Blogging cannot be so bad, after all

As a journalism student I have felt apprehensive to the idea of blogging, although it is a big part of the media world. I have though of it as being a medium through with people complain, share irrelevant details of their life to the outside world, which will probably not be read by anyone. As you can see, one of the aims of this blog is to be truthful. I have thought of blogging as being almost like an “agony aunt” page. However, through learning about blogging with lecturers’ who have read and searched them extensively, I have learnt that a lot of blogs are substantial, and not all are “funeral blogs”. As a result of looking at the different blogs I realise that a blog should be something interesting, and while portraying what I would like to write, that I should also think of my audience. Journalism students at Rhodes, around the world, and students wanting to study Journalism would enjoy this blog. Journalism has really stretched me, and I am constantly learning more. Not just about the subject, but myself. With this course on blogging, we are able to explore these intertwined elements, and put it down for all to see. It is a liberating feeling, telling others how you feel. Being a Journalism student has opened up my eyes to more media, and to meeting and learning about very interesting people. I really would not choose any other course, as I get such a fulfilment from what I take away from it. In the beginning of the year it felt so glamorous saying that I wanted to be a Journalist. I just expected things to fall into my lap. With the work experience I expected to get out there with no time in an office at all and to make a name for myself and for everyone to participate positively in interviews. However, I have since found out that Journalism is hard work. “Tippy toeing” is an acquired skill in the Journalistic world, as well as persistence, especially with sources and interviews. Learning how to work with people and to be objective is a must in this field and has been repeated in all of our courses this term. I have tried to maintain that standard since day one, and as a result I have found that my writing has become more professional. This course on blogging has come at a perfect time, the end of the year. We can sit back and look at our performance throughout this year like a person observing a colourful, eventful play, at the end of which you take away an important message. This reflection has opened my eyes to what I have done throughout this year, and a sense of pride and happiness flows through me, thinking of the obstacles overcome. Blogging cannot be so bad, after all.

ziphezinhle what blogger am i

Ziphezinhle Mpanza I am an upcoming journalist, born in Kwa-Zulu Natal a Zulu girl with lots who trusts and believes in the lord almighty. Ethics are very important in life and I will be a journalist with a lot of ethics and hope to that will never change in the years to come.

I am aspiring to become an investigative journalist because I love going out there and finding stories and exposing people who think they can get away with anything, for the people who have been violated and have nowhere to go, I want to be the hope for those who have lost hope. I look up to Deborah Patter, the journalist from 3rd degree, she is my role model I love how she interrogates people and that is what I have the passion for what she does she exposes people on live television.

In the attempt to describe myself I am still not sure of whom I really am, I am still in search for the final product of myself even though I know where I am going. In the blog my mission is to be an honest a journalist with integrity and will not publish false stories or misinterpret. The whole aim in this blog is to interact with young people from all the spheres of the world to share our experiences and relate, and what I enjoy doing interacting because that is when we get to learn things and that is when we get realise that no problem is bigger that another and of course getting and giving advise and that is how we as people grow by sharing and learning from one another.

In my life I have learnt that the little mistakes we make are the ones that have the worst repercussions to me life is a journey is a book with many chapters of who we are in this blog I hope to find friends that will give me advise that will make a difference in my life, a good difference, that and I intend on doing the same because the people that you think you know sometime are the people that tend to let you down and do not have the guts to tell the truth instead the laugh at you. On the other hand I am sure that people you do not know and cannot see you they always tell you the truth and they are not afraid of offending you. As a journalism student I have learnt to be brave and it has taken away that shy element that I had, I know enjoy reading newspapers and discovered how important it is to keep up with what is happening around me.

The Blogger thats ME!

Athe Mahomana
JMS 1- Blog Assignment 1
Tutor: Lindsay Callaghan
450 words

Greetings. I am Athe Mahomana one fourth of The Shouting Rats. This is my first blogging experience. I believe it will grow me and expose me to a different
kind of journalistic experience. It will expose me to a different mediated experience with journalism. As a group and as individuals we aim to achieve our
utmost best with blogging and putting the journalistic skills we have acquired to great use. Our blog our posts will deal with the issues that we young and
upcoming journalists are experiencing everyday.

We mentioned in our blog planner that we will draw from blogs like that of Bob Stepno, who says that journalists today have to adapt to the ever-changing
technological world that we live in. He deals with this issue by providing us with a list of what he thinks is the best way journalists today can produce
quality journalism as well as making use of the technology available to us. The Shouting Rats will mirror this and tweak it to suit our target audience and
help them become better journalists.

Who am I? I am someone who has great passion for music but more especially house/dance music, it is evident in my speech. It forms a major part of my life.
I also have great interest in Dramatic Arts – it really fascinates me and I want to see myself doing physical theatre (which is part or drama) in the near
future. As a black South African I find it difficult to express my political views freely, without being judged and looked down upon as an outcast by my
fellow black people. I am pro Democratic Alliance and very anti-ANC. But as this is my blog and I have the liberty to exercise freedom of speech I will use
this platform to my advantage. You will find that my blog posts might be influenced greatly by the music I listen to and by my political views, but I will
try to link these with journalism.

This brings me to say that journalism is an important factor in everyone’s lives. It is important because it keeps us informed about the current affairs that
affect us daily. So this is why on our blog we will provide you with accurate and truthful journalism. We are exposed too much to sensationalist news;
because unfortunately some media companies have succumbed to the wrath of capitalism. Being a journalism student is an experience different to what I expected. I am disappointed to a certain extent because of the little freedom we have had to
express our views in the journalism class. Although being in this class has shed light in a positive in the way I see journalism.

What kind of blogger am I

Okay so i am another journalism student trying to get my thoughts and opinion out to the world, and you probably thinking so what? It's not as if im the first nor last so called "opinionated" journalism student who thinks they have something important or valuable to say.

I am not interested in politics nor do I want to win the "investigative journalist of the year award", I dont want to chase Politicians down the street screaming minister " do you think its appropriate that you brought a car valued at R 1 million while the country is experiencing recession?". Don't get me wrong I do believe that these are very important issuess that need to be confronted, but just not by me! Okay so by now you probably thinking why study journalism? Cause sweetie you are clearly in the wrong carrer path!

One of the reasons why I love journalism and media studies so much it's due to the fact that it's so broad, it's okay that i can't picture myself in a power suit integrating corrupt government official. Iwant to tell stories but not just any stories, stories that are about real people who get affected by the decisions made by corrupt government officials. I want their voices to be heard, their stories to be told but most importantly I want to hear their thoughts and opinions.

Personally I am so tired of hearing and seeing the same old people everyday on television, newspapers and radio. I'm interested in the kind of journalism that listens to people from all races and classes. Haven't you ever thought to yourserlf during an interview lets say abnout poverty, why aren't they interviewing the people that actually go to bed hungry or the street children smoking glue to stay warm about their experiences, instead of an over nourished politician who has no idea of whats happening in the "real South Africa".

this blog is different because its members are so different, we all come from different backgrounds and have such different experiences, which make our blog so versatile and refreshing. When reading or following this blog you can expect more than just a bunch of first years that have misconceptions about what journalism is. In our group we all know that, we are not yet equipped nor experienced enough to analysis or critic the world of journalism. We are all still trying to figure out what journalism means to all of us. What our blog represents is truth for all of us no matter how we see and understand what truth is, it will be real to our world.