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My New Website
My new website: for periodic updates on whatever I wish to research and rave about.
Hello young vagabonds,
I’ve been writing a very interesting piece on the use of digital media in the recent spates of violence toward journalists. It’s called “Violence Against Journalists in the Digital Age; The Impact on Free Speech.”
Unfortunately the version of WordPress I’m using wouldn’t support the multimedia I needed for this piece. As a result I had to shift all of my content onto a new website it’s called vintage99.org
Y’all should check it out, it’s like a grown up version of my blog here, my only criticism would be that it needs more dragons.
Much love,
-Melanie
Reporting Under Anonymity
(Photo: Melanie Williams)
Today my tutor made some rather profound remarks about the integrity of standing by your convictions, that inspired me to write about anonymity in journalism.
Anonymity refers to the condition of being anonymous. Anonymity in journalism could be taken to refer to the authors anonymity through either withholding their details or publishing under pseudonym. It could also be taken as the act of providing anonymity to a source.
To address the latter first, providing anonymity to a source is something that should be approached with much trepidation. The MEAA code of Ethics for Journalism, addresses the issue of providing a source with anonymity. Whenever a source asks for anonymity question their motives, and if you agree to anonymity, respect and abide by that confidence. Under no circumstance should you disclose the identity of a source to whom you have granted anonymity.
Journalists forced to reveal their sources isn’t the beginning of the end. It’s the end of the end. http://t.co/fi9Kf9uoAU
— Will McAvoy (@WillMcAvoyACN) April 10, 2013
Journalists are frequently put under scrutiny and extreme pressure to reveal sources, this was seen famously in the Watergate scandal. But also more recently in the Gina Rinehart court case against Fairfax Journalists. Several Journalists have been jailed for failing to reveal their sources, such as New York Times reporter Judith Miller. The Committee for the Protection of Journalists keeps extensive records of journalists jailed for conducting their work and protecting sources.
Journalists facing prison for protecting sources http://t.co/uHHjA8n2mI Gina Rinehart subverting democracy in #Australia. #mining #justice
— Roberto Jones (@rjstrikers) April 11, 2013
You do your job in public interest and you face jail #freepress @007_delic http://t.co/xAsW7RMhgB via @guardian
— helena milinkovic (@helencam) September 16, 2014
Journalists who are morally sound and hold themselves to the ethical standards of our craft are willing to defend their decisions under coercion and pressure. However it is the journalist who do not have the courage to stand by their convictions that came under scrutiny in my class today.
We were told that as journalists and human beings we should always stand by the courage of our convictions. While remaining objective is the key to providing accurate and unbiased news, as human beings we were encouraged to speak out against injustice when we see it.
Reporting under a pseudonym is not encouraged, unless it is absolutely vital i.e. when you are writing in a country where your life would be in danger should your identity be revealed. If you have an opinion have the courage to stand by it and stand up for what you believe in. As journalists we have a duty to discourage evil by reporting, fairly, accurately and truthfully.
The lasting impression of my final tutorial was that: we must report injustice and evil wherever we find it. For if we do nothing, if we let fear, or money or influences get in the way, we allow evil to prosper.
A quote by Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
The Biggest Challenge For Journalists: Remaining Impartial in a Digital Age
Journalists adhere to a very strict code of ethics which require us to keep our objectiveness and impartiality when reporting on a story. We strive for independence, which is why we must disclose any potential conflicts of interest. Impartiality is vital to maintaining the integrity of our craft.
The point which has been drilled into me since day one of my studies (besides correct attribution of sources) is giving sources the right to defend themselves. Contacting all parties and presenting an unbiased story, and never ever purporting your own beliefs. This is perhaps the most challenging facet of journalism, the struggle to remain impartial when a story hits close to home.
I have experienced this first hand recently, when I started working on a piece pertaining to the violence against foreign correspondents in conflict. An emotional response to a confronting situation or topic is human, and as such we are all subject to it. However when this emotion crosses over into our writing we lose objectivity and integrity. These values are the only thing separating journalism from fiction or propaganda.
The ease of disseminating information in our digital aid makes it easier to reach larger audiences. This increase the need for objective reporting to maintain our credibility and allow readers to form their own conclusions, without coercion or influence.
The internet now provides a powerful tool for verification. This benefits story telling by allowing journalists to provide links to sources and increase the integrity of reporting. It also allows the public to check the credibility of a story by fact checking all points made. This places responsibility on both parties,the journalists: to provide true and unbiased information, and the public: to check the facts of a story before believing it.
Reporting on certain subjects requires tact and sound legal knowledge. Subjects pertaining to minors, war, rape, murder and pretty much anything before the court have strict rules for publishing. Some information can never be printed regardless of public interest.
Wherever there is a story on a dark or sordid subject, there is a journalist who knows more but cannot speak, for fear of prosecution or retribution.I have lost count of how many times a mentor has recalled a particular case that haunts them.
I have always found remaining impartial challenging, I became a journalist because I believed in the pursuit of truth and holding those in power accountable. So when your pursuit of truth is vetoed by laws or regulations restricting publishing, you feel a deeply ingrained sense of despair and resentment. This can result in journalists taking matters into their own hands such as the infamous case of subjudice contempt where Derryn Hinch publicly broadcast the criminal history of a Pedophile.
https://twitter.com/CHOBITCOIN/status/512434004508041217
As journalist’s and human beings we are flawed, and we cannot help forming our own ideas and opinions on issues. This does not mean we should compromise the integrity of our work, instead we should work harder to publish more. We should inform the public by presenting all of the facts and allow them to form their own opinions.
A brilliant example of this is seen in Joanne McCarthy who relentlessly investigated and uncovered the cover-up of child sex abuse by members of the police and clergy. McCarthy speaks about her work in the video below and touches on the struggle of maintaining objectivity
(Source: You tube. Originally posted by ABC TV Australia on August 25, 2014 via YouTube)
In an interview with Lateline Joanne McCarthy elaborated on the issue of losing objectivity. Saying that while she needed to tell the truth for the victims, she had to fight to keep her objectivity.
“Do I have sympathy for someone who becomes obsessive, who loses objectivity in this area, yes I do. Because you’re dealing with really serious offences, distressing, devastating offences against children. You work in that area for too long you get views about it, and it is easy to lose objectivity and I’m not making any excuses for it, but I do understand how it happens.” Said Mrs McCarthy.
Joanne McCarthy is an example of how a journalist can utilize their feelings toward a subject to facilitate a thorough and fair investigation, while maintaining objectivity
While the digital age may make it easier for readers to fact check and investigate the integrity of sources. Journalists have a duty to their readers to represent the facts truthfully and abstain from trying to sway their opinion. Journalists should trust that if they have presented the facts well, readers will be able to form their own conclusions.
The Death of Intelligent Viewing
I was distraught this week to find out that the monstrosity that is Big Brother is not dead, instead a new season is just about to start. It genuinely disgusts me that this utter drivel exists let alone that people actually enjoy it.
(Even Game of Thrones cannot save us. Source: troll.me)
Big Brother has become an annual disappointment to me. I don’t mean that it has become a disappointment as it has never been good and never could be. No, what I mean is that I am continually angered by it’s yearly renewal and that there is always a new bunch of dimwits willing to sell what little dignity they have left to have 5 minutes of fame. I guess some people really do believe that any attention is good attention.
If in doubt… 😛 #BBAU pic.twitter.com/PSPCk9mt0n
— Big Brother (@BBAU9) September 16, 2014
When Big Brother first came out and I saw the trailer for it I couldn’t help but be intrigued. It promised to be a form of social experiment to see how people reacted to 24/7 surveillance and the odd annoying challenge. But since then it has become nothing more than a terrible soap opera. I have even met some people that take it as far as to watch the contestants as they sleep.
Television was originally created for noble purposes such as the conveyance of news. Now those purposes have been tainted and television has become nothing more than a way for idiots to watch other idiots doing idiotic things.
(Source: simtv.co.uk)
The future of humanity really is looking grim.
Search Engine Optimisation
(Even this savvy kitty knows the value of New Media. Photo: Melanie Williams)
Paid search engine marketing is expensive and while it does results in traffic, this traffic will diminish as soon as you stop paying.
Paying for SEO is nonsensical on many levels, but the chiefly because our general distrust for marketer makes us abhor anything to do with paid advertisements.
As a freelance journalist whose other area of study is marketing, I’ve given up hope of ever being liked or accepted by my fellow man.
In contrast, more people will click on organic search results and these are dependent only on key words. Unlike paid advertisement these results will not diminish over time.
Instead of throwing money at paid SEO, you should be encouraging your users to share your content via social media.
Because while 90% of people trust recommendations by friends, while only 14% trust recommendations from advertisers.
When a brand advocate shares content of Facebook or Twitter it will be trusted six-times more than anything you post.
Check out the blog on my new business’s website Mcgrath Media & Marketing for the latest in digital marketing news.
The Gaming Black Hole
Recently a new game,called Destiny, was launched. I have absolutely no doubt you have heard of it, thanks to a relentless marketing campaign, by creators Bungie. Which saw adverts posted on every bus, billboard and prime-time slot.
In the weeks leading up to its release my boyfriend warned me that I wouldn’t see him for days. I took this as a bit of enthusiastic exaggeration, and even looked forward to a little more down-time studying.
As it turns out he did “literally” meant days, and to my dismay, he can play for 12 hours straight without a problem.
(Source: Gamespilot Trailer)
This lead me to question the appeal of gaming, and whether or not I should hide his xbox in a desperate attempt for human interaction. Personally I have never really been a gamer, I mean I once played Mario Kart. But I question the entertainment value of shooting the same object for 12-hours straight.
After questioning my boyfriend on what motivates him I came to a realization that for some people games are just like good books. Once you get to a good part in the story you just cannot put it down even when you know you should. Not only that but instead of just reading or watching the story like a film you are actually part of it, drawing you in deeper.
While the idea of gaming became a little more attractive, it also began to look a little addictive. Like gambling, gaming can become an addictive activity, sucking up your social life and making your wallet a lot lighter.
Thankfully my years of study has made me dubious of drawing a conclusion from one source alone. Which prompted me to ransack my university database for journals articles/studies on the subject.
The overwhelming academic opinion is that while media attention often focuses on the negative aspects of video games, these are often outweighed by positive attributes. In fact playing video games is linked to faster problem solving abilities.
Just like anything else gaming must be done in moderation, and you have to make time to do other things. At the end of the day it is just like anything else and relies on personal preferences. I’m not going to deny anyone something that they enjoy, as long as it isn’t doing any harm.
An Economic Perspective: Why Digital Menus Make Sense
(Digital alternatives save trees and money. Photo: Melanie Williams)
Altering posted prices in costly to businesses, particularly those in retail or hospitality where the process involves multiple steps and a large allocation of resources. The Oxford: Quarterly Journal of Economics reports that the frequency of changes in nominal value due to menu costing are responsible for a third of the business cycle. Menu costs take up a significant chunk of a business’s marketing expenditure, altering prices is necessary to respond to legal requirement, inflation; supply and demand.
Traditional “static” media prevents businesses from varying their pricing and product base regularly. Whereas digital media techniques not only alleviate the burden of menu costing, but increase flexibility to update pricing and products. This allows your business to respond not only to inflation and legal requirements, but to changes in supply and demand. Allowing your business to achieve an economy of scale.
Digital menus provide a more efficient way of decreasing menu costing by cutting out processes and expenditure of resources by creating a medium where prices and products are easily managed.
Simply speaking digital menus allow you to give your customers what they want in a timely and cost effective manner, while decreasing your long term menu cost.
Tips for Taking Online Assessment
1. Ensure that it’s for the intern/grad position of a serious employer; result are archived
2. Ensure you’ve had less than 5 hours sleep the night before.
3. Do it after at least 14+ hours of cognitive and physical exertion.
4. Have a glass of wine, because you don’t need those problem solving abilities.
5.Think oh well, I’ll just do it, how hard can it be?…
6. Fall asleep at keyboard midway through the numerical reasoning.
Short, Straight and Strong: The Rise of Japanese Whisky in the Brisbane Market
(From the new range the delicious Hibiki 17 y/o Photo: Melanie Williams)
The supply of Japanese whisky has doubled to meet Australian demand in the last six years, and in Brisbane the business is booming.
The increase was driven by Australia’s thirst for whisky which has seen consumption double in 25- 34-year-olds. Australians now consume almost 19 million glasses of whisky every month, according to Suntory Australia’s Managing Director, Ian Atherton.
The growing popularity of whisky has led to Brisbane hosting its first major whisky exhibition, WhiskyLive, later this month. Even for those who aren’t a fan of the dark spirit, the increase is something to be happy about. With the resulting growth in Brisbane’s local economy from tourism and the opening of small businesses.
The front runner in Japanese Whisky, Suntory, has recently expanded its range, with the new selection available in an exclusive few Brisbane bars and retailers as of May 24th. The prestigious Japanese house of whisky, has claimed the title of International Spirits Challenge’s ‘Distiller of the Year’ for four consecutive years now. The new Suntory range will be among several premium whiskys featured at WhiskyLive, which will be held on the 22nd and 23rd of this month.
Suntory’s Assistant Brand Manager, Matthew Barnett, said that whisky culture was thriving in Brisbane.
“Japanese culture, travel, cuisine, fashion, arts, beer, wine and spirits are a growing trend in Brisbane. We have observed many small and medium sized bars dedicated to whisky opening in Brisbane locally,” said Mr Barnett.
The new Suntoryrange features something for every palate, ranging from the Hibiki 17-year: a luscious mixed grain whisky, balanced , smooth; a thing of true beauty. To a Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve: a fruity single malt whisky, with a hint of Japanese oak.
For those readers who are aching to sample the delectable new range, it can be found within walking distance of the city centre at Cobbler, Sling or The Kitty.
Vintage99 Blog 