Everyday 80 000 new blogs are created. Blogs about fashion, politics, spinach and a whole array of other topics. On the 27th of September this year, Please Note The Following was one of the 80 000 blogs created that day, but it's mission was slighty different to that of most other blogs. Its creators wanted to give readers a behind the scenes glimpse into the world of student journalism by establighing a fresh and funky yet slightly serious blogging forum.
The blog layout is very minimalistic. The blue, teal and white colouring is reminiscent of an insurance company waiting room which certainly does not add a young and exciting edge to the blog. It also has a notable lack of gadgets. For a blog dealing with journalism as its subject matter, it would have been helpful for the creators to allow for RSS feeds from various news and journalism sites.
As far as content is concerned the blog does succeed in living up to its initial purpose. The content manages to strike a good balance between the serious and the off-the-wall which helps to attract readers whilst still making them aware of significant information. Seeing as the content is produced by four different individuals, the blog lacks a sense of coherence and there is a variety of distinctly different writing styles.
Although the blog does add to the discussion around journalism, it does not strike me as being a crucial element of the debate. The blog creators would have to improve on their presentation of the blog and they would have to develop an authentic journalistic stance in order for readers to take note of what they have to say.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Taking Note
Blogging Scandalously
By Isabelle Abraham
The blog is created by Thobile Memela, Nicholas Rocke, Jessica Lewer, Aimee Caufield and Sifiso Sikhakhane, and is aimed at journalism students. The blog posts range significantly in writing style and topic and each entry highlights an individual issue. Many of the posts include visuals which capture the reader’s attention very quickly and are clever aids to the entries.
The quality of the writing itself is of a general high standard and it is particularly interesting to note the difference between the writers’ styles. “Stormy Weather”, for example, had a very creative feel to it as the writer narrated it in a classic story-telling form, making it atmospheric. Another piece, “Dramatic Arts; a Home for Homosexuals” is a finely-wrought opinion piece; it candidly speaks about the stereotypes associated with the Rhodes Drama Department and cleverly exposes this issue.
The colour of the writing makes it clear to read but the white-on-black eventually strains the eye, making it uncomfortable to read. All in all, this student blog is one definitely worth visiting.
What’s your number? What’s YOUR colour?
The JMS1 class of 2009 have very strong viewpoints and aren’t afraid to put out there in the most flamboyant ways. Paging through the book of blogs by the JMS1 class of 2009 has been a treat for my eyes, and snack for my intellect.
While looking through a number of blogs one in particular caught my eye: The number 42 is purple. A warm, soft green background, and very interesting header-pic intrigued me to scroll down to investigate.
This blog is one of 62 blog-groups by the JMS1 students from Rhodes University. These first years were asked to blog on a number of subject matter. They blogged opinion pieces, commentary pieces and even self reflective pieces about who they are as bloggers. This was an opportunity to show their different styles of writing. It was also an opportunity to show off their cyber knowledge and aesthetics prowess.
This group’s use of aesthetics is very appealing. Their background was warm, inviting and easy on the eye. I enjoyed the prominence of pictures. It is also good to see that they have progressed from articles without pictures, to having a picture accompany every article now.
Their use of language was very effective as they did not speak down to any readers but approached the reader on the same plane.
All in all it is truly a blog worth the read. You can get delicious succinct articles that are a lovely snack to read and a feast for the eyes with their lovely pictures.
Mission I. N. Fil. T. R. 8
Someone told me I could find her in the BRAAE labs – the post grad labs – but will I be able to get in. I’ll have to find a way in…
I ascend the two flights of stairs and assume stealth-mode. I just walk around there like part of the furniture – stealth mode active. Except I wasn’t furniture – I wonder if anyone noticed?
So anyway, here I am in front of the doors of BRAAE – the post grad labs – with no way of getting in… this random guy comes with his access card and opens the door. I just smiled and expected him to walk past and leave me peering through the window like that last puppy in the pet store. Little dig I know I’ m a bloodhound.
Oh well, the guy kept the door open waiting for me to enter, so I didMy post-grad slealth disguise must be working.
So I infiltrate the post-grad labs and locate the target. She wasn’t hard to locate.
I locate her. - She greets me with a loving hug and a handful of pecans (what a sweet friend). Then she said I could chill on Facebook or whatever. Then I was all like:
“Aren’t they gonna put me out? I’m not a post grad…”
“Not if you just keep quiet and not disturb anyone.”
“Yay! I’m in BRAAE labs! I’m in BRAAE labs!”
“Except post grads don’t do that once when we get in these labs... We are just confident and in control.”
“Well I bet yall do it on the inside…”
So that’s the story. That’s how I infiltrated the post grad labs – in my undergrad first year.
Can’t wait for post grad, they got the nicest computers ever and the air-con on at just the right level. Teehehe.
Mission complete.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Gender equality? A raw deal
by Lunga Khuzwayo
“I shall give you a woman who will love you unconditionally, cook and clean for you, comfort you, fulfil your desires, do whatever you tell her to and never complains”, says God. Then Adam asks, “That would be great but how much will it cost me?” God replies, “An arm and a leg”. Adam thinks about, sighs and says, “What can I get for a rib?”
Ever since the uprising of feminism, men have struggled to keep a woman in their traditional role of submissiveness. For a rib’s worth, women no longer have to play the role of servitude. The fight for gender equality and deterioration of the patriarchal system has resulted in the empowerment of women. However, it is questioned to what extent of gender equality women are aiming for. As a feminist, there is a thin line between being anti-men or just pro-women.
I have considered myself as a feminist, opposing any idea of male dominance; nevertheless, I have found myself complaining about men’s courtesy: They do not step aside for a lady anymore, a constant bashing of shoulders along the corridors. My face almost met the ground by a group of guys who decided not to step aside for me, “NO MANNERS”, I screamed out...inside my head, that is. This new generation of men have taken gender equality to a literal level and one begins to question their degree of feminism.
Do we still want to be treated like a ladies or is being ‘one-of-the-guys’ good enough? Being independent is what us women pride ourselves in, and maybe it is time to let go of the lack of gentlemen in the world. We can’t have our cake and eat it.
Pointing fingers at the media? Get over it. NOW.
By Isabelle Abraham
“Journalism is dead.”
“Sensationalists, not journalists.”
“It’s the media’s fault.”
And the list goes on. Yeah, I get it. Journalists aren’t the most popular of people. Just take a look at poor Daniel Pearl. We’re being blamed, we’re being sued, and we’re being murdered. Not the most delightful of careers. But at least we’re trying to do something. It’s true that in news today, reporters are more concerned with entertainment than fact. But who’s to blame for that? Certainly not the numerous consumers who pay to read that garbage.
Think about it. If you know (from experience) that citizens want to read about scandal and sleaze, what are you going to write about? Duh. Those readers pay for that stuff, and that money goes into the journalists’ salaries. So they’re going to write about scandal and sleaze.
The media gets blamed for ruining lives. For negatively influencing young people. For not being fair, for not being factual, etcetera, etcetera. Sure, we accept all that. Yet plenty of good has been done too. There are journalists who have made a difference. A good difference. People’s lives have taken a turn for the better. And all thanks to whom? Yeah, you know whom.
The media has been blamed enough for problems that exist in society.
It’s time that PEOPLE take responsibility for what they’ve done to themselves. Some people just lap up what the media feeds them. If they want to take things at face value, it’s their problem, not the media’s.
Still sceptical? Take a look at these articles:
· Don’t Blame the Journalism
· A new threat to media freedom
· Semenya: The media’s to blame? Huh, am I missing something?
· Dear Winnie: You don’t own media freedom
ON THE EDGE
What’s with the drama in this day and age? Why do kids do drugs? Why do people engage in such high-risk lifestyle behaviour?
They must have a need for speed. We want excitement! The people want an event! Give us a thrill.
Let’s live the rockstar lifestyle: a different lover every night, on the best cocaine and ecstasy, get into a brawl every night - just to feel something... Gone are the days when you got excitement from the rarities in life that now just happen everyday – the latest album release, going to the shops. Now artificial stimulus is needed to give any feeling.
Back in the day going to town was an event, seeing a movie was an event! Now we live in the instantaneous age: instant life, instant experience, instant event!
Going to the mall isn’t an event anymore: we do it everyday. People used to dress up for the shops.
"Let's go to town!" they would say and everyone would get dollied up. Today you can just get the latest track or movie that isn’t even on circuit yet, right at the end of the dial-up tone.
Living in the microwave-age, how do we get the thrill? Wherein lies life events? Drugs? High risk sex? What about self-destructive behaviour? Carving up the Christmas arm…?
So what of living the instant-rockstar lifestyle? Life’s too short anyway. It’s like, who needs a umbrella when it’s raining? Your gonna get wet anyway.
