Who would've thunk it?

Sales of record players, and vinyl, are on the rise.

iPhone apps a big hit for Apple

This is a long story which you may, or may not choose to read. It won't be on the final.

The story talks about how the iPhone, and the applications now being wrtten for it, are creating a huge new market. Sales of the phones drive interest in new applications, and new applications drive even more sales of the iPhone.

The story even suggests Apple is trying to become the "Microsoft" of the smart phone business.

Next step for papers

Give me 500 words by Friday on the future of books, both electronic and print. Will ebooks replace old-fashioned paper, or will the two forms peacefully coexist.

See you in class.

Radio Radio

Tomorrow we will talk about that most ubiqutous form of mass media, radio. To help prepare, check these two videos out on You Tube.

Young Elvis showing us geeks could be cool in the 70s

A more mature Elvis fronting the Beastie Boys on the 25th anniversary show of SNL

Here are the lyrics to this 1970s New Wave classic:

I was tuning in the shine on the light night dial
Doing anything my radio advised
With every one of those late night stations
Playing songs bringing tears to my eyes

I was seriously thinking about hiding the receiver
When the switch broke 'cause it's old
They're saying things that I can hardly believe
They really think we're getting out of control

Radio is a sound salvation
Radio is cleaning up the nation
They say you better listen to the voice of reason
But they don't give you any choice 'cause they think that it's treason
So you had better do as you are told
You better listen to the radio

I wanna bite the hand that feeds me
I wanna bite that hand so badly
I want to make them wish they'd never seen me

Some of my friends sit around every evening
And they worry about the times ahead
But everybody else is overwhelmed by indifference
And the promise of an early bed

You either shut up or get cut up, they don't wanna hear about it
It's only inches on the reel-to-reel
And the radio is in the hands of such a lot of fools
Tryin' to anaesthetise the way that you feel

Radio is a sound salvation
Radio is cleaning up the nation
They say you better listen to the voice of reason
But they don't give you any choice 'cause they think that it's treason
So you had better do as you are told
You better listen to the radio

Wonderful radio
Marvelous radio
Wonderful radio
Radio, radio

Radio, radio
Radio, radio
Radio, radio
Radio, radio

Radio, radio
Radio, radio
Radio, radio

No class today

Sorry, I'm out sick today. We'll meet on Wednesday.

Justice reviews story before publication

This is just kind of strange. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy required prior approval of a story by a student newspaper before he'd agree to allow it to cover his appearance at the school.

Fines for pirating music

Here's the NY Times story on the Boston University student hit with $675,000 in fines for downloading music illegally.

Sounds like he got some bad legal advice from the Harvard professor who defended him in court.

The partisan divide

Here's a look at how cable news networks have attracted a much more partisan audience during the last decade.

Does the "Long Tail" theory influence this trend? If so, how?

Coach relents in battle with student media

We haven't talked about this story in class, but we probably should. For the last month and a half or so, UM football coach Bobby Hauck has refused to talk to the UM student newspaper, the Kaimin. Well, he finally relented this week, but only after the story when national, with the coach drawing condemnation from the likes of ESPN.com and SportsIllustrated.com.

Abandon the Web?

Here's the American Journalism Review story about the Rhode Island daily newspaper that is building a pay wall blocking its Web site in an effort to drive readers back to its print product, where the money's to be made.

Circulation on the decline

Here is the LA Times story on daily newspaper circulation declines I referenced in today's lecture.

Does the brain like Kindle?

Here's the link I promised.

No quiz

No current events quiz for tomorrow. I'm too busy. We'll talk a bit about the news of the week in class.

Wednesday discussion

Hope you are all are enjoying your Monday off from class. On Wednesday, Kellyn Brown, editor of the Flathead Beacon, will be in class so that you can get the word straight from someone who is still in the trenches, working at an actual newspaper.

As I mentioned, Brown will be talking to you about the newspaper's coverage of the Rehberg/Barkus boat crash. This will be your chance to talk to someone charged with making decisions about what aspects of the story the Beacon reports to its readers, and what it doesn't and why.

For class it would be a good idea to review these stories in the Beacon (and keep an eye out for updates Tuesday night):

Barkus doesn't remember much

Beacon discusses BAC issues

And here is an example of some good reporting from the Missoulian getting the point of view of the campers who first responded to the crash.

If there are heroes in this tragedy, these folks fit the bill.

And it wouldn't hurt to scan the SPJ Code of Ethics, to be found here.

Have a good week. I'll see you on Friday.

The future of books?

Read this story about Kindle, and new electronic version of the book. Be prepared to discuss in class Friday. An assignment will folo.

You'll need this

A link to the SPJ Code of Ethics. Start getting to know this important document. The SPJ Code is second only to the AP Stylebook in terms of its importance as a resource for journalists.

Welcome

This blog will be a key resource in Intro to Mass Media. Before the semester is through you will have created your own blog about campus life at FVCC and hopefully drawn traffic from you fellow students, as well as faculty and staff.

Bookmark this site and get used to viewing it every day.