Catholic San Francisco
I remember we started getting the Catholic San Francisco in the mail while I was still in grade school. We never subscribed, so we assumed they sent them to the people registered in each parish.
I never really read the paper, I'd usually just skim through and look for little blurbs about my grade school and high school alma maters. In fact, I think it was last week that my grade school, Holy Angels in Colma, was featured (complete with a picture!) as they participated in the annual choral festival at Riordan.
That's usually the extent of my reading, though a story might catch my eye sometimes. I know the paper doesn't shy away from issues. From my skimming over the years, I'd say it was 50% on fluff pieces about the cute little bunnies 2nd graders made for the elderly and 50% on harder news, from the sex abuse scandals to abortion to the death penalty... I remember seeing those kinds of story.
So when Dan Morris-Young, editor of Catholic San Francisco came to speak to the class, I sort of expected the kinds of possible stories he'd give us. It is definitely expected that any story that will be published in a Catholic newspaper must have some kind of Catholic angle. And really, just like any story can be localized, I think any story can be Catholicized (right use of that?).
Even if it is just getting the opinion of Catholics leaving mass about the election or the weather, being Catholic is another demographic that can help make stories specific.
Of course, Catholicism is bigger than just a demo, so stories around issues like birth control, marriage, the election, the war... they'll have a lot more specific things to say about them. And what could be interesting is the different opinions within the Catholic community on a certain issue.
Dan also gave some good advice on journalism in general, definitely reinforcing a lot of things that have been told to us in many Media Studies classes. Journalism is trying to catch up with the ever-developing world.
For a publication that focuses on a certain community, it is that much harder for them to be able to reach out to the public, find ways to not only attract Catholics, but maybe even people of other spiritual and religious leanings (if any). Many people seek out all sides of a story, different angles to help enhance their understanding of an issue.
There were some tense moments in my Intro to New Media class over independent media. But basically, what I took from the "discussion" was if one side gets to express their opinion, the other side should as well.
Catholic San Francisco can be a good way for the "Catholic side" to be heard, though really, most of the stories I do remember reading in the paper relate to anyone even if you're not a Catholic. And in today's Journalistic world, that's probably a good thing for Catholic SF.
I never really read the paper, I'd usually just skim through and look for little blurbs about my grade school and high school alma maters. In fact, I think it was last week that my grade school, Holy Angels in Colma, was featured (complete with a picture!) as they participated in the annual choral festival at Riordan.
That's usually the extent of my reading, though a story might catch my eye sometimes. I know the paper doesn't shy away from issues. From my skimming over the years, I'd say it was 50% on fluff pieces about the cute little bunnies 2nd graders made for the elderly and 50% on harder news, from the sex abuse scandals to abortion to the death penalty... I remember seeing those kinds of story.
So when Dan Morris-Young, editor of Catholic San Francisco came to speak to the class, I sort of expected the kinds of possible stories he'd give us. It is definitely expected that any story that will be published in a Catholic newspaper must have some kind of Catholic angle. And really, just like any story can be localized, I think any story can be Catholicized (right use of that?).
Even if it is just getting the opinion of Catholics leaving mass about the election or the weather, being Catholic is another demographic that can help make stories specific.
Of course, Catholicism is bigger than just a demo, so stories around issues like birth control, marriage, the election, the war... they'll have a lot more specific things to say about them. And what could be interesting is the different opinions within the Catholic community on a certain issue.
Dan also gave some good advice on journalism in general, definitely reinforcing a lot of things that have been told to us in many Media Studies classes. Journalism is trying to catch up with the ever-developing world.
For a publication that focuses on a certain community, it is that much harder for them to be able to reach out to the public, find ways to not only attract Catholics, but maybe even people of other spiritual and religious leanings (if any). Many people seek out all sides of a story, different angles to help enhance their understanding of an issue.
There were some tense moments in my Intro to New Media class over independent media. But basically, what I took from the "discussion" was if one side gets to express their opinion, the other side should as well.
Catholic San Francisco can be a good way for the "Catholic side" to be heard, though really, most of the stories I do remember reading in the paper relate to anyone even if you're not a Catholic. And in today's Journalistic world, that's probably a good thing for Catholic SF.
posted by ... at 4:35 AM
1 Comments:
Tense moments! Oh my. As for Catholic San Francisco, Dan certainly talks the journalism talk and *I think* tries to walk the walk. That he hired a quality reporter like Rick Delvecchio, late of the Chron, says a lot. As for that fluffy 50 percent: In so many instances you have got to have it to survive the marketplace -- and to reassure those who own the press and write your check. It is always a delicate balancing act, fraught with compromise. Even the alternative media have their own kinds of fluff, of course.
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