I watched Goodnight and Good Luck last week for the first time. I have always wanted to watch it, and my Comms 239 class finally gave me the motivation to go and rent it. I find that period in time very interesting. Communism. The Red Scare. Senator McCarthy. It makes me proud to want to be a journalist. Edward Murrow is inspiring and courageous.

This movie and class discussions have stirred my thoughts on objectivity. I am not sure if it is possible to completely separate one's views, opinions, and beliefs. These things have been ingrained in one's person for years. How can you pretend or ignore things you believe to be wrong in the name of objectivity? I suppose the key is being open minded?

The news in Omaha surrounds the defeat of the bailout as well as increased frequency of crime in the area. Omaha is a segregated city with African Americans living in the north part of the city, Hispanics in the south, and middle-class Caucasians in the west. Crime is constantly occurring in north Omaha, occupying the police. If you went to West Omaha, you would rarely find a police car, if ever. On a journalistic note, I've noticed that the www.Omaha.com website is fairly organized compared to other Omaha news outlet websites, such as www.ketv.com.

omaha world herald

For my 239 class I have chosen to follow the Omaha World Herald newspaper's website. My thought on my hometown newspaper firstly is that it is a poor example of journalism. I can recall numerous times looking and criticizing the Omaha World Herald while in journalism classes in high school. The countless spelling and grammar errors. Sad attempts to make the most boring of topics into stories. The random and bizarre photos matched with front page headlines. While I doubt that this assignment of monitoring this newspaper will better my opinion, I am sure it will teach me what not to do.

What is journalism? And who is a journalist?

I will be writing this blog for my principles of journalism 239 class. I'm mainly supposed to discuss current issues and developments in the media, along with analyzing a hometown newspaper.

So what is journalism? I believe people tend to put journalists and journalism into a small category or a box. Limited to that box is newspapers, writing, and current events. In reality, there are many more aspects to journalism.

Journalism can simply be recording the events of one's day in a diary. It can be reporting, editing, gathering, interviewing. And while there is a sufficient amount of writing, journalism has creative parts. Photography. Layout design. One can participate in journalism in high school, collegiate, and the professional levels. Mediums vary from the typical newspaper or radio station to which journalism was once confined to. Technology is changing the face of journalism. While there is broadcast, there are newsletters, blogs, and countless web pages. Journalism is becoming personal on a new level.

Because journalism is becoming more individualized and open to everyone, it is possible for anyone to be a journalist. The Internet makes this possible. One can publish and post their own thoughts on any subject. News websites now make it possible for users to submit feedback to online articles instantly. I think there is danger though, in making journalism open for anyone and everyone. Facts and opinions become interchangeable. The truth is more difficult to find among the loads of garbage.