Here at TNR, we've been a bit ... well, you could say obsessed. Yes, we've been a bit obsessed with a Web site called "Overheard in the Newsroom." The site posts funny, satirical and quirky comments from news rooms across the country.
Today, my very first post was featured on the Web site. It was a quote Coulter, our photo editor, uttered in reference to editor Taylor:
I think everyone involved was honored to be chosen by such a prestigious organization.
(Plus, don't tell Taylor I said so, but it's totally true.)
- Ariel
What are some of your favorite posts from "Overheard in the Newsroom"? Share them with us!
![Off The [News] Record](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5unsWc-DbIo/TNMIyzp4PPI/AAAAAAAAAEs/JJFt2qWRBqQ/S1600-R/LOLWUT.jpg)
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Work hard for the money
Today marks the first production day back after a very uneventful spring break.
I ordered pizza. I thought it was going to be a celebration. It was going to be a good day.
I walked out the door of The News Record and looked around. No one to my left, no one to my right, everything was good. It was a beautiful night. I watched the stars as photographer Sam Greene and I walked to CRC circle.
Little did I know my dreams of enjoying pizza would become nightmares.
There was a voice screaming in my head as we waited outside. I felt my blood turn ice cold and my pulse quicken as a random sedan pulled up with an older man with a backwards hat rolled down his window.
"Thanks for your patience," said he. I was stunned. We were out there for about 45 minutes, fully believing in the pizza tracker Domino's provides on their Web site.
Rod looked at me. His eyes glowed red with hatred. He "accidentally" threw the receipt at me. At ME. A DOCTOR. How this man, a delivery driver for a pizza chain, could treat a doctor so poorly was beyond me.
Long story short, the pizza was burnt -- just like my heart. I see the reasons to live disintegrating before my very eyes.
I am a shattered man.
-Gin
I ordered pizza. I thought it was going to be a celebration. It was going to be a good day.
I walked out the door of The News Record and looked around. No one to my left, no one to my right, everything was good. It was a beautiful night. I watched the stars as photographer Sam Greene and I walked to CRC circle.
Little did I know my dreams of enjoying pizza would become nightmares.
There was a voice screaming in my head as we waited outside. I felt my blood turn ice cold and my pulse quicken as a random sedan pulled up with an older man with a backwards hat rolled down his window.
"Thanks for your patience," said he. I was stunned. We were out there for about 45 minutes, fully believing in the pizza tracker Domino's provides on their Web site.
Rod looked at me. His eyes glowed red with hatred. He "accidentally" threw the receipt at me. At ME. A DOCTOR. How this man, a delivery driver for a pizza chain, could treat a doctor so poorly was beyond me.
Long story short, the pizza was burnt -- just like my heart. I see the reasons to live disintegrating before my very eyes.
I am a shattered man.
-Gin
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Sunshine Week
How did I miss the fact that it's Sunshine Week? Screw St. Patrick's Day. This is way more exciting. And to think I almost missed the entire thing.
I was reminded of Sunshine Week by a column on Cleveland.com, The Plain Dealer's Web site.
I particularly like when Regina Brett writes:
"People who are afraid of public scrutiny shouldn't hold public office."
Beautiful. And so true.
Read the full column here.
Anyway, happy Sunshine Week, folks. Study up on your rights.
-Sunshine.org
-SPJ.org
-- Taylor
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Reporter asked to reveal anonymous sourcess
Plain Dealer reporter Gabriel Baird was summoned to appear in court Tuesday -- in what looks to be insufficient notice -- to reveal an anonymous source used in a story printed nearly six months ago.
Read the article
When Baird did not appear before the court, the judge signed a warrant for his arrest. Police went to the PD's office for Baird, but he was on assignment and the court had not used his legal name making the warrant useless.
Under the Ohio Shield Law, reporters are protected from having to reveal anonymous sources.
This case could get interesting.
Sounds like an abuse of political power in the Cleveland judicial system to me. I'm very anxious to see how this shakes out. I'll be surprised if the judge can get away with it. Actually, I'm astonished that she thinks she can get away with it now. The last three graphs of the PD article blast the judge for past blunders that make her look rather incompetent.
When i first read those graphs, I was kind of surprised the PD opted to include that information. Sure it's relevant in that this judge has exhibited questionable behavior before, but that's about where it stops.
With that, though, I think it begs to ask: Is possible to always maintain balance when covering one of your colleagues or reporting on the news organization you work for?
Thoughts?
-- Taylor
Read the article
When Baird did not appear before the court, the judge signed a warrant for his arrest. Police went to the PD's office for Baird, but he was on assignment and the court had not used his legal name making the warrant useless.
Under the Ohio Shield Law, reporters are protected from having to reveal anonymous sources.
This case could get interesting.
Sounds like an abuse of political power in the Cleveland judicial system to me. I'm very anxious to see how this shakes out. I'll be surprised if the judge can get away with it. Actually, I'm astonished that she thinks she can get away with it now. The last three graphs of the PD article blast the judge for past blunders that make her look rather incompetent.
When i first read those graphs, I was kind of surprised the PD opted to include that information. Sure it's relevant in that this judge has exhibited questionable behavior before, but that's about where it stops.
With that, though, I think it begs to ask: Is possible to always maintain balance when covering one of your colleagues or reporting on the news organization you work for?
Thoughts?
-- Taylor
IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
Yeah. Sorry. Now that's stuck in your head.
We're almost done with Winter quarter. So close I can taste it.
We've seen some interesting things at The News Record. It makes me feel strange when I stop and reflect on all the stories we've covered. Of course, we find ourselves empathizing with some of our subjects and all, but it's empty slate every Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
It makes me wonder if all writers feel like that. I remember a lot of really good articles I read in things like Esquire, but I wonder if the people who wrote them remember them. I don't really know -- if someone's included in a news article I wrote or something, that article might be clipped out of the newspaper and hanging somewhere (wishful thinking, probably) but it was another story.
Naturally, there are more memorable stories, but it just makes me kind of laugh at times. When people get ticked off at something we write and, if all the reporting is done correctly, it's all completely factual, what does that mean to us? It means we did a good job and someone somewhere is reading this article and wondering how we get such data and how we got into contact with some of the people we do. I love my job. Wouldn't trade it for the world.
So, maybe for the better of everyone: the readers, the subjects and the reputation of our paper, we really have to start double checking everything.
Fact checking is essential.
The phones are there for a reason.
Spring quarter, we're coming to ya. We've already got some fun things planned.
Everyone, good luck on your exams and I'll see you in the funny paaaaperrrrrrs hahahahaha. Yeah. I'm done.
-Gin
We're almost done with Winter quarter. So close I can taste it.
We've seen some interesting things at The News Record. It makes me feel strange when I stop and reflect on all the stories we've covered. Of course, we find ourselves empathizing with some of our subjects and all, but it's empty slate every Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
It makes me wonder if all writers feel like that. I remember a lot of really good articles I read in things like Esquire, but I wonder if the people who wrote them remember them. I don't really know -- if someone's included in a news article I wrote or something, that article might be clipped out of the newspaper and hanging somewhere (wishful thinking, probably) but it was another story.
Naturally, there are more memorable stories, but it just makes me kind of laugh at times. When people get ticked off at something we write and, if all the reporting is done correctly, it's all completely factual, what does that mean to us? It means we did a good job and someone somewhere is reading this article and wondering how we get such data and how we got into contact with some of the people we do. I love my job. Wouldn't trade it for the world.
So, maybe for the better of everyone: the readers, the subjects and the reputation of our paper, we really have to start double checking everything.
Fact checking is essential.
The phones are there for a reason.
Spring quarter, we're coming to ya. We've already got some fun things planned.
Everyone, good luck on your exams and I'll see you in the funny paaaaperrrrrrs hahahahaha. Yeah. I'm done.
-Gin
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Critical thinking
An expected part of journalistic life is that someone, somewhere, will not be happy with a story you write.
It's guaranteed, much like death and taxes.
You have to have a thick skin and faith in what you write (not to mention the facts).
I had learned to develop that thick skin through my time in the U.S. Army. I really did not think that commentary on any story I would write would worm its way under that skin and tick me off.
Then I read the commentary concerning my story "Student Groups exploit general fee fund" at TNR online, and realized I was not as steeled against criticism as I thought.
The crux of the story was that Student Government passed a bill allowing them to eat one evening at the Catskeller after a meeting. This was with the purpose of strengthening camaraderie while having a meal. However, it was done using funds from SGA's operating budget, which comes from the general fee funds associated with tuition, which.......
Comes from you, the student body.
They had dinner on your dime, and did not even extend the invite to you.
Seems kind of unnecessary in these times of financial hardship, don't you think?
I can handle criticism that makes sense. In this case, a particular Student Senator and his argument makes no sense. He goes on record as saying the dinner was not necessary and that the money could have gone to something better.
Then he lays into me for writing the story. Accuses TNR of writing below-average stories on a weekly basis. Questions why I didn't mention the collection taken up for Haiti at the dinner by SGA members who wanted to pay for their own meal. Questions whether TNR is as effective use of funds as SGA is. Insinuates that I over-dramatized the story just to attract readers.
Bah, humbug!
Yet he fails to mention how the University Funding Board (an arm of SGA) doesn't account for operating budget spending by other student groups.
Fails to mention that aforementioned senator told me they weren't sure if the collection for Haiti was actually taken. I'm not going to write about a "might have happened".
Fails to mention that SGA spent almost as much on dinner as the operating budget allocated for other student groups.
When taken into perspective, it makes me question the ethical and moral compass of SGA.
That's my rebuttal. Take it or leave it. Hypothetically speaking, if I were to take $300 dollars of your student money and used it on dinner at Boca because it would make me a better writer, I would be accused with misuse of funds, theft, whatever you could charge me with.
And the student body would want to know about it.
How is what SGA did any different?
Chew on that one for a while.
I was once told in the army, where my job was as a military policeman, that "if the inmates are mad at you, that means you're doing your job right".
I believe that theory is a good one.
As far as TNR being an effective use for funds, well, who would keep an eye on these things for the students if we weren't around?
-James
It's guaranteed, much like death and taxes.
You have to have a thick skin and faith in what you write (not to mention the facts).
I had learned to develop that thick skin through my time in the U.S. Army. I really did not think that commentary on any story I would write would worm its way under that skin and tick me off.
Then I read the commentary concerning my story "Student Groups exploit general fee fund" at TNR online, and realized I was not as steeled against criticism as I thought.
The crux of the story was that Student Government passed a bill allowing them to eat one evening at the Catskeller after a meeting. This was with the purpose of strengthening camaraderie while having a meal. However, it was done using funds from SGA's operating budget, which comes from the general fee funds associated with tuition, which.......
Comes from you, the student body.
They had dinner on your dime, and did not even extend the invite to you.
Seems kind of unnecessary in these times of financial hardship, don't you think?
I can handle criticism that makes sense. In this case, a particular Student Senator and his argument makes no sense. He goes on record as saying the dinner was not necessary and that the money could have gone to something better.
Then he lays into me for writing the story. Accuses TNR of writing below-average stories on a weekly basis. Questions why I didn't mention the collection taken up for Haiti at the dinner by SGA members who wanted to pay for their own meal. Questions whether TNR is as effective use of funds as SGA is. Insinuates that I over-dramatized the story just to attract readers.
Bah, humbug!
Yet he fails to mention how the University Funding Board (an arm of SGA) doesn't account for operating budget spending by other student groups.
Fails to mention that aforementioned senator told me they weren't sure if the collection for Haiti was actually taken. I'm not going to write about a "might have happened".
Fails to mention that SGA spent almost as much on dinner as the operating budget allocated for other student groups.
When taken into perspective, it makes me question the ethical and moral compass of SGA.
That's my rebuttal. Take it or leave it. Hypothetically speaking, if I were to take $300 dollars of your student money and used it on dinner at Boca because it would make me a better writer, I would be accused with misuse of funds, theft, whatever you could charge me with.
And the student body would want to know about it.
How is what SGA did any different?
Chew on that one for a while.
I was once told in the army, where my job was as a military policeman, that "if the inmates are mad at you, that means you're doing your job right".
I believe that theory is a good one.
As far as TNR being an effective use for funds, well, who would keep an eye on these things for the students if we weren't around?
-James
Monday, March 8, 2010
Fun in the Sun
Spring is here.
FINALLY.
I'm going to go outside with my sweet sunglasses and bask in the glory, so, excuse me.
UC, we've waited a long, long time, but warm weather is finally here. Now, I know that means MainStreet is going to be really loud and hard to walk through, but, man, it's totally worth it.
-Gin
FINALLY.
I'm going to go outside with my sweet sunglasses and bask in the glory, so, excuse me.
UC, we've waited a long, long time, but warm weather is finally here. Now, I know that means MainStreet is going to be really loud and hard to walk through, but, man, it's totally worth it.
-Gin
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Learning the ropes
I'm about to finish my first full day as a real news editor here at TNR and quite a trip it has been.
The last 3 weeks have been spent sporadically training on the position under the guiding wings of Amanda Woodruff. Now that she has moved on to better things (such as trying to graduate), it's now my time in the chute.
I feel like a minor-league ballplayer pinch-hitting for Babe Ruth; honored, thrilled, yet very nervous.
To be perfectly honest, I was not aware of The News Records award-winning heritage when I returned to school at UC. All I knew was that I wanted to write, and if it meant covering balloon races in TUC, then so be it.
When I began writing for them in fall quarter was when I learned just what type of work ethic it takes to be a part of this publication. Determination, motivation, relentlessness.
Never accepting mediocrity.
We don't do it for us, though. Personal and organizational awards are nice, but the real reason for it all is you. The reader. The ones who can easily make or break our career simply by whether you pick up the paper or not.
These qualities and this work ethic allows us to report the best possible news to you. It's what you deserve. In a world of so many falsehoods, you need someplace to turn to in order for the truth.
That place is TNR, and I'm hellbent on keeping the news desk that way.
The fat is now in the fire.
James
The last 3 weeks have been spent sporadically training on the position under the guiding wings of Amanda Woodruff. Now that she has moved on to better things (such as trying to graduate), it's now my time in the chute.
I feel like a minor-league ballplayer pinch-hitting for Babe Ruth; honored, thrilled, yet very nervous.
To be perfectly honest, I was not aware of The News Records award-winning heritage when I returned to school at UC. All I knew was that I wanted to write, and if it meant covering balloon races in TUC, then so be it.
When I began writing for them in fall quarter was when I learned just what type of work ethic it takes to be a part of this publication. Determination, motivation, relentlessness.
Never accepting mediocrity.
We don't do it for us, though. Personal and organizational awards are nice, but the real reason for it all is you. The reader. The ones who can easily make or break our career simply by whether you pick up the paper or not.
These qualities and this work ethic allows us to report the best possible news to you. It's what you deserve. In a world of so many falsehoods, you need someplace to turn to in order for the truth.
That place is TNR, and I'm hellbent on keeping the news desk that way.
The fat is now in the fire.
James
Friday, March 5, 2010
Scenes from the office (again!)
Taylor Dungjen talks about how TNR is.
Peeps listen to Gin Ando talk about how TNR should be.
How TNR actually is.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Business before business
Good grief. I think I'm not the only person who wants spring to come. Fast. Now. Tonight.
I'm up finishing some homework for class and I really just cannot wait for Winter quarter to be over. Next up, finishing up my business minor. I hope I get some insight as to some of the things that are happening in the business world of America. It seems like there's a ton of opportunities for journalists in the business world and I just happen to adore it.
It took a while for me to admit it, but I do enjoy business as a whole. It's full of facts -- something any journalist would love. And while I might end up crunching numbers it'll be interesting.
Take this for example. The oldest son of the Hamas founder said he was an Israeli spy for a decade and converted to Christianity. Interesting.
But, what really is peculiar about this story is (I heard it on the radio) that people are saying he defected due to money. Hamas was going to make it hard on him to make any money, etc.
I think, in a nutshell, cash does indeed rule everything around us.
And as a journalist, I think it's our job to find out where they get the money and the dollar, dollar bill, ya'll.
It's funny. I was worried about the prospect of getting a job before, but now I'm just plain excited to see what kind of stories we'll all end up reporting.
Budget stories, capitalist corruption and money laundering? Whatever's good, man, just give us a shot.
Because, as you know, we at TNR never really pass up a chance to do the public some good by reporting on some of the bad and the ugly.
I don't think we really have anything to worry about, truth be told, because no matter how many blogs pop up and die out, I don't think their writers would want to go through the hassle of looking at a statistics table until they want to take said table and bash their face with it.
---
And am I nervous about the EIC question and answer session on Friday? Yes. More than I am for some of my final exams, if that says anything.
-Gin
I'm up finishing some homework for class and I really just cannot wait for Winter quarter to be over. Next up, finishing up my business minor. I hope I get some insight as to some of the things that are happening in the business world of America. It seems like there's a ton of opportunities for journalists in the business world and I just happen to adore it.
It took a while for me to admit it, but I do enjoy business as a whole. It's full of facts -- something any journalist would love. And while I might end up crunching numbers it'll be interesting.
Take this for example. The oldest son of the Hamas founder said he was an Israeli spy for a decade and converted to Christianity. Interesting.
But, what really is peculiar about this story is (I heard it on the radio) that people are saying he defected due to money. Hamas was going to make it hard on him to make any money, etc.
I think, in a nutshell, cash does indeed rule everything around us.
And as a journalist, I think it's our job to find out where they get the money and the dollar, dollar bill, ya'll.
It's funny. I was worried about the prospect of getting a job before, but now I'm just plain excited to see what kind of stories we'll all end up reporting.
Budget stories, capitalist corruption and money laundering? Whatever's good, man, just give us a shot.
Because, as you know, we at TNR never really pass up a chance to do the public some good by reporting on some of the bad and the ugly.
I don't think we really have anything to worry about, truth be told, because no matter how many blogs pop up and die out, I don't think their writers would want to go through the hassle of looking at a statistics table until they want to take said table and bash their face with it.
---
And am I nervous about the EIC question and answer session on Friday? Yes. More than I am for some of my final exams, if that says anything.
-Gin
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Is it really time?
I feel like I've only been the editor-in-chief for a couple weeks, not two and a half quarters.
This Friday, The News Record staff will gather with Gin A. Ando facing the firing squad. We'll grill him, verbally assault him with tough questions just to see if he can handle the pressure. We have to. Gin is the only candidate for the 2010-11 editor-in-chief position.
Monday we'll meet with the communications board. They'll make the final decision to elect the next editor. The appointment will be official that evening.
Let the training begin.
I don't see our lone candidate as a bad thing -- to be honest, unless you've worked in the newsroom for at least one year, there's no way you'll survive as the editor.
But, anyway, to my original point ... The first two quarters of this year have flown by. I spend more time in the newsroom than I do in my apartment. I know my editors better than I know some of my best friends. Well, sort of, because the editors are my best friends.
It's not so bad, you know, working with friends you love and trust. These are people I fire on a daily basis and, yet, can't seem to get rid of. I wouldn't tell them, but I'm glad they're not going anywhere. Not tonight, anyway.
Next quarter is my last at TNR. I've been here for three years. I'm hoping to make the most of it. To do some serious investigative work, or at least some really deep stories that our readers will be able to sink their teeth into.
I'm also really looking forward to working closely with staff writers. To help them progress, learn and fine tune their skills. It's a scary thing to leave this organization in someone else's hands. This organization is my baby. I love it.
I'm confident the people steering this ship will continue to build upon the foundation we've set, and will continue to improve the organization beyond an imaginable scope. It will take time. It won't happen over night. And it certainly couldn't all happen in this one year.
But we've made progress. A lot of progress. I can't wait to see what's next.
-- Taylor
This Friday, The News Record staff will gather with Gin A. Ando facing the firing squad. We'll grill him, verbally assault him with tough questions just to see if he can handle the pressure. We have to. Gin is the only candidate for the 2010-11 editor-in-chief position.
Monday we'll meet with the communications board. They'll make the final decision to elect the next editor. The appointment will be official that evening.
Let the training begin.
I don't see our lone candidate as a bad thing -- to be honest, unless you've worked in the newsroom for at least one year, there's no way you'll survive as the editor.
But, anyway, to my original point ... The first two quarters of this year have flown by. I spend more time in the newsroom than I do in my apartment. I know my editors better than I know some of my best friends. Well, sort of, because the editors are my best friends.
It's not so bad, you know, working with friends you love and trust. These are people I fire on a daily basis and, yet, can't seem to get rid of. I wouldn't tell them, but I'm glad they're not going anywhere. Not tonight, anyway.
Next quarter is my last at TNR. I've been here for three years. I'm hoping to make the most of it. To do some serious investigative work, or at least some really deep stories that our readers will be able to sink their teeth into.
I'm also really looking forward to working closely with staff writers. To help them progress, learn and fine tune their skills. It's a scary thing to leave this organization in someone else's hands. This organization is my baby. I love it.
I'm confident the people steering this ship will continue to build upon the foundation we've set, and will continue to improve the organization beyond an imaginable scope. It will take time. It won't happen over night. And it certainly couldn't all happen in this one year.
But we've made progress. A lot of progress. I can't wait to see what's next.
-- Taylor
Monday, March 1, 2010
You live and you learn -- or you don't live long.
Being an editor is hard work, and I'm sure that most, if not all, of the editors at The News Record can agree with me. I spend hours pouring over articles, struggling to learn html codes and learning the ins and outs of how a newspaper truly works.
In addition to being completely out of my element, I am a newbie. The minute I start to feel like I am getting the hang of things, a wrench is thrown into the mix. I sheepishly ask for help by yelling the name of the closest person, which happens about every 20 minutes.
I do love my job, although I don't enjoy every minute of being confused and red in the face from embarrassment.
Luckily I'm surrounded by a supportive group of editors. I love everyone at TNR. They are hilarious, intelligent and driven. I couldn't ask to be surrounded by a better group of people.
I'm pretty sure I'll be receiving a lot of grief for the above statement. Or maybe a pie in the face. Now I'm just asking for it.
-Jayna
In addition to being completely out of my element, I am a newbie. The minute I start to feel like I am getting the hang of things, a wrench is thrown into the mix. I sheepishly ask for help by yelling the name of the closest person, which happens about every 20 minutes.
I do love my job, although I don't enjoy every minute of being confused and red in the face from embarrassment.
Luckily I'm surrounded by a supportive group of editors. I love everyone at TNR. They are hilarious, intelligent and driven. I couldn't ask to be surrounded by a better group of people.
I'm pretty sure I'll be receiving a lot of grief for the above statement. Or maybe a pie in the face. Now I'm just asking for it.
-Jayna
Vintage University of Cincinnati
I love cleaning the office. There's always so much junk floating around it's pretty easy to do.
Yesterday, I was cleaning out the overhead compartments above my desk and came across a bunch of intra-university mail envelopes. I opened them. All of them. And, in one, I found this 1984 "The Bearcat Goes to College" activity book.
The book was written by Dick Ruehrwein and illustrated by Bob Burchett and Dave Warren. It's 32 pages of non-stop excitement -- from coloring pages, a dice game to get you to graduation and a page encouraging students to join the News Record (my favorite page), the book has it all. There are pages about Bearcat bands, athletics, Greek Life and the different colleges.
I'm glad I found it. It's definitely a really fun piece of UC history. Too bad Gin and Ariel had to do the word search on page 4. Sigh.
-- Taylor
Yesterday, I was cleaning out the overhead compartments above my desk and came across a bunch of intra-university mail envelopes. I opened them. All of them. And, in one, I found this 1984 "The Bearcat Goes to College" activity book.
The book was written by Dick Ruehrwein and illustrated by Bob Burchett and Dave Warren. It's 32 pages of non-stop excitement -- from coloring pages, a dice game to get you to graduation and a page encouraging students to join the News Record (my favorite page), the book has it all. There are pages about Bearcat bands, athletics, Greek Life and the different colleges.
I'm glad I found it. It's definitely a really fun piece of UC history. Too bad Gin and Ariel had to do the word search on page 4. Sigh.
-- Taylor
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