Reporting on the Taliban

From a UW-Madison student, Beth Mueller:

Want to write an engaging book? Study in-depth reporting!

After reading Ahmed Rashid's Taliban: Islam, Oil and the New Great Game in Central Asia , I've come to the conclusion that anyone writing a book on current events or recent history (or however we categorize that), should study the reporting techniques Rashid uses.

Highlights:

1. Detail after detail about the personal histories of major Taliban figures. When a regime is this secretive and often difficult to understand, this kind of information is just vital for understanding. An example: Rashid talks about the common background many Taliban recruits shared as orphans in gender-segregated refugee camps, being taught an extreme Islamic fundamentalism. No wonder then, that they oppressed women as rulers.

2. Narrative storytelling. Be still my heart, this is a book about history that actually engages readers. Setting scenes and giving lots of physical descriptions really draws interest to the mounds of facts Rashid dug up.

Drawback:

1. Somebody please get this guy some subheads. In-depth reporting requires serious structuring as it stands as long-form journalism, not to mention something as long-form as a book. Rashid's work is interesting and engaging, but still hard to read because it has little structural organization, which is needed even within the loosely grouped chapters.

In all, the reporting techniques Rashid used made the story of the Taliban pop in a personal way. This book, published right before Sept. 11 and U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, certainly provides valuable information in a fantastic genre.

The Ticker Debate

By Abby Sears, UW-Madison

In an age where the attention spans of readers and viewers are relatively short, journalists are constantly searching for new ways to rope them in and maintain their interest. This New York Times article discusses a new way for cable networks to keep viewers tuned in – by keeping their tickers running during commercial breaks. For networks, they’re able to deliver the essential information viewers want to see at all times. For advertisers, however, the constant ticker could mean paying for a smaller advertising space that isn’t exclusively focused on their product or service. Does the ticker distract viewers from the advertising messages in front of them, or does it provide them with immediate access to information?

According to the article, the constant ticker might not be as bad for advertisers as one might think. For one, it keeps viewers from changing the channel during commercial breaks, which means the viewer is more likely to watch at least some of the commercial as opposed to watching something else. Having a constant ticker would force both the advertising and news industries to change somewhat. Advertisers would need to redesign their campaigns to allot for the ticker space while still drawing the viewer’s attention, and the television news industry would need to alter the use of the ticker to keep the viewer tuned in while still giving them vital information. All in all, I think the Ticker Debate reflects a popular ongoing trend in today’s media world – how can we grasp the public’s attention, maintain it and still provide them with the most up-to-date information before the competition?

By a journalism student at UW-Madison:

As industry experts continue the debate over which direction journalism will head in the future, it is good to see some news organizations being pro active and at least trying to create new approaches to make newspapers more financially viable. An AP article about the LA Times highlights how the newspaper has retooled itself. The LA Times' new model is actually one that our J401 class discussed within the last week.
The LA Times decided that it was reorganizing its newsroom into a round-the-clock operation, transforming its web edition into its breaking news center while offering expanded, analytical coverage in its print addition. According to the AP article, the print version would focus on editorials, features, investigative reporting and trend stories, while the web will offer multimedia options and up-to-the-minute information.
I personally think this is a great model for all newspapers to follow. Most newspapers simply publish the exact same information in print and online, while actually offering more multimedia and interactive material online. Why wouldn't a reader then choose to simply read online then? They get more information, and they are not missing anything they would find in print.
In order for newspapers to remain viable, they must be open to these new approaches, and they must let go of the archaic ways of the old days. It is sad to see traditional print journalism change, but print must change if it ever wants to survive. My last blog entry focused on print media finding its niche. In my opinion, this is it.
The Internet's obvious advantage is that it is instantaneous. People look to the Internet for quick snippets of information. Newspaper will never be able to compete with that. Between TV, radio, and the Internet, they have breaking news covered.
In-depth analysis, investigative pieces, and follow-ups are a perfect fit for print though. People don't want to sit and stare at a computer screen for a long time to read long stories, they want that in their hands, like a book. Newspapers were originally built to be in-depth anyway. It is time to go back to print's roots, analyze its strengths in comparison to other forms of media, and like the article says. "Break it on the web, expand on it in print."

A web of connectedness

From UW-Madison student Emily Bisek:

Check out this New York Times' series One in Eight Million. This multimedia compilation of stories from interesting and unique people throughout the city is interesting in a variety of ways, but perhaps the most intriguing element is the fact that the newsroom is pursuing such a series to begin with. This human interest series serves a very different purpose than the other sections- focusing on the human elements of everyday life, its challenges and life's little accomplishments. The use of multimedia to achieve this perspective works wonderfully, allowing viewers to hear the Jim Romano's voice, Ed Grajales' sighs and Elizabeth Cousins' laughter. The comments on every story are also very uplifting, hopeful and, to a certain extent, as inspiring as the stories themselves. For example, many readers wished Freda Degannes many blessings, wishes and prayers after viewing her miracle. The humanness of One in Eight Million permeates not only the series itself, but the attached reader comments, making for a little web of connectedness rarely seen in newspapers across the country.

Not invincible

From UW-Madison student Jacob Harris:


The article reveals the troubling news that The Times Co. is threatening to shut down the long-standing Boston Globe for financial reasons. I think it is an interesting look at how the country's economic crisis has accelerated the decline of print journalism, which began long before the meltdown. This news immediately caught my attention because of the stature of the players involved here. While dailies in smaller cities have been going under for some time now, consensus has been that the New York Times would be venerable, if not invincible. By extension, we assumed anything associated with NYT would at least be able to weather the storm. That there would always be some level of demand for widely read, in-depth, high quality news coverage seemed only natural. But with advertisers pulling back left and right and newspapers clearly no longer the most desirable market for these advertisers, The Globe is suddenly vulnerable.

This has major implications for the future of the journalistic landscape. As the article mentions, shutting down The Boston Globe would leave only The Boston Herald as a daily source of news coverage in the city. I think this is a dangerous proposition for a city so large and that the questions journalists pose and the activities they unearth might become lost. There would be less accountability for elected officials and I am not sure that that "watchdog" role is easily replaceable. I also think this could potentially accelerate the death of other newspapers throughout the country. Furthermore, even if The Globe does not die, this disturbing news will have an impact on the morale of its staff and those of other papers. It is certainly hard to do one's best work when fearful of getting the pink slip on a daily basis.

Details, details

From University of Wisconsin-Madison student Royston Sim:

Check out this link to an article about raging Mexican drug war in the NY Times. Several things made this article stand out for me. First, the writing is crisp and to the point. By the third graf, Marc Lacey strikes home the main point of the article: that there is a pervasive problem within Mexico's institutions.

The article is comprehensive -- someone without any prior knowledge about the drug war would gain a clear picture of the overall situation at present, its roots and how it has evolved. Lacey aptly employs subheads to transition from point to point, and this makes the article easy to follow and digest.

There are many voices in this story, from the soldier in the streets up to President Felipe Calderon. The article also boasts ample figures that provide context and a sense of the power struggles. For example, there were "6,200 drug-related killings in 2008, up more than 100 percent from 2007, and the more than 1,100 so far in 2009." Another nice detail: someone at Mexican customs dabbing Vicks VapoRub on the nose of a drug-sniffing dog.

Hoping for survival of quality

From University of Wisconsin-Madison student Katrina Rust:

As news media struggle to stay afloat, most are being forced to shed
staff and try new approaches for engaging readers. The MinnPost is a
yearish-old nonprofit online newspaper trying to sustain itself and a
small staff of reporters on not just foundation money, but also
memberships and advertising. Joel Kramer, former editor and publisher
of the Star Tribune in Minneapolis and founder of MinnPost, shares how
he hopes MinnPost will be a successful news model in this story.

One thing that sets MinnPost apart, besides revenue sources, is the
site has stricter moderation of comments. I know people are all
excited about how online news can be interactive and a conversation,
but often people leave obnoxious comments that defeat any attempt at a
thoughtful exchange of ideas. MinnPost commenters have to give their
full names and can’t say hateful or obscene things.

While I hadn’t heard of MinnPost before, now I’m hoping for its
survival. Kramer’s perspective gives me hope that serious, quality
news outlets may survive (and I can find a job).