Week 16: Revise OpEd Pieces/Final Post Assignment Due Date: Monday, Dec. 20

Hi Students,

Please be sure to revise your OpEd on same document in our google docs drive. For many of my comments, you can simply “accept”: HERE.

As we finish our final weeks of the semester, I ask that you continue to consider the role of mobile and social media journalism.  In “Forces at the Gate” (pages 1-22), Journalism Professor Anthony Adornato speaks of the radical shift in how news is both delivered and consumed [see mobileandsocialmedia]. Rather than simply produced by “gatekeeper” media outlets in “one way” fashion, news is now a “two-way” conversation thanks to mobile devices and social media tools that have dramatically changed the media landscape. Today, the public can play an active role in the news production process; almost anyone in fact can become a journalistic “player” (or “social influencer”) in the media landscape, with the right “know-how” and insights.

What’s clear is that to become a journalist today, one needs the ability to use a variety of social media technologies.  Simultaneously, the working journalist of today needs to be aware of multiple media venues. 

These tools include but are not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok.  Also useful to know about are outlets like Substack, Longform, and Twitter’s new Revue (a digital newsletter in which you can build an audience base) .  It’s also useful to master a variety of tools for making videos, podcasts, and websites (like Squarespace).  

We are coming to the end of our course, but advanced Journalism classes would focus on these technologies (as does a major in Communication Design). 

For those of you interested in furthering your journalism talents, I recommend the Journalism and Media Studies B.A. program at Brooklyn College and the Master’s Program offered at the CUNY Gradutate Center.

Here are some interesting articles to ponder, which relate to the effect of new methods of newsgathering, distribution of news, and audience engagement, driven by our digital landscape.

One article focuses on how media giant Conde Nast is transforming itself to correlate with new digital trends.  The second article is a fun one that shows how an “influencer” used Tik Tok to critique the recent Advent calendars put out by Chanel.  It’s a somewhat silly piece but a reminder of how powerful social media tools can be in changing the minds and perceptions of large swathes of “linked in” media consumers.

To end the semester, I ask that you check out my journalism project (hosted on SquareSpace) that I’ve been working on for a few years.  It’s entitled “City of Print: New York and the Periodical Press.”  [To enter the site, use password: cityofprint2020]. Specifically, I ask that you “take” one of my virtual walking tours through a particular New York neighborhood that focuses on its important print history (choose either the Waterfront, Printing House Square (by City Hall), Union Square, the East Village, or the West Village). [On upper right of site, click on the icon/link called “virtual tours“]

In your final post, please let me know what tour you “took” and what you learned.  In your post, please also describe a journalism project you might like to do in the future (or are currently doing) that might involve social media tools.   You could discuss the way you might expand your OpEd, for example, into a website or a run of articles on, say, substack.   Perhaps you want to write a longer piece for a particular magazine such as Ebony or The Atlantic Monthly. This post will be your final assignment for me.

FINAL POST DUE: Monday., Dec. 20. Reminder: To post, go to top of this post, click “comments” , then type in your comment.

16 Comments

  1. Mark Noonan

    Anderson Lazo

    One future journalism project I would love to work on would indeed have to be having to travel all of South America.Travel and document everything we could possibly document such as cultural activity’s religions and even food choices.The tour I choose to take opon was the east village because I went to high school there so to learn about its history would definitely be interesting.East village is full of history and many of its history is deeply related to Europe which is where the name “little Germany” came from.It’s diversity comes from very long ago where there would be people of all over.Now a days it’s home to a very huge China town which many people know.The museums that we see in East village are really old and have a lot of history to them.My OpEd could be expanded by being able to gather information about the other side of the opinion and expressing why they are wrong.

  2. Mark Noonan

    Daniel
    The West Village tour was the one that caught my eye. These neighborhoods have a lot of history to them which shaped the way New York really is today. There are a lot of things that I’ve learned from the video and would like to point out some interesting facts that I readout. First, the “Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom” on Central Park in 1916, allowed women to come together to help end and prevent war from happening, taking place during WWI they used this platform to allow them to defend their rights and help them promote economical and social justice. Second, the plaque of Mark Twain was held at 14 West 10th Street where he lived from 1900 to 1901 for his novel “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” which was more of an imaginational novel and one of the biggest novels that really shaped America’s vision to be able to create the world of their own adventures connecting friendship and truth. Since publishing novels and papers were a big thing at the time, most of his novels changed literature the way it is today. I would also like to throw in there the “The Village Voice” on 61 Christopher Street on July 3, 1969, supporting gay rights and covering the culture and politics as well. Lastly, the opening of the Oscar Wilde Bookshop on 15th Christopher Street which was the first bookshop that opened its way in Gay Liberation movements allowed all gender and race to enter. Most of these places have a lot of history to them, If I had to write a future paper or project that deals with social media I would probably look at some historical places that improved the way technology has taken the world today.

  3. Mark Noonan

    Steve Bachoo

    The one that I decided to pick is taking the tour at Union Square. The one thing that I learned from watching the video tour was when Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux were able to redesign union square park to make the space more available. Specifically to have more gatherings available for the people. It also served as a theatre district from the 1860s to the 1880s. Steinway hall was an auditorium that was built in 1866. It was considered as the largest concert hall in the United States at the time. The reason why is because Steinway Hall can fit 2500 people. The Mora Portrait Studio was opened in 1870 by Jose Maria Mora. Jose Maria Mora was a young Cuban refugee and the photos served the stars of the opera on stage. The photos were so popular that he was making $100,000 a year in 1878. The labor activism and the other progressive causes lead to Emma Goldman’s Mother Earth which was published in 210 East 13th street in June 1907. Going on to 66 Irving place there was a place called Pete’s Tavern. It was a favorite watering place called O’Henry. The bow arch structure in Madison Square Garden served as an indoor arena. This was designed by Stanford White in 1890. Stanford White was murdered in a rooftop garden restaurant by millionaire Harry Thaw. He killed him because of an affair White had with Thaw’s wife, she was an actress called Evelyn Nesbit, which became known as the trial of the century. A journalism project that I would like to do in the future that deals with social media is to try exploring other countries.

  4. Mark Noonan

    R. Yar
    Since I work in the East Village, i thought it’d be interesting to take a look at The East Village “tour”. One of the few things I’ve learned throughout the video was about the tenement museum on 97 Orchard street which was founded in 1988. In the mid 1800’s, the lower east side was once known as “little Germany” and is currently one of the largest Chinatowns. Next, I’ve learned about Thompkins Square Park which was opened in 1834 and was named after Daniel D. Thompkins vice president of United State under James Monroe. Lastly, we have the McSorley’s Old Ale House which is oldest Irish saloon in NYC and was opened in 1854. What’s interesting was that they only began to admit women to enter the pub in 1970.
    The way I might expand my OpEd is first, gather additional information about my topic, educated myself about the pros and cons. By then, I could reach out to individuals who has similar interests and start a website or even form a non-profit.

    (My OpEd is connection between poverty and childhood education.)

  5. Mark Noonan

    Albert Frontela
    12/18/21
    Professor Mark Noonan
    Introduction to Journalism
    Virtual Tour of Union Square, Gramercy Park, Madison Square
    For this assignment, I chose to take a tour of 14 Street Union Square, Gramercy Park, and Madison Square. One thing I learned that I never thought I would have known was Union Square is named Union Square because it’s at the union of Fourth street and broadway. Union Square was originally oval shaped, and had a fountain in the middle of the park instead of a train station, this is because in the 1800’s the subways were not set up yet, it was actually really uncommon to see a train that was underground. The park gained fame because it was a park where people would protest or have political rallies, much like today but just without the phones. An example of this is on the slide demonstrating Winslow Homer’s picture painting the Great Sumter Meeting in Union Square (Homer, 1863). Another example is the statue of Abraham Lincoln that was finished by 1870 by Henry Kirk Brown. Seeing how this park already was famous for having large gatherings, they reconstructed and changed the shape of the park to something a little more similar to the current version in NYC today. This park was also a center of commerce, seeing how there were always a lot of people around the area. The Barnes and Noble on 17 street used to be an office for a magazine from 1873-1940, everything after that is occupied by Barnes and Noble. Stuyvesant Square Park is a park that was formed in 1836, after four acres of land were taken by the city to construct this park, a couple of minutes away from Union Square. This park became fashionable to the people around the area. There were so many wealthy people around the area, the reason why this comes up is because they left so many artifacts about how life was at the time. For example, the Whitney family who were as rich as they came, had started up an art studio in Greenwich, where she had let many other artists come and display their work when no one else really was. With all of the traction that was built up because of these artists always being there, the art exhibit became a museum. Another example is on 19th street is owned by a guy named George W. Bellows. This man bought a huge house, and painted in that house up until the day of his death. The house then became kind of a museum, with the paintings this guy painted depicting more urban life in New York, it gave a grittier side to the landscape of art in New York because of the harsh realities of real life back then. One of his most Famous works was a painting named Dempsey and Firpo in 1924 where it depicts a boxing match and Dempsey getting knocked dramatically by Firpo. Another famous rich person was Former President Theodore Roosevelt, who was born on 20th street in Gramercy. Teddy was famous around there by putting his face on most of his ads, like a self-ad campaign, people believed it and they loved him for it.
    I am going next to Madison Square Park, it was named after James Madison who was the fourth president of the United States and the park was made in 1847. The first Skyscraper made in NYC, the Flatiron Building was finished in 1902, it was most loved for its peculiar shape and how tall it was. There were famous writings from that are which included acts such as the Amazing Stories, there were also sight seeing attractions back then much like now just to see the Flatiron Building. At the turn of the century, New York had just started to become fashion central because of the artistic buildings and the ambiance that the dirty grimy city gave off. There was an art institute in that area on Park Avenue and 23 street, that was demolished in 1901. This institute was around a famous Journal Newspaper named Wilshires Magazine, it started in 1901, it was news mixed with journalism and was made by Henry Gaylord Wilshire a Californian developer. Another institute that was around this area is located on Lexington and 25th street. This was another art exhibit for modern art that was open to the public, it was a huge sucess because it didn’t have to be all rich people as it was in the lower side of Manhattan at the time. I can conclude that these factors created this awe of New York that Every one else has, these famous rich people grew up here and became successfull based on the support of the poeple living in NYC at that time and the tourists too. New York City was formed by a lot of artists and working class people, these people made, and still make the everyday experience that is New York.
    I am thinking about doing research on this new variant of COvid that just recently popped up. The reason I want to do that is to see the peoples reaction to this news, last year people were in a panic. New Yorkers are not really scared of anything though, so that is the reason I want to do that, this relates to this paper also because, with the formation of all of these new buildings and avenues that makes New York what it is.

  6. Sean Suarez

    The virtual tour that I took was the Union Square, Gramercy, Park, and Madison Square. It starts with a tour about Union Square Park which according to the tour is known as the “People’s Park”. The park is oval shaped and has a fountain in the middle. The fountain was constructed back in 1842 and is a symbol of the completion of the aqueduct system. The park has a statue of George Washington that signified when the British left the city and a statue of Abrham Lincoln which symbolized the division that America felt during the Civil War. The park was even the subject of paintings by famous American artists; one known as Childe Hassam in 1896, it is titled “Union Square In Spring”. Union Square Park also served a political stance where the Labor Day Parade was first held. The park was also used by labor activists and other progressive activists where they voiced their views on labor laws and women’s rights.

    The area near the park had many famous shops, bookstores, theatres, concert halls, newspapers, magazines and manufacturing factories. The history of this park and its surroundings is rich with history and culture that shaped the city. While on this history enriched virtual tour, I was amazed by the historical richness and influence that occurred within the city. The flatiron building was filled with many famous offices such as publishing offices that published many famous magazines. Madison Square park was close to a famous hotel known as the Hoffman House where many famous newspaper journalists gathered in the lobby of the hotel.

    A journalism project I would like to do in the future is a piece on the happenings of the jail “Rikers Island”. I would like to go more in depth on what is going on in this troubled facility infamous for its “inhumane, and unjust” treatment of inmates. Rather than punish and cause more suffering that could result in irreversible damage more programs, and rehabilitative services should be put in to place. Other countries who have a more lenient justice system and who focus more on rehabilitation and education rather than suffering and punishing; whose jails are more open, humane and community based are completely different than the jail model America has.

    • Eric Ayala

      Being a native New Yorker, there’s much I know, I don’t know about my own city. Looking at a map of NYC, I realize I have only barely discovered about a quarter of what the greatest city in the world has to offer. I chose to take a tour of the East Village of Manhattan, as the skyscraper gap of the island is where I spend the least of my time. While on the tour I learned of some of the demographics of the lower east side. Today, if I try to picture the lower east side I imagine a large presence of mostly white people and Chinatown, and non native New Yorkers living their best life. Little did I know it was once known as Little Germany, and also had a “large” population of my own people, Puerto Ricans. Now the hispanic community in Manhattan is mostly made up of Dominicans in Washington heights. Growing up in the Bronx, the only poet or author I have heard of is Edgar Allan Poe. His house is still standing in Poe Park or the Kingsbridge area. However, I see that the East Village also contributed to New York’s literature culture just as much as Harlem and the rest of the city. I learned that the founding of “Mad” magazine was also here, which is something that was passed down to me from my mom who was born only 3 years after it was founded. After watching your thorough analysis or walkthrough of these iconic neighborhoods of our city’s culture it encourages me to do one of my own. I would use both youtube and tik tok due to their popularity to record little known stories or urban legends of maybe not so famous neighborhoods. Everyone knows the big time legends but underprivileged neighborhoods or “hoods” that people may not visit I feel deserve to have their stories heard and preserved as well. If I can shed some light on them through big name social media platforms it will do not only us some justice but the hopefully infinite generations that proceed us. New Yorkers of the future should know that hip hop was invented in the Bronx, and the style of dance we know as breakdancing and hip hop was as well. The individuals who experienced this cultural revolution are still alive and young today. I feel as a journalist I should capitalize on this opportunity for history’s sake.

      • Mark Noonan

        Thorough and exhilarating response Eric to your connection to the East Village (and Mad magazine through your mom!). Your own idea to cover “less known neighborhoods”/hoods is a fantastic future endeavor.

  7. sergio tello

    I choose to watch the Virtual Tour of Union Square, Gramercy Park, Madison Square for this assignment because it is a place that I am very familiar with and a place that I have a lot of knowledge to. The one of the things that I found interesting/ that I didn’t know was that Madison square park features many important sculptures, and that the flatiron building was not designed to be the tallest building in NY but it was the most visually dramatic. As an Architect major I find it amusing how many parts of NYC are mainly made for visual appealing and not necessarily for a bigger purpose. Munsey was one of the first tenants to be in the flatiron building, and the building served for Macfadden publications headquarters. After seeing this virtual tour and also taking a sight into the East Village tour, I would like to do a journalism project on my neighborhood Fort Greene. Living here for many years I have learned about the importance of the neighborhood for Jazz music, to the meaning of the Fort Greene Park where the American Revolutionary War took place. It seems like a very interesting journalism project to develop. Not only the background to the area but also going around focusing on what my OP assignment was based on and how the pandemic affected the mental health of the different adversities around me.

    • Mark Noonan

      Very cool and smart post Sergio. Your own Fort Greene tour sounds amazing, which I hope you pursue.

  8. Judley L

    New York City sites that tourist often visit contain such rich historical and cultural significance. For the tour I decided to visit Union Square, Gramercy Park and Madison Square. Union Park is one of my favorite parks in the city to visit. I was intrigued to learn the story behind the statues that are in this park and the way it was redesigned to make the park more conducive to large gatherings. The revolution district that occurred in the vicinity of the park is an evolution that to this day surrounds this park full of retail shops and the Barnes and Noble bookstore. I was pleased to learn that this library was the site of The Century Building where The Century Magazine & St Nicholas Illustrated Magazine for Boys & Girls where one of my favorite childhood books “The Secret Garden” was published. Classic works of Literature by authors such as Mark Twain and Artists like Childe Hassam’s painting are all related to Union Square. I also learned that Union Square Park is one of the first sites where activism took place in NYC. As discussed in the presentation in the 1880s Union Square Park became a focal point for social movements. Its nice to see the historical significance of this site preserved as to this day when I pass by this park, I see activists on the steps publicly speaking and protesting social/political injustices. An important social graphic published was “Survey Graphic” about Harlem Mecca of the New Negro. Harlem has significant importance for the rise of black artists musicians and other creatives which was nice to know was covered in a magazine. I was surprised to learn that Teddy Roosevelt was an author. Often in school we are taught of his political contributions but not his social ones. As the first Media President he used media to promote his policies. Overall I enjoyed the thoroughness of the presentation and how it related to the history of journalism in New York City.

    One project I would want to expand on is my OpEd entitled “ Omicron – The New Contagion” For my Op Ed I discussed how Omicron (the new variant of COVID) is spreading quickly and ways I believe if implemented could help contain this virus.If I were to expand my OpEd, I would want to expand it into a website and discuss the effect of the pandemic on health care workers. I would discuss how with another variant surging there is a lack of concern for the wellbeing of healthcare workers. They have been asked to absorb wave after wave yet have received no hazard pay, mental breaks or adequate staffing. If we are not okay our entire care system can collapse. I would then give other healthcare workers the opportunity to share their stories and create a space where we can all share our grievances whether privately or publicly and anonymously. I would use social media platforms such as twitter and Instagram to highlight legislation or current occurrences in the health care space that directly affect workers and our patients. A major part of healthcare is advocacy. I believe with the journalism skills I’ve learned with this semester I would be better equipped to advocate for the rights of my fellow health care professionals and those of my patients.

    • Mark Noonan

      Thanks for this thorough walk through of the amazing Union Square area, which you detail so well! I love the idea of expanding your work as a Health Care workers across multiple media platforms.

  9. Jailyn Lavado

    I ended up watching the tour of Union square, gramercy park and Madison square park one. It was interesting to learn alot of the history of certain buildings. I did not know the Barnes & Noble building, known as the Century building, used to be a magazine orientated. Another building was the De Vinne Press Building. It was designed by the firm of Barb, Cook & Willard. De Vinne published books that were about the invention of printing , correct composition and title pages. As always it is interesting to see how it got revamped during the modern days.
    In terms of journalism, I might use my OpEd for my research papers at my graduate school. As sustainability is a huge topic in the fashion world, it may be relevant.

    • Mark Noonan

      Thanks for taking the Union Square tour. I actually wrote a full-length book on the Century Magazine. Your graduate work sounds intriguing.

    • Mark Noonan

      Thanks for taking this tour Jailyn!

  10. Melissa Dos Santos

    I took the West Village tour. This neighborhood is rich with both history and a breeding ground of inspiration. It’s also one of my favorite neighborhoods. I loved the bit about the magazines. I wasn’t familiar with the overlap between the bohemian movements in Greenwich Village and the Harlem Renaissance. Nor was I familiar with publications such as The Masses and The Liberator. I had heard about The Dial in previous readings. To name a few, John Reed, Gertrude Stein, and Claude McKay are fantastic! What a time to be alive.

    I want to develop my writing further in 2022. In fact, I’m taking this upcoming Spring semester off to reassess what I’d like to achieve and take strictly writing courses instead. My experience back to school, thus far, has shown and taught me that I should take writing a bit more seriously than I previously thought. Perhaps journalism would be the path to take, but I tend to write more in an essay format, and my approach to writing is introspective and personal. That said, journalism would be a welcomed challenge.

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