Final reflection for JNAL 5002

This course has made me open my eyes to the many different avenues that people choose to consume media. And how creating and identifying these pathways is the future of journalism. As much as I’d like to be writing a column for a daily print newspaper the fact is, we can’t say if those types of papers will even be around in 20 years. This courses most valuable lesson for me was, adaptability will be the future of journalism and being able to adapt new pipelines for news consumers.

I think to meet these challenges that being able to identify the audience you are reaching becomes even more important. The other challenge journalists face today are the creation of news deserts and lack of trust in the media.

The only way to face these challenges is head on by letting your reporting and work speak for itself there will always misinformation and disinformation, being a reporter in the 2020’s you must be able to navigate through the false sea and get the facts. And this course helped us gain the tools to challenge misinformation and disinformation.  

Personal thoughts of the themes in Emerging Technologies

The disappearance of local news outlets is creating news deserts that leave local government mostly unchecked. As a journalism student this is worrisome because this means there is less opportunity and rampant spending in local municipalities.  

Facebook and google have become media giants but are not media outlets, they have taken over the space while they create absolutely no content. Its unsettling to think I could work months on a project just to become a google box and therefore no one actually sees the full piece because they have just read the blurb on google or the caption on Facebook.   

Journalists need to identify their audience while staying away from creating a single persona that dominates the vision of who they write pieces for. I think this is the key to battling the two points above, if you can identify an audience in which there is a need then the audience you are serving will be able to cut through google and Facebook and the writer will be able to engage with their audience.

Story Telling Two Ways Part 1

Nelson High School Walk Out

Story Telling Two Ways Part 2

Enhanced online formatting

Walk Outs at Ontario High Schools

Locations of the high schools in Ontario that have participated in a walk out this school year. Take a look at the unique situations of each walkout below. Do Ontario high schools need to strengthen their sexual assault and violence protocols?

Waterdown District High School

The students at WDHS staged a walk out in early October 2021. The walk out was in response to the the principal of the school reminding students of the dress code on the morning announcements just days after a reported sexual assault.

In a statement on the schools website Principal Theresa Sgambota had to walk back the announcement, “We regret the timing of today’s morning announcement about appropriate dress at school. The timing of the announcement was insensitive to the ongoing concerns about sexual assault. We are sorry and wish to apologize to anyone who interpreted this announcement as being unsupportive of victims of sexual assault or abuse. We vigorously denounce victim blaming. Sexual assault has nothing to do with what someone wears,” she said.

Applewood Heights and Cawthra Park

The students at these schools staged a walk out in early November 2021. The Peel District students walked out together in solidarity. They felt that allegations of sexual assault are being dismissed by schools and the school board.

Nelson High School

Students at Nelson High School walked out in late November 2021. The students were upset with school administrators referred to allegations of sexual assault against a student as, “rumours.” The letter to families of Nelson said, “we’ve become aware of the rumours circulating on social media and in the community about a sexual assault involving Nelson students.”

Kai Ruhl a grade 11 student at Nelson High School, said, “schools should understand that it’s, unfortunately, going to be a part of people’s high school experience, sexual assault, it’s not uncommon.” Adding, “acknowledgement is the key right now because so many schools want to deny this is happening,” they said.