Reporting 101

The Mass Comm Week Blog

October 2008 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA

Reporting 101

By Heather Gioia
Student Writer

RICHMOND, Va.- Current president of Carolina Parenting Inc. Mark Ethridge III spoke with students and staff Wednesday evening about ongoing changes in mass media. Ethridge was the guest speaker at the Turpin Lecture as part of the Mass Comm Week at VCU.

What does it take to be a good reporter?

Good reporting, according to Ethridge, is lacking because there are many reporters who are rushing to beat their competiton. Using Dan Ratherther as an example, he explained how news goes on to the air or to print without a complete fact check.

“People have this sort of insatiable desire to know how they fit with the rest of the world,” said Ethridge.

Reporters must remember that it is the readers who bring the value to the paper so their goal must be to connect with them, Ethridge said.

Go after the story.

Along with his journalistic career, Ethridge has taken on the world of novels, authoring “Grievances.”
“Grievances” begins with a young man who digs deeper into the murder of a 13-year-old boy years after the instance. Then fallows into the story of two reporters and their boss, and their drive to find the unknown.

“The key to writing, everybody wants something,” said Ethridge. “A great newspaper story is a story that gets readers talking to nonreaders.”

Today, the newspaper industry is attempting to look like TV, attempting to “excel where it cannot.” Reporters should not cut or dumb down news, however embrace detail, authority, and credentials. Detail being extremely important, Ethridge stresses that reporters should not “ever send anything in that isn’t perfect.”

“Great writing isn’t pilling on a lot of flowery language,” said Ethridge. “When no word is wasted writing is powerful.”

The hard part about being a reporter is not learning how to write news, but learning the industry and getting involved, according to Ethridge. As students, aspiring reporters and journalist should do as much hands on work as possible, partake in as many internships as possible.

Earning a degree from a “good” institution and networking are also key in success. Ethridge described VCU’s Mass Communications program as being “increasingly respected” and the degree as coming from a “very good institution.” Networking is also key to success, Ethridge recommended that students visit the VCU Mass Communications Alumni site to start networking with VCU graduates.

Although times are changing, Ethridge stressed how reporters will always be needed.

“There is always a need for reporters,” said Ethridge. “The Delivery system changes from trees and trucks to the internet, but the content need is the same.”

Who is Mark Ethridge III?

“A very successful media manager who has gotten into a second or third career,” described director of the School of Mass Communications, Judy Turk.

Former editor of The Charlotte Observer and current president of Carolina Parenting Inc., Ethridge has had a renowned journalistic career. Yet, he did not start off in the field of journalism, or any media for that matter.

Ethridge graduated from Princeton University with a degree in history. From there he went on to be a staff member at The Charlotte Observer. While there, he directed the paper’s Pulitzer winning investigation of the textile industry and PTL scandal.

Author of the novel “Grievances,” Ethridge claimed it is his way to “vent.” “Grievances” is described as sharing the journey of “real life breakneck world of newspaper reporting. From by-lines to deadlines, reluctant publishers to mystery sources,” as stated in the write up.

“Grievances” has received great reviews and was even referred to as “a must for your beach bag,” which Ethridge described as being a “delight.”

As a 3rd generation journalist, Ethridge finds ties to the Richmond area through his grandfather, Mark F. Ethridge.

Mark F. Ethridge was a publisher at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in the mid- 1930’s. At his departure in 1936 from the paper he was described by the board of directors of the Times-Dispatch as having helped “circulation having reached its highest mark and his efforts, have contributed substantially towards increasing its effectiveness as an instrument of public service for the city and t the state.”

What is the Turpin Lecture?

The Turpin Lecture was added by two VCU Alumni who wanted to honor professor Bill Turpin. Turpin taught the media management class at VCU.

Ethridge described Turpin as, “A man who is well described as a mentor and a journalist.”

The purpose of the lecture is to bring someone to VCU that is or was successful in media management.

Are you COOL enough?

The Vine

May 2008 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA

Are you COOL enough?

By Heather Gioia
Staff Writer

They were stationed in the Student Commons earlier in the semester. They stormed the dorms in March. They have been providing endless opportunities for students and faculty to proclaim their “coolness” though their “I’m Cool” stickers.

The members of the Conserve Our Oceans Legacy (COOL) have focused efforts to educate students at Virginia Commonwealth University about the harm of over fishing and help stop it.

“COOL’s main goal is get postcard petitions/e-petitions signed,” said Rachel Kistler, an enthused volunteer, as COOL members call themselves. “These petitions are being sent to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) this summer because they’re putting out laws that lessen the consequences for commercial fisheries that overharvest their fish or that use un-safe fishing practices.”

University of Georgia 2007 graduate Jenna Garland is the department head who takes charge of the group. Garland is the Virginia Field Organizer for COOL, coordinating the national campaign on the local level here in Richmond. Along with her volunteers, Garland has been informing people of the situation, collecting comments and using those comments to pressure the NMFS to make environmentally friendly choices during their summer rule-making hearings.

COOL is a National campaign that is trying to not only stop over fishing, enthused volunteer Pat Kardian said, but also pressure the NMFS to once again re-consider lessening the consequences for commercial fisheries that overharvest fish or use un-safe fishing practices.

In 2006, NMFS attempted to pass laws, similar to those placed on the table in 2008, lessening the consequences. Yet when they received a mound of 150,000 public comments that did not approve of their take and answer to the issue, they quickly backed down withdrawing the laws.
This year, the goal of the VCU chapter of COOL is to generate at least 1,000 comments through either their post card petitions or the e-petition available online. COOL across the Nation is planning to send at least 300,000 public comments to the NMFS summer rule-making hearing later this summer.

“Regardless of whether you purchase or consume seafood, everyone has a stake in the health of oceans and fish populations,” Garland said.

COOL claims that overfishing is a bigger issue then it may seem and scales down to affecting society as a whole.

“Aquaculture promotes disease; preserving wild fish reduces the need for fish farms,” Kardian said. “If we don’t conserve the fish population, the birds, seals, and dolphins that feed on them will start going extinct.”

COOL organizes different activities, including presenting the organization’s version of “An Inconvenient Truth” about oceans. COOL representatives also do presentations at events, such as Sustainable Seafood Workshop and travel to participate in debates. The groups favorite activity is called “the dorm storm.”

Earlier this year Garland, Kardian, and Kistler went door-to-door in Rhoads Hall asking residents and guest to sign their post card petitions to stop over fishing.

“I was overwhelmed by how enthusiastic, how kind, and how willing to help students were,” Garland said. “Tons of students signed our postcards, we met great folks, and hopefully introduced people to an issue they weren’t familiar with before.”

Members of COOL describe the overall experience of being a part of the action as “super fun.”

Ways to get involved or more information about COOL:

– Contact Jenna Garland at jenna@greencorps.org
– Visit the official COOL website:
http://www.oceanlegacy.org/
– Join the Facebook group, Conserve Our Oceans Legacy Campaign:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9867041868
– Sign the e-petition and send it to friends and family:
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/dusky_sharks_JG

McAmerica?

The Vine

March 2008 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA

McAmerica?

By Heather Gioia
Staff Writer

What is the American identity? Is it hot dogs and hamburgers on the Fourth of July, the Super Bowl football game, the World Series game with a bag of peanuts and singing “Take Me out to the Ball Game,” or sitting in the hot sun enjoying a NASCAR race?

The American culture is made up of a mixture of other cultures, a mixing bowl of traditions, holidays, sports, and foods from elsewhere in the world. Yet, if you drive down the road after a mile or so you are nearly guaranteed to see the legendary “Golden Arches,” and come face-to-face with one of the homemade portions of the American identity − McDonalds.

The McDonald brothers founded the first restaurant in California in the 1940s. In 1961, Ray Kroc got was drawn to the scene by the brothers’ success. Kroc then bought the operation and turned McDonalds into what it is today. By 1963 the 500th McDonalds was opened in Ohio, the 500th student graduated from Hamburger University, and the one-billionth hamburger was survived on live TV.

Today, McDonalds’ trademark Golden Arches appear outside more than 13,300 McDonalds across the nation and are an ubiquitous symbol of American Identity. McDonalds is identified with “home” when Americans travel, and poses as a restaurant they feel “safe” eating at. McDonalds has become a daily part of the American life.

McDonalds accommodates just about everyone’s schedule, and we Americans keep them busy at all hours of the day. McDonalds has helped to make us one of the largest nations and has held a place on the tip of every Americans tongue. They have started foundations to help children, namely Ronald McDonald House charities, and employed parts of the American work force.

McDonalds is a company that began here in America, was started by two American entrepreneurs, bought by another entrepreneur, and has thrived since creation. While Americans may not want to be identified by the Golden Arcs, globally the Golden Arcs of McDonalds scream “America.” Here in America, McDonalds is the one place that no matter where you go to, you can find it.

For some it is a daily stop; a common lunch, dinner, and even breakfast. Fast food, many Americans and foreigners will say, is an immense portion of the American culture and identity. Overall, McDonalds is one of the most “American” parts of it.

The Golden Arches have withstood the test of time, and are still appearing outside and inside our new favorite shopping malls. McDonalds is one of the things that make our people who we are. It is one of the reasons Americans today face so many health problems; it is the reason that different children’s programs are in existence. It is inevitably the American symbol.