NY Times: Untangling the Madoff Case (Video Report)

• Bernard Madoff facing charges for multi-million dollar fraud
• Millions of dollars will never be accounted for as a result of the Ponzi scheme
• By using untrained and inexperienced employees, Madoff was able to create the illusion of active trade
• Federal Prosecutors seeking to charge anyone who aided Madoff in his scheme, and are looking into the possibility that his family was involved
• Even if the family was not involved, representatives of victims aim to have Madoff family assets siezed and distributed amongst victims

NY Times: Does exercise really keep us healthy?

• While beneficial to physical and mental health, scientific evidence suggests that it is not the "cure-all" it has been touted to be
• Without proper diet and/or medical treatment, exercise alone is ineffective in lowering both blood pressure and cholesterol
• Evidence as to whether exercise lowers the chance of heart disease is inconclusive

This story has a blind lead. In the opening paragraph, the journalist reviews some common beliefs about the health benefits of physical exercise. She starts her second paragraph with, " If only it were that simple. While exercise has undeniable benefits, many, if not most, of its powers have been oversold. " She gains the readers interest by offering some pertinent information in the first paragraph, but waits until the second to reveal what the story is really about. 

This story targets a wide audience. For most readers, the connection between wellness and physical exercise has, until now, never been questioned.  This article would interest anyone that had been advised by their doctor to exercise as well as the health conscious who currently exercise under false beliefs about it's benefits.

NY Times: Brooklyn Woman Was Killed During Botched Robbery 

 

This is a hard news story about a 63-year-old woman who had sustained fatal blows to the head during a robbery struggle. It used the inverted pyramid model, presenting the who, what, when, where and how first. This was followed by more particular details, such as the name of the victim and the location of the incident. 

To compose this article, the journalist had to retrieve quotes from the police, family members and the medical examiner.  

Although it was a hard news story, the entire second half of the short article focused on the victim rather than the crime. The journalist used quotes to emphasize the community's admiration for the victim in life. Simply writing, "she was admired by her community" isn't enough-- the reader wants to know who admired her, for what, etc. 

George Kolb Accepts Position at Villanova University

BRISTOL -- George Kolb, the Director of Athletics, Recreation and Development that lead Roger Williams University to their best two-year stretch in University history, will return to his alma mater of Villanova University to assume the position of Head Athletic Fundraising Coordinator after seven years with the Hawks.

or:

BRISTOL -- After seven years as Director of Athletics at Roger Williams University, George Kolb will return to his alma mater of Villanova University to assume the position of Head Athletic Fundrasing Coordinator in the beginning of next year. During his seven year tenure, Kolb lead the Hawks to their best two-year stretch in history.

CBS News Anchor Walter Kronkite showcased his talents as one of the finest reporters in television history during his coverage of the JFK assassination. He confidently reported what he knew in clear and concise language. He remained calm and composed during a stressful situation and reinforced his own credibility by correcting his report as new information came in. Kronkite turned a bit emotional towards the end of the broadcast, but he wiped a tear, pulled himself together and kept the report rolling. 

NBC failed miserably in their broadcast following the JFK assassination. Most of the information NBC had came through an on-air phone call from an unnamed source who was never introduced or accredited, calling into question the reliability of the information. NBC reporters fumbled with unfamiliar equipment and had trouble distinguishing what reports were or weren't confirmed. 

I learned one major thing through watching these reports: never broadcast unprepared.

The class discussion about symbology and frame of reference lead me to contemplate a few issues. Early into the class, a student was asked by another to draw a house on the board. She drew a square house with a pointed roof and four windows. The class and I agreed that the drawing was indeed the quintessential "house". While young and first grasping the concept of symbology, our teachers had probably cultivated a similar frame of reference for us. It leads me to wonder what else (what understanding of the world and reality) was engrained in me at a young age that I may not be conscious of...

The work of photojournalist Lewis W. Hine, primarily his child labor focused series, strikes a particular chord with me. My Great-Grandfather emigrated to Fall River on a schooner from the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores with his sister at 7 years-old. He began working as a "bobbin-boy" at the Robin Rug factory on Thames St. in Bristol at the age of 8, until he was strong enough to shovel coal into the factory's furnace. Judging by the age of the children and the period in which the picture was taken, my Great-Grandfather could very well have been one of Hine's subjects. These disturbing photos serve as a reminder of the sacrifices others have made for my well-being.

Diane Arbus' work focused on the unusual and downright odd. She didn't appear to compose entire campaigns (like Hine's work with the child labor series), but focused on raw, unglamorous reality. The photograph of a lanky, awkward looking boy holding a hand grenade in a park and the photograph of the twin girls both had me fabricating my own storylines as to how (and initially, why) Arbus captured this image. I appreciate her choosing subjects primarily for their thought provoking qualities rather than their aesthetic pleasure.