Analysis of a News Source 3.2

10pm News, 11/27/12, Kare11, Julie Nelson and Randy Shaver
Story 1: Suburban Poverty, Jay Olstad
Story 2: Joint Funeral for Teens Killed, Randy Shaver
Story 3: Pay Cuts for Wild Stuff, Julie Nelson

Newsworthiness
Suburban Poverty

Timing: It has been a long-time issue but skyrocketed in the last 3 years
Significance: Very significant not only to the people but also economy
Proximity:Twin Cities, pretty close
Prominence: No one specific, the certain class of people mentioned
Human interest: People will be sympathetic to this problem because almost everyone had problems with money at some point in their life.
Oddity/uniqueness: For the world is not unique, but for Minessota where the majority is beyond successful, a little bit odd.

Weekly response, week 3 (book)

A lot of things amaze me in this book. First is the way Bob Dotson understand the use of surprising. I used to think that it's much more complicated but the truth is: a catchy phrase, an unusual description people don't expect can make the story.
The recommendation to write in three was also a complete surprise to me. I've always done it unconsiously but never knew that it's an actual rule. This is one of my favorite tricks in writing.
I've always struggled with whether I should write more or less in conversational style. Mr. Dotron strongly recommends it due to the necessarity to establish some kind of contact with each reader and conversational style makes it easier.

Analysis of a News Source 3.1

10pm News, 11/25/12, Kare11, Rena Sarigianoulos and Blake McCoy
Story 1: Two teenagers shot after supposedly breaking into the house - Lindsey Seavert
Story 2: Hit-and-Run arrest - anchor
Story 3: Congress return this week, Fiscal Cliff - anchor

Newsworthiness
Hit-and-Run arrest
Timing: Yesterday, very current, more information expected.
Significance: One woman who commited the crime.
Proximity: Minneapolis, close to where we are.
Prominence: Just a random woman, nobody famous.
Human interest: There are a lot of drivers and they will follow this accident closely because people want to be safe on the roads.
Oddity/uniqueness: Not uniaue, happens not a lot, but sometimes.

Analysis of a News Source 2.1

6pm News, 11/19/12, Kare11, Julie Nelson and Randy Shaver

Story 1: Airport noise vote - Scott Seroka

Story 2: College student attacked: sexual assault - Randy Shaver

Story 3: Nicholas "The Voice" David makes it to the Top Ten - Jana Shortal

Newsworthiness

College student attacked

Timing: Couple of days ago, fresh news.

Significance: There was only one woman.

Proximity: Near St. Catherine's University, pretty close.

Prominence: Just a random woman, nobody famous.

Human interest: People will care about this problem even though it's no one famous: it will be important for parents and close people of young women who can potentially be attacked.

Oddity/uniqueness: Sadly, accidents like this are not unique or even rare. 

Bob Dotson, Make it Memorable

1. What do you notice about the way he writes? Use specific examples, please. (75 words)

I think that the way he writes is really educating and neat. He doesn’t use complicated words and tries to explain things in a simple way that will be understandable for everyone. I like how he divides each chapter into little paragraphs with titles, for example, in section one there are straightforward titles like “Write the Middle of Your Story First”, “How to Quickly Write a Good Opening Line”, “Don’t Throw Away Thoughts”.

2.  What did you learn from reading pages 9 to 27? (75 words)

Pages one to twenty seven are partly explaining how to use three basic techniques in journalism: the rule of threes, filling the silence and non-question/question. Mr. Dotson tries to make his readers understand how he likes to work himself and what professional tricks are in his arsenal.  I have also wanted to find out how you can write your story if you can’t decided what is the first line is going to be yet and he explained that it is okay to write the middle of the story first because it is the easiest part. That is what I found the most useful thing. 

3.  With the scripts: What do suppose is described in each column? Why would it be split like that? What else is interesting about the scripts? (50 words)

The script describes how the making of story for news going with lots of details (camera work, photos’ use, people’ action). I think Mr. Dotson split it like that to make us see how many things we would have to notice and use if we ever decide to make news. 

Analysis of a News Source 1.2

6 pm, 11/13/2012, Kare 11, Julie Nelson and Randy Shaver

Story 1: New Vikings stadium and personal seat licensing - Scott Seroka
Story 2: Local company having troubles - Karla Hult
Story 3: Guilty verdict - crime - no anchor mentioned

Newsworthiness

Timing: It is football season and the Vikings have been trying to get a new stadium for a long time.

Significance: The Vikings have a large fan base, it affects them in the first place. Very significant.

Proximity: Local. The Vikings are also Minnesota's football team.

Prominence: Yes, it's prominent. The team is from Minnesota, so Minnesotans will pay close attention to those news.

Human Interest: Many people are interested in football, specifically in this team.

Oddity/uniqueness: Not much oddity about that.

In what ways does Alton Brown's introduction (to his own book on baking) relate to writing or to journalism or to broadcasting?

The style Mr. Brown writes in is very interesting – I wouldn’t say that he wanted to write an ordinary cook book with recipes, and ingredients, and instructions people don’t like to follow. It contains a little bit of everything: stories from his past that reveal parts of his personality in general, communication with the reader which is very important if you want people to come back to your book again and again, a little bit of humor as well.  He doesn’t force anything and encourage his readers to not simply follow directions but to invent something new: he does everything that not a good cook – a good writer would do and that’s compelling.

I also noticed the little notes he left on the sides. 

I also think it’s a good trick to keep the readers entertained because sometimes we want to turn our attention to something else besides the huge blob of text. Except, of course, if the text is interesting and for that occasion Mr. Brown didn’t make those notes too obtrusive.

I can’t say that I would read the whole book but I would consider looking at something like his weekly section in newspaper if he had one.

Analysis of a News Source, Week 1.1

5pm, 11/11/2012, KARE11, Rena Sarigianopoulos and Blake McCoy

1.      A storm destroys woman’s human, weather

A Minnesotan women was sitting in her living room, thinking about going to bed, when the storm struck and a huge tree landed right on her house, mostly bedroom. Her house is partly destroyed but she is okay. “If I had gone to bed a little earlier, I wouldn’t be here today” – she says.

2.      16 people displaced because of house fire, accident

A fire probably started because of the fireplace. Nobody’s hurt but they’re going to sleep somewhere else today.

3.      1) Timing – happened overnight

              2) Significance – it didn’t affect a lot of people, just one woman.

              3) Proximity – an accident happened in Minneapolis, close to us, so it’s pretty newsworthy.

              4) Prominence - the lady wasn't very famous, but she’s an old lady

              5) Human interest - as I already said, that woman is old, probably living alone, so people will be interested in it.

              6) Oddity - I wouldn't say the story is very unique but still, that doesn't happen every day.