Not Your Ordinary Cable Network
Cable-television networks such as Nickelodeon and the Discovery Channel should serve as economic models for public broadcasting, Gov. Haley Barbour quipped recently.
Shields Up
Mississippi, like 10 other states in the union, doesn't have a shield law that protects journalists from revealing sources, turning over documents or answering subpoenas. In 40 states, reporters and editors have some protection in varying degrees.
Obit for a Flaming Troll
It's getting harder to comment on news stories with an anonymous post. As many readers click on links to get to stories, they have started to notice that once they get to the comments section, the site already knows who they are. This is true if you are already signed in on Facebook or Google+ and link to a story in certain national publication or even some one-person blogs.
Occupy Local
Corporate America wants to cash in this holiday season with a highly visible campaign to support small businesses. Gannett Co. Inc., owner of The Clarion-Ledger, joined this effort with full force.
Undocumented v. Illegal
The Society of Professional Journalists is urging reporters and editors to stop using the phrases "illegal immigrant" and "illegal alien." At its annual convention in New Orleans last month, SPJ delegates passed a resolution to ask journalists to apply the organization's code of ethics when writing about undocumented workers.
[Kamikaze] The Green Light
I remember making my transition from doing music full time to more community-oriented exploits. I like to categorize it as maturation. It was about seven or eight years ago, and I decided to dust off my writing talent and get back into print. It had been a while; I left a cushy Associated Press job to dive into the music business. But I felt the writing bug again and wanted to share my stories with a new audience.
Journalism and Ethics
If you take one point away from Valerie Wells' cover story this week, let it be this: Mainstream media have agendas that don't always serve the needs of the citizens who rely on it. As more and more news outlets fall under the control of media giants and entertainment networks, the need to seek out and tell hard truths often falls by the wayside in favor of double-digit profits.
Welcome to the Cluster Pluck
It's been a busy summer for Craig Dubow, CEO of Gannett Co., the parent company of The Clarion-Ledger and the Hattiesburg American.
Buying the News
Everybody does it. That's essentially the explanation ABC broadcaster Chris Cuomo gave for the television network's practice of paying for photographs—a tricky way of paying sources to speak.
MPB: Public Servant?
Max Breazeale checked his transmitters at station WMAH in McHenry Sunday night before Hurricane Katrina ripped the Gulf Coast asunder. From frequency control to power supply, he made sure everything worked and was dry, safe and secure.
Barbour's Press Pass
Watching Gov. Haley Barbour seize the national media spotlight feels a bit like seeing a bully from high school making it big. "I knew him when he was fat and mean!" one wants to say.
MPB Moves Toward Self-Sufficiency
Big underwriters with deep pockets could save Mississippi Public Broadcasting. To find those generous companies, MPB employees preoccupied with periodic membership drives need time to make convincing sales pitches. To free up that time, MPB says an independent consultant might handle its next fundraising drive.
Internet Technology and Privacy
The use of and dependence on the Internet and social networking has various implications for personal privacy. Many people worry "big brother" is watching their virtual footsteps or that their personal data can be auctioned to the highest bidder in the advertising world.
Free Wi-Fi in Jackson
Everday, wi-fi is becoming more essential in our daily lives. Facebook, Twitter, eBay you name it. But not everyone has portable internet, let alone any internet, to do the things they need to do. Here is our list for the best free wi-fi in Jackson. Don't forget to be kind and buy services and goods to help support the store.
[Balko] The Media Aren't Liberal
For the last few months, my colleague Matt Welch has been tracking the positions of California's newspapers on Proposition 19, the ballot measure that would have legalized marijuana for recreational use. At last count, 26 of the state's 30 largest dailies had run editorials on the issue, and all 26 (plus USA Today ) were opposed. This puts the state's papers at odds with nearly all of California's left-leaning interest groups, including the Green Party, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Service Employees International Union and the NAACP; progressive publications such The Nation, Salon and The Huffington Post; and a host of prominent liberal bloggers.