Week 2 responses

Troy Maychuk

Sports Journalism & Society

9/4/13

Dear Pat, please forgive the late submission as my Mac was not able to open the two files posted to blackboard so I tried in the tech center when I got to campus and i was able to open them. My friend said he can help me change the settings on my new mac to integrate better with blackboard. Thanks again for understanding, see you this afternoon.                                  

                                Response to Week 1/2 readings

        I found the article about newspapers and their projected demise very compelling. Just the other day I had this same conversation with my dad. He is a die-hard coffee and newspaper kind of guy; the idea of reading the news on a computer is not only aggravating but also daunting to him. For hundreds of years people have received their media whether it be news or entertainment through a tangible document such as The New York Times. The Times is a trusted news outlet that has built its reputation over many years of reporting truthful and concise stories. These days you can log onto the internet and find endless false news reports, sensationalized reporting, and flat out lies. 

        You see the internet has created a path for just about anyone to produce media and upload their thoughts and views no matter how twisted and ridiculous that they are. Print although not as popular as years past is still seen as a more credible news source, especially to non-tech people like my dad. I believe that no matter how popular digital media becomes there will always be a market for printed media. 

        I enjoyed Carey's article and it's prolific view on just how uninformed the American public really is. It was sobering to be honest, how the American public negates the ''how'' and ''why'' questions that all too often gets glazed over by mainstream news outlets. Sensationalized reporting fuels social issues and elevates them to new heights. 

       One analogy that Carey used really struck me because of its truth and simplicity. Journalism, Carey explains is allot like an educational curricula. Most people will only choose to skim the surface, or take the 'introduction' course rather than to go the distance and dig deeper to uncover the facts. All too often people simply follow the herd and accept what news outlets report as indisputable truth. Carey finds a direct correlation with journalism and democracy as well. Media, Carey explains holds the power to influence and sway public opinion effortlessly. 

         In my opinion my generation needs to be asking questions more than ever. Rather than excepting what we see on the news or read online as fact, we must dig deeper and expose truth through effective journalism or face the fact that we are living our lives completely uninformed and lied to by mainstream media.