Ethics and Storytelling

1.) A few of the dilemmas that were most likely faced by these filmakers while shooting these films were the exposure of the personal lives of these individuals. The fact that they are filming people who may not have full mental capacity may be one of the biggest of these ethical issues concerning these documentaries. Filming these people in controversial situations as well might bring up questions of what is appropriate. In the Titicut Follies questions that are asked of the inmates seem to probe deeply into their personal lives and expose issues that they might not really want to share with the public. The filming of people who are not in their right mind can also bee considered an ethical dilemma since they might not have the ability to say whether or not they want to be filmed.
2.) Footage that was obtained through prompting or secretly taken should not have been used and that seems to have happened in this film. They should not have used all of the footage that they did as it seems they are almost taking advantage of these people for a little documentary. Footage should have been determined by the possibility for education from the certain clip and whether it was really necessary for the point of the film.
3.) You should use you own moral compass and look at it from their point of view if they could understand what you are trying to accomplish. I would definately look at it from as a scientific viewpoint and see the filming as a way to show people some of what is going on inside the minds of these individuals. The ability to show how an institution works such as in the Titicut Follies would be my main focus and would not be driven by the actions made by certain inmates. As a journalist I would probably question and talk with the guards as they are almost an even larger part of the situation rather than the individual inmates themselves.

Virtual University Creates Possibilities

   A new online campus created for Washington State University in the Second Life program is bringing new possibilities to the many distance degree programs available to students.

   Students and staff created the online campus for WSU adding multiple features that could be recognized by anyone familiar with the campus. The virtual campus will offer subscribers the ability to go to attend lectures, conferences, and even check out art displays.

   Being used by many universities across America, Second Life is quickly becoming more than just a socializing program as it has been used for mock open-heart surgery as well as a college graduation ceremony.

   Brett Atwood, an assistant professor at the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, who has worked as a web content strategist for Linden Lab, maker of Second Life, believes the new online campus will open up many new possibilities.

   “WSU in Second Life can be used to introduce people to the campus without them even having to come to Pullman,” he said. “It’s not for everyone, but it is good for distance learning programs and it allows for a sense of community.”

   Atwood also plans to use the online campus for Journalism and Public Relations classes next semester.

   Two issues that have some people concerned about the program and its use are the hardware requirements as well as the adult content that is found throughout.

   Second Life also provides people with the opportunity to shop online at locations such as Amazon.com where you can look around and interact with other customers.

   The ability to choose what your avatar looks and dresses like is another option that draws many to this program and opens up a new world of artistic creativity. Security settings within the program also provide creators the choice to block or allow others into their own virtual area.

   Dylan Schumacher, a WSU student, thinks that the new online campus could also be used for other purposes.

   “When you have those really tough mornings or when you are sick it’s hard to make it to class,” he said. “It would be great if you could just log in online and attend class virtually rather than physically.”  

Ethics Assignment

1.) When Steven Smith referred to the allegations against Mayor Jim West he made a differentiation between a legitimate news story and a non-legitimate one because of the privacy that even the mayor deserves in his own life. If he wasn't abusing children then their search would be nothing except a violation of the mayors right to choose how he wants to live his life. However since there was information pertaining to him and the abuse of young children a reason for further investigation was not needed. He needed to make this differentiation otherwise the whole investigation might have been seen as a way to discriminate against gay people. 

2.) He justified the use of a concealed identity through the idea that if the mayor was looking for young men online that there would finally be proof if he did go after the 17 year old fake online identity. If the mayor however did not go after younger men then he probably would not have justified its use. Morlin could not do it himself because it is against the rules he has as a reporter. The code of ethics prevented him from pretending to be someone else. 

3.) I believe that The Spokesman Review's decision to publish so many articles on Jim West was because of the fact that he offered positions in his office to young men he met online. Steven Smith continued to put forth these stories to most likely show the problem with this sort of hypocrisy taking place in a government facility. His possible connection with child abuse in the boy scouts was probably another reason for the articles and was most likely to help find out if these rumors were true. 

4.) In a way I don't see anyone besides mayor Jim West benefiting from the decision to expose him and his alleged improprieties. By releasing the story it released West from still living a hidden life that was in turn crushing him as well as the lives of younger men. The gay community took a blow from this as well due to the image that was given forth by his actions. What use was it to him to hide his private life from the public and have directly opposite political views? The outcome of exposing Jim West was probably worth it in the long run, yet it seemed to cause more harm than good as all it seemed to do was ruin a mans life as well as to make people think he was a really bad man even without direct evidence. The outcome of the whole ordeal seems to me to not have really changed much besides the fact that Spokane will now keep better tabs on their government officials. 

5.) It seems that The Spokesman Review is grabbing at nothing. Is someone following around these officials everywhere they go trying to find something wrong with their actions. The article on Jack Lynch seems like another witch hunt and another way to fill space in the paper. I believe their is definitely an ethical problem because of the lack of evidence they have as well as the way that they have been following his every action when they don't even have a direct reason to badger him. 

NEWS WAR

After watching the Frontline special on news and how its changing I wondered how I get most of my news and where I go to get it. It is interesting because for the most part I use the internet because I have so much access to information that it is only one click away to another link. In the video they discuss how the media is more profit focused now and that in turn changes the content of the news. It is very interesting to think about because I like to learn about what is going on, yet their is always material on news casts that appeal to a more wider range of people. The ease of accessing information online has allowed people to get what they want as well as introducing them to other information along the way. Because of this many newspapers and other organizations have moved to the internet and are now trying to figure out how it can be most profitable. 

With the addition of websites such as craigslist.com the motivating factor to buy newspapers has died in the way of receiving classifieds. This fact along with the recession and a war have also crippled many newspapers and have made them think of what they need to do to survive. They discussed how private owners have been trying to preserve these newspapers even if earnings are low. This was a very interesting bit of information that I didn't know was taking place, but will definitely help to save some of the many respectable newspapers in America. It is interesting to know that there are many people still out there that like to read the newspaper. 

News breaks that have happened online with the help of bloggers was also a topic and showed how news can be saved by the internet. By switching to online presentation will probably take some time for some news companies, yet is the only way that they can survive in a fast paced world. 

LIVESTATION

Russia Today a station produced in English, Arabic and seems to focus on one topic at a time with multiple stories and interviews that cover the topic. While I was watching it was talking about Russian marriages and the equality that is given to men versus women. It seems that men are treated differently than women in divorces  and thus determining custody. There was also a ticker at the bottom that gave news updates like many news stations in America. It seems that a lot of coverage is given to stories pertaining to America as well. Organized with smooth transitions in between segments it is a very visually pleasing station, but seems to be more biased towards stories that do reinforce government policies. 

Many of the other stations such as BBC and Press TV also seem to me to have their own bias. Though many of these channels have a variety of stories, some ranging all over the world, they all seem to me that they are pointing in one direction or another. It could just be editor bias or from the government itself, yet to me its seems that each of these channels has more of a purpose than just pushing out neutral information.

Al Jazeera: 

1.) I believe that the internet will be a great place for Al Jazeera as their are so many new sites and programs that have been made or are being made to distribute information from all over the world no matter where its from. The fact that people have such a thirst for information plus the instant access to internet for most will definitely help Al Jazeera get it's news to more people. As people realize that it is not really a terrorist station and it is distributed into more media channels it will be accepted and will probably help get more "hits" online for their station. 

2.) I believe that it should because it is the other side of the issue in my mind. News concerning Iran and Iraq is on our news all the time so why can't a first hand news station be available to the American public? It is stupid to not allow it as we already have radio stations and news stations that give information about the rest of the world. It is strange to not allow the one station that is located in the region where we have a strong military presence. 

3.) It seems to me that they focus on how America is causing many other issues all around the world. Though they try to stay neutral comparisons arise between America's economic status and other countries that are suffering, but don't have government money to bail them out. It seems that they focus on the plight of many little countries and the problems they are facing. It is different because Al Jazeera seems to be focused more on the outside environment more that most American stations that I watch. The fact that they seem to try and bash on America also is a difference that I have noticed as in most American stations it is hard to pick up any negative ideals about another country. 

4.) I do not believe that they are fully following their code of ethics, but I do believe that an effort is made at the least. It is hard for a station such as theirs because their is a lot of governmental pressure to follow certain stories as well as giving certain viewpoints to reinforce the ideals that are relative to the region. It is hard to make full judgement on the station as I have only watched it for the first time today. However the coverage that they give to certain stories lets me know that their code of ethics needs to be reworked a little. 

Pullman Parks Offer Cure for Pullman Summers

   Now that warm weather has found it’s way to Pullman what are you going to do? Are you going to stay inside with the curtains closed and the fans on high? Or are you going to enjoy yourself spending time outdoors? Hopefully you choose the latter.

   People questioning what to do with their free time during the summer don’t have to travel far to find excitement as there are 14 parks located within Pullman that offer a variety of different activities for people of all ages.

   Maintained under the Pullman Parks Division headed by the Park Superintendent, Alan Davis, these parks provide services such as basketball courts, playgrounds, picnic benches, a skate park and even a Frisbee golf course.

   Sunnyside Park is the largest of the parks and is made up of 25 acres of land that holds Pullman’s annual Fourth of July celebration. Last year Russel Dach, a local business manager, attended the celebration and couldn’t believe how big the park was when he arrived.

   “I didn’t know that there were any parks like this in Pullman besides Reaney Park,” he said. “It’s nice that the city provides such nice facilities to the public.”

   Not only does Sunnyside provide tennis courts, a little league baseball field and a Frisbee golf course, but beautiful scenery which includes a couple of ponds that are used for ices-skating during the winter.

   Reaney Park located near downtown is one of Pullman’s oldest parks and in 1910 was the location of a roller rink as well as a livery stable for WSU students. Bought from Albert and Phebe Reaney in 1914 it was soon developed into a park, which included a small golf area.  It now offers an outdoor pool as well as having a lot of open space for many types of outdoor activates. At the end of summer it is home to the National Lentil Festival along with the numerous people who come to enjoy in the revelry.

   For residents of another generation the skate park located on Spring St. is one of the newer facilities that attracts many students and locals looking to shred some pavement. Its closeness to campus also allows for a quick break from the monotony of class and a fun place to watch people work on their skateboarding skills.

   Those who are looking for different athletic opportunities can visit the park on Military Hill, which has six tennis courts, two baseball diamonds, a playfield and a children’s playground. The park is shared with Pullman High School and is used by people of all ages.

   Chase J. Fovargue, a WSU student, believes that the best park is Terreview Park because of its distance from campus and because of the nice scenery.

   “Terreview is a great place to getaway from all the commotion on campus during the school year,” he said. “It’s also a nice place to take a girl and watch the sunset.”

   Many of the other parks in Pullman offer many of the same amenities as Reaney and Sunnyside including BBQ’s and picnic benches allowing for group gatherings or a family outing.

NBA Markets Competition

   It was an ordinary evening watching the NBA playoffs accompanied by the usual banter concerning who the best basketball player is and whether they will make it to the finals or not. The conversation shifted as someone mentioned the full partnership between the NBA and ESPN as the reason that the networks have control over what days the playoffs take place. Questions of whether or not the playoffs are altogether set-up filled the room changing the atmosphere from calm to edgy and showed the energy many students have invested in this sport.

   Many of these questions included the marketing strategy that appears to be used by the NBA in many advertisements in order to capitalize on the competition of Kobe Bryant of the Las Angeles Lakers against LeBron James of the Cleveland Caviliers.

   “You hear people talking about it all over the media,” said Mark C. Guzman, a WSU student and NBA fan. “It’s almost like the WWE because they are trying to set up the most marketable match-up.”

   Advertisements by Vitamin Water and Nike have also been focused on Kobe and LeBron using their pseudo-rivalry as the focal point.

   Dream Season: 23 & 24, a film that dictates the possible contact of Kobe and LeBron in a future championship, has been consistently promoted by the NBA. Even Dwight Howard explained on his blog the frustration he has with referees and constant publicity for Kobe and LeBron.     

   “Every time I look at TV, it seems like that’s all anybody is talking about,” said Howard. “I’m not going to lie – I’m frustrated with the calls that we’ve gotten in this series, but I can’t let it take me away from my focus.”

   Though the possibility of a Kobe-LeBron final series magically disappeared on Saturday night, bad calls throughout the playoffs have become even more of a signal that things are skewed in the NBA.     

   Anthony M. Balingit, a WSU student and NBA fan, finds it hard to believe that the playoffs are rigged, but noted that the officials have been making some very controversial calls lately.

   “The refs are trying to protect LeBron,” Balingit said. “It’s ridiculous when he only gets one or two fouls a game when he is the second best defensive player this year. That just doesn’t add up in my mind.”

   Ex-referee Tim Donaghy, who claimed that the 2002 and 2005 playoffs were rigged and that the NBA encourages bogus fouls, brought forth statements that caused questions to be raised about the association. Though Donaghy was allegedly at the center of a gambling scandal his testimony on the issue makes people wonder whether more NBA officials are setting up teams for a full seven game series and a close game. 

   Andrew A. Donabauer, a WSU student and NBA fan, believes that there is no way that the playoffs or finals were set-up.

   “There are too many eyes on the NBA for a conspiracy like that to take place,” said Donabauer. “It’s also hard to believe every referee out there is purposely giving bad calls.” 

   Stiff competition between Kobe and LeBron however may be the reason that the media is trying to capitalize on such a relationship as what was done at the 2009 NBA Dunk Contest.

   The contest is another event that many fans have also had suspicions about as even the costume designs with Superman for Dwight Howard and a green New York Knicks outfit for Nate Robinson thus making “Krypto-Nate” symbolizing superman’s weakness. Not only were there two other, almost unknown, participants in the contest, but no publicity was given to their actions as compared to the competition that was played up between the superhero and his nemesis.