1984 George Orwell- a perfect brainwash in totalitarian world of lies

Orwell started an era of New Journalism, following the time of French Marxists, writers attempted deconstruction of narrative novels in order to find hidden meaning in all texts, but logically thinking, there is no such thing in some books and trying to see something that is not there would be simply over-reading it. Structuralism fought its way through, within the above idea of hidden symbols and disconnected language from the speech- meaning was separated from the form.

1980s was taken over by Totalitarian regime, fascism and Stalinism, brought times of deconstructing language, looking into atoms of meaning in words, fundamental building blocks of meaning and study of logic. “There is no logical structure in logic”, within philosophy there was nothing to be said.
George was a disillusioned socialist who became bitterly anti-communist, spreading how the idea of communism became corrupted. He was writing after Freud (sexual league). In 1984 pornography was spreading but no one was allowed to have sex. The key was an idea of “speech acts” in promoting linguistic philosophy in English tradition of Bertrand Russell, in the way, the pseudo scientific theories of Sigmund Freud. Winston, main character in the novel works for the party removing articles from the archive which contradict the current line on the party.

The book describes how the main character Winston Smith falls in love in Julia who hands him a note “I LOVE YOU”. They “commit a crime” of having sex. Winston is accused of making love to a spy in a house that he rents from a spy as well as keeping a journal of negative opinions about the Party and Big Brother. When “Inner party leader O’Brien believes that the Brotherhood have communicated with him. O’Brien gives Winston a copy of the latest edition of Newspeak dictionary, which was actually the book “ The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism said to be written by Emmanuel Goldstein, leader of the Brotherhood which uncovers the perpetual war and the slogans.”

His actions lead to being caught and questioned in room 101. Philosophy of empiricists reflects in the scene of torture in room 101, thought takes place in purely linguistic terms when the idea of controlling the language forces control over the thought and therefore mind control is possible through the manipulation of the language (3 or 4 fingers dilemma) Being captured my Ministry of Love for interrogation, and Charrington, the shop keeper who rented the room to them comes out to be an officer in the Thought Police. After prolonged beatings and psychologically draining torture by O’Brien, it is explained to Winston that “There is learning, there is understanding, and there is acceptance” of the party’s reality; afterwards Winston is killed.
In USSR experiments with “linguistic reform” awaken thoughts on this utopian idea to ban words for racial difference and abolish racism. It resulted in horrible, ugly distortion into Communism affecting speech, creating controlled jargon, clichés, ritual phrases and slogans leading to invention a language designated to PREVENT THOUGHT. Ministry of Love organises police, Ministry of War is called Ministry of Defence despite politically changed name the role of these departments stayed the same. The project in 1984 was to reduce language vocabulary to few abstract euphemisms. They cut out all the words of passive opposition to the regime. You couldn’t say for example, “I am against the government” because these words have been obligated.

1. ‘Ingsoc’ (English socialism during the civil war with which the Party assumed power)
2. ‘Newspeak’ (all euphemisms)
3. Big Brother is watching you (pushing an effect of being constantly monitored)
4. Language is corrupted (War is peace, freedom is slavery, poverty is plenty, ignorance is strength)

1984 was a novel that described the regime of the party and an oligarchical collectivis society where life in the Oceanian province of Airstrip One, world of perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance, public mind control, and avoiding of citizens’ rights.

George always looked with fresh eyes and was not taken in by idea of “double think”.
Orwell worked on his novels in Spain where communism was responded to with resistance, he got shot after being called “objectively fascist”.

Inspiration:
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (movie and book)
Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III , weeks 9 and 10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck- the story of The Great Depression in 1930s

John Steinbeck was a journalist of a great style. The adventure with The Grapes of Wrath started of writing 6 articles that inspired John along with famous pictures of Northern Americans struggling in time of Great Depression in 1929. "In reality, farmers had been in a deep economic slump since about 1920, compounded by the environmental disaster of the Dust Bowl in 1934 and the social tragedy of the Okies' immigration to California." Cotton fields that were so profitable for the farmers led to exploitation of the fields and there was nothing else left but dust storms and people were without work. Market was overloaded and in 1929 it fell and 16mln shares had to change their chains, and cut on spending. Banks were giving credits in high rates of interest, and having workers without jobs people had to start drastic saving. Even middle class people who were used to looking down on working class people, faced bankruptcy.

Homelessness was spreading and dust storms took over the farms. Having no money ‘Hooverville people’ (from president Hoover) had to give away their lands to the banks. 3000 people went West hoping for the better future which reflected a romantic vision of route 66 leading to California, which was a highway that was built in 1926 especially for the year of the depression. Californian’s benefited from high numbers of workers as they could keep the masses of cheap workers filling the market.

The controversial plot and anti-capitalist character of the novel caused numerous protests and even prohibiting of distribution of the book in some schools and libraries in the United States. In research for the book Steinbeck went to California with the workers and lived amongst them to get the feeling of what was it like to be ‘Okies’ and be forced to live in such minimalistic conditions as the migrants did. There was a lot of criticism also because Steinbeck made his wealth on the book and was accused of using the workers to become rich. On the other hand his book was seen as an effective propaganda written in a journalistic style, fact reporting piece. He was a journalist who was trying to make a difference and turned himself into a creative and empathetic author and therefore, he could have an angle and engage people’s feelings or even work readers’ reaction to make them act on what they read. And so he was fully entitled to be pro-migration, anti-fascist left wing propagandist.
In chapter 3 author uses prophetic allegory, when the journey of the family has descriptions in between events trying to say it’s not only one family’s problem but it’s an issue touching the whole society. Also, on the example of Wilsons, in the book as well as in the movie Steinbeck shows that there will be always help from poor people and that family is the key and that mothers keep them together.

The novel describes an incredibly visual and realistic story of an American family, sharecroppers, that was forced to leave Oklahoma because of the Great Depression that caused an incredibly difficult economic situation in the country. The action goes on in America and shows the problems of people living in Southern part of the United States that led to a mass migration towards California.
The novel focuses on the community and shows struggles of Northern American farmers who were brutally exploited in 1920 and 1930. Steinbeck made the book as visual and rich in descriptions as possible to be able to share his visual experiences with his readers. He waned to show his journalistic vision on problem of migration. He aimed to cause a reaction, awake anger, rise awareness and bring empathy to his reader hoping that after reading it something will be done about it. He tried to engage the reader with people’s loss, in America loosing a land is like loosing dignity. The author believed that there was a bond between the land and people (17 century philosopher, Locke had an idea that everyone has natural rights).

American’s constitution followed Locke’s idea and created a right to own a property and right to fight for that property, and these two were the key to the American dream. Grapes of Wrath describes how people tried to refuse to have their properties taken away as that was like a part of American’s DNA to owe the land. The book is made of three parts, and has a direct reference to a biblical journey of Egyptians to their promised land (Revelations) ‘we are the people of the promised land’, symbolically, Jim Casy a former preacher who lost his faith after committing fornication with willing members of his church, is identified with Jesus Christ(also his initials JC), and from his perception that religion has no solace or answer for the difficulties the people are experiencing (‘They don’t know what you are doing’said by Jesus Christ after being crucified).

The book won a Pulitzer prise in 1940s and Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962, and also a movie was created based on the novel.


Inspiration:
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinback (book and film)
Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III, Lecture from week 7 and 8
http://www.uam.ucsb.edu/Pages/trevey/representing-america/represent.html

Winchester News Online week 6- Hero Student rescues pensioner from fire

Student risks life to save pensioner from blaze - made air and front page story for the website! FOURTH LIVE EDITION of WINOL

Story 6, Semester week 11 (7th December)



This week was not only my personal big success but also the best so far edition of WINOL. I brought quite a few ideas to the newsroom this Monday. I chased papers over the weekend and I found that at Southampton University there was a sex offender, University’s stalker, I searched into it and I received an email confirming that he has stalked one person in Southampton University’s area and is of no danger for Winchester University for now, the investigation only just started and I was advised that it would not be resolved as of this week yet. Another story that I researched was a Winchester Community’s Choir concert that was going to take place on Tuesday evening. I got permission for filming, behind the stage entrance and arranged interviews with producer and was allowed to interview singers. I thought of it as a good 'and finally story'.

Our editor suggested I investigated the outcomes of The Silent students Happy Homes campaign. I researched it and interviewed the SU president Jimmy who took part in the campaign and tried arranging video interview with Tommy Geddes, deputy v-ce councillor of the University of Winchester but he was not available for interview in the next few days. I also tried reaching PC Emma Port, who is part of the Safer Neighbourhood Team, which was also involved in the campaign to reach opinion from police side and was awaiting the reply from her. I decided to film “backs of the heads, out of focus images of drunk students going back from clubbing at 2am. I was determined to stay up and film it for my cut-a-ways and fillers for the story.

While I was waiting for 2am to come I received a phone call around 11pm from one of my colleagues that there was a fire in Stanmore next to his house. I took my camera and managed to get to the place and filmed a burnt house and found out that our university student helped in saving life of his neighbour pensioner. I spoke to a police officer on the place and he said that the cause of fire was still under investigation and no one from the fire brigade wanted to give me video interview so I managed to get visual footage and name of our hero student. I still filmed the images of drunk students just in case my footage of the burnt house didn’t come out well. Next morning one of the fellow reporters, Kaileigh managed to arrange an interview with our hero Edward Herbert from year 3, heritage management course. My footage was fairly good I was missing and active shots, opening shots of our hero as I only had time to film his interview.

After I had filmed the interview with Edward I went to film Maddeline’s story with her. We attended a memorial for our international student who died in a car accident just a week earlier. It was one of the worst experiences I have ever had. An hour of filming a chaplaincy full of grieving people after a young and talented Chinese students. Her parents came over all the way from China to pick up her body. As my family does not live in this country it was even worse imagining that if something like that happened to me my parents wouldn’t even be here but could only pick up my body. Mixture of strong emotions was going through our minds and while our eyes were full of tears we were still trying to remember that we were there to fulfil a duty as reporters. It was incredibly hard for me to focus on filming, thinking about angles, colours and framing while tears were flooding my eyes, sadness and pain of reality of being foreign and not being able to see my family. And empathy with the parents of the dead girl… all that was going through my mind but then a cold reserved determination came, desire to achieve goals in my life and realise how far I have gone, made me stay there and deliver a story that was in fact very personal and brought up my biggest weaknesses and thoughts of dying in foreign country and not being able to say the last words to my beloved … or not being there for them when they die…

I knew what I was going for when applying for journalism and experiences like that will be a big part of the profession; I will have to learn how to build an emotional barrier when death or cruelty is involved in the story. Keeping cold blood and not letting emotions to take over, despite how personal or emotional things will get- I will need to remember that it is my job and I am fulfilling my duty as journalist no matter how hard it will get. I would like to do it with passion and perfection to fulfil my ambition.

After the memorial I decided to cancel filming of the concert, James allowed for dropping that idea and told me to focus on my hero-fire story, also as I have not heard from the police officer so even though I had a footage of drunk students I stopped working on that one too.

My student story became a hit and made a front page of the Winol website. Memorial story was olso in the package, with which Maddline did an excellent job with editing and received a fantastic feedback.

I have not felt so rewarded and proud of myself during the course. Our team given ourselves plenty rounds of applause and it surely deserved it. We had top stories, we tried our best and gave 100% as always and that’s what made us proud and happy.

The bulletin was lead by equally great story and was by far the best we have done. We received 300 unique user sessions overnight (WINOL 459) so we were once again almost certainly the single most read media source on the campus. Rob Kirk of Sky was genuinely impressed and I announced that that we were in the 'Premier League' of BJTC journalism courses is sincere considering that that the majority of BJTC courses he deals with are at the MA level. We can be proud of our bulletin and development of features also thanks to Catherine's 'behind the scenes' short film.

Winchester News Online Week 5, Southampton Chaplains story

Chaplains facing axe from two of the Southampton Universities because of the budget cuts due to recession. LIVE BULLETIN III

Story 5, Semester week 10 (30th November)

My ideas for this week were not so strong but I still managed to bring fresh mind to the newsroom this week. There was a Crafted Contemporary exhibition and Merry Exhibition by local artists and craftspeople at the Winchester Discovery Centre which I was planning to film as an informative “and finally” artistic stories but I didn’t get a go ahead with it as they were too weak. And also reopening of a Portchester Library on Tuesday 1st December, which was still within Hampshire area but as we looked it up it was a little bit too far and so it felt not so relevant for our WINOL. I also kept chasing one of my ideas from beginning of November when I found out from one of the press releases that there was a proposal on reduction in Mileage Allowance for Council Workers in Hampshire and I wanted to take an angle on it researching on how would it influence performance of council workers especially in delivering important frontline services and looking after needs of the county’s residents. Unfortunately, the proposal has still not progresses.
I kept in contact with the press officer Suzie Southgate, Media Communications Manager for Cabinet (Policy and Resources and Environment) who issued the release, and she kept me updated, so I knew that I wouldn’t be able to make a story of that issue this week.

Having no strong ideas for story for this week James, our news editior, suggested I investigated the case of University chaplains facing axe from two of the Southampton Universities because of the budget cuts due to recession. I had to find out if our chaplain was likely to loose his position and how was it decided that those particular Universities were chosen. I video- interviewed Winchester Universities chaplain and went to Southampton University with Colin. Colin, our deputy News Editor knew the chaplain whose post was cut and on the place we found out that the students from Southampton University were leading a campaign against the decision of cutting the chaplain’s post.
While doing the research trying to get to the right people to talk to I managed to get in touch with the Bishop of Winchester, Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, chairman of Bishop’s Council and Standing Committee, responsible for making the decision about cutting the two posts, who wrote me an email confirming the decision and informing that the Winchester University’s chaplain is employed by University not but Church if England and that was why his post is not involved in the Diocese’s decisions.

Because of technical difficulties with editing I was worried that I wouldn’t make a deadline and also on the day of our bulletin going live we found out that our studio guest that was connected with the story I was covering could not come and so we had to call our university’s chaplain to come and replace our guest what meant that I had to cut his interview out of my package and re-edit it all. With Colin’s help we managed to construct new package with Southampton’s chaplain and couple of vox-pops that we filmed at Southampton University. We made the deadline and our University’s chaplain could be our studio guest for this week’s bulletin. The story made the TOP STORY OF THE BULLETIN.

From the technical side, we managed to organise a new front page and new way of displaying features. Our next push was concentrated on the visual side of the magazine and features working in which Catherine took a big part in having a great talent in photography.

This week’s Guest Editor was Chris Ship, ITV Political Correspondent who is also covering Westminster, and presents the main ITV News. He was generally impressed by the interaction between the internet and TV bulletin we are putting out and that we are actually tracking who was logging on to our website and what stories we were doing. He also liked the way we focused on the stories and the way we have worked out our targeted audience. He said that having to practice week in week out is invaluable.

In overall, WINOL's circulation has now overtaken both the Hampshire Chronicle and the Basingstoke Gazette which means that we continue to improve.

Students Protests continue- Town Takeover in Reading and overnight success of WINOL

Winchester News Online, week 9, 23rd November, News Bulletin 25th November LIVE BULLETIN II Covering this week’s story for our News Bulletin, I joined students from Winchester in their trip to Reading, where they combined the powers to raise awareness of potential changes to University fees payments for future generations. Lord Mandelson launched a tuition fee review stating that fees could potentially significantly increase under a major Government review of university finance. ("The review’s final recommendations are not expected to be published until next summer") It was amazing to be at the place of news happening and capture real emotions and be able to film the whole event to share it with the rest of the community of students.
It was so far one of the most enjoyable news making adventures I have experienced. The DV tape was full of material for great story for this week’s news bulletin. After careful scrutiny of my fellow colleagues’ reporters, editors and myself watvhing my package over and over I thought that I was given the final go ahead. Unfortunately, the next morning I found out that my package had to be changed, that meant that my deadline nightmare had not finished. After editors’ meeting it was decided that my package was not balanced enough to go onto the bulletin unless I found quote from Government’s side, it was not going to be put on air. From the piece I was proud of, my story turned to not broadcast able at all. After reaching Central Government’s press officer, I managed to find the missing quote from Lord Mandelson’s Review. Unfortunately, technical trouble of fitting my quote within my package did not allow me for meeting my deadliest of deadlines. My story did not make air.

However, on the other hand, my misfortune did not touch outcome of WINOL, thanks to our fantastic team’s work, another video package replaced my story. I was given exclusive story video insted, which would be put underneath the news bulletin in week beginning of 30th November. James decided that, the story would be given exclusivity and posted on our News website as soon as updated.



Despite my unsuccessful attempt to make air with the story I covered, I was proud of the general output of our News Bulletin. Row over students 'taking over' Stanmore was another of Stu’s great top stories; he surprised us with his fantastic walking shot when doing PTC. Erasmus Park story was full of shock factor pictures, especially with images of cracked walls and mushrooms growing in the kitchen. Kaileigh’s Children in Need was a pleasant addition “and finally story” that signed of our bulletin with a positive accent. Maxine did and amazing job as a news presenter and Tom continuously proves unbeaten title for an excellent sports presenter. Hard but accurate decisions made by James and Editorial as well as Production team during package making effected in an amazing and another best so far News Bulletin we produced.

We were also privileged to have heard a flattering feedback from our guest Ian Anderson. He emphasised that our headlines are becoming more accurate and attractive and advised for more flexible approach from imaginative camerawork on them. He also mentioned that that this week's lead story about road smash felt wrong for the audience and that “Tuition fees felt like the right lead for the audience and the interview off the back in the studio was editorially good - although framing could have been better.” He really liked our stripe lines but also added that there was still not enough pieces to camera or reporters 'involved' in stories.

Effectively, WINOL got 260 unique user sessions on Wednesday for the second bulletin, that could be justified with the technical problems (Rich tried his best to get it up) that we had with uploading the bulletin to the website but we still managed to overtake The Basingstoke Gazette in the Alexa rankings, and have left the Hampshire Chronicle behind.

The Real Lord Northcliffe in eyes of his personal secretary Louise Owen

“There has never been anyone just like him, and the world is poorer for his death.” (Louise Owen)

Alfred Harmsworth was seen as quite a snobbish and full of luxurious life type of person, he always said “I like to surround myself with beautiful things, and flowers give me great joy. I have them sent up from my country house twice a week.” But in eyes of his personal secretary, Louise Owen he certainly gained more value rather than just being a “demon for work”.

He was no ordinary man in his profession, he would turn up for work around 11am after reading all the newspapers and he would lead all his days with gift of looking ahead, “acquiring information” and great deal of knowledge about affairs. He would always say to Louise “My dear I attribute success as you all call it to seeing ahead. I didn’t think my schoolfellows were stupid but I could always see further than they could.”

Despite his self-advertising image for others he was still showing boyish affection to his family, especially mother, who was as he often emphasised, his ideal woman, “All that I am, all that I ever hope to be, I owe to my mother.” (Abraham Lincoln)

Chief, as he always preferred to be called, always gave presents to his editors, passing them through their wives and expected no more in return than “simple message of love and loyalty” that pleased him enough. He was seen as a great friend of America and did a lot to bring the two nations together, but still preferred to be thought of as a “professional monster rather than warm hearted man he was”, says Louise.

Overwork during World War I resulted for him in Lord Northcliffe being sent to hospital in France to regain strength (1919). His temporary weakness was met with attacks from Prime Minister, for which Northcliffe’s response summarised “when every moment is of value in dealing with these world problems should occupy attention of the house. (...) It shows mentality of the Premier, and how he lacks all sense of proportion.”

When Lord Northcliffe died, “They buried him with her (his mother’s) picture on his breast, and his hands were clasped the little book, her gift to him which he had with him always”.

The Real Northcliffe, Personal Recollections of a Private Secretary (1902- 1922)
Winchester University Journalism Course History and Context of Journalism Part III

Charles Foster Kane in Citizen Kane movie – Journalism of 19th century

19th Century in Journalism was an era of publications of private lives and Charles Kane certainly fits within these times. Kane was not focused on making money but gaining popularity. Charles Foster Kane was one of the greatest newspaper editors of his times in US. Even though he was accused of being fascist and communist (“I have always been an American”) his newspaper did not loose on popularity, partly probably because his father covered expenses on his wavy start of the career. Kane allowed himself to make up his own rules in running a newspaper and always reminded his reports of importance of honesty and accuracy in news reporting.



Charles’s personal life did not prove equally his engagement into profession that took over most of his life. He has devoted himself fully to his newspaper but did that make him happy? It can make us question, how should we judge happiness... well, Kane was certainly fulfilling himself in his choice of profession but should he have had his whole life taken over by it. Should we call it insane or perfect love for journalism. How much of his suppressed sub-conscious unhappy childhood reflected in his career and lack of success in personal life.

Studying reasons for his popularity, I wonder how many people actually notice that perhaps his life was an effect of unhappy and cold childhood and not knowing how to create his own happy family he had to try to find a way to fill that gap with dedicating himself fully to profession he happened to choose.

He went through broken relationships, affairs and his last relationship seemed to have eventually lead his life to death. While he tried to compensate emptiness in his lack of ability to have a mature and happy relationship with uncounted collection of statues his partner was becoming more and more unhappy having a life filled with loneliness and meaningless money. That seemed like loosing a last real piece in Kane’s stone heart.

When dying his last words were the name of his sledge from childhood which he used to play on in the winter, called Rosebud.



It was the first and his last call for last happy memory he could remember, through which his real suppressed childhood memories came out.

In 1941 hundreds of people took part in the biggest funeral of all times. Even though he is seen as one of the most successful editor and journalist, ironically, his personal life was filled with stone monuments and funeral attracted significant number of people. Is that a success?

Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III , lecture week 5
and movie Citizen Kane screening week 6

Car parking issue at Winchester investigated by WINOL

Winchester News Online experience, Story 3, week 8 at Winchester University

This week was another successful week for WINOL. Our bulletin went life for the first time and it reached a significant number of viewers. Our website becomes a competitor for other local news sites.
It was a fantastic achievement for students of Journalism from Winchester. My story about car parking issue currently troubling not only our students but also residents of Stanmore and West Downs. The story made air along with other great video packages produced by our students.
My interviewees (Councillor for Stanmore, James Stephens and SU President,Jimmy Weighell at our University) contributed greatly in my research for parking problems story. I tried my best to reach the essence of the issue and fulfilled an informative role for the community of our students.

To my surprise few hours before my story was meant to go on air I was told that I had to find someone else to represent students’ side of the parking issue instead of Jimmy, because he was also interviewed by my fellow colleague for other video package. The pressure of a new even tighter deadline, not even one hour, to find equally representative interviewee, film, edit and fit it within my package again, so that our final News bulletin would look better. Thanks to a great team work, my new version of the package was put on air and fit within the deadline once again. I must admit that it would have certainly helped to had known that I couldn’t have an SU president as an interviewee in my package the day before when I was finishing my original package rather than unexpectedly be told that I could not use his interview.

If I did not find my 3rd interviewee in that last minute my package could have not be put on air, the day before none of us picked that there were two the same interviewees in our news bulletin till the last minute. Now I know that even before choosing my people for the video package I have to be aware of all potential interviewees for all next news in bulletin.

Additionally, what I was pleased to see was, even though my story from last week about 3rd Local Transport Plan didn’t make our dummy bulletin edition 2, my fillers and cutaways of trains for that package was used in other story this week.

As an overall we still had some sound issues but it was one of our best bulletins so far. The whole team worked incredibly hard, helping each other as usual to effectively, produce good quality news bulletin for WINOL. Catherine did an amazing job as a presenter this week and Tom proved again what a fantastic sports presenter he is.

Winchester News Online is starting its successful and certainly long lasting career as a geat local news provider for Winchester produced by students.

Press of XIX century “Interesting! Extraordinary! Amusing!“

Lord Northcliffe, Hearst and Pulitzer- characters of era of WWI

Time of dot press snobbish Daily Mail and picture based Daily Mirror. In 1907 Hannen Swaffer skilled photojournalist seen as a tabloid genius brought popularity to Lord Northcliffe’s newspaper(Alfred Harmsworth’s) with death bed pictures of Edward VII (world record sales at 2mln, Titanic pictures 1912). Swaffer also invented Sports Journalism and Paparazzi. He claimed to be a spiritualist invading privacy at the first time, saying that he could interview dead people. He published a book about interviews with Lord Northcliffe after he had died, and sold millions copies of Titanic. He was also a WWI photographer

In 1903 The daily Mirror, launched as Daily Mail for women and also re-launched as a picture paper moving onto printing first photos. Print was at the stage of “engravings” called cuts, Lord Northcliffe, famous editor of XIX century press was an author of wood comic cuts like “Chips” and “Tit bits” (other cartoon strips “The yellow Kid”- yellow press).

Photojournalism spread its popularity through American Civil War that was the first significant event presented in pictures, in time of American Civil War in 1860s, North America was unsettled in slavery decision. THE SLAVE MARKET painting by Jean-Leon Gerome
As an effect of the Civil War West opened up, California and Sanfrancisco became most polyglot in the world. In addition not long time earlier in 1849 Golden fever had started attracting even more people to come over. Effectively, NewYork was already on its way of becoming a modern centre of the world.

Joseph Pulitzer, a great journalist, who was an immigrant himself, set up a newspaper in a polyglot language crating a “laboratory for language development”. At the same time Times press represented language of New York which was simplified English, also to reach foreign readers.

On the other hand, William Randolph Hearst owner of New York Journal, represented right wing, racist character in charge of political propaganda and above all focused on making money. He was in favour of war in Spain and America becoming a conquer of South America, Philippines and China. He was aiming to provoke the war himself.

His famous words “You supply the story, I’ll supply the war”, illustrates perfectly how press is dominated by a constant chase after sensation even in time of war.

Inspiration:
Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III lecture from week 5
and orientalist art from XIX century,THE SLAVE MARKET painting by Jean-Leon Gerome.

Winchester News Online, wk2 - this time story did not go on air!

Winchester News Online week 2, Dummy edition 2
Despite the fact that it was only our second attempt to produce the News bulletin, the news room felt like a tense workplace with the strictest deadlines in the world.
This time our team of reporters produced a higher variety of Video News packages which was an incredible achievement. The atmosphere felt tense but professional, editors had everything under control. We took the previous weeks feedback onboard and began showing more understanding and appreciation towards each others’ roles. Everyone turned up on time and editors could rely on spare reporters covering breaking news or support for other departments.

“We can do more for less” – 3rd Local Transport Plan launched for Hampshire



This time story did not go on air!


This week I researched a topic from a press release about launching a 3rd Local Transport Plan on 2nd November 2009. I decided to find out whether the plan is looking to bring a successful changes to Hampshire transport, what sort of improvements were going to be proposed and how would the council ensure of reducing Carbon Dioxide emissions to not only improve the quality of life for residents but also maintain environment preparing for the climate change. In order to find the answers I Video-interviewed Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Councillor Mellvile Kendal.

I found it quite challenging to find a right angle to produce a good Video package for our bulletin and I believe that, it effected in the story not being put on air. This week I was also competing against quite a few better stories and eventually I didn’t win my time on air and my story was turned into a 20sec nib which was read by a presenter. A valuable part in my package was excellent cut-aways and fillers of trains which I filmed on the purposes of producing a package.

The idea from the previous week about Figures of Unemployment in Winchester was edited by my colleague Maddline(investigative reporter for WINOL) and also turned into a 20sec nib. Both the nibs took part in the bulletin, however due to technical problems neccesary cuts had to be done and a lot of material was lost when putting it onto the website.

My first experience of having to put a lot of effort and time to producing a Video package and turning out not to be strong enough to be fully on air was quite a valuable lesson. In a week full of good stories we have to be fully aware of the strength of our story and be able to “sell it to our editor” gaining as much time on air as possible. However, also although the story may not be strong, the package was ready within the deadline and waiting as a backup just in case something goes wrong- and this sort of Video packages are also important even though, eventually they will be turned into nib or not used at all.

Disappointment and hurt pride will hit quite strongly but that is how the weak stories will be dealt with in the real work place so we need to learn how to face it and find further motivation to carry on despite the failure and prove to deserve a place within a team next time and learning from past mistakes. Working in a newsroom demands incredible stress management skills and always leaves room for improvements.

Winchester News Online experience- Week 1, Dummy Edition I

My role: Reporter for Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council

WINOL created an amazing new experience which connected students of year 2 and 3 BA Journalism students at the Winchester University. Being part of an authentic atmosphere of the News Room makes a great work experience. It is an incredibly intense, challenging and highly valuable experience for all the students.

Hard work and professionalism of third year plays vital role in WINOL experience.
Everyone present from year three was willing to help, give advice or give a hand with editing. They are all giving us important lessons for the future.
Our Video interviews should be usually finished relatively early to give us sufficient amount of time for editing, and then preparing written versions attached with pictures as well as links for the News presenters in addition to our Packages. Our articles will be uploaded to Joomla where they will be edited and published onto the website.

In week one I took inspiration partly from City Council’s and Hampshire County websites and also from my own research:

1. More people were set to qualify for Housing and Council Tax benefits from November 2nd, was unfortunately to early to be investigated on and had only small impact on the community.

2. Small businesses in time of recession on example of The Winchester News Café which was accepted to go on air as a Video package I made that went onto the bulletin unfortunately, because of technical errors on WINOL production side the bulletin was not recorded.



3. Unemployment figures falling, what plans did the Council have to improve it further, which was postponed and not used in week 1.

News Editor, James Kenyon, managed to put together most effective stories and keep our spirits up till our very deadlines. Omar Mussa was of great help in editing. James made a decision to leave to film a story which shouldn’t have happened as there should have been enough reporters to send out when needed. However as we could see Rich Taylor and Ben King tried their best to handle the situation well in his absence. Despite an inexperience, Claire and Tom did really well in the roles of presenters. Sport Reporters team seams to stay on top of the news quality and reflecs their great potential.

All the team worked incredibly hard to fulfil their roles, however there was also few students that approached our task of first edition rather light, with lack of passion and engagement. An issue also lied in student’s low attendance, as we realised later all of us should be available and willing to help in whichever area it is needed.

Some of us experienced difficulties from the side of getting through the Press Officers which can certainly be an issue that could ruin our plans for the story and effect in missing the deadline or even not completing the Video Package at all. Some of the students found it challenging when it came to editing part and other even finding a story.
Our deadlines seamed incredibly tight, yet as we all found out they were loose for the production team and directory to work on the script and prepare better News bulletin.

In overall, there were both good and bad points that effected our bulletin however, with the joined efforts of the whole team we managed to put our first Dummy Edition of WINOL News bulletin together with valuable lesons for the following editions.

Ulysses- politics, parallel narrative, Bible and never ending story

Part III of the Post 'Joyce’s world of mind writing'

The Novel is full of political ideas and thoughts (Irish Revolution and WWI), episode 12 introduces the Citizen, known from his anti-Semitic and chauvinist theories, whose disorientated views correspond symbolically with Cyclop - one eyed creature from Odyssey.

The novel should be seen not only in a valuable artistic light but also in historical, religious and political context. The war in chapter 6 shows naturalistic descriptions from World War I, bodies in trenches, “bottles to become hero” as well as reference to the times when movements towards Irish Revolution began (naturalism). “Before Nelson’s pillar trams slowed, shunned (…)” – Irish fighting for Independence which was very much a battle for Identity. Pillars - symbol of British power (Nelson). Joyce also tries to show brutal ideas of the past- high ideas and concepts that caused the war.

In episode 5, Stephen and Bloom’s character become connected through Stephen’s father Simon (Dedalus). Leonard and Simon have a conversation on various forms of death on their way to the funeral. “Inked characters fast fading the frayed breaking paper. (…) Sadly missed. To the inexpressible grief of his. Aged 88 after a long and tedious illness. (…) Oh whose soul sweet Jesus have mercy.” Biblical references are used numerously in the Novel, “ Drown Barabbas! Mr Dedalus cried. I wish to Christ he did!” (Barabbas, the apostle, betrayer who was paid 30silvers to give out Jesus to the King Harold’s soldiers by kissing Jesus on the chick)

Novel uses parallel as a narrative tool. Moly is set to be having sex with her lover, Boylan, at 4pm, while Leonard who is in the other side of the city is buying her a present. At the same time Stephen on the other site of the city, meets his sister Dilly and uncle Ritchie Goulding.

Sexual acts reflect suppressed needs and forbidden desires through Leonard Bloom as well as his wife Molly, cheating on each other; Molly’s sexual scenes with her lover and sexual fantasies especially in the last episode with Molly’s inner monologue (Another stream of consciousness, 8 big sentences with no punctuation, flow of the mind) that finishes the novel at the end of the day (17th June 1904), before she falls asleep.


Inspiration:
Ulysses, James Joyce
Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III, Lecture week 3 and 4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_(novel)

Ulysses - repressed desires and religion

Part II of the Post 'Joyce’s world of mind writing'

The plot is filled with sexual graphic descriptions as well as visions of physiological needs, “Touch me. Soft eyes. Soft soft soft hand. I am lonely here. O, touch me soon, now. What is word known to all men? I am quiet here alone. Sad too. Touch, touch me.” (Ref.1, Episode 4, Stephen urinates behind the rock or when Stephen and Bloom urinate by the wall after drunken night out)

One of the main characters Stephen (compared to Telemach from Odyssey), rather obscure and high thinking man whose inner dialogue of thoughts lead the story of one day in Dublin brings first comparisons of the book to an iconic peace of literature- Odyssey (lesson of History, Episode2). In episode I, Stephen finds himself being rudely provoked by few boys, “(…) Come up, you fearful Jesuit.” (ref to Ireland, “that has never extensively prosecuted Jews as they were never let into country”) (ref.1)

After Stephen ignores the anti-Semitic jokes we find him going into the world of his own thoughts about his late mother, and here in the book we can rather stop trying to understand the set up of the plot, it is clear that we cannot make anyone’s flow of thoughts understandable. They are chaotic, floating away to wherever our mind takes us reaching not only the conscious more down to earth thoughts but also sub- conscious hidden desires, needs, fears, emotional and strong feelings from the past as far as childhood and many other feelings that have impacted our lives. The structure of the stream of consciousness of the book is particularly exposed through Stephen’s interior monologue.

In Episode II the narrative jumps to beginning of the day (8am) across the city onto Eccles street no7 introducing another intriguing character Leopold Bloom, Irish Jew from Hungarian family, down to earth thinker.

His wife (Odyssey’s- Penelope) also plays a big part in representing modern, liberal and quite immodest and sexual idea of an unfaithful wife of an unfaithful husband. They both seem to show their affairs as a set of natural events in marriage. The Blooms sub- conscious guilt (dual marriage life) is brought out in episode15, when after drunken night out he hallucinates.

James Joyce often references to the Bible ( Episode 4, Sodom and Gomorrah, cities of indictment that were burnt by God as a punishment). In Episode 5 Bloom thinks of an idea of guilt, confession and morality, “Confession. Everyone wants to. Then I will tell you all. Penance. I’unish me, please. Great weapon in their hands. More than doctor or solicitor. Woman dying to. (…) And why did you? Look down at her ring to find an excuse. Whispering gallery walls have ears. Husband learn to his surprise. God’s little joke. Then out she comes. (…) Lovely shame. Pray at an altar.” (ref.1)

References:
1. Ulysses, James Joyce
2. Lecture week 3 and 4 History and Context of Journalism
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_(novel)

Ulysses, Joyce’s world of mind writing- unlimited style in modern literature

Part I of the post

James Joyce brought literature for people and wrote the unwritten, talked about banned problems and described an indescribable without boundaries of the grammar, punctuation or style. He attempted to show the flow of thoughts coming out of ones consciousness and those from the past repressed in sub-consciousness(Freud), hidden emotions that still have an impact on an individual’s adult life as well as those that influenced the history.

Joyce separates the narrative for three main characters (Stephen, Bloom and Bloom’s wife Molly), this structure corresponds with Homeric parallel as in Odyssey. Some of the pages are written in poetic style some like newspaper stories with the headlines and other in a form of a play’s script. The novel reflects the language of the body rather than mind and is highly consensual. It is deep, spiritual and touches controversial topics like racism and religious concepts.

It shows range of skills of the author beginning of linguistic knowledge (episode14- play with words and different styles of English) and also falling image of Roman Catholic Church. Episode 13 is quite characteristic for Joyce’s style describing stream of consciousness of Gerty Mcdowell(seen as Virgin Mary), young girl that is being watched by Bloom from the distance.

The girl encouraged by Leonard exposes herself purposely. The long rocket corresponds with Blooms manhood as he is masturbating to Gerty’s display. Eventually both of them reach the climax as the roman candle explodes. The scene is compared to the Benediction of Blessed Sacrament that was happening at the same time in a Catholic Church across the road. It gives away Joyce’s vision on the ceremonial display of the “Body of Christ” while Bloom was acting out his “Adoration”. Gerty’s final act of being “lame” reads as opinion of the state of the Catholic Church, especially in Ireland. (ref.3)

Inspiration:
Ulysses, James Joyce
Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III Lecture week 3 and 4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_(novel)

Thoughts on Existentialism - Free will, history and human’s nature

Our life is a constant fight between Good and Evil. Inside every human being there is a never-ending battle for choices we make and consequences that they can lead to. If God exists it is clear that he gave us free will- one of the greatest gifts of all. He also thought us feeling of guilt, fear before the punishment, happiness as an award, pain and cruelty and also existence of evil. Having a free will puts human’s nature in between. Human’s nature, effectively, becomes neither, good or bad- and it depends fully from us which ever way we will turn to. And so it is not God that dictates our lives or we are not part of his “great plan” but it is our choice whether we follow good or bad desires in our lives. (Ref.1 Paulo Coelho)

If something unfortunate happens in our lives we tend to question the existence of God and his greatness… Why? That is wrong! It is not God’s fault, it is the man’s decision that has effected our life in a dramatic way. On the other hand, if something pleasant happens to us, we tend to believe that because God’s values stand for good- it must have been another gift from Him or an award for our good choice.
Good things happen thanks to the right sequence of events in which we made right decisions which effected in our happiness.

When ancient thinkers like Plato or Aristotle based their theories on God’s law they must had been fully aware of God’s gift of free will, in that respect God’s laws have been created for individuals with free will who will be making their decisions to the best interest of theirs and then perhaps follow the laws.
People are certainly driven by many different intentions and conscious as well as sub-conscious desires and this looks like a power of the human’s mind rather than “God’s Will”. One of the greatest philosophers once wrote that will is “free, both from law, and obligation (…)”, (Ref.3) and “all men are competitions in their efforts to achieve what they have willed”. (Hobbs, Ref.3)

In XVIII century, the point of history for one of the famous philosophers Hegel, was a restoration of the Kingdom of God on earth, for Marx, the end point of history was Communism (ref 2). Both, Hegel and Marx saw the progress of the world as the vehicle of historical change, and any change seems to prove that our free will or new desires push us in new directions.

Further on in XIX century, James Joyce, said that history is a “nightmare” from which he was trying to awake and God is only “a shout in the street”.

XXI century philosopher, David Icke, created one of the most shocking theories about Jewish Reptile Conspiracy in which he indirectly puts “children of Jerusalem” (where Jesus was born) on top of the world. He puts Jews in charge of politics, economy and media, manipulating peoples minds to rule the world incognito. We also could refer these thoughts as a parallel to theories of Freud and Bernays (XIX century) about manipulation of sub-conscious desires, in order to gain a fortune (just like he did himself through his controversial theories followed by media).
Could we then see our sub-conscious desires as our evil and dark parts of the nature which are controlled by our conscious thoughts – which we could refer to as our free will?
Or does our sub-consciousness equals free will, and consciousness dictates which desires to follow? But in this case, free will would stand for our dark parts of mind which our conscious thoughts would have to fight to lead them in direction of good? In this case also, free will is not a tool of good, it is rather a voice of our natural desires fulfilling basic, selfish and biological needs rather than gift from God…
Applying Freud’s discoveries about his studies on human’s mind, our free will can be equally, a tool of good or evil and not necessary coming out of God but being part of human's mind function.

Every century has its own philosophies, will God still exist in XXII century symbolising good or rather global tool of manipulation invented by a philosopher, Jesus Christ from Nazaret?

References:
1. Paulo Coelho, Demon and Miss Prym
2. Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III Lectures from weeks 1, 3 and 4
3. Plato to Nato, Studies in Political Thought, Bryan Redhead
3. Bible/internet: http://biblescripture.net/Commandments.html

Freud, Bernays and beauty of James Joyse’s Ulysses

Lecture 2, weeks 3 and 4- Ulysses, HCJ, III
Fascinating, astonishing and incredibly inspirational lecture on Modernism- in History and Context of Journalism module introducing a shocking and utterly revolutional novel by James Joyce.
It is not only the novel’s style and structure or rather lack of any type of plot, which perfectly reflects a new type of literature but it’s influences on a new and unique style in literature that summarises the whole XIX century philosophical movement- Modernism.

Chaotic, original, full of sexuality, the novel was even once accused of obscenity and banned from catholic countries till two years ago! The author was influenced by Nietzsche, and also it clearly shows Freud’s and Freud’s nephew’s Edward Bernays theories showed through literature (modernism, psychoanalysis and unreliable narrative). Joyce tries to picture how Bernayse’s and Freud’s theories about sexual repression and memories from childhood are hidden in the layers of our mind deeply in our sub-cautiousness and tries to imagine how would the literature look like if it was written without our conscious control over it, in total sexual liberation.



The existence of sub-conscious animals that are hidden in us and are controlled by our consciousness is proven by many of his psychoanalytical examinations (psychotherapies, studies of the public opinion and needs, studies of the soldiers who came back from WWI).
His experiments show that manipulation is needed in order to help economy of the country and help to promote free market, thanks to which, we could become consumers in a new democratic system(time of WWI after the economic crush in America).

Ullysis put in the historical, economical and political context perfectly reflects what was happening in America in the age of mass democracy when Freud’s theories proved to be effective in manipulation of masses through their sub-conscious desires. Thanks to Bernayse's psychotherapies and studies on human’s mind, he came up with very dangerous and powerful tool to manipulate people’s minds with help of media in order to sell products and improve economic climate in America in 1920s (Free Market, creating new desires and making them into needs- new necessities).

First tip to understand sense of Ullysis is to understand philosophies of Freud and Bernays and times they lived in. Having watched “Crowd Psychology & Manipulation series” Ulyssis becomes clear all of the sudden, its no structure doesn’t frighten anymore, it starts to have a lot more sense and the hidden plot behind characters’ thoughts of consciousness an sub-consciousness becomes understandable and even structured.

Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III
Youtube links: Crowd Psychology & Manipulation 24 parts of the documentary which starts with The Century of the Self (BBC Documentary) part 1.(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrOz-inIG30)

Hegel, Marx… and finally, David Icke

Shocking ideologies of current philosopher, ex TV presenter David Icke, a philosopger of the XXI century- Jewish Reptile Conspiracy.
Is Icke a new revolutionalist, a philosopher who took his ideas one step tooo far or is he a mentally ill lunatic, who in fact, shouts for Psychiatric help?


Have a look on those YouTube Videos:



http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=David+Icke+%22The+Lizards+and+the+Jews%22+1+of+5&search_type=&aq=f

Winchester University Journalism Course History and Context of Journalism Part III

Germinal- sensationalistic piece of Art, Photojournalism expressed through the story.

While reading all the sensations awaken, you can virtually feel the pain of the boy with broken legs (Chicot), starvation and misery of the hewers, “(…) standing there sweating in the icy draughts and busy trying to swallow their sense of grievance.” Even sexual experiences of the teenagers, hiding from their parents, getting to know first physical pleasures (Chaval and Catherine), and unfulfilled desire (Entienne and catherine). Hypocrisy screens through the scene when the priest is compared to “some large and well nourished cat”, when Father Joire was “(…) passing by, holding up his cassock with the fastidiousness (…)”and did not wish to get himself wet. Ignorance and lack of help from the church’s side; missing ideology of God’s rules especially for priests that should be servants of God. Christianity was not in its right rules. Prostitution reached its picks. The punishment from God for exploitation of coalminers and sexual deviance expressed on the streets of France.

The violence, cruelty with their graphic descriptions provoke physical reaction on the reader. Contrast of lives of the classes through the descriptive visions of houses of the aristocracy, “The kitchen was huge, and judging by its extreme cleaningness and the great battery of dishes, saucepans and utensils with which it was filled, (…)”. George’s allowed themselves to spoil their only daughter Cecile who in the age of 18 still needn’t to work living of their parent’s inheritance, waiting to find the right, rich husband for her. On the other hand, Zola describes Maheu’s family house where everyone bathed in one room in front of the fire place to keep worm, where the whole family was used to each others nudity and had to bear in mind heavy burden of the circumstances.
Zola describes the state as a violent tool of oppression of working class, “Iron fist inside the velvet glove”. Implying Hegel’s philosophy, who sees beyond the material objects and looks out for inevitable change, workers uprising had to become an effect of cruel and violent nature of the state in XVIII century France.

Inspiration:
Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III Lecture 2
Germinal, Emile Zola

"The time has come! " Germinal- let the revolution begin

Emile Zola, Germinal (Part IV-VII)

Entiene spreads ideas of a strike believing to be treated unfair by working long hours and being unpaid and what was more, further reductions in pay to give more benefit for the bourgeoisie. The new and free minded idea is supported by fellow miners at first, however after being hit by a cold wave of harsh reality of starvation, workers start to loose their belief in succeeding.
They stop fighting for the right purpose, furthermore, things get out of control and strikers decide not to follow Entienne’s plans and decide to demolish the mine, machinery and attack aristocracy’s houses. As a result, the army is being sent against the strikers. They open the fire and Maheu, Moquette dye in the fight.

Tragic deaths stop workers and eventually, they decide to ask for their jobs back, having no other choice. The only person that sees that choice as an act of betrayal is Suwarin, who decides to sabotage and damages the entrance shaft of the mine. When the whole place gets trapped down the mine the whole place gets flooded and workers get trapped.Following another argument, Entiene kills Chaval, Catherine’s lover, with a brick of stone.
Finally, Catherine and Entienne uncover their feelings but the lovers don’t get to live in happiness for long as Catherine dies from starvation.
The rescue action effects in only one survival, Entienne, who eventually quits the job at mine and leaves with a new hope in his heart, despite the tragic past, he was waiting for another social revolution to come, that this time would begin a new revolutionary era for the lower classes and change the future.

Emile Zola, Germinal
Winchester University Journalism Course History and Context of Journalism Part III

Emile Zola 'Germinal' - story of the unavoidable events

Story of the unavoidable uprisings of coal hewers in Northern France in 1860s.

The fight for keeping hope for a better future that seeds amongst the miners and birth of idea of socialism under the rule of Emperor Napoleon III. It shows a struggle between capital and labour, resulting in the natural

Main character, Entiene arrives to Montsou and starts work at the coalmine in Le Voreux. After a range of unfortunate events and economic situation in the country, Entiene becomes interested in socialism. Other hewers working at the mine share his fate of misery and poverty. Mr and Mrs Maheu, their children, Levaque, Bonnemont (good death), Chaval and others begin to understand and approve of Entiene’s ideas of better, fairer future.

In Part I, not only the miserable and incredibly hard life, filled with starvation and poverty of the hewers is being described, but also sights of hope, pride, love and romance (Entiene and Catherine- Entiene doesn’t want to take food of Catherine, hunger wins over the man’s pride). The lower class entertainment was usually at the public house, where all the workers would meet up and drink beer and discuss their unfortunate fate.

On the other hand, Part II shows a contrasting image of wealthy lives of Mr and Mrs Gregoire, illustrates detailed descriptions of life of the aristocracy, and their fortunate inheritance that keeps them in a wealthy state of life, “ the owners of the mine.

The clash of the two classes is also showed in the types of worries that they had, workers dreaded of finding enough money for food, electric, clothes for themselves and their children.
Aristocracy was bothered by the fact of who should marry whom for better family business or how to make more money on poor mine workers or how to keep their shares.

One of the first visual clashes of the two classes, perfectly describing their relation to each other is showed when Mrs La Maheude brings her 2 children to Gregorie’s house, begging for warm clothes and money, trying to make them aware of the situation that their employees have to live in. Male part of Gregorie’s tried to blame it on drunkenness of the workers and wasting their money on pleasures, shading their feel of guilt away and focusing on their own good.
Eventually, “The point of equilibrium” is reached, it is the “empty stomach, life imprisonment in the house of hunger”. Main character starts his thoughts of standing against unfairness. And after the further reduction of the pay in Part III, workers begin to panic, the workers know that “The time has come! The time has come!”

Part 1-3, Germinal(tbc)
Winchester University Journalism Course History and Context of Journalism Part III