Blog #3 - Baltimore Sun

"Fire Destroys City Playground"
Three years ago a children's playground was built at the site of the old Memorial Stadium on 33rd Street. Now that playground is gone. It burned down Tuesday afternoon as students were walking home from school. However, people are already vowing to re-build it. This story is newsworthy for many different reasons. The paramount measure of newsworthiness is impact. This story will clearly impact many peoples lives because now the children cannot play on the playground. The playground was a key part of the area's redevelopment and this can also affect people's feelings on the area. This story is also newsworthy because it falls under the news value of timeliness. This accurance happened Tuesday afternoon and was already online Tuesday evening clearly showing that this story is very important. Not only that but it would fall under the category of human interest. This is something that everyone - no matter their age, will read about. It's unfortunate to hear about sad things like this.


"1 Dead, 5 hurt in shooting in East Baltimore"
Why is every news story seem to be so upsetting?! Why can't there every be good news?? Tuesday night police reported that six men were wounded with one fatal after what seemed to be a drive-by shooting. This story is also very newsworthy for a few reasons. One: impact. This impacts many peoples lives, not only the lives of the families of the victims but people who live in this neighborhood. If someone got shot in your neighborhood would you feel safe? NO. This would also fall under currency or something that has ties to other stories in the news. Hearing about something like this occurring, especially in Baltimore, is definetely not out of the ordinary. Quite frankly I think it happens too often. Why can't people just realize that violence is not the answer? This story also deals with conflict with people battling people. Drive-by shootings are not the answer... it's called therapy.


"Details announced for Oct. 4 Phelps homecoming"
This article probably wasn't on the front page but I just watched a story on it on the 11 o'clock news so then it must be newsworthy! Michael Phelps is finally returning home from Beijing where he won his 8 gold metals. On October 4th starting at 3pm there will be a parade for Phelps on York Road in Towson!! This story is very newsworthy and probably the most newsworthy for me! It would fall under impact, prominence, unusualness, proximity, and human interest. The reasons for impact is quite clear: it could impact anyones life whether it's just being excited to see Michael Phelps or being annoyed that traffic will be super slow that day. It deals with prominence because all of this attention is being devoted to Phelps. But come on, he deserves it. I think it would fall under unusualness because it's not everyday that Phelps will be parading around Towson, even though I wish he would!! I do I even need to explain human interest? Obviously everyone is interested in the Olympic legend. He's the best representation for the United States that I could think of when it comes to athletics.