Kimberly Troup
Portfolio 2020
Blogs
What Kind of Journalist Will I Be?
This semester, I was enrolled in the Principles of Journalism at
Arkansas State University. My first day of class I was feeling
confident, “How hard could journalism be?”, I thought. As the
semester continued, I realized what it took to be a journalist and
all its demands. It made me think of what kind of journalist I
wanted to be.
I would be a journalist with good ethical and moral values. Due
to my integrity as a journalist, I will report accurate
information. Also this will allow me to be fair, and honest. By
displaying all of these traits, along with being objective, I will
gain the trust of my audience. Gaining the trust of my audience
will allow me to flourish in the field of journalism.
In addition, I will be a journalist with good communication
techniques. A huge key component of journalism is writing. As a
journalist, you must be able to spell and be grammatically correct
at all times. This will allow me to affectively report and conduct
interviews. Also having strong verbal communication is important.
The reason why is because you want to be able to clearly get your
point across without confusing your audience.
I will be a journalist who is not afraid to take chances. I will
have determination and courage. As a journalist, I will also have
technology skills. So much of journalism deals with media, it has
such an influence. By being tech-savvy, I will know how to
affectively look up information and report events as they happen.
Overall, as a journalist I will be trustworthy, and I will always
verify. Being a voice for the people is an honor, and I will not
take it lightly.
At What Cost?
As a journalist, there are certain standards that must be
upheld. Some standards would include honesty and fairness. Along
with standards, journalists should always provide information to
the public, for the better of the people. Although journalists must
lead with ethical reasoning and loyalty to the people, at what cost
does one go to get the truth out?
Journalists face so many struggles daily. Number one of those
struggles is being punished or defamed for speaking truth. The role
of a journalist is to seek out information, to be the eyes and ears
for the public. With being the eyes and ears for the public, there
is bound to be some form of sensitive information to be uncovered.
Due to information being sensitive, some people may not want to
share it. How far should a journalist go? Should he/she push
through the slander and find ways to report the information by any
means necessary?
In 2019, 25 journalists were killed for doing their job. This is
proof that many people do not like when the truth comes out.
Uncovering the truth can be dangerous. However, if the truth does
not come how, how can citizens be helped. Journalists are able to
help the public because of their sacrifice of uncovering
information. Daily, information is kept from the public, but it
takes a good reporter to retrieve it.
Anyone can be a journalist, or reporter. What can set you a part
is the type of reporter of journalist you are. Journalists take
risks daily. The reason why a journalist pushes forward, beyond
those risks is because they know what will happen if they don’t.
Good journalists know the value of providing information to the
public. It is the right of the people to know what is going around
them. The information that journalists provide is helpful, and can
be life changing. A good reporter knows the difference between what
is right and wrong, that’s why at any cost, the truth will always
stand.
Eye of the beholder
The eye of the beholder is the idea that each person is in
control of what is seen. In addition, observers are able to create
their own interpretations of images, or ideas.
Media has a way of sucking its viewers in to believe whatever
they want you to. One of the ways they achieve that is through
pictures. Pictures have the ability to highlight any situation in a
positive or negative way. Whether it’s positive or negative is
totally up to the viewer. Through pictures, the media is able to
manipulate objects, people, and color.
News media also plays a role. They tell how to feel, and what to
think or believe about something. They try to control how you may
react to things as well. Although what they offer may be enticing,
it can also be misleading. You can even think of their actions as
persuasive techniques. In many cases they lean in on what may look
appealing to their viewers.
This brings up the idea that people like to confide in the news.
They like to believe that what is being presented is the truth. The
important thing to remember, is that you are in control of what you
see. The overall idea is that images too are a part of journalism.
Words create a picture. As the journalists writes, the readers are
able to see through the eyes of the journalist. Therefore, what is
being seen is completely left up to the writer. An actual photo
enhances the thoughts and perspectives of readers. Yes, news media,
and the media in general can be misleading with photographs. The
one thing to remember is that only you control what is seen.
Why verify?
Verification is an important process in journalism. It allows
information collected by journalists to be checked. In the process
of verification, credibility and reliability is checked. This
process comes in handy when things are being published and or
broadcasted.
In addition, verification builds trust among readers or viewers.
When determining if something is newsworthy, the idea of
verification comes up. Viewers and readers need to know and
understand that the information provided is truthful. This ties
into the role of a journalist. Journalists have certain roles of
responsibility. Some roles include checking for verification, being
accountable, ethical, objective, and honest.
As a journalist, it is important to have more than one source,
for the sake of verification. If a journalist does a report, but
has only gathered information from one source, how true can the
report actually be? The ideal number of sources is at least three.
Also the sources must be reliable. It can be easy to base a story
off one persons’ idea of the truth. However, it is the fact that
multiple ideas and viewpoints is what actually creates a story. It
adds variety, and more information. It also creates for a better
story.
As mentioned previously, verification is the opportunity for
credibility and reliability to be checked. Sometimes in the process
of verification, credibility can potentially become obscured
because of your own unknowing. For example, if a victim of rape is
being interviewed by police immediately following the attack, the
victim may not remember everything. Specifically, the victim may
not remember everything in chronological order at that moment. As
the victim is questioned by the officer, to the officer, the victim
seems all over the place with the story. To the officer, he or she
may believe that the victim is not telling the truth. To the
victim, everything is happening so fast, and they’re just saying
bits and pieces of what happened out of order. Because the officer
now does not trust the victim’s story, he or she will probably
ignore the case or try to get the victim to admit that it didn’t
happen in the way that he or she originally thought.
What the officer does not know is that there is an allotted set
for questioning in that particular matter. Also there is a specific
person who should be asking the victim questions. Therefore, the
officer was not qualified to handle questioning. Just because the
victim’s process of questioning did not match up with the officer’s
personal ideas and thoughts, credibility was lost. Verification is
an important process and it should not be taken lightly. We have to
also remember that our own expectations can potentially obscure
credibility.
35 words or less
In journalism it is important to report only the truth. While
reporting the truth, it is as equally important to report in a
timely manner.
As reporters, getting straight to the point is necessary. 35
words or less is the ideal in journalism. Phrases or sentences
should not be drawn out. The reason why is because of attention
span. Readers want to be informed right away. If it takes too long
for the writer to say what is important, the reader will
immediately disengage.
Another reason why the ideal of 35 words or less is important is
because of newspaper columns. Newspaper columns are about 1.83
inches in width. Because columns are not big, journalists have to
consider the amount of words used. The amount of words used in the
column has to coincide with the columns width. If the two do not
coincide, then it will not fit and definitely not catch the readers
attention.
In writing, journalists should always keep in mind that
everything should be done decently and in order. With that being
said, reporters should give the reader timely efficient news, short
and straight forward sentences, and a well developed structure. In
the first paragraph of an article or column, there should be 35
words or less. No reader wants to be stuck on the same sentence, or
even the same paragraph for hours in journalism. Journalism is all
about reporting factual information that’s helpful to the
public.
Another time when the amount of words is important is in
broadcasting. If you’re an anchor, there is only a short amount of
time for you to present information. There is a limit on how long
you’re able to be on the air. Because there’s a limit, the most
time that the anchor could possibly have is a minute or a little
over that. There for the rule of 35 words or less would be ideal to
follow.
Ethics
The word ethics can be described as a person’s moral principles.
In addition, their moral principles will affect their behavior, or
how they handle any situation. Ethics deals with the social system.
Therefore, an example of ethics can be a code of conduct at your
local business, or the student handbook. Both the code of conduct,
and the student handbook consists of rules that each person is to
govern themselves by. The rules within both documents touch base on
what is considered right or wrong.
Ethics and morals are both related, however they are both
different. As previously mentioned, ethics resonates more towards
rules and guidelines enforced through society, whereas morals are
your own individual principle. You can think of ethics as being
society based, and morals as being individually based. By
displaying ethical and moral characteristics, a perfect balance is
created. Displaying good moral and ethical behavior allows the
opportunity for order, and for all citizens to be treated equally.
It also creates a safe and productive atmosphere in the workplace.
With ethics and morals comes integrity and honesty. These specific
attributes allow us to do what’s right. It also gives us the
opportunity to impact others negatively or positively.
In journalism, ethics and morals are very important. They both
determine if the journalist is trustworthy. This also ties into
fabrication, fake news, and verification. If a journalist has good
morals and ethics, they are going to be a reliable source, and
trustworthy. Journalists with these characteristics will always
report the truth and will do what’s right. As a journalist, we have
certain obligations, and standards. These standards have to be met
for the good of the people. We should always be thinking about “is
this right or wrong?”, “have I been honest in my reporting?”, or
“is what I’m talking about actually the truth?”. By having morals
and ethics determines what type of journalist you’ll be.
Ethics and morals also tie into appropriation. As a journalist,
it is important for you to know what is appropriate for a story and
what is not; “is what I’m saying newsworthy?”. Ethics is related to
relevance. Identity has to do with individual preference and
morals. Each person has the right to their own privacy, and sexual
identity is a part of that. A journalist should always be reminded
to only report news and to not only rely on their own sense of
what’s important.
First Amendment
As citizens of America, we all have rights. According to the
First Amendment, we have the freedom of speech, press, religion,
assembly, along with the right to petition the government and seek
redress of grievances. Freedom of speech allows citizens to speak
their thoughts, feelings and ideas freely. Freedom of press allows
citizens to freely communicate their thoughts and ideas through
writing. Freedom of religion allows citizens to practice individual
faith. Freedom of assembly allows citizens to gather and share
their thoughts and ideas publicly. The freedom to petition the
government and seek redress allows citizens to shed light on the
government for not following the law. It has the ability to hold
the government accountable for their actions. This provides the
opportunity for change.
Although we have rights as citizens, that does not mean that we
are to abuse them. There are limits. For example, although we have
the freedom of speech, yelling the word “bomb” in a crowded area
under false pretense, is not appropriate. Therefore, in all things
we must be true. These laws are set in place out of respect for
every individual. It is imperative that each citizen is aware of
their rights.
As journalists, the First Amendment is important. With each
freedom, journalists are able to report and inform citizens on
every level possible. In particular, the freedom of press allows
journalist to freely report through media of governmental
injustices. Journalist are able to act as the public’s eyes and
ear; informing fellow citizens. This also means that the government
has no right to dictate what journalists publish. Journalists are
protected under the First Amendment, and are able to truthfully
report to citizens about public affairs.
Style
In writing, style isn’t something that is automatically thought
of, instead it develops over time. The idea of “style” allows the
writer to blend words and phrases through appropriation.
Writing style has the ability to change a writer’s work from
flat to multifaceted. Words create opportunity, passion, and
inspiration. Without understanding and exploring language, how can
a writer affectively reach their audience?
Everyday talk has an effect on style. This is how bad habits are
developed. Most people do not spend all of their time in
professional settings day in and day out. At some point of the day,
there’s “down time”. This is usually where a person takes time to
relax and be free within their own space. When you’re around close
family or friends, do you think about using flashy words or
sentences? Probably not, because you’re in a comfort zone.
Nevertheless, it is important to know your audience, that way you
know when to explore creativity through words. In addition, using
big words and fancy sentences can confuse your audience. In many
cases, less is more.
Developing style is a process, however it is very achievable. By
incorporating good style techniques, a writer’s “voice” becomes
clear. This promotes consistency and independence. Not only is
style about how you infuse words or sentences, but it’s also about
rules and guidelines. This includes grammar, formatting,
punctuation, spelling, abbreviations, numbers, formatting, and much
more. A great tool that I recently came in contact with this
semester is The Associated Press Stylebook. Everything a writer
needs to know about grammar, numbers, abbreviations and much more
can be found there.
Variations in things such as spelling, formatting, and even
overall presentation can be distracting. This can potentially lead
to confusion among readers. In order for a reader to focus on the
content of what they’re reading, everything has to have continuity.
Developing writing style may not be easy, but it is totally worth
it in the end.
“Less is more. Don’t get fancy, don’t overdo anything.
Simplicity and power are not mutually exclusive. They are often one
and the same” – Dan Pallotta
What is news?
News is the ability to inform others about events related to
them, and how it may affect them. It can make others feel included
or connected. In general, news is a form of communication. Although
it can be entertaining at moments, it is essential for everyday
life; for it has the ability to empower the uninformed.
Technology, specifically the internet, has changed how people
receive news. For years, most people would receive news through
newspapers. The decline of newspapers started with the arrival of
television in the 1950s, then by the use of social media in the
90s. Social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter,
along with local news apps, allow for quick access to the latest
events happing in the world. Due to the constant increase in social
media, it has been said that it has overshadowed television as a
source of news.
Social media can change how news is seen. It can also affect
what news gets published. It has impacted the world of news so much
that it can account as one of its main sources. It has been
experimented and proven that about six in ten Americans receive
news on a mobile device. That accounts for 50% of U.S. citizens.
Therefore, with such a vast number of citizens receiving news from
mobile devices, they control what is considered as news. The more
influence an idea or person has, the more appealing it becomes to
the public. In many cases, it boils down to who or what has the
most influence; that will determine news, along with relevance.
Many people rely on daily news to inform them on what’s
happening around them. Mostly, if an event is closely related to a
person in proximity, he or she will care. If something happens
outside of his or her proximity, that person is less likely to
care. Therefore, one can make the informed decision that local news
matters. Due to the process of verification, one should always be
on the lookout for fake news. Fake news is in fact real. To ensure
truth within news, one should always verify photos, sources,
quotes, sites, and authors. As journalists, there is no room for
fabrication. Also, as journalists, credibility is always in
order.
“News is what someone wants suppressed. Everything else is
advertising. The power is to set the agenda. What we print and what
we don’t print matter a lot.” – Katharine Graham
Bearing Witness
To bear witness is to show that something exists, or is true. It
also means to give a testimony, especially as a witness. The act of
bearing witness can be done orally, or physically as in through
writing. People bear witness with one another through art, along
with verbal communication and interaction.
By bearing witness, thousands of people can become enlightened.
Through your eyes, people are able to see what happened in a
particular moment in time. It is important that people bear
witness. If not, what truth does the public, and or law officials
have in the presence of a serious case.
Journalists bear witness daily. They bear witness by seeking
information, and documenting events through writing, audio or
video. Doing so allows the public to be informed. This process
creates change. When a journalist reports events, little by little
they are in the process of bearing witness. Journalism and bearing
witness go hand-in-hand. Without journalism, there is no bearing
witness.
The entire act of journalism, gathering information, and
reporting it represents what it means to bear witness. Every
individual has the opportunity to bear witness, however they choose
what they want to do with the information. There are thousands of
people all over the world who bear witness to certain events but
choose not to speak out. Some may not speak out because they’re
afraid of what may happen to them. At this very moment, that’s when
true journalists are separated from the common person. Integrity
and courage comes along with being a journalist. Bearing witness is
very much needed if you want to see a change in the world, without
it, what is truth
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside
you.”-Maya Angelou
Never ASSUME
The topic of "news" can be seen as entertaining. It may even be
considered as interesting. News in fact, is a source of power for
the uninformed. It enlightens viewers with the proper insight on
what's happening in the world. In many cases it zooms in even
closer, by informing viewers of what's happening in their city and
surrounding areas. This information in return encourages the viewer
to make informed decisions about their everyday livelihoods. It
also can provide the viewer with helpful information that pertains
to one's society or government. That is a journalists'
responsibility; to uncover, inform, guide, and most importantly
educate.
The role of a journalist is to also interpret or explain news.
It is important that journalists do so in order to help listeners,
viewers, or readers grasp a better understanding of information.
News and truth have two very distinct meanings. Often is news
mistaken for truth. To gain the respect of listeners, viewer, or
readers, it is important for a journalist to report factual
information. This creates trust between the writer and their
audience. Without trust, there is no audience. In relation, it is
never okay to make assumptions. To assume means to suppose without
proof. This means that assumptions can't necessarily be seen as
truth. A false assumption can lead to confusion. As a reporter, you
never want that. One reason why is because at the end of the day,
all you have is your name. If it is covered in dishonesty, no
publishing company would take interest in you or your work.
News has the ability to draw in the attention of others. Some
journalists take advantage of that affect. One way to do so is by
fabricating information. There are some journalists who believe in
the idea of writers invention. Does it make for an exciting story?
- yes possibly. Is it exciting to hear or read about? -possibly. Is
it the most noble thing to do in journalism, absolutely not. It is
very important to always have pride in factual information. As a
journalist, you should avoid embellishing your work. Even if the
smallest detail is fabricated, the entire story looses its
credibility.
Not all the time is a journalist accepted for telling the truth.
Many people oppose the truth, but it's something that should be
embraced. Transparency is key. This is also why it's important to
have more than one source; along with having multiple witnesses who
can attest to your story. By not doing so, it could possibly
motivate the writer to create assumptions. The invention of facts
is never okay. There is too much at risk to throw away a potiental
story over distortion. Another thing that is as equally as
important, is for the writer to attribute where or whom they've
received information from. Which also coincides with the fact that
you should never publish without verifying. It is extremely
important to always remember to never assume in journalism. The
reason why is because you could loose your credibility, trust, your
audience, ruin your name, and possibly your career. You should
avoid deceiving the public, and exercise humility instead.
Why I Write
For as long as I can remember, I've always loved to write. To
me, it is my way of shutting out the world. Life is filled with
overwhelming obstacles. As I matured, I came to know that your
experiences in life will be exactly what they're meant to be. So,
to make sense of it all, I choose to write.
I have two older sisters. We are very far a part in age.
Although I had a lot of friends in school, I often felt alone. I
also had an overwhelming fear of being a burden to others. So, I
did not want to share my personal thoughts with anyone. Instead I
chose to share my thoughts in the safest way possible, through
pencil and paper. Writing is like a breath of fresh air, pleasant
yet distinctive. It's absolutely amazing how writing is like the
bridge to unknown worlds. A writing tool gives the writer the
ability to create anything; any world, any character, any place,
even any language. In a way it becomes its own superpower.
When I was nine I wrote my first scary story. By the age of
eleven I started to write poetry. Towards the age of thirteen I
started to write music. Although my sheet writing skills didn't
actually abide by the rules in music theory, I'd like to say it was
pretty good for its lack there of. As I entered into my last months
of junior high, I didn't do much writing. Of course I still had the
utmost admiration for one of my favorite writers, Maya Angelou, but
it's as if my passion for writing had somewhat vanished overnight.
I would attempt to write and would stare at a blank sheet of paper
for hours before I even wrote one sentence. Had my love for writing
disappeared? I questioned my ability to write. It couldn't have
completely vanished, it didn't, I was just stuck.
Now I have entered college. I have yet to get my full drive for
writing back. I can say that I'm not completely stuck anymore, but
I've moved into the molasses phase. What I mean by "molasses phase"
is that my flow of writing is starting to come back. I have to keep
in mind that the act of writing is a journey. A writer will
constantly evolve, and at times have minor set backs. The ideal of
it all is to never give up.
"A word after a word after a word is power" - Margaret
Atwood
News Tips
Kimberly Troup
10/19/2020
Principles of Journalism
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
By Kimberly Troup
Aspiring Journalist
JONESBORO
Idea: Are colleges prone to hiding sexual assault cases?
Specifically, on the campus of A-State, there were 6 sexual assault
cases in the month of September alone. When a sexual occurs on
campus, students are alerted hours later through email. No further
action is being done to prevent or lower the cases on campus. There
have been no arrests made due to any sexual assault cases on
campus. It is very apparent that sexual assault cases on the campus
of A-State are underreported. Why is a sexual assault on campus
treated differently than any other violence? When speaking with a
victim of sexual assault on campus, she said that little to nothing
was done by campus police in response to her recent assault.
Although the victim wishes to stay anonymous, she said that “I felt
as if my voice didn’t matter”. Matter such as this should be taken
seriously by A-State security, police, and officials.
News Values: It fits the news value of proximity, prominence,
and impact.
Sources:
University Police Department, 870-972-2093, [email protected]
.
Arkansas State Police, 870-935-7302.
Office of Affirmative Action/Title IX Coordinator,
870-972-2015.
Questions/Story Development:
1. Is every sexual assault case on campus reported? Have you
ever not reported a sexual assault crime? Are you doing everything
you can to ensure the safety of student on campus?
2. Do you do your best to make sure that victims of sexual
assault on campus are heard? Have you or someone in the department
ever been accused of not reporting a sexual assault case? Are
records of sexual assault cases on campus being hidden?
3. How many calls do you get in regards to sexual assault cases
on campus? Has any student directly reported a sexual assault to
you? Do you make sure that certain precautions are in place to
prevent such cases form happening, or even lowered?
Multimedia Component:
Campus student-health/Sexual Assault website:
http://www.astate.edu/a/student-health-center/sexual-assault-resources/
News Tip
9/28/2020
Principles of Journalism
By Kimberly Troup
Aspiring Journalist
JONESBORO
Idea: Arkansas State University voice instructor, Matthew Carey,
refuses to use portable air purifier in a classroom setting. The
portable air purifiers were donated to the department of music by
Robert Bidewell; due to the current rise of Covid-19. The purifiers
are placed in all classrooms in the music department, and are to be
on at all times as listed in the 2020 music safety guidelines.
Carey’s refusal to use the air purifier goes against the
Department of Music Safety Guidelines for the year 2020. As a
result, his behavior has been reported to the chair of the music
department, Dr. Lauren Schack Clark. As of now, his classes are no
longer in session and are to be resumed at a later date.
The department ensures that the safety of every student will be
put first. Portable air purifiers are known for quickly removing
pollutants present in the air. It is scientifically proven that
they remove up to 99% of airborne bacteria. It is important that
students are placed in safe learning environments. Due to one
instructors negligence, the chance of Covid-19 increases. This in
tern places more students at risk.
News Values: It fits the news value of impact, and conflict.
Sources: 1. Dr. Lauren Schack Clark, chair of Department of
Music, [email protected] , (870) 680-8029
2. Cynthia Hearring, vocal education student,
[email protected] , (870) 219-9912
3. Beth Robinson, Administrative Specialist II ,
[email protected] , (870) 972- 2094
4.Matthew Carey info
http://www.astate.edu/college/liberal-arts/departments/music/faculty-staff/people-details.dot?pid=ad83a371-86c4-41fc-a7d1-34fdf1536162
5. Department of Music site
http://www.astate.edu/college/liberal-arts/departments/music/
Questions/Story Development:
1. What was your first response when you heard about the
instructors behavior? How do you feel about his behavior? Besides
cancelling his classes for a few days for cleaning, will anything
else be done in response to his behavior?
2. As a student, what was your first response or thought to his
behavior in class? Because he refuses to use the air purifier, how
do you feel, and are you concerned? When classes resume, will you
feel comfortable physically attending his classes?
3. Do you agree with the Chair’s decision to cancel class for
cleaning, due to the instructors behavior? Prior to his exposure,
did you receive any reports from students concerning his behavior?
How do you feel about the teachers behavior, is it justifiable?
Multimedia Component:
1. Matthew Carey Website: http://matthewcareybaritone.com
2. Pictures of Matthew Carey
Kimberly Troup
10/26/2020
Principles of Journalism
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
By Kimberly Troup
Aspiring Journalist
JONESBORO
Idea: Is racism alive on the campus of A-State? BSA contact
Courtney Atkins, has been collecting signatures of students who
have encountered racial incidents on campus. With each signature,
the student has to provide a written statement of their personal
experience of racism. I wasn’t able to receive information on how
many signatures were collected. I was able to see one of the
stories that a student wrote, he or she described how a professor
on campus referred to them as a “big black elephant.” Service
Learning class has put together a survey to give students the
opportunity to share their experience of racism as well. Both
Service Learning and Courtney Atkins are trying to make a
difference in effort to bring awareness of injustices across
campus. When all data is collected, what will be A-State’s
response? Will there be change, or will campus professors, faculty,
or students turn a blind eye to their efforts of justice?
News Values: It fits the news value of prominence, impact,
conflict, and proximity.
Sources:
Phylecia Mason, student of service learning class,
[email protected].
Courtney Atkins, contact for BSA,
[email protected].
Questions/Story Development:
1. How did your Service Learning class come up with this idea?
What was the class overall intention? Do you believe that the
survey will have a positive or negative impact on campus?
2. Why do you want to bring awareness of racial injustices on
campus? Do you think something will be done when all data is
collected? How do you plan to get the information out to the
public?
Multimedia Component:
Google form of Service Learning class :
https://forms.gle/yExJwoBBDUTB4Vh1A
News Tip
9/21/2020
Principles of Journalism
***
by Kimberly Troup
Aspiring Journalist
JONESBORO
Arkansas State University Party’s through Covid-19
According to Chancellor Kelly Damphouse, 20% of the campus has
Covid-19. The number of cases continue to rise daily. Students are
highly encouraged to social distance, and stay away from big
crowds. As the first semester settles in, ASU students are
preparing for homecoming. On Twitter, students are posting the
flyer along with #LivestInTheState2. In a few days the campus of
A-State will be hosting the biggest party of the semester.
The party consists of ASU students along with student for the
University of Central Arkansas. It has been reported that Craighead
County has the highest growth rate of covid-19. There are 120
active cases of covid-19. It is evident that students are turning a
blind eye to covid-19. As a result, students are risking their
lives along with others. The party will be lead by a student at
A-State who goes by the name of ESSAP.
· ESSAP: far left picture
· Twitter posts, far right picture
Articles
Student Interview
I interviewed Arkysia Whitehead on Thursday
September 17th, 2020. Whitehead is a 19 year old freshman who
currently attends Arkansas State University. She is enrolled in the
Principles of Journalism course. She is pursuing a career in
multimedia journalism, with an emphasis in
broadcasting and a minor in psychology. Whitehead is
from Monticello, AR, however she later moved to Little Rock,
AR during the 8th grade. When she entered the sixth grade, she
wanted to be a social worker. This was influenced by her mother's
personal experiences while growing up. Hearing about her
mother's experience in foster care, and dealing with
sexual assault, drove Whitehead to pursue a career
in social work. In addition, Whitehead emphasizes how her
mother was "not placed in homes with love and care" which intern
"placed a dent on her life; traumatized her basically."
This motivated Whitehead at such a young age "to make sure kids are
being fully evaluated, and making sure they're being placed in
homes that they deserve to be in." Although she later changed her
choice of career to multimedia journalism, she still has a heart
for children.
Whitehead enjoys to dance. She describes herself as
"the energy of the room." She loves to dance so much that she would
find herself dancing in the shopping line of Walmart. The
media site known as Tiktok is where she posts videos of
herself dancing. She was a part of the band, where she played
the clarinet. She was also a cheerleader, and a member of
the flagline. Whitehead is "starting to discover a
journey of connecting with nature." Her goals have shifted in a way
to were she wants to do "more peaceful, level headed things" such
as going on walks or visiting nature sites. She also enjoys food
and would like to eventually "try different foods" and experience
different cultures. Whitehead also loves to workout for
fun.
Whitehead grew up in a single-parent household. She does not
know her biological father. She has a 10 year old brother and
6 year old twin siblings, a boy and a girl. She refers to them
as her "motivation". Her grandmother raised her until she was
about 5 years old, and she refers to her as her "heart."
Whitehead is very family oriented. This past summer, Whitehead
would take her siblings to the park, once a week. While there, she
would at some point always emphasize the importance of good
mental health. She also takes out the time to teach her
mom the "importance of talking to people, and going through
the motions instead of covering up what you're feeling."
Whitehead believes that "the change in the black community has
to start within your home."
Whitehead describes her life as always "being
difficult." She feels that she always "had
to conquer battles that you shouldn't have
to conquer at such a young age." She "always had to be
the strong-headed one." Whitehead believes that "it all ties
in" from being raised by a single parent. Her mother "never had a
parent to guide her in the direction she needed to be guided", and
"with that comes mistakes and lessons." As a result of this,
Whitehead wants to "inspire children, that no matter what you go
through, you can do whatever you put your mind to." She wants to
encourage people, that even "If you're dealing with abuse or
assault, you can overcome."
Whitehead attended Little Rock Central High School and later
transferred to J.A. Fair High School. During her senior year
of high school, she visited the doctor due to breathing
trouble. While there, doctors discovered she had an
ovarian tumor. At the time, she immediately "began to question God,
why me?" During that time, she received a scholarship
from McLarty Automotive Group. She became the first one
in the Little Rock school district to ever receive the scholarship.
This shed positive light into her high school, which also
motivated her to get back on her "A game." After her successful
surgery, she also received a fully paid trip to Washington
D.C. from the JAG program.
Her earliest memory with media was in the 8th grade when she
had the opportunity to be on radio station 92.3 . On a typical day
she accesses certain media such
as Instagram and Snapchat. She believes that the
"media world" could have "more jazz". By incorporating more culture
and diversity, along with minimizing the
stereotypical appearance of what a journalists or a
reported should look like, Whitehead believes that the
media world could flourish even more. Once she graduates college,
she believes that she would like to earn her master's degree in
business. With this degree, Whitehead would like to create her own
news channel. Her vision of an ideal life is to establish her
career, to live in "peace and happiness", and to reside in a
nice town away from "city life." She chose A-State because the
campus was so welcoming and it reminded her of her hometown in
Monticello,AR. Advise she would give to a college student would be
"you can do it, you have to want it and don't be stuck in the
present." Advise she would give to her younger self would be "No
matter how hard it gets, love yourself and put you
first."
I really
enjoyed Interviewing Arkysia Whitehead and I truly
believe she will do great things in the future.
Works Cited
( Arkysia Whitehead, personal communication,
September 17,2020 )
Generational
Generational
Nov. 20, 2020
Principles of Journalism
by Kimberly Troup
Aspiring Journalist
Turrell, Ark. – This provides generational information about the
59th presidential election, and the influence of media.
The recent presidential election, Trump v. Biden, caught the
attention of many. The number of votes were ground-breaking as
compared to previous years. The results of this year’s election is
supported by some, while others oppose. The idea of voting has been
redefined. Taking a step back in history will prove that.
-more-
I interviewed Robert and Bernice Wallace, and Carolyn Williams
about their thoughts on the election, and how the media has
influenced their lives. The interview of Robert and Bernice took
place over the phone on November 12th, 2020. The interview of
Carolyn Williams took place on November 11th, 2020. Robert and
Bernice both reside in Turrell, AR. Robert is 82 years old, and
Bernice is 78 years old. Both were born in Mississippi. Robert’s
hometown is Crawfordsville, AR. Bernice’s hometown is Marion, AR.
Robert is recently retired. His occupation prior to retiring was a
security guard for a local company in Proctor, AR. Bernice was
never employed. When she married Robert, she took the role of a
stay at home mom.
Carolyn Williams resides in West Memphis, AR. She is 52 years
old. She was born in Memphis, TN. Carolyn works as a dispatcher for
an electric company located in Memphis, TN. Due to the pandemic,
she now works from home. She attended college at the University of
Pine Bluff Arkansas.
-more-
Bernice’s and Robert’s earliest memory and interaction of media
is the newspaper entitled “The Commercial Appeal”. Currently,
Robert gets “The Evening Times” every Friday form West Memphis, AR.
The Television and the newspaper is where they receive information
on what’s happening in the world.
Carolyn remembers interacting with media by reading the
newspapers, watching television, and being active on the computer,
along with cellular devices. Carolyn receives most information of
what’s going on it the world from her cell phone. She also receives
some information through television as well. “I get so much
information on my phone until I don’t bother getting the newspaper
anymore”, she said.
-more-
An historical event that Bernice witnessed is the assassination
of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Bernice was watching
president Kennedy and his wife on television. “All of a sudden I
heard a shot, and saw Kennedy laid over in his wife’s lap”, she
said. She went on to say how that event was the topic of the month.
Bernice remembered when Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. During
this time, her parents moved from Arkansas to Rochester, NY. At the
time of his death, she was in her twenties, and was holding her
first born child. She remembered getting the call from her father,
asking if she had heard the news. She was devastated.
Robert witnessed the historical event of Martin Luther King Jr.
being shot and killed as well. When Robert heard the news, he was
at work. He said that the news of his death spread like wildfire at
his job. As far as voting, Bernice remembers her parents voting.
“They were newly voters, and were excited to exercise their right”,
she said.
-more-
An early historical event that Carolyn remember is the 9/11
attack. She said she was watching on television as it was
happening. “My parents stopped everything, all of us in the house
were gathered around the television”, she said. In terms of voting,
she remembers her father voting. She first voted when she was in
her twenties. She said that although she didn’t really want to, her
parents encouraged her to do so.
The earliest presidential election that Bernice remembers is the
election of Dwight D. Eisenhower. She says that she has never seen
an election like the most recent one, Trump v. Biden. “The entire
election was just sad”, she said. “ The country is completely
divided; democrats and republicans are against each other”, she
said. She goes on to say, “we are really fighting against each
other.” The earliest presidential election that Carolyn can vividly
recall is the election of Jimmy Carter. “That election was nothing
compared to this recent one”, she said. She said, that the polls
remained crowded during the recent election. “Other times, there
weren’t as many people”, she said.
-more-
The lives of Robert and Bernice have been impacted by media.
They remember when color television was created. “Of course it was
too expensive for us to get a colored TV”, said Robert. Overall,
the influence of media made their lives more convenient. Both have
flip phones. They agree that the invention of cell phones is still
sort of new to them, along with the idea of the internet. Carolyn
says that in college she was so fascinated with the computer, so
much that she took up a typing class. She agrees with the idea that
media has influenced her life.
-30-
Sources:
Robert and Bernice Wallace, grandparents of interviewee,
870-343-2937.
Carolyn Williams, family friend of interviewee,
901-336-4117.
Grandparents interview audio part 2 above
Grandparents interview audio part 3 above
Grandparents interview audio part 1
Picture of Carolyn Williams below
Profile
Profile
Dec. 11, 2020
Principles of Journalism
by Kimberly Troup
Aspiring Journalist
Media has the ability to alter a person’s viewpoints. Media for
example may portray teachers in a negative light, saying that
rather than having the students at heart, all they really want to
do is collect a paycheck. People working at the Crittenden DHS have
to affectively deal and communicate with different personalities
each day. Every job or career has its pros and cons, but it is
better to speak from experience than to let the media be the
judge.
Allison Walker is 26 years old, and teaches kindergarten at
Marion Visual and Performing Arts Center in West Memphis, Arkansas.
Walker was born in Memphis, Tennessee and grew up in West Memphis,
Arkansas. She still resides in West Memphis and is entering into
her second year of teaching.
The best time of Walker’s life was having the opportunity to
travel to New York City with her high school choir. She said “ it
opened my eyes even more to the possibility of greatness; the idea
that I can literally be anything that I wanted to be.” Walker was
always passionate about her career choice, however sometimes she
lacked in “unwavering faith” she said. To help with that, she likes
to surround herself with older people. As she surrounds herself
with older generations, “their wisdom becomes an influencer” and
with that alone she can grow in faith daily.
Walker dreams about her students coming up to her years from
now, telling her how much of an impact she made on their life. “The
most important thing for me when I step into the classroom, is to
give the
students all I have that day”, she said. Walker says that many
times the media portrays the teacher as being mean and noncaring.
“I wish those who are saying things like that could be a fly on the
wall in my classroom”, she said. “Don’t get me wrong, everything
isn’t always roses and petals”, she said. Walker’s first traumatic
event to happen in the classroom was when a little boy cut a piece
of a little girls pony tail off. “At the time, I had 22 students
and they all were like popping firecrackers in the classroom”, she
said. After the incident occurred, she said that she asked the
assistant to take over for two minutes, and she went to the
bathroom and cried. “I don’t know how that happened, how did I not
see it?”, she said.
Instead of focusing on teachers, Walker would like journalists,
or the media to look at the students. “Take a look at how they come
to school; how they’re dressed, how they behave” she said. “There
is a bigger picture, and it’s that children need someone to fight
for them; their wellbeing and safety”, she said.
Zellie Smith is 41 years old and she works at Crittenden DHS in
West Memphis, Arkansas. Smith was born in Forrest City, Arkansas
and grew up in Turrell, Arkansas. When she was younger, she thought
she wanted to be in the WNBA, however that changed once she got
older. Smith said that she wanted to have a job that was much
bigger than herself; she wanted to make a difference. She is
married and has three children, and they all reside in Proctor,
Arkansas.
Smith said she enjoys her job, “there’s something new everyday”,
she said. “Communication is key at my job”, she said. As a part of
Smith’s job, she sometimes has to interview people. With
interviewing people, Smith says body language is one of the first
things she looks at. When she first started working there, she said
she didn’t know what to expect, all she knew was that she wanted to
help people. “A lot of times, people step into my office angry”,
she said. “One time, a man came into my office and demand I help
get him food stamps, he threatened me and all”, she said. The
police eventually had to escort
him out, but Smith says that after that incident, she questioned
if she
wanted to continue to work there. It really shook her up, but
nevertheless, she persevered.
This year, Smith’s nine-year old daughter, Alaina, became very
ill. Smith noticed something different with Alaina when she would
refuse to eat, “anybody who knows Alaina, can attest to the fact
that she loves to eat”, she said. Therefore Alaina’s refusal to do
so alarmed her mother. The doctors discovered that Alaina was
experiencing Kidney failure, and she needed one immediately or she
could die.
Due to her daughters health, Smith had to temporarily leave her
job. She took care and watched over her daughter daily. With
medical bills stacking up, Smith knew she had to bring more money
in somehow. She started her own decorative cake business. At first
she said it was about the money, but as she continued to bake, it
turned into a passion. “I started this business to help save my
daughter’s life, I had no idea that it was flourish as much as it
did”, she said.
Zellie’s dream is to not only open a shop for herself, but to
open one up for her family. “One thing I learn daily from my job at
DHS, and from baking, is that life is way too short not to take
chances”, she said. Zellie spends most of her time baking, when not
working. Alaina was placed on the donors list, and now has a new
kidney. Due to Coronavirus, and her safe recovery, Alaina
participates in virtual learning from home. “I consider myself
fortunate because while I’m at work, my husband can look after
Alain, because he works at night as a truck driver”, she said.
Zellie says she would like to be remembered as someone who will
do almost anything for the ones she love. She says her best
character traits are creativity, selflessness, and honesty. What
Zellie wants the media or journalists to know, is that people are
suffering. “One my desk at work, I have a box of tissue”, she said.
“The reason I have a box of tissue is because at least one time
throughout the day, someone comes in crying”, she said.
“Journalists are suppose to bring awareness to the American
people”, she said. “Journalists need to report on how many
people are on food stamps, need welfare, and how many people
have their children taken away from them and placed into foster
care”, she said.
George Clay is 35 years old and is a fire fighter for the West
Memphis Fire Department. Clay was born in Memphis, Tennessee and
raised in West Memphis, Arkansas. He currently still resides in
West Memphis. As a child, Clay said he always knew what he wanted
to be, a fire fighter. The material goods he surrounds himself with
is his bible, his cellphone and his grandfathers watch. The bible
he says always reminds him to be humble and do what’s right, his
cellphone is his way of communication, and his grand-fathers watch
symbolizes strength.
If his house was to catch fire, he would try to save his
grand-fathers watch. “The watch that I wear, has been passed down
through generations, when my father died, he gave it to me, and
said by wearing it, the strength of my ancestors would be with me”,
he said.
What really matters to him is the BLM movement and the
overall
wellness of people in America. “America is suppose to be a place
of freedom, but instead it is place of division”, he said. He said
that he would die for a just cause, “everyday we get a call of a
fire, I risk my life, I am willing to die to ensure the safety of
others”, he said.
Clay is related to the Mayor of West Memphis, Marco Mcclendon.
“Marco is my cousin, and almost every week I go up to his office or
we have lunch and talk about how we can better improve our city and
help minorities”, he said. What Clay would like for journalist to
know or to highlight, is the mental health of fire fighters. Clay
said fire fighters are known for being tough, “but we too are
human, and risking our lives sometimes isn’t always an easy pill to
swallow”, he said.
-30-
Sources:
Allison Walker, kindergarten teacher at Marion Visual and
Performing Arts Center, 901-626-7980.
Zellie Smith, DHS worker, 901-232-1301.
George Clay, West Memphis Fire Department, 870-514-7111.
Allison Walker:
Zellie Smith:
Resume
Kimberly Troup Resume
