Talk Talk

Mcnae's book on the many rules and regulations of being a journalist, after weeks of lectures and lessons on such things as Freedom of Information; (an act which makes it mandatory on public interest for an authority to disclose available information). Copyright; a common saying among those in media, which means having the rights to your own work and how one should go about gaining the royalties to said work. Plus such things as Investigative Journalism in which journalists can go off the agenda; a highly risky business which can result in death. Articles in this area often cover such topics as oil and arms and for journalists like Veronica Guerin; are often the last articles you will write.

Upon reviewing each section of Media Law and all that it entails; it all seems to come down to one thing. Public interest. Although this point may seem obvious to anyone aspiring to be a journalist (or the public "watchdog" of society), this topic of public interest defies even the oldest of court ordered laws. If something is deemed to be within the public interest, journalists can legally disclose sources which should by law, be confidential. They can expose businesses and hospitals if a point of topic should by any chance lead to the "public originally being misled". Journalists can also, under this rule, publicly expose criminals that police fail to do so. Although Mcnae's states many case studies to do with breach of confidentiality-this article in particular reiterates the differences between courts decisions. Contrasting two very similar cases with conflicting outcomes.

http://www.rrj.ca/issue/2006/spring/617/

Public interest appears to vary according to opinion. Mcnae's states that the word `necessary` when dealing with the disclosure of sources should mean the undeniable "key to a puzzle". Yet in reality, the word `necessary` lies somewhere between
"`indispensable` on the one hand and `useful` or `expedient` on the other".

English common law states that information passed between lawyers, clients, police, informers and spouses is exempt from the power of the court to demand it be heard.
However within Canadian law, any information passed between doctors, patients, priests, confessors, journalists and their sources is not privileged; and is instead worked out on a case by case basis.

As opposed to such unwavering laws as Libel, Defamation and Contempt; public interest as a whole appears to vary according to the judges own personal stance.
This could either swing in the journalists favor, or against them. Either way-breaching the confidentiality of sources is not an issue of pride or nobility on the part of a journalist; it's a career choice. The more we give away, the less we have left to talk.

The Guardian and Absolute Radio

The Guardian newspaper and Absolute radio both deliver the news on a relatable level. The articles are clearly aimed at their respective audiences and are done so very well.
Absolute Radio (first broadcast in 1993), has a large news coverage on sports, traffic and travel. A spectrum devoted to it’s self proclaimed target audience of male 25-44 year olds. This target audience is catered to in forms of adverts, competitions and news coverage. The local traffic updates are sponsored by Renault car company-a fact repeated before and after the 5-minute broadcast. The competitions run by the station have names such as “Rock and Roll Football”, in which the prizes are tickets to football matches or local motorbike shows. The station functions by appealing to the stereotypical side of a man, while also taking into account that people such as taxi drivers are majoritively men within their target age group.
The news; broadcast at five, is short, factual and to the point. Called “Your daily `Up To Dates`” the news is given in an almost bulletin format. Quotes from other sources are frequently used in order to emphasise points and to expand the bulletins. Current news often covers the basics of politics and recent headlines. However, after the current affairs section, another part of the news is broadcast solely for sport. With Absolute being connected with Sky News, this information could possibly be assessed as being the most accurate and up to date of all the radio stations. This sports coverage is predominantly football. A very male and at the same time British sport. Based in London, its traffic coverage is devoted to not only central London, but areas such as the West Midlands and Warwickshire as well. These traffic updates are at regular 15 minute intervals during the approximated time of rush hour.

The Guardian paper, (founded in 1821), offers a wide variety of stories from local, to global. This is achieved by it’s many sections on topics such as sport, G2, media, and education. The largest part of the paper covers current affairs as well as any competing paper-but at the same time offers a variety for anyone to peruse at their own leisure.
Advertising rates are fairly reasonable, with the most expensive reaching a point of £17,000. This price is for a double page spread in color. The prices gradually decrease through prices such as £12,000 for an outside or an inside back cover, £9000 for a single page until finally £50 earns you a loose insert. There was roughly about £2000 difference between having color or black and white, with a 10% increase on anything you want to remain permanent.

The Guardian claims to have a target audience of financially aware individuals with a high income. This is reflected in its articles about the economy and current finances. Although other papers do also touch upon this topic, none go into such great detail as The Guardian; with articles spanning the entire length and width of the broadsheet page. The Guardian also claims that their readers travel frequently; with four out of five having flown in the past 12 months. This is emphasised in the papers global sections. Sections such as G2 have regular articles on places as far as Australia and Pakistan.
With an audience that supposedly has an income “double” the UK national average-reviews are printed in the paper on stores like Harrods. Opinions on Harrods new Christmas selection and decoration. The journalists are aware where their target audience would most probably shop and use it to their advantage. As a tabloid would have an advert for a supermarket, the Harrods article acts in it’s way like an overly elaborate advertisement.

The Guardians current main focus is Global Warming and the environment. Although it doesn’t take a stance or an opinion; it leaves the topic open to debate and has frequently posted conflicting articles. Though a recent article strongly suggested the idea of Global Warming was a farce-a recent booklet contains information on how to save the environment. With headlines such as “Green Buildings and the challenge of carbon reduction”, and “Concrete Cool: the most energy efficient material?”. This further reflects the Guardians variety and ability for discussion and debate. It doesn’t prejudice, it merely prints ideas and topics that may be of interest.
The Guardian is owned by The Scotts Trust Foundation- an organisation that is set up to prevent other people buying out the paper. In this sense, the paper retains an almost family feel to it. Again, reflected in it’s many articles on personal experiences as well as current news. Articles such as Mohsin Hamid’s article “Time to Move the Family to Pakistan”, share the same space as articles raising awareness for endangered animals. Articles that bring to light new art exhibitions for up and coming artists are within pages of articles about politicians and the current economy.

There is no necessary order in which to read these articles and features within the paper. The topics covered each have their own booklet; almost like a seperate paper dedicated to it. In this way, readers can read the content in their own order. Although the front page is always devoted to a current news story; in this way the paper can succesfully compete with others.
Both these forms of media are united in their sense of community, enabling the public to get involved as well as being an informative part of your day. In comparison to other media forms, they bear similarites but at the same time play more to their niche audiences than to the majority of the public. From past experience, many a reader of different papers had no idea that The Guardian was as varied as it is. The paper encourages people to write in their own articles as there is many a topic to choose from, and Absolute hosts many competitions, as well as leaving their stations to meet their listeners. Both forms of broadcast are relatable, as opposed to being just a detached form of morning media.

A Hairy Naked Man...Joy

While perusing the web for target audiences and such; found this article on Advertising. Not helpful to me in the slightest (though it's not hard to figure out how this came up on my google search); but it's fairly interesting in terms of our brand obsessed culture. A topic we have touched upon in Monday lecture/seminars of the past.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2001/jul/09/marketingandpr.g2

Most of the article appears to be waffle but in fact briefs the story of how the ad came about. Though it is conveniently sub-headed for your flicking needs-and there are some interesting points.

Boys Club

I started reading The Guardian for no other reason than because I had to. I've always been a Daily Mail reader, always have, always will be; but there is something delightfully appealing about my thumbed through Guardians; currently scattered left right and centre across my bed in various stages of disrepair.
For starters-although always with a front page focused on current affairs; further reading opens up the world of media, the world of education, sports, arts and G2; a section for global news. The paper is littered with various articles from varying journalists-all giving their opinion. From Cheryl Cole's hair extensions to the Christmas display at Harrods this year. Albeit, these opinions are usually cynical-with articles that usually have me arguing to the journalists stationary picture smiling back at me. Yet in this sense; the paper does it's job. It creates discussions; it doesn't just report on the news-it offers opinions and incites discussion.
The Guardian has another appealing factor in the form of G2. A book which covers stories from around the globe-talking up art exhibits and telling the stories of many an international person. For me personally, I haven't yet read a paper that piqued my interest as much since New Zealand (I still have a spreadsheet from this particular paper at home on my wall).

So to get to the point-The Guardian recently published an article on Universities such as Manchester and Oxford forming "Men Societies". Classes on how to teach men to survive in society today and how to be a man. A quote from the Cherwell University website states "Do you expect men to mysteriously find their way alone?".
This is quite simply, nothing more than an elaborate oxymoron. The stereotypical man; (the type these classes are intending to enforce) is surely independence, strength etc. Qualities not found in a class of young boys talking to each other about their day to day stresses. I feel that the ideal man these boys are wanting to emulate, would scoff at the idea of this boys club going on behind closed doors.
Though I can see the agenda behind it; (men are frequently being told various ways to behave and act by the media), when it comes down to it; if woman can get through teenager land intact, so can someone who calls himself a real man.
But If you're really that worried boys, I'll let you into a little girls secret; write into the agony aunt at Cosmo magazine.
Don't worry, you can remain anonymous.

Romanticism

The Romantic Revolution, and the ideas and beliefs of Rousseau and other Romanticists involved several components-all of which can be found penned in the book Lyrical Ballads.
Although not written by Rousseau; William Wordsworth was incredibly inspired by him and ultimately penned these individual poems. Each one gives good background knowledge on the individual belief systems that ran through the Romantic Revolution.

-First and foremost, Romantics idealised nature, which they believed should be respected and admired on a daily basis. This is represented in "The Mad Mother".
http://www.online-literature.com/wordsworth/2226/
The woman has turned her back on industry and found peace in what Romanticists would believe to be her natural state. In the wild.

-Secondly, there were children: the epitome of innocence, Romanticists believe they were yet to be spoilt by life's ugliness.
Seen in "Anecdote for Fathers". The father admits he could learn so much from his child's simplicity.
http://www.online-literature.com/wordsworth/2217/

-Superstition and the afterlife; ghosts and pagan Gods were all amongst those respected by followers of the Romantic revolution. "We Are Seven"
http://www.online-literature.com/wordsworth/2216/
represents this by the child's adamancy over her siblings still being with her, though they are dead.

-The Poor: they alone respected the countryside and were grateful for what it provided. The poor were believed to be peaceful people, truly happy with their lives until it is disturbed by industry and the rich. The beginning of "The Female Vagrant" represents this.
http://www.online-literature.com/wordsworth/2219/

As much as Romanticists had strong emotions on these topics, on the other end of the spectrum-they rallied against such things as industry and capital punishment, all of which they believed restricted human beings from being free.
This idea is expressed in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Convict" which can also be found online.
These are just some of the many poems contained within the book, all of which contain the beliefs of the impending revolution. It's not the greatest read in life lets face it, but it makes Bertrand Russell a tinier bit better to understand right?
Atleast i hope it does. Goodnight

Ignorance Is Your New Best Friend

Upon doing my daily rounds of clothes surfing the internet; I found the gruesome discovery that fur is making a large comeback. Unfortunately, the carcasses hanging off the models were in no way fake-and were proud to not be so.
Sporting Leopard skin coats and Lynx fur collars; Givenchy was even seen to have been using fur to line their new shoes.
This display of ignorance has been sneaking back since the infamous 1980's protests in many a way.
Designers and their insiders claim that since the world is currently focused upon global warming and the supposed effects of climate change-no one has noticed the occasional Chinchilla coat or Mink arm warmer. Now, animal farming is back in a huge way. Although this practice is banned here in England; our main supplier now comes in the usual form. Every animal fur product you will see should undoubtedly bear the stamp "Made in China".
Consumers of the coats, when asked; claim that the fur makes them feel "classy" and "primitive". I personally do not see why reverting back to a state where society has just invented the wheel is a positive state to be in; but it surely backs up the argument that consumers of the clothes display a high level of unintelligence-and more importantly; ignorance.
Designers like Jean-Paul Gaultier, who in 2006 displayed a new line of fur inspired clothing, was later shown a video of how his fur had come to be. The video depicted caged and abused animals, so tired of their existence, every emotion was displayed on their face. It could be argued that they had no existence. Their life would end being skinned alive. Reports say that one animal in particular during the video, was still alive for a few lingering moments after it had been skinned. It's face the picture of pain and puzzlement. It's almost a blessing it doesn't know that the agony it endured is being used to line the sole of someone's shoe.
One insider sent to a fur farm states
"If I close my eyes I can still see them there. Walking away from the farm was one of the hardest things I have ever done."
Gaultier was shocked into renouncing the use of fur in later seasons. Yet this didn't stop Dior sporting animal products a season later.
Most consumers are duped into believing that the fur is a by product of meat. This is in no way true and is just another display of ignorance.
The banning of fur farms in England has not made a difference, except to our moral stance as a society. The wearing of fur as a whole should be illegal; along the same lines as ivory and poaching.
This highly interesting article details the shocking process of a normal fur farm and lists the celebrities who have recently been seen to wear the consequences.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-fur-trade-bloody-fashion-425837.html

If people want to feel like a cave person, by all means hunt the poor animal to death themselves. If they can do this without complaint or feeling, maybe they are the type of person who deserves to wear nothing more than a carcass.

Royal Exhange

The Royal Exchange-founded in 1565 by a man called Sir Thomas Gresham; sounds like a pretty fascinating place to have been back in the day. In a world that was just being discovered, people from around the globe congregated to trade items. Wool was given away in exchange for spices, decorative pyramids, jewellery or clothing.
Natives from many an exotic country would have been fascinating to talk to; yet Joseph Addison acknowledges it all with a mere "bow and a grimace".
In fact the entire text ("The Royal Exchange"), reads like a one big scoff at the rest of the world. Addison acknowledges that this co-operative trade between us and the rest of the globe, is merely like a secondary empire we've managed to build ourselves. He goes on to add that we manage to enjoy the rich tastes and aromas of exotic and unheard of places, without ever leaving our "green fields of Britain".
Addison appears to look smugly upon those who bring produce to us while we remain in our comfort zone. He doesn't seem to be bothered (though he readily admits), that a majority of what we consider to be native to our country in actual fact isn't, and wouldn't survive in our climate if not for special care.
Maybe faced with the sudden size of other countries, and the closeness of other military power; it was better to retreat inside an aura of superiority.
Or maybe being pompous just went with the outfit.