Speech story

I couldn't remember if we needed to post this story or not on our blog, so I figured I'd better be safe than sorry!

Emily Leisten

Jour305- Section 2

Speech Story

“We now use media as fuel, not to illuminate the world, but to only focus on the accidents.” Ted Koppel spoke about the future, or perhaps lack thereof, in journalism and the new media of today in his keynote address “…and Murrow was worried back then!” Koppel also accepted the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award September 23 in Beasley Coliseum.

Lawrence Pintak, founding dean of the Communication College, opened the event. “Murrow’s integrity inspires Murrow students today,” Dean Pintak began. “In spirit of Murrow, we should honor Murrow.” The new 2011 Murrow Award of Murrow was also unveiled, revealing Murrow at his CBS desk.

After the posting of the colors by the Washington State University ROTC and a video tribute to the Murrow tradition, WSU President Elson S. Floyd took the stage. “You represent the assets of WSU, and for that I’m thankful,” Floyd began.

New forms of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, and their impact on journalism today was the theme of the Symposium. Floyd continued to say that “journalism has changed in many ways due to the internet. However, we must embrace this new frontier. You will serve as the true visionaries of journalism.”

A video tribute for Ted Koppel followed Floyd’s speech and following the Murrow Award for Lifetime Achievement in Broadcast Journalism was awarded to Koppel. “I wonder how many other people couldn’t come,” Koppel laughed. “But I am delighted I could I could make it.”

Koppel began his keynote address “…and Murrow was worried back then!” by stating that he never wanted to be anything other than Murrow. He would hide under his father’s desk during the bombing of Britain by Germany and listen to Murrow on the radio. “Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me,” Koppel said, “but I swear I remember Murrow because his broadcast were replayed during the Blitz in London for morale.”

The times have changed since the dawning of the 21^st century, including the media and the face of journalism. “Murrow was one of a kind, but even today he wouldn’t be the same Murrow,” Koppel said.

Koppel said that with the media as accessible as ever before, the capacity to communicate rests in the hands of everyone, not just journalists. The media now just provides static, meaningless messages and the real challenge is to find the “jewels in the noise.” Koppel continued, “Pandora’s Box is now wide open, never to be closed again.

“There is nothing new about bad journalism; there’s just more of it now,” Koppel explained. “We can’t forget our responsibility as messengers. We make it too easy to blame the message on the medium. What should have evolved into the best journalism we’ve seen, hasn’t. Why not?”

Koppel continued to say that good journalism should “comfort the conflicted and conflict the comfortable. But instead we make a virtue of our biases.” The public doesn’t want to hears news, but instead wants to tune into “news you can choose.”

“We believe we are communicating when we’re really exchanging the trivial,” Koppel stated. “I feel as if this is a missed opportunity. Our messages are more important than the media used to convey them.”

Patrick McLaughlin, a Broadcast News and Production major in the Murrow College, agreed with Koppel. “There is a lot of potential for journalism with the new media, but the medium is getting flooded. We can now reach global audiences, but now we have to be more careful with what we say.”

McLaughlin also liked Koppel’s advice for future journalists. “Obviously you’re not going to be rich right away, but if you have the right mindset you really can do it.”

After his speech, Koppel took a few questions from the audience, one asking how can someone teach integrity in journalism when integrity in journalism is fading? Koppel responded, “You can say what integrity is and ask others to displace it, but I don’t know if you can teach it. But I do know that courage stems from the ability of people keep on keeping on when their integrity is challenged.”

Koppel is the 22^nd person to receive the Edward R. Murrow Award. Fellow recipients include Walter Cronkite, Peter Jennings, and Tom Brokaw.

Homecoming Exercise

The Student Entertainment Board on Monday announced that there will no longer be homecoming royalty after a century of tradition.  Due to "student apathy," only ten percent of college campuses hold homecoming court, down from 96 percent in 1959, the  U.S. Department of Education said.  It was also announced "Crimson Crush" will be the theme for this year's football game against Stanford.

Would I interview Yasmine?

Yasmine's story is nothing short of a miracle, but I still wouldn't interview her. She is only a four-year-old child and would have no idea how to respond to questions that I would want to ask to get all the information I would need for a story. I would feel as if I were taking advantage of her just to get a quick story. Just because you can use a source, doesn't mean you necessarily should.

Comma splice exercise

1. “We just buy and sell real estate. It is what we do, but the market doesn’t dictate the price,” she said.

2. While the average income in Washington was $55,628 in 2007, the average income for Whitman County was $36,438.

3. Going green took on new meaning this year when WSU Waste Management announced dramatic changes to the recycling program in an effort to save money across the university. The city plans to follow suit.

4. “Take a little out of athletics, take a little from the library, and save the rest of the money,” Jones said.


5. Dan is using an emerging dairy trend; he installed an anaerobic digester two years ago.

6. He entered the three-mile race yesterday morning; however, he does not have any shoes.

Interviewing tips from Mike Wallace

1) Started a question with a story that included Clemens Wallace made it personal.
2) Quoted sources stating that Clemens used steroids. They weren't empty accusations.
3) Gave Clemens a chance to voice his opinion about sources speaking out against him.
4) Never talks over Clemens
5) Asked clerical questions
6) Wallace clearly did his research

Help your peers exercise

1. The theater is currently preparing for its next production "Meet me in St. Louis."

2. Recent budgets cuts has had little effect on the program.

3. The band has been touring for six months.

4. Angel Nava, the Arts and Programming Adviser for Student Involvement, said that "participants can listen to the artists' descriptions of their sculptures."

5. Everyone enjoyed the rally. 

6. The festival held more than 150 attendees Sept. 14 through 16.

7. Eric W. Hoffman is a clinical assistant professor in The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication.

8. “It's always great seeing such a wonderful turn out each week,” Smith said.

9. The festival, now in its third year of operation,  is sponsored by the Pullman Chamber of Commerce.

10. “I love shopping in this kind of environment," she said. "It is much better than inside a grocery store."

VPLAC = Visionary Performing Literary Arts Committee
RTOP = Regional Theater of Palouse
CEREO = Center for Regional
PCC = Pullman Chamber of Commerce
PFM =
FFA = Future Farmers of America
CFSL = Centers for Fraternity and Sorority Life
AWSWU =
PRUS =
CSA =

*avoid acronyms!

How to Look at Agendas

a) 2 members of Pullman city council are Francis Benjamin and Keith Bloom.
c) The need for the local food bank is now greater than ever due to the Libyan conflict.
d) Whether citizens of Pullman should be able to grow their own medical marijuana, as well as how many plants should be allowed to grow. The maximum number of plants allowed currently is 45.
e) A consent agenda is not updated on a regular basis and are very brief, wheras a regular agenda is updated regularly and are very detailed and precise.

Whitman County Agenda
a) The board released a proclamation in celebration of the Oldaer Americans community group.
b) There have been 4 cases of swine flu on campus in September 2009.
3) There are 600,000 doses available in the state of Washington.
4) There are 360 doses of vaccine available in Whitcom county.

C ougar Communicators Toastmasters is meeting on the 20th and 27th of this month.

Active vs Passive

1. Police in riot gear fired rubber-coated bullets into the crowd.

2. The boss informed the employees of the layoffs later in the day. 

3. LeBron James missed a three-point shot with five seconds left in the game.  

4. Participants in the survey were asked about their changes in political affiliation.

5. Raoul avoided tall buildings and mountain roads because of his fear of heights,

6. The Legislature is considering the bill.

7. The earthquake destroyed the tiny island.  

8. The class is reading the book.

9. An experimental operation was performed at the hospital yesterday.

10.The downed airliner covered the wheat field eith debris.

Speech lede exercise

1) After WSU's appropriation's were cut by 54 percent earlier this year and tuition was increased 14 percent, District 9 Sen. Mark Schoesler stated that higher education is at risk due to the failing economy.

2) An associate professor at the WSU School of Biological Sciences spoke to the zoology club Wednesday night and stated that climate change is having a negative impact on the future of many amphibian species.

Easter Egg Hunt outline

1) What is the event taking place? Where is the Easter egg hunt?
2) History of the egg hunt at Riverfront Park
3) How do the kids prepare for the race? How did they feel about the egg hunt?
4) How did Boy Scouts from Group 22 help with the event?

2 ledes

Here are two ledes, one from my one of my favorite books and the other from my favorite television show.
1) "When he was barely thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow."
                        -To Kill a Mockingbird

2) "Tonight's the night, and it's going to happen again and again..."
                        -Dexter