Data Visualization Story Critique

What You Need to Know About the Ebola Outbreak (New York Times): http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/31/world/africa/ebola-virus-outbreak-qa.html

Given the nature of this assignment, I immediately started searching for articles and stories about the Ebola outbreak in Africa, as I figured that many of those pieces would include data about the ongoing epidemic. Once I found this one, I decided to use it because I think it perfectly represents a news write-up that effectively uses data visualization to enhance and help tell a story.

I really like the fact that this story includes several types of data visualization, ranging from maps to graphs to charts. The data was eye-catching, easy to read, and complimented the story well from start to finish. I also found the data to be incredibly interesting, which aided in my overall understanding of the article. In my opinion, one of the highlights of the data set was a graph in which scientists outlined the best- and worst-case scenarios for the outbreak by the numbers. In all honesty, I couldn't find many faults with this data visualization project, as it seemed to be accurate and well-designed throughout.

I certainly think that the data visualization within this article helped tell the story better than other means of multimedia journalism, as it was a story focused primarily on the facts and statistics of the Ebola outbreak. Such information can be cumbersome to work with in an audio/video/print environment simply because it's so dense, but data visualization made it very easy for the reader to follow along. The article was also more aesthetically pleasing because of the data visualization, which is critically important in terms of online newswriting.

Mondi and T-Caddy Podcast

For 3 years now the voices of Tyler Cadorette and Mike Raimondi have been hitting the airwaves of 91.5 WWLR in Lyndonville, Vermont.

Two years ago they decided to join forces between their two individual sports talk shows and combine into what we now know as Mondi and T-Caddy.

Mike grew up in a sports family. Even as a young kid, Mike has memories of watching Patriots games with his family. On top of that Mike grew up playing baseball, and still plays for the Lyndon State Hornets to this day.

Tyler didn’t really get into sports until later on in his childhood. Around middle school he began watching the Red Sox and Patriots. At the same time he began to get into television and radio at his local school which has eventually led him to become a part of Lyndon State’s Electronic Journalism program.

The show today has become very popular in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, and has even won a Horney Award for “Best Talk Show.” They specialize in baseball and football, but also have segments on hockey, and bring on guest star Dylan Robichaud to talk about basketball.

Both Tyler and Mike admit that they do favor Boston sports teams, but try to limit their bias as much as possible on the show for the benefit of their listeners.

Beyond the airwaves, Mondi and T-Caddy has a Facebook page where they post recent sports news, and communicate with their listeners. This adds an extra element to their show because they are able to add the opinions of the listeners into the show and respond to them on the air.

If you are interested in the show, check out their Facebook page, or tune into 91.5 WWLR on Monday nights from 8-10. ​

Podcast Proposal

For our podcast, Louis (check out his blog here) and I have decided to record a brief sports rundown that will compliment the topics discussed on Mondi and T-Caddy, which is the weekly sports talk radio show that I produce and host with Mike Raimondi on WWLR 91.5.

The show covers news and notes from around the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA. The podcast will follow a similar format to that of the radio show, as Mike and I will be introducing and discussing a number of current sports issues and offering our opinions, reactions, and analysis.

The topics included within the podcast will be allotted less time than those of the normal two-hour show, as we want to create a snapshot of the program that still fits within the five to ten minute parameters of the assignment.

In addition to the podcast itself, we will be writing an accompanying article that focuses on the creation and evolution of Mondi and T-Caddy since Mike and I launched the show two years ago. The piece will include information about the idea to start the show, its current format, goals for the future, and other interesting or noteworthy tidbits.

I think our podcast will be engaging because it will be fast-paced, energetic, and informative, much like a typical edition of the show. It also caters to a passionate niche audience. The accompanying article, in turn, will "pull back the curtain" and reveal the inner workings of a start-up college radio show, which I think listeners/readers will find equally appealing.

Blog Design Decisions

My approach in designing my blog was fairly simple: Make it engaging and eye-catching so that it appeals to even the most disinterested online viewers.

I figured the easiest way to do that was to include a lot of bright colors, bold headlines, and captivating pictures. For that reason, I decided to use large yellow font for my blog title and description. I also included a few pictures along the side of the page to further enhance the look and grab the attention of potential readers. I like both pictures because they're high quality and compliment the overall theme of the blog.

I made sure to include a search bar at the top of the page to allow for easy access to different content that I post, such as tags and other key words. Along the left side of the page, I have a blog archive section for similar reasons. I also put a news ticker with headlines and updates from BBC, CNN, and MSNBC. It seemed like a very applicable gadget given the fact that my blog frequently refers to my work in the journalism sector.

At the bottom of my blog, I included an 'About Me' section so that readers can learn more about my personal and professional ventures. Lastly, I included a section in which readers can follow the blog via email or subscribe to posts and comments. I consider this an important part of any professional blog, as it helps with public outreach and maintaining a noticeable online presence.

Tyler & Louis Speak Czech & Chinese!

Amber Alert issued for missing Sunderland, Vt., boy

**Note: The following post is for a class assignment and is not a legitimate news story.**

Vermont State Police have issued an Amber Alert for a boy from Sunderland who authorities believe was abducted by his mother.

Zachary Lee, 12, was reported missing earlier this evening.

He was dropped off at his North Road foster home just after 4:45 p.m., but never made it inside, according to a press release from the Vermont State Police.

Zachary is described as a 5-foot white male weighing approximately 95 pounds. He has a French accent and was last seen wearing a puffy black jacket and jeans.

Officials think that Zachary's biological mother, 49-year-old Patricia Kane, is responsible for his disappearance. She made several similar attempts to take him while the two were living in France.

Kane is described as a 6-foot white female weighing 125 pounds. She has blonde hair that may have been dyed and also has a French accent.

Police are concerned because Zachary is new to the area and likely unsure of his surroundings, having moved to Sunderland in late August.

Kane has been highly unstable and volatile since her son’s arrival in the U.S., according to the press release.

Authorities familiar with the situation have noted that a widespread search is underway to locate Zachary. Anyone with information is asked to submit an anonymous tip here or to call 802-442-5421.

At this time, officials do not have a vehicle description or information regarding a possible destination for the pair.

Podcast Review - WSJ This Morning/This Weekend

For this assignment, I listened to several Wall Street Journal This Morning/This Weekend podcasts. The podcasts, which followed the format of an abbreviated morning news program, chronicled current happenings from around the U.S. and abroad. In addition to the details of each story, most segments included an interview with someone familiar with the subject, expert follow-up, or general commentary. I listened to the podcasts on my laptop and each was approximately 30 minutes long.

I initially decided to listen to these podcasts because they seemed interesting and included a variety of relevant, important topics. They're also produced by the Wall Street Journal, which I consider a trustworthy and reliable news source.

I found that I particularly enjoyed the fact that the podcasts were fast-paced and energetic. The host, Gordon Deal, was entertaining and did a nice job of drawing the listener in to each segment. I also liked that there were a variety of interviews on the program, as the change of speakers kept me more engaged. Additionally, I was intrigued by the wide range of topics being discussed. Beyond some of the major headlines of the day, the podcasts included other fascinating stories that were less prominent but of equal interest to me.

On the other hand, I was discouraged by the fact that the podcasts aren't always updated in a consistent or timely manner, as it appeared that several days had elapsed between many of the posts. Also, in looking at the feedback and comments, it seems as if the podcasts are often posted later in the morning, which would somewhat defeat the purpose of an early morning rundown newscast/podcast.

After listening to several of these podcasts, I think I would listen to more of them in the future. The ones I listened to for this assignment were engaging and informative, plus they covered a wide array of prominent news/human interest stories. However, the length of each podcast is a bit of an issue, as devoting a half hour of the day to each one isn't always feasible with my busy schedule.

Blog Critique

Beantown Banter - http://beantownbanter.com/

 

- I like the straightforward and simplistic layout of this blog in that it isn’t too cluttered, busy, or distracting.

- The picture at the top of the page is large and eye-catching, although it lacks noticeable action.

- The tags/word cloud section along the left side of the blog is interesting and somewhat unique.

- The blog seems to be professionally run, as it includes categories, schedules, links, RSS feeds, etc.

- The blog content itself is very outdated (last post in early June of this year), especially given the fact that it is a website focused on sports news.

- Ultimately, I would deem this an organized blog with a heavy “amateur vibe,” which is somewhat peculiar considering the fact that it appears to receive funding and resources from several other larger websites/organizations.