Beat blogging

Oh yes, it's here. The Towson sports blog has arrived. From the top of the department on down, all of the information you need regarding the entire athletic Towson program is right here. My relationships I have formed on each team gives me unparalelled insight and analysis into the latest news, injuries and happenings on every roster. As a student, I am able to better relate to the athletes on campus because we're all here for the same reason: to be educated. I know them and they know me. Forming relationships is essential when covering a beat because you will interact with the subjects on a daily basis. Because I already have established some of these relationships, I'm already a leg up on the competition and therefore am able to get the story first, another key element. Not only is my information current, it's also accurate. Accuracy and integrity are the hallmarks of solid, groundbreaking journalism and it's something I pride myself on providing to my audience. These fundamental tools as well as my knowledge and insight into the program will help my blog be all you need to have for all of your Towson sports information. 

MCOM 258: What I'm all about

Hi, I'm Kevin Hess. I'm 20 years old and about to be a junior at Towson. I'm extremely excited about taking MCOM 258, because I feel like while my fundamental journalistic skills are sharp, my multimedia knowledge and skills have much to gain. That's what I'll hope I'll learn here. I really need hands on knowledge of the internet and what it has to offer. I have the journalistic knowledge to succeed, I truly believe that. My experiences in the field are growing and I couldn't be more excited to be in the media industry. As a part of the Towerlight and PressBox, along with taking classes here at Towson, I couldn't think of a better way to set myself up for the future. But as someone who knows where I want to go, I can't settle and must continue to better myself for later on if I want to be successful.

continued....

Kevin and Mike's day out

100 word story

A 3-year-old girl was found trapped in a washer in a local laundromat after her sister closed the door when her sister climbed in.

Jennifer Childs of Rockland did not escape from the washer, that was equipt with an automatic lock, despite her aunt's attempts until five minutes later when a man got a hammer from his toolbox and smashed the glass on the machine's door. Today, Janice Childs, the aunt, can be thankful for Paul Hecker's valiant attempt at saving her neice's life.

A Rockland Hospital spokesperson said Jennifer was listed in good condition after being admitted yesterday.

editor's checklist/tipsheet

Here are just a few tips I think are important to remember when covering an event:

--Be prepared. Do your homework on the subject matter. That means know what you are getting into before you get there. Research important people, dates or facts if necessary. You will be thankful when you are more prepared than you thought, cause you never know what you are getting into until you are there. It's better to have too much info instead of not enough.

--Ask questions. Truthfully, it's the only way to get the knowledge you need to write a well thought out story. And don't just go to the main sources. Asking other media in attendance things you don't know isn't a crime. You cannot be intimidated. Remember, the event is being held to expose information, not hide things. So if you have questions, ask.

--Take notes. You most likely don't have a photographic memory, so you need to recount important things that happen during the event. And you can't do that without notes. Whether it's with a laptop or notepad, they are vital when reviewing what happened after the event has ended. You'll be glad you have them.

--Bring a tape-recorder. When conducting an interview, be it in a group setting or one-on-one, you simply cannot write as fast as people talk. I know because I've done it and with less than thrilling results. That's why having things on tape is so vital. You can go back and catch anything you may have missed. You can't misquote people and if you just write a phrase or so down, it isn't complete. Meaning, you need to stay away from that quote, however important it may turn out to be. Having a recorder fixes that. And gives you increased credibility and reliability because you are able to go back and get it right.

lede 4/5

4. With identity theft one of the leading criminal actions over the past year, a state representative is sponsoring a bill that will allow credit card holders to see if their numbers have been stolen.

5. The Maryland department of education is awarding millions of dollars to 53 school districts throughout the state to offset recent cutbacks of state funding.