Lucy Dalglish

Lucy Dalglish is the Executive Director of the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press. The University at Albany had the honor of having Dalglish speak at the Sciene Library last night. After listening to her speak, it is safe to say she is an amazing person who had accomplished great things in life. Even with the fact that she suffered from cancer, she still managed to get back on her geet and continue being the great reporter she is.


During her speech she spoke a lot about Toni Locy. Toni Locy wrote an article about Steven Hatfill being a suspect for the spread of Anthrax. Unfortunately, she threw away her notes and was later sued by Hatfill. She now has to pay $5,000 a day and is not allowed to be reimbursed. Toni Locy’s case lays out an excellent example of reporters’ issues. Reporters try as best they can to be truthful and inform the public of current events. Today, mentioning a name can lead to bigger problems than imagined. Dalglish mentioned in her speech that it is better to have confidential sources than to not have sources at all. She said that reporters should “do the best you can at the time.” Locy’s case was unfortunate but it is common with reporters around the world. Dalglish is trying to get a shield law to be passed so that reporters won’t be limited to information.


When questions were being asked, one student argued that Locy should have not published a story with Hatfill’s name because it is unnesecarry and unethical. Dalglish answered, “We don’t do ethics, we’re lawyers.”

Tom Toles

Tom Toles is a very famous cartoonist who works for the Washington Post. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1990 for being the best editorial cartoonist. He draws cartoons that tell the truth about public figures. Additionally, he told the Poynter Institute that he is a liberal but he does like to look at situations from different angles as opposed to one direct view. He draws very quickly and starts off with a draft in pencil, then moves it to nice paper and sketches his final works. His cartoons show up in about 200 newspapers. He took the place of another very famous cartoonist, Herblock. He is very successful and loves what he does. One of the many cartoons of his which I liked is this one. It shows the real issues going on with the war.

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=7196

( I couldn't put another picture on the first blog so I had to write two)

Cartoonists

Sean Delonas is a cartoonist for the New York Post. He is an award winning painter who is very successful. He has worked for magazines, newspapers and even broadway. He painted the Altar Painting for Church of St. Agnes and he just finished his first childrens book with his son and is working on the second. Sean Delona usually draws funny cartoons for the Post. His cartoons represent current issues. After looking through many of his cartoons I thought the funniest was this one about Britney Spears. I like that he makes a joke out of both situations. One being the fact Michael Jackson is "into" little boys and two, that Britney Spears would leave her kids with him regardless.

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=7196

Swift Boating

In 2004 John Kerry ran against George Bush for President of the United States. John Kerry however, had resentment against him from Swift Boat veterans. The Washington Post wrote an article regarding this situation published in august of 2004. Apparently, Kerry was considered a Hero for saving Jim Rassmanns life in Vietnam in 1969. He was named a hero and from then on was considered one until recently. Three of the swift boat skippers who were present on the same day Kerry was called a hero, said that Kerry was not even shot at and he left when it became the most dangerous. Swift Boat veterans were angry with Kerry because they were sprung with accusations while Kerry was seen as a hero and went onto a political career. The exact story of what occurred that day is a blur. Some say Kerry left after the situation got out of hand and others said he helped as much as he could. The Post mentions that when Kerry reunited with Rassmann, he won over the Iowa democratic vote. There are still people who do not agree with his doings and believe he shouldn’t have been commissioner.

Journalism

Both Bruce Squires and Jo-Ann Armao are two completly different types of journalists. Jo-Ann Armao spoke to our journalism class about writing editorials which I did not even know was a type of journalism. Before Armao spoke on Monday afternoon to the class, I thought editorials were people writing their opinions to the newspaper as opposed to actual journalists. She helped my fellow classmates and I learn a lot regarding editorials. Bruce Squires taught the class much of what there is to know about being a photojournalist.

Jo-Ann Armao, an editorial writer for the Washington Post, passed around a couple of editorials she wrote and expalined that although at times she may not agree with the position the newspaper she works for takes, she loves her job. Before becoming an editorial writer, Armao was a reporter and she said that by writing editorials she can get her voice heard. She loves being an editorial writer because when she interviews people, they open up to her more than to reporters due to the fact that everything is off the record. In editorials, no names, titles or background information is required. Armao loves her job and said she can never imagine going back to straight news reporting.

Bruce Squires, although not an editorial writer, he is a great photojournalist. He spoke to the class about his passion for taking pictures. Not only does he do it for his job but he finds himself taking pictures all the time. Squires said that he loves photography because "good pictures happen everywhere." Even though he does not have a favorite picture, he loves taking pictures which he is proud of. An example he gave the class was a picture he took of an elderly man walking in Johnstown and he took his name and did not think much of it. Six months later, he got a call from a woman saying "that picture was my father and he died." All types of journalism can have enormous affects on people's lives. Even if it is a small picture, it can change a person's life.

photojournalism

Students playing football in the fountain in anticipation for this weekend's fountain day.

Editorial

Every student struggles to maintain good grades throughout their collegecareer. I, like many other students, try to do the best I can and succeedin all that I do. School is my number one priority and if I do not dowell, I will not be happy with myself.

I deserve at least an A- in this class because I am always on time, I amalways in class and I am persistent with my work and effort. I have doneevery homework assignment and handed them all in on time and if I have aproblem with the deadline, I emailed the professor asking for anextension and letting her know I will be handing it in a little laterthan expected. Although I do not do as well as I expect on the gradedassignments, I have rewritten one and am working on rewriting the others.By rewriting the assignments, regardless to whether or not the gradeincreases, it shows I care about my grade and the class and am willing towork hard to do well. If I receive lower than an A- in this class, I willbe very disappointed both in myself and the professor. There is no reasonfor my grade to be lower than that.

In class, I always ask questions and pay attention and am participative.Additionally, I have stayed after class to talk to the professor eventhough I had no questions. I truly believe that for the effort and hardwork I put into this class, I deserve no less than an A-.