True Enough written by Farhad Manjoo explores the current crisis that faces media of the technology age: Fact vs. Fiction. In an age where trusted news involves four aging cronies who hate life along with old men who tout their own ideals (and books), many can see that fiction is easy to confuse with fact.
In chapter four Manjoo mentions an incident in which the child’s game of telephone snowballed out of control. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. published an article in Rolling Stone, alleging proof that President Bush stole the 2004 Election. This came from his knowledge of Steven Freeman’s articles on the subject, who in turn took his knowledge of the subject from Kathy Dopp whose information and research was faulty.
This silly game of telephone would be hilarious, if people could take the information they’re being given as “opinion” not “fact.” One recent instance of this “telephone effect” is the fiasco that was the 2008 Presidential election. Rumors ran wild about President Obama and his heritage, religion, and true place of birth. These gossipy tidbits spread by mouth, email and numerous social networks. Some wrote them off as untruths, but a dangerously high amount of people believed each rumor without a single question or thought.
The sources for these rumors? Unknown. The tangible data to support these facts? Nonexistent. In short, there is no proof to substantiate these claims, yet people give them credence. In school they teach us to never use Wikipedia and to always provide a source for our information. Why then, is it so hard for people today to demand sources from their news providers?
In all honesty I believe the answer more often than not is laziness. I’ll admit I’ve had a moment where I’m far too lazy to really research something and instead choose to quickly check Wikipedia for information. I would not, however, use this information to write a column or purport this knowledge as fact. The problem is, in a world where every second is worth money, easy avenues of information are taken when they shouldn’t be. It only takes one lazy and irresponsible person to misinform millions. Then those millions in turn misinform another million. It’s a spiraling snowball effect of disaster.
I found the Dr. Fox trick hilarious until I remembered my own personal experience in getting duped. My freshman year of college I had a professor for Humanities whose ideals of the world neared those of a paranoid psychotic. But he was interesting and some of the facts he told us were amazing. Like how Coke-cola created the red and white santa that we all know and love. This is untrue of course. After I found the cracks in this “fact” I began to unearth other “fact’s” he had taught us. All of them fictional ravings of what I now realize was a madman. I was horrified. I had hung onto every word he said because he was so dynamic, so eccentric and excited about the topics. I realize now that his enthusiasm and energy drew me in and made me complacent that he would only speak so passionately about things he knew incredibly well. That he was an “expert” in Humanities. I felt dirty when I came to realize he was, quite honestly, full of it. I couldn’t believe I had bought into his hype simply because of how earnestly he delivered it. I can identify with the victims—I mean test groups—of the Dr. Fox trial. I now obsess about checking facts and cross referencing sources to ensure that I’m not buying into anything someone is selling.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
BUDGETS ARE THE HEART OF GOVERNMENT
Budgets are the heart of government. I honestly never thought I’d hear someone compare a budget to a heart in my lifetime. Preston Trigg proves me wrong and helped me understand budgets a little better and how they can help me write a story.
First rule of budgets? They are the root of all good—and evil. As many reporters will tell you, “follow the money” and you can snag a fantastic story. Every government agency must have a budget and in Florida all three levels of government are open to public eyes.
A bit of helpful information contained in budgets is the number of employees and information about the organization as a whole. Budgets are usually approved in late summer or earlier.
There are two and sometimes three basic portions of a budget: revenue, expenses, and debt.
Every budget contains an executive summary, and as reporters we have to be incredibly leery of these. Typically they are written in a way that sheds a light on all the fantastic points of the budget and amazingly skip all the questionable ones. Because of this a good reporter will completely bypass this summary and read the actual budget instead.
Budget officials are excellent sources for a reporter. They adhere to and are bound by their own set of ethical standards and they will typically tip you off if there’s something fishy occurring.
There are three types of expenses: personal, capital, and operating. A personal expense is the money associated with people like salaries and benefits. A capital expense is a onetime purchase of anything over one thousand dollars. An operating expense is usually reoccurring like utilities or leases.
Revenue is money coming into the government, typically by way of taxes, user fees or fines.
When you really look into a budget you can find a great story about how the community will be affected and whether the budget will be beneficial or detrimental.
First rule of budgets? They are the root of all good—and evil. As many reporters will tell you, “follow the money” and you can snag a fantastic story. Every government agency must have a budget and in Florida all three levels of government are open to public eyes.
A bit of helpful information contained in budgets is the number of employees and information about the organization as a whole. Budgets are usually approved in late summer or earlier.
There are two and sometimes three basic portions of a budget: revenue, expenses, and debt.
Every budget contains an executive summary, and as reporters we have to be incredibly leery of these. Typically they are written in a way that sheds a light on all the fantastic points of the budget and amazingly skip all the questionable ones. Because of this a good reporter will completely bypass this summary and read the actual budget instead.
Budget officials are excellent sources for a reporter. They adhere to and are bound by their own set of ethical standards and they will typically tip you off if there’s something fishy occurring.
There are three types of expenses: personal, capital, and operating. A personal expense is the money associated with people like salaries and benefits. A capital expense is a onetime purchase of anything over one thousand dollars. An operating expense is usually reoccurring like utilities or leases.
Revenue is money coming into the government, typically by way of taxes, user fees or fines.
When you really look into a budget you can find a great story about how the community will be affected and whether the budget will be beneficial or detrimental.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
DOG TETHERING: TO ALLOW OR NOT TO ALLOW?
It was on the elevator ride up to the meeting that I caught sight of the “animal advocate” t-shirts and a commissioner from a neighboring county. The moment they told me “this will be a great thing to cover,” I knew I was in for a lengthy back and forth debate. I never really allowed myself to think that someone would be FOR animal tethering, much less show up and defend that thought!
When the podium was opened for the public to speak on the issue, the night began with the usual slightly out-of-it older gentleman who chose to verbally shake a finger at the subcommittee and basically just waste time. Another woman showed pictures of tethered dogs and explained that the people who do this won’t stop just because an ordinance is changed. A few more pleas were made on both sides, and then it was up to council members to duke it out.
It’s amazing how such nice looking older ladies can say something so sweetly, but when you stop and realize what they said, it’s no more than a verbal slap to the face! You had the argument that tethering is a viable means to hold a dog and that just because someone can’t afford a fence they shouldn’t have to give up their dog. The retort being, if you can’t afford a fence, you don’t need to have a dog.
By far the best argument (a critical thinking professor would be proud) was that of a gentleman serving on the committee. It was his prerogative that some animals should be tethered because if forced to come inside they might be violent to humans occupying the house.
…………
Yes, that’s right. Let’s keep a violent animal tethered outside so it doesn’t harm anyone inside the owner’s house, let’s not worry about the chances of the animal getting loose and attacking someone in the neighborhood. It wouldn’t have been that bad if he said his argument and was done, but the fact was that another council member addressed his faulty logic, and he tried to defend it!
It’s clear that with a person like him (dressed oh so professionally in a black t-shirt and ponytail) these ordinances will never be changed and animal cruelty will continue in Hillsborough County.
TEMPLE TERRACE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
I had the recent privilege of attending the City of Temple Terrace’s city council meeting.
The meeting began with a declaration of November being proclaimed as “National Hospice and Palliative Care Month.”
The first true order of business was a continuation from a previous meeting on October 19, 2010. It involved amending the text for the public school student generation rate rule. Commission member Joe Bell stood and gave a basic overview of the situation before handing over the floor to Lorraine Duffy-Suarez, Hillsborough County School Growth Management Manager. She stressed that fact that if the council did not vote in favor of the changes she proposed, changes the three other forms of government in Hillsborough County had already approved, they would not be in compliance with Florida law. Duffy-Suarez explained her role as liaison between each level of government on behalf of the school board. The issue, as she addressed it, is that every two years the generation rate is reviewed, and the four governments each convene four times a year to meet an examine these numbers. But with the recent United States census information, the generation rate will change so she would like to bump up the date in which they review the generation rate to now, rather than wait another two years. The city council members simply chose to pass a motion to pass the amendment on to the Department of Community Affairs.
The second order of business was a very detailed and incredibly boring presentation on a Temple Terrace “downtown community redevelopment”. Imagine my surprise discovering 56th Street to Bullard Parkway was considered “downtown” Temple Terrace. I’ve always just known it as “that place you don’t go to alone at night.” But I honestly felt for the poor guy who had to explain a PowerPoint on the redevelopment. The new plan would involve resident buildings and retail buildings and the Temple Terrace codes are so ridiculously strict that the man had to ask for at least fifteen exemptions to allow the buildings to be built. Even Council member Mark A. Connolly addressed that fact that rather than make builders ask for numerous exceptions and possibly lose their business, the council should look at changing the ordinances. He also took issue with the light posts for the new development because they weren’t EXACTLY like others on 56th Street. It really helped me to understand why Temple Terrace is…well…Temple Terrace. The council members seem to be really out of touch with topics that matter.
Temple Terrace city council meeting agenda can be found here
Thursday, October 28, 2010
TRAFFIC COURT...NOT AT ALL AS SEEN ON TV
Traffic court was quite possibly the most boring experience of my life. Lucky for me, boring can also be educational.
First of all, I never want to end up at traffic court in Hillsborough County. Floriland office park is really not a “safe” area. When the security guards have to scream at a man that his friend cannot park in front of the entry doors and must move his car, you know you’re not in the best place.
Any place that has not one, but four signs reminding people that their children must remain with them at all times, is not a place I’d like to be.
Upon entry to the courtroom, the police officer advises me that tomorrow would be a better day to come and I instantly know this will be a few hours of my life, wasted. I vaguely wonder if I should just bail and come back tomorrow, but no, I decide to stick through to the end.
As with all government agencies, the “event” started fifteen minutes late and under the threat of silence or expulsion. The judge issues an explanation of three possible pleas: not guilty, guilty, no contest. Then like cattle to a slaughter the proceedings being with a line of people with last names beginning with A, B, or C.
The people scatter forward in a race to be first in line, even though the judge calls you out in alphabetical order. The names are read too quickly to be sure of catching correctly and the people are so quiet in their responses I’m at a loss to catch their pleas.
D,E,F…
In an attempt to write down everyone’s name I inevitably miss out on a few, and some of the names were clearly original and the spelling of them a complete mystery.
G,H,I…
And don’t try to catch people on the way out because you’re not allowed to speak to them or you’ll be kicked out, and they certainly aren’t going to wait to get as far away as possible.
J,K,L…
At the very end, only if everyone else has gone and there is still time left on the clock, the judge will see people in shorts. Shorts are not permitted in the courtroom apparently. Neither are bare midriffs.
M,N,O…
Gum and newspapers are also prohibited.
…..and so on and so forth.
In layman terms, I never want to go to traffic court or EVER have to cover it for a story.
First of all, I never want to end up at traffic court in Hillsborough County. Floriland office park is really not a “safe” area. When the security guards have to scream at a man that his friend cannot park in front of the entry doors and must move his car, you know you’re not in the best place.
Any place that has not one, but four signs reminding people that their children must remain with them at all times, is not a place I’d like to be.
Upon entry to the courtroom, the police officer advises me that tomorrow would be a better day to come and I instantly know this will be a few hours of my life, wasted. I vaguely wonder if I should just bail and come back tomorrow, but no, I decide to stick through to the end.
As with all government agencies, the “event” started fifteen minutes late and under the threat of silence or expulsion. The judge issues an explanation of three possible pleas: not guilty, guilty, no contest. Then like cattle to a slaughter the proceedings being with a line of people with last names beginning with A, B, or C.
The people scatter forward in a race to be first in line, even though the judge calls you out in alphabetical order. The names are read too quickly to be sure of catching correctly and the people are so quiet in their responses I’m at a loss to catch their pleas.
D,E,F…
In an attempt to write down everyone’s name I inevitably miss out on a few, and some of the names were clearly original and the spelling of them a complete mystery.
G,H,I…
And don’t try to catch people on the way out because you’re not allowed to speak to them or you’ll be kicked out, and they certainly aren’t going to wait to get as far away as possible.
J,K,L…
At the very end, only if everyone else has gone and there is still time left on the clock, the judge will see people in shorts. Shorts are not permitted in the courtroom apparently. Neither are bare midriffs.
M,N,O…
Gum and newspapers are also prohibited.
…..and so on and so forth.
In layman terms, I never want to go to traffic court or EVER have to cover it for a story.
A NAME, A FACE, A LAUGH AND A SMILE
Tuesday I had the wonderful luxury of touring the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s office. My night after the tour was filled with candy self medication and horrible nightmares of empty brain cavities.
Cue shiver up spine.
I was informed of the office’s two main priorities: to investigate suspicious and unusual deaths, and to dispose of unclaimed bodies. They use autopsy as an investigative tool (not as a gross out factor like many Hollywood productions).
The trip, while informative, was a total disaster for me. One of our first stops was the ominous file room where we were informed that each file was color coded in accordance to cause of death. If you’ve never known anyone to die an unexpected death, then you might have listened to the information given to you and walked on to the next part of the tour. If you have, you find yourself wondering if the loved ones you buried were also reduced to pieces of paper with a yellow and black sticker tacked to them. Then these thoughts spiral to the realization that each and every file was once a human being with a smile, a laugh and a life however they chose to live it. To simply color code death seems to take an air of respect from it.
Black- Traffic Accident
White- Non Traffic Accident
Yellow- Suicide
Red- Homicide
Still reeling from this depressing observation we were taken through the labs, a “safe” zone for the squeamish, unless you caught sight of the vials of blood on the way out the door.
But the WORST part of the trip, the part that makes me forget about anything informative I learned, was the autopsy room. When offered the chance to either go in or stay behind I assumed Shari Armstrong, who had previously stated “I will NOT be viewing any autopsies,” would have my back and stay behind. Oh no, I was forced out of my little shell of comfort and safety to accompany her into the autopsy room along with the rest of the class. Upon my first steps into the room I was really proud, ready to give myself a pat on the back. Then I saw the empty brain cavity of some poor human being, and I’ve never been so thankful that I forgot to each lunch. The rest of my time in the autopsy room was spent looking at any surface that didn’t have a body on it and trying to avoid vomiting.
It was only when I was out of the room and my brain function had returned that I realized this happens to all suspicious or unusual cases. In 2006 I buried a close friend who died in a traffic collision and it calms me to know her body was never put through an autopsy before she was cremated. In 2008 a best friend of mine died of causes that had to be investigated and the knowledge that at some point, his body was on a metal slab like that utterly breaks my heart. Now when the empty brain cavity flashes in my head it has a name, a face, a laugh and a smile.
Cue shiver up spine.
I was informed of the office’s two main priorities: to investigate suspicious and unusual deaths, and to dispose of unclaimed bodies. They use autopsy as an investigative tool (not as a gross out factor like many Hollywood productions).
The trip, while informative, was a total disaster for me. One of our first stops was the ominous file room where we were informed that each file was color coded in accordance to cause of death. If you’ve never known anyone to die an unexpected death, then you might have listened to the information given to you and walked on to the next part of the tour. If you have, you find yourself wondering if the loved ones you buried were also reduced to pieces of paper with a yellow and black sticker tacked to them. Then these thoughts spiral to the realization that each and every file was once a human being with a smile, a laugh and a life however they chose to live it. To simply color code death seems to take an air of respect from it.
Black- Traffic Accident
White- Non Traffic Accident
Yellow- Suicide
Red- Homicide
Still reeling from this depressing observation we were taken through the labs, a “safe” zone for the squeamish, unless you caught sight of the vials of blood on the way out the door.
But the WORST part of the trip, the part that makes me forget about anything informative I learned, was the autopsy room. When offered the chance to either go in or stay behind I assumed Shari Armstrong, who had previously stated “I will NOT be viewing any autopsies,” would have my back and stay behind. Oh no, I was forced out of my little shell of comfort and safety to accompany her into the autopsy room along with the rest of the class. Upon my first steps into the room I was really proud, ready to give myself a pat on the back. Then I saw the empty brain cavity of some poor human being, and I’ve never been so thankful that I forgot to each lunch. The rest of my time in the autopsy room was spent looking at any surface that didn’t have a body on it and trying to avoid vomiting.
It was only when I was out of the room and my brain function had returned that I realized this happens to all suspicious or unusual cases. In 2006 I buried a close friend who died in a traffic collision and it calms me to know her body was never put through an autopsy before she was cremated. In 2008 a best friend of mine died of causes that had to be investigated and the knowledge that at some point, his body was on a metal slab like that utterly breaks my heart. Now when the empty brain cavity flashes in my head it has a name, a face, a laugh and a smile.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
WFLA Steve Andrews
Of all the field trips I’ve taken in my public affairs reporting class (and possibly all prior field trips in my life) the Steve Andrews made my little broadcast heart swell.
He began by explaining that most of his stories begin with a simple phone call. One such story began with a call about Florida State Attorney Harry Lee Coe and dog bets. When Andrews began his investigation into this claim, he was startled to hear that Coe ordered the records, which are to be available by law, destroyed. This is when any reporter would question themselves. Do I sue? Do I call the police? Does this make me part of the story? In the end Steve summed it up best, “A good citizen of the community would report the crime,” so they did. Governor Bush gave law enforcement the go ahead to investigate Coe and after a interview with Steve, Coe ended his own life. Steve and his partner found his body while investigating the story further. An interesting fact is that they filmed the scene as a security factor to back up what they found and when the police asked for the tape, Steve said no. The reason being that once the investigation is over, the film would become a public record and anyone could see it.
Steve is not an advocate of “dogging” journalism; his questions are quick, to the point and never disrespectful.
A second call got the ball rolling on a story about a reservoir in Hillsborough County that was cracking after just 3 years. Steve literally hopped into a helicopter and flew over the scene to inspect it himself, and when he returned to land he immediately began to search through construction records and found an underwater inspection video that really made the report gold.
What this means to me is that it’s not always the stories that I actively seek out that are the best ones. If I have to sit through hundreds of messages to find that one story, it’s worth it. Following up is also an important point; you can’t just report something then never speak of it again! You have to keep your audience informed.
He began by explaining that most of his stories begin with a simple phone call. One such story began with a call about Florida State Attorney Harry Lee Coe and dog bets. When Andrews began his investigation into this claim, he was startled to hear that Coe ordered the records, which are to be available by law, destroyed. This is when any reporter would question themselves. Do I sue? Do I call the police? Does this make me part of the story? In the end Steve summed it up best, “A good citizen of the community would report the crime,” so they did. Governor Bush gave law enforcement the go ahead to investigate Coe and after a interview with Steve, Coe ended his own life. Steve and his partner found his body while investigating the story further. An interesting fact is that they filmed the scene as a security factor to back up what they found and when the police asked for the tape, Steve said no. The reason being that once the investigation is over, the film would become a public record and anyone could see it.
Steve is not an advocate of “dogging” journalism; his questions are quick, to the point and never disrespectful.
A second call got the ball rolling on a story about a reservoir in Hillsborough County that was cracking after just 3 years. Steve literally hopped into a helicopter and flew over the scene to inspect it himself, and when he returned to land he immediately began to search through construction records and found an underwater inspection video that really made the report gold.
What this means to me is that it’s not always the stories that I actively seek out that are the best ones. If I have to sit through hundreds of messages to find that one story, it’s worth it. Following up is also an important point; you can’t just report something then never speak of it again! You have to keep your audience informed.
AMPE AT POYNTER 2010 BUILDING MOMENTUM
MIDTERM ELECTION EVE OUTLOOK
Espo spoke of the Democrat and Republican divide and the challenges that face Democrats in the election. He addressed the platforms of both parties and the tactics being employed by each side in order to reach and capture voters. Last week people saw an average 50 senate ads and “it’s moments like this that make you realize it’s time for the election to be over,” says Espo.
But what is causing Florida’s voting season to become so volatile and polluted? Corrigan blames the fact that Florida’s southern political history is meeting tremendous change with new populations transplanting here. He also addresses the fact that so often Florida is considered a “tossup” state in elections, something he says prior voting history proves as untrue. Republicans typically win, with the exception of the 2008 Presidential upset of Obama winning Florida’s vote.
Corrigan speaks of Marco Rubio’s Tea Party Republican bid and how he currently leads the polls. When asked what would become of Democratic nominee Kendrick Meek and Independent Charlie Crist, he believes that Meek could lose and still go on to a higher office at a later time. Crist, however, he isn’t quite sure about. How does the governor, who left his own party, lose the senate race and go on to new endeavors. Does he become a Democrat? The Republicans certainly wouldn’t support him if he came back to their party. Crists’ political future is really up in the air at the moment.
When asked about the future of the Tea Party movement, Corrigan thinks the party will continue to matter after the election. “The idea of a conservative government is really going to hold traction,” he said. In 2012 he believes we will see a repeat of 1964 where a conservative Republican party will be at odds with a moderate Republican party. Bartosek is concerned about what will become of the party because it doesn’t have a definite center for their platforms and there doesn’t seem to be a consistent unity of the party throughout the country.
Rick Scott with not speak to editorial boards citing that he would prefer to “talk to the people”. Bartosek explains that newspaper endorsements of candidates are still being done, they might help the candidates, but he does not really believe that these endorsements affect the general public’s opinion.
But what do people use to make their political decisions and where do they get their information? Corrigan believes that even with social networking, “good ‘ole tv ads make the decision.” Bartosek believes that people are reluctant to become engaged in the election and the ads are a last minute deciding factor along with word of mouth. Ten percent of voters decide their allegiance on the last day which leads to these ads being a huge factor.
What do they think of social media for candidates and its effect on younger generations? Its growth is HUGE. You see a more aggressive campaign and a further reaching one. Corrigan believes that Republicans really learned from their mistakes in the 2008 election and increased their use of social networks.
Governor Charlie Crist spoke to the APME conference and I think it best you let you watch for yourself. (Sorry for any shakes but honestly holding a Flip for 20 minutes straight is a challenge.)
Part One
Part Two
Kendrick Meek also spoke:
VIDEO & MULTIMEDIA @ THE NEXT LEVEL
Joshua Trujillo, photojournalist at seattlepi.com started the panel discussion. He introduced himself as a “one man band” something every University of South Florida Mass Communications student has heard day after day. Trujillo spoke of using video to create grab frame images for print. He also considers himself a contrarian with the time investment of video. Taking video with an iphone for that instantaneous quality was also mentioned. Trujillo does question whether they are trying to reinvent a medium that has been in use for quite some time, even if it does have a low viewership.
Val Hallis spoke next about the importance of multimedia journalists. “One of the most important things you can do for your multimedia journalists is to TRAIN them,” Hallis explained. She shared many of the challenges she faced with her attempts to converge. Training and experience were stressed and she revealed that she taught herself how to edit video to stay with the times. If you know the software and have experience you will be efficient at turning out stories quickly. A final point? TIME IS SUPER IMPORTANT.
Danese Kenon staff photographer at the Indianapolis Star showed a piece in which she interviewed twenty two veterans with a two camera setup (Dslr’s and a Sony). The piece will air on a local station, also be available on their website and in print. The funding for the package? It sold for $35,000.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Schooled by a Librarian
In the two years I’ve been at USF, I can count the number of times I’ve used the libraries website on one hand. In the week since McCoy’s presentation I’ve used it too many times to count. Every public record we’ve learned to look for is available on a single page! The amount of time she put into this page is evident and appreciated. Links to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Clerk or Circuit Court and numerous others can all be found here.
It’s what we haven’t learned in prior classes that she’s made available that I truly find interesting.
Newspapers!
How clever am I, the broadcast news student that never actually thought to search newspapers for my profile project? It really never occurred to me; clearly McCoy came to my rescue. Not only does she have links to the St. Petersburg Times archives but also to the Tampa Tribune and other national newspapers. Granted they aren’t true public records (they certainly won’t help our grade if we try and turn them in as our documents) but they are a great place to start gathering information on your person. They can inform you of prior lawsuits, dirty laundry, and general knowledge to help you decide where you should look for public records.
Clendinen VIRTUAL Reading Room!
At the stroke of a few keys anyone of my fellow students can have access to a virtual book from the Clendinen reading room. Scholarly journals are also available for research, stylebooks are easily accessible, and even visual resources are provided. It sure beats hunting down my outdated version of the AP Stylebook that calls some dark recess of my room home.
The page also provides links to Attorney General’s site for government in the sunshine which provides viewers with the content of the sunshine law’s.
A link to the First Amendment Foundations website is also available for each student to peruse. Other links include ten practical tips for requesting public records, the Florida Society of News Editors webpage, and the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information.
While I thought I couldn’t learn anymore, I was yet again schooled in terms of journalism.
Schooled by a librarian.
How clever am I, the broadcast news student that never actually thought to search newspapers for my profile project? It really never occurred to me; clearly McCoy came to my rescue. Not only does she have links to the St. Petersburg Times archives but also to the Tampa Tribune and other national newspapers. Granted they aren’t true public records (they certainly won’t help our grade if we try and turn them in as our documents) but they are a great place to start gathering information on your person. They can inform you of prior lawsuits, dirty laundry, and general knowledge to help you decide where you should look for public records.
Clendinen VIRTUAL Reading Room!
At the stroke of a few keys anyone of my fellow students can have access to a virtual book from the Clendinen reading room. Scholarly journals are also available for research, stylebooks are easily accessible, and even visual resources are provided. It sure beats hunting down my outdated version of the AP Stylebook that calls some dark recess of my room home.
The page also provides links to Attorney General’s site for government in the sunshine which provides viewers with the content of the sunshine law’s.
A link to the First Amendment Foundations website is also available for each student to peruse. Other links include ten practical tips for requesting public records, the Florida Society of News Editors webpage, and the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information.
While I thought I couldn’t learn anymore, I was yet again schooled in terms of journalism.
Schooled by a librarian.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
I honestly had no concept of the sheer amount of knowledge that could be garnered through a tax office. Typically taxes are met with gruff annoyance and totally ignored so Preston Trigg’s presentation on what you can find with just a name was enlightening.
The fact that you can research anyone running for government office in order to view if they’ve paid their taxes is golden. Of course if you want to apply it to real life you can always check to see if the person you’re dating has been delinquent on taxes.
Anyone can also uncover anything odd like someone owning too many homes, paying taxes that don’t quite match the value of their home, and how much the home is truly worth if they’re trying to sell it.
The tax exemptions available to homeowners are amazing. If you live in your home you can get a fifty thousand deduction and more if you are a senior citizen or disabled.
You can check the sales history of a house you might be interested, which could help because if it’s changed hands quite a bit in a short span of time, there might be an issue you’re not aware of.
The penalties against a property appraiser involved in fraud are jail or losing their license.
I was intrigued by the White Sox Tropicana scandal in which the city of St. Petersburg managed to hide the deal with the baseball team by giving them the documents and claiming ignorance when someone requested them.
The fact that you can research anyone running for government office in order to view if they’ve paid their taxes is golden. Of course if you want to apply it to real life you can always check to see if the person you’re dating has been delinquent on taxes.
Anyone can also uncover anything odd like someone owning too many homes, paying taxes that don’t quite match the value of their home, and how much the home is truly worth if they’re trying to sell it.
The tax exemptions available to homeowners are amazing. If you live in your home you can get a fifty thousand deduction and more if you are a senior citizen or disabled.
You can check the sales history of a house you might be interested, which could help because if it’s changed hands quite a bit in a short span of time, there might be an issue you’re not aware of.
The penalties against a property appraiser involved in fraud are jail or losing their license.
I was intrigued by the White Sox Tropicana scandal in which the city of St. Petersburg managed to hide the deal with the baseball team by giving them the documents and claiming ignorance when someone requested them.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Let's all go to jail...
On Tuesday September 21, 2010…..I went to jail.
Granted it was a class excursion but that really didn’t make it any less sobering. I was privileged enough to be a part of the first group to walk into the secure area right as orange jumpsuits walked on past. Each and every single one of us became the perfect picture of silence in that moment. While most were probably unnerved, and rightfully so, I felt a sudden epiphany of understanding.
While many people say that they “hate cops” or that law enforcement is generally stupid, I really don’t think they know quite what they have to deal with on a daily basis. These men and women go into pods, UNARMED, daily.
It honestly freaks me out to know that once upon a time, my father walked the halls of Avon Park Correctional Institution-a prison, not a jail. Everyone he came into contact with was proven GUILTY, not innocent as Lieutenant Allen explained. Of course this was all before I was born; my father eventually moved to Lakeland and attended USF for a degree in criminal justice. After twenty years in law enforcement however, he decided to take a fraud investigation job with State Farm.
Why?
Because when he would drop my little five year old pony tailed self off at school, he’d immediately try and spot the child molesters among the crowds. He suspected anyone and everyone at all times, he had to. We couldn’t have our phone number in the phone book lest someone know where we live. He would do background checks on my friends parents, a bit of an overkill. But it was the day he yelled at me as if I was a murder suspect and not a nine year old with a severe distaste in math—that he realized something had to change. In dealing with criminals and people who only inflicted pain on others he had built a hard exterior and could only see the darkness in the world.
So he quit his job.
The point I’m trying to make is I get why cops, sheriffs, probation officers and all forms of law enforcement sometimes come off as gruff and hard. Who wouldn’t when you deal with the scum of the earth on a daily basis? Rapists, murders, child molesters—it’d be hard to be happy if they encompassed my daily surroundings.
So as journalists we have to respect the fact that these people face the horrors of life daily, and if we offer them a little kindness they just might go above and beyond to help us get the information we need. If you approach them with a mightier than thou attitude, you’ll only be confirming their assumptions about you as a journalist and the world, and be more than happy to jump down your throat.
So as lame as it sounds, you catch more bees with honey.
Granted it was a class excursion but that really didn’t make it any less sobering. I was privileged enough to be a part of the first group to walk into the secure area right as orange jumpsuits walked on past. Each and every single one of us became the perfect picture of silence in that moment. While most were probably unnerved, and rightfully so, I felt a sudden epiphany of understanding.
While many people say that they “hate cops” or that law enforcement is generally stupid, I really don’t think they know quite what they have to deal with on a daily basis. These men and women go into pods, UNARMED, daily.
It honestly freaks me out to know that once upon a time, my father walked the halls of Avon Park Correctional Institution-a prison, not a jail. Everyone he came into contact with was proven GUILTY, not innocent as Lieutenant Allen explained. Of course this was all before I was born; my father eventually moved to Lakeland and attended USF for a degree in criminal justice. After twenty years in law enforcement however, he decided to take a fraud investigation job with State Farm.
Why?
Because when he would drop my little five year old pony tailed self off at school, he’d immediately try and spot the child molesters among the crowds. He suspected anyone and everyone at all times, he had to. We couldn’t have our phone number in the phone book lest someone know where we live. He would do background checks on my friends parents, a bit of an overkill. But it was the day he yelled at me as if I was a murder suspect and not a nine year old with a severe distaste in math—that he realized something had to change. In dealing with criminals and people who only inflicted pain on others he had built a hard exterior and could only see the darkness in the world.
So he quit his job.
The point I’m trying to make is I get why cops, sheriffs, probation officers and all forms of law enforcement sometimes come off as gruff and hard. Who wouldn’t when you deal with the scum of the earth on a daily basis? Rapists, murders, child molesters—it’d be hard to be happy if they encompassed my daily surroundings.
So as journalists we have to respect the fact that these people face the horrors of life daily, and if we offer them a little kindness they just might go above and beyond to help us get the information we need. If you approach them with a mightier than thou attitude, you’ll only be confirming their assumptions about you as a journalist and the world, and be more than happy to jump down your throat.
So as lame as it sounds, you catch more bees with honey.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Wealth of Information at our Disposal
Our visit to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was incredibly enlightening (you have to be escorted to the restrooms security is so tight!). Director of Community Affairs J.D. Callaway (like the golf clubs) and Cristal Nunez of media relations sat down with us to explain the relationship between the sheriff’s office and the media. They provided us with their standard operating procedures when it comes to media relations, as well as examples of the documents we can request and receive.
Standard Operating Procedure
It was a little foreboding to begin with a ten page guide to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office operating procedures. It really reads as an idiot’s guide to what you can and can’t request from them, when you can get it, and exactly what media can release for certain events like suicide or fire scenes.
Criminal Report Affidavit
Known as CRA’s, criminal report affidavits are not available online for anyone to see but are required for anyone going into jail. They contain a police officer’s report on what exactly went down and why. CRA’s list witnesses, victims, the criminal and all the facts tied to the case. These reports are available at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office in their records department.
Online Booking Sheet
Incredibly useful, most booking information can be found online by any member of the public (…a great tool before any blind date!). You can see the photograph of the accused along with their information, charges, and arrest information. This can be truly valuable due to its instantaneous availability thanks to the web. You can’t access a juveniles booking information though, unless he has been charged as an adult in which case the information would become public record.
General Offense Information
Once again found at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office records, general offense records contain detailed reports done after a CRA and can be generated inside a cop car. These records contain the offense, offender’s appearance, and a breakdown of what the officer did and observed during the arrest. In the example given to us, the officer had pulled over a man for a DUI. In detail he described his interactions with the man via field sobriety tests, the man’s refusal of a breath test, the car’s information, and arrest information.
Affidavit for Search Warrant
An affidavit for a search warrant can be found at the courthouse, not the sheriff’s office. It contains the issuing judges information and signature, what officers are allowed to search for and why. It’s a pretty simple but long document and completely necessary—if they don’t have it, nothing they take can be admitted as evidence in court!
Arrest Warrant
Something no one ever wants to receive, you can obtain an arrest warrant from the courthouse not the sheriff’s office. The warrant includes the defendant, their crime, their employment and appearance.
Standard Operating Procedure
It was a little foreboding to begin with a ten page guide to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office operating procedures. It really reads as an idiot’s guide to what you can and can’t request from them, when you can get it, and exactly what media can release for certain events like suicide or fire scenes.
Criminal Report Affidavit
Known as CRA’s, criminal report affidavits are not available online for anyone to see but are required for anyone going into jail. They contain a police officer’s report on what exactly went down and why. CRA’s list witnesses, victims, the criminal and all the facts tied to the case. These reports are available at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office in their records department.
Online Booking Sheet
Incredibly useful, most booking information can be found online by any member of the public (…a great tool before any blind date!). You can see the photograph of the accused along with their information, charges, and arrest information. This can be truly valuable due to its instantaneous availability thanks to the web. You can’t access a juveniles booking information though, unless he has been charged as an adult in which case the information would become public record.
General Offense Information
Once again found at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office records, general offense records contain detailed reports done after a CRA and can be generated inside a cop car. These records contain the offense, offender’s appearance, and a breakdown of what the officer did and observed during the arrest. In the example given to us, the officer had pulled over a man for a DUI. In detail he described his interactions with the man via field sobriety tests, the man’s refusal of a breath test, the car’s information, and arrest information.
Affidavit for Search Warrant
An affidavit for a search warrant can be found at the courthouse, not the sheriff’s office. It contains the issuing judges information and signature, what officers are allowed to search for and why. It’s a pretty simple but long document and completely necessary—if they don’t have it, nothing they take can be admitted as evidence in court!
Arrest Warrant
Something no one ever wants to receive, you can obtain an arrest warrant from the courthouse not the sheriff’s office. The warrant includes the defendant, their crime, their employment and appearance.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Anyone Can Hide ....
…unless you are an incredibly through researcher with a knowledge of public records. Investigative reporter Matt Doig of the Sarasota-Herald Tribune helped express the need for a reporter to actively pursue a lead, taking months to compile facts and information.
What shocked me the most during his presentation is the sheer ease in which any official can hide something. His reveal that a principal can maintain a straightforward employee file on someone, and then have a differently named “unofficial” file is disturbing at best. Someone without reporting knowledge would never know to ask for every single piece of information related to or containing the employee’s name. Thanks to Doig a full class of future reporters now understands that in order to combat tricky evasiveness, you really have to think tricky yourself.
The stories on housing fraud and teacher student affairs were both jarring with the amount of numerical data and statistics involved. I truly believe that numbers often make a larger impact than words with the generations of today. The amount of research was impressive; the housing story alone spanned 67 counties! Even with the help of databases I’m not quite sure I’d have the patience to look at all that research…my eyes would probably burst.
The use of databases is clearly a useful tool to keep in my handy dandy reporter toolbox. The seemingly endless rows of letters and names used in the poor teaching report made my heart begin to race; but it seems manageable with the use of a good database.
Doig did provide a key piece of advice, “help me understand.” A simple yet brilliant tactic to get someone to talk to you, taking on the role of a concerned citizen that requires their help….no one can resist a damsel/dudesel in distress. It also appeals to that deep dark part of every human being called an ego.
The walker family murder was also incredibly intriguing, both for the mystique and what the Sarasota Herald tribune did to get readers interested. They actually had someone create a 3D replica of the crime scene. Then they actually handed it over to the police to help in the investigation! They provide crime scene photographs, original newspaper clippings from over 50 years ago, and audio of a sheriff, Ross Boyer, who was obsessed with capturing the family’s killer.
Public records are an investigative reporter’s best friend to get to the juicy bit of any story. So long as a reporter knows what to ask for, or even a well informed citizen, no one can hide the truth forever.
What shocked me the most during his presentation is the sheer ease in which any official can hide something. His reveal that a principal can maintain a straightforward employee file on someone, and then have a differently named “unofficial” file is disturbing at best. Someone without reporting knowledge would never know to ask for every single piece of information related to or containing the employee’s name. Thanks to Doig a full class of future reporters now understands that in order to combat tricky evasiveness, you really have to think tricky yourself.
The stories on housing fraud and teacher student affairs were both jarring with the amount of numerical data and statistics involved. I truly believe that numbers often make a larger impact than words with the generations of today. The amount of research was impressive; the housing story alone spanned 67 counties! Even with the help of databases I’m not quite sure I’d have the patience to look at all that research…my eyes would probably burst.
The use of databases is clearly a useful tool to keep in my handy dandy reporter toolbox. The seemingly endless rows of letters and names used in the poor teaching report made my heart begin to race; but it seems manageable with the use of a good database.
Doig did provide a key piece of advice, “help me understand.” A simple yet brilliant tactic to get someone to talk to you, taking on the role of a concerned citizen that requires their help….no one can resist a damsel/dudesel in distress. It also appeals to that deep dark part of every human being called an ego.
 |
| Walker Family |
The walker family murder was also incredibly intriguing, both for the mystique and what the Sarasota Herald tribune did to get readers interested. They actually had someone create a 3D replica of the crime scene. Then they actually handed it over to the police to help in the investigation! They provide crime scene photographs, original newspaper clippings from over 50 years ago, and audio of a sheriff, Ross Boyer, who was obsessed with capturing the family’s killer.
Public records are an investigative reporter’s best friend to get to the juicy bit of any story. So long as a reporter knows what to ask for, or even a well informed citizen, no one can hide the truth forever.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Shining a Light on Government
(Tim Nickens Deputy Editor of Editorials, St, Petersburg Times)
Guest speaker Tim Nickens, Deputy Editor of Editorials at the St. Petersburg Times, stressed the importance of Florida’s Sunshine laws and their validity in every type of reporting. As a reporter in Florida I have access to a multitude of documents that in other states, with less stringent laws, I would have no right to obtain.
The sheer amount of information that is available to the public is staggering—one can inquire on a person’s voting history (although how they’ve voted is withheld), how much a house is appraised for, criminal history, finances, even 911 calls. This information can be incredibly invaluable during election time; a reporter can help the public learn about the candidates while also sorting out fact from fiction on their claims. Public records can also help shed a light on any discrepancies or suspicious dealings, such as the case with attorney general candidate Pam Bondi and former House Speaker Ray Sansom.
(Pam Bondi Republican candidate for Attorney General)
Pam Bondi, a self proclaimed tough talking conservative Republican, was once a Democrat! Through Hillsborough County election records anyone can see that Bondi was registered as a Democrat from 1984 until 2000.
(Ray Sansom former House Speaker, Florida)
Ray Sansom’s story is a cautionary tale to any future member of government; reporters will follow a trail. When a $6 million dollar college classroom never quite comes into fruition, someone surly must realize that people are going to become suspicious. The private airplane hangar being built with $6 million down the road for someone who donated to both the college and Sansom’s campaign, well apparently the people involved thought no one would notice. But reporters did take notice and thanks to the Sunshine laws there are public records as proof that can be used against Sansom at trial.
Mr. Nickens lecture called for each and every one of the future reporters to think outside the box and never be afraid to ask for help—you never know what you might learn. I don’t honestly believe that before this presentation I would have thought to look up a candidates voting history, I probably would not know that I could! I also wouldn’t have known that each year Florida’s Sunshine laws face hundreds of exemption proposals that threaten the wealth of knowledge available to citizens. The Sunshine laws help shine a light on government and keep the people of Florida safe from most corruption and shady dealings.
For more information on Tim Nicken’s check out http://www.tampabay.com/company/about-us/times-executives/bios/tnickens
For more information on Pam Bondi check out http://www.pambondi.com/
For more information on Ray Sansom check out http://www.tampabay.com/
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