Final project - blog

Christmas Woes

Low-income families and single mothers struggle to make ends meet in a season when most forget that it's better to give than to receive.

By Kylee Morris [kylee.morris@colorado.edu]

Even Santa's struggling to make ends meet.

Results of an annual survey on holiday spending by the Consumer Federation of America show that consumers with low incomes plan to spend less this holiday season then last year’s.

The financial crisis has caused a downturn in the economy. Consumers now worry about rising debts instead of piles of presents.

This year, 55 percent of consumers promised to reduce spending as least “somewhat,” with 27 percent of all respondents saying they planned to spend “much less than last year.”

Single moms seem to suffer the most.

“I'm going to do what my mother did,” said single mom Kelly Kubiak. “She would take us to inexpensive stores and buy us a lot of small inexpensive items so we always had a lot of gifts to open.”

According to Parent Dish, this year parents told their children to scale down on their Christmas wishes. Most parents happily forgo presents in order to provide their kids with the gifts they want.

“I guess we should all be lucky to have anything at all,” said Cindy Tiemann, single mom.

According to data from the Federal Reserve, consumer debt continues to rise with the ratio of debt payments to income approaching its highest level ever.

A staggering 16.3 percent of children in the U.S. under 18 live in poverty. Single-mothers head 26.4 percent of families below the poverty threshold.

“This year and every holiday season we make sure needy families Christmases are a little brighter,” said Elizabeth Freedman, Emergency Financial Assistance Association employee.

Freedman said this year parents should look at Christmas as a learning experience to teach their children that it is better to give than to receive.

Mother and adjunct professor of women’s studies at St. Leo University, Susan Papas, agrees. “That is a good way to learn about money and tackle the current economic crisis without taking the fun out of Christmas,” she said.

Is Sarah Palin the ultimate hockey mom?

The Vice Presidential candidate identified herself with this particular group of women. But, do local hockey moms identify with her? We interviewed local hockey moms at the Promenade Ice Centre in Westminster to find out more.

By: Kylee Morris [mailto: kylee.morris@colorado.edu]

Sarah Palin has made history as the first female vice presidential candidate on the Republican ticket.

Palin quickly became known as an enthusiastic "hockey mom" who was not afraid to take on the "good old boys" of politics.

Hockey moms have become increasingly popular because of Palin’s statements. An increasing number of hockey moms have been associated with the vice presidential candidate.

USA Hockey reports the number of hockey players under 20 at 347,061. This provides an estimate of the number of hockey moms in the U.S.

Hockey mom Victoria Fleming says Sarah Palin is her hero.

"As a hockey mom she knows well what it means to be self-sacrificial," said Fleming. "She upholds the same family values that myself as well as my family uphold."

Huddled under orange and black blankets, local hockey moms spent Saturday afternoon sitting on bleachers watching their children play. They discussed why they think Palin has what it takes to be a great vice president.

"She is looking out for the moms and the regular people of the world," said Ashley Baker.

The women agreed with Palin's famous canine joke.

"I agree with hockey moms being like pit-bulls," said Michelle Lewis. "We are protective over our kids and we get very personal with it."

No matter the outcome of the election, these moms will always be able to relate with Palin, even outside of the political arena.

Broadcast News Blog

Local news sucks. It is always the same: one female anchor and one male anchor with some box next to his or her head. Television is potentially the most creative medium in the world. It is all about manipulating pictures, sound and music. Graphics and great writing can make for amazing storytelling. It saddens me that the best we can come up with is a guy at a desk with a box over his shoulder. The content in the local Denver news is poor at best. The Fox 31 News at 9 had such a lack of content that they were pulling BORING prefab packages of the national wire just to fill their time slots. Local cable news clearly offers is another choice of news for viewers, its not flashy or slick and source are not cited clearly, but maybe that is what some people like.

National news, like 60 Minutes, offers another avenue of news for viewers seeking more in-depth coverage. An average story on local television is, at the most, three minutes. In shows like 60 Minutes, the story segments run an average of fifteen minutes per story. The content is clear, well thought out and the sources are cited clearly because they have more time. If the national news is the NFL then local news looks like a D2 school football game where no one knows what is going on.

Mike Huckabee's show, Huckabee, on Fox News focuses on specific stories and interviews with people of prominence. Every where you turn local and cable news are focusing mainly on the upcoming election. Tonight on Huckabee's show, actor Richard Dreyfuss and comedian/ TV show host Bill Maher discussed issues relating to the upcoming election. No sources were cited, because it is an interview based talk show. Huckabee's show is on Fox News which is known for being a conservative network and Mike Huckabee is a Republican, which makes for an interesting show when both guests are Democrats. However both sides were represented clearly.My final thoughts are, the internet is my favorite way to receive news. It is fast, easy and no one annoys you.

Summarize the story.
How many sources were presented?
If a controversy was cited, were the two sides equally represented?

November 2, 2008
Fox 31 News at 9pm
News starts off with the Barack Obama’s Campaign speech in Pueblo; CO. Small businesses owners are feeling the effects of the Obama campaign. The campaign calls the speech its “closing arguments” on tax cuts. Several small businesses were shut down because of the speech. Small business owners were in an outrage after being shut down. The store owners were compensated with free VIP tickets to the rally. Sources include various shop owners.
Next, the reporter discussed Obama’s aunt, who an illegal immigrant is living in a Boston public housing facility. Sources cited include: Senator Obama and the Associated Press. Both sides of the story were presented.
McCain rally- You Decide 2008-in Virginia.
McCain presented his economic plan at the rally. Reporter states McCain will be in NYC tonight. Sarah Palin back in Colorado on Monday. No sources.
Mitt Romney was interviewed at a Colorado rally.
Colorado Most Wanted
Denver gunman shot three people in Stapleton. Three separate incidents. The most recent shooting occurred. The suspect‘s description was given on a graphic. Sources included: neighborhood residents, female Denver deputy, victims of the shooting gave their descriptions of the suspect. No controversy.
Denver YG30 Bandit; A bank robber still on the loose.
Updated: A murder was caught in Kansas. He was arrested for carjacking and killing a Colorado man.
Fatal Fires:
Lafayette Motel fire, neighbors pulled out a man caught inside. The fire is under investigation. No sources cited.
Barn fire; four horse barn caught on fire, horses were pulled out from inside the burning barn. Police expect no foul-play. Sources cited: police officer, no controversy.
Mitt Romney comes to Colorado to speak on the half of McCain. Romney says polls are very close because voters are not comfortable with Obama. Reporter brings up race and tries to get Romney to bring up the race issue. One source cited: Romney.
Election Night coverage piece-internal advertisement
Across America segment: Police officer shot and killed in St Louis.
Two North Texas earthquakes, No sources
Naked voting in Pasco County Florida, head of the nudist colony cited. No controversy.
Daylight savings time; firefighters cited, No controversy.
Weather
Leap program starts, Low Energy Assistance Program. No sources, no controversy.
Flu shot given at the Denver International Airport. Organizers cited and travelers interviewed. Location: Denver Health Clinic. No controversy.
F ox Alert-Aurora-pedestrian accident a woman and her child were taken to hospital. The woman was also pregnant. No sources, no controversy.

Teacher pay increases in New York City. Teacher in the package is Dylan Prime. Prime and other NYC teachers will receive a $2000 bonus is they improve test scores.The Department of Education is for it however the National Educational is not for . Both presidential candidates are for it. A National story that is very controversial.


NATIONAL:

60 Minutes - CBS - 11/1
Good editing,

650,000 reserves were called to duty since 9/11

USERA Law, states that soldiers that return from duty must get their original jobs back and receive the same pay. Thousands of guards and reserves are penalized and don’t have their jobs when they get back from active duty.
Interviewed 3 army members who lost their jobs, one of whom works at the VA medical center and was denied back pay after being gone 2 yrs (in military 25 years), Pentagon cited, lawsuits cited, Assistant Secretary of Defense, Thomas Hall interviewed. Dave Miller who owns Conway National shipping company first supported this cause but now has problems with giving soldiers back their jobs because they are on there 2nd and 3rd tours. The Sherwood Police Dept and its police chief were quoted, as well as Pentagon policies.
Definitely has an agenda, but allowed for all sides to be represented.

Gerald, MO
A tiny police force and a town with a big drug problem.
Bill Jacob impersonated a federal agent and tries to help the town on Gerald clean up the meth labs drug ring. Gerald has only 1200 residents. In 2 months Jacob helped - arrest 20 people. Jacobs was never a federal agent or a cop. Jacob was bankrupt and unemployed. Jacob made up evidence. He arrested people and never read them their rights, no search warrants were issued, suspects were not allowed to call lawyers. Now none of the evidence found is admissible. A local Gerald reporter with did background check on Jacob and found out the real him. Jacob was arrested by FBI. Jacob has long history of conning people. Police officers and chief were all fired; people arrested now suing the town. Jacob pled guilty, will be sentenced in December to 5-6yrs in prison.
Interviewed Jacob, Ryan McCrary - police chief, Mayor Otis Schulte, reporter Linda Trast, Michael Holland ( A suspect who “confessed” to drug dealing)
Huge controversy - all sides spoken with, except for federal agencies.




CABLE:

Special interest stories
Fox News, The Huckabee Show

Show with Govenor Mike Huckabee
Shows SNL making fun of Presidents and Presidential candidates
Thenoseonyourface.com - Obama carved on Mt Rushmore - team members of Huckabee’s show create a parody

Interviews with Bill Maher & Richard Dreyfuss

No sources because it’s an interview segment - q&a, not evaluating a story or reporting hard news

On Camera Lead in:
HELPING CASH STRAPPED AMERICANS.
KYLEE MORRIS REPORTS, ON THE NEW ECONOMIC STIMULUS PLAN.
(Anchor on camera)

Take Package:
----(NAT SOUND)----
(Cars passing and people walking)
----(TRACK)---
CAPITAL HILL IS PUSHING FOR ANOTHER STIMULUS PLAN. BUT THE WHITE HOUSE HAS CONCERNS THAT THE PLAN WOULD NOT STIMULATE THE ECONOMY.
FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN BEN BERNAKE DOESN’T THINK THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS ARE GOING ANYWHERE.
(Video follows script; Shot of Capital Hill, Congress, archive video of Ben Bernake)

----(SOUNDBITE)----
CG: (Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman)
“With the economy likely to be weak for several quarters, and with some risk of a protracted slowdown, consideration of a fiscal package by the Congress at this juncture seems appropriate.”

----(TRACK)----
BEATEN DOWN BY HOUSING, CREDIT, AND FINANCIAL CRISES, THE ECONOMY IS IN THE WORST CONDITION SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
MORE PEOPLE ARE LIKELY TO BE OUT OF WORK AS THE ECONOMY GETS WORSE.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NANCY PELOSIN CHIMES IN ON THE STIMULUS IDEA.
( Video follows script; crowded streets, fore closure signs or for sale sign, people fill out job applications, shot of Nancy Pelosin.)


-----SOT-------CG: (Nancy Pelosin, Speaker of the House )
“I call on President Bush and the congressional Republicans to once again heed Chairman Bernanke’s advice and as they did in January, work with the Democrats in Congress to enact a targeted, timely and fiscally responsible economic recovery and job creation package.”

-----TRACK-----
ONE OUT OF THREE AMERICANS ARE WORRIED ABOUT LOSING THEIR JOBS. WHILE OTHERS AGONIZE OVER NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY THEIR MORTGAGE AND CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS.
(Video follow script; shots of people opening unpaid bills)

----SOT---- CG: (Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman)
“If Congress proceeds with a fiscal package, it should consider including measures to help improve access by credit consumers, home buyers, businesses and other borrowers.”

----TRACK---
IMPROVING THE CREDIT AND HOUSING MARKETS WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE RE- STIMULATION OF THE ECONOMY. KYLEE MORRIS, NEWSTEAM BOULDER
(Video Follows Script; People out shopping, buying houses, cars, etc.)

ON CAMERA TAG: Reporter on camera
THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER TOP ECONOMIC POWERS ALSO HAVE ADOPTED A FIVE POINT ACTION PLAN.

Statistic Story

Crime Statistic; Boulder, Co., vs. Tampa, Fl.,
In 2007, the population in Tampa, Fl., Hillsborough County, was estimated to be at 1,192,861.

Hillsborough County is a typical urban area with a higher population density and a population that has a higher proportion of young people.

Hillsborough’s crime rates tend to higher than the state average which includes rural areas and areas with a high number of retired people.

With dense urban population Hillsborough County’s crime rate is among the highest in the state.

There were 8,822 total violent crimes in 2007, 67 of which were murders.

Forcible sex offenses were among the lowest in over 10 years, with 324.

As most big cities like Tampa stem high crime rates, smaller cities tend to have lower crime rates. However violent crimes, once mainly the purview of big urban cities, are now growing in many small and mid-size cities.

Boulder, Co., a mid-size town West of Denver, is no exception to the rule. Although the population in Boulder has decrease from 103,216 in 2003 to 102,659 in 2007, the number of assaults has increased by more than 100 since 2007.
Boulder has a high youth population, stemming from the students who attend the University of Colorado.

It is not unfamiliar to hear a headline about a murder or a sexual assault. Boulder tries to hold on to its small town roots by making safety a top priority and over the years have decreased the total number of violent crimes by 1,519.

Every year since 2003, burglary, larceny, vandalism, assault and DUI have the highest reported crime rate.

The numbers are available for anyone to look at through either the Hillsborough County website or city of Boulder Website.

Chapter 6 Homework p.117

A. She felt bad about missing the school board meeting, but her editor fired her regardless of her excuse.

B. We will join together in prayer and fly the flags at half–staff for the students who died the shooting.

C. It is all right if you miss class for a job interview. You can make up the test tomorrow.

D. We will divide the workload among three students.

E. The St. Joseph Board of Commissioner plans to submit a proposal for a bond issue to pay for road improvements, and they are hoping the election committee will reach a consensus to put the issue on the ballot.

F. I know you are eager to get this, but each of the applicants will have a chance to discuss his or her strengths and weakness, with the personnel director.

G. Based on your writing skills, it looks like you could be a good journalist.

H. Each of the students will receive a plaque with his or her diploma at graduation.

I. She was embarrassed that she fewer than five answers correct on the quiz.

J. After the boss read the report, he gave it to Jim and me to rewrite. He said it is due back by Monday.

Revised News Story

Life Expectance Longer for Right-Hand People

Being left-handed is not going to kill anyone. However, research suggests that people who are left-handed maybe at a greater risk of dying earlier.

Diana Halpern, a psychology professor at California State University at San Bernardino and Stanley Coren, a researcher at the University of British Columbia, examined the death certificates of 987 people in two Southern California counties. A relative of each of the deceased were contacted about the subjects’ dominant hand.

Although the study was first conducted to determine why there are fewer left-handed people in the elderly population, results indicate that right-handed people have a longer life expectancy then left-handed people.

“The results are striking in their magnitude,” Halpern said.

Right-handed women tend to live six years longer then left-handed women and right-handed men tend to live 11 years longer than left-handed men.

The average age of death for right-handed people was 75 and for left-handed people, 66.

Left-handed people make up 10 percent of the U.S. population.

Halpern suggests her study should be interpreted with caution and that it does not take into account the fitness levels of any of the deceased.

“There are many, many old left-handed people,” Halpern said. “It should not, of course, be used to predict the life span of any one individual.