xcheck's hat tricks -- award winning journalist!

[ragingredhawk]

When in doubt, always go with the "I just rock" option. It always makes you feel better than anything else.

And congrats on getting some thesis done. It always gets better once those first few pages are done. Not much better, but some

[xcheck24]

well, the funny thing is i didnt write the into
i just dove in elsewhere to my thesis.

[xcheck24]

wow, i got props from the boss man. he was at a conference about citizen journalism, and I was under orders to keep the site flowing with stuff. . .hence my crazy day yesterday.

well, it paid off. people were impressed yesterday. woooo! we rock.

[pengwenn]

way to go X

[xcheck24]

ok, nights like tonight make me hate being a reporter. HATE.

[charlesp]

because it interferes with the all-star game? Or did I miss a news story?

[xcheck24]

neither, actually
just long, annoying meeting

[xcheck24]

so last week ended well with work. had a very good story on thursday. worked hard to get it.

i'm just really concerned about school right now, but I have to clean my room. . .which doubles as my study space. maybe then I can get myself on the "write my thesis" game.

[Dawn]

Space is usually the final frontir. I'm still trying to get some space for my writing. Glad you had a good week at work.

[xcheck24]

you know, i have to laugh sitting here tonight covering a meeting.

the other reporters are sitting here acting like they're the top dogs and that they're better than, well, me. and the reality is, they're not. i run circles around them every day. sometimes it's because of deadlines, but most of the time it's because people give me stories (or i sniff out stories) that they just would never get.

for example, one of my sources that helped me secure some documents last week heard how the weekly paper editor was whining that they didn't get the documents. fact of the matter is, they didn't ask. I did. I asked a lot. That's how I ALWAYS get my info. I always ask. And I always ask the all inclusive question of "what's up?" They don't ask that.

[pengwenn]

Ask and ye shall receive....

[xcheck24]

read my blog haha

[xcheck24]

[xcheck24]

so i decided i need to rip apart my angel of death story and rewrite most of it. i'm going to keep the opening and stuff (because the story really is about this whole thing), but i need to make some serious changes!

[xcheck24]

so I submitted an article a week ago for class and thought i did a sucky job.
I got this email last night from my prof:

A great job on the rewrite. Here it is for you. I think I'm going to embarrass you and post it as the best rewrite of Week 7.

Hope you don't mind.

and then he writes on the discussion board:

The first one, "U.S. Walks Fine Line'' was a story in which the writer danced all around the issue: Profiling of Middle Eastern people would likely be stepped up post-Sept. 11. Several of you "got'' that aspect. That's what the lede needed to be, not some murky thing that happened years ago and wasn't directly related anyway. I am posting Jennifer Connic's rewrite of the Fine Line story. She did a really remarkable job zooming in on the point, and keeping the whole thing tight. I highly recommend you read it. It got an A. (See, I do give out A's).

so i'm kinda embarrassed, but at the same time feel good about myself.

[charlesp]

*pictures Jen doing the "You like me, you really like me" bit.... and laughs*

[xcheck24]

ok, charles, you can bite me

[xcheck24]

[xcheck24]

way to go connecticut lawmakers!!!

press release from Gov. Jodi Rell's office:

Governor M. Jodi Rell today applauded and signed into law new legislation that strengthens freedom of the press in Connecticut by shielding reporters from pressure to reveal confidential news sources.

At a bill-signing ceremony with media representatives at WTNH-TV in New Haven, Governor Rell said Connecticut now joins over 30 other states in passing what’s known as a news media ‘shield’ law.

“This is an historic moment for the public interest in the State of Connecticut, because the good of the public is what freedom of the press is really all about,” the Governor said. “In many ways, news reporters are the public’s representatives and the public’s watchdogs. It may sound like a cliché but it’s true: freedom of the press means freedom for us all.

“Today, we are highlighting legislation that gives further protection to the news media – legislation that actually strengthens freedom of the press,” the Governor said. “This new law protects reporters from being pressured to reveal confidential sources by state courts, government agencies and others who have subpoena power.”

The new legislation, An Act Concerning Freedom of the Press, was passed by the House of Representatives, 136-11, and the Senate, 36-0. The act prohibits judicial, executive, legislative and others with the power to issue subpoenas from compelling the news media to testify about, produce or disclose information obtained in confidence, the identity of the information’s source, or information tending to identify the source, according to a summary by the Office of Legislative Research. The law also carries protections from subpoenas for non-confidential information, with certain exceptions.

“Pressure to reveal confidential sources, and the thought of being dragged into court and facing a jail sentence, is perhaps a reporter’s greatest fear,” Governor Rell said. “Just the threat of it can have a chilling effect on the news-gathering process. From now on, this will not be a factor in Connecticut.”

The Governor praised Representative James F. Spallone (D-Essex) for sponsoring the news media shield bill in the General Assembly this session.

The Governor also cited the Connecticut Broadcasters Association, Connecticut Daily Newspaper Association, and all members of the news media and General Assembly who supported the legislation.

“A strong press helps make a better, more efficient government,” Governor Rell said. “This is important legislation, and I am proud to sign it.”

Now if we can only get a NATIONAL shield law, we'll be all set!

[xcheck24]

I hate days like today.

I made a bunch of calls to someone about a story and he never called me back. GRRRR. I know I'll definetely see him tomorrow night at a meeting, but i HATE when people don't call me back. I expect more from this source.

Meanwhile, the school super didn't call me back either. Not surprised there.

And then I got guilt tripped by another source cuz I haven't had the drive to do a story he thinks needs to be done. It's on my list for tomorrow, tho.

It sucks being a reporter who lives at least a 20 minute drive away from the community. I have no office. I work at home. It's not like I can just hop in the car willy nilly and drive down there. Especially with how much gas prices are these days.

[xcheck24]

Oh and I watched Tabloid Wars on Bravo. I really liked it. A lot of what is going on I see on the street although on a smaller scale. One guy was on a story he didn't want to do and you could see it in his face (especially since he had gotten so little sleep). I've made that face. haha

The thing about the show is that they made it seem like reporters are on the run all the time. Sure, there's a bit of that. . .but there's also A LOT of waiting. A LOT of it. You only saw very little of that going on with this episode. Too bad.

Overall, tho, it made me miss the newsroom

[xcheck24]

Got my grade for advanced reporting. . .an A.
Of course, I would HOPE I would get an A!!! haha

so that brings my cum GPA to an 8.45 or something. . .well above the level of graduating with distinction. too bad it wasn't as such for the actual commencement ceremony. Grrrr.

[Anblick]

8.45? Isn't an A worth a 4, so a 4.0 thus the highest possible college GPA? j/c

[xcheck24]

i meant 3.85
call me dyslexic or something

this heat kills me as a reporter. i'm having all sorts of breathing problems when i go outside.
i spent a hour at the firehouse today. haha. got a pretty good story out of it tho

[Anblick]

Cool, congrats!