Curtain Call

Hello everyone!

I've viewed your blogsites and I am happy to see such good projects.

I've either posted comment/s on your site or sent you email about my comments. I've put your blogsite grades on your papers with the proposed postings and these will be ready for pick-up at the faculty room tomorrow, Tuesday, from 2-230 p.m. Have someone from your group get it from me. Or text me if you want to arrange another schedule.

Good luck with your exams and cheers to the end of our course!

All the best!

Your Blogs

It's good to see that your group blogs are, at the very least, already up and now part of cyberspace :-)

You still have quite a lot of writing and uploading to do, so get on with it.

As I mentioned in class, I won't be able to meet you next week as I will be participating in the Depatment of Communication's Extension Program. I hope you'll use the time to work on your project.

See you on September 11. Don't be absent for the evaluation!

Blog viewing

I'm so sorry I had to leave and lock our classroom last Thursday. Dean Beth Calinawagan called a meeting for the extension program we're organizing for public high schools in Ifugao.

I look forward to viewing your group blogs on Tuesday (I've reserved one of the LCD projectors).

See you then! And again my apologies.

Responsible netizens

The internet has proven to be a medium without borders as it allows us to communicate to practically anyone in the world. This form of communication is subject to the right of freedom of speech as provided under Article 19 of the United Nations' Bill of Rights as well as Article IV, sec. 7 of the Philippine Constitution in the case of us, Filipinos. At the same time, this freedom is not absolute--it should, by no means, imply a disregard and disrespect for the rights of others.

The ISOC, through the IAB, supports and promotes the need for a system of ethics to preserve the integrity of information on the internet. The group issued a policy statement in January 1989 listing the following as "unethical and unacceptable" behavior in the internet:
1. any activity that seeks to gain unauthorized access to resources on the internet
2. any activity that disrupts the intended use of the internet
3. any activity that wastes resources (people, capacity, computer) through such actions
4. any activity that destroys the integrity of computer-based information
5. any activity that compromises the privacy of others

While we have laws, as we have discussed in class yesterday, and policies such as the one by ISOC above, self-policing is ultimately necessary given the nature of the internet. Each of us is called to be a responsible netizen (online citizen).

Now here's what I want you to do:
- WRITE an approximately 500-word essay (you can go below or higher by about 50 words either way) about how you can personally be a responsible netizen, specifically in view of the blog that your group will be putting up.

- DO NOT POST your essay here. SUBMIT A HARD COPY in class on Tuesday, August 14.

- We will post the essays here with the top three highest grades later on.

- Format requirements: size 10-12 font, double-spaced, 1-inch left and right margins, use of recycled paper encouraged

Who's Who in Philippine Internet History

As I mentioned in our class today, your next online assignment would be something about the beginnings of the internet in the Philippines. Name at least three Filipinos who were key to getting the country wired to cyberspace and give a 3-5 sentence background information on them as well as their role in RP's internet development . For bonus point/s, include their current whereabouts (where are they connected now, what position, doing what, etc.).

Don't forget to cite your sources, both online and print materials. You can also provide links related to the people you will name.

Deadline is Friday, August 3, 6:00 pm.

This time, I do hope to see 28 comments posted.

Have fun reading about the local internet history!

Tips from Jermaine

Jermaine just sent this comment to the HSA 2007 post. I'm publishing it as a separate entry because then it would have a better chance of being read...

I just want to give some tips when using blogger in light of the problems that has stricken some of our classmates...
When submitting or publishing comments, please wait for the window to refresh and make sure that there is a message above saying that your comment has been saved etc...(don't know the message in verbatim but it should say that you have posted successfully).
There is a tendency that the message could be lost when you close the comment window while it is still saving while refreshing the page.
In addition, preview your work so that you would know if the window is working... it could be a good indicator if the site is working or bogged down. Be sure that you type the right word verification code.
It would be good if you post two comments of the same message just to be sure (hehe, i hope Ma'm wont be overwhelmed and be angered... hehe. :)).
I know it is quite simple but the simplest things are often forgranted.
Anyway, I hope this would help.

Thank you, Jermaine. Your concern and effort is very much appreciated (and don't worry, I might take that into consideration when computing your final grade :-) But I don't know about your suggestion to post the same comment twice! I certainly hope the class will refrain from doing that.

Now, don't miss your group assignment below.

Responsible blogging

Let's try the group comment system one more time. Please remember that the main purpose for doing this, aside from the lesson of course, is to make sure that everyone in class is properly initiated on the comment posting process. Please make sure this time that each member of your group is present when you post your comment. Let's save ourselves from the dilemna and the stress.

On to the lesson...

We ended our classroom lecture on being responsible online journalists. The US-based Society of Professional Journalists is proposing a Code of Ethics for Bloggers containing the following in general:

1. Be Honest and Fair - Bloggers should be honest and fair in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

2. Minimize Harm - Ethical bloggers treat sources and subjects as human beings deserving of respect.

3. Be Accountable - Bloggers should admit mistakes and correct them promptly; Explain each Web log's mission and invite dialogue with the public over its content and the bloggers's conduct.

QUESTION: What can your group add to this as a fourth item in the Code of Ethics?

Limit your answer to 100 words. Deadline: Friday, July 27, 7 pm.

HSA 2007

This week, we'll zero in on the "power of blogging" by tackling a specific issue that is of national interest.

As Filipino citizens and junior/senior students of the University of the Philippines Baguio, what are your thoughts on the Human Security Act of 2007 which took effect last Sunday, 15 July 2007?

If you are not familiar with this issue, please read about it and discuss it even with other people so you can have an informed opinion. A copy of the law is available at www.senate.gov.ph/republic_acts/ra%209372.pdf

Limit your comment to a maximum of 50 words . Deadline is Friday, 20 July 2007, 3:00 pm.

And don't forget to get your reading about bloggers in Zimbabwe at the photocopy center of the library.

See you in class on Tuesday!

RA 8792

I hope you enjoyed watching The Net yesterday. The movie depicts the extreme dangers and risks that the online revolution poses alongside the advantages and conveniences it offers. To address and minimize the negative impact of technological innovations, laws have been made to protect people and institutions. There are international laws as well as national ones that apply within country borders. Here in the Philippines, we have Republic Act 8792 (See http://www.dti.gov.ph/Laws.php?contentID=9 for a copy). And if you are seriously interested in this and want to know more, the IRR (Implementing Rules and Regulations) of the law can be found here: http://www.neda.gov.ph/references/RAs/IRR_RA8792.htm

I want you to (at least) browse through these. This is all I am asking you for this week's online assignment. I still owe you a classroom lecture/discussion on blogging and so I think you deserve a break from further writing assignments for now.

We won't meet on Tuesday, July 10. But I want you to meet your respective groups to discuss your blog proposal. Use the following as your guide:

1. Project: Group blog
2. The Concept: Title/theme; state the concept; What makes it unique? What will it cover? Why do readers need this blog?
3. Editorial Content: General topic/s; specific topics; sections; editorial objective and guidelines; Are there existing similar blogs?
4. Target Readers: Have clear demographics
5. Any advertising potential?

Have a rough draft ready when we meet again in class on the 17th. I'll make your proposals part of our discussion.

You all have a productive time away from the classroom ;-)

"Mediamorphosis"

Hello again everyone! For this week, I want you to do a couple of things as a group (based on the groupings you submitted last Tuesday).

1. First of all, I suggest you create an e-mail account for your group. If you decide not to, please make sure that you use one of your member's e-mail address as listed in our class directory.

2. Post a group comment here answering the question: WHAT IS THE CONCEPT OF "MEDIAMORPHOSIS"? Limit your answer to a maximum of 100 words. As usual, please cite your source/s. Deadline is 12 midnight Friday.

3. Prepare a group written report discussing the following:
a) What is blogging?
b) A brief history of blogging
c) Cite a Philippine blog site that your group likes and discuss its merits
d) Can blogging be considered as a "new journalism?" Why or why not?

This assignment is NOT for posting here. Submit a hard copy/printed copy of the report on Tuesday, July 3, during class hours. Limit your report to a maximum of 8 pages, double-spaced, 10-12 sized font. Again, cite your sources. And don't forget to indicate your group name.

See you all on Tuesday at the MPH. We'll have a good time watching a movie :-) (Attendance will be checked)

The newspaper publishing industry and the internet

Taking off from Leslie's question during the wrapping up of our classroom discussion, in a conference organized by IFRA in Singapore in 28-29 March 2001, MURDOCH MACLENNAN, then Group Managing Director of Associated Newspapers, Ltd., said:

"It's clear that the current electronic revolution is something more than just a new competitor. It's implications run wider and deeper than the earlier challenges of radio and television. Superficially it offers similar threats - new ways of disseminating news, information, entertainment and sport. Underneath it offers a wealth of opportunities for developing and enhancing our core businesses - if we are willing to take them."

Now, more than six years on, IN WHAT WAYS HAS THE INTERNET CHANGED THE NEWSPAPER PUBLISHING INDUSTRY?

(Please limit your answers/comments to a maximum of 250 words and provide a link to a website or the author/title/publication date/page number of a print source that supports your answer)

This assignment is worth 20 points

NOTE (that I'm sure will make you happy): For this first online assignment, I'm giving you until the entire coming weekend to post your answers :-)

Welcome!

... to our virtual classroom -- a complement to and practical application of our brick-and-mortar meetings.

If you are reading this, it obviously means you've already taken the time to visit our site. I'm glad. Now, are you itching to leave a comment here? Very well, then. I've opened this welcome post to comments.

See you all again on the 19th. Don't be late.

Course Objectives

At the end of the course, you, the student, should:

1. Understand the nature of the internet and the fundamentals of reporting in this medium

2. Be able to present stories in interesting multi-media forms while maintaining the traditional journalism standards of fairness, accuracy and quality

3. Develop a critical approach in analyzing issues faced by the online news industry

Course Outline

I. Introduction to the Internet
II. Online Journalism
III. Online Writing and Publishing
IV. Ethics in the New Media

Course Requirements

Classroom work 10%
Online submissions 50%
Group Blog 30%
Peer Evaluation 10%