(no subject)
** Edit** Sorry everyone for reposting this- my last post had some serious formatting issues and two LJ cuts** Thanks to slowbro for alerting me to this!
Hi everyone
I am posting my SOP up here for feedback.
I am applying to J-School in the Fall of 2009, and I am teetering on the brink of collapse- trying to finish my coursework, bring closure to my applications and still be bright and chirpy for work!
Your feedback and insight would be invaluable!
Thanks!
What are the merits of a profession that thrusts its practitioners in pursuit of the enigma that is “truth”? And how do we know it when we see it? The answers to those questions were revealed in Wadah Khanfar's opening address at the Al Jazeera forum in April 2007 saying “it is incumbent upon us to understand the reality we are supposed to deal with, to fathom its idiosyncrasies, to explain the hidden dimensions behind the news and to decode its symbols.” Khanfar found truth in deep and resonant reporting- uncolored by political chagrin and financial interests- and it was incumbent for journalists to seek it, even if this amounted to putting one's self in mortal danger. For Khanfar and the many journalists who heed his call, pursuit of the truth was more than bringing closure to a process; it was an obligation to the public we serve.
My experience growing up amidst the conflict in Southern Lebanon and exposure to the sectarian spin that fueled it have played a large part in my decision to become a war correspondent. My decision stems from my deference to the journalists who put their lives on the line to tell the stories of people like myself, and out of a need to address the alarming lack of coverage on the human cost of war from the purview of those affected by it. Because of XX's excellent broadcasting program and strong adherence to international reporting principles, both through the global journalism concentration and the "Immigration Here and There" project, I believe that your broadcast journalism program will endow me with the core skills to articulate a wholesome yet pragmatic career path in the field of war correspondence from a human interest perspective.
Throughout my two year stint as a student reporter, my desire to reflect on the humanizing elements of conflict seeped through my stories. From the backlash against Arabs and Muslims following 9/11 to the residual and polarizing impact of the Palestinian Israeli conflict on student groups, my stories expounded upon the personal and emotional responses of the students I interviewed. One of my stories, about a Moroccan freshman who stopped wearing her hijab after being assaulted, showed me how seemingly distant and unrelated events can have explosive consequences- confirming the adage “all news is local”. Beyond the newsroom exposure, my experience as a reporter fostered an appreciation for the interconnectedness of the events that befall us, informed by the narratives of the people who live through them.
At YY, I have benefited from the heavy emphasis the program places on integrating new media technologies with core writing principles. My coursework has allowed me to diversify into different fields to include web development (Flash and XML), programming (Ruby and Java), editing and expository writing. Due to the tech intensive nature of broadcasting and the emphasis on clear and effective writing in journalism, the skills I have gained from my coursework will serve me well as I move through my academic and professional career. Moreover, I hope that my commitment towards a second Bachelors degree and my strong academic performance this time round will lend insight into my commitment and preparedness for graduate study at XX.
As I begin my senior year, I am looking forward to furthering my research on the rise of commercial broadcasting in the Middle East and its effects on the East West media discourse. Last year, my research approached this discourse using Al Jazeera as a case study. Using Tal Azran’s “Positional Hypothesis theory”- a model that analyzes the pliability of media networks in adapting to cultural trends, I discovered that Al Jazeera’s claim as a media pioneer relied upon its self interpretation as a hybrid Eastern Western network. While credited for its wild popularity, this image raises questions about the viability of Al Jazeera’s role as a conduit or go-to source between Eastern and Western media spheres. At XX, I hope to expand on this trajectory to explore the avenues of tension and collaboration between the Arab networks and their American counterparts. What might a model of collaboration look like? How will the coverage of war be affected? And how can we reconcile the different standards of newsworthiness? These are the questions I hope to engage in my future study.
Hi everyone
I am posting my SOP up here for feedback.
I am applying to J-School in the Fall of 2009, and I am teetering on the brink of collapse- trying to finish my coursework, bring closure to my applications and still be bright and chirpy for work!
Your feedback and insight would be invaluable!
Thanks!
What are the merits of a profession that thrusts its practitioners in pursuit of the enigma that is “truth”? And how do we know it when we see it? The answers to those questions were revealed in Wadah Khanfar's opening address at the Al Jazeera forum in April 2007 saying “it is incumbent upon us to understand the reality we are supposed to deal with, to fathom its idiosyncrasies, to explain the hidden dimensions behind the news and to decode its symbols.” Khanfar found truth in deep and resonant reporting- uncolored by political chagrin and financial interests- and it was incumbent for journalists to seek it, even if this amounted to putting one's self in mortal danger. For Khanfar and the many journalists who heed his call, pursuit of the truth was more than bringing closure to a process; it was an obligation to the public we serve.
My experience growing up amidst the conflict in Southern Lebanon and exposure to the sectarian spin that fueled it have played a large part in my decision to become a war correspondent. My decision stems from my deference to the journalists who put their lives on the line to tell the stories of people like myself, and out of a need to address the alarming lack of coverage on the human cost of war from the purview of those affected by it. Because of XX's excellent broadcasting program and strong adherence to international reporting principles, both through the global journalism concentration and the "Immigration Here and There" project, I believe that your broadcast journalism program will endow me with the core skills to articulate a wholesome yet pragmatic career path in the field of war correspondence from a human interest perspective.
Throughout my two year stint as a student reporter, my desire to reflect on the humanizing elements of conflict seeped through my stories. From the backlash against Arabs and Muslims following 9/11 to the residual and polarizing impact of the Palestinian Israeli conflict on student groups, my stories expounded upon the personal and emotional responses of the students I interviewed. One of my stories, about a Moroccan freshman who stopped wearing her hijab after being assaulted, showed me how seemingly distant and unrelated events can have explosive consequences- confirming the adage “all news is local”. Beyond the newsroom exposure, my experience as a reporter fostered an appreciation for the interconnectedness of the events that befall us, informed by the narratives of the people who live through them.
At YY, I have benefited from the heavy emphasis the program places on integrating new media technologies with core writing principles. My coursework has allowed me to diversify into different fields to include web development (Flash and XML), programming (Ruby and Java), editing and expository writing. Due to the tech intensive nature of broadcasting and the emphasis on clear and effective writing in journalism, the skills I have gained from my coursework will serve me well as I move through my academic and professional career. Moreover, I hope that my commitment towards a second Bachelors degree and my strong academic performance this time round will lend insight into my commitment and preparedness for graduate study at XX.
As I begin my senior year, I am looking forward to furthering my research on the rise of commercial broadcasting in the Middle East and its effects on the East West media discourse. Last year, my research approached this discourse using Al Jazeera as a case study. Using Tal Azran’s “Positional Hypothesis theory”- a model that analyzes the pliability of media networks in adapting to cultural trends, I discovered that Al Jazeera’s claim as a media pioneer relied upon its self interpretation as a hybrid Eastern Western network. While credited for its wild popularity, this image raises questions about the viability of Al Jazeera’s role as a conduit or go-to source between Eastern and Western media spheres. At XX, I hope to expand on this trajectory to explore the avenues of tension and collaboration between the Arab networks and their American counterparts. What might a model of collaboration look like? How will the coverage of war be affected? And how can we reconcile the different standards of newsworthiness? These are the questions I hope to engage in my future study.