It's tempting to join the hordes of people casting stones at Brian Williams. And why not? As the list of charges (embellished accounts of events, skewed news reports, and perhaps even flat-out falsehoods) grows against the suspended NBC news anchor, it's hard to defend a journalist who has mixed facts and fiction--all, apparently, to make himself appear more important.
Clearly, Williams screwed up. He violated perhaps the most basic (and sacred) tenets of journalism--truth and trust. No matter what they're reporting, journalists bank on being taken at their word. They ask readers, viewers, and listeners to believe that their account of the news is factual and accurate. While journalists make mistakes at times (they are, after all, human), no good reporter deliberately distorts facts or misleads his or her audience.
But is that what Williams did? Yes and no. As the investigation into his reporting unfolds, it would appear that Williams routinely displayed a penchant for "Wish-I'd-been-there" journalism. He reported being in places he wasn't (aboard a helicopter struck by a grenade over Iraq); witnessing things he didn't (a suicide in the New Orleans Super Dome following Hurricane Katrina); and meeting people (the Pope) he never actually encountered.
Notice that all of these moments--and others like them--involved himself. No one is disputing that Williams covered the Iraq War, reported on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, or attended Catholic University during a Papal visit. Nor is anyone suggesting that his coverage of important news stories was grossly inaccurate. In fact, it would appear that his detailed accounts of events was essentially truthful.
But many are taking issue with his presentation of his own actions in these stories. His critics charge that he placed himself at the center of stories, sometimes when he was nowhere near them. If Williams did indeed misrepresent himself, casting himself as an eyewitness to the fall of the Berlin Wall, for example, shame on him. As a reporter, he should know better; he should also know that journalists are never THE story, no matter how much they might wish they were.
But while such behavior is hardly admirable, Williams is by no means the only "sinner" in the profession. More than a few journalists--especially when in front of a camera--have trouble remembering that their role is to report the story, not to distract audiences or influence their perceptions of it. How many modern news anchors betray their objectivity by rolling their eyes at key moments, allowing facial expressions to communicate their reaction to a story, grilling sources with all of the histrionics of a "Law and Order" attorney, or sensationalizing stories that don't deserve to be? How many journalists, when reporting on a snowstorm, a crime, a serious accident, or something already fairly dramatic, use their body language or tone of voice to make the events at hand seem all the more exciting?
The fault, in part at least, is ours. Not only do we want to be informed by reporters, we want to be entertained by them. We no longer want the news presented by Walter Cronkite types. Instead, we want to hear from TV reporters with a flair for the dramatic.
We want to see reporters shrouded in snow, being buffeted by hurricane winds, or walking us down an alley where moments earlier a thief eluded police. We want to follow a swashbuckling young Geraldo as he barges into a government office (accompanied by a camera crew) and thrusts a microphone in the face of some bureaucrat. Such moments may be okay journalism, but they clearly have an element of entertainment. And while most correspondents stop short of fabricating stories about their exploits, they also recognize (along with their network chiefs) that "drama" sells.
Some of Williams's colleagues at NBC have commented on his fondness for stories. It would appear that on more than a few occasions Williams wove elements of fiction, at least regarding himself, into his reporting. While the journalism profession clearly needs to take him to task for this behavior, it should also take a close look at its own assumptions about what constitutes good reporting. Journalists don't have to showmen, personalities, or characters. Nor do they need to stretch the truth about the stories they report or, for that matter, exaggerate about themselves.
How about we let talk show hosts embellish and entertain--and let reporters just report?
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Monday, April 29, 2013
Life,
Love, Stress
By: Nakeem Grant
Have
you ever had trouble sleeping because you were angry at something or someone?
Do you come home from school or work feeling physically and mentally drained?
Well guess what? You’re stressing out. Stress is not something that should be
overlooked or pushed to the side. It can cause anxiety, depression, and can
lead to anger. Stress is an issue that more or less everyone deals with in some
point of their lives, but there are various methods that we can practice in
order to reduce and ultimately eliminate stress in our lives. I can relate to
stressing out pretty well because I get stressed at least once or twice a week.
Sometimes I put myself in a position where I overwhelm myself with tons of
schoolwork and little time to get it completed. Another instance of when I
stress out would be when I fail to do something correct the first time. It
turns out that stress is different for everyone in that we all respond
differently to stress. Some people might have strong physical responses to
stress while others (like me) may have strong mental responses.
Stress
is the body’s reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental, or
emotional adjustment. Stress can be hard to define because it affects each of
us differently. Stress can cause anxiety, insomnia, frustration, and other
mental issues of that sort. However, stress can also cause physical changes
such as sweaty hands, dizziness, and grinding your teeth. Although stress
doesn’t sound like a positive aspect, there are some effects that can be
somewhat helpful and beneficial. Feelings of anxiety could be compared to as
having the feeling of butterflies in your stomach. For example, winning a race
or kissing a significant other can put your mind and body through stress just
as much as losing a race or being rejected. Now that I’ve defined the true
meaning of stress, let’s take a look at a break down of different categories
and statistics involving stress.
Based
on whatcausesstress.org, more than
half of working adults and 47% of all Americans say that they are concerned
with the stress in their lives. Each person however has different reasons for
being stressed out. A scale known as the Holmes-Ray scale is used to measure
the level of stressful occurrences. Death of a spouse causes 100% stress in the
grieving member. Subsequently, the divorce process is at 73% on the scale. The
top five causes of stress in the U.S.
There
are various techniques and methods that people can practice in order to reduce
the mental and physical aspects of stress. WebMD.com explains that one of the
best techniques of reducing stress is to meditate. Meditating helps to relax
your mind and ease those stressful thoughts. It can be any activity that helps
to keep your attention in the present moment. Another great technique is
picturing yourself relaxed. Picturing yourself relaxed can be great for people
that struggle with quieting their mind. The art of visualization (picturing
yourself on a quiet beach, a penthouse in New York City
In
the end, the emotional and physical adjustments that our body and mind goes
through are known as stress. In addition, I think it is safe to say that you
and I are not alone, knowing that 82% of Americans are also dealing with some
form of stress. Lastly, exercising on a daily basis, meditating, etc. are great
practices that can help to diminish the stress in our lives. To reiterate what
I stated earlier, we all deal with some form of stress. But I can’t stress
enough (no pun intended) that if we take the necessary steps towards
eradicating stress, it well better and benefit all of our lives.
The Hot Stove: 2012/2013
MLB Offseason Update
By: Nakeem Grant
As the 2012-2013 MLB offseason is
well under way, several big trades and signings have already been made. Players
that have been household names for their respective franchises have been on the
move including Josh Johnson being traded from Miami
to Toronto
Some franchises didn’t even
titillate with the notion of leaving their players in free agency to see
whether or not they were willing to resign. The New York Yankees reassured a
portion of their starting rotation, resigning starting pitchers Andy Pettite
and Hiroki Kuroda to one-year deals. They also resigned veteran closer Mariano
Rivera to a one-year contract. Even so, they are a team that exemplifies the
situation that a lot of playoff-calbur teams are dealing with this offseason. Outfielders
Nick Swisher and Ichiro Suzuki are still in the free agent market and catcher
Russell Martin turned down their two-year offer and opted to sign with the up
and coming Pittsburgh Pirates. However, with A-Rod out due to hip surgery, the
Yankees have made an effort to fill that void by offering third baseman/utility
player Kevin Youklis a one-year, $12 million deal.
Other franchises looking to change
the platform of their team are throwing their stakes out to some of the most
popular free agents. Non-playoff teams from last season such as the Seattle
Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Philadelphia Phillies have given their
bids to Josh Hamilton and his agent, Mike Moye. The Rangers would like to
resign him, but money might bring up issues if they go on to bolster their
starting rotation in signing pitcher Zack Greinke.
Several other notable free agents have
yet to make any concrete decisions on what team(s) to pursue. The speedy,
base-stealing outfielder Michael Bourn has yet to find a new home after his
tenure with the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have already made their move in
securing centerfield, signing outfielder B.J. Upton to a five-year deal. It
looked as if Bourn was headed back to the team that drafted him in the
Phildelphia Phillies, but the Phillies looked in another direction as they
traded for another speedy outfielder in Ben Revere.
Another
big time free agent who is still on the market is the crafty right hander, Kyle
Lohse. Lohse, leading the National League in win percentage for 2012 as well as
coming off a career high in multiple pitching categories with St. Louis
As
always, in each offseason there are winners and losers for each ballclub, and
this year is no different. The New York Mets won in managing to sustain their
best all-around player in All-Star third baseman, David Wright. They managed to
lock him up for a record-setting contract in Mets history, seven years with
over $130 million coming his way. Wright had a stellar 2012 season, making him
a big free agent to pursue in the offseason. It seems however that he was
committed to staying with the Mets as they were able to hold on to at least one
of their star players. With Cy Young knuckle-baller R.A. Dickey still
exercising his free agency, it’s safe to say that the Mets are winners for now
this offseason.
One of
the biggest losers this offseason would have to be the Miami Marlins. With the
big splash they made in the 2011/2012 offseason, they were expected to be a
force to be reckoned with in the NL East Division. Unfortunately, the entire
2012 season was a bust as they finished last in the division. The team overwent
a complete overhaul, trading Hanley Ramirez in midseason and eventually trading
away Jose Reyes, Emilio Bonafacio, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, and John Buck to
the Toronto Blue Jays. They went from a team that was primed to win to a team
that is back to the drawing board, making them one of the biggest losers this
offseason.
In the
end, with many free agents still out on the market, there are bound to be more
blockbuster moves to come as teams look forward to preparing for the 2013 MLB
season.
Rawlings Are the Way to Go
By: Nakeem Grant
Over
30 kids from Baldwin , NY
Based
on the survey’s results, kids prefer Rawlings over any other brand. Other
brands that kids mentioned were Mizuno, Wilson, Akademiks, and Nike. Reasons
for choosing Rawlings over any other brand varied with each kid. Some kids said
it’s the most comfortable, others said that’s what their favorite player wears,
and some said that they last very long compared to the other brands. When asked
what big leaguers they look up to, they mentioned premier defensive players
such as Albert Pujols from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Carlos Gonzalez
from the Colorado Rockies, and Robinson Cano from the New York Yankees.
“Rawlings is actually a sponsor for the Gold
Glove Award in Major League Baseball, an award that is given to the best
defensive player at each position,” said Russ Johnson, founder of the program.
When the kids were asked if they knew about Rawlings being the main sponsor for
the Gold Glove Awards, most of them said yes.
This
program has been running for almost ten years. Each year, about 20-30 kids come
out to better their baseball IQ and skills. This survey began in 2006 to see
how well kids know authentic equipment.
Russ
Johnson also stated, “Premium performance is essential for athletes and so it
is imperative that they have the best gear to use. It’s good to see that these
kids are knowledgeable on the best mitt to wear”.
By:
Nakeem Grant
Asthma for many people in the
Health experts suggest that a diet
that consists of vegetables, fruits and probiotics can help to alleviate asthma
in children and adolescents. A treatment group filled with children from ages
10-12 were put together by researchers at the College of Life Science
Based on the feedback, medication
use was heavily reduced and kids saw considerable improvement in pulmonary
functions. Other trials proved that foods outside of these food groups may
boost the issue that is asthma. Based on the research, it turns out that fast
food is the most common food that is correlated with the buildup of asthma.
Under this controlled environment,
fruits and vegetables seem to be the way to go in an effort to treat asthma.
People that include fruits and veggies such as apples, tomatoes, lettuce,
grapes, carrots, oranges and bananas in their daily diet from an early age can
protect themselves from developing any form of asthma. It just goes to show
that an apple a day can keep asthma away.
A Season to Remember
By: Nakeem Grant
The
Molloy Lions have had quite a remarkable regular season for the 2012-2013
campaign. They find themselves in great shape in the East Coast Conference
holding down second place. Had it not been for Bridgeport
From
game-winning shots to career-highs and milestone moments, this will be a season
that Molloy College
Nolan
joined exclusive company in men’s college basketball when he reached the
1000-point milestone. McLeod has been one of their fire starters offensively,
especially during the team’s win against Mercy College
The
backbone of this team has been their stifling defense. They held opponents to a
conference best 62.8 points per game. They forced bad shots and poor
possessions for their opposition all season long as they finished at the top of
the conference in opponent’s field goal percentage at 39%. You can credit guys
like Tyler Hammett and Miles Prendergast for shutting down the paint area,
grabbing rebounds and forcing teams to take tough, contested outside shots throughout
the season.
When
you put it all together, it’s no fluke that Molloy has had arguably one of the best
seasons in their school’s history. Through grit, hard work and dedication, they
played like a true team under their head coach, Charles Marquardt.
National Grilled Cheese
Month
By: Nakeem Grant
There’s nothing
like melted cheese smacked between toasted bread. If you’re a fan of grilled
cheese, then this month will be one your favorites. April marks the start of
National Grilled Cheese Month.
For many years,
grilled cheese has been as one of America U.S.
Several new
styles have been integrated into the making of grilled cheese. Sandwiches can
be made with whole wheat bread, honey wheat, bagel bread and even homemade
waffles! Chefs throughout the country even utilize different cheeses such as
the traditional American cheese, Swiss cheese, blue cheese and so forth. With
so many styles to choose from, it’s hard not to become a fan of grilled cheese.
Washington,
D.C., Los Angeles, CA, N.Y.C. and Chicago, IL are a few of the main sites where
you can find some of the most remarkable grilled cheese sandwiches as it is
highly praised in those cities. However, wherever you live, make sure to take
part in the festivities of this month by enjoying a hot, steamy and cheesy
grilled cheese sandwich.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)