you report something worth reporting (which DOES include the good as well as the grusomely horrific) then maybe I'll give you a chance.

What do you think of the Tower?
And are you thinking of all news, or just crap such as USNews and Fox?

Honestly? I have yet to read an issue this semester. I read it last year and, generally, it was good - I really enjoyed MeeThinks and a number of editorials - though by no means all - were intelligent. I think, as with most all media, it's got quite a liberal slant on it - or it had one. I haven't SEEN it anywhere this year. I grabbed a copy in North FINALLY the other day, only to learn that it was the Sept 11th issue, as opposed to, say, a CURRENT one?

Well
distribution is still working out kinks, but I assure you, we did do one last week
And of course it has a liberal slant to it, we're students
and although I myself am not technically "liberal" I am by no means conservative on some things.

And yes, I mean all news - CBS, NBC, FOX, what have you. They all go for rating, understanably, but they always go for sensational stories that will turn heads. And they have a tendancy to grab a story as fast as they can, to say they had it first, when it ends up that the facts get muddled in the attempt.

Yeah, I agree with you on that...but the sensational stories are the ones that people want to hear about, and read about.
No one wants to hear about something that's boring- and even though they are the news, they also have to run a business.

"We're students" as if that excuses it? I, for one, consider myself rather Concervative. While I don't expect a CONCERVATIVE slant for our school newspaper, I think that taking a more neutral perspective on things would help. Like, present the facts and let us decide for ourselves, you know? And yes, I agree - the mundane is not what i'm looking for at all. But when I say sensational - they look for the worst of the worst, the bottom of the barrel. If it's shocking, that's what we want.

How do we slant the issue?
And we're actually an independent paper.

Ok, OK, OK - one second.
I will concede, to a point, that you're an independant paper. Though I would then ask how it's printed, how it's funded, and who works for it.
As for slanting issues - I can't say anything this semester, as I haven't read one yet. And I can't even point out anything from last year, specifically, as I have a bad memory. But, the fact remains that you have a liberal identity, I'm sure anyone would agree with me, and that in itself is testament to the fact that the paper, as a whole, must have a liberal tilt on it. Being media, I expect such, but then...
Yes, the news people do have a buisness to run. But i would argue that's the cause of alot of their problems - they seem to be of the opinion that having things first, and fast, and shocking will sell more papers - and the fact of the matter is it just might. But I would contest that running a GOOD paper as opposed to a 'successful' one could be more fulfilling.
But then, I'm just a CS major. What could I know. :-P I'm done now.

Oooh, man, so many things to address!

One at a time, please.

1) the paper is independant. We have someone working his ass off (more than one, actually) having people buy ads, classifieds, etc. Our writers work for free, only the ed board is paid, and that is through scholarship.

OK, point conceeded.

2) we have a reputation for being liberal because when the University pulls crap, we call them on it...and they don't like that. We also have a bit of satire in our columns, N & As, and we're not afraid to put ourselves on the line in our editorials when we disagree with anything. We're independant so that we don't have to answer to the administation...if we weren't independant [the school] could have a say in what we investigate, write and print. However, we also cheer the University when the occasion calls for it- we cover USG meetings, art shows, award ceremonies, plays at the Hartke theater.

I conceed that you're independant, and I respect that. If you weren't independant, I would think it wrong of the administration to cencer you - to a reasonable point, of course. Freedom of the press and such, you should not fear saying what needs to be said.
Additionally-
I think you're right to call the University when they 'pull crap' as you so artistically put it. You're right to disagree with the University - I'm sure I'd do the same. I don't advocate silencing yourselves or conforming to some preconmceived standard - but I would no sooner enjoy a Concervative slant that a Liberal slant, I want to hear the facts as such, and I suppose it's a thin line to draw, but... That is, in conclusion, You're not liberal because you're unafraid to express youselves, but the way in which you are expressed. I think.

As an addendum, this is a poor argument at best, and I really only took it up for a little verbal sparring. I will admit that some News media does make a good showing for themselves, and I'm not so cynical as to believe EVERYTHING on TV is worthless, violent, or crammed with sex. I do have a number of supports for a similar, if less emphatic, argument. Most notable for me was the earthquake we had in Seatle a couple years back. It shook us up for a couple minutes, but that was it - there wasn't even any real damage done. But then we had family calling in from all over making sure we were OK, and when my mom turned on the TV, it was horridly blown out of proportion. It's not the first time, nor do I believe the last time that something similar will happen