Week 7 Practical - Reviewing/Reflecting on Assignment

In reviewing the news story and media release assignment, I am needing to constantly remind myself of the simplistic language required in this sort of writing. I changed a few sentences around, so they made more sense and added in appropriate punctuation and fixed spelling errors. 

I had my red pen out, ready to make appropriate changes according to the Marking Key Checklist on Moodle, however I had no changes that needed to be made in regards to the writing style. Before I started writing the assignment, I had ensured that I fully understood the requirements of writing for media so I wouldn't make any mistakes and would complete the assignment to the highest standard. I was conscious of some key principles, such as only using 'said', not using semi colons and ensuring that speech is not mixed. Apart from that, the media writing style generally matches my usual writing style.

I think the checklist is extremely valuable, although it is always good to proofread work prior to submission, it makes it to much easier when you have a list of exactly what the marker will be looking for. This not only allowed me to proofread my assignment but look at it through the eyes of the marker. I think this will make a difference to my overall result as I have essentially been given the cheat sheet. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed the news story and media release assignment, although I initially struggled with writing so simply, I now appreciate how much journalists must have to draw back from what they want to write.  

Week 2 Inquiry - Trendsmap

I have reviewed some of the trending Twitter hash tags and topics for Sydney today, most of the Twitter trends surrounding #borderforce #border and #operationfortitude hash tags. I immediately recognise the hash tags as I heard about the story on Sunrise this morning, which involved the Australian Border Force conducting visa checks and checking for anti-social behaviour around Melbourne, which sparked outrage from the public. The operation has now been cancelled, however the Twitter storm hasn't died down just yet. 

Upon looking into articles, there are many tweets embedded into each article, providing further insight into the article and backing up facts. The following tweet is featured in an article by The Age about the cancellation of Operation Fortitude, the tweet adds another dimension to the article, by catching the readers attached and reinforcing with the audience that this is an issue that is trending on social media websites. 

The general consensus on social media is that Operation Fortitude is unnecessary in Australia, especially Melbourne, which is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. The media have portrayed this in the key messages of their articles, and have subtly influenced the readers opinion by including Tweets from other people who have a strong opinion on the situation. 

The amazing thing about Operation Fortitude is that many media outlets are stating that Twitter is to blame for the cancellation of the operation. An article from the Sydney Morning Herald features many tweets that use humour to outline the racist nature of Operation Fortitude, some of the tweets featured on the article include: 

The Victorian Police also used Twitter to distribute their media release about the cancellation of Operation Fortitude, which was a suitable platform for the information, given the massive response on Twitter to the issue. Although the event was cancelled, the backlash on Twitter did not die down at all, the Australian Government and MP's are being asked publicly to further explain their decision to form Operation Fortitude and be accountable for the racist nature of the situation. 

References

Aubusson, K. (2015). Twitter tracked to downfall of Operation Fortitude one Simpsons meme at a time. [online] The Sydney Morning Herald. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/national/twitter-tracked-to-downfall-of-operation-fortitude-one-simpsons-meme-at-a-time-20150828-gja6zn.html [Accessed 29 Aug. 2015].

Facebook.com, (2015). Victoria Police - Victoria Police has made a decision not... | Facebook. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/victoriapolice/posts/941373445934792 [Accessed 29 Aug. 2015].

Schetzer, A. and Mills, T. (2015). Border Force: Operation Fortitude cancelled as protesters take to Melbourne's CBD streets. [online] The Age. Available at: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/border-force-operation-fortitude-cancelled-as-protesters-take-to-melbournes-cbd-streets-20150828-gja3mp.html [Accessed 29 Aug. 2015].

Trendsmap.com, (2015). Real-time local Twitter trends - Trendsmap. [online] Available at: http://trendsmap.com/# [Accessed 29 Aug. 2015].

Week 6 Inquiry - Cirque de Soleil Media Kit

The Cirque du Soleil show Kooza has an extensive web page that includes news releases, press contacts, photos, videos, preview of the show, information on creators, acts, characters, costumes, set design and music.



There is also a Press Kit for the Kooza show, which is in PDF format for ease of access. The Press Kit includes an overview of the show and of Cirque du Soleil as a whole, details and photos of the various acts involved in Kooza and an introduction and photo of each of the characters featured in the show. The Press Kit then goes on to list the inspiration for the characters costumes, and list what they are made out of. Additional information is provided on music, set design and the Kooza site and many tents.

Each of the creators of the Kooza show is introduced with quotes included from them about the Kooza show.The Press Kit is concluded with an extract about the creation Cirque du Soleil, their mission, and a few key statistics and a list of their other shows. 

Here's a story I have written using the Press Kit from the Cirque Du Soleil website.

Kooza set to wow audiences across USA & Canada
28th August 2015

Kooza, a Cirque du Soleil phenomenon is currently touring the United States and Canada. The show is mesmerising and combines the art of clowning with acrobatic performance. 

The act, which includes charivari, balancing on chairs, contortion, high wire, hoops manipulation, teeterboard, solo trapeze, unicycle duo and the wheel of death. 

The audience will be captivated from the start of the show when a character bursts on to the set like a jack-in-the-box and starts interacting with many different characters, all dressed in exquisite costumes and amazing physical strength. 

Kooza's writer and director, David Shiner has a great imagination and even better choreography skills. 'Kooza is about human connection and the world of duality, good and bad,' Shiner said. 

All costumes in Kooza are handmade out of materials such as molded carbon, fake rats and individually sewn metallic flaps. Costume designer, Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt has sourced inspiration from graphic novels, Mad Max movies, India, clock movements and children's book inspirations for the creation of costumes in Kooza.

'It has been a great challenge, but it's also full of traps. You don't want to exaggerate or slip into creating a caricature when you're trying to capture a character,' Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt said. 

The Kooza set is a public square that turns into a circus ring during the show, set designer, Stephane Roy has ensured that acrobatic equipment can be seen at 260 degrees by the audience. 

'I wanted to capture the essence of circus itself by creating a scenographic environment that offers true proximity to the audience and where danger is palpable,' said Stephane. 
Kooza is just one of Cirque du Soleil's famous shows, other popular shows include Varekai Kurios, Michael Jackson's One and Mystere. 

Be sure you grab your ticket to Kooza, the show is magical and the audience will not be disappointed. Visit the Kooza website for more information https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/tickets.aspx 


References 
Cirque du Soleil, (2015). Buy tickets for KOOZA show | KOOZA | Cirque du Soleil. [online] Available at: https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/tickets.aspx [Accessed 28 Aug. 2015].

Cirque Du Soleil, (2015). Kooza Media Press Kit. [online] Available at: https://static01.cirquedusoleil.com/en/~/media/press/PDF/kooza/kooza-press-kit.pdf [Accessed 28 Aug. 2015].

Cirque Du Soleil, (2015). Press Room. [online] Available at: https://static01.cirquedusoleil.com/en/~/media/press/PDF/kooza/kooza-press-kit.pdf [Accessed 28 Aug. 2015].

Week 4 Practical - Preparing for Assessment 2

One of the assignments for the COMM11007 is to report to social media a local event. I live in a small rural mining town in Central Queensland, therefore I have a very limited selection of events available in the local area. 

One of the possible events I can cover for this assignment is a Barefoot Bowls afternoon at the Tieri Country Club. This event is held on the 12th of September from 3 PM. The country club holds Barefoot Bowls about twice a year, and they are usually well attended by locals. This time, the Country Club has organised a live band to perform for the afternoon, Josh Henry Live. The event is a great way to encourage locals to get out and have some fun in the sun, while supporting their local non-for-profit club. Tieri is a small mining town of around 1,500 people, all working on shift at the local underground mine. 

The main parts of the event will be the registration of the Barefoot Bowls Day and announcing the winners, where the organisers will say a quick speech thanking people for coming. There is no need to get accredited for the event, cameras are not restricted. The main people I will try to get a short quote from would be the organisers of the event, commenting on how successful they believe the event was. I will also seek to obtain quotes from a number of participants and the winners and losers of the event. 

It is crucial to plan on how I will report at the Barefoot Bowls Day, so I do not leave anything out, I appear professional and organised and I get the most out of the event as I possibly can. I will meet with the organisers of the event, prior to the day so I can let them know the requirements of my assignment. 

Week 5 Practical - Brock Weier explains that his daughter keeps him grounded

Brock Weier explains that his daughter keeps him grounded

Brock Weier, 23 explained yesterday that his greatest passion is setting a good example for his three year old daughter, Isla. 

Brock said that since his daughter was born, his greatest passion in life has been setting a good example for her and shaping the person she will grow up to be.

"Isla is one of the most important things in my life, she keeps me grounded and is the light of my life," Brock said. 

"Every time Isla uses her manners or puts her rubbish in the bin, I give myself a pat on the back and tell myself that I am doing a good job," he said.

Brock has adjusted his life to make himself a family man and set the best example for his daughter.

"As soon as Isla was born, I felt like the world tilted and I became a different, better person," Brock said.

"Everything I do, every decision I make, I have Isla on the forefront of my mind. I wouldn't have it any other way," he said. 

https://twitter.com/monique_windsor/status/632518289957089280

Week 5 Practical - Norma Barnham's Committed to Leaving a Legacy

Norma Barnham is Committed to Leaving a Legacy

Norma Barnham is an 86 year old war widow who has dedicated her life to raising children, grandchildren and great grandchildren; today revealed that her greatest passion is leaving a legacy that her family will be proud of.

My Great Grandmother, Norma Barnham, said that she it is important to her to teach her immediate relatives about the family history and to create a legacy that will live on after she is gone.

"I am so lucky to have had all of you kids in my life, I think I have done a good job in being there for you all," Mrs Barnham said.

"It is now really important to me that you understand your family history, that you all hear all of the stories that only I can tell you", she said.

Norma's late husband, Stan Barnham, my Great Grandfather passed away over 30 years ago from injuries he sustained in the war. Norma still struggles with his death on a daily basis. 

"My poor husband never got the chance to tell his stories about when he was a boy or what he experienced in the war, he was too traumatised from the war, and his sickness claimed his life very quickly," Norma said.

Norma Barnham has raised two children, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren. While juggling her family duties, Mrs Barnham also volunteers her time at her local RSL and War Widows organisations. 

Grandma has had such a positive impact in my life, she has taught me many life lessons and has been a constant support system. Norma's legacy is larger than life, she is such an inspiration to those who know her. 

https://twitter.com/monique_windsor/status/632513760440090624

Week 5 Inquiry - Articles with Impact

Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by mining. I grew up in a mining town and I'm still living in a mining town, my father worked in the mines and my partner now also works in the mines. The recent mining boom and consequential crash has been something that I have grown accustomed to, however I still closely follow the latest news for any mention of mining. Therefore when I stumbled across an article on News.com.au named 'Should we welcome the end of the mining boom?' I was intrigued. 

The articles lead paragraph is somewhat vague, 'Australians could be forgiven for being worried about life after the mining boom but there's one set of figures we can take comfort in,'(News.com.au 2015). The article then goes on to give valid and reassuring points about Australia's economic environment before the mining boom. The author draws on key sources to validate the articles theory and provide further justification. 

This article is an example of good journalism as it identifies the concerns that the public has and reassures them that the end of the mining boom will not be the end of Australia. The article also suggests now that commodity prices have dropped, it allows industries such as tourism, education, agriculture and manufacturing to advance again now that that the Australian dollar isn't so high. 

The article is in the business section of the website, therefore you would expect the speech and sources to be a little more in depth and detailed than other articles. The reporting was cleverly constructed, providing historic examples and quotes from Australia's Prime Minister and a leading policy analyst. 

Overall, I was impressed with the article. The heading was elusive, making the reader want to delve deeper and find out what it was about. I was personally interested in this story, mainly because of my close link to the mining industry, however I also found the

References

News.com.au, (2015). Why we should be glad the mining boom is over. [online] Available at: http://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/should-we-welcome-the-end-of-the-mining-boom/story-fnu2pwk8-1227484578083 [Accessed 15 Aug. 2015].

Week 4 Inquiry - Story Comparison

When interviewing someone for a media article, there is a very fine line between making the interviewee feel comfortable and creating a very awkward situation. Dave O'Neil has written an absolute blunder of an article for the Sunday Morning Herald, labelled 'Robert Pattinson talks about his new film, Rover, with Dave O'Neil'. Unfortunately Pattinson does not get to discuss his new film as O'Neil has made the interview all about him, writing about the monologue of his 'interview' with Pattinson rather than the stars new film. The article is extremely unprofessional and quite disturbing to read. For one that is interested in recent movie releases, I learnt nothing about the new film, Rover. However I did learn that Pattinson has a body guard that O'Neil isn't fond of, or that the reporter featured in the movie, The Nugget. 

The main issue with this poorly written article is that it has nothing to do with Robert Pattinson commenting on his new film. The lead paragraph is confused and sets a low standard for the rest of the article. As mentioned before, the article is unprofessional, does not educate the audience and focuses on O'Neil's personal life rather than the purpose of the interview. To conclude the article, O'Neil explains that readers should go and see Rover as O'Neil's new friend is in it. I have to say, I will not be going to see the movie and I definitely will not be reading any more of Dave O'Neil's articles.

The second article is featured on the Ag Force Website, and is titled 'Drought worst in living memory: AgForce Survey'. The lead paragraph in this article is great, it really grips the reader and gives them an idea about what the rest of the article is going to entail. The author respectably writes about a sensitive and confronting issue that is impacting the whole country. The article states the facts concisely with evidence to back up statements and quotes to further explain the issue at hand. 

The article provides more information than the title suggests, not only summarising the survey but providing information on what the statistics mean. The article also goes on to explain how AgForce and the Government are going to assist the rural communities who are in desperate need of help. Although the article provides some sad and confronting facts, the information is backed up with ways to assist each problem. 

The article shows a great amount of respect to the farmers currently suffering in the extensive drought. The lead paragraph is strong and sets a stable path for the rest of the article. The difference between the two articles examined is immense, the first article written by O'Neil is trivial, creating a sense of immaturity and worthlessness. Whereas the second article is informative, professional, sensitive and provides facts as well as well worded statements. The quality of articles are vastly different, creating an exceptionally different educational experience for the reader. 

References
Berkman, A. (2015). AgForce Queensland - Advancing Rural Queensland - Drought worst in living memory: AgForce survey. [online] Agforceqld.org.au. Available at: http://www.agforceqld.org.au/index.php?tgtPage=news&id=view,478 [Accessed 3 Aug. 2015].

O'Neil, D. (2014). Robert Pattinson talks about his new film, The Rover, with Dave O'Neil. [online] The Sydney Morning Herald. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/robert-pattinson-talks-about-his-new-film-the-rover-with-dave-oneil-20140619-zs99j.html [Accessed 3 Aug. 2015].

Week 3 Inquiry - Reviewing Different Media

The media often pay attention to celebrities, especially those who cause a scandal. This is no different for Australian Idol, Kate DeArgaugo who has lost her license for six months after driving under the influence of drugs. The articles that will be examined include, 'Australian High-Dol' in the Courier Mail on 1 August 2015, 'Australian Idol Kate DeAraugo loses license for 6 months' on the Sydney Morning Herald Website, and finally news broadcast on Seven News 'Australian Idol winner Kate DeAraugo pleaded guilty to driving while high on drugs'. 

The broadcast from Seven News goes for a minute and a half and starts off a snippet of Kate Deraugo's song, saying that Deraugo is 'an Aussie idol with a big voice' however they go on to explain that Deraugo was deadly silent today in a court hearing where she pleaded guilty to taking illegal substances before getting behind the wheel. The lead sentence captures the audience, for a celebrity that isn't all that well known, the song links Deraugo's song for viewers to recognise. 

The Seven News broadcast shows a copy of the legal paperwork and goes into detail about what was said in the court hearing, such particulars as the drug that was consumed and how much Deraugo was fined. Before moving on, the reporter mentions that the judge couldn't see how Deraugo was dealing with her drug problem, so a conviction was recorded.

The article then takes a turn and focuses on the New South Wales Police and their efforts in random drug and alcohol testing, the Assistant Police Commissioner comments on the problem that ice is creating in our society. The reporter concludes the article by suggesting that the high profile court case may deter other drivers from driving while under the influence. A quality in reporting was shown in this broadcast, instead of focusing on Deraugo and her issue, the reporter highlights the problem by including statistics on drug issues in New South Wales as a whole. 

The article from Sydney Morning Herald successfully wraps up the focus of the article within the lead paragraph. As the article progresses, the reporter focuses solely on DeAraugo, summarising her recent drug habits and battle with depression. Unlike the Seven News article, the Sydney Morning Herald reporter quickly discusses DeAraugo losing her license, however then delves deeper into her personal issues. No references are made to drug issues within Australia, the article is solely addressing the issue from a celebrity interest view.

The article in the Courier Mail's lead paragraph reveals details about the drug consumption of DeAurgo. The lead paragraph also provides a quick summary of what the article is going to contain. The Courier Mail article takes on much of the same opinion that the Sydney Morning Herald article did. The articles from The Courier Mail and Sydney Morning Herald are very similar, neither bring new information or tackle the issues differently. The Seven News Article is a stand out, although it discussed DeAraugo and her issue with drugs, it did not focus on the negatively or 'gossip', the article was well spoken and is the best out of the three examined.

This issue was of interest to me as I am a sucker for celebrity gossip, however I admire when a reporter can move your focus from the issue at hand, to the bigger issue. I found this exercise excellent in looking at how one story can be construed in so many different ways. So far, I am thoroughly enjoying the course, the quizzes are excellent. I am remembering all of the grammar rules that I haven't remembered since I was in school. I am excited for the assignment and learning more about Media Writing. 


References

Australian Idol winner Kate DeAraugo pleaded guilty to driving while high on drugs (2015). [TV programme] Seven News.

Dale, A. (2015). Australian High-Dol. The Courier Mail, p.17.

Meehan, M. (2015). Australian Idol Kate DeArugo loses license for 6 months. The Sydney Morning Herald. [online] Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/australian-idol-kate-dearaugo-loses-licence-for-6-months-20150731-gion6a.html [Accessed 2 Aug. 2015].