I would like to consider under21.me for investment. The proposal was very well prepared and the hole in the market that would be filled is specific enough that the site could have a loyal following. I believe that the creator of the site has spent a great deal of time designing the objectives and goals of under21.me. The creator's background and history in the region are a plus because connections and partnerships could easily be made. I like the idea of starting small and focusing on the Scranton, P.A., area, but ideally the site should grow to have a national presence as the target audience is widespread across the country. The creator is well-suited for the job and at the very least, the site deserves some additional research by investors
If by chance under21.me cannot be launched, the next project investors should consider is B-9.com. I like the humorous idea, and I believe there is a market for the stories that will no longer stay on the golf course. Like the site devoted to cats with funny captions or textsfromlastnight.com, there is an entertainment factor that would attract a lot of traffic to the site. My only concern is that the proposed "hole" is not large enough and investors may not see the returns quickly. I would like to see if this site could grow to include stories from other sports areas such as "in the dugout," "in the locker room," etc. With more market research, I believe this site could have a shot at success - and the creator/former caddie is perfect for the job.
All proposals demonstrated potential, and I believe all could find some success.
4.20.2010
Where is my journalism degree going to take me?
I haven't got a clue.
Freshman year I entered I.C. as an anthropology student with high hopes of exploring the world and living among many different cultures. As if I were still a 5-year-old with dreams of being an astronaut (I did) or a vet (yes, again,) I decided once again that my dream needed to change. I soon declared journalism as my new career path.
Then reality hit.
All of my professors told me "newspapers are dying" and "journalism is losing hope." Relatives told me wished me a sarcastic "good luck."
Finally, I find myself taking Independent Media - a class that isn't required nor needed personally to graduate. Basically I needed to stay a full-time student, but I didn't want to take 5 PALS courses to get me through. So, over the last three or so months, I've been told countless stories of people who never paid $46k for a degree. They simply went out and made it on their own, doing what they want, writing what they want, etc. (If I knew four years ago that I could make millions by posting weird photos of cats or having my own YouTube channel devoted to celebrity gossip, maybe I would have tried it.) It's yet another slap in the face begging the question, "What are you doing at Ithaca?"
Don't get me wrong, I've learned quite a bit over the last four years, and as I prepare to graduate in a few short weeks, I'm positive I'll be using my education in the future. I think the most important thing I'll be taking away is the continuing need for good, solid reporting on topics that matter. I'll let people without journalism degrees take care of the cat Web sites and dish out the goods on Paris and Britney, while I concentrate on news and information that is vital and needs attention. I've learned the skills or reporting, perfected the "art" of the inverted pyramid and memorized the AP Stylebook. Now I'm onto learning the ins and outs of publishing - a small change in my career path, but one that would not have occured if I had not become a journalism major first.
Freshman year I entered I.C. as an anthropology student with high hopes of exploring the world and living among many different cultures. As if I were still a 5-year-old with dreams of being an astronaut (I did) or a vet (yes, again,) I decided once again that my dream needed to change. I soon declared journalism as my new career path.
Then reality hit.
All of my professors told me "newspapers are dying" and "journalism is losing hope." Relatives told me wished me a sarcastic "good luck."
Finally, I find myself taking Independent Media - a class that isn't required nor needed personally to graduate. Basically I needed to stay a full-time student, but I didn't want to take 5 PALS courses to get me through. So, over the last three or so months, I've been told countless stories of people who never paid $46k for a degree. They simply went out and made it on their own, doing what they want, writing what they want, etc. (If I knew four years ago that I could make millions by posting weird photos of cats or having my own YouTube channel devoted to celebrity gossip, maybe I would have tried it.) It's yet another slap in the face begging the question, "What are you doing at Ithaca?"
Don't get me wrong, I've learned quite a bit over the last four years, and as I prepare to graduate in a few short weeks, I'm positive I'll be using my education in the future. I think the most important thing I'll be taking away is the continuing need for good, solid reporting on topics that matter. I'll let people without journalism degrees take care of the cat Web sites and dish out the goods on Paris and Britney, while I concentrate on news and information that is vital and needs attention. I've learned the skills or reporting, perfected the "art" of the inverted pyramid and memorized the AP Stylebook. Now I'm onto learning the ins and outs of publishing - a small change in my career path, but one that would not have occured if I had not become a journalism major first.
4.18.2010
Great Quotes from Star Magazine and HARD COPY
We all know the Drudge Report has some not-so-great headlines. Sometimes only Drudge's own reporting is worse.
That's was what I thought when I read the story about Bill Clinton's supposed third child back in Arkansas.
Everyone knows that the quoted magazines make their money on outrageous rumors and completely falsified stories. Why even Drudge would lower himself to the standards of those publications is beyond me.
A few of my favorites:
"We would go to grocery stores, people would say 'That's Bill Clinton's son!' because he looks just like him!" the woman declares.
"He was good to me, he gave me money," she tells HARD COPY. "No, I'm not scared."
The entire story is a perfect example of what not to do as a "journalist"
That's was what I thought when I read the story about Bill Clinton's supposed third child back in Arkansas.
Everyone knows that the quoted magazines make their money on outrageous rumors and completely falsified stories. Why even Drudge would lower himself to the standards of those publications is beyond me.
A few of my favorites:
"We would go to grocery stores, people would say 'That's Bill Clinton's son!' because he looks just like him!" the woman declares.
"He was good to me, he gave me money," she tells HARD COPY. "No, I'm not scared."
The entire story is a perfect example of what not to do as a "journalist"
Off the Record No Longer Exists
We talked in class about Mayhill Fowler recording Bill Clinton's 'sleazy,' 'slimy,' 'scumbag' speech and the controversy it caused because she was accused of not revealing her mic. Honestly though, Clinton should not be so surprised that his opinion of the Vanity Fair writer surfaced.
With hundreds of people surrounding the rope line, all with cameras and phones recording the event, if Fowler didn't use the audio, someone else would have.
"Off the record," especially for a high profile political figure like Clinton, is hard to come by. Even if Fowler if didn't reveal her mic - she holds fast that she did - for Clinton to spew what he did, no wonder it didn't stay a secret. Hasn't he learned to filter what he says?
As for the second incident involving Fowler and the 2008 campaign, Fowler is the one at fault. If she considers herself a credible and trustworthy journalist, she should hold herself to the same standards as other press professionals. I agree with one of my classmates who said that as a member of the press, she should respect the ethical standards of the profession. If the event was "closed," Fowler should not have been there. Further, such an event probably didn't require an undercover operation.
Was she investigated like the dinner-crashing couple?
With hundreds of people surrounding the rope line, all with cameras and phones recording the event, if Fowler didn't use the audio, someone else would have.
"Off the record," especially for a high profile political figure like Clinton, is hard to come by. Even if Fowler if didn't reveal her mic - she holds fast that she did - for Clinton to spew what he did, no wonder it didn't stay a secret. Hasn't he learned to filter what he says?
As for the second incident involving Fowler and the 2008 campaign, Fowler is the one at fault. If she considers herself a credible and trustworthy journalist, she should hold herself to the same standards as other press professionals. I agree with one of my classmates who said that as a member of the press, she should respect the ethical standards of the profession. If the event was "closed," Fowler should not have been there. Further, such an event probably didn't require an undercover operation.
Was she investigated like the dinner-crashing couple?
4.15.2010
Maybe the Times is Reading my Blog...
Last time I talked about the NY Times, I criticized their story about ballet dancers using Twitter.
This morning, the Quote of the Day was from Fred Shapiro, of Yale Law School, on Twitter:
"This is an entirely new addition to the historical record, the second-by-second history of ordinary people."
Shapiro was asked to archive tweets for the Library of Congress.
Cool.
This morning, the Quote of the Day was from Fred Shapiro, of Yale Law School, on Twitter:
"This is an entirely new addition to the historical record, the second-by-second history of ordinary people."
Shapiro was asked to archive tweets for the Library of Congress.
Cool.
4.07.2010
Feeding the True Fans
If some of my friends read this post, they will say, 'Enough with Girl Talk!'But I'll continue anyway...
Girl Talk is a mash-up artist out of Pittsburgh, P.A., who quit his job as a biomedical engineer to pursue his music career. Although he is highly criticized for his constant digital sampling, he argues that his music is protected by the Fair Use laws that allow him to put limited amounts of copyrighted material into his own works.
A couple years ago Girl Talk released his latest album called "Feed the Animals" under the record label Illegal Art. Fans had the option to download the album for free from the record label's Web site, or they could pay however much they thought the product was worth. Fans who paid $10 or more would receive a hard copy of the album in the mail. For true fans, it's not a bad trade.
I guess Radiohead beat him to the idea.
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