Coles keeps it classy


This blog could REALLY get me into trouble in this town...

I have a bold statement to make here: Miami University men's basketball head coach Charlie Coles is THE MAN.

There, I said it. He's an awesome guy.

Check out the full reporter's blog and my story about the OU-Miami rivalry game I did for Athens MidDay last week.

After attending his press conference and watching some videos from past pressers, I have come to the realization that Coles is not only a great coach (his stats speak for themselves) but a genuinely great teacher and human being.

Check it out - maybe not EVERYTHING in Oxford is so bad ;)

Caught in a Toyota 'Matrix'


As I do from time to time, I am going to redirect you to Athens MidDay to check out my newest reporter blog.

This time I tackle the Toyota recalls - an issue that affects millions of Americans, my family included. The news came today about the fixes Toyota is doing to the models recalled for sticky accelerators. My parents currently drive a Camry under recall - no word yet on how they are faring with our local dealership and the fix.

I'm told the fix is simply placing a reinforced spring behind the accelerator to ensure that it returns to starting position when compressed. I'm no mechanic, though, so this could be far off or way more complicated than I just made it sound.

Regardless, my latest MidDay reporter's blog is called "Moving Forward" on Toyota and is a reflection of what could go down as one of the most frustrating stories I have ever had to cover. I got the run-around from most of my potential sources and the weather was working against me and fellow reporter Dan Kulin.

Check it out - and check right back here soon for some follow-ups!

Your thoughts on Toyota?

Chicago politics in Athens

I know I'm a little late on this, but I feel like I should chime in anyway...

Before it's even finished, will the Schoonover Center that houses the Scripps College of Communication have collapsed under the weight of a fractured faculty?

This Scripps v. Reader ordeal sure is getting some attention. How strange, too, me thinks. I think this tenure struggle has gotten far too much media attention for such a common occurrence (someone ask Debb Thorne where all her supporters and media attention was when she was originally denied tenure LAST year before OU President Roderick J. McDavis overturned the decision).

Fractured Faculty

The point, counter-point debate has gotten heated and, ever since online publications, the local media, and bloggers have picked up on the story, students and faculty are now getting wrapped up in a tenur-ific firestorm. I pity President McDavis' position here - either way he rules, there is going to be a backlash and, unfortunately, it seems this one is going to be political.

But, based on the reports from the hearings themselves (I can't say firsthand, I wasn't in attendance), this WHOLE debacle has been political. Scripps College of Communication Assistant Dean Eddith Dashiell came to Reader's aid during the hearing, claiming the college has had a history of bullying and implying that Dean Gregory Shepard and E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Director Tom Hodson are equally as guilty of their charges as Reader is.

Them's fightin' words.

It's unfortunate that this "controversy," if you want to call it as such, has been so widely publicized. It shows a lack of direction and leadership within the confines of the College offices in the RTV building as well as down the halls of Scripps. I'll be waiting with bated breath to see how dean evaluations for the Scripps College turn out this year (if The Post can get them without setbacks). In a time when the College and the School need to have strength in unity to manage through a jarring switch to semesters from the current quarter system and into a new, fully-integrated building, this divide only hurts the people already made vulnerable by these changes. It's a shame, too, as this spat casts a dark shadow over the reputation of both the School and the College - a reputation both have fought hard to earn and one that had been on the rise.

Overzealous Jstudents and Questionable Ethics?


I'm shocked at the extent of the coverage of both the original tenure denial and the hearing process both locally and, now, on a national stage. Especially with the student media at The Post and the Athens NEWS, I have to wonder how much of this coverage violates the understood rules of conflict of interest. I can guarantee that MOST writers and editors at The Post have had at least one class with Reader (he taught the JOUR 101 class in 2006, so all current seniors had him). I am in awe as to how these kids, who even created a Facebook group to celebrate and remember Reader's eccentricities, can cover his trials without bias. Maybe I'm just cynical, but I don't think it's possible.

NOTE: In the original blog I inaccurately implied that The Post Publishing Board had a level of editorial control over the paper. In truth, the Board meets only to make hiring decisions.

In all fairness, Post editor-in-chief Ashley Lutz issued an editorial letter the next day standing behind their coverage as being ethical and fair. I agree with much of what she says, but feel that the paper must have felt it necessary to play catch-up with the story. The story that ran the day following Reader's hearing, linked above, was easily the longest story in that day's paper. And maybe it's just me, but I sense a little bias in it. Not much, but you can tell these kids have a lot of respect for Reader. I'm not saying anyone is wrong here, just that this may not have been the best course of action for a Mark of Excellence Region 4 Best All-Around Daily Paper.

This discussion of conflict of interest and coverage spilled over into Athens MidDay, the broadcast practicum class and half-hour noon newscast I am currently involved with as a reporter. We did not cover the issue, as an ethical precaution and because we simply didn't feel it was news. Our audience, though, is slightly different from that of The Post. The people of Athens County may care about the denial of tenure and outpouring of support for a professor, but I doubt it. Again, I might give Debb Thorne a call to get her reaction to this media circus. It simply isn't a front-page or newscast-leading story that there is a disagreement about tenure. What DOES make this story different is the extent of support for the educator in question, but without the overkill of media coverage, would that even have been the case?

Personal Thoughts

I have never taken a class with Bill Reader. That may change, though, next quarter. I have only minimally worked with the man when he was co-adviser for Ohio University's chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. In our interactions, I found him pleasant, if not somewhat intimidating. I can understand and see both sides of the argument. It wouldn't surprise me if he were hard to work with, but I don't know that for fact. He may very well be one hell of an educator, inspiring future journos for years. But I don't know THAT for fact, either.

And herein lies the problem with this whole endeavor - students shouldn't be getting involved with this process because we simply are not in the position to judge this matter. We have biases caused, simply enough, by lack of knowledge. We have only seen Reader in one very specific role and setting, which creates a one-sided view. I saw a Facebook status following the hearing that said something along the lines of, "I will graduate with a tainted view of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. How can you teach ethics when you can't even practice them?" To me, this represents the most ignorant statement one can make in this situation. I'd be more concerned about the ethics in place in The Post's newsroom then those in the RTV building and Scripps Hall.

But, if you believe Dr. Dashiell, then BOTH might need some help. In which case, hurry up, graduation!

P.S. As a side note, I found this blog by former OU Bobcat Bill Sledzik, now a faculty member at Kent State, to be a nice look at how this might be a PR nightmare for Ohio U. and the Scripps College of Communication - check it out!

Putting the First Pieces in Place


I encourage you to head on over to Athens MidDay to check out some of my work (the good, bad and ugly) over the past two weeks and over the course of the next five.

But what I REALLY want you to check out is my first reporter blog of the quarter - called "Life on the Hardwood." I'm actually really proud of it and my Executive Producer pulled me aside today and told me how much she enjoyed reading it as well.

I've had an affinity for basketball since before I can remember and have always felt that high school basketball is among the most exciting and pure of any team sport. It's the squeaking of the sneakers, the tight gymnasiums packed with proud parents and energetic peers. There's an energy there, and that's the focus of this blog.

I got to cover a high school basketball game last Tuesday night and it really rekindled my love of the sport - I got wrapped up in the excitement of it all. So, that's what I wrote about.

I called this post the "Putting the First Pieces in Place" because, for me, it hopefully represents a deeper commitment to this little blog project. It helps that I am getting a grade for four blog posts this quarter. So, leave some encouragement and what you'd like to see on here. I'm thinking about getting political the next time around...look out!

Until then, check it out!

We weren't born to follow

This is a space for professional thoughts and projects, but here is a rare personal reflection - just something that's been on my mind.



It's time to get back to basics. My life has become too complicated, too full of things that distract me from what is really important.

I believe that everything happens for a reason. I am meant to be here, in this place, at this time, with these people, doing this crazy thing called Athens MidDay right now. Not later. And there have been things in the past couple of weeks that made me question why. But the pieces of THIS puzzle are slowly starting to connect and - who knows? - might make sense soon.

I've never been so overwhelmed or full of uncertainty and, as it turns out, that's not a bad thing. I just need to simplify and then maybe, just maybe, I can find what I'm looking for and step down the path to doing the great things I know I can do.

That's deep enough for today.

I really AM going to make an effort to keep this thing updated more. But now I'll leave you with another song that is frighteningly fitting for this post. I guess it's just a Bon Jovi kinda day for me...



Farewell to mediocrity

Another Try

Well, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I clearly didn’t keep this up (heck, I barely even started it).

So, it’s that time of year again…a new year means we all make resolutions that only come back to haunt us . Hopefully, these aren’t those kinds of resolutions. You’ve read my preaching about the importance of using social media and interactive technologies to market yourself and share news, so the following is my Social Media Resolution List for 2010.

Wish me luck – this could get messy!

1. Blog at least once a week. This should be easy once I get into a habit of doing it. I’m pretty opinionated, so there’s going to be a lot of commentary. I also really want to explore this idea of “From the Rolodex” because I think it has the potential to be really fascinating. Then, this Ravenswood documentary will kick into full gear sometime later this year and there should be no shortage of material there.

2. Be more active in LinkedIn groups. I recently joined several pertinent LinkedIn groups and need to be an active member – commenting on discussions, starting discussions, and mingling with other members. That’s really the only way to get the most networking out of LinkedIn.

3. Tweet something other than what I’m feeling, thinking, or doing. The most prolific tweeters offer insight or advice – they actively respond and retweet but also include links of interest. This can be a great networking and marketing tool, but only if I stop treating it has an elitist Facebook status.

4. Create a brand for myself. This one is the kicker – the biggie. It won’t happen overnight; heck, it won’t happen by July. But, in the long run, this is the goal. As I go into my final year as an undergraduate and possibly in higher education, I need to do all I can to establish my brand – who am I? what do I stand for? I need an “essence.” It’ll happen; it’s just an overwhelming task.

Well, there they are. Thoughts? Helpful hints? What are YOUR social media resolutions in 2010?

Until next time (and I promise it won’t be another six months)…

Evan

A Place to Leave my Thoughts

Greetings and welcome to a small personal experiment...

It seems all the most recent career-building and brand-building advice centers around an understanding and mastering of social media. Whether it be the professional connections made by LinkedIn or the live micro-blogging of Twitter, journalists are being pushed to use these nontraditional methods of communication to tell our stories. The American mindset is changing - we want our news and information NOW, accurate and entertaining. THIS is the basis for this project.

On these pages, you will be able to read one of a variety of (hopefully) somewhat regular pieces.

The Road to Ravenswood
This summer, I began preliminary research on a documentary focusing on Ravenswood, WV - a town built by Henry J. Kaiser and the aluminum industry. In February, the Century (formerly kaiser) Aluminum plant shut down its final lines of production, laying off around 650 skilled workers. The town has managed to remain strong - through a mix of faith, friends and a rich history. I want to see how Henry Kaiser and his company changed the landscape of Ravenswood and the Ohio River Valley as well as how the city has cushioned itself from the sting of unemployment.

You can follow my thoughts and experiences throughout the whole process here - under posts titled "The Road to Ravenswood."

From the Rolodex
I've had the wonderful opportunity to meet countless unique and fascinating individuals over the course of my life. In this section, I will profile some of them in ways that might surprise you - why did they get involved in their current fields? what were their childhoods like? who and what are their biggest influences?

It's a chance to go deeper with some names and faces you may recognize and certainly will want to read about each week.

Commentary
Anyone who knows me, knows I have opinions - usually pretty strong ones. These columns allow me to spout off about anything that catches my interest or grinds my gears - they'll usually be something in the news or involving the news. Hopefully these will fuel some discussion and debate.

Keeping checking back every few days - the first legitimate post should be up in a day or so.

I hope this experiment works and I will always want comments and suggestions for new content or how to make what's already here better.

Thanks!

Evan