Smoking on Campus -Tolman

So i have switched story ideas now and am doing a story on smoking at USU. Does anyone know anyone with asthma that I could talk to? thanks--Ashley Tolman

Why USU needs Athletics

I'm doing this story on a presentation that was given by USU Athletic Director Scot Barnes in one of my classes. It's basically showing why the athletic fee raise of $65 per semester is necessary and ultimately helpful to the University in it's entirety. There is also a vote on March 23 on whether or not to accept the $65 fee that has been announced

Craig Jessop

One of my stories is on Craig Jessop. I already interviewed him about why he is here instead of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir...etc. I wanted to find students that are in his one choir class. Anyone know of people?

Plasma!

I'm wanting to do my next story on college students donating plasma for extra cash. Does anybody know someone who donates regularly or has donated? It would be best if there's some kind of juicy story behind it, like they donate plasma before a date so they can afford dinner or something like that. Help would be appreciated!!! :) Thanks!!!

Deseret News

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DNews to Become “Mormon Niche Publication”?

Glen Warchol’s blog: Salt Lake Crawler
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Getting the 'tone' at the DNews

Update . . .

Deseret News government reporters pulled their bylines today in protest of management changes made as the paper transforms itself into a Mormon niche publication.

Assistant managing editor for news Chuck Gates and business editor Julianne Basinger have been demoted. Gates is now a "special writer." Basinger has been sent to the copy desk. State government editor Josh Loftin says, "In both cases, you can't call it anything but a demotion."

Why? In the words of veteran DNews reporter James Thalman:

We weren't going Mo' enough, fast enough.

Gates and Bassinger reportedly often fought against stories being killed or slanted because they "were not acceptable to the LDS reader." The change is not coming from the Church Office Building, Loften says:

This is a decision made ultimately by Joe Cannon. It's being done because he believes sincerely the way to save the newspaper is to turn it into a publication for a niche LDS reader. The News needs to still educate them, [Cannon says] but not offend their sensibilities or put the LDS chuch in a negative light.

Tad Walch, a Utah County reporter, will replace Gates, Loftin says, because Walch "gets the tone" that Cannon, a former GOP state party chair and lobbyist, has been pushing since he took over at the DNews. "They can never tell us what the 'tone' is," Loftin says. "They say, 'You'll know it when you get it.' "

Loften's government staff, including political editor Bob Bernick, pulled their bylines from their stories — the only real control a reporter has over his or her work. The bylines were replaced with "By Deseret News staff."

(T)Editorial Comments #1

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Random (T)editorial comments
from Dr. Ted

An occasional series of newswriting tips culled from students’ writing—deobfuscating common AP style issues and common writing/construction problems. . . in no particular order . . .

1. WHAT HAPPENED???? Get the lead right!

EX: The Political Science Department at Utah State University sponsored a speech on how history repeats itself titled, “Déjà Vu All Over Again: Rise of the New Russia.” (when?)

This is a classic “The City Council met…” lead. So what? The fact that a meeting or speech took place is not the news—what happened at the meeting/what was said at the speech?

2. THAT/WHICH

EX: 200 people attended the speech which was sponsored by the political science department.

a) What’s AP style rule for numbers that begin sentences?
b) that, which—see Stylebook. This is important. Basically, use of “which” in a sentence denotes a nonessential (or parenthetical) clause and requires use of a comma; use of “that” connects to an essential part of the sentence. For example:

1. The dog that was brown bit Tom.
2. The dog, which was brown, bit Tom.

What’s the difference? AP says, if you can drop the clause without losing the meaning, use which and set the phrase off with commas. In the first sentence, the brown part is essential to ID the vicious dog. In the second, the dog’s color is a throw-away: oh, by the way, the dog was brown. The important thing in the second example is that the dog bit Tom. See Stylebook, “that, which” entry.

3. AP STYLE—You’re still making too many basic AP style errors. No “last night” or “yesterday”—use day name. Number/numeral errors. a.m. p.m.

4. ATTRIBUTION/QUOTES: You MUST attribute all fact statements to a source. Who says? Unless the statement features unassailable or commonly accepted facts (EX: It had been snowing all day… or “Slum Dog Millionaire” is set in one of the many huge slums that ring Mombai…), attribute the sentence to a source.

Ninety percent of the time, use said as the attribution verb: he said, the professor said, police said…. Remember to bury the attribution in the middle of a statement or quote if you can, usually at a natural pause in the sentence cadence: “Funding from the bailout package will begin to trickle down within the month,” the senator said, “as quickly as agencies can process proposals.”

DO NOT place the attribution at the front of the quote, unless absolutely necessary for transition:
• NO: The senator said, “Funding from the bailout package will begin to trickle down within the month, as quickly as agencies can process proposals.”

That’s lazy. Figure out how to make a transition into the quote, to alert the reader of a change of subject. Like this:

(transition/set-up): Despite Tuesday’s passage of the $800 billion economic stimulus package, officials say it may take several weeks before the first impacts will be felt on Main Street.
(leads into quote): “Funding from the bailout package will begin to trickle down within the month,” the senator said, “as quickly as agencies can process proposals.”

5. ABBREVIATIONS: Only on second reference (Utah State University first, USU subsequently; driving under the influence first, DUI later….); also, NEVER 1400 N—the name of the street in Utah cities is 300 East, 1450 West, 400 North, etc. (the East West North is part of the name, and so does not get abbreviated): “The accident at North Main Street and 1400 North sent two people to the hospital….” Because the name of the street is 1400 North (or 300 West), just like “Main” or Center” or “Fox Run” are street names, the North is never abbreviated: “He lives at 213 E. 1400 North…”

6. SHOW, DON’T TELL—Let facts speak for themselves. Don’t try to shove stuff down the reader’s throat.

EX: Juan Delgado, employee of store owner Marcus Gilbert, needs a new kidney desperately. If Delgado doesn’t receive a kidney soon, he will die of kidney failure….

Show, Don’t tell: Don’t tell us he’s desperate—let the facts demonstrate desperation (a kidney and impending death at 16 is pretty desperate…)
(Also note that this student used “kidney” three times in 26 words…)

7. NAME or LABEL IN LEAD?—Unless the subject of the story is well known (e.g., Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., President Barack Obama…), it is better for the reader if you label or characterize the individual in the lead graf in news stories, and use her/his name later.

In the previous example, no one knows who Juan Delgado is, so call him a “16-year-old sandwich shop worker” or something on first reference.

NO: Walter P. Alley, 15, died in a freak traffic accident Wednesday.

Well, Fred will ask, “Who the heck is Walter P. Alley?”

Better to write this: A 15-year-old Logan middle school student was killed Wednesday…. And then use his name in the second graf.

BUT! While this is generally true in straight, hard news stories, you can get away with the name of an unknown in feature stories, using a “suspended interest” approach that teases the reader into the story.

EX: For Franceen Follicle, hairdo’s are all about fun—and go-go boots, strobe lights and disco music.

We don’t know who Franceen Follicle is, but the other details make the reader want to read on to find out.

Thus endeth this lesson. More to follow...

news pitch idea... Help?

Ok guys, so I was thinking of some story ideas and one that came to mind is the fact that study abroad students, like some Armenians that I know, are on a scholarship and are affected by the budget cuts to a point where they can't come back to school next semester or possibly ever.

Do you know any other information about this or students that are also affected? And Peez, what do you think? I still want to do the one about the student that buys a ton of mints at the cafe but I can't find him. lol

Athletics Fee Increase

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Facebook Group Opposes Fee Hike

This just came to me via FB, FYI. Tyler Riggs, BTW, is a JCOM grad, former HJ reporter and editor, and now is on KVNU and KUSU.
TP

Tyler Riggs sent a message to the members of Say NO to an athletics fee increase at USU.
Subject: Please spread the word about the fee increase proposal

Hello everyone, thank you for taking interest in saying NO to an athletics fee increase at USU.

I promise not to flood you with messages in the coming weeks before the student vote, but I will send along some pertinent information as it becomes available about the issue and supporting reasons about why we need to vote no on the increase.

For now, however, please pass along word of this group to your friends on Facebook and also talk about the fee increase with people you know off Facebook. Like any election, the result of this vote is going to come down to who gets the most voters out to the polls. Unfortunately for us, the pro fee increase vote has the luxury of making announcements at sporting events, distributing a newsletter at sporting events and access to student groups throughout campus to promote the effort.

We must be more guerrilla and evangelize as best we can.

In the next few weeks, I will have USU Athletics Director Scott Barnes on KVNU radio to talk about the fee increase, and I will let you all know about the date when it happens. We will ask tough questions and attempt to expose many of the frauds in the talking points that are being used, such as saying athletics may have to "drop out of Division 1" if this fee increase isn't approved.

I also will attempt to set up an on-campus debate regarding the fee increase. Also, we need to get letters in the Statesman and the Herald Journal about the increase, because awareness is by and large low right now.

Thank you again, everyone, for taking interest in stopping this injustice of a fee increase from becoming a reality.
--Tyler Riggs
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1032348970820&mbox_pos=0

Good question, Ashley

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Can I Have Fun with Frisbees?

On Feb 20, 2009, at 10:37 AM, Ashley Moscon wrote:

El Peeze:

Guess what—I had a blast interviewing USU’s ultimate frisbee team. They are an interesting bunch! But I’m having a hard time knowing how to start my story. It’s hard for me not to put my own opinions in it. I wish I could write a column or something instead. This doesn’t have to be inverted pyramid right? So we can have a little more fun with this one? Do Feature pieces still have to be objective?

your pissant,
ashley

The omniPotent Peez rePlies:
That’s a good question, Ashley. You do NOT have to use the standard hard news structure, although you will want to move logically from one point to another in this just as in any other story. And remember the “Romper Room Rule”—Show, Don’t Tell. You can start with a strong statement, but then back out of the picture and use quotes and facts and description to show the reader what you want her to see.

The concept here is to come up with a general theme about the people or topic, and then build it throughout. For example, are these guys NUTZ? and is that a theme you would want to follow (and have info to illustrate)? Then you could start like this:

These guys are nuts.

Every weekday afternoon, rain or shine, hot or freezing, the core 12 members of USU's ultimate frisbee team hit the field—or more recently, the snow drifts—for a little....

<And now a quote that reflects “nuts”.... “The colder it is, the better I like it,” said sophomore friznut Danny Dischead, standing ankle-deep in melting snow, oblivious to the slush heaped up around his sodden Vans. “This is no game for wimps.”

Or do you want to compare them to slushy ballerinas—leaping in a graceful arabesque through the 23-degree air after a frisbee tossed just beyond his fingertips, and then smashing into a snowy heap? Or frozen Neanderthals, thumping through knee-high snow in shorts after the frisbee. Or whatever.

These choices can reflect your opinions, but you don’t actually have to come out and write an editorial. It’s easy to express your perspective through the details you select, the quotes and descriptions, and how you arrange them, without writing a column. That’s a different beast. Try to keep your own presence hidden, and let the story focus on your sources and their activity and quotes without distracting the reader.

That make sense? Do have fun.

El Peez

Bathrooms

Topic: Where can you find the cleanest, most pleasant bathroom on campus.
What about it?a. Where they are clean
b. How busy they are
c. how the lighting, general ambience is
d. how large it is.

Sources:
a. Several volunteers of both genders, names to be released later.

Tolman's ideas

ATK Thiokol adjusting to economical changes:

Topic: businesses have to adjust to fit the changing society.

Does anyone know ppl at Thiokol that I could talk to about the switch from shuttle stuff to weapons for the military forces?? Thanks?

Also, I wanted to put an Anthropology story on the backburner... Anyone know anything about that?

Story Pitch

Topic: Steel Industry
Focus: The economic effects being felt in a local town
What about it?
a. This business last year hit record numbers
b. Many employess, who were once working full time, have been cut to 28 hours a week
c. This steel plant employs many people from Plymouth and surrounding cities, how are the families being affected

Sources:
For a. Eileen Udy, Sales Representative for Nucor Steel Utah
For b. Kirk Pinder, employee for over 25 years
For c. Wes Udy, employee for over 10 years

Ranting mad professors anyone?

Pitch: Student vs. Faculty spring break...
Want to know how faculty will spend their spring break-whilst being unpaid.
Are students taking extravagant vacations? no?

I NEED:
any student taking a fatty trip-or staying to tend their earth worms.
any professor raving about the break? good or bad! thanks...
Tressa.

Health Promotion on campus

Topic: USU Health Fair
Focus: Promotion on USU campus
What about it?
In what ways is health promoted at Utah State besides this health fair and has it been effective?

Does anyone know nutrition majors? Or has anybody ever made food choices, good or bad, that were influenced by a program or event put on by the NFS department?

Idea Pitch

I didn't know about this until after 11 pm tuesday night, so I chose the easy route to have an idea ready for class
Topic: Speech
Focus: Chaco World Newest Research
Anthropology speech on Friday, Dr. John Kantner,
Sources: Dr. John Kantner, introductory/concluding/hosting speaker, audience reactions

Fieldhouse Story

Fieldhouse Drama

Story: The machines (mainly treadmills) are always broken causing students to have to wait for people to get off the working machines. Mantience always comes in to fix them, but they just break again. How does our fitness center compare to other schools in Utah? How much money goes to the fitness center? After budget cuts?

SO WHAT? Students want to know why the machines are always breaking and what can be done to improve the equipment at USU.

Sources: USU Students, Fieldhouse staff, manager of fieldhouse

Suggestions? Sources? Let me know...

CAPSA

Outside Story 1: CAPSA
Topic: CAPSA in Logan, UT. What they do, and how they help.
What about it?a. information about CAPSA
b. stats on domestic violence/rape/etc in Logan- IT CAN AND DOES HAPPEN HERE!
c. try to find a person who is willing to tell their story, how CAPSA helped them OR a volunteer for CAPSA
d. ongoing charity fund by Sigma Chi

Sources:
a. Cathy bullock (on CAPSA board)
b. CAPSA volunteer
c. Jordan Taylor (EX Pres)
d. random person (find out how much the average student knows about CAPSA)

Outside Story #1

Utah State is obssessed with ultimate frisbee... They even have an official team
anyone know someone who absolutely loves/hates to play ultimate frisbee?
anyone have a cool funny story about playing ultimate frisbee?

Story Pitch

My topic is about the Accommodations (or lack there of) for Deaf students at USU, my focus is that there is not much being done. For example, when they showed Iron Man on campus, the people in charge wouldn't set up the closed captioning so the deaf students could watch and understand the movie.
I also will cover what the University has and does do, such as the Deaf dance before Valentines Day... And what USU can do to improve.
I'll try to find out about the challenges and help etc... uplifting or depressing, we'll see..
So far my sources are a couple of deaf students, lab teachers, ASL teachers, and some students who attended the deaf dance. Let me know if you know any deaf students or have other useful sources.
Muchas Gracias!

Story Proposal #1 - Zac Pierce

General Topic: Economy

Focused Topic: Business that are thriving in a downward economy

Angle: Why and How are they thriving? What are they doing right? What can they improve on?

Sources: Owners of recently built businesses; Papa Murphy’s and Arby’s (Providence), Financial Professors, Nutrition Specialists


Does anyone have any other good ideas to go with this?