The age of “tweets” sarcastic web-videos

I was searching the Poynter website looking for an interesting article (http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31&aid=160502) when I found one about a cartoon video parody on Twitter (twitter.com).  Now being a generically technologic youth , I am vaguely aware of Twitter.  I have an account but have only “Tweeted” once because I find the whole concept ilogical.  But this video (http://current.com/items/89891774/supernews_twouble_with_twitters.htm) definitely appealed to my general mockery of the website.  While the video is pretty funny, it definitely brings up the point that these social networks have taken a whole new role in our lives. 

People are no longer concerned about everyone knowing there business they want everyone to know.  And we as journalists are struggling to keep up, and failing.  Everyone wants to tell their story, but no one wants to read it.  (also sorry about the long links, the site wouldn’t let me embed them for some reason)

Writing more efficiently

The seemingly limitless space available in online writing can have the kid-in-a-candy-store-effect on some writers. They see pages of white space, and they immediately want to fill all of that space with words, as many fancy, pretty unnecessary, over descriptive,  but hard to let go of words. (See my point?)

It is not flowery writing that grabs a reader’s attention. It is direct, informative and, occasionally, witty writing that is ultimately successful. Writers, myself include, have trouble “killing your babies” as my high school English teacher was known to say. As artists, we love what we create and can, and do, have trouble getting rid of parts that may not be necessary.

The Poynter Institute offers some tips for keeping writing clear, concise and interesting.

“You reporters need to do your research”

So, newly-appointed Sen. Roland Burris may have lied, or omitted as he put it, information regarding the sale of the senate seat. The Associated Press reports that Burris was specifically asked if he had ever spoken to Robert Blagojevich or other aides. Burris says he did not.

However, in a report by CNN Burris claims all conversations with Blago’s inner circle were an after-fact kind of deal and did not have anything to do with the purchase of the senate seat.

During a press conference in Chicago today Burris charged at reporters saying they hadn’t done their research and the reporters were ’spinning’ the information to make him look as corrupt as Blago.

Even as a novice journalist I’m aware of the repercussions of misreporting facts. Especially when it comes to our sensitive (read: corrupt) state government. I understand that facts and figures can become confusing when politicians DON’T DO THEIR JOBS AND LET MONEY AND GREED GET IN THE WAY, but that does not and should not have an effect(affect?) on the quality of reporting and research done during proceedings like this one. Fact checking is a journalists best friend in situations like this and basically saying, in all cases.

Mr. Burris please don’t blame your shortcomings on “you media people.”

How to develop a breaking news blog

The Philadelphia Inquirer wanted to offer details on breaking news events online, items that were newsworthy but that were not developed sufficiently for a longer news story. As a result, editors develop a blog for Philly.com that is already the second most read section on the Web site, attracting 12 percent of its readers. Not bad for something that has been online for two months.

How to write a breaking news blog

Read how the Philadelphia covers breaking news on its blog . The Source, launched in November, has quickly become one of Philly.com’s top reads.

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