BC Fest 2005 PHOTOS!

Here are some pictures from the BC Fest (April 29, 2005).

GOOD LUCK WITH THE BC FESTIVAL!

On the eve of the first BC Festival on campus, I hope you will revel in your success and contributions on WCN and Titan Radio. I offer my congratulations and wish you well.

I call upon the Capstone students (and any other BC students reading this blog entry) to consider the journey chronicled in each BC Weblog. I would encourage you to juxtapose what you read in recent entries with those first entries from last fall. Contrast the mood and message. How have people changed? How have identities shifted? How have you grown? What have you learned? What do you embrace or reject? Do have any second thoughts or reconsiderations? How will you say good-bye to this life at Titan Radio and WCN? How will you cope with the search and transition to your new life?

I explained at the beginning of BC 601 that your final year would rush by in a swirling, buzzing commotion of projects, reports, presentations and job searches. That commotion does not end now. It merely transforms as you do.

In the next few weeks your identity transfers. You will go from being one of our stars, our leaders in the BC major to that of a member of Westminster’s Class of 2005. These days will become one of those rare times where all those individual and usually separated segments of your lives intersect and even collide. You will have moments of celebration and pride on different levels for many different people—family, friends, professional, academic, etc. The next few weeks will fill with happiness, emotion and apprehension.

Remember to be true to your heart—take time to be selfish, single and enjoy your youth. Persue your passion above all else. The events of the next few weeks can sweep you off your feet and overwhelm. I encourage you to use the cumulative experience and wisdom gained from your capstone journey to stay grounded and focused, yet savor the pageantry and excited of commencement.

BLOG YOUR RESUME TAPE OUTLINE!

I am still waiting for some of you to provided me with an outline of your plans for organizing and creating a resume tape (including some research on what professionals advise for it), please post it as a blog ASAP.

BC FESTIVAL 2005

You've got your local fairs, homecoming parades and community festivals, but Westminster will now have a new event.
THE BROADCAST COMMUNICATIONS FESTIVAL
on APRIL 25, 2005.


9 AM
Krispy Kremes @ Titan Radio & the unveiling of the BC Capstone Display in the 2nd Floor McKelvey-TCH Hallway.

11:30
CAPSTONE PRESENTATIONS (Mueller Theater- Round 1)

• Sebastian Driver
• Sarah Ubry

12:30-2:30

• TV REMOTE TRUCK TOURS- Outside the Tub
• TITAN RADIO REMOTE- Inside & Outside the Tub
• CAPSTONE TIME CAPSULE MESSAGE BOOK- The Tub

5:30
CAPSTONE PRESENTATIONS (Mueller Theater- Round 2)

• Ashley Roberts
• Tandi Lane
• Megan Marshall

6:45

CAPSTONE RECEPTION with refreshments (landing just outside Mueller Theater back entrances)

7:30

CAPSTONE PRESENTATIONS (Mueller Theater- Rouned 3)

• Ian Durham
• Laura Krutschnitt
• Pat Sandora

Hunter Thompson's Legacy & Newsbreakers' Future?

Gonzo journalist Hunter Thompson is dead.

He took his own life. Why is that not a surprise to me?

In our Rhetorics and Philosophies of Journalism Seminar at Duquesne University last semester we framed Thompson's work under the heading of "NEW JOURNALISM” where literary narratives, personal styles, great writing and critical thinking challenged the status quo of reporting.

Some argue that blogging will renew the new journalism call—but at it’s core, new journalism is about the writing—I walked away from that experience looking at Thompson’s "gonzo" journalism as a way of engaging in media criticism and reaching out to people who've become numb to the trappings of traditional news.

Hunter Thompson was indeed a journalism pioneer.
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2723492,00.html http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/21/national/21hunter.html


While most people will reflect on Thompson’s work, I would like to consider his contempt for the establish media. Thompson was clearly a media critic challenging the conventions and policies of the media elite. I would like to think Thompson would have endorsed Newsbreakers.

The group's novel approach to media criticism picks up the Thompson mission by attacking television news and attempting to engage the younger demos.

These guys trash the stuffiness of media criticism and make it cool. With their identities concealed by silly masks and costumes, Newsbreakers' members claim to liberate live broadcasts by wandering into the live shots of local TV stations. They critique television news by mocking it with a blend of tactics and elements fresh from MTV's "Punk'd" and "Jackass" and Comedy Central's "The Daily Show."

The reactions they provoke in their attempts to gauge “the mood” around their stunts are hilarious. Those reactions also expose the hypocrisy and narcissism of local TV reporters, photographers and stations. However, punking live shots, regardless of being novel and funny, is what it is—a gimmick.

So the question is, what’s next? Newsbreakers wants to bring new life to media criticism, but can it move the discussion forward and grow beyond these stunts? I hope it can. I want to believe in the mission. Newsbreakers was successful in grabbing my attention. Now I'm waiting to see what happens next.

This organization has sparked discussion about the sedentary state of broadcast news. I'd like to think Hunter Thompson would give his blessing to Newsbreakers and its objectives of challenging the status quo.

I believe he would appreciate the rabble rousing of its masked members. I think Thompson would chuckle at the pranks and I think he would relish the reactions.

As Newsbreakers seeks to trigger a new era of media criticism may its crew also consider the legacy of Thompson and the truth in his writings.

"The TV business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs."

--Hunter S. Thompson

December Grads Keep on Blogging

Sure they're alumni now, but December grads Amy DalBon and Julie Stolze are keeping in touch via their blogs started in capstone last semester. Check out the latest entries and leave them some feedback.

Meanwhile, word is that some juniors and even BC minors are interested in setting up their own blogs and getting in on the blog page action as they start thinking about internship possibilities and career goals. It’s nice to know we’re inspiring people. We’ll add links as they make their blogs public.

Senior Project Redux Proposal or Alumni Research Paper Proposal

Hey, Capstone Students!

As you blog away this week with:

• What I did in BC...
• Career Goals/Job Search...
• Article or Link...
• Please include your Senior Project Redux Proposal or your Alumni Research Paper Proposal. A few graphs should be enough. MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE SPECIFICS-- follow the guidelines set out in the syllabus.

Friday is the DEADLINE on those proposals...again file them in your blog entry or make it a stand alone entry!

Newsbreakers Strike Again!

This time in Columbus, Ohio. IS ANY STATION SAFE!!! :) I hope they come to Pittsburgh soon.

The group that hijacked TV news live shots in Rochester, New York, a month or so ago showed up in Columbus. This time the group sent the grim reaper wandering into a live shot on Sinclair's WSYX-TV.

I've done a web search to see if there's a mention in the local paper-- but nothing yet.

POOR COLLEGE STUDENTS LISTEN UP!!!

FREE JOB LINKS on YOUR BC BLOG PAGES

DON'T SUBSCRIBE/PAY FOR SOME ONLINE JOB DATABASE! There are plenty of free resources out there...including direct links to the companies hiring. And you can suggest links that we can add-- to the list from this year, last year and the year before!!!


Hi, capstone bloggers! Here's a friendly reminder that we do have job link resources on the blog pages that are FREE.

Those pay sites out there are really just gatheirng information from the free ones and packaging it to poor college students for a profile.

You can get started with this page-- and check out the links collected from the two previous capstone classes as well.
http://www.westminster.edu/staff/weaverbl/capstone_files/2005jobs.htm

http://www.westminster.edu/staff/weaverbl/jobs.htm

http://www.westminster.edu/staff/weaverbl/jobs2.htm