Lecture 2 - New News

The Jellybeans were not poisoned. Perhaps my wariness of such an unexpected gift is profoundly representative of my attitude towards 'new media'.. Or, more likely, I am simply a suspicious person. 

Breaking News!

Jellybeans are, apparently, very much like 21st century journalism. People are so used to free online content that, when asked to pay for it, they feel cheated. The public is beginning to view journalism as an entitlement. Sure, when news corporations report on Justin Bieber's new haircut like its the beginning of world peace, or Jersey Shore's 'Snooki' eating a sandwhich, the public may feel a slight reluctance to pay for such low content journalism. However, with the public showing resistance to paying for content, and such inane, brainless content readily available for free, what will become of the aspiring journalist?


Entering into a journalism degree, the majority of people I told asked me why - didn't I know it was a "dying industry?" My reply was always the same slightly disgruntled, exasperated and defeated answer - "its my passion.. I've always wanted to do it.. ect ect." There is no denying the inevitable, journalism is moving away from old media - the 50's news office where men smoked cigars and slapped women's asses - through the new social media experience and towards the bright, shiny new future of the semantic web. This shift both creates new opportunities and poses huge challenges.

The opportunities - more hyper localisation, diverse and specific articles. Want to know what is going on in your street? The crimes in your neighbourhood? Or a specific issue in a less popular field? The semantic web provides not only the ability to view articles that, in the old media system, would not have been produced, it allows virtually anyone in the world viewing access. However, on the other hand, this 'tailor made' media system could also lead to more narrow-mindedness and less willingness to read different content person to person. When you can create your own media experience, why read anything that differs from your primary interests or, even worse, challenges your beliefs?


Either way, the rather expensive gag was much appreciated on my long walk home!

Travel Bug

I got stung by the travel bug! I got nipped badly quite a few years ago. I know that, being a student, travelling sort of comes with the territory. Everyone loves a good holiday, but travelling, and being a traveller,  is definitely a state of mind and way of life. 

Travellers view the world differently. It is a sort of addiction, like a drug. Being constantly consumed with thoughts of exploring, learning and discovering. Travelling is to me a necessity. I have and will sacrifice things to travel. In fact, I think that is what separates travellers from holiday makers are these sacrifices. Travelling is EXPENSIVE. No matter how much you scrimp and save, even a flight out of Australia will hit your wallet hard. Saving, therefore, becomes a travellers best and worst accomplice. I have spent the past two years working, saving and travelling. Because of that I have not been able to buy new clothes, a new car, electronics - in fact anything that I don't NEED. 

This can be tough, especially when it feels as though all of your friends have so much money to spend! However, as soon as you finalise your travel plans, book the flight, hop aboard and then - finally - land wherever you decide, it's worth it. The smells, sights and feel of a foreign place is unlike anything else. 

Once you land though, its not always as easy on TV (nothing ever really is), there are so many stresses and complications. This is what I love about travelling - not only do you see incredible sights of the world, but it forces you to grow as a person. I spent three months living out of my car, sleeping in the boot on a single mattress with a friend so that I could properly explore New Zealand. Driving past luxury camper vans electricity, running water and heating (!!) was hard especially when we were facing our fourth muesli bar of the day - lunch. Pulling off the well travelled road to discover and explore an area huge camper van drivers could only dream of made everything worth while. 

There is an entire world out there just ready to be explored, and it doesn't take much to get going. With $2000 in my bank account, I packed up me belongings two years ago and moved to a ski town in the south island of New Zealand. I got a job patrolling on the mountain and skied every single day for a year. I then spent time in Bali, Indonesia and India, using the money saved in New Zealand. 

I have met the most amazing people travelling, and now have mates all around the world. If travelling is a priority, then all the little sacrifices seem like nothing!     

Dancing Bird

There are some things that just make you happy. Like friends, family, holidays...
And then there are those things that can always cheer you up. For some, it may be chocolate, exercise, a hug. Nope, for me its a dancing bird!

This hilarious video NEVER fails to put an ear to ear grin across my face. In fact, at the hight of my youtube-video-watching addiction I would view this particular video at least twice a day. I could not get enough of it! Anyone who knew me got sick of the song (how could you get sick of old Ray?!?) and would roll their eyes whenever I laughed at a screen. Basically, I was hooked on this video. Having overcome this compulsion, I hadn't watched it in a few months - I now realise that was a huge mistake! So I'm back to watching this cute lil thang shake his tail-feathers as often as possible.

Annnd looking up other cute birds...





I suggest the world to do the same!

Lecture 1 - Inspiration

The amount of journalism students I met who were not set on becoming working journalists shocked me at first consideration. For as long as I can remember I wanted to write, to be a journalist. Having never considered the alternative paths a degree in journalism could lead to, I was surprised, if slightly disheartened, at the lack of aspiring journalists. It seemed that for such a prestigious university, UQ was producing PR consultants over hard-hitting journalists. Enter JOUR1111 - Introduction to Journalism and Communicaion - which, as the name should have been a dead give away, solidified my journalistic plans.

"I know of no human being who has a better time than an eager and energetic young reporter" (Mencken) 

An ex-journalist lecturer and real, worldly, experience based information - in the first lecture alone! I was quietly inspired and left feeling centent within my career choices - and looking forward to the next lecture!


 

A Huge Welcome

WELCOME to yet another student's journalism blog!

What stands this page apart from countless other blogs on the ever-expanding web? Well - me! Blogs, just as people, are personal, and it is this element of online media that allows personalisation to occur in an industry traditionally categorised as being one-sided. Therefore I encourage feedback, comments and links of any kind!


I want to write for

Work here


And live here


An aspiring journlist wanting to make it in NEW YORK you say? How utterly original!

Follow along as I undertake my first steps to becoming a journalist. And all this to my as of yet non-existent reader!