Overall, I think the purpose of the slideshow is informative, which is integral to the both the traditional and modern news missions that look to empower the readership through information. What worked well with the slideshow was the focus. Because the topic, "Mindful Eating" is specific, the reporter was able to narrow her shots to reflect the subject of the news story. My favorite shots showed people in the act of "mindful eating", especially because the reporter captured the diversity of emotions amongst the diners. In terms of improvement, some of the shots are repetitive. Although the shots were of different people, incorporating some of the tricks we learned like the "Rules of Thirds" would add a creative and more ... More »

The journalistic ethica issues that arise in this article about Apple are mainly accuracy and fact checking. Towards the beginning of the story, Mark Duell, the journalist that published this article wrote that Apple's suppliers "allegedly" wrongly disposed of hazardous waste and produces improper records. As a reader, the credibility of the journalist is questions when there is not a direct source or a quote to support the claim, especially a claim that puts into question the work standards of Apple, one of the largest companies in the world. In my interview with Bruno Lopez, a Mexican journalist, he talked about the how advancements in technology especially in social media and audio/video have made it "easy to be ethical". ... More »

I do think this story is of news value because as citizens of the United States it is important to understand differences in political ideologies as they are often predictors of other facets of life like religious affiliation and community involvement. The National Public Radio does a good job in one succinct paragraph, explaining the the Pew Research Center survey. However, the break down of the line graphs and bar graphs is confusing. As a reader, and as the pyramid writing style dictates, its is crucial to put the most newsworthy information at the top so that readers can quickly decipher the core of the story. This article however, uses charts as evidence to claims, but for readers looking to find the "meat" of the story, ... More »

This article in the Tech sector of the Huffington Post is of high news value because it is relevant to current events. In the last presidential race we saw the way in which Obama used social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter to spread awareness of his platform. As we move into the 2012 presidential elections and the use of social media continues to grow rapidly, it will be interesting to see the way candidates strategize and campaign online. The Huffington Post discusses the relationship between Twitter and outcomes in the presidential way clearly and concisely. In particular, the integration of the HP Labs report and the startling accuracy statistic puts the story into perspective and allows the reader to understand the ... More »

Of the eight characteristics that Ryan Thornburg identifies in his book, "Producing Online News Digital Skills, Stronger Stories," the most relevant ones to this article are magnitude, conflict and novelty. Google, commonly referred to as a "web giant" is a site visited by millions of people across the globe on a daily basis, therefore the demographic affected by the integration of Google+ with the search engine function is large. Novelty and conflict are interrelated in this story. Social media networking is still its primitive stages of development, it is an "unusual subject" as Thornburg describes it in his book. The novelty of the subject matter, inevitably creates areas of dispute and as social media continues to unfold, ... More »

The article by Gardiner Harris is written primarily in the medical perspective. The only social component of the article is that it informs the general public, diabetics in particular, about the unethical concealment by manufacturing companies of the adverse effects of medications. Aside from that, the main points in the article are about the medical effects of Avandia as well as decisions medical officials are making in terms of whether to keep the potentially deadly substance on the market. The ongoing research and the consequential findings of rosiglitazone in the human body are also en example of how the article is written in a medical perspective. The contradicting results of the research however carry important social ... More »

Lesley Alderman's article is informative to parents who are unaware of their legal rights within the education system. Children with learning disabilities do create an extra expense for schools but diagnosing learning disabilities is crucial for these students in order for them to be able to learn effectively. The article is written primarily in a social perspective incorporating politics and educational services. The author defines learning disabilities and includes statistical analysis about the number of Americans affected which is a more medical approach to the issue. Aside from the estimates and symptoms of learning disabilities, the main focus of the article is not on medical treatment or research, but rather the ... More »

The increasing number of children diagnosed with autism makes this article by Rob Stein one of importance and hope. Clearly, the research findings of the effects of oxytocin in autistic individuals are primitive because the factual information in the article is scarce and somewhat repetitive. I would have rated the article higher if it would have provided a brief definition of oxytocin. The author makes the assumption that we, the readers are well informed of the effects of oxytocin in the human body. Furthermore, the article does not incorporate diverse perspectives of this new medical research. The experts, doctors, and institutes cited seem optimistic and excited about the research but no where are the adverse effects of ... More »

The article by Mark Bittman in the New York Times suggests that a tax on soda beverages would significantly lessen the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks children intake. Although the author does include the perspectives of advocates and opponents of the soda tax, he also does not explicitly state there is no clear-cut connection between drinking soda and obesity. The ambiguity of this connection employs the stereotype that overweight children inevitably drink soda. This incorrect assumption overlooks other fatty foods children are consuming which are not undergoing revision for taxation. The article makes me consider the financial benefits associated with taxing foods that are in facdt harmful to a child's diet. Aside from ... More »

The article by Lesley Alderman in the New York Times successfully avoid stereotypes about family incomes in America. Alderman recognizes the cost associated with obesity especially in its treatment. She mentions that insurance coverage for obesity is scarce but in order not to discourage working class families who perhaps have children struggling with excess weight, she offers alternative solutions like community programs in local hospitals which provide nutritional counseling for families seeking advise about obesity. The author however does make the assumption that the families reading the article have the technological resources like computers and internet access to find dietitians in their surroundings. The author does a ... More »

The publication of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is scheduled to be next year in 2013. This manual which is used for diagnosing purposes and by insurance companies to determine which individuals will receive health coverage. Emerging addictions, mental disorders, and abnormal behaviors challenges and complicates the restructuring of the manual. The article discusses how numerous committees and professionals are currently regrouping, combining, and removing illnesses from the DSM-5 which inevitably elicit stereotypes. For example, Asperger's disorder is going to be listed under Autism Spectrum Disorder which assumes that symptoms of these two different disorders are identical or similar enough ... More »

In determining whether this article employs or avoids stereotypes, it is important to broaden the definition of stereotypes to mean assumptions or generalizations. Although there are no obvious racial or ethnic stereotypes related to the topic discussed in the article, gender stereotypes seem to be most emphasized. The overall results of the studies conducted demonstrate an increased risk of having an autistic newborn if you are a woman above the age of 40. The way in which the article is framed, makes it easier for the reader to categorize older women as "defective" or "unfit" in comparison to younger women. Although the findings of the studies conducted show a correlation between age and the risk of bearing a child with ... More »

Michelle Obama as America's first lady and a mother of two is the individual who bears the burden of responsibility for good health in this article. First and foremost, she can use her political image and status to spread awareness about the obesity pandemic but also launch campaigns (as she is doing so now), which can have immediate effects on American families susceptible to obesity including her own. As a mother, Michelle Obama recognizes the higher risk African- American children run to develop serious health conditions and makes subtle but effective changes in her children's diet to prevent overweight and promote healthier food choices. The author of the news article uses excerpts of the first lady's narrative to ... More »

The health issue discussed in this article is obesity and the long term physical complications it generates. The individuals making use of accelerometer technology as well as SMS text messaging are the ones who bear the burden of responsibility for good health. Society, however can also be a direct beneficiary of this highly personalized weight -loss program especially if it has good results. Short excerpts of interviews, specific examples, and strong word choice convince the reader of the value of this technologically advanced weight-loss program. Alicia Chang, the author writes, "Obesity is epidemic in the United States with two-thirds of adults either overweight or obese." Incorporating statistical data and labeling obesity ... More »

Michael Hill's article seems to target American dieters, specifically those who strictly regulate their caloric intake. He pinpoints a wide range of chain food restaurants and frozen food meals to reiterate his point that the numbers listed in the nutritional information label are approximated and inaccurate, to a certain degree. Hill briefly and generally incorporates the opinions of researchers and experts who do not believe chain food restaurants intentionally tamper with nutritional information of their meals and products. He does however attribute the inaccuracies to external factors which are difficult to control. The author's basic argument is that if your lunch is prepared by someone at a restaurant or deli, the amount ... More »