Writings


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 * Exemplar 1**

__**Save The Newspaper, Halt The Presses:**__

As part of the “4th branch of government,” Newspapers play an important role as an American institution. In recent years newspapers have struggled financially. In an effort to increase revenue streams, many daily newspapers have been sold to large conglomerates or have folded entirely (p 125). //The Seattle Post Intelligencer// and //The Wall Street Journal// are recent notable examples. Conglomeration of newspapers by large corporations has not improved the viability of newspapers, because consolidation does not address the fundamental problems inherent to newspapers. The business model of newspapers needs to change.

__User Trends:__

Online readership has gone up, while print readership has declined. One reason may be that users prefer continually updated online content as opposed to daily printed editions. In addition, because articles tend to be short, they are not as taxing on the eye as a digital book.

__Too Expensive:__

Newsprint is expensive. The associated cost of printing presses, paper, and transportation are excessive both from a business and environmental perspective. Conversely, by contrast, posting online content cost is relatively cheap. Therefore, newspaper companies should distribute //less// print editions and focus on better online content. These changes could be gradual as to provide considerations to problems of the digital divide (p 136).

__Creating New Revenue:__

//The New York Times// and T//he Wall Street Journal// found out the hard way that users will not pay online subscription fees. Fortunately, there is an alternative: The National Public Radio model. Every few months, NPR stations essentially go on strike until listeners provide them with the necessary funds. The euphemism is known as a pledge drive. Newspapers could limit content and conduct dedicated outreach until their financial goals are met. In essence, the model changes from for-profit, to quasi-non profit. In this way, newspapers could take advantage of advertizing revenue they already receive, while having the public play a voluntary, yet vital financial role.

**Lester, J., & Koehler, Jr. W.C., (2007). //Fundamentals of Information Studies// (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers. Inc**

**Exemplar 2**


 * Because there's a lot to cover this weekc (4 chapters) and only have 300 words, I've decided to comment on the content as if it were an event I was blogging in real time.


 * //__Chapter 8, April 22nd 2009: 10:00 AM__//__:__**

__United States, Informational Society:__ Is the United States more of an informational society now than it was in 1950? Probably. Here’s my thoughts in a nutshell: if our society looks at two people, one who builds computer programs, the other builds houses, it's far more likely the computer programmer would be viewed as the dynamic innovator. Nevermind the fact the homebuilder may have drawn up plans, customized living rooms, built kitchens and produced something which is exceedingly useful //and necessary// - because he builds physical things, he's old hat. The computer programmer on the other hand just created a semi-functional iphone app, which can tell the time in different colors. In the 1950s, when suburbs were being created all across the US, I doubt American society would have had the same values.

Evidence provided: None. Nothing sparks debate like unsubstantiated claims (and yes, I realize the irony that this very sentence is an unsubstantiated claim).


 * //__Chapter 9,__// __April 22nd 2009: 11:00 AM__**__:__

__Merit Good__: Most merit goods are discarded as wasteful spending by the elites in the United States. This includes education, high-speed rail, health care and National Public Radio (see previous statement on providing evidence). I know Michael Foucault would have agreed with me. The country is afterall a panopticon.
 * __Chapter 9, April 22nd 2009: 11:15 AM__//__:__//**

__Externality:__ Any cost a company can force someone else to pay. An example would be an electrical company producing air pollution with an environmental cost to local citizens.
 * __Chapter 9, April 22nd 2009: 11:20 AM__//__:__//**

__Information and Economics:__ With the advent of digital technology, most information, which may have cost someone great sums to discover and develop, can be copied quite freely (see [|http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/04/pirateverdict.html).]


 * __Chapter 10, April 22nd 2009: 12:00 AM__//__:__//**

__Canadian Culture and Regulation:__ While Canada's regulation of culture may be contentious for some, it's been a truly great experience for me. One of my favorite bands, Toronto based //Broken Social Scene//, created albums and funded tours largely with funding from the Canadian government. If it weren't for programs such as this, that ensured a certain percentage of content was Canadian (and high quality!), I'm not sure this band would have made it - and I may have had a second-rate favorite band.

**Lester, J., & Koehler, Jr. W.C., (2007). //Fundamentals of Information Studies// (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers. Inc**

__Reflection 9__

__Ethical Violation__

Chapter 13 of Fundamentals of Information Studies describes the journalist code of ethics. The codes of conduct are common sense values, some of which could be applied across many professional disciplines. It is therefore surprising how easy it is to point out when these rules have been flagrantly broken.

For example, “test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible. “ The United States is currently engaged in an endless war in Iraq in part because the media played an active role in portraying Iraq as an immanent threat to the security of the United States. In particular, journalists largely allowed the assertion that there was a link between Al Qaeda and Iraq to go unchallenged from Bush Administration officials.

Another example, “show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects.” In 2003, at Wrigley field in Chicago, during game 6 of The National League Championship Series (NLCS), between The Chicago Cubs and The Florida Marlins, a fan caught a foul bowl that could have been the 2nd out of the 8th inning. The outfielder (Moisés Alou) slammed his glove onto the field while the crowd angrily booed the fan. The Cubs, who were leading the game 3-0, lost the game, due to errors, anemic hitting and poor pitching. However, to this day many fans blame this individual for the entire series loss. While security had the good sense to safely escort the fan from harms way, the media, in particular the Chicago Tribune (which happened to own The Cubs) published the name of the fan (Steve Bartman). Mr. Bartman suddenly received national attention and started receiving death threats. Clearly, this was not ethical journalism.

Journalism will never be a perfectly moral institution, but the public should demand better.


 * __Reflection 7__**


 * __Too Big (and Fails)__**

While writing my IST 601 reflections, I have not found it helpful to write in-depth criticism of Lester and Koehler’s textbook; rather I have used their writing as a platform to expound on my own ideas. However, after reading chapter 7, I feel criticism is necessary. The chapter heading states a simple objective: the study of information professions. However, later the authors expand this objective to include “the role and impact of various information systems and technologies on the information professions and on society, and vice versa” (Lester, P 151). This objective is a doctoral thesis, not a 30-page chapter.

__Distractions:__

The authors, despite giving themselves a broad objective tread water by expounding on details that only have a tenuous connection to the chapter objective. For example, while discussing the role of intelligence agents, the authors digress into a discussion of Soviet Union heads of state and describing bugged airplanes on Air France (Lester, P 157). While Fundamentals of Information Studies focuses on broad subject matter, in Chapter 7 Lester and Koehler take this to unnecessary extremes. For example, the discussion of “Information Transmission Professionals” does not provide any specific detail to a particular profession (Lester P 158-160).

__Colorless Descriptions:__ In defense of the writers, they eventually describe specific professions, such as Archivist, IT Manager and Librarian. However, these descriptions are bland. A better way to describe these positions would have been to cite actual people who work for actual institutions. Had the authors not treaded water arguing that a donkey cart operator is an Information Transmission Professional, the authors would have had space to include these real-world examples (Lester, P 158).

__Conclusion:__

I did not write this criticism as a means of satisfying my own intellectual schadenfreude. Rather, I am attempting to point out a disconnect between scholarly work and real world application. Currently, our economy is in recession and students, who will be jobseekers, are looking for direction. Had chapter 7 described real world professions in a more accessible way, it could have better inspired this group.


 * Reflection 4**


 * __What is Information Technology?__**

According to Fundamentals of Information Studies, The history of information technology begins with humans talking to humans (Lester, P65). While it may be interesting to think of Information Technology as a natural human phenomenon - one that can be traced through history - it may also be contentious. According to Fundamentals of Information Studies, one could argue that oral tradition is an example of Information Technology (Lester, P60). This is because humans share stories, which can be passed from generation to generation. By having groups of people remember stories, information is stored, and used at a later time. One could also use the oft cited adage usually associated with ducks: if it looks likes like a__, talks like a__, sounds like a __, than it is/isn’t a__ _. When considering traditional concepts of information technology, such as computers, abacuses, and printing presses, oral tradition could easily be counted out. Sometimes a kinesthetic approach to describing a phenomenon can be just as valid as a one for one definition. Information Technology and Standardization:

It is not uncommon to think of standardization as a process where the best technology beats out inferior technology. For example, the word processor is clearly superior to the typewriter. However, due to the need of standardization, often times many superior IT products never become widely used. Fundamentals of Information Studies discusses how VHS overcame BETA, despite the fact that BETA had better video quality. By choosing one universal video format, it became easier to share and sell videos, rather than having 2 formats. A more striking example would be the QUIRTY keyboard, the modern English language keyboard standard. Many argue that The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard, is far more intuitive than the QWERTY keyboard method (for those that have carpal tunnel syndrome, this may be particularly evident). However, because it is more efficient to have all users use the same keyboard structure (enabling them to use multiple terminals), the Dvorak keyboard may never be implemented. Standardization and concerns for efficiency often outweigh the concern for an improved design model.

[] []

__**Reflection, Chapter 3:**__ __Common Grounds:__

Chapter 3 discusses information needs and information seeking behaviors. One example given is the work of Karen Fisher (aka Karen Pettigrew). Her work described the idea of information grounds. Information grounds describe a process by which groups create an informal space, to engage in a similar interest, and then share information spontaneously (P47). What’s notable here is that Karen Fisher’s work was published in 1998, before myspace, twitter, facebook, or even instant messaging. Obviously, our notions of shared space have clearly changed. In order to share a common space, one no longer needs to travel, or even coordinate with other people’s schedule. Shared space has become as much a virtual concept as it is a physical one. The More Things Change … Despite this exciting advancement, maybe contemporary society is not as revolutionary as one might initially think. Sure, the tools (computers) one uses to find shared space are different, but the reason we use the tools and quite possibly the results, are exactly the same. In short, some things don’t change. Fundamentals of Information Studies 2rd Edition; Lester, June; Wallace C. Koehler; Neal –Schuman Publishers; 2007


 * __Reflection 2__**

__Satisfying and Satisficing (and learning):__

Research is a tool I use to learn and for me, learning is either enjoyable, or not enjoyable. Enjoyable learning is learning that I do almost without effort, and may even be difficult to pull myself away from. This could be playing a new video game, playing an instrument, or completing a crossword puzzle. For me, not enjoyable learning could be described as solitary, boring, painfully tedious, and as a result, often very short. An example of not enjoyable learning might be solving a quadratic equation, Java programming, or reading a scientific journal. With regard to research, I can’t help but think the same categories might apply, and that our notions of satisfying and satisficing are related. If I want to know what the weather is, I can go to weather.com, add my zip code and get the answer instantaneously. If I want to know the cast members for the TV show Perfect Strangers, I can google the question and get the results on wikipedia.com. If however, I want to learn French and I type “learn French” in google, my search results will probably not be very satisfying. This has nothing to do with the quality of the google search engine. Rather, the problem is that learning French is a major intellectual investment, which takes years, many sources, and has aspects of learning that are both enjoyable and not enjoyable.

There is clearly a view in contemporary society that all researc querries h should be instantaneous and immediately satisfying. Perhaps more disturbingly, there is the notion that the learning that can take play from this should occur in the same fashion. Research however, can take years, not because of any technological limitations, but because because it is inextricably linked to our mental faculties for learning.
 * My first reflection commented on the work of Claude Shannon, therefore, in order to eliminate redundancy, I will not discuss it here.