FINAL PROJECT

Same-sex Marriage

Same-sex marriage which is also known as gay marriage is a type of marriage between people of the same sex, either as a civil ceremony or in a religious setting. It has always been a major topic of interest in the world, but as of 2016 this topic has highly been talked about and given opinions on. In this 21^st century, it is shocking to see how the world is still debating on a topic like the same-sex marriage. People should be open minded on these topics and learn to let others do whatever they want to do. But it is nice to know that as of 1 March 2017, same-sex marriage is legally recognized in countries like Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay. But in America, Australia, and Europe it has seen that polls have shown rising support for the legalization of same-sex marriage. Whereas, the African countries, South Africa is the only country where same-sex marriage is recognized.

           
However, the recognition of same-sex marriage is a political and social issue, also a religious one in many countries. The debates on this topic have been arising day by day on whether people should be allowed marriage or some similar status. There are a few downfall of legalizing same-sex marriage. People tend to fake the same-sex relationships in order to get privileges such as getting citizenship, and other many things. Some countries are still hesitating on legalizing same-sex marriage due to people admitting to a faux relationship in order to skip the rules and regulations. Other issue is the religious issue. People are so religious about the same-sex marriage that they literally frown upon this topic. Well, other than these few topics I don’t see why people are still hesitating to legalize same-sex marriage in their country. 

            
There are still many countries in the world that are opposing same-sex marriage. Talking about a recent issue that has been all over the news as of March 20^th, 2017 is how the President of Philippines has still not legalized same-sex marriage and by the looks of it he will not be legalizing it anytime soon. According to the article posted on The New York Times on the 20^th of March 2017, the President of Philippines Rodrigo Duterte has said, reversing a campaign promise in which he pledged to support legalization to allow gay unions. Mr. Duterte also stressed that the country was Asia’s bastion of Roman Catholicism, which steadfastly opposes same-sex marriage. He pointed to a recent issue, featuring a transgender woman on its cover.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/20/world/asia/duterte-same-sex-marriage-philippines.html?_r=0)

            
There other many issues on same-sex marriage going around the world and people have been fighting, debating, and analyzing over this topic for a long time now. It is very important for the LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people get the right everyone else is getting. It is so weird to see people talk about equality in the world on top of their voice, but when it comes to topic like these people still have to debate about it and make big issues. The world would be much simpler place to live in if people actually understood how these types of topics are important for some people. 

            

In context of USA

Source: https://sites.psu.edu/alightpsu/2015/07/30/media-coverage-gay-rights/

In context of my country Nepal

         Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3ASame-sex_marriage_in_Nepal

Media Coverage

Source: http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2015-06-29/no-progress-on-legalising-same-sex-marriage.html

Video

Before concluding my brief, here a video on how much kids these days know about same-sex marriage and those who know about it, what do they think about it. Kids are the future of the country so it is very important that they are aware about the things going around in their country and all over the world. Kids should have some idea about it so that they don't get surprised when they see same-sex couples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiFDY6N33aw

Conclusion

I personally think that even though same-sex marriage might have its downfall, it is necessary for it to be legalized around the world. I am from a country where these topics might never be legalized any time soon but if asked for my personal opinion, I would definitely say that it is normal for me and isn't a big deal. I have been here in the US for two and a half years now and here people have so much more freedom than in my country. The LGBT people all over the world should be felt as equal as any other group of people in order to make the world a peaceful place to live in. I am totally in support of the LGBT people and I think it shouldn’t be made a big issue because it is actually not.

BRIEF 10 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

Arkansas Freedom of Information Act almost unrecognizable now

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) generally provides that any person has the right to request access to federal agency records or information except to the extent the records are protected from disclosure by any of nine exemptions contained in the law or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions. 

According to the news article posted on HarrisonDaily.com on Thursday, April 20 2017, it is said that the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act is almost unrecognizable now. The article states many things such as: At last count the esteemed legislators in less than solemn assembly have added at least 10 more exemptions to this state's once model Freedom of session of the Ledge with still more holes in it. 

To quote Tom Larimer, a temperate fellow who is executive director of the Arkansas Press Association, some changes in the FOIA "were not bad ideas. Unfortunately, the bills went way to far by closing 'records and other information'. "That phrase, he noted, could cover "just about anything" any agency of the state wanted covered up. "I don't think there is any doubt," he added, "the 'security' bills passed in this session will have the most impact on the FOIA going forward." Impact indeed. Like the impact a freight train might have on a car stranded on its tracks. They may be dubbed "security" bills but they are likely to leave we the people more insecure as ever when it comes to knowing just what our public servants are serving up.  

Seven of these misconceived changes have already been signed into law by our governor, The Hon. Asa Hutchinson. Some of the exemptions may be warranted, but in their cumulative effect they are a standing invitation to abuse. For examples, the public will not be allowed to see or hear any recordings of a police officer's death; certain information about community correction centers or about records involving details about the state Capitol's security records and information may not be available to you. 

Just about the only thing that kept this session of the Ledge from being a total catastrophe for this state's Freedom of Information Act instead of an unmitigated disaster seems to have been its sponsor's decision not to press ahead with a proposal that would have kept secret any bill that had been considered by any attorney for any governmental agency.

BRIEF 9 COLLEGE MEDIA

College Media : The Massachusetts Daily Collegian

The Massachusetts Daily Collegian is an American daily newspaper founded in 1890, and the independently-funded, student-operated newspaper of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Published in print Monday through Thursday during the academic semester, the Collegian is a non-profit funded entirely through advertising revenue and receives no funding from the University or from student fees. Founded in 1890, the paper began as Aggie Life, became the College Signal in 1901, the Weekly Collegian in 1914 and the Tri-Weekly Collegian in 1956. Published daily from 1967 to 2013 and as a broadsheet since January 1994, the Collegian cut its Friday print paper in September 2013 due to declining ad revenue. The Collegian is one of the largest college newspapers in New England and the country.

Sections : It is organized into four sections

• News that includes Campus, SGA, Local, Five College, Environment, Technology, Health, Crime, and Politics.

• Editorial that includes Collegian editorials, Columns, and Letters to the Editor.

• Arts & Living that includes Entertainment, Music, Movies, Television, Comedy, Theater, Fine Arts, Culture, Food, Drink, and  Fashion.

• Sports that includes Basketball, Football, Hockey, Field Hockey, Soccer, Lacrosse, Baseball, and Softball. 

Web and Social Media

Hosted online at DailyCollegian.com, the Collegian provides year-round breaking news and sports coverage. A five-fold reduction in advertising revenue, from $1 million circa 2000 to only $200,000 in 2013, accelerated the adoption of web and social media platforms. In addition to web-exclusive features, the Collegian offers all print content online at DailyCollegian.com, which provides readers with more comprehensive coverage including photographs, videos, and podcasts. Collegian staff also maintain The Massachusetts Daily Collegian on Facebook and Twitter. 

Website : http://dailycollegian.com/

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MassachusettsDailyCollegian/

Twitter : https://twitter.com/UMassAmherst

Conclusion

Basically, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian is very informative and productive. It is simple to understand and follow up as well. It is updated frequently which is a good thing and there are tremendous amount of information presented in it. While I was searching for some ideas for College Media, this one really grabbed my attention. I think The Massachusetts Daily Collegian is very descriptive and knowledgeable.

BRIEF 8 INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM

Investigative Journalism : BuzzFeed

First off, investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist's work is very difficult because he/she may spend moths or even years researching and preparing a report. Basically, investigative journalism is a primary source of information. It is mostly conducted by newspapers, wire services, and freelance journalists. The term "accountability reporting" is mainly used by the practitioners. There are numerous ways to conduct an investigative journalism. Some of the ways are as follow:

• The documents such as lawsuits and other legal documents, tax records, government reports, regulatory reports, and corporate financial fillings should all be thoroughly analyzed. 
• The databases of the public records should be managed properly. 
• Deep research into social and legal issues must be done as those are very sensitive issues.
• Interviews should be rapidly conducted especially with anonymous sources such as whistle blowers.

BuzzFeed

BuzzFeed is one of the major examples of Investigative Reporting outlets to follow. BuzzFeed has a growing investigative team and body of work worth attention, which makes us the readers gain knowledge on what is going around us and why is it happening that way. BuzzFeed is an American internet media company based in New York City. The firm describes itself as a "social news and entertainment company". Its main focus is on digital media and digital technology in order to provide most shareable breaking news, original reporting, entertainment, and videos. BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John S. Johnson III. 

Trump dossier

This has been one of the biggest example of investigative journalism reported by BuzzFeed. In simple words, this news has tried to explain that on the existence of classified documents that claimed Russia had compromising personal and financial information about President-elect Donald Trump. Both Trump and President Obama had been briefed on the content of the dossier, or any specific details of the dossier, as they could not be verified. Later the same day, BuzzFeed published a 35 page dossier in full. BuzzFeed said that the dossier was unverified and "includes some clear errors". The dossier had been read widely by political and media figures in Washington, and previously been sent to multiple journalists who had declined to publish it as unsubstantiated.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/kenbensinger/these-reports-allege-trump-has-deep-ties-to-russia?utm_term=.ypzjVbaoq#.sfLgQYap3

 

My view

According to me, Trump dossier has to be one important investigative journalism's example of BuzzFeed as it is clear in the article that it has been a major issue whatsoever. It is definitely not a recent issue but is has been very hyped which is why I chose this topic. I think BuzzFeed does a good job when it comes to posting something that is related to investigative journalism. It is very important for the readers to understand the main idea of investigative journalism and how it is conduct. BuzzFeed makes sure that it is done properly and in a clear manner. 

BRIEF 7 EXPLOITING A NEWS STORY

Kendall Jenner Robbed : Cops believe it was an inside job

Kendall Nicole Jenner (born November 3, 1995) is an American fashion model and television personality. Originally known for appearing in the E! reality television show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Jenner is now also a model in a movement dubbed "the Instagirl era" by Vogue magazine, or "Social Media Modeling" by Harper's Bazaar, where models are chosen due to their online presence and social media following.

After working in commercial print ad campaigns and photo-shoots, Jenner had breakout seasons in 2014 and 2015, walking the runways for high fashion designers during the New York, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks. Jenner has done multiple editorials and cover shoots for LOVE and various international Vogue editions, walked for Victoria's Secret, and acts as brand ambassador for Estee Lauder's multimedia ad campaigns. Jenner made her debut at No. 16 on Forbes magazine's 2015 list of top earning models, with an estimated annual income of US$4 million. As of 23 November 2016, she is one of the top 10 most followed celebrities on Instagram with 68.8 million followers.

The Robbery  (March 16, 2017)

Kendall Jenner is the latest Hollywood celebrity hit by burglars to the tune of $200k. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Kendall left her Hollywood Hills home Wednesday around noon and returned around 8 PM. We're told she was hanging around the house for several hours, and noticed nothing amiss, that is, until she went to her bedroom just after 1 AM and realized some of her jewelry was missing. She called cops, who responded quickly.

However, TMZ broke a story last August which stated an alleged stalker followed Kendall up her driveway shortly after she bought the Hollywood Hills home. Law enforcement sources say, although a number of celebs have been burglary victims this year, it has become a much bigger problem citywide. As for Kendall, cops are on the hunt. It has also been found out that few hours before the robbery she has friends over, which made the cops suspect that it can be an inside job. 

                                                  

http://www.tmz.com/2017/03/16/kendall-jenner-jewelry-robbery-forensic-fingerprint-specialist/

My view

So there have been tons of issues related to the Kardashain/Jenner clan but many of those have been stated as untrue and also been proven that they have used it just for publicity. There was another robbery which was encountered by Kim Kardashian on October 3, 2016. (Details : http://people.com/tv/kim-kardashian-robbery-questions-answered/) In the new episodes of their reality show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians", this topic has been made in focus revealing how Kim felt during the Robbery. For some it might be taken as a simple topic that they happen to brought up but there have been issues going on which states that the Kardashians might be using this story for ratings. (Details : http://www.accesshollywood.com/videos/are-the-kardashians-using-kims-robbery-for-ratings-plugged-in/#TPxczbxRjrCqXlC9.02)

Even on the story of Kendall Jenner, as the cops have said that it might be an inside job, this turns the entire story into a different pattern and obviously catches the attention of the viewers. But due to their family's history about gaining popularity through various ways, it might be hard for some readers to believe that this might actually be true.

BLOG 6 COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE

Copyright

Copyright is a legal right created by the law of a country that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights for its use and distribution. This is usually only for a limited time. The exclusive rights are not absolute but limited by limitations and exceptions to copyright law, including fair use. A major limitation on copyright is that copyright protects only the original expression of ideas, and not the underlying ideas themselves. Copyright is a form of intellectual property, applicable to certain forms of creative work. Some, but not all jurisdictions require "fixing" copyrighted works in a tangible form. It is often shared among multiple authors, each of whom holds a set of rights to use or license the work, and who are commonly referred to as rights holders. These rights frequently include reproduction, control over derivative works, distribution, public performance, and "moral rights" such as attribution.

Fair Use

Fair use is a copyright principle based on the belief that the public is entitled to freely use portions of copyrighted materials for purposes of commentary and criticism. For example, if you wish to criticize a novelist, you should have the freedom to quote a portion of the novelist’s work without asking permission. Absent this freedom, copyright owners could stifle any negative comments about their work. Unfortunately, if the copyright owner disagrees with your fair use interpretation, the dispute may have to be resolved by a lawsuit or arbitration. If it’s not a fair use, then you are infringing upon the rights of the copyright owner and may be liable for damages.

Illegal Action: Downloading TV Shows and Movies 

It's unlikely that anyone who's spent a moment online is unaware of the illegality associated with downloading unlicensed TV shows and movies from file sharing services. Nonetheless, it's extremely common, but the cause varies. While some are undoubtedly stealing television and film content because they simply do not want to pay, many are employing piracy because the barrier to entry is unrealistic for most consumers. Derek Bambauer explains, using HBO's Game of Thrones series as an example:
If you want to see Game of Thrones (and I do), your options are 1) subscribe to cable plus HBO, or 2) pirate. I think the series rocks, but I'm not paying $100 a month for it. If HBO expects me to do so, it weakens their moral claim against piracy. Unconvinced? Imagine instead that HBO offers to let you watch Game of Thrones for free—but the only place on Earth you can view the series is in the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. You're located in rural Iowa? Well, you've no cause for complaint! Fly to LA! I suspect that translating costs into physical costs makes the argument clearer: HBO charges not only for the content, but bundles it with one particular delivery medium. If that medium is unavailable to you, or unaffordable, you're out of luck. Unless, of course, you have broadband, and can BitTorrent.

So what can you do? As you might imagine from Derek's example, your options are pretty limited. Although you can find many shows and movies on services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and iTunes, those services are often lacking in content (like Game of Thrones) that is too difficult, expensive, or sometimes even impossible (e.g. if you live outside of the United States) to acquire. Although you can encrypt and anonymize your BitTorrent traffic or subscribe to a Usenet provider that offers a connection via SSL to protect yourself when downloading anything from either service, you still have no legal right to download any copyrighted content without expressed permission. For now there is little we can do to make this situation better other than encourage the film and television industries to regard piracy as competition. As iTunes has proven with music and cartoonist The Oatmeal has cleverly illutrated, when it's easier and affordable to use the legal route, that's the route most people will take.

Source : http://lifehacker.com/5888488/how-youre-breaking-the-law-every-day-and-what-you-can-do-about-it

 

My view 

According to me, copyright is definitely a serious topic and it has to be taken seriously by people. It is not something to be taken lightly. Committing a copyright crime can cause a huge impact on someone's life as well as career. It is taken very seriously in The United States. Therefore, people are out to take it seriously as well. There have been various cases of committing the act of copyright and people have been caught and punished. People who don't know about it should definitely learn about it and aware their friends and family about it as well.  

BLOG 5 REPORTER'S PRIVILEGE

Reporter's Privilege

Reporter's privilege in the United States also known as journalist's privilege, newsman's privilege, or press privilege, is a "reporter's" protection under constitutional or statutory law, from being compelled to testify about confidential information or sources. Being a part of the media takes a lot of hard work and understanding. To work as a reporter, a person should be able to figure out what is right and wrong for them to publish. It takes literally 2 seconds for people to make assumptions about something being posted in the media. In this case, a reporter should be able to portray news in such a way that no harm is done to anyone whatsoever. The United States Department of Justice created self-imposed guidelines intended to protect the news media by regulating the use of subpoenas against the press. These guidelines state that "all reasonable attempts should be made to obtain information from alternative sources" after considering issuing a subpoena to a member of the news media. Therefore, the guidelines require that federal prosecutors negotiate with the press, explaining the specific needs of the case.

Judith Miller

Born : January 2, 1948.

Place of Birth : New York City.
Nationality : American.

Spouse : Jason Epstein (since 1993).

Parents : Bill Miller.

Books : Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War, God has Ninety-Nine names.

Education : Barnard College, Hollywood High School, Ohio State University.

Matthew Cooper

Born : 1963.
Nationality : American.
Education : Columbia University, Columbia High School.
Newsweek : Political editor.
Spouse : Mandy Grunwald (1997 - 2007).
Children : A son.




The issue of a reporter's privilege came to the forefront of media attention in the case of Miller, involving reporters Judith Miller and Matthew Copper. Miller and Cooper were both served with grand jury subpoenas for testimony and information, including notes and documents pertaining to conversations with specific and all other official sources relating the Plame affair. Both refused to submit to the subpoenas, claiming reporter's privilege. The federal district court held both Miller and Cooper in civil contempt of court, and the United States Court Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the orders of contempt.

Miller and Cooper, in their appeal to the appellate court pleaded several defenses including a First Amendment reporter's privilege and a common law reporter's privilege. The appellate court rejected both the First Amendment and common law claims for privilege. The court held Miller and Cooper in pending an appeal to the U.S. Supreme court.

However, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case. Judith Miller began serving the remaining four months of the original eighteen-month sentence on July 6, 2005. Matthew Cooper's confidential source released him from their confidentiality agreement, so he chose to comply with the subpoena and has agreed to testify before the grand.

My view 

I think this issue is the best example for a reporter's privilege. It shows how sometimes reporters can also take their work and its privileges for granted. Reporters are supposed to understand that they should take their work seriously and be honest with their job. But sometimes things tend to go out of hand an either knowingly or unknowingly they end up committing a crime related to report writing and publishing. The plus point of being a reporter is that there is solution to almost everything in the sector of report writing. So, whenever some crime has been committed, the reporters have various of ways to fix their mistake and move on.