On Thursday, I finished my News Writing and Reporting class. We ended the class discussing the "protest" in Tehran and looking at The Inkwell.
Overall, it was a good class. It is nice learning from someone you've never taken before. It is also nice hearing about the professor working for The Savannah Morning News, especially as a columnist.
His position puts a different spin on reporting the news, because he does not have as many writing limitations as a news reporter has. I am scheduled to take his Public Affairs reporting class and am excited to see how that course will go.
I hope everyone has a nice holiday season and I will see you next semester! :)
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Manipulated Images
In class on Tuesday, we discussed manipulated images in the media. People manipulate images in order to support their views or the story they are writing. I found the conversation interesting, so I wanted to continue the conversation with more images.
Below are images from http://listverse.com/2007/10/19/top-15-manipulated-photographs/. Tell me what you think and enjoy! Happy Holidays!
Helicopter Shark is a composition of two photographs that gives the impression that a Great white shark is leaping out of the water attacking military personnel climbing a suspended ladder attached to a special forces UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The photo was widely circulated via email in 2001, along with a claim that it had been chosen as “National Geographic Photo of the Year”. The final edited photo was created by combining a photograph of a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter taken by Lance Cheung for United States Air Force (USAF), and a photo taken by South African photographer Charles Maxwell. While the helicopter photo was in fact taken in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, the photo of the shark was actually taken in False Bay, South Africa. There are no known sightings of Great White sharks in San Francisco Bay.
Soon after Sept 11th, 2001, this picture was clogging everyone’s e-mails. It is supposed to be the last picture taken on a roll of film from a camera that somehow managed to survive the decimation of everything in the Twin Towers. It was soon to be found as an altered image. Firstly, the weather on the image did not match the real weather on September 11th, 2001. Secondly, he is standing on the south tower, but the first tower to be hit was the north tower. Thirdly, the observation deck of the WTC was not open when the planes hit. Fourth, the aircraft that struck the WTC were traveling at such a velocity that only an extremely fast shutter speed would have rendered the amount of detail on the aircraft pictured. Finally, the plane on the picture is an American Boeing 757, while the planes that hit the WTC were Boeing 767s.
The altered image (left) was part of George Bush’s political campaign in 2004. He is digitally taken out by copying and pasting existing soldiers over the podium. Later, campaign managers would admit to the altering of the image. The Bush campaign corrected and re-shipped the campaign to TV stations.
Below are images from http://listverse.com/2007/10/19/top-15-manipulated-photographs/. Tell me what you think and enjoy! Happy Holidays!
Helicopter Shark is a composition of two photographs that gives the impression that a Great white shark is leaping out of the water attacking military personnel climbing a suspended ladder attached to a special forces UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The photo was widely circulated via email in 2001, along with a claim that it had been chosen as “National Geographic Photo of the Year”. The final edited photo was created by combining a photograph of a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter taken by Lance Cheung for United States Air Force (USAF), and a photo taken by South African photographer Charles Maxwell. While the helicopter photo was in fact taken in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, the photo of the shark was actually taken in False Bay, South Africa. There are no known sightings of Great White sharks in San Francisco Bay.
Soon after Sept 11th, 2001, this picture was clogging everyone’s e-mails. It is supposed to be the last picture taken on a roll of film from a camera that somehow managed to survive the decimation of everything in the Twin Towers. It was soon to be found as an altered image. Firstly, the weather on the image did not match the real weather on September 11th, 2001. Secondly, he is standing on the south tower, but the first tower to be hit was the north tower. Thirdly, the observation deck of the WTC was not open when the planes hit. Fourth, the aircraft that struck the WTC were traveling at such a velocity that only an extremely fast shutter speed would have rendered the amount of detail on the aircraft pictured. Finally, the plane on the picture is an American Boeing 757, while the planes that hit the WTC were Boeing 767s.
The altered image (left) was part of George Bush’s political campaign in 2004. He is digitally taken out by copying and pasting existing soldiers over the podium. Later, campaign managers would admit to the altering of the image. The Bush campaign corrected and re-shipped the campaign to TV stations.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
My last article
In my last blog, I said I would discuss The Inkwell article I wrote. Two classes ago, Andrea, the A & E editor told the class The Inkwell has two more issues for the semester. I am glad she said something because I had no idea. I thought I had more time. Then I looked at my calendar and realized I didn't. I needed one more story.
So I contacted Dash, the news editor and he assigned me Armstrong's NAACP chapter wins The Best New College Unit award. Colleges are presented this award if they are reactivated for two years or less. The neat thing about Armstrong's chapter is that it was reactivated during the summer.
Once I was assigned, I called Dominique Hardy, the president to set up an interview. Setting up the interview took longer than writing the actual story because we both have busy schedules due to working, class, and life. We finally agreed to sit down on Thursday afternoon. I also interviewed Arnia Lee, membership chair that same afternoon. I then interviews Jamall Wynn, juvenile justice chair because one of the rules for writing for the paper, is to conduct three or more interviews so stories are balanced.
After interviewing, I wrote the story. Before I was in a groove, I contacted Dominique to verify that I had the correct information. I didn't want the organization to come back later because I made a mistake. It is embarrassing when someone tells you made a mistake and you have to make a correction in the paper. I know it happens, but it is not a good feeling. Anyway, once the info was verified, I wrote the story and sent it to Dash. It was printed on the second page of the paper. And the rest is history.
Here is the final product:
http://www.theinkwellonline.com/news/revamped-armstrong-naacp-awarded-1.2703779#.TsghxWNNjqM
So I contacted Dash, the news editor and he assigned me Armstrong's NAACP chapter wins The Best New College Unit award. Colleges are presented this award if they are reactivated for two years or less. The neat thing about Armstrong's chapter is that it was reactivated during the summer.
Once I was assigned, I called Dominique Hardy, the president to set up an interview. Setting up the interview took longer than writing the actual story because we both have busy schedules due to working, class, and life. We finally agreed to sit down on Thursday afternoon. I also interviewed Arnia Lee, membership chair that same afternoon. I then interviews Jamall Wynn, juvenile justice chair because one of the rules for writing for the paper, is to conduct three or more interviews so stories are balanced.
After interviewing, I wrote the story. Before I was in a groove, I contacted Dominique to verify that I had the correct information. I didn't want the organization to come back later because I made a mistake. It is embarrassing when someone tells you made a mistake and you have to make a correction in the paper. I know it happens, but it is not a good feeling. Anyway, once the info was verified, I wrote the story and sent it to Dash. It was printed on the second page of the paper. And the rest is history.
Here is the final product:
http://www.theinkwellonline.com/news/revamped-armstrong-naacp-awarded-1.2703779#.TsghxWNNjqM
Friday, November 11, 2011
Inkwell Reflection
On Tuesday, I was assigned my third and final piece for The Inkwell. My article is to write a story about Armstrong's NAACP wining The Best College Unit Award. The story will be in next week's paper. I will also write a blog about the experience as well.
Today, however, I decided to reflect on my experience with the paper. I started writing for the newspaper second semester of my freshman year. I remember attending one of the bootcamps and told Luke Farmer, the former news editor that I was interested in writing for him. My first article sucked, but I improved as the semester went on. Reporting for the paper allowed me to get to know Armstrong as a campus and community.
The following year, I was news editor. I applied and interviewd for the position during the summer, but a guy named Brad beat me out. I told him not to get to comfortable, because I will take his position. And that is what happened. He said the job was too much for him, so the Kristen called me and asked me to take his place. I was hestiant at first, but knew it was a good opportunity.
The position of news editor was a challenging one, but very beneficial. I was able to help my writers with their articles and become a better writer myself. I also leared about layout and how to put an entire section together. There would be times when I would cry to mom about how tough the job was, but she told me to just push through it. So I did, and it was worth it. It was worth seeing a fesh paper out in the newspaper stands every week as a reflection of all your hard work.
During my time as news editor, I attended a journalism conference in Austin, Texas. That was pretty neat. I had a chance to see other college newspapers and take ideas home with me. I also attended classes and met other college students from all over.
The next year, I spent a semester in D.C. participating in a political journalism program. I took classes at Georgetown University and interned with Campaigns and Eelections Magazine. During my internship, I wrote for their blogs and helped with various projects around the office. I also was able to tour different Washington landmarks like the White House. It was a wonderful experience and would not mind going back.
After the internship, I came back to Armstrong and took a break from writing for the paper. I had the opportunity to intern with the Grant Director Susan Arshack and learn about grant writing.
This semester, I am taking News Writing and Reporting. Part of our grade is to write three articles for the paper. I have written two so far and I am working on the thirs one right now, which will appear in next week's paper.
When I was assigned my first story, I was hestiant at first because the last time I wrote an article for the paper was my sophomore year. I was worried that I would forget a lot of the rules, but I didn't. The opportunity to write for the paper again was nice. It was nice seeing my published work in a publication. It is also nice having some recent samples in my portfolio since I am graduating in May and I am currently looking for a job. I wish I wrote more. but working and attending classes fulltime, the articles was all I could comitt to. Maybe next semester.
Anyway, overall writing for the paper has been a rewarding experience. I never expected that I would have come this far and I am excited to see what happens next.
Today, however, I decided to reflect on my experience with the paper. I started writing for the newspaper second semester of my freshman year. I remember attending one of the bootcamps and told Luke Farmer, the former news editor that I was interested in writing for him. My first article sucked, but I improved as the semester went on. Reporting for the paper allowed me to get to know Armstrong as a campus and community.
The following year, I was news editor. I applied and interviewd for the position during the summer, but a guy named Brad beat me out. I told him not to get to comfortable, because I will take his position. And that is what happened. He said the job was too much for him, so the Kristen called me and asked me to take his place. I was hestiant at first, but knew it was a good opportunity.
The position of news editor was a challenging one, but very beneficial. I was able to help my writers with their articles and become a better writer myself. I also leared about layout and how to put an entire section together. There would be times when I would cry to mom about how tough the job was, but she told me to just push through it. So I did, and it was worth it. It was worth seeing a fesh paper out in the newspaper stands every week as a reflection of all your hard work.
During my time as news editor, I attended a journalism conference in Austin, Texas. That was pretty neat. I had a chance to see other college newspapers and take ideas home with me. I also attended classes and met other college students from all over.
The next year, I spent a semester in D.C. participating in a political journalism program. I took classes at Georgetown University and interned with Campaigns and Eelections Magazine. During my internship, I wrote for their blogs and helped with various projects around the office. I also was able to tour different Washington landmarks like the White House. It was a wonderful experience and would not mind going back.
After the internship, I came back to Armstrong and took a break from writing for the paper. I had the opportunity to intern with the Grant Director Susan Arshack and learn about grant writing.
This semester, I am taking News Writing and Reporting. Part of our grade is to write three articles for the paper. I have written two so far and I am working on the thirs one right now, which will appear in next week's paper.
When I was assigned my first story, I was hestiant at first because the last time I wrote an article for the paper was my sophomore year. I was worried that I would forget a lot of the rules, but I didn't. The opportunity to write for the paper again was nice. It was nice seeing my published work in a publication. It is also nice having some recent samples in my portfolio since I am graduating in May and I am currently looking for a job. I wish I wrote more. but working and attending classes fulltime, the articles was all I could comitt to. Maybe next semester.
Anyway, overall writing for the paper has been a rewarding experience. I never expected that I would have come this far and I am excited to see what happens next.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Ethics of Journalism
For the past few weeks in class, we have been talking about ethics and morals in journalism. To continue our discussion, I found a video on YouTube, which also addresses ethics in journalism.
"This panel addresses the role that law and the legal profession can play in journalism's transition to the online world. Topics include reporters' shield bill protections for online journalists, the effect of recent developments in First Amendment law, media reform and government policy, the ethics of new journalism models, and access to public information and documents. Practicing journalists and journalism professors give their own perspective on how the legal profession can best support new journalism efforts,"(YouTube).
The video is a little long, but I am interested in hearing what others think. Enjoy.
"This panel addresses the role that law and the legal profession can play in journalism's transition to the online world. Topics include reporters' shield bill protections for online journalists, the effect of recent developments in First Amendment law, media reform and government policy, the ethics of new journalism models, and access to public information and documents. Practicing journalists and journalism professors give their own perspective on how the legal profession can best support new journalism efforts,"(YouTube).
The video is a little long, but I am interested in hearing what others think. Enjoy.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Job Fairs
For the past few days I have pondered and pondered about what I could write for a blog. Nothing was coming to me. But then it hit me. As I was packing my book bag this morning, I started ranting about the job fair I went to last week. You can ask anyone, I tend to rant often.
Anyway, last week Armstrong had its Fall Career Fair for Liberal Arts majors. Grad schools were also in attendance for those who were interested. Before the career fair, students could pre-register and and look to see what jobs were looking for in terns of full-time, part-time, and internships. When I saw this, I had hope that jobs were actually hiring, but what a scam.
Earlier this semester, Armstrong had a part-time career fair and my fellow classmates told me it was a waste of time because no one was hiring. They said they had printed out their resumes and everything. In the back of mind, I felt like that was going to happen again, but wanted to be wrong.
So the weekend before the actual fair, I printed out ten resumes and looked up potential jobs based on this list posted on the Career Services website. I get to the job fair and a friend of mine told me no one was hiring. I wasn't in complete shock, but I was not happy. What is the point of having a career fair if you are not going to hire?
I spoke to several people and they told they had no vacancies, but to check on usajobs.com. If that was the case, there was no point in me attending the fair and I could continue my search online like I was doing. The whole point of me attending the job fair was to speak face to face about job opportunities. To put a face with a resume. At the end of the fair, Career Services had everyone fill out a survey and I was completely honest. One of the questions was if I found this job fair to be beneficial and I said no. Because it wasn't and a waste of time.
My brother back home in Atlanta, another college graduate, whom graduated from college when the economy first crashed, had the same thing happen to him. He attended a career fair and no one was hiring, they were just telling him information about their organization. I told my mom what happened and she said she didn't know why schools/organizations kept having career fairs.
I understand the we are coming out of a recession and companies have to make major cuts, but don't provide people with false hope like you are hiring and you are not. It is very discouraging when you have worked so hard and did what you were suppose to do and you cannot find something under your field of study or something close to it.
It is very frustrating when you keep hearing the same tune of how to make your resume better or writing a better cover letter, when you can tell they are just trying to buy more time. Companies can only stall for so long, people want jobs!
Anyway, last week Armstrong had its Fall Career Fair for Liberal Arts majors. Grad schools were also in attendance for those who were interested. Before the career fair, students could pre-register and and look to see what jobs were looking for in terns of full-time, part-time, and internships. When I saw this, I had hope that jobs were actually hiring, but what a scam.
Earlier this semester, Armstrong had a part-time career fair and my fellow classmates told me it was a waste of time because no one was hiring. They said they had printed out their resumes and everything. In the back of mind, I felt like that was going to happen again, but wanted to be wrong.
So the weekend before the actual fair, I printed out ten resumes and looked up potential jobs based on this list posted on the Career Services website. I get to the job fair and a friend of mine told me no one was hiring. I wasn't in complete shock, but I was not happy. What is the point of having a career fair if you are not going to hire?
I spoke to several people and they told they had no vacancies, but to check on usajobs.com. If that was the case, there was no point in me attending the fair and I could continue my search online like I was doing. The whole point of me attending the job fair was to speak face to face about job opportunities. To put a face with a resume. At the end of the fair, Career Services had everyone fill out a survey and I was completely honest. One of the questions was if I found this job fair to be beneficial and I said no. Because it wasn't and a waste of time.
My brother back home in Atlanta, another college graduate, whom graduated from college when the economy first crashed, had the same thing happen to him. He attended a career fair and no one was hiring, they were just telling him information about their organization. I told my mom what happened and she said she didn't know why schools/organizations kept having career fairs.
I understand the we are coming out of a recession and companies have to make major cuts, but don't provide people with false hope like you are hiring and you are not. It is very discouraging when you have worked so hard and did what you were suppose to do and you cannot find something under your field of study or something close to it.
It is very frustrating when you keep hearing the same tune of how to make your resume better or writing a better cover letter, when you can tell they are just trying to buy more time. Companies can only stall for so long, people want jobs!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Technology Fee Proposal
Last week, I was assigned to cover an article about the technology fee. Like most fees, students pay a $60 technology fee each semester. The fee is used for computer lab maintenance, software, and programs. Which is what you expect, right?
What I did not know about the fee is that students, faculty, and staff could send in proposals and request some of the money. Granted, the money must fund a project on campus, such as a smart classroom in Gamble Hall, but the fact is that students could submit proposals is pretty neat.
I will admit when Dash first assigned me the story, I didn't think there was much of a story there, because I did not see the technology fee any differently than any other fee students pay. But, when I found out that students could submit proposals, I was intrigued.
The first person I spoke with was Engineering Professor, Dr. Wayne Johnson. He told me to speak to Physical Therapy Professor, Dr. Anne Thompson and to Mrs. Windy Marshall, who is in charge of the technology in the education department. However, when I spoke to Windy Marshall she told me to speak with Dr. Johnson and Dr. Thompson, because she did not feel like she should be the spokesperson for the article.
At this point, I am nervous that there won't be an article, because it was already Wednesday and I was going out of town Friday. I also work and attend classes, so the only free time I had was Thursday afternoon. I e-mail Dash and tell him I keep getting the runaround and will try to write this story the best I can.
So that night, I tell both Dr. Johnson and Thompson what Mrs. Marshall said and both agree to sit down with me. I was able to ask them all the questions I needed and also consulted the website for my technical information. The article ended up working out and was printed above the fold in the next issue.
Not to much was changed, just a little tightening up of sentences. I am pretty proud of the article and I am excited to write my next one.
Here is the final product:
http://www.theinkwellonline.com/news/technology-fee-committee-seeks-student-proposals-1.2654680#.TqQiSN52Ivk
What I did not know about the fee is that students, faculty, and staff could send in proposals and request some of the money. Granted, the money must fund a project on campus, such as a smart classroom in Gamble Hall, but the fact is that students could submit proposals is pretty neat.
I will admit when Dash first assigned me the story, I didn't think there was much of a story there, because I did not see the technology fee any differently than any other fee students pay. But, when I found out that students could submit proposals, I was intrigued.
The first person I spoke with was Engineering Professor, Dr. Wayne Johnson. He told me to speak to Physical Therapy Professor, Dr. Anne Thompson and to Mrs. Windy Marshall, who is in charge of the technology in the education department. However, when I spoke to Windy Marshall she told me to speak with Dr. Johnson and Dr. Thompson, because she did not feel like she should be the spokesperson for the article.
At this point, I am nervous that there won't be an article, because it was already Wednesday and I was going out of town Friday. I also work and attend classes, so the only free time I had was Thursday afternoon. I e-mail Dash and tell him I keep getting the runaround and will try to write this story the best I can.
So that night, I tell both Dr. Johnson and Thompson what Mrs. Marshall said and both agree to sit down with me. I was able to ask them all the questions I needed and also consulted the website for my technical information. The article ended up working out and was printed above the fold in the next issue.
Not to much was changed, just a little tightening up of sentences. I am pretty proud of the article and I am excited to write my next one.
Here is the final product:
http://www.theinkwellonline.com/news/technology-fee-committee-seeks-student-proposals-1.2654680#.TqQiSN52Ivk
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The 99 percent
I am sure most of you have heard about the protest taking place on Wall Street (OWS) in Mew York. To sum it up, Anti-Wall Street protesters say the rich are getting richer, while the middle class and poor and getting poorer. A lot of this has to do with people who are out of work and foreclosures taking place throughout the city.
While I was on Facebook yesterday, I came across some interesting signs of protesters and wanted to share. But first I wanted to share a youtube video with you.
I am anxious to know what people think? Do these protesters have valid points or should they just go home?
While I was on Facebook yesterday, I came across some interesting signs of protesters and wanted to share. But first I wanted to share a youtube video with you.
I am anxious to know what people think? Do these protesters have valid points or should they just go home?
Monday, October 10, 2011
Public Relations
In my last class, we discussed press releases and news releases. My professor pointed out that many of us will start our careers in public relations, which is fine with me. I don't feel as though I am cut out for reporting, but still want to work in the professional writing field.
A few years ago, maybe my sophomore year, I became interested in public relations; however, whenever I spoke to people about it, they kind of frowned at me. And I never understood why.
This past summer, I took a class in public relations and really enjoyed it. I know it is all about saving face when crap hits the fan, but I am interested in the challenge of it. As a matter of fact, I graduate in May and have began my job search. One of the areas I am looking in is public relations. I don't want to limit myself in one aspect of writing, just because of the way the job market it setup today.
More and more people have to have the skill sets for various jobs due to all the cutbacks in jobs. Especially since I am just coming out of college, a specialty is not an option.
So if any of my readers can give me some incite on the public relations field, that will be greatly appreciated. Or any other forms of writing that may interest you, as I know many of you are about to enter the job market soon.
A few years ago, maybe my sophomore year, I became interested in public relations; however, whenever I spoke to people about it, they kind of frowned at me. And I never understood why.
This past summer, I took a class in public relations and really enjoyed it. I know it is all about saving face when crap hits the fan, but I am interested in the challenge of it. As a matter of fact, I graduate in May and have began my job search. One of the areas I am looking in is public relations. I don't want to limit myself in one aspect of writing, just because of the way the job market it setup today.
More and more people have to have the skill sets for various jobs due to all the cutbacks in jobs. Especially since I am just coming out of college, a specialty is not an option.
So if any of my readers can give me some incite on the public relations field, that will be greatly appreciated. Or any other forms of writing that may interest you, as I know many of you are about to enter the job market soon.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Tell me what you think
A friend of mine posted a week ago on his status, "Way to go UC Berkeley Republicans. Nothing like admitting that you are hosting an inherently racist event on campus and then attempting to justify it,". So of course I took that as my cue to do a little investigation and this is what I found:
The College Republicans of the University of Berkeley planned a bake sale at which the price of items would be determined by the buyer's race, gender, and ethnicity; However, as expected, other students were outraged and claimed it was racists.
Club members said the sale was a way of taking a stand against pending legislation that would let the University of of California consider a student's race or national origin during the admission process (affirmative action).
For this post, I will leave my opinion out because I want to hear yours. Also, I have posted the video version below.
The College Republicans of the University of Berkeley planned a bake sale at which the price of items would be determined by the buyer's race, gender, and ethnicity; However, as expected, other students were outraged and claimed it was racists.
Club members said the sale was a way of taking a stand against pending legislation that would let the University of of California consider a student's race or national origin during the admission process (affirmative action).
For this post, I will leave my opinion out because I want to hear yours. Also, I have posted the video version below.
Monday, September 26, 2011
R.I.P. Troy Davis
Troy Davis was executed on Wednesday, Sept. 21 for the 1989 murder of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail.
I wanted to do a timeline of the case and post videos at the end of his execution.
The timeline is provided by 11 Alive News in Atlanta.
August 19, 1989 - Off-duty Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail was shot and killed when intervening in an argument between two men in a parking lot near a restaurant where he worked as a security guard.
August 23, 1989 - One of the men in the altercation, Sylvester "Redd" Coles went to Savannah police and implicated Davis in the shooting, resulting in the arrest of Davis.
August 1991 - In Davis' murder trial, a number of witnesses came forward and said they had seen Davis shoot Officer MacPhail, while two other people said Davis confessed to killing MacPhail. No murder weapon was located, and no other physical evidence connected Davis to the murder.
August 30, 1991 - Davis was convicted in MacPhail's murder and sentenced to death.
2000 - Davis challenged use of Georgia's electric chair for executions in Georgia, saying it constituted cruel and unusual punishment.
July 17, 2007 - First scheduled execution date. Execution was stayed after appeals from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pope Benedict XVI, Harry Belafonte, Amnesty International and the European Parliament.
September 2008 - Second scheduled execution date. Execution was stayed after statements from Amnesty International, Rev. Al Sharpton, former GOP Congressman Bob Barr and former President Jimmy Carter.
A last minute stay by the US Supreme Court was issued two hours before Davis was set to be executed, permitting the high court to determine whether on not to hear the case.
October 27, 2008 - Scheduled execution date. Execution was stayed by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in order to consider a newly-filed federal petition. A petition with 140,000 signatures was presented to the state Board of Pardons and Paroles. An appeal also came from the European Union.
August 17, 2009 - US Supreme Court orders federal district court to consider if new evidence that could not have been easily obtained at the time of the initial trial could establish Davis' innocence.
June 2010 - Evidentiary hearing before federal district court; a number of prosecution witnesses recant their testimony. Some witnesses describe what they called police coercion in the case. At least one other witness says Coles confessed to the shooting. That evidence was not permitted to be entered since Coles did not have the opportunity to rebut it.
August 2010 - Federal district court upholds conviction.
March 2011 - US Supreme Court rejects Davis appeal.
May 2011 - Amnesty International and People of Faith Against the Death Penalty send out a call for signatures on a new petition calling for the commutation of Davis' execution.
September 17, 2011 - More than 600,000 signatures are presented to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles on petitions asking for clemency.
September 19, 2011 - Clemency hearing before the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles.
September 20, 2011 - Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles denies clemency for Davis. Statements from politicians and others decry the board's decision. Georgia state senator Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) calls for a general strike by staffers at the prison where the execution is scheduled.
September 21, 2011 - Scheduled execution date, at 7 p.m., at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Ga.
Obviously this case raises a lot of questions regarding race, injustice, and whether the right guy was executed. No matter what side of the isle you are on, it is important to remember what happened to Troy Davis and that his story is one for the history books.
I wanted to do a timeline of the case and post videos at the end of his execution.
The timeline is provided by 11 Alive News in Atlanta.
August 19, 1989 - Off-duty Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail was shot and killed when intervening in an argument between two men in a parking lot near a restaurant where he worked as a security guard.
August 23, 1989 - One of the men in the altercation, Sylvester "Redd" Coles went to Savannah police and implicated Davis in the shooting, resulting in the arrest of Davis.
August 1991 - In Davis' murder trial, a number of witnesses came forward and said they had seen Davis shoot Officer MacPhail, while two other people said Davis confessed to killing MacPhail. No murder weapon was located, and no other physical evidence connected Davis to the murder.
August 30, 1991 - Davis was convicted in MacPhail's murder and sentenced to death.
2000 - Davis challenged use of Georgia's electric chair for executions in Georgia, saying it constituted cruel and unusual punishment.
July 17, 2007 - First scheduled execution date. Execution was stayed after appeals from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pope Benedict XVI, Harry Belafonte, Amnesty International and the European Parliament.
September 2008 - Second scheduled execution date. Execution was stayed after statements from Amnesty International, Rev. Al Sharpton, former GOP Congressman Bob Barr and former President Jimmy Carter.
A last minute stay by the US Supreme Court was issued two hours before Davis was set to be executed, permitting the high court to determine whether on not to hear the case.
October 27, 2008 - Scheduled execution date. Execution was stayed by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in order to consider a newly-filed federal petition. A petition with 140,000 signatures was presented to the state Board of Pardons and Paroles. An appeal also came from the European Union.
August 17, 2009 - US Supreme Court orders federal district court to consider if new evidence that could not have been easily obtained at the time of the initial trial could establish Davis' innocence.
June 2010 - Evidentiary hearing before federal district court; a number of prosecution witnesses recant their testimony. Some witnesses describe what they called police coercion in the case. At least one other witness says Coles confessed to the shooting. That evidence was not permitted to be entered since Coles did not have the opportunity to rebut it.
August 2010 - Federal district court upholds conviction.
March 2011 - US Supreme Court rejects Davis appeal.
May 2011 - Amnesty International and People of Faith Against the Death Penalty send out a call for signatures on a new petition calling for the commutation of Davis' execution.
September 17, 2011 - More than 600,000 signatures are presented to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles on petitions asking for clemency.
September 19, 2011 - Clemency hearing before the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles.
September 20, 2011 - Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles denies clemency for Davis. Statements from politicians and others decry the board's decision. Georgia state senator Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) calls for a general strike by staffers at the prison where the execution is scheduled.
September 21, 2011 - Scheduled execution date, at 7 p.m., at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Ga.
Obviously this case raises a lot of questions regarding race, injustice, and whether the right guy was executed. No matter what side of the isle you are on, it is important to remember what happened to Troy Davis and that his story is one for the history books.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Students volunteer Labor Day weekend
One of my assignments in my News Writing and Reporting class is to write three articles for our school's newspaper . To give you a little background about myself, I was a news reporter second semester of my freshman (2009) year. During that time, I was learning how to put together a news story. My news editor, Luke Farmer would call Tuesday nights and ask me to correct and clarify aspects of my article. Though, it was frustrating at times, I learned a lot.
Then my sophomore year, I was news editor and I was helping writers edit their articles. And boy that was challenging! But during that process, my writing became better and I am thankful for the opportunity.
Lastly, my junior (first semester), I spent in D.C., but I blogged for the magazine I was interning for. When I came back to Armstrong my second semester, I took a break from the paper and just focused on school. So when my teacher told the class that part of our grade was writing for the newspaper, I was scared because I had not written in a while. And I kept wondering if I would remember everything I learned from when I wrote and edited for the paper.
So I called Reese and he gave my a story. The story was Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity volunteering at animal control Labor Day weekend. Though it was a simple story, I was scared of writing the article. Scared about getting back into the swing of writing. But once I had my interviews, I felt more and more confident as the story started to come together.
The event took place on Saturday and there is a 24-hour turnaround when writing events. So I began writing Saturday night, but did not like where the story was heading. So I let it sit overnight. In my journalism class, we learned about alternative leads. So for this piece, since is was not a hard news piece, I wanted to try an alternative lead out.
This is what I came up:
It began as an individual community service project for Garrett Austin, a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Every Friday and Saturday, Austin volunteered at Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department's Animal Control right behind the Humane Society for Greater Savannah on Sallie Mood Drive.
Since Garrett Austin was the organizer, I knew he would give me my story. I thought it was interesting how it started off as volunteering he did on his own and then once he became a part of this fraternity, he brought the idea to other members. Once I was able to write a lead I was satisfied with, I was able to develop the rest of the story. The whole story was 600 words and I was able to add a side bar.
After turning it in, I was nervous. I was nervous that I was going to have to change things or the quotes did not make sense. I had a million thoughts running through my head. But when I saw it in the paper, I noticed the article was not changed. Maybe a few things here and there, but for the most part it was the story I wrote. I was really excited and am looking forward to writing another article.
Here is my story:
http://www.theinkwellonline.com/news/students-volunteer-for-labor-day-weekend-1.2579755
Here is the story I wrote during Labor Day weekend.
Students volunteer Labor Day weekend
By Carmen Singleton
Staff Reporter
It began as an individual community service project for Garrett Austin, a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Every Friday and Saturday, Austin volunteered at Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Animal Control Police Department (SCMACPD) right behind the Humane Society.
When Austin arrived at Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) in the fall of 2010, he joined Pi Kappa Alpha; once a member, he explained his community service to other members and it was approved as a fraternity event.
“This is something I had started; trying to get Greek students and non-Greek students to give back to the community. I invited Greeks from Savannah State, so Armstrong and Savannah State could do something together,” Austin said.
At least 30 students came out to the event last semester; this time, though the number was not as big, students still wanted to give back to their community.
Max Everett, a freshman and pledge, said he came to support the community and to meet new people.
“Cleaning up the kennel, it’s something different. I love animals and thought this would be a neat experience to give back to the community,” Everett said.
Anthony Chimwala, junior from Savannah State and member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity said this was his second time volunteering with AASU and wanted to help the animals in whichever way he could.
Once the students arrived at SCMAPD, Mrs. Diane Abolt, volunteer director greeted them with an orientation and tour of the building.
She told everyone the dos and don’ts of volunteering and how crucial it was to have volunteers, because they are very understaffed.
“Volunteer hours are worth $21 an hour,” Abolt said.
The facility has 116 kennels for dogs and they average about 130 dogs each day.
“By law we only have to keep the dogs for five days. After that, the dogs can be euthanized. The sad part of this is putting a dog down,” Abolt said.
However, she said they try to keep the dogs much longer by opening cages up for adoptions and rescue groups.
“We are very thorough when doing an adoption. The animal must be up-to-date on shots, spade or neutered. If the family has another animal or small child, they must bring them in for a meet and greet. And if living in an apartment, they must show us proof that they can have an animal,” Abolt said.
She also said they do not charge rescue groups, but groups must prove that they are a rescue group, through their 501(c)(3) papers, which states if a group is a non-profit organization. Groups must also have their Department of Agriculture License (AG), which allows groups to take care of animals. Lastly, she said groups must have up-to-date vet records before they give away any animal.
After orientation and the tour, students went right to work. Some students scooped up poop; others rinsed and scrubbed the animal’s pins and others walked and played with some of the dogs.
After the students were done, Abolt passed out t-shirts to all the volunteers to show appreciation for their work.
“I want volunteers to realize how valuable volunteering is; to help something less fortunate. When an animal trust you it trust you totally. You are the animals advocate,” Abolt said.
Austin said the event was a success and would like to volunteer each semester.
“You should give back. Whenever you do stuff together, it builds bonds. I want each semester to have a bigger turnout,” Austin said.
Break-Out Box, if you want.
Animal Control has a donation wish list.
1. Card board carriers for cats
2. News Paper
3. Flea Medications
4. Heartworm Prevention
5. Pill Poppers
6. Large and Small carriers to use for evacuation purposes
7. Puppy and kitten replacement formula
8. Blankets/Towels/Rags
9. Paper Towels
10. Donation’s to Veterinary Hospital for treatments
Then my sophomore year, I was news editor and I was helping writers edit their articles. And boy that was challenging! But during that process, my writing became better and I am thankful for the opportunity.
Lastly, my junior (first semester), I spent in D.C., but I blogged for the magazine I was interning for. When I came back to Armstrong my second semester, I took a break from the paper and just focused on school. So when my teacher told the class that part of our grade was writing for the newspaper, I was scared because I had not written in a while. And I kept wondering if I would remember everything I learned from when I wrote and edited for the paper.
So I called Reese and he gave my a story. The story was Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity volunteering at animal control Labor Day weekend. Though it was a simple story, I was scared of writing the article. Scared about getting back into the swing of writing. But once I had my interviews, I felt more and more confident as the story started to come together.
The event took place on Saturday and there is a 24-hour turnaround when writing events. So I began writing Saturday night, but did not like where the story was heading. So I let it sit overnight. In my journalism class, we learned about alternative leads. So for this piece, since is was not a hard news piece, I wanted to try an alternative lead out.
This is what I came up:
It began as an individual community service project for Garrett Austin, a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Every Friday and Saturday, Austin volunteered at Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department's Animal Control right behind the Humane Society for Greater Savannah on Sallie Mood Drive.
Since Garrett Austin was the organizer, I knew he would give me my story. I thought it was interesting how it started off as volunteering he did on his own and then once he became a part of this fraternity, he brought the idea to other members. Once I was able to write a lead I was satisfied with, I was able to develop the rest of the story. The whole story was 600 words and I was able to add a side bar.
After turning it in, I was nervous. I was nervous that I was going to have to change things or the quotes did not make sense. I had a million thoughts running through my head. But when I saw it in the paper, I noticed the article was not changed. Maybe a few things here and there, but for the most part it was the story I wrote. I was really excited and am looking forward to writing another article.
Here is my story:
http://www.theinkwellonline.com/news/students-volunteer-for-labor-day-weekend-1.2579755
Here is the story I wrote during Labor Day weekend.
Students volunteer Labor Day weekend
By Carmen Singleton
Staff Reporter
It began as an individual community service project for Garrett Austin, a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Every Friday and Saturday, Austin volunteered at Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Animal Control Police Department (SCMACPD) right behind the Humane Society.
When Austin arrived at Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) in the fall of 2010, he joined Pi Kappa Alpha; once a member, he explained his community service to other members and it was approved as a fraternity event.
“This is something I had started; trying to get Greek students and non-Greek students to give back to the community. I invited Greeks from Savannah State, so Armstrong and Savannah State could do something together,” Austin said.
At least 30 students came out to the event last semester; this time, though the number was not as big, students still wanted to give back to their community.
Max Everett, a freshman and pledge, said he came to support the community and to meet new people.
“Cleaning up the kennel, it’s something different. I love animals and thought this would be a neat experience to give back to the community,” Everett said.
Anthony Chimwala, junior from Savannah State and member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity said this was his second time volunteering with AASU and wanted to help the animals in whichever way he could.
Once the students arrived at SCMAPD, Mrs. Diane Abolt, volunteer director greeted them with an orientation and tour of the building.
She told everyone the dos and don’ts of volunteering and how crucial it was to have volunteers, because they are very understaffed.
“Volunteer hours are worth $21 an hour,” Abolt said.
The facility has 116 kennels for dogs and they average about 130 dogs each day.
“By law we only have to keep the dogs for five days. After that, the dogs can be euthanized. The sad part of this is putting a dog down,” Abolt said.
However, she said they try to keep the dogs much longer by opening cages up for adoptions and rescue groups.
“We are very thorough when doing an adoption. The animal must be up-to-date on shots, spade or neutered. If the family has another animal or small child, they must bring them in for a meet and greet. And if living in an apartment, they must show us proof that they can have an animal,” Abolt said.
She also said they do not charge rescue groups, but groups must prove that they are a rescue group, through their 501(c)(3) papers, which states if a group is a non-profit organization. Groups must also have their Department of Agriculture License (AG), which allows groups to take care of animals. Lastly, she said groups must have up-to-date vet records before they give away any animal.
After orientation and the tour, students went right to work. Some students scooped up poop; others rinsed and scrubbed the animal’s pins and others walked and played with some of the dogs.
After the students were done, Abolt passed out t-shirts to all the volunteers to show appreciation for their work.
“I want volunteers to realize how valuable volunteering is; to help something less fortunate. When an animal trust you it trust you totally. You are the animals advocate,” Abolt said.
Austin said the event was a success and would like to volunteer each semester.
“You should give back. Whenever you do stuff together, it builds bonds. I want each semester to have a bigger turnout,” Austin said.
Break-Out Box, if you want.
Animal Control has a donation wish list.
1. Card board carriers for cats
2. News Paper
3. Flea Medications
4. Heartworm Prevention
5. Pill Poppers
6. Large and Small carriers to use for evacuation purposes
7. Puppy and kitten replacement formula
8. Blankets/Towels/Rags
9. Paper Towels
10. Donation’s to Veterinary Hospital for treatments
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Commemorating 9/11
Today is the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I remember I was in sixth grade, between 3rd and 4th period when my teacher was asked to turn on the news. New York was in utter chaos. I remember I was confused, but not angry. Who on earth would do such a thing, especially harming and killing innocent lives. I cannot believe 10 years have passed.
Last semester, when I was in D.C., I had a chance to visit the Newseum, a museum dedicated to journalism. They had two exhibits, the Hurricane Katrina exhibit and the 9/11 exhibit. Both exhibits were hard to go through. To see people in such pain, brought tears to my eyes.
So today as I was watching the football game, I noticed all the commercials that were a tribute to 9/11 and I wanted to post these commercials on my blog. I want to take sometime to remember all those who lost their lives on that tragic day. So Enjoy!
Last semester, when I was in D.C., I had a chance to visit the Newseum, a museum dedicated to journalism. They had two exhibits, the Hurricane Katrina exhibit and the 9/11 exhibit. Both exhibits were hard to go through. To see people in such pain, brought tears to my eyes.
So today as I was watching the football game, I noticed all the commercials that were a tribute to 9/11 and I wanted to post these commercials on my blog. I want to take sometime to remember all those who lost their lives on that tragic day. So Enjoy!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
You TwitFace!
A few weeks ago in my Intro to Communications class, we had to post on Vista a term that has become our reality. My term was Social Networking. I discussed how it started with Myspace, then moved to Facebook, and now Twitter. Not only has social networking changed the game as far as our personal lives are concerned, but also how we receive and find information.
Though I am not a member of Twitter, I do enjoy reading about my favorite celebs and not to mention, I do have a bunch of friends who use twitter and are twitter addicts.
I have not decided if I wanted to join the trend, but I did give it a shot for blogging purposes.
Twitter, like Facebook is a free service and is a mixture of micro-blogging and social networking. It allows people to generate more traffic for their blog, website, and/or news-site, by posting links, opinions, or snippets of whatever information they want traffic for. However, there is a 140 character limit, so you need keep your messages brief and to the point.
Twitter has two major components. You can add "followers" and follow other people as well. They will receive your updates and you will receive theirs.
Tweeting is similar to news writing because you have to gain your follower's attention quickly, or they will "unfollow" you. Just like in a news article, you need to engage the readers quickly, or they will stop reading.
Also, since twitter allows for opinions, unlike a news story, this is a chance for readers to get to know the person behind the story. You can make an account that represents you or your publication.
And another concept is since Twitter is fast paced, people can reply to your article or statement as soon as you put it out there. This allows for constant discussions about whatever the issue is. And if your followers like a statement or article they will "re-tweet" it, almost like re-posting something so others can read it as well.
Lastly, since you are following other people, you also can join in on their conversations.
After taking the time to experience Twitter, I can see how news reporters and publications use this site. Reporters can use this site to engage readers on stories as they happen. Also, reporters can now talk to their readers and receive instant feedback.
Twitter fits the 24 hour news cycle because reporters can constantly update readers about breaking news or just news stories in general; therefore, it will be interesting to see if twitter is here to stay or will there be another site better than twitter.
Sites used:
www.twitter.com
http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-use-twitter
Though I am not a member of Twitter, I do enjoy reading about my favorite celebs and not to mention, I do have a bunch of friends who use twitter and are twitter addicts.
I have not decided if I wanted to join the trend, but I did give it a shot for blogging purposes.
Twitter, like Facebook is a free service and is a mixture of micro-blogging and social networking. It allows people to generate more traffic for their blog, website, and/or news-site, by posting links, opinions, or snippets of whatever information they want traffic for. However, there is a 140 character limit, so you need keep your messages brief and to the point.
Twitter has two major components. You can add "followers" and follow other people as well. They will receive your updates and you will receive theirs.
Tweeting is similar to news writing because you have to gain your follower's attention quickly, or they will "unfollow" you. Just like in a news article, you need to engage the readers quickly, or they will stop reading.
Also, since twitter allows for opinions, unlike a news story, this is a chance for readers to get to know the person behind the story. You can make an account that represents you or your publication.
And another concept is since Twitter is fast paced, people can reply to your article or statement as soon as you put it out there. This allows for constant discussions about whatever the issue is. And if your followers like a statement or article they will "re-tweet" it, almost like re-posting something so others can read it as well.
Lastly, since you are following other people, you also can join in on their conversations.
After taking the time to experience Twitter, I can see how news reporters and publications use this site. Reporters can use this site to engage readers on stories as they happen. Also, reporters can now talk to their readers and receive instant feedback.
Twitter fits the 24 hour news cycle because reporters can constantly update readers about breaking news or just news stories in general; therefore, it will be interesting to see if twitter is here to stay or will there be another site better than twitter.
Sites used:
www.twitter.com
http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-use-twitter
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Not your typical news story
One of our assignments for my News Writing and Reporting class is to read best newspaper writing by The Poynter Institute for Media Studies. The book is a collection of news stories from around the nation. What is different about these stories is that they don't follow the inverted pyramid scheme; instead, they are unique feature stories who leads are wrapped in different parts of the articles in order to draw readers in.
One story in particular is called "Boys Hidden in Plain Sight," by Todd C. Frankel in St. Louis. The article reminds me of a Criminal Minds episode, where Michael J. Delvin, a 41-year old pizza parlor manager kidnapped two boys four years apart and were kept in an apartment, Apartment D.
A typical lead, a lead that follows the inverted pyramid would state the who, what, where, when and why in the first two paragraphs of the article; instead, Frankel begins with the where and spends about two paragraphs describing this apartment and how it stood out.
He writes, "Apartment D, the one that held two kidnapped boys, sits on the ground floor of a two-story brick building. Seven identical buildings surround it. The '60-era complex has no name. The only distinguishing detail is the color of the doors: one building has black, another green, then white. And orange. Apartment D has an orange door."
Once the you've read the first two paragraphs, you instantly want to know more. Like who lives in this apartment, why this apartment, what is the apartment's significance, etc. Next, Frankel reports on Delvin's personality; however, the reader still does not know Delvin's name until the 9th paragraph of the article. By not giving the reader all the information at once, the reader is more likely to read the story than read the first few paragraphs then put the story down.
Another interesting point about the article is instead of writing a story about a man who kidnapped two boys suburban neighborhood, the reporter took the angle how these boys were hidden in plain sight and nobody suspected a thing.
The father of one of the boys said, "It goes back to everybody minding their own business, not wanting to get involved, not paying attention and putting their blinders on and worrying about themselves and themselves only."
Another person who knew Delvin from a distance said that you never think it is going to happen in your neighborhood. A typical line used in investigative reporting
The story is full of quotes from on-lookers, people who lived in the neighborhood. By using these on-lookers, it gives the story a little bit more meat than just talking to the families of the victims and possibly to the two boys.
When I first started reporting for my schools newspaper, I learned the inverted pyramid, especially since I wrote for the news section. After reading the stories in this book, stories I will probably critique later on in future blogs, I have learned alternative ways to report news stories. One of our assignments for class is to write three stories for our school's paper and I am excited to see how can use some of the techniques in this book and apply them to my own stories.
One story in particular is called "Boys Hidden in Plain Sight," by Todd C. Frankel in St. Louis. The article reminds me of a Criminal Minds episode, where Michael J. Delvin, a 41-year old pizza parlor manager kidnapped two boys four years apart and were kept in an apartment, Apartment D.
A typical lead, a lead that follows the inverted pyramid would state the who, what, where, when and why in the first two paragraphs of the article; instead, Frankel begins with the where and spends about two paragraphs describing this apartment and how it stood out.
He writes, "Apartment D, the one that held two kidnapped boys, sits on the ground floor of a two-story brick building. Seven identical buildings surround it. The '60-era complex has no name. The only distinguishing detail is the color of the doors: one building has black, another green, then white. And orange. Apartment D has an orange door."
Once the you've read the first two paragraphs, you instantly want to know more. Like who lives in this apartment, why this apartment, what is the apartment's significance, etc. Next, Frankel reports on Delvin's personality; however, the reader still does not know Delvin's name until the 9th paragraph of the article. By not giving the reader all the information at once, the reader is more likely to read the story than read the first few paragraphs then put the story down.
Another interesting point about the article is instead of writing a story about a man who kidnapped two boys suburban neighborhood, the reporter took the angle how these boys were hidden in plain sight and nobody suspected a thing.
The father of one of the boys said, "It goes back to everybody minding their own business, not wanting to get involved, not paying attention and putting their blinders on and worrying about themselves and themselves only."
Another person who knew Delvin from a distance said that you never think it is going to happen in your neighborhood. A typical line used in investigative reporting
The story is full of quotes from on-lookers, people who lived in the neighborhood. By using these on-lookers, it gives the story a little bit more meat than just talking to the families of the victims and possibly to the two boys.
When I first started reporting for my schools newspaper, I learned the inverted pyramid, especially since I wrote for the news section. After reading the stories in this book, stories I will probably critique later on in future blogs, I have learned alternative ways to report news stories. One of our assignments for class is to write three stories for our school's paper and I am excited to see how can use some of the techniques in this book and apply them to my own stories.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
That will be $3, please.
Everyday before starting their morning, my parents watch the news. Sometimes debating each other about what was just said or yelling at the T.V. about what was just said. I am sure this does not sound unusual, because I am sure a lot of people like to know what is going on in the world around them. After all, news is something that can bring people closer because it is how people receive their information, good or bad.
Well about a week or so ago, my parents hear that starting in October the bank Wells Fargo will start charging its customers a $3 fee in order to use their debit card. Though neither of my parents are with Wells Fargo, they are concerned, mostly my dad, that Bank of America will follow suit My mom other hand is with the Credit Union and says that they are usually the last to start anything.
According to News Press, Wells Fargo will test the fee in five states: Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington; however, the reason why these states were chosen is unknown, for now.
Though this fee is usual, Wells Fargo is not the first major bank to test whether customers will be willing to pay to use their debit cards. Chase last year began testing $3 monthly debit card fee in northern Wisconsin.
The article also reports that the industry's experimentation with fees partly in response to a new regulation that will the reduce the revenue that banks collect on checking accounts.
Unfortunately, this test comes at a time when writing checks are obsolete and debit cards are king.
An Associated Press Poll in June found that about two-thirds of consumers use debit cards more frequently than credit cards, i.e. me, a college student who does not even own a credit card, but do use my debit card quite often. The study also asked how they would react to the added fee, 61 percent said that they would find another way to pay.
The whole point of the debit card is to prevent people from carrying large sums of cash around. No one wants to go to the bank and take out large amounts of money, especially when they are out and are unsure of how much money that will spend during their outing. It will be interesting to see how people's spending habits change if this new fee becomes permanent.
Articles:
http://www.news-press.com/article/20110821/BUSINESS/110821007/Wells-Fargo-test-3-fee-debit-card-use-five-states?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com/pdf/AP-GfK%20Poll%20June%202011%20FULL%20Topline_CL%20and%20DC.pdf
Well about a week or so ago, my parents hear that starting in October the bank Wells Fargo will start charging its customers a $3 fee in order to use their debit card. Though neither of my parents are with Wells Fargo, they are concerned, mostly my dad, that Bank of America will follow suit My mom other hand is with the Credit Union and says that they are usually the last to start anything.
According to News Press, Wells Fargo will test the fee in five states: Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington; however, the reason why these states were chosen is unknown, for now.
Though this fee is usual, Wells Fargo is not the first major bank to test whether customers will be willing to pay to use their debit cards. Chase last year began testing $3 monthly debit card fee in northern Wisconsin.
The article also reports that the industry's experimentation with fees partly in response to a new regulation that will the reduce the revenue that banks collect on checking accounts.
Unfortunately, this test comes at a time when writing checks are obsolete and debit cards are king.
An Associated Press Poll in June found that about two-thirds of consumers use debit cards more frequently than credit cards, i.e. me, a college student who does not even own a credit card, but do use my debit card quite often. The study also asked how they would react to the added fee, 61 percent said that they would find another way to pay.
The whole point of the debit card is to prevent people from carrying large sums of cash around. No one wants to go to the bank and take out large amounts of money, especially when they are out and are unsure of how much money that will spend during their outing. It will be interesting to see how people's spending habits change if this new fee becomes permanent.
Articles:
http://www.news-press.com/article/20110821/BUSINESS/110821007/Wells-Fargo-test-3-fee-debit-card-use-five-states?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com/pdf/AP-GfK%20Poll%20June%202011%20FULL%20Topline_CL%20and%20DC.pdf
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