Chocolate milk is one of my favorite things in the world. I drink it on a daily basis!
It is something that I have enjoyed ever since Mama used to make it for me when I was growing up.
Enjoy this video where I show you how to make the best glass of chocolate milk ever!
When you go looking for a news story to read or a news program to watch on television do you prefer to read or watch those types of organizations that are 100% impartial and only report the facts and nothing else? Or do you enjoy catching some of those that share a little of their point-of-view on the story while also sharing all sides fairly?
The most recent MOOC I have begun studying is part of a specialization on CourseRA called Report the News! in conjunction with Michigan State University.
The course is titled What Is News?
One of the recent lessons that I have been looking at talks about the difference between Impartiality and Point-Of-View journalism.
Most of us understand that impartiality in journalism is when a reporter writes or covers a story without sharing their own opinion. Reporting the facts and giving all sides their fair share of coverage.
With point-of-view coverage it is a little bit different. It is NOT an opinion piece. What happens is the reporter makes known their position or stance on a particular subject and then reports on it.
For example I am believer in God. I practice Christianity. I can state that openly, but also report on other religions both fairly and accurately.
I also love books and to read. Say a library is being shut down for one reason or another. I could actively pursue that story and make sure that the story is told as to why it this library should stay. I also should make sure though that I give fair reporting on those who are trying to have the library removed. That sort of thing.
One thing that Tom Kent pointed out in a piece that I read was that you must be careful about how you share your point-of-view because we don’t as journalists want to look as if we have given an endorsement to a certain side.
In the lecture series Joe Grimm shared these five principles of POV journalism.
Five Principles of Point-Of-View Journalism – from Joe Grimm
The best part about this section of the course was that it challenged me to think about the type of journalist that I want to be. As have some of the lectures since this one. More to come on that subject.
Impartiality or Point-of-View? Which do you prefer?
In 2006 I began the next chapter after high school of going to college.
After four years of time there I left to pursue a dream of performing at Walt Disney World.
That dream came true and I have now been here for almost 6 years!
I sadly left college without having finished my degree.
About three years ago I decided that it was time to begin the process of finishing my degree and pursuing my other dream of a journalism career.
I LOVE people and one of my many passions in the journalism field is bring the truth to the world and performing a public service that has been manipulated so much in recent days that it is hard to recognize what the truth actually is.
I want to be apart of a movement to change that and bring back journalism with integrity.
I need your help.
School costs.
A lot sadly.
When I was in school in the past I took out more student loan money than I care to mention. This is an option that no longer exists for me.
I actively am pursuing knowledge through free online content to better educate myself in the only way I know how by researching and reading. Unfortunately not all resources that I would need to learn about are available in free content.
I want to be proud of my knowledge and proud of my profession. In order to do that I need to be apart of what it takes to get there.
What is that you may ask?
A journalism degree program.
I have spent the last six years of my life doing my best to make magic and memories for the people I meet at Disney.
Now I am hoping for some magic of my own.
I need $2000 to get started.
That’s the cost of one class. Fees and such included.
What in the grand scheme of things doesn’t sound like much money is so far out of reach for me.
So I humble myself and reach out.
In the past year I have worked to try and help my parents survive due to thier overwhelming circumstances that they deal with.
I want to be able to help them more. My education can help me in that direction.
I appreciate any donation and hope that my gratefulness will shine above anythings words can express.
To contribute to my campaign please visit
https://www.gofundme.com/CalebGraham
Help me to help the world with this dream of mine.
Thank you!
Many blessings!
Caleb Graham
What better to use for my 50th blog post than the season four premiere of The Mix!
Every year I look forward to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival and this year was no acceptation. Enjoy a quick look at what Matt and I did there on St. Patrick’s Day.
Are you going to Flower & Garden this year? Let me know your favorite things to do in the comments!
I am excited to announce that I have completed my first MOOC on Udemy.
This course challenged me in many ways.
Hearing knowledge and learning lessons from a leading journalist is something that we journalism students dream of.
It encouraged me to continue pursuing this dream. And also challenged me to constantly be searching for the truth in both my career and my daily life.
I am grateful that the time was taken to produce something like this for learners to absorb.
I call on other leaders in news to do more of this. Share your stories and knowledge of the craft.
It is both useful and inspirational to those of us yearning to join the search for truth.
Here is my Certificate of Completion for Udemy’s Dan Rather on Journalism & Finding Truth in the News
Who? – BB-8
What? – One of a kind droid
When? – Daily
Where? – Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
On Sunday April 9, 2017 BB-8 began appearing inside Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Guests may now interact and take photos with the small droid daily from park open to park close.
Yes you can even give him a hug!
Are you excited to meet everyone’s favorite Star Wars roly poly?
“A free and independent press, truly independent, fiercely independent when necessary, is the red beating heart of freedom and democracy.”
Recently I began taking an MOOC course on Udemy called Dan Rather on Journalism & Finding the Truth in the News. I am a just over 70% finished so I thought I would start sharing about what I have learned.
If anyone is interested in learning some of the most valuable information about the journalism craft from a leading journalist with a lot of experience I would highly consider checking this out. The insight and knowledge that Rather gives throughout this video series is something that I would love to hear more of from some other top names in journalism. Especially when it comes to television news.
In the beginning few videos Dan Rather sets the stage with filling the student in on what the landscape of journalism looks like in our present day. Immediately we are encouraged to memorize the quote that I began this piece with.
Journalists are to be independent, knowledgeable and unbiased. Go after the truth as best you can. Even when it may not be within your comfort zone. Rather highly emphasizes the independent part. Specifically in regards to exposing the secrets of people in power. Or maybe in other words holding them accountable. This could be anyone from government to CEOs of large companies, to A-List celebrities.
We are also given early on Dan Rather’s definition of news as information or truths that need to be told. Usually this news is something that those people of power don’t want getting out. It is then the job of the reporter to find out those truths and share them as a public service.
Freedom of the press as outlined in the Bill of Rights is what makes a democratic society thrive and succeed.
In 2017 the media is in danger of losing not only its power but also its credibility.
Why? I will use another direct quote from Dan Rather for that one.
“The main voice that’s challenging the continued ability of the news to speak truth to power is the public’s perception of just what news is and what it should be.”
The mainstream media in many cases has fallen into the trap of trying to always be politically correct. They don’t want to offend anyone. Rather uses the phrase, “go along to get along.”
The issue today is that there is a major decline in unbiased reporting and ethics. We have different entities that express different points of view instead of straight facts. Opinion shows are not news shows. They are points of view based on the host’s opinion of something that a journalist reported on in the news.
What happens with these types of programs is that you are left with different versions of the truth based on opinion. Then we are left with trying to figure out which is the actual truth.
Journalists are public servants. We should be in search of truth no matter how we feel about it. This is the news that people want to read. They want to see the facts and then make decisions themselves. Journalists don’t make of the minds of the people. They do the best they can to provide accurate information so that people can use their own convictions to decide.
This is part of why I am studying and pursuing this career. I’ve mentioned many times how much people mean to me. My feeling is that it is my duty to be a journalist. To get out there and tell people the truth about things they must know about.
Certainly I have my own opinions. I have shared them in the past. Now it is time to move away from that and begin a new chapter of truth. Commit to a higher purpose and pursue what has been a dream for years.
I am excited for the journey and hope you will be right here following along with me.
