buzz words, Wal-Mart and free trips to the alleged land of milk and honey

I was drawn to “FactCheck.org: The Whoppers of 2007” because Professor Rodgers assigned that Web site for me to review on the second day of class. The list discussed all of the major fact errors that presidential candidates made in 2007. I was confused that FactCheck.org included falsities like, “Democrats made false promises about their Medicare drug bill in January,” because both sides make false promises all the time. President Bush made many false statements about what he as president would do to help our country. The “No Child Left Behind” act failed and continues to fail, and yet that was not included on the list, although it may not be considered a “whopper” by this point. This list proved that all candidates in both parties either use made up statistics to make their point, or they sway information in their favor.

In “The Political Power of Words: Emerging Writers” author Dean Powers talks about how journalists use key words to describe a person’s political views and personal characteristics. Specific examples include associating NASCAR with those who are politically conservative and the use of the word “terrorism.” Professor of linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, Geoffrey Nunberg explains using “values” in reference to getting people upset about “the drift of culture.” Powers cites the use of buzz words as laziness on the part of journalists, who use the word as a short-hand instead of taking the time and word space to explain.   

I also read “Goodbye copy desk, hello trouble?” by John Russial. The article talks about the pros and cons to the reorganization of newspapers, which includes getting rid of copy desks and incorporating copy editing into other aspects of the newspaper. A benefit includes editors and reporters working together, which enables reporters to have a greater appreciation for fact-checking and stories to contain less last-minute errors. But the article also points out that reporters aren’t always the best at writing headlines, nor do they want to be bothered with the task. Similar to the use of buzzwords, I think that newspapers often departmentalize in a way that restricts workers from performing to their full potential. Labeling someone as a reporter or a copy editor only allows that person to do specific work. Reporters are capable of writing headlines, and editors are capable of more than looking up facts.

The thread between all three of these stories is the importance of fact-checking. Candidates can paint themselves in a more favorable color through the use of skewing facts to their advantage, but which is false and misleading to the public. No one has the first amendment right to yell “fire” when there isn’t one. Also, editors should be fact-checking their buzzwords. The use of “terrorism” is a popular word in the media, and often it’s applied inaccurately to sensationalize stories, which can change the meaning of the term.           

Case Study:

The two stories on the Wal-Mart opening in Athens different immensely. In “Athens is welcoming Wal-Mart” it seems that the author, Richard Beck, copied and reworded the Wal-Mart press release. The other story, “Wal-Mart to strike up the bands for grand opening Wed.” appears biased against the opening of Wal-Mart. This became apparent to me after the author compared the size of Wal-Mart with a Kroger supermarket, which seemed unnecessary to the story, and the author’s inclusion of only one side of the story, what the protesters had to say.

Unlike the first story which reads like a press release, “Wal-Mart to strike up bands” addresses the social context of Wal-Mart’s opening in Athens. The story offers the perspective of the town’s activists, who are opposed to the opening.

I think that to know why these two publications took different approaches, I would have to know more about the publications. The newspaper that published “Wal-Mart to strike up bands” might be a newspaper that is known for more investigative journalism with a liberal leftist slant, and the other newspaper might be known for just wanting to deliver the news and not get readers riled up. I also have a feeling the newspaper that published “Athens is welcoming Wal-Mart” may have a more right-wing conservative slant, because the real story is that not all of Athens actually is welcoming Wal-Mart. Many protesters aren’t.  

Story idea:

Registration for Birthright, a free 10-day trip to Israel, opens Tuesday, Feb. 12 nationwide. The trip is open to “Jewish young adults” ages 18-26, who have never been to Israel.

How does the organization know if you are Jewish? What percentage of Jewish blood qualifies someone for the trip? I think it’d be interesting to contact UF’s Hillel organization and find out about the screening process. Do non-Jews every try to go? Are background checks done? What are qualifying factors?

UF Hillel

Keith Dvorchik 
Executive Director
keith@ufhillel.org
Phone: (352) 372-2900 x705

I would also like to get in touch with people who have gone on the trip recently. What was their least favorite part of the trip? Are those who go on the trip required to participate in religious activity? Is the trip really completely free, or what costs are involved? Different organizations around the U.S. offer trips, how does someone decide which one to pick? Which trip organizers should be avoided?

Hillel’s program associate would know UF students who have recently been on Birthright that I could get in touch with.

Jess Kendler
Program Associate
jess@ufhillel.org
Phone: (352) 372-2900

I have also heard that those who go on the trip can extend their trip. How long can the trip be extended, and how much does this cost? 

I would also like to know who funds the trip, and about the purpose of the existence of this organization.

This story could run at about 15-18 inches in print. The online version could include links to the Birthright Web site, as well as pictures and the logo from the Web site. The online version could also include video interviews with UF students about their experience on the trip. Did they ever feel like their security was threatened? Does the organization take steps to ensure their safety? Also, how much freedom to roam were they given on the trip, or did they have to follow a strict itinerary?