ed as only pertaining to matters of the SGA, which was not the original intention. All aspects of Ithaca College are eligible topics, just depending on their importance. I do hope to have a weekly post about the new Ithacan's. This campus seems fascinated with the new issue coming out on Thursdays, but I do not think enough people analyze the paper in its entirety. Why should The Ithacan not be put under a microscope and have to be held to some level of accountability? So in this space I will go through certain article in the paper and even sometimes discuss the paper in it's whole.So other than the paper pages being out of order (we need to get on that people) and the 17 advertisements for the Ithacan itself (OK really only 4, but they were huge), the paper was decent this week. The Obama and MLK articles were well written and interesting. Why though does every Ithacan article attempt to sound as if it is trying to be an entry in some journalism award class? Why can't everyone once in awhile get a gritty hard dug reported story, that actually shows the work put in by the author? Sometimes we need my NY Daily News than NY Times.
For instance the prisoner article "Cornell Offers local prisoners opportunity to earn degrees". http://theithacan.org/am/publish/news/200901_Cornell_offers_local_prisoners.shtml It is a nice piece about a new program being offered. But it is written as if this is groundbreaking, and never been accomplished before. When in reality prisons and universities have had this arrangement for decades. And with the advent of online universities such as Phoenix University, the process has become even more widely available. So why not mention the history of this practice? Or talk to someone in the administration here at IC to see if they are inter
rested in something like this? Or maybe get some stats supporting the claim that education helps inmates stay out of prison. Just some suggestions.
rested in something like this? Or maybe get some stats supporting the claim that education helps inmates stay out of prison. Just some suggestions. Next up is the commercial, I mean article for ALS, "Winter Wonderland Ball to return with elegance." http://theithacan.org/am/publish/accent/200901_Winter_Wonderland_Ball_to_return_with_elegance.shtml
Now I am all for the article writing puff pieces for events going on campus, because it gives a bigger spotlight, and hopefully more people will attend. Especially, when it is an IC organization throwing the event, targeted to IC students. But enough with half-truth stories, and fluffing material that does not need to be fluffed. They started off good talking about how the date needed to be changed to incorporate more people, but then dropped the ball when talking about cutting of the signature highlight, the musical showcase. Now wouldn't a cut like that deserve some extra reporting? "For the First time, ALS will be the only sponsor of the ball..." Okay now tell me why? Did the other groups that used to help not want to anymore; was there a fallout; was the event unprofitable, not fun, WHY?! Maybe that was the reason they had the cut the music acts, or maybe because SGA could not fund them adequately enough? The public won't know, because The Ithacan did not want to ask those questions.
And finally, yes the SGA article "SGA looks to increase campus presence for spring" http://theithacan.org/am/publish/news/200901_SGA_looks_to_increase_campus_presence_for_spring.shtml(speaking of pure Fluff). Okay so it talks about the budget situation, and how SGA needed to give 4 percent back to the school. Yup all true. But reading it, it seems that is the main reason for the budget shortfall. But is that truely the case? There are other considerations too... Maybe because the budget comm gave away money it should not have. Or because they did not conserve money in the Fall. The next part of the article is mind-boggling. "For the first time, SGA will sponsor the college's 2009 fashion show March 31 in Emerson Suites." Okay now here is the tricky part for the Ithacan. Can you connect the budget shortfall with spending new money on a fashion show. Uh oh... I think that was journalism right there. So Office of Academic Affairs dropped the show last year because it was not worth the money and the effort to put it on, and SGA, in a recession, decided to add this to the
ir budget; and on top of that they want to deny organizations money and blame the budget on cutbacks. My head won't stop spinning.
ir budget; and on top of that they want to deny organizations money and blame the budget on cutbacks. My head won't stop spinning. This community needs more people looking around, asking questions, asking why people are doing things a certain way. If SGA had more people looking into exactly what they are doing, instead of just giving a couple quick interviews to get a nice fluff piece out, maybe readers would discover some truth. The Ithacan is supposed to be that journalism high bar, but too many times they fail to really inform, but rather mislead. I'm done for now. I may need to look through some old Ithacan's for traces of actual journalism. Be well and be safe. 1
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