Journalism and PR

In my Writing for Media class, we have mainly focused on developing our journalism skills. However, for the past couple weeks we’ve switched to examining public relations’ role in media. After talking with Holland Hospital‘s PR team, examining how literary organizations utilize their social media accounts and looking at examples of press releases, I’ve learned that journalism and PR are both different and similar in many aspects.

For example, journalism and PR are different in that:

• Journalism is more focused on unbiased coverage, while PR wants to create a positive image of an organization.
• PR does, at times, deal with crisis management.
• PR also often coordinates special events and pseudo events, while journalists may cover these events in an unbiased manner.

Journalism and PR, however, are similar in that:

• Both often focus on reaching a community, especially local newspapers and local businesses’ PR departments.
• Both may also use the inverted pyramid style when writing (PR with press releases, and journalism with articles).

When it comes the literary beat, one may find examples of journalism and PR. One can see this clearly in an NPR article published in 2011. The article itself fits into the category of journalism, as it unbiasedly reports on the future changes to Lena Dunham’s book “Not That Kind of Girl”. In the book, Dunham writes about an Oberlin College graduate who allegedly sexually assaulted her. She refers to the man as “Barry”, but readers mistakenly believed this to be the real identity of the graduate and started targeting an actual Oberlin grad of the same name.

Random House’s PR department responded to this situation swiftly, which is detailed in this article. Writer Colin Dwyer includes the PR department’s statements, notifying the public that in future editions of Dunham’s novel, it will be further clarified that “Barry” is in fact a pseudonym.

Therefore, journalism and PR often work together to bring news to the public, even if they are slightly different.

 

Ethics in the lens: Examining standards in photojournalism

In Media Writing, we recently discussed the importance of ethical photojournalism, specifically when reporting on global health issues. The line between helping and hurting suffering persons are often blurred; photographers should strive to bring awareness to global health problems without dehumanizing those affected. Two photojournalists attempted to do this. Getty Images photographer John Moore spent a month covering the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, and Paul Nevin wrote and took images for a Seattle Times story documenting a non-profit that helps Kenyan health-care workers manage childbirth emergencies. These photojournalists, though, portray different processes of ethical coverage.

Obtaining consent

According to the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) Code of Ethics, photographic images can “can reveal great truths”. However, “callously intrusive” photographs can corrupt these truths. One way to avoid this is to obtain consent from subjects being photographed.

For example, the Dart Center explains that before photographing minors, photographers should always obtain consent from a subject’s parent or guardian. Moore came across this when reporting in Liberia, as he photographed many children. He explains that he “likes to get some sort of consent” before taking pictures. Therefore, I felt less invasive while looking at his graphic images.

In contrast, I was not sure that Nevin acquired consent from the subjects he photographed. His images did not feature as many minors, and they were definitely not as graphic. However, there was still a part of me that wondered, “Am I allowed to look at these?” while scrolling through them.

Deciding on a narrative

A few weeks ago, journalist Lee Pitts explained in class that journalism must “give voice to the voiceless”. This objective should guide a story’s narrative and, thus, influence which images are published.

Moore makes his narrative focus clear in his photographs. His images examine Liberian Ebola victims, young and old; therefore, it seems that he wished to give voice to those affected by the disease by reporting. In his interview, he also stressed that those diagnosed with the illness could not touch anyone. TIME reported that few photographers traveled to the country, fearing that they’d contract Ebola. The Dart Center does explain that photographs are not worth a photographer’s life. However, this lack of reporters only emphasizes the Liberian Ebola victims’ voicelessness. Moore seemingly wished to take the risk to combat this.

Nevin images instead focus less on Kenyan mothers and babies affected by childbirth complications and more on those learning how to deal with these situations. This objective is evident in his images, as he doesn’t show many patients. He rather features the health-care workers and their training.

Empowering subjects

In our lecture on ethical photojournalism, we discussed that in order to empower featured subjects, one shouldn’t dehumanize them. This means that instead of showcasing suffering “bodies”, journalists should make an effort tell human stories.

I believe that Moore did this effectively by naming those in his photographs. For example, he features Korpo Klay watching health-care workers take away her cousin Kormassa Kaba and also Ibrahim Fambulle sitting next to a corpse. Nevin did not name as many of his subjects, but he did feature Bisharu al-Hussein with her son. In this way, the photographers upheld the NPPA Code of Ethics by maintaining the integrity of the images’ content and those featured.

I don’t know if the lines between ethical and unethical photojournalism will ever be clear, but I do think that Moore and Nevin’s stories are great case studies for examining this issue, especially in regards to global health. Hopefully as I grow as a journalist I may remember to obtain consent and find empowering narratives.

 

 

 

 

Hope professor travels the world teaching literature

It’s no surprise to students that Bill Moreau, a professor of English at Hope College, loves traveling overseas.

In his office, a pillow featuring bright red double-decker buses sits in the corner. A poster of fish and chips hangs beside his window. The school bus yellow spine of English author J.K. Rowling’s “The Casual Vacancy” stands out on his bookshelf.

For the past two years, Moreau has taken Hope education students to Liverpool, England. The trip provides students with the opportunity to experience teaching in a different culture; however, it also provides Moreau the opportunity to revisit a country he loves.

While working as a high school English teacher in Hamilton, Michigan, Moreau took a year to teach in Woodbridge, Suffolk in England. The Fulbright Teaching Assistant program provided him with the adventure. During his time in Great Britain, he taught a variety of ages and was determined to adapt to the new school system.

“There was one point where I was reading and teaching five different books I had never read before,” Moreau says.

Books such as William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” and Mildred D. Taylor’s “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” were just a few that made up his curriculum. And when he wasn’t discussing these books with students, he and his family took advantage of exploring the new culture.

His cottage in the quaint village of Campsea Ashe sits just a short drive away from Cambridge University, and Moreau often watched football (or soccer) games with his children. He also spent his time abroad visiting Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Scotland and Whales. The Fulbright Teaching Assistant program even gave him the opportunity to have dinner at the U.S. Embassy in London.

This wasn’t Moreau’s first time traveling, however. Born in Pennsylvania, he grew up with a father whose job took him all across the United States. Before attending college at Hope, Moreau had lived in Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Texas, New Orleans and Memphis. He had even considered teaching English in Japan after graduating from college, and after all of these adventures, he has important lessons that he wants to pass on to Hope students desiring to teach English.

“To me, relationships with your students is the most important thing,” Moreau says. “Yes, your content is important… but you need to earn the right to talk about the content.”

Moreau builds relationships with Hope students by sitting in the back of Dimnent Memorial Chapel during worships services three days a week. After the message, he stands and waves to students as they leave the stone building.

Who knows if someday those students will see the bright red double-decker buses of London like the ones on Moreau’s office pillow; however, he wants to assure them that things will be alright no matter where life takes them.

“You want to work as hard as you can, but things will fall into place then,” he says. “You don’t have to figure it all out. Remember to enjoy the moment.”

From new states to new countries, Moreau has certainly collected a variety of “moments” that have helped him become one of Hope’s most beloved professors.

Confessions of an OwlCrate newbie

I have a confession: as long as I’ve been a bookworm, I’ve never signed up for a literary subscription box.

Literary subscriptions boxes have become a recent trend among the book community. Companies like BookCase.Club, Book Riot and  LitKit have popped up and made it their mission to deliver books and other literary goodies directly to readers. It’s like ordering take-out but with stories.

Hope College students have taken part in this trend. Brooke Wharton (’18) and Lauren Duistermars (’18) mentioned that they heard about the subscriptions on “BookTube”, a community of YouTube creators who make literature-related content. These “unboxing” videos have dominated on the Internet.  For example, Little Book Owl’s video documenting her April 2015 OwlCrate unboxing has over 50,000 views.

Both Wharton and Duistermars didn’t film their unboxings, but Wharton expressed that it taking part in the trend made her “feel more connected” to the bookish community.

Amber Carnahan (’18), who subscribed to BookCase.Club, also encouraged me to try the trend. “It made me feel more connected to different authors instead of reading authors I already know about,” she said.

Therefore, I decided to take my peers’ advice. I subscribed to OwlCrate, which was founded by Korrina Ede and Robert Madden in 2014. The company’s website notified me that my February box would be themed “Run Away With The Circus”, so I got into the circus-spirit and awaited its delivery.

In my box, I received Stephanie Garber’s “Caraval“, a novel about sisters, kidnapping, romance and family secrets. The bookish “knick-knacks” I received included a candle, sticky notes, a playing card-themed notepad, a circus button, lip balm and a tote. Also, OwlCrate previewed next month’s trend: “Sailors, Ships, & Seas.” The box honestly included so much more than I expected. You can check them out below or follow me on Twitter to see my unboxing tweeting spree.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

After experiencing OwlCrate for the first time, I understand why so many bookworms take advantage of this trend. BookTube’s unboxing videos make you want to give all your money to these companies. OwlCrate and other literary box subscriptions also do a great job of introducing readers to new authors, and it’s just a good time. The butterfly flutters you get in your stomach when you open your box are the same that appear when reading a good book. Well done, OwlCrate!

If you would like to try out this trend, take a look at this list of literary subscription boxes. There are plenty to choose from, so chances are you can easily find one that suits you.

West Michigan author educates readers about disordered eating

Author Rachael Steil met with readers to promote her eating disorder memoir, which details her bingeing experience, weight gain and running career.

On Saturday, Jan. 21, I drove to Holland’s Barnes & Noble to attend a book signing by West Michigan writer Rachael Rose Steil. The author recently published “Running in Silence: My Drive for Perfection and the Eating Disorder That Fed It.”

I had stumbled upon signings in the local bookstore before. However, this was my first time purposefully attending one. My reasoning had to do with the subject matter of Steil’s debut novel.

In high school, I joined the nearly 30 million people in the United States who suffer from an eating disorder. Fortunately, I have since beaten the disease. However, this hasn’t stopped my interest in the subject, and Steil’s event provided me with the opportunity to combine my desire to learn more about this issue with my love of literature.

While greeting me, Steil mentioned that similarly mixing her love of writing with her raw food diet obsession helped her recovery. “A lot of eating disorder memoirs are the worst case scenarios, so I couldn’t relate to those as well,” she said. “I wanted to get a book that I could relate to, and I thought, ‘Why don’t I just write it?'”

Rachel Bartkowiak (’18), a Hope College student, attended the event and believed that talking to Steil showed her that not all eating disorders involve a hospital visit. “It was nice to hear from someone that there doesn’t necessarily have to be extreme story showing an eating disorder,” she said. “It can be a more ordinary experience.”

Steil did, however, emphasize the need for early action, saying that people in the beginning stages of eating disorders create “isolation.” “It’s not living a full life,” Steil said.

If you suffer from an eating disorder and want to live life more fully, Steil’s blog and Youtube channel are great places to find resources and encouragement.