Thursday, April 14, 2016
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Journalists vs Critics
Online journalism has created a strange thing for me because in a lot of senses I feel somehow online journalist have also become reviewers which for me always sounds like such a cool job but having done a lot of thinking about what it means to be a journalist I wonder how come there isn't a bigger distinction between journalists and critics online when it comes to reviews.
Why are people who have to look in depth at the production of a video game or a movie also be the ones who review those things?
I feel with online journalism a lot of lines get blurred and maybe it is because in the world of online journalism those writers blur those lines themselves. Imagine I finish my current studies and blog movie reviews and ultimately get a job at a IGN Movies for example. I really wouldn't feel equipped from studying journalism to be a reviewer or a critic and it always fascinated me how journalists commonly get these types of jobs. Not to say I would turn one down that's a dream job for almost anyone but I feel my degree in English lit would be more essential than to a review than anything I have picked up in journalism.
Attach here is a little talk about timing and immediacy of online journalism which made me wonder why journalist become reviewers more often than not in online journalism.
https://soundcloud.com/johnhartfordjr/journalist-vs-critics
Why are people who have to look in depth at the production of a video game or a movie also be the ones who review those things?
I feel with online journalism a lot of lines get blurred and maybe it is because in the world of online journalism those writers blur those lines themselves. Imagine I finish my current studies and blog movie reviews and ultimately get a job at a IGN Movies for example. I really wouldn't feel equipped from studying journalism to be a reviewer or a critic and it always fascinated me how journalists commonly get these types of jobs. Not to say I would turn one down that's a dream job for almost anyone but I feel my degree in English lit would be more essential than to a review than anything I have picked up in journalism.
Attach here is a little talk about timing and immediacy of online journalism which made me wonder why journalist become reviewers more often than not in online journalism.
https://soundcloud.com/johnhartfordjr/journalist-vs-critics
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Trolled
Online journalism is great it allows for you to have access to so much information that otherwise would be unavailable to you such as direct contact on twitter with someone you may be seeking a comment from. I myself have used twitter to resolve technical issues talk to certain people and generally try to remain informed. My issue is probably that I don't all together trust it and I see a lot of journalists become comedians instead of journalists when covering events on twitter.
One major issue I can think of is troll accounts or just fake accounts in general. One instance I can think of this hurting a reporter is the case of TMZ sports writer Keith Jackson who after Ronda Rousey's upset loss to Holly Holm wanted a comment from the super star or her trainer. This lead him to trying to contact Rousey's coach Edmond Tarverdyan but ultimately ended up getting a comment on twitter from @EddieTarverdyan fake twitter account who posts jokes in the guise of Edmond.
Of Course Jackson denied the claims he spoke to a fake account and claimed as he should that his interview was done on the phone. Though the issue was the troll account had images of their interaction and showed the basis of Jackson's article was solely on their text conversation. The image will be attached below but this is the kind of issue I find with the digital age. We become used to a form of interaction that really makes us have no idea who we are interacting with.
One major issue I can think of is troll accounts or just fake accounts in general. One instance I can think of this hurting a reporter is the case of TMZ sports writer Keith Jackson who after Ronda Rousey's upset loss to Holly Holm wanted a comment from the super star or her trainer. This lead him to trying to contact Rousey's coach Edmond Tarverdyan but ultimately ended up getting a comment on twitter from @EddieTarverdyan fake twitter account who posts jokes in the guise of Edmond.
Of Course Jackson denied the claims he spoke to a fake account and claimed as he should that his interview was done on the phone. Though the issue was the troll account had images of their interaction and showed the basis of Jackson's article was solely on their text conversation. The image will be attached below but this is the kind of issue I find with the digital age. We become used to a form of interaction that really makes us have no idea who we are interacting with.
For more thoughts check out my Quick Take on getting trolled in podcast form.
https://soundcloud.com/johnhartfordjr/trolled
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Video Game Journalism
I have been studying journalism since September and it has been an interesting challenge to say the least. One take away if how I look at things now for example Greg Miller and Colin Moriarty were video game journalists I followed for years on the popular site IGN. They worked there for years and last year they quit and started their own company with two video producers who also left IGN. Now I lack an actual interesting in video games to go as far as to say I would like to be a journalist following it but on a recent episode of Colin and Greg's Playstation podcast a emailer asked how to get into video game journalism and some interesting things came up.
Colin and Greg no longer see themselves as journalists in the industry they are instead critics or personalities for a lack of a better term. With places like Game Trailers and other outlets closing down they noted that it seems video game journalism is changing people are no longer seeking big websites for reviews but instead these personalities rule the space.
Not to say sites like Kotaku, one of the few video game websites I would describe as journalism, are going away but instead the internet has changed the landscape for those interested in video game journalism. Instead of writing a detailed piece about a game people would rather just watch someone play the game to get to understand it and better yet they want to watch a personality they feel they can know.
I think this is an interesting trend as major video game journalist like a Colin Moriarty or a Jim Sterling who had a trusted name are instead seeing the success of streamers and thinking "Man I can combine what they do with what I do then maybe I could work for myself and make more money."
Here is a link to the email and episode of PS I Love You XOXO which sparked this post.
https://youtu.be/VjvjrffhXYk?t=1h24m19s
Colin and Greg no longer see themselves as journalists in the industry they are instead critics or personalities for a lack of a better term. With places like Game Trailers and other outlets closing down they noted that it seems video game journalism is changing people are no longer seeking big websites for reviews but instead these personalities rule the space.
Not to say sites like Kotaku, one of the few video game websites I would describe as journalism, are going away but instead the internet has changed the landscape for those interested in video game journalism. Instead of writing a detailed piece about a game people would rather just watch someone play the game to get to understand it and better yet they want to watch a personality they feel they can know.
I think this is an interesting trend as major video game journalist like a Colin Moriarty or a Jim Sterling who had a trusted name are instead seeing the success of streamers and thinking "Man I can combine what they do with what I do then maybe I could work for myself and make more money."
Here is a link to the email and episode of PS I Love You XOXO which sparked this post.
https://youtu.be/VjvjrffhXYk?t=1h24m19s
Monday, February 15, 2016
Basement Show?
For the last couple of months me and my roommates have spent a good number of evenings locked away in our basement, no light even reaches there due to snow drifts now, practicing covers and talking about originals. In the new year I have started practicing bass it has been a uphill battle to say the least and now the clock is ticking as Richard, one of those roommates I mentioned, was intent on making a "GIG" poster and happily dated it March 26th.
Here's a video I shot of him for class making the poster and hopefully I can get my act together and learn how to play a bass in little over a month.
Here's a video I shot of him for class making the poster and hopefully I can get my act together and learn how to play a bass in little over a month.
the HINDENBURG continues!!!
the HINDENBURG is seriously a passion project you cram three, and in the case of the most recent episode four, friends into a room and let them talk, rant and even argue. The past few weeks we have been bringing one less song in hopes that we are getting better at on air chatter. Our goal is simple we wish to have a podcast were instead of bringing songs we bring topics to discuss. Until then though I hope you enjoy the great tunes and the banter.
http://thehindenburg.bandcamp.com/track/episode-10
http://thehindenburg.bandcamp.com/track/episode-10
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