Here I am on a Sunday afternoon – at work. Students are finishing their final projects and needed some lab time, so I’ve opened the lab yesterday and today. They seem to be doing well. The summer term is only 10 weeks, so they don’t get as much time to tackle the whole project and content of the course. Bummer. School is over on Wednesday.

I feel a need to post to the blog, but don’t have any deep insightful statement to make. Not that I ever do, mind you. So, here are some random thoughts and observations I’ve had this week.

Blubrry.com does video now. How cool! I like Blubrry.

We placed the MyChingo voicemail service on the Camp ASCCA site’s blog. Only my students have yet left messages. You are welcome to do so, as well. The idea is that parents and campers might want to say hi to camp. However, I think we’re learning that our audience is online, but not too deep into the technology. I realize that MyChingo voice messages only require a microphone, but I also realize now that most people don’t have their microphones attached to the computer, or they just don’t like to use them. Still, it is an interesting service and I hope it catches on.

A very nice Canadian PR practitioner, Michelle Sullivan (her site’s still under construction), dropped by the ASCCA blog and left a comment. Michelle offered up some kind words of encouragement for the interns. Thank you, Michelle! Your support is greatly appreciated.

If others want to visit the site, and write about it – comment on it – or just generally check it out, please do. I think it has turned out to be a remarkable – and quite unique – nonprofit social media exercise. Michelle thinks it can be used as a model. I agree.

Now, off on a little tangent, here are a few observations from this Sunday’s TV news programs. Please note, I’m not taking sides – just making observations.

Today, on CNN, John Roberts asked the question, “Has Iraq become the forgotten war?” (He was referring to the plethora of new coverage about Israel/Lebanon.) Well, John … since you and others (producers/editors) in the national media seem to set the tone of what is covered … if Iraq has been forgotten, you guys forgot it. We haven’t.

Today, on Fox News Watch, Neal Gabler stated that (and I paraphrase) “Every news network – Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times and The Washington Post (to name a few) owes an apology to the American people for getting us into the Iraq war in the first place.” Well, Neal – that’s fine … but why do you say that? Not that I don’t believe you, but why didn’t Fox News Watch take this rather bold statement a bit further? You know, explain it? Um, because it is TV and TV (news, especially) is void of details? Could that be it?

OK, here is where I start to take sides…

News Watch and CNN’s Reliable Sources could be great shows. However, as 30 minute recaps, they fall short.

I note the previous two observations because I remember the news networks and newspapers being all over the Iraq war story – and essentially promoting it – back when we went into Iraq. Now, they are (it seems) all against it. This, my friends, is what we get when we allow advocacy journalism. All of these news outlets have, to some degree, lost sight of true journalism. Today, it is mostly screaming heads and screaming headlines. Screaming the truth is no longer the norm. It is now a matter of screaming your side’s version of the truth.

How I long for the simple reporting of facts. Hey, the people that previously just reported facts may have been carrying agendas, too. But, I didn’t know what they were – so just hearing what went on and not the reporter’s / journalist’s opinion of why it went on didn’t get in the way of the facts.

I miss Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite and Huntley & Brinkley and Eric Sevaried and David Halberstam and others … at least if they had an agenda, I still trusted them.

/rant off

OK, that’s my .02 cents for today. Discuss amongst yourselves.