Las Vegas video raises questions

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Nate Derrenbacher

By NATE DERRENBACHER

Competition in news is cut-throat with the increase of social media and electronic reporting. To compensate, news corporations across the globe have started incorporating multimedia to stories to engage a wider audience.

But one common question has blurred over the years, as organizations push to share the most newsworthy, unique and engaging content – what should be edited and how far is too far? The recent mass shooting in Las Vegas has showed that this line is blurring even further, and news media companies will go to great lengths to gain business.

In the days following the shooting in Las Vegas, the largest in modern American history, photos and videos began emerging from the incident. Among them were point-of-view videos from people in the crowd sounding the shots raining down on the crowd, police response to the scene and the initial investigation of the shooter’s room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

But something not seen until recently stood out. Major news organizations began sharing gruesome photos of the shooter’s hotel room, including images of the weapons and ammunition the shooter had in the room, along with an image of his blood-covered body from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Before now, this type of content was not widely shared. Editing of content in mainstream news media previously protected viewers from this type of content, and if anyone wanted to view it, it would take a lot of digging around the Internet to find a not-so-reputable online source leaking the information.

So what has changed over the years? In short, social media.

Today, it is so easy for anyone to share content to a mass audience with very little regulation. The constant pressure felt by large news organizations to stay ahead and get the most viewers to their sites, requires content to be well-developed and have more stopping power on social media feeds than any other person or organization sharing the same information.

More often than not, that comes by pushing the envelope and sharing content that may not always have been widely acceptable in society. Modern news media and the use of raw, point-of-view video are some of the most important components of a story to engage users. Has this push to stay current desensitized Americans by experiencing more long-term exposure to difficult topics? The response to the Las Vegas shooting has proven that censorship is not what it used to be.

Sensationalizing tragedy on television

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Danny LaRose

By DANNY LAROSE

The story at the forefront of American news media this week has been the horrific shooting that occurred in Las Vegas Sunday night. A final count of 58 people were killed and more than 500 were injured in the massacre. And yet, the news media embraces the violence as if it were a great show.

You know the teasers: “Tonight at 11, what is in your refrigerator that may be poisoning your food? Find out on the *insert local station* nightly news.” *intense sound effect*

These teasers, while quite reminiscent of Internet click-bait, are all well and good with such a story as the fabricated example above. However, this week the news, and specifically 24-hour news channels such as CNN or Fox News, have been teasing their stories out of Las Vegas in that manner.

It is sickening. It reminds me of the film “Nightcrawler” starring Jake Gyllenhal, who is a multimedia journalist taping gruesome crime scenes and worrying only about the “shot” but never the victims involved. And his station encourages it.

But this is real life, not a movie. As if the deaths of 58 Americans in the largest mass shooting in this nation’s history weren’t attention-grabbing enough, now news programming feels that they need to entice the viewer with dramatic music and sensational latest reports out of Las Vegas.

The hundreds of families and friends affected, as well as all of us innocent, confused Americans, could do without the 24-hour news cycle pushing a traumatic event like this down our throats as if it were a movie trailer.

While average Americans are trying to wrap their heads around such a terrifying event and go on with their days, the media is lapping it up, hyping up the fact that the shooting is now deadliest in U.S. history, and has racked up more deaths than the Orlando night club shooting.

Sensationalizing tragedy is not appealing. It should not earn viewers and in turn earn more money. Unfortunately, the news seems to believe in it, and we are living in a time of glorifying horror on television.

Security addressed after Vegas shooting

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Veronica Spagna

By VERONICA SPAGNA

Sunday evening in Las Vegas left many people without a friend, a sibling, a parent, a son, a daughter. And, as any tragedy, it happened in an unexpected place at an unexpected time.

Till now 58 people were shot dead at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, and more than 450 were injured. Stephen Paddock, 64, shot festival attendees from the 32^nd floor of a hotel room in Mandalay Bay Hotel.

Paddock had capability of bringing 23 guns to his hotel room, 12 of which were semi-automatic guns, also known as self-loading guns. What is worrying people is that the assassin could transport all those firearms in the hotel without going unnoticed. This brings to the surface the issue of safety and security in hotels, as well as music festivals.

Bruce Mclndoe, president of iJet international, said the Las Vegas attack has stimulated immediate changes to security protocols.

iJet international preforms around 400 security inspections globally every year.

Mclndoe said that it is likely that hotels will have to train their security surveillance staff to inspect customers with items that could be rifles such as; fishing gear, skis and other long items.

Another tactic addressed to increase security measured was more specific to the idea of gatherings in outdoor situations. In an e-mail response, former director of the Center for Security Policy Studies at George Mason University, Audrey Cronin, addressed the shooting as “Horrifying but not unprecedented.” Pointing out that having large number of people in an open space next to a tall structure, makes people an easier target.

Cronin highlighted that typically, when major political events take place, law enforcement has access to high places nearby. She suggested that this procedure also be applied to other types of gatherings, which will most likely imply changes to hotel security. Cronin said, “Unfortunately, our law enforcement practices must often adapt in the wake of major tragedies.”

Many articles also mentioned the idea of baggage screening and metal detectors in hotels. The opinion of many concerning the idea of adding metal detectors is very unlikely in hotels, especially in Las Vegas, where hotels are connected to casinos and the business model would be damaged.

The Las Vegas shooting last Saturday, Oct. 1, is the deadliest shooting in U.S. history, it will continue to be addressed and discussed, hopefully, this tragedy will lead to change, some real outcomes.

Even though violence can never be completely stopped, I do think that it is important to continue to improve security, especially in a time where gun violence in public scenarios is becoming more present. The news articles covered a lot of useful information but I really think that the changes that will be made in the Mandalay Bay hotel, should be investigated.

Challenges reporting breaking news

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Anael Gavizon

By ANAEL GAVIZON

Last Sunday, there was a mass shooting in Las Vegas during Jason Aldean’s concert performance. A lone gunman unleashed bullets from the 32nd floor of Mandala Bay Casino and Resort.

The shooter killed at least 58 people and injured more than 500 others attending a country music festival below, according to officials.

The initially unknown shooter, now identified as Stephen Craig Paddock, fired shot after shot from his room at the hotel down on the crowd of about 22,000.

Terrified concertgoers were literally running for their lives. It has been the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

As one can see, this story was breaking news late on Sunday and early on Monday. However, most of the information was incomplete and unknown. It is a story that has been developing during the week. Each day adds new information that sometimes leads to new stories.

This is one of the challenges of covering breaking news. Sometimes you could get more information, details and sources than others.

The process begins with an alert that carries immediate, yet very limited information. That would be the first news on Sunday night. Next comes the news break, which includes the answer to main facts (who? what? when? where?), the source and the circumstances.This would be the stories from Monday and Tuesday talking about the details of the event, most importantly who committed the act and why.

Last, but not least, the updates and second stories that are stories carrying an earlier report by weaving together fresh developments, reactions, added context and analysis. These are stories like the ones about the gunman’s girlfriend, heroes that saved lives, interviews with the killer’s family.

Little by little, journalists get to weave the story, starting from the very basic and developing into the more complex details.

It doesn’t matter what his name is

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Justin Stevens

By JUSTIN STEVENS

This past Sunday a lone gunman unleashed rapid-fire bullets from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel, killing at least 58 people and injuring more than 500 others attending a three-day country music festival.

The act was the single-deadliest mass shooting in American history. Only one shooter was connected to the act. Inside his hotel room in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the Vegas Strip was 23 guns and another 19 were found inside his house.

The suspect, who is now deceased, checked into the hotel on Sept. 28 and it was likely that he requested a room on a high floor overlooking the festival grounds, overlooking the 22,000 attendees at the concert.

President Trump visited Las Vegas on Wednesday to pay his respects and offer his condolences. Several other politicians and entertainers expressed their sorrow on social media with the hashtag, #prayforlasvegas, which has been trending on Twitter.

Police are lost as they are still looking into what the motive is for this act of pure evil. After interviewing several people close to the shooter and digging up almost every detail about his past, investigators are stumped.

The problem with the reporting of the shooting is far too many news media outlets are using the shooter’s picture and his name as if it was the president’s. They’re creating a situation of martyrdom and creating a following for him.

The truth of the matter is, it doesn’t matter what his name is. It doesn’t matter what is gender is, his age is, his occupation is, his demeanor, where he lives, who his family is, or what his hobbies are.

TMZ the infamous celebrity gossip site took this too far when they released an article titled, SHOOTER DOESN’T FIT MASS SHOOTER PROFILE. They had this great quote, “The 64-year-old Nevada resident lived in a retirement community. He has no criminal record, at least none we’ve been able to find so far. We found Paddock has a hunting license in Alaska. He got a pilot’s license in 2003, which means he’s undergone some physical and mental evaluation.”

This is disgusting. A man killed 58 people and injured more than 500 people. Then he killed himself. He fits the mass shooter profile because he acted as a mass shooter. It doesn’t matter if he was mentally insane, or if he was “normal” to the eyes of police. He committed an act of violence and caused devastation. His name, picture and background doesn’t need to be shared. He is a mass murderer.

Plans in order to ban ‘bump stock’

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Izabella Felpeto

By IZABELLA FELPETO

After one of the deadliest shootings in American history, with 58 people killed and 489 wounded; it is no surprise that officials are beginning to consider the steps necessary to further regulate access to and use of guns.

On Thursday, Oct. 5, lawmakers began efforts to ban legislation on bump stocks, an attachment that enables a semiautomatic weapon to fire faster. Bump stocks are not banned even though it allows a person to fire a gun at the speed of a fully-automatic gun because of technicalities with how it is made.

Jill Snyder, a special agent in charge at the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, says “The classification of these devices depends on whether they mechanically alter the function of the firearm to fire fully automatic.”

After the world witnessed painful video coverage of the shooting; experts concluded it is proof enough that a semi-automatic weapon with a bump stock can accelerate the speed of the shots to the level of a fully-automated weapon. Twelve of Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock’s rifles carried a bump stock.

The National Rifle Association issued a statement saying “The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations.”

Republicans have already demonstrated support to alter the gun laws. Republican representatives Mike Gallagher and Adam Kinzinger asked for signatures to petition a change in the 2010 administrative decision saying that bump stocks are legal.

There is still no answer on this ban from President Trump, but White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the president is a “supporter of the Second Amendment” and that he is “open” to discussing the ban on “bump stock.”

Nobel awarded for fruit fly research

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Andres Arenas Grayeb

By ANDRES ARENAS GRAYEB

This Monday, the Nobel Prize for medicine was awarded to Drs. Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Robash and Michael Young in recognition of their research pertaining to circadian rhythms.

After years of research, the trio was able to identify a molecule (called a “period”) that is linked to our bodies’ energy levels. As the day goes on, period levels drop, giving us the energy to get through the day. As night approaches, period levels increase, prompting us to call it a day.

The period molecule functions in all animals and is responsible for their daily cycles of wake and rest. But the model organisms this year’s Nobel Prize recipients used was none other than the humble fruit fly.

Being a cost-and-time efficient test subject, fruit flies are also genetically very similar to humans. As such, they have been the stars in numerous important areas of research, five of which led to past Nobel prizes.

New York Times‘ open-ended contributor David Bilder did a thorough job covering not only what happened, but why it is relevant and what are its consequences. He explained in simple terms what the research was and how it applied the ordinary person. He also called attention to the danger that research like the one that is the topic is in, with looming budget cuts from a Congress that does not understand the importance it holds. This also served the purpose of being a call to action for fascinated readers.

He also offered a brief history of the research behind the fruit fly, as a supplement to his urging readers as to the importance of this type of research. Overall, he provided enlightened and complete coverage of the event.

News and information at what price?

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Regina Sánchez Jiménez

By REGINA SÁNCHEZ JIMÉNEZ

Past weeks, everybody across the world has been paying attention to Hurricane Irma news. The hurricane that has devastated 10 countries and took the lives of 60 people, has attracted the attention of every news media corporation.

Irma has been covered by all the news shows. But these shows, with an enormous competition, look for formulas to fill their programs with attractive content to steal the audience of the competitors.

That’s all right so far. But the issue is that the fight between news media for getting the most impressive coverage has been sometimes irresponsible. Scenes of reporters risking their lives have been repeated. In the middle of the hurricane and in the most dangerous areas, when the order of the government was to evacuate, there were many reporters reporting live in the middle of the storm for their channel.

https://twitter.com/CNNweather/status/906984511287824386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lavanguardia.com%2Ftelevision%2F20170911%2F431207158583%2Fhuracan-irma-reporteros-television-directo-peligro.html

That’s unacceptable because of two reasons. First of all, journalists have to be a role model to viewers. And disobeying safety orders of government, such as evacuating a dangerous area, is not exemplary behavior. People will try to imitate them or just underestimate the situation and risk their lives, too.

https://twitter.com/weatherchannel/status/906991544753893377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lavanguardia.com%2Ftelevision%2F20170911%2F431207158583%2Fhuracan-irma-reporteros-television-directo-peligro.html

The second reason is that audience could view a death live. Fortunately, they didn’t. But it wouldn’t be surprising if that had happened, when we have seen reporters near to the sea with great waves, in the street when lot of objects were flying and they could crash into reporters, or when reporters were tied with ropes to prevent them of blowing away.

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/906867967903727616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lavanguardia.com%2Ftelevision%2F20170911%2F431207158583%2Fhuracan-irma-reporteros-television-directo-peligro.html

Television news can be an entertainment show and behaviors contribute to that show, but we need to think where are the limits of what we do as reporters. If the purpose of news media is to inform, I’m sure there are other safer ways to do the job and show the reality to an audience.

Tropical Storm Nate may hit U.S. Gulf Coast

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Evan Aldo

By EVAN ALDO

The United States may still not be off the hook for hurricanes this season.

A tropical cyclone in the northwestern Caribbean Sea has recently been upgraded to a named tropical storm called Nate. Meteorologists believe the system is likely to become a hurricane in the next three days. They also predict that it may hit the northern Gulf Coast on Sunday morning.

“Nate is expected to strengthen as it moves over warmer waters on its way to the U.S. coast,” says the National Hurricane Center. “But at this point, it is too early to specify the timing, location, or magnitude of these impacts.

Nate is currently bringing heavy rainfall to Nicaragua as it is heading towards Cancun. It has triggered flood warnings in these areas, as well as a hurricane watch in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.

Right now the tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. It is expected to take a northwestward path later today and start to move at a faster speed, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The sustained winds are expected to reach 75 mph by Sunday. Although this is much less than recent hurricanes such as Irma or Maria, forecasters are still warning people to watch out for flash floods and mudslides. Rick Scott, the governor of Florida, has already addressed the state to discuss preparation for the storm.

After the devastations from hurricanes Irma and Maria, another hurricane clearly is something the United States can do without at this time.

Congress has been debating passing a 15 billion dollar hurricane recovery bill. However, if Nate ends up being as catastrophic as Sandy was in 2012, American taxpayers may have a lot more to worry about.

58 killed in Las Vegas shooting

Posted on October 3, 2017 by Nina Garza

By NINA GARZA

A gunman opened fire on a country music festival in Las Vegas, killing 58 people and injuring more than 500. This occurred late on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017.

The shooter has been identified as Stephen Paddock, who was found dead by self inflicted injury in his hotel room. Paddock was staying in the Mandalay Bay Resort. Just past 10 p.m., on Sunday is when Paddock began shooting at people attending the Route 91 Harvest Festival from his hotel room.

Videos of the shooting have been posted on Twitter, showing people running and screaming as the gunfire began. Country singer Jason Aldean had just started singing his last song of the night when the shooting started. He quickly ran off stage to take cover.

Country singer Jake Owen had performed before Aldean but was still at the festival watching Aldean perform before the start of the shooting, He spoke to CNN on the phone and said, “it was ringing off the top of the stage, you can hear it hitting trailers, people scattering, here and there, it was chaos.”

Being that this incident has been the largest shooting in modern United States history, the news media have been very sensitive and respectful. I saw several videos on reporters talking to people who were there and the police officers who were on the scene and they were very considerate towards them. The news media did a great job handling and covering this tragedy, being that it is a very serious and devastating event that occurred.

Royal Caribbean ship aids storm victims

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Veronica Spagna

By VERONICA SPAGNA

Mother Nature did not seem to show any pity towards the islands of the Caribbean and Puerto Rico when what seemed to be the worst outcome with Hurricane Irma, the successive wrath of Hurricane Maria put the islands in “apocalyptic” conditions.

Royal Caribbean went on a humanitarian mission to bring supplies and rescue thousands of people from these islands, showing the compassionate and human spirit that exists.

Royal Caribbean is a cruise line owned by Royal Caribbean Ltd. It operates 24 ships and owns 21.9 percent of the market. The ships tour the world, with the most popular destinations being tropical islands, such as the Virgin Islands, Barbados, and the Bahamas.

Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria were both category 5 hurricanes and left the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico without power and access to drinking water, crushing its economy overnight.

Royal Caribbean announced that it was canceling one of its cruises with the ship Adventure of the Seas. The ship was supposed to depart from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Sept. 30 and was intended to sail around the various islands of the Caribbean.

The ship is going to deliver supplies such as water, medical supplies, batteries, and fuel. Its first stop is going to be in San Juan, where it is intended to evacuate 2,200 people and then 1,000 more form the Virgin Islands, with its destination being Fort Lauderdale.

The company announced that it will refund the customers who booked the cruise with Adventure of the Seas and will give 25 percent credit to the people who re-book the trip within 30 days. Most reports failed to be specific on the other consequences that the cruise cancellations of ships traveling around the Caribbean will have on customers, such as flights and hotels.

Royal Caribbean has also had previous rescue missions, after hurricane Irma, it sent two ships to St. Thomas and St. Maarten, helping 1,700 people evacuate.

In addition to all the help the cruise line is giving to those affected by the Hurricanes, it is also donating $1 million to aid Hurricane Relief efforts.

Most articles failed to mention more about the consequences this natural disaster will have on Royal Caribbean cruises. The islands affected were the most popular destinations for the cruise line and so a great source of income. There should be more on the impact that this disaster will have on the company’s revenue and the economy of the islands. Royal Caribbean cruises are the not the only cruise line that sails around the destroyed areas, meaning that there should be more details on the outcome of other cruise lines.

End of Pitino era at Louisville

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Justin Stevens

By JUSTIN STEVENS

This past Tuesday, the FBI announced that 10 people, with four being college basketball assistant coaches, have been charged and arrested in connection to fraud, bribery and corruption in the world of college basketball.

Coaches from prominent universities such as the University of Miami and the University of Arizona were linked to the investigation. But no school was connected more than the University of Louisville. Athletic Director Tom Jurich and infamous Coach Rick Pitino were both placed on administrative leave.

The basketball program acknowledged it was part of the scandal and allegedly collaborated with Adidas to pay an unnamed basketball recruit $100,000 to attend the University. The player in question is most likely five-star Brian Bowen, who was just suspended indefinitely by the university.

This scandal around Pitino is just one piece of a tarnished career. Two years ago Pitino was suspected of hiring prostitutes to entice basketball recruits into attending Louisville and was to serve a five game suspension this upcoming season because of that scandal.

Bleacher Report writer Jason King hits the nail on it’s head in his article titled, “FBI Bribery Scandal Reveals Rick Pitino Wasn’t Just a Hall of Famer, but a Phony.” In this article, King outlines Pitino’s fall from grace as a former mastermind of college basketball, who at his best, should be placed in the conversation with legendary coaches such as John Wooden and Mike Krzyzewski. Instead Pitino did acts that cost him his credibility and destroyed his name.

King accurately looked at Pitino as the perpetrator, not the victim, which he so rightfully deserved. He also took quotes from other Coaches in college basketball and related pitino to other successful coaches who did not break the rules.

In the end, Pitino did all of this to himself. From a fantastic coach who led Providence to a Final Four berth to all the way to 2013 where he won a national championship with only one player who is currently in the NBA. He started colluding and started to dig his own grave. Although Pitino pleaded ignorance, it’s hard to believe that a coach as smart as him, wouldn’t know what’s going on in his own program.

Open roads for women in Saudi Arabia

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Izabella Felpeto

By IZABELLA FELPETO

As of Tuesday, Sept. 26, Prince Muhammad bin Salman lifted the ban on women driving in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“This is the right time to do the right thing,” he said to American reporters.

Not only has the young Prince challenged social order by lifting this ban but, on Sept. 23, the country’s National Day; women were allowed to present themselves in the Riyadh stadium for the first time. His promises to Saudi Arabia’s youth, which make up about 70 percent of the country, have posed a threat to the traditional religious views of the Islamic religion.

His efforts to banish conservatism have been publicly critiqued, especially, on social media. Hours after the news was released, “the women of my house will not drive” quickly became the most popular Twitter hashtag in Saudi Arabia.

Beginning June 17, 2018, all women have the right to get behind the wheel and obtain a driver’s license, with permission of a male guardian.

This victory has not been easy as confirmed by many Saudi women activists who have fought hard against female oppression in the country. Manal al Shariff, who has a history of charges for “driving while female,” shed tears after hearing this and said “Saudi Arabia will never be the same again. The rain begins with a single drop.”

The driving restriction can improve the country’s economic state. With limited transport, it is difficult for women to commute to work unless they have a car service, which can be expensive. The other option would be to travel with a male guardian. However, some Islamic extremists still argue that driving could affect a woman’s fertility by harming her ovaries.

In celebration, women have posted photos and videos on social media of them driving. Madeha al Ajroush, a proud Saudi woman, tweeted: “The will for women to drive has finally come. We Saudi women has the freedom of mobility.”

Technology redefines news for all

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Victor Guzman Berger

By VICTOR GUZMAN BERGER

The technological advances of the last decade have strengthened the scope and enriched the resources for the visualization, oral and written presentation, diffusion and the impact of the news in the mass media.

In parallel, today anyone enjoys these resources and can instantly disseminate the news, share information and offer an opinion.

Anyone can be in the center of the news and capture that piece of news. The common person’s empowerment in the news media contributes to the traditional mass media, the journalist can use the images of the person who was there at the precise moment of the event for his report, something that he could not have been able to count on if he had not arrived at the time of the event.

Yesterday’s passive receiver of news can be now a distributor of news, active in some aspects of a reporter’s job due to a mobile phone or tablet at the moment of the incident.

A passerby can record instantly the event and place it on social networks with the use of just one mobile phone. However, journalism and, specifically, reporting is much more than that. Even though this passerby is the first to have the scoop and to spread the news, a journalist’s work goes far beyond exposing an image reflecting what happened.

A reporter has to inquire and question the largest number of reliable sources available on the subject. He or she must write the news in a coherent, explicit way and leave aside the emotion of the moment. He or she must be capable of addressing and reaching a wide audience. The impact of immediate recording of a crime is undeniable, but the reporter will go much further, questioning the victim, the aggressor, the authorities involved in the case, the witnesses, in order to be able to provide a coherent and trustworthy news media report.

Earthquake strikes near Mexico City

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Anael Gavizon

By ANAEL GAVIZON

During the three-week improvised break that we had, there were a lot of big stories featured on the news. One that caught my eye was the earthquakes in Mexico, mostly the second one which was closer to Mexico City, Puebla and Morelos.

Last week, on the same date as the anniversary of the second strongest earthquake in Mexico in 1985, the National Seismology Service reported a 7.1 magnitude earthquake. The epicenter was located in Mexico City, however, it heavily affected all the surrounding states.

Streets were full of victims, people trapped under collapsed buildings, familiar streets divided by strands of red and yellow emergency tape; but most streets were plenty of fear.

Other than getting help from countries all over the world, the Mexican society has found a way to prove wrong to the socially divided mark. Citizens from up and down the economic spectrum have found a way to help others, seizing a sense of unity in an atmosphere of destruction.

I think that the coverage of the event overall was pretty good for different reasons. It was really immediate. A big part is thanks to the instant nature of technology, but also thanks to the people that reported and recorded it as evidence. Most of the newscasts and videos I watched got their visuals and content from social media.

There were also a lot of stations that either had correspondents in Mexico or they had affiliates that would send information. I think they had really good visuals and images from all over the place, and also good stories people liked to hear about. For example, the kids that got trapped in a school, soldiers coming to help, the dogs that could locate people to rescue.

An example of CNN”s coverage can be found at http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/19/americas/mexico-earthquake/index.html.

Trump, NFL clash on anthem protests

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Ben Ezzy

By BEN EZZY

The battle of wills between the National Football League and President Donald Trump continues today, as week four of the NFL season kicks off tonight. This past week saw players, coaches and league officials from multiple organizations speak out and demonstrate acts of protest following a series of harsh comments from Trump.

The debacle began when, at a campaign rally, the president made several remarks about players who chose to kneel during the national anthem.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired,” said Trump, basking in the applause of his supporters.

What was once a personal protest by a single player, Colin Kaepernick, against a rise in police brutality toward black suspects and offenders quickly became a first amendment issue, and many NFL players chose to unite against the president’s comments.

“To have the president trying to intimidate people — I wanted to send a message that I don’t condone that,” said Julius Thomas of the Miami Dolphins, who had remained standing during the anthem before this Sunday’s game. “I’m not O.K. with somebody trying to prevent someone from standing up for what they think is important.”

The protest took an especially powerful turn at the day’s match-up between the Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks, as both teams remained in the locker room during the singing of the anthem.

After the day’s games, the feud continued on social media, with players posting Instagram pictures and tweets, denouncing the president’s harsh words. Trump took to Twitter in his usual fashion, biting back: “Sports fans should never condone players that do not stand proud for their National Anthem or their Country. NFL should change policy!”

Week four of the NFL season begins tonight, as the Green Bay Packers face off against the Chicago Bears. Debate has been high all week, and the lasting effects of these protests remain to be seen. The media have done a good job covering the story from all points of view, finding unbiased sources who agree and disagree with the protests, as well as players and officials to comment on what the president has been saying.

Celebrity deaths: Successes dominate

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Nate Derrenbacher

By NATE DERRENBACHER

On Wednesday, the estate of Hugh Hefner released a statement that the Playboy founder passed away, age 91, in his infamous Playboy Mansion. Known for many things, Hefner was most recognized for his lifestyle that encompassed his Playboy brand.

But through the years, Hefner was in the spotlight for some negative things, including loss of some of his fortune, how he treated his beloved “Playmates” and scrutiny for his sometimes “dangerous” lifestyle. As referred to by many of those close to him, “Hef” was so focused on his Playboy image that as he aged, he retreated from the spotlight in his final years.

Until the sale of his popular LA home for $100 million in 2016, Hefner was shying away from public appearances, hosted fewer Playboy parties and was not featured in the news.

But following his death, the world has been pouring out their memories and reflections on the late Playboy founder. Every news station, every newspaper and every social media site is covering his death nonstop. More than just a magazine publisher, Hefner started a new revolution of sexual acceptance and extravagant living – shifting the Playboy brand from just a magazine to a brand and lifestyle.

All news outlets, celebrities and everyone in between has been sharing kind words and remembrances of Hefner, and a total disregard for the criticisms that many shared in recent times.

Hefner is not the first celebrity to experience this kind of coverage post-mortem. Before his death in 2009, Michael Jackson was in the news media for scandal after scandal and legal and personal problems. Immediately following his death, the world came together to remember his profound impact on the music industry, and nothing else.

It seems that, especially with the era of “fake news” and social media, scandals and rumors overshadow some celebrities’ work and careers until they are dead. With so much competition, all media outlets need to stay current, and get viewers and readers engaged, so, sometimes coverage of trivial celebrity drama is the best thing to achieve this.

Once celebrities die, it is newsworthy in itself, so media outlets have the time and flexibility to dig deeper into their lives and appreciate what made them famous. The coverage of Hugh Hefner shows that media is on this path, and doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon.

DIGITAL NEWS REPORTING

Journalism and Media Management Department, School of Communication, University of Miami