Objective journalism and an opinion column are about as similar as the Bible and Playboy magazine.
- Walter Cronkite
When writing a hard news piece (for print or web) it seems as though quite a few news outlets are publishing and producing stories with few sources.
Hard news is timely and usually also involves proximity. Some examples include fires, murders, business, politics, international affairs, etc.
With hard news the inverted pyramid structure (more about that here) is very useful.
Hard news generally will involve the reporter going out and obtaining interviews first hand. Although the news is timely and up-to-date that does not excuse laziness with sources. More and more there are news outlets serving stories that could easily be confused as blog posts - meaning the sources used are usually aggregated from other news sources. With blogging that is fine - bloggers are not held to the same standards as journalists.
With a hard news story there should always be a first hand interview included with someone directly involved with the story.
For example: If the reporter was assigned to cover and report about a local drug bust a source that is essential to the story would be a police officer or any other authority involved (it will later be discussed how to deal with those type of stories in terms of semantics). Another person who would be ideal to interview would be neighbors or friends that would be willing to go on record. If there is a family member that would be willing to contribute to the story that would be great.
Interviewing the police officer is essential, because that is where the information that will be in the lead is obtained. Finding out the who, what, where and when can all be done by an interview with the authority who was at the scene.
In some scenarios secondary sources are also good to add to go along with the first hand sources. Secondary sources would include information gathered via another news source or outlet that the reporter did not go out and directly get first hand (like citing another news source or web site).
The next blog posts will go into detail for the sources essential to features, columns, reviews, editorials, etc.
For the record, blog posts will most likely include side commentary and opinions from the blogger as well as news obtained from secondary sources (other web sites), and in some cases (like this entry) the information provided comes directly from the blogger.
Yesterday I set Andrea up with a blog.
After viewing the video of Journalism 101: Interview DOs and DON'Ts there may be some who are looking for further explanation. This is the blog post where the dos and don'ts are better explained. Please understand these are all relating to interviews for a print or web story. Interviews for broadcast are similar, but there are more restrictions.
The Journalism 101 video with Josh about interviews will be up when the editing is finished.
The previous post included the video for Journalism 101: Blogger vs. Journalist.
Journalism 101: The difference between BLOGGING and being a JOURNALIST.
Lindsay Lohan's manicure was given its own blog entry on CNN's Marquee Blog.
Journalism 101 was a Youtube series I was going to start a few years ago, but I didn't have a very good camera or editing program. Having a Macbook Pro has really changed things for me, and I think I can resurrect that old series. I am sure it will start off slow, but I am really going to keep at this thing. I plan to do a couple vlogs a week. I have been doing a lot more promotion & part of what I am doing with Zennie involves Youtube. I am hoping to become a Youtube partner (like Zennie62's Youtube)! If I can get a partnership and if I can get some more money I will be able to blog more often. I have a lot of things I have to do in my REAL life, and I wish I was updating THIS blog more frequently, but since I will need to be updating Youtube more frequently I want this blog to benefit from it. So, Journalism 101 will be little journalism tips from me.
I was talking on the phone with Zennie last night & he thinks positively of the rise of citizen journalists. The only reason I disagree with that is the same reason I don't think that a blogger is a journalist. I would prefer the term to be "citizen blogger" if anything.
Tila Tequila is a lost cause. No matter how objective or supportive a blog entry is written - when Tila Tequila is called out for a lie she attacks in the only way she knows how. It's like middle school all over again - she gets others to hate and attack those she feels threatened by. She uses name-calling and cyber-bullying to make herself look "cool." The Tila Army sticks up for Tila like a middle school best friend. The Tila Army enjoys being apart of a celebrity fanbase with a celebrity who constantly keeps in touch; knowing that getting on Tila's bad side is not something that is favorable.
For a 28-year-old woman to blog hateful remarks to a 20-year-old who never posted a direct insult or accusation is a sign of something much more than cyber-bullying. I wrote objectively about Tila multiple times, because I thought if Tila ever read one of my posts she would be taken aback and really think about what was going on. To prove her lies was something that I wanted to do, and it was something that I did. Throughout this entire venture I have never published a blog entry with anything hateful toward Tila, because I don't hate Miss Tila. I actually feel bad for her, and because of that I am no longer blogging about her. I can honestly say that I had the best intentions with every blog post.
It didn't matter if I wasn't posting on a hate-site. Tila felt threatened that someone other than a "hater" was blogging about her and writing things that forced her to look at her lies.
Tweets are archived by the library of Congress. Facebook statuses, blog posts, tweets, etc. can be used in a court of law & someone can be sued do to what he or she publishes/posts on any of the social networking platforms. Everyone is held accountable for what is posted. Does anyone remember the woman who tweeted about her apartment being moldy & then was SUED.
So, here's the e-mail where I request an interview with Miss Tila. I originally sent it through Youtube, but then I e-mail it to support@misstilaomg.com:
So, here is the e-mail that I received:
If that's too small for you to read here is the text. I can assure you it is unaltered
(Have fun reading it out loud):
From: SUPPORT <support@misstilaomg.com>
Date: Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 6:24 AM
Subject: Re: Interview Request
To: Nikky Raney <nikkyraney@nikkyraney.com>
Hello,We here at the OMG staff does not condone hatred nor spam. We try to deliver fun news stories for our readers and as bloggers, we add our own signature style to thinks to separate us from the rest of the gossip blog world. The only reason why your comments got banned is because our site works with another company that automatically deletes comments that has too many profanities in them, and we also block anyone that posts links because we consider that spam or advertise bots.Now if you go on Miss Tila's site, the staff, including herself, just blogs about celebrities and make it fun for the readers. No different that any other celebrity gossip blogger who does way worse in regards to talking shit about celebrities. However, if you truly are a nice girl like you claim, why do you join the rest of the hate comments and it is contradicting for you to say that. Imagine being in Miss Tila's spot just for one day. When she's not blogging about celebrity news, all of her other blogs are either informative or positive. Plus, the fact that you amongst those "rotspot" and "resistance" people constantly claims that she "LIES" about everything. You claim to be a journalist, which you are far from it because real journalists would actually do REAL research about such topics if they were interested and sometimes real journalists can take as long as a few months, to contact people, CREDIBLE people to find out what's true and what's not. If you go on these Tila Hate sites, you can see how much they waste their days and nights trying to bring her down, even dedicated a hate site all about her alone is pretty sad.So unless people have actual evidence from Miss Tila's doctor's and hospital bills for her past miscarriage and her artificial insemination, and tweets and copying and pasting are not valid. If you bring those materials in the court of law, it would be laughable, as Miss Tila has gone through a lot, and it is nobody's business to "PROVE" to anyone that she never lied about any of the stuff that the haters claim she lies about. I know this because I am a longtime friend of hers and I blog for her. I a telling you this because I am sick of how harshly the haters bash on her, just for their own entertainment. As a matter of fact, I am the one who took her to the doctor when she was artificially inseminated. I also picked her up from the hospital when she fell and hit her head and caused her to mis-carry her baby. Miss Tila has been through a lot and does not need more people like you to mock her. The haters don't know her. They weren't there with her like I was when I had to hold her from her crying so badly when she lost the baby. I even cried and I am sick of people talking bad about her. They don't know her and neither do you. So for you to say you're not a "HATER" well you definitely are one when you make hate blogs about miss tila. And you haters act as though you guys are so perfect? As though anything miss tila does actually ruins peoples lives? No. If I were here I would have done more, and much worse things then tweeting you when she finally stood up for herself! I give miss Tila props for keeping her head high no matter how much of these same haters coming to HER blog everyday just to talk shit about her. It's redundant and how dare you have the audacity to try to contact her after what you did. You are far worse off then Miss Tila. I would say it's best to do what you claim as not being a hater and stop making hate blogs about her or "calling her out on her lies" sorry to break it to you, but Miss Tila never lied so you and the hate sites you talk to are just two-faced mean people. Please don't contact us again trying to get in touch with miss Tila when you actually can see your own actions of trying to harm a woman who never did anything to you to begin with. Peace...........
Anyway, this e-mail is ridiculous. I never blogged her miscarriages or her artificial inseminations, but the e-mail goes into details about both aforementioned topics. So, Tila obviously has never read any of my blog posts.
Staff? Honestly. I strongly believe that Tila Tequila wrote that e-mail. If she didn't, why wouldn't the e-mail close with some professional signature of some sort. The multiple periods are not very professional - then again that entire e-mail looks like it was written by a 12-year-old.
The e-mail speaks for itself, and I think that I could have just posted that e-mail as my final blog post.
Now, as for positivity. The #TILAARMY has always been about positivity. Then why is it okay for someone who never attacked Tila to be called a fatty? I am called "PIGGY RAINEY" (she spelled my name wrong), and I am put in a sentence with "PIGGY PEREZ." Is this a joke? Perez actually said mean things to Tila, I never said ANYTHING mean in ANY of my blog posts. And anything that may SEEM mean is backed up with facts & links to posts. My last blog entry about her was strictly her TWEETS. Which she CAN be held accountable for in a court of law.
Defamation is something that Tila & her army need to learn. You cannot maliciously attack someone and try to ruin reputations without consequences. I do not plan to sue Miss TIla, but there is proof that Tila defamed me maliciously to try to ruin my reputation & in some ways she DID damage my reputation, but she more than anything promoted me.
Tila blogged about being on TMZ's blogroll. She even tweeted to me saying that I wasn't on TMZ's blogroll -- Zennie62.com is on TMZ's blogroll. Tila Tequila's blog is not on TMZ's blogroll. I don't know why it matters who is on TMZ's blogroll, because there are many other blogrolls out there. After the things TMZ has written about Miss Tila I am surprised she would WANT to be on its blogroll.
The Tila Army consists mostly of teenagers. TIla's #1 fan, Mittiee, is 16-years-old. I was 16 four years ago, and I remember that I was also a fan of Tila Tequila at that age. I was watching A Shot at Love, and I thought she was great. However, a lot has happened since then. I am concerned that these fans are going down the wrong path. Alina K Ring was once a Tila supporter, and she is also a teenager. Tila is undoubtedly known for her "sex" factor. She posts half naked photos, NAKED photos, has naked videos online (I'd rather not post the links, but they are out there. Not sex tapes, but other videos), and has performed at strip clubs. Hell, Tila also did strip teases on USTREAM for her fans & got naked. I saw the USTREAM videos, and I saw her fall backwards in the chair while wearing her lingerie. My mother walked by while I watched USTREAM and Tila was naked on webcam talking to her fans. My mom was outraged. When I told my mother that the 28-year-old woman on my screen claimed to be an Angel of God & claimed to be quite a religious young woman my mother was in disbelief. I then played one of Tila's songs, and my mom made me turn it off because of the profanity.
I am worried about the teenagers in the Tila Army. These boys and girls see Tila as a role model. Tila admittedly jokes about suicide, openly discusses her sexuality, posts nude photos, dresses inappropriately, and uses lots of profanity. If Tila Tequila walked into church & performed one of her songs she would probably be escorted out. Teenagers are impressionable, and it is people like Tila that make me wish parents watched their kids' internet activity. Yeah, it might be cool that a celebrity you like actually acknowledges your presence, but it is not okay to talk about an Ambien addiction or post half naked youtube videos regularly. Most of the Tila Army is not even old enough to look through Playboy or go to a strip club, but they can see Playboy photos online and watch Tila at the strip club on Youtube. What kind of Mogul is she?
Is it okay for a 28-year-old to be doing that? I truly hope the "TILA ARMY" reads this with an un-bias mindset.
And, if the adoption claims are true - no one is going to let Tila have children in her care. I know a lot about adoption, because a few of my cousins from the Philippines had to be adopted by other family members so that they could come to America. Adoptions take a long time, and there are many background checks to make sure that the child will be in a safe environment. Tila Tequila's lifestyle is not a safe or stable environment, and I don't think anyone can argue me on that point.
Read every single blog post that I have written about Tila Tequila:
Tila Tequila: Time to face reality
Tila Tequila caught by "Tila's Rot Spot"
Tila Tequila tries to kill herself & posts VIDEO
Tila Tequila: One of Tiger's Mistresses
Tila Tequila is allergic to alcohol - just a reminder.
Tila Tequila fans Attack Nikky Raney
Tila Tequila is Obsessed with Perez Hilton
Tila's Army will put Hilter's Army to shame with the help of God
Tila Tequila Attacks Nikky Raney
Tila Tequila: 3 Adoptions in 1 year
You'd think with all the blog posts I have done about her she would have accepted my interview request.
If I ever attacked her maliciously, called her names, or treated her unkindly then please let me know.
When you read those blog posts & realize I was never mean to Miss Tila then I hope that the "Tila Army" and maybe even Miss Tila can give me a sincere apology for the rude comments & unjustified attacks. If after reading my blog posts about Tila you think I deserve being called "Piggy Raney," and deserve all the hateful comments from Tila -- then I will be surprised. I think that I deserve an apology, but it takes a lot for some people to swallow their pride. I apologize for anything I said that may have been perceived as hateful, but I can assure you my intentions were always to remain objective & to do my duty as a journalist and blogger to report & research to set things straight.
The Blog Post Miss Tila wrote about being on TMZ's blogroll & one of the posts where she talks about me. I must be a celebrity if I am on Tila's Celebrity Gossip Blog. She calls me Piggy Raney..again:
obviously no one can read that, so click for a larger photo.
To keep up with Tila Tequila you keep visiting my friends:
The difference between these people are they don't hate her for superficial reasons. They hate her for all the terrible things she has been caught doing & her lack of holding herself accountable or admitting to lies.
EXCLUSIVE: Tila's Army is going to WAR.
(Thanks to my "spies" for the links, screenshots, etc. All photos are courtesy of Google Images & my secret spies.)
Now, on that note. Since Miss Tila has already associated me with Piggy Perez, maybe it's time for me to see what makes he and I so alike. I already wrote an editorial on why we're different.
P.S. Did anyone CATCH that Tila's Staff E-mail says that she got a miscarriage due to hitting her head. She was tweeting right after she hit her head & basically was tweeting before she called the ambulance. Seriously? Have fun with this one.
