To Whom It May Concern,

If you still enjoy reading my work then please take a peek at my new blog; Write To Me One Day.

http://writetomeoneday.blogspot.com.au/

Live life large,
Nikki Keating.
Xx

To Whom It May Concern,

I no longer need to write this blog as part of an assessment. After this post, my blogging career can end. Yet, I don't think it will. I've actually truly enjoyed blogging as a form of writing, whether it be about news, culture or just to rant. So, with that in mind I can see myself blogging for a long time to come...just not on this blog.

I've managed to explore many different kinds of writing and journalism in this blog. It's been interesting to record what I learnt from my lectures, to have a chance to discover different mediums and read the works of other journalists.

Blogging is an interesting form of writing because you have the ability to publish work in a way that also allows the author to add their two cents. For better or for worse. It also gives readers the opportunity to interact directly with the author. However, because of that, this blog had been very random.

So, that is why I've decided to begin a new blog. Or two? Dedicated to news or personal opinion. If you're interested in reading any more of my work then keep an eye on this blog because I'll post my new url as a final post.

To those this blog concerned,
Thank you.

Nikki Keating.

To Whom It May Concern,

I have always been the kind of person who read the 'about' tab on a website. I get my kicks out of understanding more about the organisation, owner or promoter of whatever I'm reading. So, when a man that goes by the name of Steve Molk introduced himself in my final journalism lecture and talked about his blog, I went straight to the 'about' tab.

About

Television. Like it or not, it’s at the core of popular culture. It sets the tone of public opinion and as a result it offers all of us the opportunity to become armchair directors, producers, casting agents & critics.
The glowing box in the corner of the room became very quickly the flat shiny panel hanging on the wall and/or that iDevice in our pockets/satchels. How we consume our television is changing. That we talk about television is not.
I like talking about TV. A lot. I hope you do to, & hang around to read, listen, & get involved in the conversation.

http://molkstvtalk.com/about/

 I am not the kind of person who enjoys a lot of television. I can sit on the couch and stare at the television, don't get me wrong, I do it often.  As far as content is concerned however, most soap operas, reality TV shows and sagas don't entice my idea of entertainment. I'm not even going to mention advertisements. Not in this post anyway.

Yet, I can respect and admire the effort Steve Molk puts into his website based on a variety of things; starting with his 'about' spiel. There is an evident enjoyment and entertainment value that he - and his vast audience - can gain from reading, writing and watching the content on Molkstvtalk.com. If any sort of website can fund, fuel and feed a small business based primarily on a hobby shared by many then it is worth checking out.

Steve Molk, however, was not there just to give a plug about his website. The idea was to promote an awareness that blogging was becoming a feasible enterprise in many worlds including journalism. With a few mild references to writing a blog on 'bum scratching', Molk made it clear that he believed that it was possible to create a business or network of sorts based primarily on two factors; 1) the author has some vague grasp on technology and 2) the author cares about the subject they're writing about. Passion and enjoyment count for everything in the blogging world, even if all you want to write about is 'bum scratching' (or so I've been told).

So I consider my 'hobbies'; reading, writing, travelling and learning. That's something I could love and labour over....Now that I think about it...

To Whom It May Concern,

Investigative Journalism is not one of the paths of journalism I had really considered when I started this degree. Now, it has captivated me.

One of the most difficult aspects of being a first year, that I have found, is keeping up with it all. Not necessarily the lectures or tutes, but the influx of news that is available all the time is extremely pressing. I've found that, while I used to watch the news at night, listen to it on the radio and read the occasional newspaper, I wasn't even close to realising how little I was consuming.

Currently I read the news on Brisbanetimes.com.au and Couriermail.com.au everyday, I follow theglobalmail.org and Propublica.org as often as I can, I frequently check the news on twitter, I listen to Triple J on the radio almost every morning and tune in to the news every night. The amount that I'm consuming at the moment still feels inadequate.

What has interested me the most however, is the investigative journalism that I'm consuming.

I favour Theglobalmail.org, I won't bother you with why that one speaks to me the most, it simply does.

Here is a little bit about me:

My greatest love, second only to writing, is history.
This is a little bit of history on the "Trailblazers" of investigative journalism, highlighted in my lecture:

In 1885 a man named William T. Stead campaigned against child prostitution through a series of articles know as The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon. Stead took his investigations further by arranging the purchase of a 13 year old girl in conjunction with the Salvos. This was staged in order for the public and authorities to see the atrocities that were occurring. While this did get him convicted it pushed forth the passing of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 and the age of consent was changed from 12 to 16 years old.

From 1972 to 1974 Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncovered and reported on the WATERGATE affair until an entire government was brought to answer for their actions under President Nixon.

In 1987 The Moonlight State was released by investigative journalists including Chris Masters, Phil Dickie and Shaun Hoyt. Aired on television by Four Corners, Masters and his journalists poured out the dirty laundry of the authorities. The corruption of the Queensland Police that was reported on seeped all the way up to the Police Commissioner.

These journalists risked their lives and their reputations in order to keep the authorities in check, the truth in the media and the information in the publics' hands.

That's why I'm captivated.

Sheridan Burns, L, (2002), Finding News. In Sheridan Burns, L (Eds.). Understanding Journalism (pp. 49 – 62). London: Sage Publications.

Finding News is a chapter within Understanding Journalism that clearly explains a set of processes that journalists must complete in assessing newsworthiness. The chapter is structured in a manner that allows the reader to follow the train of thought succinctly, as the author illustrates why each process is necessary to ensure a good story. It is stated, however, in the chapter that a journalist is required to come to a point in which they evaluate a story based on a list of news values. This aspect of the chapter needs refinement as the definite news values a journalist should abide by are uncertain. The values that Burns has used are a simplified version of Galtung and Ruge’s definition of news values in 1965. Since that point these values have repeatedly been modified, expanded and simplified. Therefore, it can be concluded that with the revision of Burns’ evaluation of the news values, to either include current moderations or reference a source, this chapter can be considered reliable as an academic paper.

Creagh, W. (2011, November 20). Schoolies Gold Coast First Night Blog. Brisbanetimes.com. Retrieved from http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/parties-romance-brawls-what-else-but-schoolies-week-20111120-1noxw.html.

The author, William Creagh, uses an informal form of writing throughout the post in relaying the events of the night to the audience. This method seems to serve two purposes; to underline the mood of 2011s Schoolies and to allow audiences to gain an understanding of the fast-paced and crazy culture of a ‘Schoolie’. This, at times when describing various acts that youth are taking part of, leans towards a belittling tone however is saved by the personal reflections that are written throughout the piece. Structured as a timeline it is evident to the audience how the sequences of events unfold and allows for a further insight into the night. Creagh has manipulated time and language in a contemporary manner in the blog that ensures an effective result.  Due to Creagh’s choice to move away from formal language in the post there is a clear push towards descriptive language. Each paragraph details closely the clothes, attitude and atmosphere of the scene. This is effective in conveying a first-hand account of 2011s Schoolies at the Gold Coast. Therefore, while it is evident that the post targets an informal audience and offers a colourful view of the night’s events, it can be considered a credible source.

Field, D. (2011, November 20). School leavers celebrate on Gold Coast. ABC News. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYp-bnboa5Q.

The video, reported by Donna Field, about 2011 Schoolies clearly identifies key issues that the public is concerned about regarding the event, however, is contradictory in a few instances. Introduced at the news room, with praise by Queensland Police at the behaviour of those attending, the video is shot with a voice over showing crowds celebrating. As this form of media is visual, capturing crowds and movement along the street is extremely effective way to convey the scene. The video then moves on to show various arrests and includes a voice over from Fields giving the facts about how many arrests had taken place. At this point it is still clear that while the event had not been without drama it was still progressing along with a fair atmosphere. The contradiction occurs at 1:00 minute when Field talks about teenagers ‘getting out of hand’ in buildings as well as on the ground. The manner in which the reporter describes that ‘many’ as misbehaving is contradictory to the introduction as well as her next sentence in which she states, “But the majority just relishes their first week without parental guidance…”. Aside from the contradictory remark the piece does not lean to a bias of any sort and serves to cater to the whole public as an audience. Therefore this video can be considered reliable.

Stolz, G. (2011, November 25). Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson praises 2011 schoolies as best behaved yet. The Courier-Mail. Retrieved from http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/schoolies-score-high-marks-from-cops/story-e6freoof-1226205435465.

The article written by Gary Stolz on Schoolies presents a simple update on reported behaviour and gives the Queensland Police’s official opinion on the occasion.  In establishing that the event was not without violence, Stolz continues on to explain that, even with this in mind, the behaviour of the Schoolies class of 2011 has been “arguably the best yet” to which he quotes Police commissioner Bob Atkinson. In quoting various officers Stolz ensures the credibility of his report and also gives the audience reassurance. Paul Ziebarth, the superintendent of the Gold Coast was one such officer quoted to remark about the favourable behaviour of the teenagers. Stolz takes this further in quoting Ziebarth who explained that he continues to “remind schoolies to watch their behaviour”. This ensures that he has effectively targeted his audience in multiple ways. By giving credence to his report through the use of the police, Stolz has given reassurance to the family and friends of those attending as well as the community who could perhaps be worried about the condition of their buildings and beaches. Targeting the teenagers attending Schoolies has also been achieved in Ziebarth’s quote to continue to stay safe.  Therefore, this report has attained credibility and ensured its relevance.

Reference List.


Creagh, W. (2011, November 20). Schoolies Gold Coast First Night Blog. Brisbanetimes.com. Retrieved from http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/parties-romance-brawls-what-else-but-schoolies-week-20111120-1noxw.html.

Field, D. (2011, November 20). School leavers celebrate on Gold Coast. ABC News. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYp-bnboa5Q.

Sheridan Burns, L, (2002), Finding News. In Sheridan Burns, L (Eds.). Understanding Journalism(pp. 49 – 62). London: Sage Publications.

Stolz, G. (2011, November 25). Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson praises 2011 schoolies as best behaved yet. The Courier-Mail. Retrieved from http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/schoolies-score-high-marks-from-cops/story-e6freoof-1226205435465.

To Whom It May Concern,

Please excuse my next post, it is required for assessment.

To Whom It May Concern,

The eleventh lecture in my Journalism course really captured my attention. The hour was dedicated to talking about Agenda Setting and I was introduced to a new concept;

Reality is Socially Constructed.

 I initially found this hard to come to terms with. Surely reality isn't subject to my social life. The word reality is often used in popular culture in regards to the harsh aspects of life, non-fiction and undesirable truths. So where does that fit in with my social life? I eventually came to a few conclusions;

The reality that the public and individuals encounter in their daily life, is a reflection of what they experience. It is impossible to title something reality unless it occurs somewhere in the world. Therefore, it is actually extrememly logical to suggest that reality is constructed by social influences.

So what is a journalists' role in all of this?

The media has a huge role in this concept. If our social awareness directly influences our reality then what we consume and regenerate as an audience must also massively impact this.

In  1922, Walter Lippman explained that 'mass media creates images in our heads about events'. This is an interesting idea, or reality rather, because it suggests that our own personal opinion is coloured deeply by the opinions of the journalists that present them. 

Bernard Cohen repudiated this somewhat in 1963 when he ventured that the media does not tell you what to think, merely what to think about.

It is incredibly controversial to suggest that people do not own their own opinions on subjects that matter so much they are considered 'news' at times. So, I asked around.

Kelsey Swift, a biomedical science student at the University of Queensland, believes that if the media did not affect our opinions and the way we percieve certain events, then they would not be doing their job right.

Ms Swift agreed that the media, "directly tells you what to think about, even if you do not agree with the views promoted. Hearing about (events) wherever you go puts them in the forefront of your mind so that the arguments that support (the media's view) are already subliminally running through your mind".

Jake Day, a student of psychological science at Griffith University, expanded on this notion.

Mr Day conceded that "the media does direct the way the public thinks," yet went further to propose that "the public also directs the way the media reacts".

As a medium, the television was the most common form of media that conveyed journalistic opinion to the audience. Therefore, the question becomes a matter of trust. If we know that the media is conveying to us opinions on what is important, are we being influenced by journalists with our own interests in mind?

To Whom It May Concern,

I discovered something beautiful.
There is a strange kind of achievement in seeing your own work coming together. When you can see exactly what you envisioned forming into a functioning dream, well, that's special. I stumbled upon a little store like that on Mother's Day with my family.

Introducing: Glory Box.

If you find yourself wandering around New Farm or the Valley and are looking for some incredible new clothes, vintage, or a little inspiration, let your feet take you to Glory Box.
Glory Box only opened a few weeks ago by the extremely creative, Amy Jory. It's home to gorgeous, new and pre-loved shoes, accessories, vintage clothing and collectables.

Cue beautiful photos:

You'll find this little gem at 1/599 Brunswick Street in New Farm. Keen to see some more of it? Have a look at http://www.facebook.com/#!/GloryBox.net.au or go to glorybox.net.au.

To Whom It May Concern,

I'm a student of journalism. If anyone asked me what I was doing with my life at the moment I would answer 'studying journalism'. I do not have the inclination yet to answer 'I'm a journalist'. I don't know why, perhaps it has to do with the fact that beside this blog my contribution to the world of media seems significantly minimal. However, the irony is, I still believe my opinion on various aspects of media matters. Especially the news. In fact, I believe the opinion of the public far outweighs that of the journalists.

The news is a medium that I love and loathe. It is a vital form of journalism, if not the most important. When the floods hit, when the earthquake hit, when the tsunami hit - the world was kept in the loop. The terror and pressures were shared. People had the capacity to do something. The images were heartbreaking yet there was a human element to the entire thing because it was presented on the news.

What I loathe is when it becomes acceptable for trivial stories to hit the air that are filling our minds with useless information, bad habits and gossip. A vast degree of the political stories, not all, but much, verges on over-technical drama. I can watch my family switch off in the living room the minute a prominent politician's name is uttered. If you bring up politics in public, eyes go glassy, thoughts wander and suddenly everyone you're talking to is nodding for the sake of seeming polite.

That should not be the standard response when you mention the Australian Government. Get rid of all of the irrelevant political nonsense on the news and maybe the nation will look up at the TV screen when their political leader's name is spoken. That's your job news! Get us interested in the nation. Stop showing us crap. Pretty please.

I not even going to largely mention the stories about the cow that got loose that one time or the neighbour that won't cut down his tree and it's ruining someones life. THAT IS NOT NEWS. Kindly make a TV show called 'Trivial Gossip' and air it that way. I'm fine with that!

This rant was brought to you by the content I learnt in my ninth lecture. That of news values.

To Whom It May Concern,
Channel 9 news, 6:25.
Wally Lewis speaking about a racecart driver who fixed a toilet seat to the cart, he says
"Well, he must be flushed with achievement," with a straight face. Lame. Right? Definitely lame.
Not unethical, just lame. Almost tacky.
That's the problem with media, more often commercials, and I only figured it out in my eighth lecture. There are advertisements we see everyday that people complain are unethical however they are simply tacky. Usually this has to do with gender issues.

Cue Tacky Ads That Verge on Unethical:

Right? Enough to piss off any feminist. The question is, unethical or just tacky? Check out these next images and make up you're own mind...

The first one I just shook my head.
The second one made me laugh.
The third....

So, where is the line? When do advertisements, or any form of media for that matter, cross over from tacky to unethical?

To Whom It May Concern,

Mike

 A factual story

For as long a Mike could remember, he wanted to go to sea. That was his dream. He did not want to go as a radio operator like his father, James, nor as an ordinary seaman like his uncles had. Mike wanted to be a deck officer and, someday, become a Captain. Yet times were tough in the early years of his life.

Michael Keating was born 22^nd September 1931 in Clifton, Bristol during the Great Depression that preceded the Second World War. Life in England during Mike’s early years were not easy, especially for his mother, Margaret, who stayed at home while James went to sea to earn what he could for the family.

Mike had only begun school for a short time when the Second World War was declared and his father moved the family to Blaisdon to work at Filton as a security officer in charge of Air Raid Safety.

Mike went through school still holding onto the dream of going out to sea, much to his father’s adamant disapproval.

“One fool in the family is quite enough,” James once said to Mike. Yet when Mike turned seventeen and sat the entrance exam for the Royal Navy for the second time, it became clear to James that this was what he truly wanted.

In the summer of 1948, Mike worked with his father on one of A & P Campbell’s paddle steamers. The Captain, an old Scotsman named Findlay Brander knew that Mike wanted to go to sea and while Mike stayed on board for some of his summer holidays, Brander taught him the basics of seamanship.

In August, two Bristol Channel Pilots who were waiting for their Pilot Cutter to come in and pick them up told Mike of a vacancy for an apprentice on the pilot boat. A week later he was enlisted as a junior probationer on the “Belle View”. He was 17 years old.

In July 1951, Portishead, Mike worked on a cutter that was moored as a form of accommodation for the older apprentices and shipmates. It was here, when he was rostered off, that he met Maureen, the woman that would one day become his wife. At the time Mike had two and a half years left of his apprenticeship and when he was not at sea they lived fifty miles apart, yet he had fallen in love. Many, including Maureen’s mother, opposed the relationship, causing at one point, Maureen to lose two jobs for the sake of being with Mike. Yet, against all odds, love triumphed.

Eventually, Mike had won over Maureen’s parents and when he returned from India in July, 1954, he asked for Maureen’s hand in marriage. Mike and Maureen were married in August, 1956 and moved to an apartment in Bristol. When Maureen gave birth to their first child, Mathew in June 1957, Mike was still out at sea until he was a few months old. It was from then that the beginning of this chapter of the Keating family began.

Dominic was born in October, 1959. When Anita was born in the January of 1961, the family had moved to a house in Bristol closer to where Mike worked as a Pilot up the Bristol Channel at the Port. John was born in September, 1962 and Mike and Maureen made the decision to move into a bigger house out into the country on acreage where they could raise the family.  While the family was living in Portbury, Mary was born in September 1963, Julia in August 1964 and Ben in September 1966. The family of nine lived out in the county for four more years.

By 1970 the Shipping trade had all but died off. The containerisation of freight had been introduced to major ports and the Port of Bristol was not one of them. After looking at their options, Mike moved his family to Plymouth to attend the university there for three years. After completing his degree in Maritime Studies in 1973, the Keating family immigrated to Perth, Australia where Mike worked briefly until he went back to sea on the Australian Coast for two years.

In 1975, Mike was then offered a job with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the family moved to Canberra. Mike and Maureen stayed in Canberra until all of their children had left home and Mike retired briefly in 1987. After being offered work with the United Nations, Mike moved to Tuvalu with Maureen for three years. When his contract ended they returned to Australia and Mike took up work in Tasmania as an Instructor at the Maritime College.

In 1992 Michael Keating officially retired and moved with Maureen to Townsville where they lived for 14 years. When Maureen fell ill they moved to Cairns, closer to their second eldest son, Dominic. Maureen passed away in 2010; a beautiful wife, mother and grandmother.

Mike spent a year travelling around the world, staying with family and friends, until he returned to Australia in 2011 to live on Magnetic Island off the coast of Townsville.  Mike currently still lives on the island in Horseshoe Bay. The last time the eldest of his Grandchildren went to visit him for his 80^th birthday in September he told them about a couple he had met who offered him a job as a Pilot on their ship. He’s still considering taking up the offer.

To Whom It May Concern,

 It's a curious feeling when you realise your world is changing. It always hits me in a spectacularly ordinary moment. I know it's natural, I'm not particularly worried.  These moments do however put a lot of your life into perspective.  I can feel the world moving that little bit faster around me. I'm seeing the people I love less and it makes the time I'm with them all the more important.

 New thoughts are mattering to me in a massive way. Especially thoughts about things I couldn't even fathom before; politics, freedom, liberty, love, a time to be bold, a time to say nothing.  There is an element of pure discovery in all of this though. I'm discovering more about people and not all of that is in a good way.

I'm discovering more about what I believe is important. This post has been extremely self oriented but I suppose it was coming. Please excuse me for the lapse in concentration (if my prior posts hadn't already done that). But I vowed to write about people and for all intents and purposes, I am a person.

To Whom It May Concern,

I've been reading letters my Grandpa sent to me about his childhood and thinking about the life that was lead back then. While we are extremely privileged to live in the 21st century I cannot help but to envy him a few, I suppose unimportant, norms. I'm not sure either if envy is the word I'm searching for but perhaps I'll figure that out further on in this post.

My Grandpa was born in 1931, the Great Depression. Times were incalculably tough and reading how his family, well, my family, functioned during those times is incredible. Yet there was something about those times that seems so very genuine. The way people were back then, even as war loomed over them, was truly genuine.

A community really was just that. When food was rationed it was left out on the street to be collected. We wouldn't dream of that now. I don't doubt that at times food was stolen but we are so suspicious of each other now that it would not be a possibility.  Families helped other families when times got especially tough. Nine year olds could ride a bicycle five miles to the closest bus stop to get to school. The thought of that these days renders most parents in total panic.

Following that further, '30 minutes of exercise' as a necessity definitely didn't exist. Why? Because people HAD to keep fit to survive. These days a child will complain throughout their entire school career about walking a few streets over to the bus stop with their school bags. If it really comes down to it and we have to walk to school, well, isn't that just the end of the world? The way we abuse what we have been given; transport, running water, the ability to keep physically fit, readily available food...it puts things into perspective.

As I think about it I come to a horrifying realisation.

The only thing that would make people change their lifestyles and not take advantage of what we have been given is war.

Isn't that disgusting.

To Whom It May Concern,

I think there is much that we take for granted regarding the imagination of a child. I honestly believe it is a source we should learn from. This world is far too big and there are far too many awful realities without having hope that the good guys will chase the monsters away. Why do we let logic win once we get a little older? I doubt we are any better off for it. In fact we may even be worse off because relinquishing our hold over belief in everything makes our world that little bit greyer. What's wrong with believing anyway?

Have you ever seen a child by themself that was so absorbed in the crux of their imagination that they didn't even register your presence? So enthralled by their own version of a story that they have squatted down as low as humanly possible but are still perfectly mobile as they scoot across the ground vigorously? It's cute right? You almost envy them that innocence.

Well, the only thing that's stopping you is your own pride. It would be a great shock to come upon a 40 year old man, with his arms outstretched, zooming down the pathway. Why? It's not what adults do. To see a grown woman rolling down a grassy hill for funsies would be utterly absurd. But wouldn't it also be freaking fantastic?!

Obviously, there is a time when adults need to be adults and children likewise but that is not all of the time. Give yourself a moment, even once a week, to act like a complete child.

Jump in the puddles.
Play on the swings.
Make up Batman's next adventure.
Sing a song with three lyrics over and over again.
Dance in the living room by flailing your arms and bouncing.
Go and watch a kids movie. Nemo never fails to impress.

I think this world could benefit by throwing off the veil of responsibility every now and then.

To Whom It May Concern,

Remember being told never to bite the hand that feeds you? It's not always that simple. Sometimes that hand needs to know not to oppress. History has shown us that countless times. Well, what if that hand was the government? Would you still do it then?

Some of the greatest songs are written about just that.

Cue two perfectly opposite examples: Try not to judge.

Country music singers, the Dixie Chicks, released a song that was banned in the U.S because it challenged the government for sending their boys out to war and not bringing them home. Titled 'Not Ready To Play Nice', the song's lyrics even hint towards death threats the girls received when they tried to release the song.
Have a listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pojL_35QlSI&ob=av2e

Punk rock band, Rise Against, focus their lyrics on political, social and environmental issues of our time without flinching. The song 'Hero of War' is a clear example of this. A song about the horrors of what it really means to be a soldier of war, the lyrics will resonate with you for a very long time.
I deeply recommend hearing this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DboMAghWcA

So, it happens in music all of the time. The last place I thought it would happen would be in public media. I love public media, if you read my last post you'd have a vague sense of how I feel about commercial media. That said, while I understood that public media was funded by the government I had never really realised how necessary it is for public media to oppose the government for the sake of the people. It was only until I was literally told this in my seventh lecture that it made sense. The people would not watch a government funded program that endorsed the government. What's the point?

In the wise words of my lecturer Dr Bruce Redman, if the government ever start to like shows like the ABC then we're all buggered. Public media is for the public, I just wonder how long this will last. It's stood the test of time so far but how long can we have a media that is designed to challenge the authority? Better yet, what if people like the musicians stated above had a say about what public media should be? Would we allow it? Would other nations follow suit? In my opinion? Not a chance.

To Whom It May Concern,

 I'm watching Days Of Our Lives or the Bold and the Beautiful or one of those rubbish television shows. I'm not sure why, I just got sucked in. Everybody seems so be pregnant and crying. I feel stupid just watching this. I can envision my brain cells depleting. I'm getting dumber.

What's wrong with television? I understand they want to reach everyone in the general public but surely if they aimed for a more intelligent audience evolution would kick in A LITTLE BIT! Yet, that trend seems fairly common in media these days. My sixth lecture for Journalism and Communication kind of cleared up any disillusions I had about why I felt dumb watching television. Commercial media does target a 'dumber' audience.

Consider these shows: A Current Affair, Today Tonight, Neighbours, Home and Away, The Project.
If you like watching most of these shows its probably because it doesn't take a whole heap of brain power and you are fed information that makes good gossip. No judgement here.

Cue explanatory photo:

It boils down to what we're happy with. Are we content watching television because it uses very little brain power and we just have to sit there? Or would we rather be watching more engaging and intelligent shows? And is it really worth starting an uprising over? In the eyes of a journalist I'd say yes, dammit. In the eyes of an ordinary citizen I'm fence sitting. What do you think about it? Hmm?

To Whom It May Concern,

There is an incredible attraction to the human voice. I have never really considered radio a beautiful medium until Steve Austin spoke in a sound lecture in my fifth week at Uni. Steve spoke about how one of the most important aspects of being a radio presenter was to remain human. Yet, it is such an obvious realisation when you consider the human voice. To find someone who listens to you is a precious thing and that is something that radio presenters truly strive to do. They listen. That is the kind of media that makes me remember why I started this degree. I wanted to be a part of something run by people, about things that affected people, for people. I couldn't care less if that is a lame theory. It's why I started this degree. To make sure that people were informed.

Radio and sound is the perfect medium for that. There aren't any flashy pictures or confusing images to distract you. It's just one voice that you can tune in and out as you please. One of the most beautiful things about radio is that you have the chance to put in your own two cents. Radio is media by the people, for the people, with the people. Doesn't that just warm the cockles of your heart?

It goes without saying that some voices truly 'speak' to you. I have never met a soul on this planet who wasn't swayed by the unmistakable sound of Morgan Freeman speaking. If I could write a script with God as a voice over, Freeman would be my man. Props to War of the Worlds for coining that one. But beyond that, consider your teachers, parents, friends and family. Often you don't care if what they are talking about is rubbish - you just want them to speak. Yet when they do, everyone listens. And remembers. That is an incredible attraction and proof that there is more to radio than meets the ear, excusing that terrible pun.

To Whom It May Concern,

I remember standing in an art gallery looking at all of the paintings and wondering why this was 'art'. There was an intense variety of art work on the walls and it was obvious that all of the work had been done by different people at different moments yet that did not necessarily make it art. So what did? How could a picture mean so much to someone that they deem it 'art'?

My fourth lecture in Journalism and Communication presented to me the notion of picture stories as being just as powerful as the written word. In my view, the written word will only influence those who can relate to it or who crave to understand it. So can that be said for pictures? Doubtless. Yet, it is the people interpreting those images and their stories that decide whether it is powerful or not.

Consider Jason deCaires Taylor. This is a man who sculpts for hours upon hours and then literally throws his artwork out to sea. I thought it was a perfectly insane thing to do so I looked into his work. It is beautiful. Truly, incredibly breath-taking. To me.

One of his images in particular holds a place in my heart.

(It's definition can be translated to mean a change in circumstance/fortune)

Vicissitudes

If you go to Grenada in the West Indies and dive five metres down you will come across twenty six people. Isn't that just so deliciously absurd?! But more than that is who are these people? Why are they holding hands? Why face out and not in? One of the most astounding realisations is they were put underwater for people to find? Here, in this picture of  26 individuals, joined by the hands, at the bottom of the ocean. There is no explanation given. We know from the title that these people are experiencing a change in circumstance. We probably could have figured that out alone. The remarkable thing is that  there are thousands of stories we could tell from this picture.

Thus, I have come to realise that the old saying was wrong. A picture does not tell a thousand words. It tells a thousand stories. People can relate to stories and that is why it must be art.

To Whom It May Concern,

I will aways cherish more about a book than its story.
There is much more to a magazine than the pictures.
Newspapers always smell old and fantastic.

Except that is all personal opinion. Maybe you loathe the weight of carrying around a book? Perhaps you only care for the pictures of a magazine? It's even possible that the smudges on your fingers from a Newspaper are just too much to bear and you wish to be free of this 'traditional' media. My second lecture in Journalism and Communication made me think about the mentality behind the move from 'traditional' to 'modern' media. I'll be the first to say I'm not a fan. But, that is once again my personal opinion and probably not relevant. I'll promise to try and concentrate.

'Modern' media encompasses much of the technological revolutions of our century. News is delivered to you straight from your laptop, iPad or iPhone. You can even subscribe to online newspapers to be better enlightened by what is happening around you. It seems wonderful, doesn't it?
Magazines are now making a move towards online publishing, for those who prefer the ease of access they get from technology. Suddenly, you have both your newspapers and your magazines delivered straight to your inbox. Sweet, right?
Now for the tri-fecta. Let's publish books electronically and ensure that no one has to go out of their way to access the news, literature or articles. How could there be anything wrong with such simplicity?

It's simple, traditional media will die. That is what's wrong. Books are already on their way out with massive reductions in sales. Magazines are converting to online publishing so fast it's a wonder they bother to publish hard copies at all. Yet, that is not completely relevant either because it is coloured by my opinion.

What is relevant is the fact that with so many people subscribing to various online media sites, the demand for a new kind of news will emerge. There is no denying that there is a mentality popular among us that craves to be entertained. It's human nature. Boredom is well, boring. So, it is only too long before a rise in entertainment-based news is in demand. What does that mean for journalism if the stories that aren't thrilling don't cut it? Following this further, a newspaper costs around $1 - $3. Can the industry-driven businessmen guarantee that it wont change?

'Modern' media is not entirely bad, it times of crisis quick and easy access to information is vital. However, the death of 'tradtional' media may be a bigger sacrifice than it seems.

The relationship between journalism, communication and the general public will be ever evolving as society continues to change. This relationship can be strengthened once particular patterns are recognised in the public’s behaviour toward the media. Results taken from a poll of 436 university students showed a trend towards changes in the public’s attitude towards the media. When an individual’s sample was extracted from the poll it became evident that an online audience was taking shape in society. This gives an indication of the types of media that should be generated to accommodate this change.

Below is a graph illustrating the types of media utilised by a single student over a ten day period. It is clear from this graph that the laptop was the most common medium, and it can also be said that accessing the internet was the most frequent media usage.

When the individual’s data was compared with the survey in Fig.1, it supported the findings that the most common form of media, due to its ease of accessibility, was the internet. Over 75% of those polled admitted they used the internet for up to 4 hours a day.

Fig. 1

Acknowledging that the internet was the most frequent media usage, it was important to establish what types of online activity was conducted for the media to target a specific audience.          

The students stated that their internet usage mainly consisted of accessing the social media site Facebook, emailing, general surfing and research (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2

This trend was also evident in the individual’s Media Use Diary (Fig. 3, portion of Media Use Diary) as the majority of the time spent online was accessing Facebook, Hotmail or Google.

Fig. 3

If media forms such as radio or news wished to increase their audiences it would be beneficial for them to make online access easier. The data from the poll shows that to keep up to date with the latest news, over 65% of student’s accessed online newspapers (Fig. 4). To strengthen the relationship between journalism, communication and the public, the use of the internet as a popular form of accessing radio and the news would be beneficial.

Fig. 4

The most common channel of listening to music was via an iPod or phone; however there is still a large majority that use their computers. Therefore, if radio was to be broadcasted regularly on Facebook, a bigger audience could be reached (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5

Based on the findings derived from the data a conclusion can be drawn about the role of journalism and communication in a changing society.  To ensure that the relationship between journalism, communication and the public remains strong and relevant, a move must be made towards increasing accessibility to online media.

To Whom It May Concern,

Please excuse my next post, it is an assessment that must be submitted in such a way.

To Whom It May Concern,

Today has been a day of strange revelations. I discovered the art of burning coffee for instance. Yet that does not even compete with what I discovered moments ago; being sick brings people together.
That sounds awful doesn't it? Don't picture two ruddy nosed strangers in bathrobes surrounded by mountains of tissues hugging one another. That's not what I mean at all. What's wrong with you?

Have you noticed how everybody seems to be getting sick? At first it was your friend, then it was a sibling, then you're on a bus trying not breathe because everybody is sniffling and suddenly it's you? Yeah, that's how it went for me. So, today I'm under quarantine because of that stupid bus ride and am seriously hating my immune system. Cue melodramatic obscenities.

Then, something kind of wonderful happened. After being coaxed into doing my sisters washing for twenty dollars (don't judge, you would too), I was downstairs loading washing machine. It's really not pretty; I forgot a tissue, I'm too lazy to go back upstairs and this brings us to a whole lot of sniffing and blinking and odd face distorting. Finally, my senses get jack of being contorted and I sneezed. Low and behold I hear a voice from next door yell 'Bless You'. I thank him for his kindness and continue on feeling mildly embarrassed but thinking that was so nice of him. Then, after a moment of silence I hear him sneeze and realising he has been sentenced to quarantine too I yell out 'Bless You". This led to a lot of laughing between the two of us.

I have no idea which of my neighbours it is, I can't see his face nor could he see mine. I just thought it was super damn cute that it was our mutual sickness that brought us together. Isn't life odd? Or it is just mine? Oh how I love people.

To Whom It May Concern,

I am not the kind of person who finds much pleasure in routine. To live my every day as similar as the day just gone seems nonsensical to me, and not the good kind of nonsensical. So much is happening in the world and in each moment something beautiful is unfolding. Terrible beauty is something that has occurred to me recently. There is much to understand about, for instance, choosing the better of two evils. There is a beauty to each moment and sometimes it is impossible to escape the awful moments. That doesn't make them any less beautiful. This, I find every day in the news.

My first lecture begged the question, "What is Journalism?". The responses were fairly curious. Philip Graham, the publisher of The Washington Post, responded fairly poetically, in my opinion, as he explained that "Journalism is the first rough draft of history." American historian and novelist Edward Eggleston claimed that "Journalism is organised gossip." There seemed to be no wrong answer, and, consistent with the repeated notion that I was already a journalist, I wondered how I would answer that question.

Steal back to my first paragraph for a moment and I have derived that, at this moment, on this day, at such a time in my life, journalism to me, is capturing the beautiful moments. And that, I could do every single day for the rest of my life.

To Whom It May Concern,

In no way do I intend to discuss or argue about faith in this post. I don't even want to write about it much more than to say, to a vast extent, for my own reasons, I believe everything happens for a reason.

In doing my Bachelor of Journalism I have elected to do studies in American history from 1945 to the present. Currently I am investigating society in the 1950's and how they functioned under the strain of the Cold War. What I have found consists largely of a push towards epic consumerism and mass production. The true beginning of it. Keep that in mind.

Currently, my sister is studying a bachelor of something with about twenty five titles that I will never be able to remember until I'm old and senile. Therefore, my explanation of her degree is that it regards geography, economics, the regerneration of the environment and it's population. Please endeavour to keep this in mind also.

I never, in my wildest imaginations, thought that these two spheres of influence would ever relate.

About ten minutes ago, as we studied independently right next to each other, through some twisted wormhole of impossibility, I discovered that they do relate. In a very big way.

The 1950's was an era, I repeat, of MASS CONSUMPTION. When this ball got rolling America could well and truly deem itself saved from its past of 'buy only if necessary'. Here was the beginning of the 'good life'...We all know how this has eventuated. Even if you had been living under a rock you would know this because either a) your rock has become slighty eroded from the new toxins that have leaked into the air from this mass consumerism or b) they took away your rock to use in their mass consumerism. It's not exactly a surprise.

These days, it all seems a little bit bleak, end of the world, die from our own filth and greed hungry addictions blah, blah, blah. Right? We've heard it so often. It's not that we don't care. In fact, you probably really do care. It's just that you can't pin point the crux of the issue, or how it all works. Right? That was the boat I was in anyway. Then, luck would have it that my sister zoomed over in her little boat of new-found knowledge and showed me this little clip: "The Story Of Stuff" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GorqroigqM.

Cue a realisation of intense significance.

There is a way to tackle our fast impending global implosion. Understanding what happened in the 50's severly helps to create a foundation of understanding for what is happening now.
I believe that everything happens for a reason, so if by some absurd chance you did happen to read this post all the way to the bottom then humour me; watch that clip. Or tell someone about it. Because it matters.

To Whom It May Concern,

I couldn't shake off what Skye Doherty had said about the importance of text and words. A few posts ago I wrote about moments when words were unnecessary and since then the idea of words as an independant variable stuck with me. Words had always meant much to me; they allowed to me feel free either out loud or on paper. Words had always been there for me and much of my life I had spent cultivating and fine-tuning my vocabulary. Why? Because I believe there is a power in words. Then I did something I very rarely do; I went on Youtube and I typed in that exact thought. I found this:                                     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzgzim5m7oU

This clip goes for just over a minute and encompasses exactly how I feel about words. Watch it and tell me what you thought; I dare you.

To Whom It May Concern,

After my Journalism lecture today I could feel a few too many thoughts rattling around my head. I bought a mocha because I'm a coffee fiend and it masks the awful coffee on the campus, I found myself a lovely little piece of wall and took a seat. It was here that I had my epiphany. Cue photo:

There are so very many forms of Journalism out there that could be explored. In Brisbane alone there are around 3,000 different magazine titles in accordance to Bruce Woolley's findings. Who do I want to be as a writer and who on earth is my audience? It is not possible to put it down to the citizens of Brisbane because they obviously do not think along the same wave lengths. Evidence? There are 3,000 magazine titles purely to satisfy their tastes. Then I realised what I want to achieve at least on some level. This was my epiphany; I want to write for people who think like I do. I don't think I can explain who those people are to be precise. Yet, that doesn't particularly concern me because if I'm writing about something that concerns me surely it will concern like-minded people? However, that also begs the question to those who read this post, whether aspiring writer or no. Who is your target audience?

To Whom It May Concern,

There is certainly something to be said for strangers and their exceptional strangeness. Particularly in the cases of mass social events like concerts and festivals. Allow me to provide an introduction; yesterday in a lecture we were introduced to a woman by the name of Skye Doherty. Doherty was a wonderful speaker and print journalist and she spoke to us on the importance of text. This lecture made me think about the importance of words. Now, I am about to get substantially off-track but I believe that if nothing our lectures are meant to make us think of situations and problems outside of what we are taught. If not, well, it is a terrific excuse as to why I can to this subsequent thought. As I was thinking about the importance of words I began to wonder at times when words were unnecessary and, in fact, mute point. Thus, festivals and concerts.

Here, I would like to show you what I mean about strangers and their strangeness:

SOUNDWAVE 2012

FUTURE MUSIC 2012

Picture this;
I am standing by myself in a crowd that was winding itself up for something big. I have just narrowly escaped a kick in the teeth in the circle pit. I'm fine, I'm ecstatically happy. Later that night I was going to witness the beauty of System Of A Down live. I was thrilled. Not once, did I look at the the people directly around me.  I cast my glace far and wide, taking in the excitement. People start cheering and I know that Slipknot are about to go onstage. The drums kick in, people go wild. Suddenly I'm being LIFTED and CARRIED back about  three feet. Before I even have time to react the man that had picked me up takes my hand and points back to where I was standing. There a man cracked his neck twice, flexed his biceps and after a great roar began to rip his fists and feet around ferociously. I should have known. I thanked my saviour and he gave me his phone with the words; 'Sorry about carrying you, he looked crazy. My name is Dillon.' written in a text.

Now picture this:
Chase and Status are ripping into their very best. The crowd is going nuts. It's pouring with rain and the five of us are screaming out the words with everybody else. I stop and look at the guy in front of me. He's emptying the remainder of what could only be speed or cocaine into his mouth. I don't particularly care for the drug. That was his business. Yet, as he began to flex his muscles and crack his neck I had a flash back. On impulse I grabbed a few of my friends and forced them to look at the guy in front of us. Using nothing but hand signals and facial expression they somehow understood what I meant and we squeezed over away from his subsequent moshing.

In the heat of the moment it was a stranger's strangeness that made me realise that there are times when words will not work. Not verbally. Text was vital, that was true. Yet not always spoken word.

To Whom It May Concern,

It's 5:30 in the afternoon. Today was an odd kind of beautiful. It rained, the sun shone and the wind blew. Strange isn't it, how often we regard the type of weather as a major factor in how good our day was. As if the weather could exactly control our actions and our moods, we allow it to come into consideration in how we rate our day. That alone is proof that Mother Nature and Human Beings are undeniably important to one another. People cannot control nature, as much as we try to and as much as we believe we can. That said, Nature will always be vastly affected by People.

Today, the 11th of March 2012 is the year anniversary of Japan's tsunami. Today, I sat with my Mum and listened to six stories of that horrible event. If you didn't get a chance to watch it, follow this link to quickly read about it: http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/13137372/japan-marks-anniversary-of-tsunami-tragedy/. Something that stuck fast within me is a sentence they all repeated; 'I thought I was going to die'. With the exception of a melodramatic meltdown on the odd occasion, I have never uttered those words. It has never been a reality to me, to consider death at eighteen. Listening to those people I realise how much we do that is selfish, that is vain, because it is normal. Fussing over our clothes, worrying about our hair, stressing over relationships or sporting scores are normal to us. In fact, it is actually second nature to most to double check their reflection in the mirror before leaving the house. Why? Because you desperately fear leaving the house with your skirt tucked into your underwear, or breakfast in some unsightly formation on your teeth. Trivial little events that will cause embarrassment. We never leave the house worried about its low-lying positioning or its relative closeness to surrounding bodies of water. To imagine a life where that is our last thought as we begin our day is truly awful. We never considered how lucky we are until someone else suffers. That is so devastatingly heartbreaking.

Part of being Human is recognising and considering Nature. We think about it everyday. It's now 6:00 at night and I'm looking out my window. I'm thinking of the people who suffered. I'm thinking of the unassuming wrath that did not affect me. I'm sparing a moment out of normality to be grateful for what I have.

To Whom It May Concern,

There are many events that bring the most unlikely of people together. My focus in this post will be a sporting game, in particular Rugby Union. Cue wonderful picture:

 The Queensland Reds (Sorry, St George Reds sounds ridiculous) are a team that conquered last season in a shock and scream series of wins that were unprecedented. It was a glorious time to be a Queenslander. Many a match did I scream myself hoarse in joy, yet in the moments of pause (or during the games that were too frustrating to sit still) I found myself people watching. I know I'm not alone in this past time, as creepy as it comes across, because humans are inquisitive creatures. Have you ever noticed the absurd people amongst the ordinary in any crowd? It is truly fascinating.

It was at this particular game, Reds VS. Rebels at Suncorp, that it dawned on me the degree to which people differ. Tonight, at the risk of sounding insane, I did not find this clash as satisfying as I usually do. In fact, the only satisfying result would have been if I could have thumped the man to my right and the man a section over to my left. I was pissed, to but it bluntly and it was for VERY different reasons.

Man on my right gave me an extremely colourful display of the worlds worst swear words in a tirade of  'constructive criticism'...what a load of crap. That man just wanted an excuse to hear his own voice form the awful words spilling from his mouth. Even had we not been surrounded by children I would have been offended. I'm no prude, I let loose enough vulgarity to appease my soul but this was intense. This would shame a trooper!

Man on my left made my teeth set on edge and anger rise in me so raw I had to bite my lip from yelling at him. Picture this; everyone is cheering, dressed in their Red jerseys and eagerly anticipating the kickoff. This absolute fool of a man stands up in his chair amongst his friends and holds up a sign that clearly reads 'LEAVE KONY ALONE'. I wanted to reach across and throw my drink in his face. Violent, I know. Inappropriate, I know. Yet what stopped me was the knowledge that in the face of such sickening realities I would lend a hand and he would always be a fool.

I love my Rugby and I love the mixture of bits and bobs that make up a crowd. I'll take the good with the bad because what better way to understand people than to deal with all of them? However, if I ever meet that man on my right again I cannot make any promises about where I will or will not be throwing my drinks.

To Whom It May Concern,

To begin by jumping in the deep end I want to talk about motives. I suppose in a way I am offering no new light or information but I started thinking about this when all of the Stop Kony 2012 posts began on Facebook. A man - so evil as to have half the world utterly outraged - has acted. He has voluntarily chosen his path. What happened to make a man so twisted? What possible motives could he have had? I am in no way suggesting that, had he had logical motives it could excuse his actions, quite the opposite really. What I want to know is what course of events does he have that he could even begin to justify his actions with? If you don't know about Kony, don't take my words on his atrocities as the most reliable source for they will be coloured by anger. Check out this page run by Invisible Children instead; http://kony2012.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/.

Is it possible for a person's motives to be justifiable at all regardless of their actions? I think so in many cases. All of the people who are set to graffiti our town in the name of a good cause are, undoubtedly, breaking the law. Yet, I will be the first to say their actions are justified. I wonder what the community and the authorities will make of this mess.  Could it be that, like every other aspect of our lives, motives will be deduced by an enourmous spectrum that each individual will argue differently? At one end you have motives so poor and pathetic that you deserve to fall victim to your own actions, and at the other motives so selfless and pure that it would be a crime against humanity to act against the offender. Each person falls somewhere in between that. Will the same person who judges Kony for his actions judge us on ours?

To Whom It May Concern,

I have no experience with writing a blog, I have always failed at keeping a diary and I will be the first to admit that at the moment I am writing this first post I could be considered technologically illiterate.
Yet, what I have under my belt is a desire to express the ramblings in my head and the questions on my tongue to all that care, if only a little. Therefore, I have titled this blog To Whom It May Concern.

Partially this is part of an assessment, so excuse me those of you (if any) who do not follow all of what I say. I will endeavour to make as much sense as is humanly possible. So, with the inclusion of a few notes and posts about what I am learning in my Journalism studies at UQ, I henceforth will be writing and exploring a true passion of mine; people.