Cronkite Journalism Gone and Forgotten

Straight from the example on our directions, Walter Cronkite was once "the most trusted man in America." To say that about another journalist today would be blasphemy. Back in the Cronkite days, the facts were reported and that was it, however today that isn't the case. In the journalistic world of today, you need to have an edge over your opponent. Needing an edge over your competitor may be due in fact to the ever growing world of journalism. If people want to get noticed, they need to be different.

Being different is good and all, but not when it comes to the news and the facts. I don't understand the need to twist and lie about stories just to convey the news. To me, the facts are the facts are the facts and they need absolutely no changing.

I'm not too big into politics so I couldn't tell you who believes in what on Fox News or CNN, but I do know that most of the time the things they do and say are often products of either their imagination or the network owner's imagination. For example, news outlets owned by Rupert Murdoch are only going to portray Murdoch's ideas. To me, that is wrong to the umpteenth degree.

News reporting should be fair and balanced however that isn't the case anymore. CNN, Fox, etc are all sectors in a very biased and unfair world of journalism. http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1067

FAKEality T.V.

In today's world, I really don't think their is such a thing as "reality t.v." anymore. Any show that is supposed to be reality on MTV or VH1 is totally scripted in my opinion. Whether it be fake fights, broken relationships, or just the people in general, it is all fake. Lauren Conrad of The Hills, openly admitted to the show being scripted on more than enough occasions.http://www.realitytea.com/2009/06/19/lauren-conrad-admits-the-hills-is-scripted/Before searching around online, I came across the word "metascripting", which is when the shows producers have an outlined objective for each show and each cast member has to act accordingly within that outline to produce the show wanted. Like I said before, reality shows are fake.

I do belive that at the very beginning of the "reality show" boom, the episodes and people were truly real. As time passed, producers probably realized that in order to keep the show going, they needed to make things a little juicier. The only way to beef up the show was to script it just like they would script a movie. If they weren't able to keep the audience entertained and interested in the show, it would fail and that would be the end of it. MTV and Vh1 producers aren't dumb though and they know a little (or alot) of scripting can go a very long way.

Reality shows also impact the people that watch them in so many ways. From walking, talking, and acting like a reality star to crying over a breakup scene, people are affected by these shows. In my opinion, that isn't a good thing, at all. When people try to act like someone they're not, it makes them look dumb. I just don't understand some of the people that try to act like Snookie or The Situation from the Jersey Shore. Do they not know that they look totally stupid?

Maybe one day people will come to their senses and undestand that the "reality" you see on MTV and Vh1 isn't reality afterall. But I guess for now, just let them keep fist pumpin'.

Here today, not gone tomorrow

In my opinion, the Dundalk Eagle reigns supreme as far as the importance of a newspaper to one person or thousands of people.The eagle presents stories to and for the citizens of "DunDOCK". Eagle readers and subscribers alike look forward to the issues each week including local news, local school news, and anything else to do with the area. People who read the Dundalk Eagle are those of whom who live in the distributing area. I believe that people often come to this paper rather than the Sun or anything else to find the real news they want. The news that affects their everyday lives in the county that they live in. Compared to alot of newspapers, the Eagle costs a measly twenty-five cents. I also believe that this paper unlike many papers will withstand the test of time.While major newspaper are getting smaller and smaller, (namely The Baltimore Sun), the Eagle, dating back to 1969 is only getting bigger and bigger serving more and more people in the Greater Dundalk Community. The Dundalk Eagle serves a population that is, on average, 39.7 years old. I would think that these people actually like picking up a real newspaper opposed to viewing one digitally on a computer. The "real feel" of a newspaper for these people is aesthetically pleasing and probably supports the effort of buying one. I'd like to think the Eagle is going to be around for a long time with nothing getting in its way.

http://dundalkeagle.com/

http://www.televisionbroadcast.com/article/95488 ( I know this deals with t.v. but it goes hand in hand with local news vs. big time or national news)