Enough is enough for Barack Obama. He has suggested that any further scheduled debates with Hillary Clinton are unnessary, and he just doesn't see the point. The rivals have had 21 debates so far.
If Obama is concerned that the debates are addressing the same issues to the point of redundancy, he is probably right. In the most recent debate Wed. night on ABC, it took 45 minutes before a single relevant issue was brought up. Before that, was simply unnessary banter.
If presidential candidates are going to square off and debate about concerns of the American people, that's great. We need to hear debates of substance that will reveal another part of the candidate, and who and what they stand for. But the media has taken advantage of this election...pushing for more and more exposure of Clinton and Obama.
The two are good for ratings and people genuinely want to hear what they have to say it seems. But, as Obama has suggested, the candidates have covered what they wish to have covered by now in the 21 debates thus far. Until something new comes up, it is unwise to keep pushing Obama and Clinton onto the media's stage.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Do your research
This semester, I'm taking a class where we have to produce a weekly newscast. Two of the stories in the rundown are always same-day reports, where a reporter and photographer team must go out and shoot a quick standup and usually get a soundbite or two. I was assigned to be a photographer to cover a story on the e-memo controversary surrounding the recent UCSU elections.
Because we only have about an hour and a half to set up and conduct interviews (then lug the awful combination of a J-school camera and tripod across campus), we often have to go with the first person who will answer their phone at 9 in the morning. Today, the secretary at the UCSU office set up an interview for us with one of the newly appointed tri-execs of UCSU. Unfortunately for us, the student was a member of the Drive ticket, and the subject of debate in the elections.
Neither the reporter or I quite realized who we were interviewing, which was our biggest mistake in covering the story. When we figured out who our interviewee was after the fact, the reporter said she would have asked much different questions. We're lucky that we didn't get completely biased (or at least in favor of Drive) answers that would have skewed our entire story.
There's no excuse for a journalist to be unprepared going into an interview. A journalist must thoroughly know both sides of a debate...otherwise, they won't exactly be able to convey an accurate and unbiased story.
Because we only have about an hour and a half to set up and conduct interviews (then lug the awful combination of a J-school camera and tripod across campus), we often have to go with the first person who will answer their phone at 9 in the morning. Today, the secretary at the UCSU office set up an interview for us with one of the newly appointed tri-execs of UCSU. Unfortunately for us, the student was a member of the Drive ticket, and the subject of debate in the elections.
Neither the reporter or I quite realized who we were interviewing, which was our biggest mistake in covering the story. When we figured out who our interviewee was after the fact, the reporter said she would have asked much different questions. We're lucky that we didn't get completely biased (or at least in favor of Drive) answers that would have skewed our entire story.
There's no excuse for a journalist to be unprepared going into an interview. A journalist must thoroughly know both sides of a debate...otherwise, they won't exactly be able to convey an accurate and unbiased story.
"A Blank Slate"
A quote in a recent NY Times article: " ...[a blog] is a blank slate to unload all the frustrations and emotions of a personal crisis."
According to the article, one in ten American adults with Internet access keeps a blog, mostly about their personal lives. According to the same article, divorce is pretty up there as far a hot topics in blogs are concerned. A blogger named Tricia Walsh Smith put an absolutely ridiculous video on YouTube as part of her blog, to expose her soon-to-be-ex husband's shortcomings. Apparently, blogging can be therapeutic, especially if the blog is meant to embarass or disgrace someone else. If you really want to reach a large audience, a blog really has no boundaries or privacy and can make a person as anonymous or infamous as they want to be.
An interesting point brought up in the article was a blogger's First Amendment right. A recently divorced woman profiled linked podcasts to her blog that also made derogatory remarks about her ex husband. The man ended up suing her for "offensive remakrs", but the Supreme Court of New York said the podcasts were protected by the First Amendment and did not have to be blocked.
I think part of the reason people blog is that they simply want their stories to be heard and want to be acknowledged, if only by one other person. For highly personal matters like divorce, it seems that a private diary might be more in order if someone really needs to write down their feelings. But...in an age where everyone's dirty laundry is aired, I doubt a diary is going to replace a juicy blog posting about a nasty divorce.
According to the article, one in ten American adults with Internet access keeps a blog, mostly about their personal lives. According to the same article, divorce is pretty up there as far a hot topics in blogs are concerned. A blogger named Tricia Walsh Smith put an absolutely ridiculous video on YouTube as part of her blog, to expose her soon-to-be-ex husband's shortcomings. Apparently, blogging can be therapeutic, especially if the blog is meant to embarass or disgrace someone else. If you really want to reach a large audience, a blog really has no boundaries or privacy and can make a person as anonymous or infamous as they want to be.
An interesting point brought up in the article was a blogger's First Amendment right. A recently divorced woman profiled linked podcasts to her blog that also made derogatory remarks about her ex husband. The man ended up suing her for "offensive remakrs", but the Supreme Court of New York said the podcasts were protected by the First Amendment and did not have to be blocked.
I think part of the reason people blog is that they simply want their stories to be heard and want to be acknowledged, if only by one other person. For highly personal matters like divorce, it seems that a private diary might be more in order if someone really needs to write down their feelings. But...in an age where everyone's dirty laundry is aired, I doubt a diary is going to replace a juicy blog posting about a nasty divorce.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Boulder loves the outdoors
If you've lived in Boulder for even just a few days, you should be able to tell that it is a very,very active town. It's hard to go outside and not see someone biking, running, walking their dog...if it's some form of exercise, a Boulderite is doing it. I've been training all semester to run a marathon in June, and have found no shortage of people out doing the same thing I am.
Something I didn't know until recently is how many recreational magazines are published right here in Boulder. Among the many, Skiing,Inside Triathlon, and VeloNews are all nationally distributed publications. If I decide to pursue a career in journalism, it's nice to know that I can work in Boulder, and still do all my favorite outdoor activities at the same time. For someone who loves to write and enjoys staying active, Boulder may pretty much be the best of both worlds.
Something I didn't know until recently is how many recreational magazines are published right here in Boulder. Among the many, Skiing,Inside Triathlon, and VeloNews are all nationally distributed publications. If I decide to pursue a career in journalism, it's nice to know that I can work in Boulder, and still do all my favorite outdoor activities at the same time. For someone who loves to write and enjoys staying active, Boulder may pretty much be the best of both worlds.
When it becomes more than a blog
I just finished reading the book I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, by Tucker Max. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone over the age of maybe 25.It's pretty...graphic...although hilarious at times.
Tucker Max is a Duke Law graduate who took a collection of stories, mostly having to do with his random sexual exploits with college girls, and turned them into a book. He claims that the stories are all 100% true, although reading even one might give you reason to doubt this. Before compiling his outrageous tales into a book, he started his own website and blog at tuckermax.com.
In a previous post, I discussed how a simple blog can immediately catapult someone into the public eye. "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell" was a New York Times bestseller, and once again is a perfect example of ordinary writing from someone who didn't necessarily aspire to be a writer. The book brings itself down to a level that many people in the target audience might relate to, even if they haven't experienced anything quite like in the stories. Blogs, and books like Tucker Max's, have made mass communication and large audiences accessible. Although there will certainly always be a need for professional journalists, citizen journalists and bloggers are also playing an important role in informing and entertaining people. To some, its the non-journalists who might be the better source for what's going in the world.
Tucker Max is a Duke Law graduate who took a collection of stories, mostly having to do with his random sexual exploits with college girls, and turned them into a book. He claims that the stories are all 100% true, although reading even one might give you reason to doubt this. Before compiling his outrageous tales into a book, he started his own website and blog at tuckermax.com.
In a previous post, I discussed how a simple blog can immediately catapult someone into the public eye. "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell" was a New York Times bestseller, and once again is a perfect example of ordinary writing from someone who didn't necessarily aspire to be a writer. The book brings itself down to a level that many people in the target audience might relate to, even if they haven't experienced anything quite like in the stories. Blogs, and books like Tucker Max's, have made mass communication and large audiences accessible. Although there will certainly always be a need for professional journalists, citizen journalists and bloggers are also playing an important role in informing and entertaining people. To some, its the non-journalists who might be the better source for what's going in the world.
Celebrity Blogs
You probably know Mario Lavandeira from the celebrity gossip blog he pens...Perezhilton.com sound familiar? Although it hasn't been verified, Lavandeira claims that more than 8 million people will access his celebrity gossip blog a day. In fact, Lavandeira has been so successful with his blog, that he has basically made a career out of posting juicy Hollywood rumors. He is ultimately an example of an ordinary citizen becoming enormously popular through blogging. I don't go to his website daily or anything...in fact, I've only been to it a few times. But I've seen countless people in my classes reading away on their laptops to pass the time in a lecture that is decidedly less interesting. I wouldn't say that Lavandeira is a particularly talented writer, but his blog can be witty, and it's filled with lots of pictures that will at least make you giggle.
I thought of the Perez Hilton blog because I was curious how many actual celebrities keep blogs. I found a list here, although I'm not sure how complete it is. It's interesting how blogs bring celebs down to a very normal, average level...you could be reading one and feel almost like that person has an ordinary day-to-day existence. Although there's no way of knowing for sure if any actual celeb is writing their blog, I found that the random sampling of ones I went to were written very well and seemd to be almost another creative outlet, or at least a way to make sense of the whole celebrity lifestyle. My favorite was John Mayer's (not just because I love his music!), who posts to his blog pretty regularly.
Blogs are exciting to keep because they have the potential to reach a limitless audience...and can even take someone ordinary, like Lavandeira, and make them celebrities in their own right.
I thought of the Perez Hilton blog because I was curious how many actual celebrities keep blogs. I found a list here, although I'm not sure how complete it is. It's interesting how blogs bring celebs down to a very normal, average level...you could be reading one and feel almost like that person has an ordinary day-to-day existence. Although there's no way of knowing for sure if any actual celeb is writing their blog, I found that the random sampling of ones I went to were written very well and seemd to be almost another creative outlet, or at least a way to make sense of the whole celebrity lifestyle. My favorite was John Mayer's (not just because I love his music!), who posts to his blog pretty regularly.
Blogs are exciting to keep because they have the potential to reach a limitless audience...and can even take someone ordinary, like Lavandeira, and make them celebrities in their own right.
On and on, the story goes...
Since the story of the YFZ Ranch raid broke on April 4, updated headlines have appeared daily, sometimes more than once a day, on various news websites. CNN is my homepage, and they have proceeded to cover this story to the point where I don't really care to read anymore. Yes, it is an ongoing story because the custody trials are going on right now. Personally, I think this is a very sensitive story, especially because it is dealing with children and abuse issues...and therefore, should not be nearly as sensationalized...and reported on... as it has been.
It's fine that people are curious about the story...I know that I was in the beginning. But now, with stories appearing on CNN like "I survived a cult through coke" ( not the actual headline, but close enough to what the site had up earlier today), it just seems like media outlets are milking the story for all that its worth to attract audiences.
Journalists have the important decision as to what makes it in the newspaper, 10 o'clock newscast, or homepage of a website. The polygamist ranch story is interesting, and I'm sure it has an audience hanging on to every word that is published about it. However, there are other worthwhile stories happening at the same time that deserve attention. Media shouldn't have to resort to continually outrageous, sensational stories just to keep people interested.
It's fine that people are curious about the story...I know that I was in the beginning. But now, with stories appearing on CNN like "I survived a cult through coke" ( not the actual headline, but close enough to what the site had up earlier today), it just seems like media outlets are milking the story for all that its worth to attract audiences.
Journalists have the important decision as to what makes it in the newspaper, 10 o'clock newscast, or homepage of a website. The polygamist ranch story is interesting, and I'm sure it has an audience hanging on to every word that is published about it. However, there are other worthwhile stories happening at the same time that deserve attention. Media shouldn't have to resort to continually outrageous, sensational stories just to keep people interested.
Short Attention Spans
I'm majoring in broadcast news, and many of my assignments for classes have been news packages. Basically, we use the same format as any other TV news source, whether it's Channel 7 in Denver, or MSNBC. This means we have to try to tell a succinct, compelling story in as little as one minute. This is definitely easier said than done and probably one of the reasons I don't think I'll be pursuing a career in broadcast news. When I tell a story, I like there to be depth and detail, and substance, which is all very hard to fit into a one to two minute package.
I think the media, specifically television and Internet news, have conditioned their audiences to accept and except such brevity in stories. My professors have hammered in the idea that unless you hook your viewers in within the first 10 seconds or so, they're probably going to be changing the channel. When we learned to turn our broadcast stories into web stories, the same thing was true; an eye-catching headline and intriguing lead sentence means you might just be able to keep your readers interested enough to finish reading the story.
Audiences might be able to take in more news with the brief methods of TV and Internet news. However, I feel like trying to tell a complicated story in such a short space just leads to confusion and a longing for more information and details (if it's newsworthy, or even just an enteraining story). An article that appeared in the Daily Camera illustrates this perfectly. The story had an attention-grabbing headline, and then was nothing more than a 275 word article that many readers complained was too simplified, watered-down, and generally lacking in facts.
Journalism needs to go in a direction where it is something of substance again, and not merely a fleeting bit of fluff that will only satisfy those with short attention spans.
I think the media, specifically television and Internet news, have conditioned their audiences to accept and except such brevity in stories. My professors have hammered in the idea that unless you hook your viewers in within the first 10 seconds or so, they're probably going to be changing the channel. When we learned to turn our broadcast stories into web stories, the same thing was true; an eye-catching headline and intriguing lead sentence means you might just be able to keep your readers interested enough to finish reading the story.
Audiences might be able to take in more news with the brief methods of TV and Internet news. However, I feel like trying to tell a complicated story in such a short space just leads to confusion and a longing for more information and details (if it's newsworthy, or even just an enteraining story). An article that appeared in the Daily Camera illustrates this perfectly. The story had an attention-grabbing headline, and then was nothing more than a 275 word article that many readers complained was too simplified, watered-down, and generally lacking in facts.
Journalism needs to go in a direction where it is something of substance again, and not merely a fleeting bit of fluff that will only satisfy those with short attention spans.
The Pope's Visit
After countless media coverage was devoted to the sex scandals in the Catholic Church, a more positive story recently coming out is the Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States. Yesterday, Pope Benedict privately met with those who were victims of clergy abuse, offering them prayers of hope and encouragement. He also led Mass in D.C..
The media does not seem to be turning the papal visit into some sort of circus. All accounts that I have read so far praise him for listening to the victims and acknowleding the wrongdoings of the Church. The mission of the Pope's visit is to reinvigorate Catholics' faith and commitment to the Church. In this article, the Pope is revealed as compassionate, and a very real person...and not some untouchable holy being. In the case of the Pope's visit, the media can be helpful in spreading his actions and words. This is an important event that they really can't afford to sensationalize or report on anything but what it is: a holy mission meant to bring some sort of peace to Americans.
The media does not seem to be turning the papal visit into some sort of circus. All accounts that I have read so far praise him for listening to the victims and acknowleding the wrongdoings of the Church. The mission of the Pope's visit is to reinvigorate Catholics' faith and commitment to the Church. In this article, the Pope is revealed as compassionate, and a very real person...and not some untouchable holy being. In the case of the Pope's visit, the media can be helpful in spreading his actions and words. This is an important event that they really can't afford to sensationalize or report on anything but what it is: a holy mission meant to bring some sort of peace to Americans.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Target Audiences
Being able to read and appeal to your audience is a principle that has come up in every journalism class I've taken. Inevitably, segmentation and generalization of your audience will lead to at least one person in your audience being left out or uninterested in your content. However, media still seems to be going in a much more specialized direction.
One example I found of this is MTV. MTV has been around since 1981, and according to Wikipedia has had news programming since the late 80's. Being a college student, I'm right in the target audience for which MTV is trying to reach. I found it interesting that the channel even has a news source, considering that so much information is already available through other much more respected sources. With shows like The Hills, Tila Tequila and Jackass (all amusing, but none intellectually stimulating), MTV doesn't exactly seem like the first place a student would turn to for a daily dose of news.
I bring up MTV because I did a Google search for stories on the anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings, and their website came up. While there was a story on Virginia Tech, it was really the only one that could be considered newsworthy. The top stories recapped American Idol episodes, discussed Ashlee Simpson pregnancy rumors, and listed the Making the Band 4 tour schedule.
I looked at other news sources, like CNN. They regularly publish stories on American Idol. Fox News also had a story on Ashlee Simpson. So did the NY Times, the Denver Post and even the BBC. While media may be trying to specialize different markets and audiences, it seems that people have more of the same interests and commonalities than they realize. With so many options to choose from as far as information and news media goes, I doubt audiences just stick to one source anymore. MTV may have some entertainment stories that I as a young adult would be interested in, but their limited content forces me to look to other media for news.
One example I found of this is MTV. MTV has been around since 1981, and according to Wikipedia has had news programming since the late 80's. Being a college student, I'm right in the target audience for which MTV is trying to reach. I found it interesting that the channel even has a news source, considering that so much information is already available through other much more respected sources. With shows like The Hills, Tila Tequila and Jackass (all amusing, but none intellectually stimulating), MTV doesn't exactly seem like the first place a student would turn to for a daily dose of news.
I bring up MTV because I did a Google search for stories on the anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings, and their website came up. While there was a story on Virginia Tech, it was really the only one that could be considered newsworthy. The top stories recapped American Idol episodes, discussed Ashlee Simpson pregnancy rumors, and listed the Making the Band 4 tour schedule.
I looked at other news sources, like CNN. They regularly publish stories on American Idol. Fox News also had a story on Ashlee Simpson. So did the NY Times, the Denver Post and even the BBC. While media may be trying to specialize different markets and audiences, it seems that people have more of the same interests and commonalities than they realize. With so many options to choose from as far as information and news media goes, I doubt audiences just stick to one source anymore. MTV may have some entertainment stories that I as a young adult would be interested in, but their limited content forces me to look to other media for news.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Talk Fast!
I recently wrote about the popularity and many uses of cellphone text messaging. However, I didn't address the effects that texts, AIM or any other means of communication that are meant to be fast, and not necessarily grammatically correct, have had on the English language.
The Colorado Daily just wrote an article that addresses the case of the disappearing...language! The English language has been shortened, chopped up, and reinvented by slang, TV news soundbites, and instant messenger. It is no longer necessary for people in public office to be eloquent, or even use proper grammar in speeches. Rap songs often spout completely incoherent lyrics.
The article however, did praise Barack Obama for being able to capture the attention of Americans in his speeches. According to the author, Obama has the gift of speech, and is articulate, eloquent and moving in his addresses. People want to hear politicians and leaders that are passionate, and persuasive in their words. The author even compared Obama to having the same moving appeal as Martin Luther King Jr. The English language could use someone like Dr. King again to bring out the power and beauty of it.
The Colorado Daily just wrote an article that addresses the case of the disappearing...language! The English language has been shortened, chopped up, and reinvented by slang, TV news soundbites, and instant messenger. It is no longer necessary for people in public office to be eloquent, or even use proper grammar in speeches. Rap songs often spout completely incoherent lyrics.
The article however, did praise Barack Obama for being able to capture the attention of Americans in his speeches. According to the author, Obama has the gift of speech, and is articulate, eloquent and moving in his addresses. People want to hear politicians and leaders that are passionate, and persuasive in their words. The author even compared Obama to having the same moving appeal as Martin Luther King Jr. The English language could use someone like Dr. King again to bring out the power and beauty of it.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Cellphones...not just for chatting
I read two interesting articles on NYTimes.com , both related to cellphones.
The first article Text Alerts to Cellphones in Emergency Are Approved highlighted a new federal plan that would send alerts in the form of text messages in case of a natural disaster, terrorist attack, school shooting, or child abductions (known as Amber alerts).
The plan is not unlike what we have at CU, when text messages are sent out warning students of possible dangers on campus. The first use of this service, for example, was in August 2007 when a freshman student was stabbed at the UMC, and students who had signed up for the service received a message warning them to stay clear of that area. The national act being proposed stems from the Warning Alert and Response Network Act, which mandates updates of the emergency alert system. With the huge number of text message users (an estimated 48 bilion texts are sent every month), this seems like a positive use of technology.
The second article had a bit of a different theme. Text messaging it seems, played a role in the Olympic torch protesters' plan to stop the torch's run through San Fransisco. While event organizers diverted the route several times during the running of the torch, protesters in the article said they used text messaging to quickly update others on where the torch would be rerouted.
Text messaging in both cases will be/was used to communicate with people in a very immediate, efficient manner. Technology like text messaging obviously can be utilized for many purposes by many diffferent people, and it is interesting to note that the articles both appeared in the same newspaper on the same day. Have you sent a text today?
The first article Text Alerts to Cellphones in Emergency Are Approved highlighted a new federal plan that would send alerts in the form of text messages in case of a natural disaster, terrorist attack, school shooting, or child abductions (known as Amber alerts).
The plan is not unlike what we have at CU, when text messages are sent out warning students of possible dangers on campus. The first use of this service, for example, was in August 2007 when a freshman student was stabbed at the UMC, and students who had signed up for the service received a message warning them to stay clear of that area. The national act being proposed stems from the Warning Alert and Response Network Act, which mandates updates of the emergency alert system. With the huge number of text message users (an estimated 48 bilion texts are sent every month), this seems like a positive use of technology.
The second article had a bit of a different theme. Text messaging it seems, played a role in the Olympic torch protesters' plan to stop the torch's run through San Fransisco. While event organizers diverted the route several times during the running of the torch, protesters in the article said they used text messaging to quickly update others on where the torch would be rerouted.
Text messaging in both cases will be/was used to communicate with people in a very immediate, efficient manner. Technology like text messaging obviously can be utilized for many purposes by many diffferent people, and it is interesting to note that the articles both appeared in the same newspaper on the same day. Have you sent a text today?
Another Reason To Be On Facebook (!)
On Tuesday, Facebook unveiled yet another new feature that will help it remain competitive with other networking/social sites: instant messaging. In this article, CNN says that Facebook Chat could mean huge competition for AOL Instant Messenger, which is currently the number one instant message service.
Facebook was launched in 2004. Since then, it has added features like photo-sharing, blogs, and free classified ads. In short, it is using one program to rival sites like Craigslist ,Photobucket ,Blogger.com, and now, AOL IM. Obviously, Facebook's advantage is having everything in one place...even something rival MySpace, which News Corporation bought for $580 million in 2005, has really only recently tried to corner as well.
With 69 million users worldwide, Facebook is still only the second most popular networking site (MySpace is first with 110 million users). But Facebook's aggressive tactics to fit the most features into one site may not only help it add new users, but also retain the millions that it has. In a constantly evolving online world that offers countless choices to distract people, it may be smartest for websites like Facebook to keep their users constantly evolved and up-to-date with the newest technology as well.
Facebook was launched in 2004. Since then, it has added features like photo-sharing, blogs, and free classified ads. In short, it is using one program to rival sites like Craigslist ,Photobucket ,Blogger.com, and now, AOL IM. Obviously, Facebook's advantage is having everything in one place...even something rival MySpace, which News Corporation bought for $580 million in 2005, has really only recently tried to corner as well.
With 69 million users worldwide, Facebook is still only the second most popular networking site (MySpace is first with 110 million users). But Facebook's aggressive tactics to fit the most features into one site may not only help it add new users, but also retain the millions that it has. In a constantly evolving online world that offers countless choices to distract people, it may be smartest for websites like Facebook to keep their users constantly evolved and up-to-date with the newest technology as well.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Recession: Media Myth?
This week, I did a package for my journalism class on how a possible recession might affect students. I interviewed 5 CU students, and the most common answers I got to the question, "How do you think you might be affected by a recession?" was met with blank stares, or " I didn't even know we were in one..."
In fact, the National Bureau of Economic Research has not said that the U.S. economy is officially in recession. But plenty of media websites seem to be talking people into the idea that they are indeed in for some tough times in the coming year. Cnnmoney.com has a recent feature up called "America in its own words." Families or individuals have written in to talk about layoffs, living on unemployment checks, etc.. CNN's homepage this morning also had tips on how to live frugally, and how to cut back so you can live within your means.
While the fear created about a recession might be unnecessary, it is also bringing awareness to the fact that people are just spending too much on things they don't need. So, while media coverage on the so-called recession may just be there for its sensationalism, it probably is also a making people aware that they really could go without what they think are necessities. I haven't had Starbucks in 4 days!
In fact, the National Bureau of Economic Research has not said that the U.S. economy is officially in recession. But plenty of media websites seem to be talking people into the idea that they are indeed in for some tough times in the coming year. Cnnmoney.com has a recent feature up called "America in its own words." Families or individuals have written in to talk about layoffs, living on unemployment checks, etc.. CNN's homepage this morning also had tips on how to live frugally, and how to cut back so you can live within your means.
While the fear created about a recession might be unnecessary, it is also bringing awareness to the fact that people are just spending too much on things they don't need. So, while media coverage on the so-called recession may just be there for its sensationalism, it probably is also a making people aware that they really could go without what they think are necessities. I haven't had Starbucks in 4 days!
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