EOTO #2: News Deserts

    For EOTO #2, my topic was News Deserts. In today's digital era, access to reliable, local news should be easier than it has ever been. Yet, numerous communities in the United States and worldwide find themselves in what many have come to describe as "news deserts". These are areas where the local news outlets have either disappeared or diminished, leaving residents to know very little of what is occurring within their communities. This reality carries with it profound implications for democracy, civic engagement, and informed decision-making.

    News deserts refer to communities where there is virtually no local journalism. In large part, this occurs when newspapers close, decline in circulation, or are absorbed into large media chains that put the bottom line above reporting. According to research from UNC's Hussman School of Journalism, the U.S. has lost more than a quarter of its newspapers since 2004, while over 2,500 counties have only one or no newspaper serving them locally. This trend has been driven by economic pressures, with advertising revenues often too low for operations in rural areas. Digital platforms like Facebook and Google only make matters worse by sucking up all of the ad dollars without replacing any of the local news coverage. Without access to local journalism, information gaps around matters integral to community well-being widen.

     Where local journalists are missing, corruption and mismanagement go unchecked, and voter turnout shrinks because residents don't know anything about local elections or issues. Moreover, local news plays a unifying role by helping residents connect and build interest in their neighbors. This sense of communion quickly disappears without it, as communities in news deserts lack a shared sense of identity and purpose. People in news deserts regularly turn to social media or non-verified sources for information, being highly susceptible to misinformation and fake news. Without advertising opportunities in local outlets, local businesses struggle to reach their communities, further weakening the fabric of the community. News deserts present challenges that cannot be surmounted without innovative solutions and collective action. Funding from governments and private foundations can give grants or subsidies for independent local news outlets as a way to soften financial constraints on small publishers.

    Nonprofit news organizations, such as ProPublica, have proved that successful journalism does not have to be solely supported by advertising revenue. Growing nonprofit newsrooms in areas of news deserts would help bridge vital gaps. Subscriptions or donations from residents can also help to subsidize and save local newspapers. Cooperative ownership models are grassroots initiatives where communities can own their news. But leveraging technology to reduce production costs and improve access can help revive local journalism, too. Hyperlocal digital platforms can create news that is specific to smaller communities with reduced costs. News deserts represent a growing crisis that threatens democracy, civic engagement, and community identity. Though the challenges are great, solutions exist. By fostering local journalism through innovative funding, nonprofit models, and community engagement, we can rebuild the vital networks that connect and inform our communities. Providing every citizen with access to credible, local news is not a luxury; it's absolutely critical to the proper functioning of our society. 

EOTO #1

     

    The printing press is a revolutionary invention that transfers text and images from movable type onto paper or other media with ink. This invention revolutionized the process of knowledge circulation and idea propagation. Movable type and paper originated in China, where both were invented. The oldest extant book printed with movable type is *Jikji*, a collection of Buddhist teachings, produced in Korea in 1377. Although these innovations originated in East Asia, the mechanization of printing became a signature development in Europe in the 15th century where it fundamentally changed how information was disseminated and preserved.

    The first recorded mention of a mechanized printing press in Europe is a 1439 lawsuit in Strasbourg. This legal case described the construction of a press for Johannes Gutenberg and his collaborators. Gutenberg's press borrowed much from the medieval paper press, itself an adaptation of the ancient wine-and-olive presses of the Mediterranean. His press used a long handle to turn a wooden screw, which pressed down upon the paper laid over inked type mounted on a wooden platen. This design allowed the printing to be accurate and even.

    In 1455, Gutenberg printed with his press a text of the Bible-so-called Gutenberg's Bible-which is the first complete surviving book in the West printed from movable type. It heralded a giant leap in mass production of printed books whereby they would become accessible, not to a limited few, but to the masses at large. This technology of the Gutenberg wooden press remained unchanged for over three centuries and was only capable of printing about 250 sheets an hour on one side.

    By the end of the 18th century, metal presses came into general use, which were more durable and efficient. It was during this era that the cylinder press appeared, with incorporation of the main technological innovation-rotating cylinders-to make printing faster and uniform. At about the same time, inventors began experimenting with steam power as a means of increasing productivity. In the mid-19th century, Richard M. Hoe of New York perfected the power-driven cylinder press, which could produce up to 8,000 sheets per hour. A large central cylinder in his press printed successively on the paper of four impression cylinders, an innovation that made high-speed newspaper production possible. While rotary presses dominated large-scale high-speed printing, flatbed presses-which held type on a flat surface and pressed paper against it by either a reciprocating platen or a cylinder-continued to be used for smaller-scale jobs.

    Another transformative innovation of the late 19th century was the offset press. This replaced the old process with a blanket cylinder that continually ran in one direction and imparted the inked image onto the paper by means of an impression cylinder. The offset was very good for color printing as it could apply more colors in one run. This Offset Lithography became the method of choice for books, newspapers, magazines, business forms, and direct mail. Offset printing would remain, in the early 21st century, the most common printing technique, though increasingly put into tension by a growing array of competing digital technologies-including inkjet and laser printing-that allowed for much greater flexibility and personalization.

    The printing press changed not only the way books and printed materials were produced but also became a cornerstone of cultural and intellectual development. Such a press made possible the swift dissemination of ideas, standardization of texts, and democratization of knowledge-three precursors necessary to lay the groundwork for modern mass communication. From Gutenberg's pioneering work to improvements afforded by the industrial and digital eras, printing technology continues its evolution in shaping how information is created, shared, and consumed.

Blog #3: Eight Values of Free Expression

    As American citizens we are aware that we have the right to speak up issues that we feel passionate about no matter our point of view. Through the first amendment we have the freedom of religion, freedom from religion, freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of assembly and the right to petition the government. This amendment ensures that the government is not in complete control of our country and emphasizes that we the people, are the ones with power. I could not imagine a world where we are unable to voice our concerns with the government or our personal opinions that the government may disagree with.

    The eight values of free expression emphasize its importance to American democracy and our society. The marketplace of ideas suggests that though people may produce false information, that is okay because in the end the truth will outweigh the falsehood and the dispute will ultimately strengthen the truth. Participation in self government allows citizens to disclose information that may not be known by the public, to help ensure voters are informed on information they may need to know when voting. Stable change gives people a peaceful way to express difference in opinion, reducing the risk of violent uproar. Independent Self-Fulfillment allows citizens to use free speech to express themselves and build a sense of personal growth and self identity. Check on Government Power ensures the public is allowed to criticize the government and hold them accountable. Promote Tolerance encourages multiple viewpoints to be known, promoting open minded decisions. Promote Innovation contributes to intellectual and cultural growth. Through protected free speech people are more likely to be more innovative, active and intriguing. Protect Dissent allows those whose viewpoint are the minority to speak up and be able to have their voices heard, without discrimination.

    In my opinion, the most important value is Check on government power, because it ensures that the government doesn't abuse their power and allows citizens to make sure their representatives are voicing them in a correct manner. As elected government employees, they are put into office in voice their district, county, state or countries viewpoints.

  However, the value that is most personal to me is Stable change. As an African American Woman, discrimination against African American is something that I take very serious. Stable Change has allowed my community to voice their disapproval or discomfort with racial discrimination that happens in our country. In 2020, with the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the black community went into an uproar. Granted in some cases there was violent acts but for the most part  there were peaceful protests all over the country.

    One value that I see being used today is Participation in Self-Government. During the current election you see a lot of people disclosing information about both candidates to better help voters understand the candidates. Whether it be positive or negative. I think that Participation in Self-Government is a very important aspect during election season because candidates tend to leave information out if it would effect their possibilities of winning.

    These eight values are fundamental to our lives as citizens of a democracy. Through them, we as individuals are allowed to use our voices for whatever we want, emphasizing our first amendment rights, and establishing that we as people are not subject to follow any guidelines in terms of voicing our opinions.

    

    

Blog Post #2: Insight on our Nations Highest Court

"It is emphatically the province and duty of the Judicial department to say what the law is." - Marbury v. Madison (1808)

    This statement stands as a standard and staple for the United States Judicial System. The United States Supreme Court, the highest court in the nation, has final jurisdiction over all federal cases . The soul purpose of the Supreme Court is to ensure that the constitution continues to be respected and interpreted correctly.

     The beginning of real Judicial power began in 1801, when the Supreme Court deemed an act of Congress unconstitutional, under Chief Justice John Marshall. Marshall truly paved the way for the Judicial Branch as we know it today, asserting that "We must never forget that it is a constitution we are expounding." In simple terms, Marshall established that the duty of the Judicial Branch is to interpret the constitution to the best of their abilities and deem what is lawful or unlawful.

    In this video, I learned that the Supreme Court has a lot more work than the American public is made aware of.  Having the responsibility to review thousands of cases a year, hundreds a week, and deem whether it follows a constitution written over 200 years ago is an incredible task. As said by the justices in the video, having to interpret a document written over 200 yeas ago is both a blessing and a curse. On a good note, having 200 years of American history to go off of, allows current Justices to have record of times when the constitution stood strong, or needed to be adjusted, such as the addition of the bill of rights, the 14th amendment and the 19th amendment. 

    A significant fact I took from this video was the case of Dred Scott. I was completely unaware that in as early as about 1825 there were movements to abolish slavery. I definitely didn't know that it was the Judicial system that was responsible for the continuation of such inhumane circumstances. One would think that Chief Justice Rodger Brook Tony, as the head of our nations Judicial system would be the main one to deem slavery cruel and unconstitutional. I understand that during this time period slavery was a vast operation and was utilized by majority of the United States and even the world, but if you look at it from a modern point of view, slavery was nothing short of heinous. When looking at our current Supreme court Justices, without the amendments of our constitution only four out of the nine would still be in their roles. This goes to show how we have grown and how much our country has learned over the span of 200 years.

    As someone who looks to expand my knowledge in the world of law, these videos were very insightful on how our Judicial system was formed, grown, and how it continues to grow with our country today. My respect and gratitude goes out to all Supreme Court Justices that have served our country, because had it not been for them, our country as we know it would be in shambles. In my eyes, the Judicial branch of our federal government is the most important branch. I believe this because the court ensures that our government does not break away from the core values and ideologies that our founding fathers put in place to build the glorious country we know and love today. 

Top 5 Sources of Daily News

 

    As young adults finding our way in the world, it is extremely important to stay up to date with the latest news, locally, nationally, and internationally. With the growth of the mass media world, it is significantly easier for our generation to access our daily news. People all around the world now look to social media, television, magazines, newspapers and other sources to give them the most accurate and relevant news. Personally, I find my self using various social media apps, TV stations, and my peers to keep up with everything going on in the world.

    Friends and Family, like most people I hear a lot of new information from those around me. My parents are usually pretty up to date with everything going on in the world of politics and stocks, so tend to look to them for insight and knowledge in those realms. More recently, now that I am old enough to form my own opinions and establish my point of view on various events going on in the world, I like to have informed discussions with my family and friends about politics, sports, celebrity news, and a multitude of topics. This allows me to learn new things and have the opportunity to educate my peers on topics I am more versed in. More so with my friends, I love to create a sense of humor around trending celebrity news or ever political news, it lightens the stresses that the situation may bring in reality. With that being said, it brings me to my next source of news.... 

    Tiktok. As many know Tiktok is a lot more than just trendy dances and "dumb videos", as my dad would say. Tiktok has become a huge outlet for sports teams, broadcasting companies, clothing brands and independent influencers. As an avid Tiktok supporter, I use Tiktok as a way to watch funny videos, learn new recipes, keep up with politics, and so many more things. Tiktok gives companies a platform to share information in a quick, entertaining and creative way that difference than a simple instagram post. I believe that if companies want traction in Gen Z, Tiktok would be the place to advertise their organization. Personally, I use tiktok for an average of about 10 hours a week, though this may seem like a lot, I feel as though I learn a large amount of information of this app and plan to continue to use it as long as I am able.

https://www.tiktok.com/en/

    While on the in world of social media, my second most used app behind Tiktok, is Instagram. Just as said before I use this platform is a great way to target Gen Z. I generally use Instagram to keep up with family and friends who may not live near me, stay in the know on new trends and celebrity drama, stay in the loop on sports news and again learn about things that are taking place in politics. Accounts like 'TheShadeRoom', 'Overtime', and 'XXL' are great resources for getting accurate news in their respected industries. In more recent years, instagram has made several changes to the layout of the app, allowing for more efficient ways for users to get their message across in an intriguing way. I find apps like Instagram and Tiktok a lot more convenient that sitting in front of a TV, or reading the newspaper, due to the fact that my phone is typically always on my person.

https://www.instagram.com/

    Although I typically don't have time to sit and turn on the news while I am at school, while home MSNBC is my household choice network. Growing up, MSNBC was always on the TV every morning for as long as I can remember, granted I never watched it, but I have always been familiar with the network. As I got older, and the need for me to be informed became increasingly more important, I appreciate how MSNBC has transformed into a more appealing channel for viewers my age. I also really enjoy listening to anchors such as Joy Reid and Ari Melber. I believe they do a great job targeting younger audiences including myself.

https://www.msnbc.com/

    As someone who grew up playing multiple sports and plans on working in the sports industry, being informed on things happening in the sports world is something that I deem important for myself. Bleacher Report is a great resource for everything sports. I receive information from them via Instagram, Tiktok, and their BR app. I find that Bleacher Report distributes sports news faster than a lot of other competitor companies. Although I turn to companies such as ESPN to watch sports, Bleacher report offers everthing else from breaking news,  live podcasts with sports experts, game scores, sports betting and so much more. 

https://bleacherreport.com/