Fake news. Bias. Alternative facts. Journalism is under attack, and our students certainly feel the apathy that results in this constant cycle of distrust. For students who might be interested in journalism, the job market seems dubious and there’s been increasing vitriol about mainstream news outlets being “fake news.” These realities and fictions affect morale about the field, to be certain, but larger trends in education also threaten the ways in which young people could and should be encouraged...
Perspective. This is a word we use often when we delve into the fundamentals of media literacy. Whose perspective are we getting, and who is in control of the message? How is this perspective different from what we are used to? Are many perspectives being considered? When we teach media literacy, we are often teaching a "best of" buffet of classic liberal education, from rhetoric and argumentation to literary analysis, to civics and history. Rhetorical and literary analysis feed directly into...
A recent poll by Gallup reports that 62 percent of Americans believe journalists are biased in the arena of politics. The majority of those polled feel journalists favor Democrats in their reporting. This isn’t a shocker. Poll after poll has similar results: Americans believe journalists are biased and weave a web of fabricated tales. Where did we go wrong? Recently, I engaged in conversations with several individuals who remember Watergate. All expressed that the majority of the...
As he builds his career in communications, Kansas City-native Derek Byrne found learning every skill he can and his strong writing skills have been essential tools for moving from high school yearbook to a Texas university to New York City and back home to the Midwest. Today, Byrne works in social media at Visit KC, Kansas City’s organization dedicated to attracting tourism to the area. "It’s a curious and fascinating blend of writing, creative work, relationship building, fact checking and project management, all with the ultimate goal of fostering affinities for Kansas City across the country and around the world," Byrne said. SJ: When and how were you bit by the journalism bug? Byrne:...
SchoolJournalism.org’s second annual First Amendment Matters PSA contest had many great entries. States represented in this contest included; South Carolina, Kentucky, California, New Jersey, Missouri, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Idaho, Utah, Michigan, and Texas. Choosing a winner was not an easy task. Entries needed to follow the contest specifications that included, but was not limited to: following copyright laws, using original content, meeting the time requirement, and fully addressing the First Amendment. The results are in and our sponsors are excited to honor the winners. Prize sponsors include: the East Central College, Union, Mo., Journalism Program the Academy...
Last year came to a rough close with large chunks of the yearbook incomplete; a team exhausted and frustrated, struggling to work together; and a lack of knowing how to institute work in a class with such a complex grading criteria. When I asked staff members to complete a task, there was not much repercussion for doing a poor job other than a loss of points from their weekly goals and evaluation sheet. Therefore, there was no willingness or motivation to correct changes: the grade had already been received. The result was a multitude of mediocre captions, a sloppy index, and amateur errors that could have been easily prevented. By the end of the year, a few dedicated members of the staff...
Multiple surveys and studies have shown that Americans remain unaware of the five freedoms the First Amendment guarantees. When more Americans can name characters from an...
MIPA is a state organization working in association with the Missouri School of Journalism; Journalism Educators Association, JEA; and the National Scholastic Press Association,...
January 14, 2017
