Students Express Concerns at Youth Forum

International students and job security were the main issues discussed at a youth forum at Monash University this week (April 2011).

The Your Community youth forum was held as part of the One World Week. This is a multicultural festival that began at a university in England but is now also held at Monash University.

The theme for the forum was “The Young Mind and What Plagues It”. Topics discussed included Employment, University, Health, Culture and Personal Security.

The forum was run by the Golden Key Monash University Chapter (GKMU).

The event was hosted by Lloyd England, Student Experience Manager and law tutor at Monash University.

GKMU Executive Community Service Officer Matt Malishev said the event was not a standard question-answer format, “There was good discussion going, that’s what we wanted”.

Dr Holt, Director of International Education and Research at Monash University, said that most youth issues are the same regardless of culture.

Student Jason raised the issue of cultural clusters. Opinions varied between the generations.

While an older lady said that her parents would not let her play with people from other cultures, a female student said that her mother forced to play with others in order to improve her language skills.

One female student said she saw everyone as being Aussie and had enough of people referring to a person’s nationality.

International students also voiced the concern that it was getting harder to find work because employers preferred workers that had permanent residency.

Mr Guimaraes, Founder of the Asia-Pacific Youth Organisation, said that it was important to start searching for work as soon as you arrive in Australia.

Dr Holt added that it was important to let employers know what makes you unique.

Mr Malishev was pleased that one question could start a whole discussion, “The aim was to integrate international students with local students and I think we achieved that”.

Student Andy Hwang was concerned about the expectations being placed by family, friends and society to perform. He wanted to know if there was really a need to fulfil these commitments.

Mr Lester, Senior Counselor for Health and Wellbeing at Monash University said that the pressure to meet expectations was a social construct that you can choose not to buy into.

“Learning is done over a lifetime and not all of it has to be done now” he said.

GKMU president Nicola Giarratana rebutted, saying that lectures expected students to have read everything before class.

She also said that it was part of Monash University expectations that students complete 40 hours of study a week and 20 hours of paid work plus community service.

The event has been declared a success.

Mr Malishev would definitely hold the event again, “We are going to expand it, it going to be bigger and better”.

Golden Key is an international honour society that invites students to become members when they achieve certain academic standing. They have chapters worldwide that hold events and rise money for charity.

HAM430 Feature Story: Should They Come?

There is no doubt that immigration and asylum seekers are one of biggest issues in Australia in the past decade. Either a new boatload of refugees has arrived or there is a protest at a detention centre. Some people saying that asylum seekers are not treated well, and others saying they are living in hotels getting everything for free. Australia has been built on immigration but times have changed. Is it still worth trying to become an Australian?

The book From All Corners (1993, Anne Henderson, Allen & Unwin) presents the stories of six people who migrated to Australia in the mid-20^th century. The common thread between the people in the book was that they came to Australia with little. They had come from a place affected by war or political upheaval. They worked hard at their family business until they earned themselves a comfortable living.

A person to come to Australia in the 1969 was Cornelia Tuyau. She was born in Holland in 1956. She came by ship on what she describes as a six week “holiday” paid for by the Australian government. “We had the impression that when we came here kangaroos would be running around through the suburbs, koala bears would be climbing up the trees in front yard, it was a bit of a culture shock when we came here and it was nothing like that at all.”

Strikes in Perth and Melbourne delayed the journey. When they finally arrived on shore they were put on buses and sent to a hostel in Murrumbeena. The family stayed in the hostel for six weeks. Each person was given a spoon, fork and cup. The family were put in huts that looked like tin cans, they shared with another family. There were just beds in the room. No radio or TV. They used a communal toilet and showers. Not use to Australian food, they were hungry all the time. Milk and eggs were rationed.

Her father was sent to Yallourn to help build a power plant, but there was a strike and workers were sent back to the hostel. Her father then got a job with the post office. He wanted to work on the railways like in he did in Holland but the hostel rent cost more than the wage. Cornelia did not attended school during her stay in Hostel.

Stella Hennequin came to Australia from Mauritius in 1972. They had to pay for their journey by ship. Her mother and six children were entitled to government benefits and were given tutors to learn English. “The Australian mentality of giving everyone a fair go, that is what we were offered back then,” Stella says.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are about 9 million refugees worldwide. Of this there is an average of 3500 asylum seekers coming to Australia each year. According to QC Julian Burnside, it would take 20 years to fill the MCG. In contrast the amount of migrants each year is about 350,000.

QC Julian Burnside said there are three types of refugee. The first type is from refugee camps overseas. The Australian government selects a 13,500 each year to come to Australia. The second group is people who come to Australia on business, student or holiday visas and apply for protection when they get here. They are allowed to stay in community until a decision is made. About 20 per cent of these are accepted as refugees. The third group are boat people without visas and are detained until they receive a visa. About 90 per cent of these are found to be refugees.

According to QC Julian Burnside, the majority have not committed any offence and are seeking protection from the Taliban. He says refugees are keen to enter the workforce and rebuild their lives. They risked a lot to come here.

In the book From All Corners one of the stories has an eerie similarity to current boat people stories. Nhung and Phi fled communist Vietnam in 1979 by sharing a fishing boat with about 25 people on board. The facilities were inadequate and after a few days the boat began to sink. They were rescued and put on an island off the coast of Malaysia. Here they were processed before they were allowed to come to Australia.

The book From Nothing to Zero (2003, Julian Burnside QC, Lonely Planet) paints a different picture to From All Corners. The book is a collection of letters written by people being held in detention centres. The detainees liken the centre to a prison. The rooms are bare and crowded. Most people just watch television all day and late into the night. They are put to work by the prison and given coupons to spend on items such as cigarettes and lollies from the detention centre store. There was a newsletter published by the detainees but this was stopped after it was determined that the content was too depressing. Detainees are woken up a few times a night for counting.

“One night a kangaroo came near the fence …. Who is the animal?” wrote one detainee.

Many have constant headaches which the nurses give paracetamol for. On the rare occasion that they are allowed to receive treatment in a hospital, they are handcuffed throughout their visit. A patient wrote “I felt I had lost my dignity …. In the hospital they thought I was a criminal.”

QC Julian Burnside says when in detention, they have all the support services available to people in jails. When detainees are released, they are left to take care of themselves and their physiological issues.

Youth worker Les Twentyman says immigrants require social and youth workers. Children need school supplies, especially those that came here with no parents. “There needs to be more resources for these people,” he says.

QC Julian Burnside became involved with asylum seekers in 2001. A Norwegian ship called Tampa rescued a sinking boat of refugees. Australia refused to let ship enter Australian waters. A friend found a legal theory to help the asylum seekers and asked QC Julian Burnside to run case. “It immediately became apparent to me that Australia was mistreating asylum seekers in a way that was completely unjustifiable.”

Support groups would contact QC Julian Burnside for help. “Between 2001 and 2006, everyone in detention seemed to have my mobile number,” he jokes. He created a strategic set of test cases to see if they could get the law changed.

Australia is a part of the 1951 Refugee Convention. A country signed to the convention is obliged to protect the rights of all people regardless of how they came to the country. Under the convention, if a country is not able to accept a refugee, they must arrange for them to live in another country.

Australian migration policy says non-citizens without a visa must be detained until they receive a visa or are deported. They do not know when they will be let out. “Even criminals convicted of the worst offences know how long they will spend inside,” says QC Julian Burnside. To grant a visa could take six months or six years. The longest was nine years. “Why is it necessary to hold people indefinitely while they are being assessed?”

A panel determines if a person is a refugee. If they decide no, then the person can go to an independent group for review, 50per cent of these review show the person is a genuine refugee. The case could then go to the high court.

The uncertainty drives asylum seekers mad. When the stress gets too much they either harm property or themselves. Examples include cutting themselves with razors and glass, setting fires and sewing lips together.

An Afghani detainee wrote, “Taliban killed people suddenly but this regime is killing people slowly.”

One case involved a man who had no country. The High Court agreed with the Government that the man could be held forever. “Pretty horrible thought,” Julian says.

Some people in detention have been determined to be refugees, so they cannot be sent to their home country. Meanwhile ASIO said they should not be in Australia due to security concerns, meaning they must stay in detention. It is unclear what these security concerns are. ASIO says no terrorists have come to Australia by boat. Julian says, “We treat them as monsters from Mars.”

Stella was not only an immigrant; she was an investigation officer for the ombudsman for 6 years. Stella says that there are more issues now than when she came to Australia so there are more rules and regulations. “Every case has its own story,” she says. Every decision is done case by case based on evidence. According to Stella, if you meet the criteria for immigration it is a straight forward process.

Stella now runs a foundation that provides support and advice for people in Mauritius who do not have access to treatment for cancer. The foundation liaises with immigration to help the patient obtain a visa to come to Australia.

Julian believes that John Howard’s comments of Australia deciding who will come into the country are correct in terms of migration policy. He believes though that it would totally wrong to apply this to refugees. “You have to be careful about grouping immigrants and refugees together,” he says.

We have a small amount of asylum seekers when compared with other countries. Pakistan and Iran get about two million asylum seekers a year because they are near the troubled countries.

The refugee convention was created to reduce the strain on neighbouring countries by allowing people to seek asylum in any country that is part of the convention. Unfortunately all the countries between Afghanistan and Australia are not a part of the convention. In Indonesia it could take up to 15 years to have a process claimed. During this time the asylum seeker is not allowed to work.

There seems to be a history of suspicion of foreigners throughout Australian history, just a different nationality depending on the era. The book From All Corners tells how, as Australia was at war with Germany, Jews that came from Germany had to prove their loyalty to Australia. Italians were watched carefully by police because Italy was an ally of Germany. People from enemy nations were not allowed to have cars, radios, telephones or cameras. Neighbours kept their distance during this time.

According to Les Twentyman, Immigrants feel alienated. Some are racially discriminated against. In high unemployment areas the migrants are blamed for taking the jobs.

What can be improved with the immigration system?

Stella believes that “information and communication should be foremost”. People have misguided expectations on what to expect in Australia. For example, international students are given 20 hours a week to work. Some then ask for government support. “That is not what the Australian government is about. They provide visas to people who said they are genuinely coming to study in Australia,” Stella says.

Julian believes we need to end the idea of indefinite mandatory detention. After initial health and security checks are done the refugees should be released until a decision is made. Detention on Christmas Island costs $1600 per person per day. Releasing asylum seekers into the community with Centrelink benefits would cost only a couple hundred dollars a week. “It is an amazing amount of money that we spend on traumatising a small amount of people,” Julian said.

What advice is there for people wanting to come to Australia? Cornelia says “Do it the legal way”. She believes coming by boat will just make it harder to be accepted.

If there is family in Australia that will sponsor the immigrant it is fairly easy to migrate to Australia.

People need to know that they will need money to support themselves. They will need to buy a car and rent is high in Australia. They need to find a social network. “You are not going to have five cars in the driveway and big two story mansion,” Stella says. She believes the system in Australia is not always the best but still better than many countries. There is social security and a good health system.

Julian says asylum seekers need to be prepared to face brutal treatment when they first arrive.

If refugees need to face brutal treatment before becoming citizens, is it really worth coming to Australia? “By large Australia is a decent and compassionate country”, says Julian. “Living in Australia is a whole lot better than living in the fear of the Taliban.”

The man with no state was eventually released and became an Australian citizen.

On coming Australia, Stella reflects “It was indeed the lucky country …. We can have everything we want if we work hard for it.”

Further Reading

• QC Julian Burnside Burnside, 6/7/2010, Comfort all who flee fear, The Age, http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/comfort-all-who-flee-fear-20100705-zxht.html
• The UN Refugee Agency http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49da0e466.html

HAM433 Blog Response (Week 8)

There are many websites that provide videos for viewing have been around. The most successful would be YouTube, which has had a social aspect to it since the beginning. The integration with Google Plus has further enhanced YouTube’s social aspect.

One drawback to the adoption of the web as the main video platform is that, particularly in Australia, the Internet is too slow to have high definition video. It also has a high cost compared pay TV. Obviously the convergence of TV and Internet would work better if the video (download) came through the Television broadcast; with audience response (uploads) being sent through the Internet.

Another issue with the current regulations in Australia is that TV networks are not allowed to send data through their transmissions (“what’s on next” and subtitles allowed). Removing the restrictions would allow networks to transmit their own mini webpages showing news, recipes, traffic reports and other text information. Networks could cooperate so a different topic was covered by a different channel.

About 5 years ago the cricket broadcasts used to have player statistics that were viewable with certain set top boxes. Before that Channel 7 started broadcasting the Austext system in 1977. It uses the same technology that provides the subtitles for TV shows. This service provided “news, finance information, weather, lottery results, TV guide and other information” to a compatible TV. The service was ended because “Austext is a free service and does not attract advertising revenue, so this is not commercially viable”. I believe that the closing of the Austext service was a step backward.

HAM433 Blog Response (Week 7)

I think that Channel 10 is taking a risk with this new nationwide news strategy. 90 minutes seems a bit long for the weekend. I also don’t know if people would miss having local news. The weirdest thing would be how they are dealing with the Perth time difference. I think it was good that 6pm with George Negus is on air. I think that it brings back some of the journalism that was lost on channel 7 and 9.

I find that Australians have a history of putting sports before anything else. I find it extremely annoying when a sports story appears in the first 15 minutes of the evening news. It should be left to the sports section. On the weekend there is not even an hourly news report on the radio, it becomes an hourly sports update. I suppose it is some kind of cost cutting. On an episode of the sketch TV show “Full Frontal”, the reporter of a satirical news sketch says “The winners of the AFL grand final were given a parade along Swanston Street with thousands of fans cheering from the sides. In other news, the scientist who discovered a cure for cancer gets a letter from his mother”.

This sport focus is unfortunate for other areas of importance such as the arts and science. There needs to be more shows on television for arts and science. There also needs to be a change in perception of what art is. Many see it as something for the rich or the older generation. I also think the ABC is thinking more business like then it used to. Therefore it is thinking about how to get more people to watch, rather how it promotes culture.

HAM433 Blog Response (Week 6)

I am currently in the middle of reading Al Gore’s book “The Assault on Reason”. The book is focused on the US but much of it relates Australia. A main point of discussion in the book is that you need money to win an election. Therefore an independent candidate in a small town is unlikely to become president because they need money to pay for advertising. The most likely to win an election are those who are already millionaires or can get companies to invest in them. The election campaign becomes about who has the best commercials and who can get the most airtime. Once in power, the government then has to pay the media for advertising space using taxpayer’s money.

I think that political parties should get to advertise for free. There should be a law that if a political party makes an advertisement then the opposite party also gets equal time for advertising. There should also be a set amount of political ads per day.

I think that it is important that people get more interested in politics and world issues. The majority of people would just watch the evening news and many would have trouble answering general questions. People need to be encouraged to watch more current affairs. There also need to be more interactivity. Devices such as Tivo and Apple TV allow TVs to be connected the internet to download movies. This technology should be extended to allow people to have real-time conversations as they watch a show. Some movies on Blu-Ray already allow this.

HAM433 Blog Response (Week 5): Social Media

It is amazing how rapidly the media is changing. In relation to spreading of information, social media is the best thing since the printing press. It is something anyone can get involved with, unlike TV and radio.

I do believe that it is important for people to become more aware of how the media works. They also need to gain skills in analysing what they read. This is because traditional media outlets have processes in place. In general, these processes ensure that the news is factually correct. Most journalists also follow a code of ethics and are bound by regulations. In contrast, social media does not follow the same rules. While having the positives of promoting freedom of expression, it also means that much that is written is actually opinion rather than fact. We all have to avoid the trap of taking everything at face value.

Unfortunately social media is not reaching everyone. For example, Facebook is banned in China. Facebook are currently in negotiations with the government to start a joint venture that will create an independent site just for China. Google also had a struggle with the Chinese government. Also, people in some developing nations are not able to afford the equipment needed. The infrastructure is also bad. This reminds me of when I had to learn about the digital divide in high school. The class had to look at the possibility of a future where people would be divided in to “have” and “have not”. Hopefully the laptop for every child initiatives will help.

Another group without access to social media would be the elderly. They are having difficulty adjusting. When my grandparents were children their house had no electricity and people were using horse and carts. This was in Western Europe! My Grandma will never own a computer.

Finally, I found Wikipedia’s social media aspect quite interesting. It would not normally be associated with Facebook and Twitter, but the articles are put there by anyone creates an account with them. One person might write the basics of an article, and then another person can add extra info. During the Japanese earthquakes earlier this year, there was already a page about the earthquake and it was constantly changing throughout the day. Even the “most deadly earthquakes” article was updated to reflect changes to the death toll. This makes Wikipedia a community based news service, using real people.

HAM433 Week Four Blog Response: Convergence and Regulation

This is a comment to the article written in The Australian about regulation needing to catch up with current technology. Other comments can be found here.

I think that the film and game classification system should be extended to the internet. There are currently filter programs available for parent that can block sites not safe for kids. Unfortunately this relies on the developer of the software maintaining a list of unsafe sites. All websites in Australia should have a rating embedded in the page that can be read by the web browser. This way any Australian site can be self-censoring.

Another issue with website regulation is that the Internet is international. Only the country that the website host resides can remove an offensive site. Something that is legal in one country can be seen in a country where that content is illegal. In Australia the law varies in each state as to what happens when people view illegal material. Victorian law considers a crime to be committed in the place where person is viewing the material. Other regions believe the crime is committed in the place where the website is hosted.

Week Three Response: Toothless Tiger

This post is a response to the question posted here. Other people's responses here.

The Question:

In the lecture during week 2, I suggested that while ACMA has regulatory powers over broadcaster is Australia, when it comes to ethical breaches in the news, they have proven, in some cases, to be a “toothless tiger”. See this Media Watch episode for a good example.

So, this week, I want you to consider regulation of broadcast news. Does the broadcast news media need to be more tightly regulated? If you think ‘yes’, what aspects of the broadcast news reporting might need better rules and regulations? If ‘no”, why not?

My Response:

When looking at regulation issues and privacy, we have to consider that the media is the fourth estate.

Firstly, the fourth estate is supposed to be watching the government and therefore the media should be able to uncover corruption. Unfortunately the lines have been blurred on what kind of surveillance is acceptable. I would think recording a financial transaction in order to reveal bribery would be acceptable, but filming someone carrying out their daily chores at home would be unacceptable. Despite this, the paparazzi are constantly taking photos of celebrities through the windows of their house. If I did this I would go to jail, but they do not. In this regard, I believe that tighter regulation is needed.

Secondly, as the term fourth estate implies, the media is a large organisation on par with the government. Just imagine what would happen if the government collapsed. I believe that the ending of large media organisation would have the same effect. That is why ACMA would not take away a broadcasting licence even though they can. It would create a void that would bring uncertainty in society.

It appears that there is much regulation but not much enforcement. I do not think removing licenses would be the answer but penalties do need to apply more.

HAM433 Week Two Blog Response: Broadcast and technology

This is the lead response to a HAM433 class activity which is based on the case study that can be found at http://www.newsu.org/. The case discusses the time when footage on KARE-TV of an ice boat sailing event that was sped up to make the boats look like they were travelling faster then they were. The ethics of manipulating images was raised.

The way that a video is edited definitely can alter the perceptions of the audience. Guide lines should be in place to ensure that the audience understands what has been altered.

Speeding up footage is something that would be associated with a slick television ad. Those spray and wipe type cleaners come to mind. The “before” and “after” photos of people in ads for some weight loss programs also bring up ethical issues.

The issue of slowing down footage was highlighted on the TV show “Chaser’s War on Everything”. The show is always critical of the techniques used by Today Tonight and Current Affair, a common user of criminals walking slowly. Once, the Chaser team slowed down footage of ordinary people walking so that they would look like criminals.

Another common practice is the use of stock or file footage during news reports. This is a useful tool but unfortunately I have noticed a trend over the past year. Footage is being placed into reports without mentioning that it is stock footage. It looks as it is part of the news story. This could mislead viewers into thinking that it is new footage. Some of the footage does not accurately represent the current situation but a generalisation of similar events.

The reality show Survivor had controversy a few years ago when it was revealed that many of the wide shots and aerial shots were made using hired extras instead of the contestants. This allowed the show to contain camera angles that were not possible during the original recording. The revelation put into doubt the reality of reality television.

The viewer needs to be told about the manipulations before and during a story if they are to trust the media. If the viewer finds out after the show through another source, they will definitely feel deceived or tricked.

There needs to be assessment of when it is the right time to use the techniques such as slow-motion, speeding up video, freeze frames and dissolves. Slow motion and speeding up definitely should not be used when the speed of an event or object is the issue. Speeding up of the boat footage might have made the activity look more risky or reckless then it is.

Speeding up footage can be useful in situations where it is important to show events uncut in short amount of time, such as showing a couple of minutes of security camera footage in a couple of seconds. Slowing down footage can reveal hidden actions that would not be noticed at normal speed.

With both the altering of film speed and use of stock footage, I strongly believe that it is important that, at the minimum, to display text at the top or bottom of the screen saying “file footage” or “footage speed increased”. They might make a statement at the beginning of the report. I can understand that making a statement during the report might disturb the flow.

Retro Half Hour with Kevin Tuyau

This one date only! My own radio show!

Listen on your computer at this page: http://3ssr.wordpress.com/shows/stream/

(IPhone and Android instructions at this page)

• Date: 1^st June 2011
• Time: 12:30pm to 1:00pm

The Retro Half Hour will take the audience back to the 1980’s. Playing hits from the 80’s plus interviewing people who were there at the time.

Featured Guests:

· Sylvio Hennequin: A former DJ from the Casablanca night club.

· Les Twentyman: A well-known youth worker who started the 20^th Man Foundation.

Follow me:

• Twitter: @kevintuyau
• Website: http://sites.google.com/site/myuniquestartpoint/

Review: Death by Buffet

I read the prologue and first three chapters of the book Lost in Transmission (2004, Jonathan Harley). The book is about the author’s time spent as the foreign correspondent in India for the ABC.

The author writes in a style that comes across to me as either a hint of sarcasm or an attitude. I see this as an attempt at keeping the story light hearted with a sense of irony, which I found the article to be as well.

In the prologue the author talks about how that during the war in Iraq, reports were invited to report from a place called “Coalition Central Command”, referred to as “CENTCOM”. It is supposed to be the place where the war effort is being controlled from and journalists can get updates directly from the military. The journalists are instead shown a room full of TVs showing various news channels while the officials lock themselves in a room. “More like CENTCON” a journalist says to the author. The title of the prologue comes from the author’s observation that the only chance of death at the control center was to eat at the buffet.

The first three chapters of the book go through how the author came to be in India and his first assignment. The author is honest in describing his feelings and takes us through a journey of his emotions. First he is excited at the opportunity of working overseas, even if it means leaving behind his girlfriend. As the reader progresses through the book a sense of cultural shock begins to emerge. He has trouble making friends with the staff. When he buys his driver a sink to wash in, the other staff get jealous and the tension increases. The staff keep being pleasant as required by their custom.

The author begins to resent the constant presence of the staff employed to attend to his needs. After his first assignment starts to goes wrong, an assistant comes into his room to provide assistance. The frustration of the situation causes him to yell abuse at the poor staff member. The author then describes to the reader the immense guilt he felt.

Review: Life in Mama’s House

I read chapter 6 of the book Holding the Key: My Year as a Guard at Sing Sing (2001, Ted Conover, Scribner). The book is about a journalist that went undercover as a prison guard.

The article is written from a first person perspective. The chapter’s title, Life in Mama’s House, comes from the focus on Mama Cradle; she is the Officer in Charge at the prison. The author shows a respect and admiration for her even though she is not liked by all staff. The author is constantly looking for Mama’s approval. Every time he does something he looks to see if Mama is pleased. Mama also has the respect from the prisoners who sometimes refuse to obey instructions if they do not come from Mama.

The events are mostly in chronological order but there are also looks into other people’s backgrounds. Chunks of conversations give a slice of prison life with reader being an observer, rather than just being told.

Racial and gang divisions take a large role in the life of the prisoners. The author also comments on the range of psychological issues that the prisoners have. The tension between prisoners and guards is hidden with banter and sly jokes.

• Further Reading: Guarding Sing Sing

Review: The Right Stuff

I recently read chapter 1 of The Right Stuff (1983, Tom Wolfe, Farrar, Straus & Giroux). The chapter is focused on events has seen by a woman called Jane. Her husband is in the army and she lives in community of army families.

The neighbours are discussing an event that has occurred. The reader is not told what has happened but Jane knows what they are referring to. What Jane wants to know is if the event involves her husband.

The writer keeps the reader in suspense by not revealing what happened until the end. Instead we are first taken back to when Jane and her husband first met and how they built their house with the help of friend. The writer then describes the anguish Jane experiences has she tries to find out more information about what happened. There are clues throughout the chapter that allows the reader to guess what has happened.

While remaining secretive about the event, the writer still manages to be very descriptive about other elements of the story. From the location and style of the house to the physical appearance the charters, the descriptions are very energetic and metaphoric. Examples include “wild grin” and “green screen of pine trees”. The writer is not shy when it comes to describing death. Instead of relying on “burnt beyond recognition”, the writer says “an enormous fowl that has … a greasy blackish brown ... charred hulk with wings and shanks sticking out of it”.

Book Review: Nickel and Dimed

Serving in Florida is the first chapter of a book called Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting by in America (2001, Barbara Ehrenreich, Metropolitan Books). It tells the story of how the author decided to see what it would be like to live on a minimum wage. She moved into a mobile home and got a job as a waiter.

The author paints a bleak picture of the minimum wage lifestyle. Their options are limited. They usually have to work where the rich live, meaning that they can’t afford to live near their workplace. They can’t afford the bond for long term rent so have to pay the increased daily fees. They are constantly taking pain killers which they can’t afford.

While the employees are shown to be caring and hardworking people, the management is depicted as being an evil entity. They rule over their workers with little respect. They see the workers as being uneducated druggie thieves. In the job interviews the author attends, employers don’t look at past experience but instead ask questions such as “how much stolen goods did you buy last year?” and make people urinate into cups. Substandard equipment is provided and then management complains that work is not being done properly.

The management’s efficiency has resulted in cutting corners. The lack of staff facilities and a short time to complete tasks means that things are not as clean as they should be. No soap means that people can’t wash their hands properly when handling food. Difficulty operating vacuums means that floors don’t get cleaned.

The author makes many observations of people’s behaviour. She describes the retired cop that covers the hole in his throat to stop the cigarette smoke coming out. She also has gathered information and fellow employees through conversations.

The author appears to go through a type of grieving process. First she felt a shock and demoralisation plus some guilt for the way she used to treat people. She then comes to realise that many of the customers at her job are also workers in the same position. She seems to accept her situation and begins to take pride in pleasing the customers. She also makes friends with the other workers.

The chapter ends with author telling how one night everything goes wrong with computer systems messing up orders and customers getting upset. She blames herself for not being stronger. The next day she resigns. The other workers get on the lives as they always have, this gives a sense that she is disappointed that she was not able to make their lives better.

HAM430 Feature Writing Activity (Open and Closing)

Activity:
Read the provided news stories from The Age. Write the opening and closing sentences for a feature using the information from the articles.

Story One
Opening
The group disembarked the plane, briefly taking in the green landscape and fresh air. Then it was time to keep moving to the awaiting buses. They would be spending a lot of time in the bush in the following days, but first they would need to undergo their training. They had a David and Goliath battle ahead of them. Into the belly of the enemy they would go.

The confrontation was to take place on the banks of the Tamar River about 37km north of Launceston. Here, the protestors would confront Gunns, a company that was going to build a pulp mill in the Tasmanian bushland. They were about to begin clearing the land.

The majority of the protesters would be locals involved the region’s tourism industry, but many had flown in from interstate, taking advantage of new low cost airlines. Most of these people had not done anything this drastic before so training camps were set up across Tasmania. The camps were being arranged by Tasmanians Against a Pulp Mill (TAP). Veteran protester Jack Lomax was presenting.

Closing
With the mill already approved by government, and the techniques lacking any shock factor, time will tell if this new form of activism will make any impact.

Story 2
Opening
The speedboat sped across the ocean. Then the crew of six saw their target. It was big, beautiful and they had to have it. Slowly and quietly the men approached the ship. Gently they put their ladder against the hull. Thump. They weren’t gentle enough, someone heard. Within seconds security were on deck and firing at the speedboat. The men returned fire, damaging windows and a lifeboat. It was another bungled hijacking by Somalia Pirates.

Closing
Stories of pirates will be told for years to come because of their resilience and need to try their luck. Down, but not out, the attackers of Melody found themselves an oil tanker.

Review: NYPD Inaction over a Missing Black Woman

I recently read the feature article NYPD Inaction over a Missing Black Woman Found Dead Sparks a History Racial-Bias Lawsuit (6/5/2008, Sean Gardiner, The Village Voice). The article tells the story of a 21-year-old woman Romona Moore who went missing in 2003.

The article goes into great detail of how the family was impacted by the tragedy. The family was concerned for her well being because she had said she was going out to buy a burger and would be back shortly. She never returned. Despite being a shy woman who was always at home or studying, the police decided that she was a runaway and did not investigate further.

After several days of their own searching, the family finally got in contact with the media who said that they were not interested in the story. The family then went to local politicians who demanded the police reopen the investigation.

A witness contacted the family and told them where to find the body. She had been tortured for several days. The family were suing the police for not doing enough. They claim it was because she was black.

The writer tries to present the story from both the family and the police. He points out how many missing cases the police get each day and that the majority are runaways.

The language used is very direct and to the point. The article is written in a factual way with no embellishment. The main thread of the article is in chronological order, beginning with Ms Moore leaving the house then going through her search and discovery. Quotes from the family and information about the victim are interwoven throughout the article.

The most prominent section is where the lack of police interest is contrasted with the case of a woman who went missing two months earlier. This woman was the wife of a doctor. The police were active on the case immediately working full time and door knocking. There was a press conference and messages on a loud speaker.

The article also contains facts that further convey a sense of injustice. The police used a psychic to find the doctor’s wife. The murderers thought it odd that there was nothing about the abduction on the news. The police had gone to the house where the victim was being held and had noticed items of hers there but did not look further. The most astonishing fact is left to the last sentence, the officer that investigated the disappearance of Ms Moore got a promotion, for his good work on the case.

HAM430: Feature Article Practice

The following is a feature article practice from class.

The Oldest Dog

Side by side, as they have done for nearly three decades, Jerry and Woody Smith take their nightly bush walk.

“He sometimes gets so excited that he jumps up and grabs me on the arm like he did when he was younger” said Mr Smith.

With every step Jerry comes closer to breaking a Guinness record. On Sunday Jerry turns 27-years-old, 189 in dog years, making him the oldest dog in the world.

The 2004 edition of the Guinness Book of Records states currently the oldest dog is 27-year-old Butch in the US, but he died in July.

It is thought that the oldest dog ever was an Australian cattle dog called Bluey. He died in 1939 at 29 years of age.

Jerry lives in the small New South Wales town of Wilcannia, 195km east of Broken Hill. Founded in 1864, the former major Darling River port is now struggling to survive as a service town for outback settlers.

The town may be struggling to survive but Jerry is still going strong. He may provide publicity and hope the community needs.

“Everyone in Wilcannia knows Jerry and loves him. He's a bit of an identity around here” says Mr Smith.

Mr Smith is a respected Aboriginal tribal leader that also works for the council. He and his wife Aileen have three children.

Their 26-year-old daughter Tanya grew up with Jerry and now her children probably will too.

“He could push on to 28” says Dr Nelson. The RSPCA vet recently examined Jerry. “He is a remarkably solid dog for his age and has not got that wasted look that some animals and people get”.

How does Jerry age so well? Mr Smith says Jerry has a high protien diet and a “good bush lifestyle”. Dr Nelson has put it down to genetics and his active lifestyle. “He's a fit, roo hunting dog” she says.

Jerry should not stay complacent. Mr and Mrs Smith have another dog, 20-year-old Kojack, who is Jerry's companion.

Review: Pearls before Breakfast

• Watch the video and hear audio (click here)

The feature article Pearls before Breakfast (8/4/2007, Gene Weingarten, Washington Post) tells of the day that Joshua Bell, a renown violin player, played one of the most expensive violins in the world at a subway station in Washington. The aim was to see if people would notice who he was or would they would think he was just another street performer.

The article came to a lengthy 7300 words, 22 pages when printed out, but the way that it was written kept me reading to the end. Each section of the article unveils a new dimension to the story.

The article begins by building a picture in the reader’s head of the location and what the violinist is wearing. It does not reveal who the violinist is but instead gives a description that could apply to an ordinary busker.

The revelation that this is not an ordinary busker is revealed slowly. The reader is not told directly; instead the reader is moved to a conversation between the writer and the Maestro Leonard Slatkin. The writer asks Slatkin how successful a professional violinist would be at performing on the street. Once Slatkin gives his opinion he is then told the identity of the violinist. Not only has the writer revealed the true identity of the performer to the reader, he has also allowed the reader to join in on the amazement conveyed by Slatkin.

After the life of Joshua Bell and his $3.5 million violin are told, the article then delves into the events of the day. The description of the scene creates a contrast between the music and the passers by. What would keep an audience in silent awe has been totally ignored by people trying to catch trains or buy lottery tickets.

In one example, a man said he liked the music but could not put money in the box because he had spent it on buying lottery tickets. It is later revealed he did not win. Another example shows how a child wanted to listen but the mother dragged him away in a hurry. This was a common occurrence. One person did not hear the music because they were listening to their iPod. Others were busy on the phone. The writer likens this to being in their own world and not letting new experiences in.

The article then deepens through telling the stories of the people who had stopped to listen. One man was listening from around the corner because he was not allowed to leave his coffee stand during his shift. Another man listened around the corner because he did not want to disturb the performer.

At a nearby shoe polishing stand, a customer listened while getting his shoes cleaned. The lady polishing said that it is sad that people ignore others. She the recalls how someone died nearby and people kept walking past because it was not their business.

Only two people noticed that the performer was a professional. One man himself was a violinist but circumstance led him to become a postal worker. A woman had been to his concert a week earlier.

The editors had assumed that many people would come to see the performer and crowd control would be needed. In the end only a couple of people stopped. Joshua Bell had made $32 from 40 minutes of work. Not as grand as what he was use to, but probably more then many of the workers that passed him by.

HAM430 Media Conference Practice

This is a practice article for media conference assessment.

Man shot by Police

A man has died after being shot by police in South Melbourne last night.

The 29 year old was fatally wounded in the head and chest after he was pulled over by police on the corner of Bank Street and Eastern Road at 7:15pm. The man had threatened police and attempted to use his shot gun.

Two passengers, the deceased’s de facto in her 20s and a man in his 40s, were unharmed and were taken to Saint Kilda Police Station on firearm offences.

The incident was part of an ongoing investigation into a gang related murder in which the deceased was a suspect. Superintendent Sandra Neitz of the Police Media Unit said that 20 special armed offices and homicide detectives were part of the operation.

The road had been blocked and neighbors had been warned. No capsicum spray was used and it was unclear how many shots were fired. Local man Joel Price said he saw a woman on the ground being arrested. “Sounded like fire crackers going off, police were running around everywhere” he said.

No identity of the man has been released but he has been revealed to be a night club security agent with prior convictions for firearm and drug offences.

Last night the road remained closed as police continue to speak to witnesses. Police urge anyone who saw the incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The 5 offices directly involved in the shooting continue to work and are receiving counseling.

HAM430 Hard News Exercise (Lead-In)

This is the work I did in class to learn about creating the lead-in for newspaper articles.

Emergency Story

A bus full of school children is missing after two tornadoes hit Townsville at about 2pm yesterday.

Resident Grace Reynolds, whose daughter was on the missing school bus, is appealing for information.

At least 100 emergency vehicles have arrived to provide assistance, bringing water and medical supplies. Over 300 residents have been evacuated.

Phone, electricity and water services have been cut.

Court Story

A 22 year old woman has been sentenced to nine years jail for the murder of her child’s father.

Amanda Jane Felsbourg, of Moe, was found guilty of the murder of Wayne Laffery, who she had an on-off relationship with. Mr Laffery was stabbed more then 30 times in the chest, arms and legs.

Supreme Court Justice Bernard Teague said that he took into consideration that there were no prior convictions and she had shown remorse. She also is believed to have had post natal depression at the time of the stabbing.

Short News Story Assignment Ideas

Idea 1
Dandenong is currently undergoing a revitalisation of its central business district. This includes replacing old shops with tall office blocks and redesigning the main shopping strips. The construction work has caused traffic problems. Possible interviews include council, developer, local business and residents.
Idea 2
Metro was meant to end the troubles plaguing Melbourne’s rail network but passengers are still complaining. Who is really to blame and what is being done to fix the network? Possible interviews include Metro, Transport Minister, Opposition Transport Minister and Passengers.
Idea 3
The shooting of a protester has restarted the debate on wether duck hunting should be legal. Possible interviews include duck hunters, hunting association, animal welfare groups and protesters.

Great Interviews of the 20th Century

The Guardian newspaper has a section on their website called “Great Interviews of the 20^th Century” (http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/series/greatinterviews ). Here is a discussion of a selection of those interviews. The common thread is the struggle between interviewer and interviewee to gain control of the interview for their own advantage.

The article There’s nothing better in life then diamonds (The Guardian, 21^st September 2007), is a reprint of Charlotte Chandler’s 1979 interview with Mae West, a popular actress in the mid-20^th century known for her flirtatious behaviour. The interview gives the impression that Mae West is a person seeking attention and that appearances are important to her. This has given her the desire to control the interview. She has done many interviews before and knows how to change the direction of the conversation. For example, Mae West was happy to talk about men in general, but when it came to talking about finding the right man to spend the rest of her life with, she gave a brief answer then began to speak about her mother in detail. She also tried to unsettle the interviewer by giving advice and getting the interviewer Charlotte to unbutton her top. Despite her ability to guide the interview, she still was put off guard by Charlotte Chandler’s presence. Mae West was used to being interviewed by men and this created her interview style. This time she was being interviewed by a woman so did not know exactly how to deal with this new situation. This may have allowed a more open interview then was expected.

Another interview to achieve openness was Truman Capote’s interview with Marlon Brando in Japan in 1957. Marlon Brando was considered to be a private person who did not like interviews, not even the director of the film he was making knew much about him, but he was willing to speak to Truman Capote. Truman Capote has the ability to befriend the people he interviews so they will speak openly in ways they may have not done before. His ability is well portrayed in the movie Capote. He is able to make friends with people in order to gain their trust. He reveals a little of himself and then provides a listing hear. Charlotte Chandler also does this with Mae West who comments “Men must like you because you are a brilliant listener”.

While Truman Capote liked to make the interviewee think they were in control, the Sex Pistols seemed to be really in control when Bill Grundy interviewed them on the Today Show in 1976. In fact, he was suspended from his job because of it. The Sex Pistols were swearing throughout the interview, which was not very common on television at the time. The interviewer did not help the situation; he said “Say something outrageous”. He also had one member of the band repeat the swearword when it was not said loud enough. The Sex Pistols took full advantage of the interview. They increased their popularity and brought punk rock to the general public.

Collecting and Presenting Facts

An important component of journalism is the collecting, analysing and presenting of facts.

Over the last 10 years there has been a shift in the way that facts are collected that have begun to change the dynamics of journalism. In the article SuperMedia: the Future as Networked Journalism (http://www.opendemocracy.net/, 10th June 2008), the article writer Charlie Beckett explains that the emergence of technologies, such as the Internet and mobile phones, has allowed the general public to have greater input on what is seen in the media. Beckett suggests that the idea of the media being centralised will change and the focus should now be on creating networks of people who share their stories. I think that this kind of shift will allow news to become both more localised and more global at the same time. News will be localised in the sense that people will write about what is happing in their area. News will be global in the sense that people can access news from around the world.

While the way facts are collected may have changed, the importance of interpretation must not be ignored. In the article Haunted by details missing in the struggle for objectivity (Peter Ellingsen, The Age, 3rd June 2009, http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/haunted-by-details-missing-in-the-struggle-for-objectivity-20090603-bvm4.html ), the writer describes being in Tiananmen Square in 1989 during the time when the soldiers were fighting against the protesters. He reflects on his mindset at the time, he was a journalist who had to present the facts, but now believes that presenting the facts has lessened the human “horror” of the event. This article also brings up the idea of perspective. For example the Chinese claimed that 300 people, mainly soldiers, had died but the Red Cross claims that 3000 people, mainly civilians, died. A journalist has to sort through these conflicting facts and create a report that remains objective. The events at Tiananmen Square at the time were seen to be an example of how the media could spread stories around the world quickly. Despite this, the Chinese government had for many years been controlling what was shown in the media. If today’s technology was available then we might have had a different experience. It would have been more like what we are currently seeing in Libya and Egypt. People showing the fighting from their view as it happened.

Presentation is important because it is what makes people pay attention and allows them to make sense of the facts. For example, there are thousands of government documents available for public viewing but who is going to bother reading them? Journalists look through these documents and piece the clues together to make a story that is easy for the reader to understand. The article Poverty by the Numbers (Paige Williams, Atlanta Magazine, 15th April 2008), describes how the people of Atlanta, the home of Martin Luther King, are still in poverty despite the efforts of King. The article manages to present the facts in an easy to understand format. A number is written in large font and then, in smaller bold font, the meaning of number is written. There is a paragraph matched to the number. There is also photographs and artwork. The benefit of this kind of layout is that the reader can gain easy access to the facts while also reading into greater detail if they wish to. The graphics reinforce the message the article is trying to convey. One picture shows a man pushing against two walls. This is a visualisation of a quote by Martin Luther King about removing the walls that separate society.

The Credibility of Journalists

Journalists like to see themselves as being the watch dogs of society, the government and big business. Unfortunately the actions of some journalists have created a public view which suggests that journalists are unethical. Two articles I recently read highlight some of the more dubious issues surrounding journalism. The articles bring into question the ethics and accuracy of the profession.

Article 1

The article, Ethics: Sticky Issues in Gumshoe Journalism (Time, 8^th August 1988), is about the tools being used by investigative journalists to get evidence to support their next big story. The focus is put on hidden cameras and recording devices. The ethics of such practices is questioned in the article.

Both journalists and private detectives play an important role in uncovering wrongs. They can get into places and gain evidence where police have been reluctant to investigate or don’t have the resources. Examples mentioned in the article, such as illegal gambling, are difficult for police to monitor because, as soon as the perpetrator realises there are police watching, they close up shop. Journalists can attain a deeper level of cover.

There still needs to be a look into privacy issues as well. In the article, Attorney Paul Hannah says that “the bedroom is absolutely inviolate”. While I believe this holds true, in the years past since this article was written, the views might have changed. There are recent examples where the bedroom has been violated but I have not heard of legal action being taken. One example is the television show Cheaters; in which private investigators follow cheating partners and film the evidence. Another example is when reporters filmed Shane Warne in a hotel with two women. I would consider a hotel room to be a bedroom and it has been violated. While his wife would be interested, was it really necessary to carry out surveillance to uncover the “scandal”?

Article 2

The article, Shattered Glass (Vanity Fair, September 1998), is about former journalist Stephen Glass who was revealed to be creating fictional articles and passing them off as real stories. He went to extraordinary lengths to make the stories to appear genuine by creating false documents and evidence. He also managed to hold back criticism and doubts on his work through his likable personality and ability to spin stories.

This article raises the important issue of accuracy and integrity in journalism. It is amazing that amount of effort that went into the works of fiction. It is not just laziness, as would have been expected from a false report. The picture that the article painted of Stephen Glass almost made me feel sorry for him. He seemed to come second to his brother through childhood and was unable to please his parents. He always needed to prove himself and was self critical. The article suggests that he was just trying to make stories more interesting. He was looking for acceptance. While the issue of sensationalising comes up frequently in the media, what Stephen Glass did was beyond sensationalising. Journalists are a group that the public should be able to trust.