News 21: Student Journalism, Multimedia Presentation

News 21 is a foundation-funded student journalism outlet that has emphasized in-depth reporting and multimedia presentation. It originated with 8 journalism schools/departments at big campuses that each investigated and reported on a different area, for example: UC Berkeley/food safety.

DrudgeReport.com Remains Powerful

Matt Drudge of the Drudge Report, conservative with tabloid sensibilities exerts major Internet influence as a newswire and referral service.

Short Video Impacts 2008 Presidential Election

This 2008 Brave New Films video short "McCain's Mansions" (with more than 600,000 views) boiled up through the media food chain into the mainstream.  It impacted the campaign, as shown by this self-promotional video, "The Making of McCain's Mansions."

Do some journalists get too cozy with their official sources?

In 2003, a CNN executive actually boasted about having given the Pentagon an advisory role on who his on-air experts would be during the Iraq war. . . . At 2007 Radio-Television Correspondents Association Dinner, top journalists (including then-NBC White House correspondent David Gregory) were literally dancing with a top source, controversial Bush aide Karl Rove. These are social/charitable events where journalists and newsmakers are expected to have some fun, but is it symbolic of too much coziness? . . . Whether dealing with political leaders or celebrity athletes, the quest to gain access to famous newsmakers can undermine independent journalism, according to indy TV host Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks, one of the most successful independent web TV shows.

Bold question from indy blogger launches big controversy

A former student in the Spring 2009 indy media class, Chris Lisee, blogged about the impact that a single off-key journalist can have.

Great words from billionaire Pierre Omidyar . . .

. . . explaining his commitment to supporting independent journalism at First Look Media/The Intercept, in a video released Jan. 2014. (Since then, the plan has changed -- with First Look having launched the investigative outlet The Intercept, as opposed to "multiple digital publications.")

"Stickin' It To The Man"

In the movie School of Rock, a substitute teacher (played by Jack Black) explains the purpose of rock 'n' roll to his 5th grade students. Do independent media share a similar purpose?  (The School of Rock kids in the original cast had a 10-year reunion with Jack Black.)

Daily Show segment on NY Times is called "End Times"

The Daily Show's cruel 2009 look at the New York Times' "day-old news." 

Links to Student Blogs

Taylor Barker . . . Joe Byeon . . . Lainey Cohen . . . TinaMarie Craven . . . Olivia Cross . . . Gabby Jorio . . . Haleigh LaMontagne . . . William LeBlond . . . Emma Rizzo . . . Alexa Salvato . . . Jodi Silberstein . . . Ian Stone . . . Jenny Zdrojeski

Link to SYLLABUS

Click here for syllabus for Spring 2015 "Independent Media" course