Journalism with a DifferenceNew, fresh and alternative ways to encourage and enhance journalistic storytelling from different perspectives.<img src="http://www.poynter.org/graphics/rss_view.gif" alt="" border="0" height="1" width="1">New Orleans: Largely Absent from Political Talk- August 31, 2008 The confluence of anniversaries and events seems beyond earthly explanations, doesn't it Sen. Barack Obama speaks of his monumental first on the same day that, 45 years ago, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said the words, "I have a dream." And a day later comes the anniversary of Katrina, the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, a day given new profundity because another storm now threatens New Orleans.Steven Gray of Time Magazine ties together most of these pieces in a personal essay with a.http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=58&aid=149612 Rewriting the 'American' Story- August 28, 2008 A few headlines from the Democratic National Convention earlier this week have given me pause, in particular, the ones that followed Michelle Obama's speech on Monday night. From The New York Times: "Appeals Evoking American Dream Rally Democrats"From The Boston Globe: "Reaching Back to Her Chicago Roots, Obama Tells an American Story" From the St. Petersburg Times, which is owned by The Poynter Institute: "Day 1: Obama Lives an American Story" And the jump: "Theme: Obama, the American" .http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=58&aid=149495 Telling Untold Stories at the Paralympics- August 15, 2008 Back in the 1970s when I was young and foolish, I made the delusional decision to participate in some wheelchair sports competitions. Racing was the event of choice, but it didn't take long to realize I was more skillful at the post-competition parties than the actual races.In those days, sporting events for people with disabilities were more about having fun than serious competition, proven by the astounding fact that I qualified for the nationals.In 2008, thankfully, competitive athletics for.http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=58&aid=148706 Covering the Presidential Election on the RaceEthnicity Beat- August 11, 2008 By Mallary Jean TenoreThe challenges of reporting on race and ethnicity have become more evident as those issues crop up during the presidential campaigns. Jesse Washington, The Associated Press' new national race and ethnicity reporter, says he's ready for the challenge. The former AP entertainment editor recently started his job after being selected from 449 applicants. He's currently traveling the country and, for the first few months on the job, will focus on the role of race in the...http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=58&aid=147326 Drawing Accurate Pictures of Immigration- August 8, 2008 By Mizanur Rahman It's surely the most emotionally charged highway sign in America: A father, mother and little girl, silhouetted as shadows against a yellow background, desperately darting across a roadway. The caution signs dot lonely stretches of highways hugging the Mexico border in the Southwest. They first emerged along roads in the 1990s when an alarming number of immigrants, fresh from a terrifying trek across the border, were struck and killed by unseeing...http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=58&aid=148382 Reporting on The Continuum of Race- August 6, 2008 By Sally Lehrman Do you hate nuance Does it take up too much space, eat up the inches Do you rely on tension, conflict and clear distinctions instead Now that the presidential campaign has made race a news story again, it's time to pull out more delicate tools for writing. Our usual sledgehammer approach won't do. Let's start with the definitions. When you question whether Hispanic or Latino voters will elect a black candidate, do you find out how many identify themselves as black When..http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=58&aid=147980 |