http://happeningnow.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/10/30/interns-insight-5/

By: Nina Terrero

We’ve all heard about the consequences of the recession – a struggling economy, lost jobs, and a depression which has had wide-spread effects in nearly every sector of professional and familial life. However, have you looked beyond your immediate household  to consider what the consequences may have been beyond the grim statistics, past the video of men in suits that continually plays when a story on finance is run, and thought about the “unknowns” who play a large part in the American narrative?

I am, of course, referring to the children of our nation. It has come to my attention recently that there have been other victims of the recession beyond those commonly portrayed in mainstream media. Through a series of introspective articles and papers on the subject of children who have been subject to the negative consequences of the recession, I’ve learned that this situation is due to the pressure which has increasingly mounted within the familial unit – leading to a contemporary version of Dickensian “hard times”. In a recent NY Times article, historian Steven Mintz said the following of the situation impacting our nation’s most vulnerable victims:

“Economic hardship has a very destructive impact on parenting. Parents become depressed, withdrawn and quick to anger. Physical punishment often increases. Then, and now, the young are the unheralded victims of economic hard times." (Courtesy NY Times, October 29 - "Perils of the Recession Generation")

By all accounts, the effect of the recession on children and youth has extended beyond the immediate consequences of job loss within the household as federal financing for childcare, education, and even state assistance has dwindled. As we approach the weekend, I would urge you all to spend just a few minutes thinking about these unintended victims of adult exploitation, especially given that the larger debate here is entrenched in the tension between federal assistance versus private charitable effort in bridging the gap of need. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and what’s to be done next? Well that’s up to you…

-N

http://happeningnow.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/10/23/interns-insight-3/

By: Nina Terrero

Yesterday on “Happening Now” we reported the story of 48-year old Faleh Hassan Almaleki of Glendale, AZ who, according to police reports, fled the scene immediately after he ran over his daughter, 20 year-old Noor Faleh Almalek, in his 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. His motive is reported to have been his wrath over his daughter’s assimilation into American culture, and the consequence is that Noor is currently hospitalized and suffering from life-threatening injuries. A father who would calculatingly harm his offspring alerts us to a situation in which their relationship had clearly deteriorated, and given the nature of the circumstances, it’s difficult not to become immediately outraged at the deliberate and pre-meditative nature of the crime.

However, it seems to me that an incident such as this is laden with both meaning and contention as the father’s motive for the crime was reportedly outrage at his daughter’s withdrawing from an arranged marriage. Does this signal the extent to which he considered his daughter’s assimilation to be excessive? As of this morning, there are many unknown details, but an interesting aspect of consideration is whether or not Faleh and his daughter had become American citizens. If they had been, Faleh would have sworn to abide by American law, and do we consider that by natural extension law includes American norms and values? Do we strictly define norms and values as applied to the general population or do we include those of other cultures as a nod to America’s heritage as a “melting pot”? To what extent was Faleh un-American himself? And as an immigrant, to what extent do we approach foreign cultures – with or without unwarranted suspicion? How do we define “Westernization” or “assimilation”? In turn, do we view the father’s actions as being excessively “Iraqi” or “Middle-eastern”? We are taught not to judge others on the basis of cultural norms, and yet can we given that the enactment of a cultural norm in this case resulted in a clear violation of American law (attempted manslaughter)?

How would we react if the situation was reversed and Almaleki had hurt his daughter under the pretext that she hadn’t become “American” enough? How does one interpret being “American,” especially given Noor’s youth? Was it solely her desire to refrain from entering a presumably loveless, arranged marriage? What type of events lead to this incident -- did Noor wear provokingly low cut pants & belly-baring tops, or did she thoughtfully attempt to assert her independence through more conscientious means? Did her father attempt an honor killing, or was this a drastic means of teaching Noor a lesson? We don’t know the details & so the questions I am asking are part of a larger debate regarding the definition of casually used terms such as “Westernization,” “American“ and “assimilation.” This incident clearly illustrates the consequences that can be derived from their interpretation. As further details in this matter emerge, I know I will be evaluating the story in terms of a father defending a culture left behind and a daughter living life according to her own interpretation of mores, with the knowledge that the reality we face addresses a far deeper concern which underscores the existing tensions between cultures -- which we can only hope will be gradually eroded and yet without cost to the distinctive nuances of the respective traditions to which we belong.

-N

As many of the interns here at the Fox News Channel know, being an intern can be frightening yet the most exhilarating experience they could ever have. If you really want to sit and think about it being an intern is probably the best time of your career. Well the beginning of a good start at least. This is my second internship here at Fox News. It is the best part of my semester. I came into my first internship not really knowing what exactly I wanted to do. I knew that my interest was (and still is) in Entertainment and Sports. Don’t get me wrong I like news too, but those really hold a big interest in my life. So I was placed on the morning show, Fox and Friends. I have already been here for 2 months and I absolutely love it. I hate that I am only here two days a week but, in those two days I do so much! I arrive at the building at 4:15; I have a set schedule of my tasks, in a particular order. Once the show starts I basically run around like a lunatic, but I love it! I have to print the headlines for the anchors, rundowns for the control room and studio, and greet the guests. It’s great. When the show is slow is doesn’t feel right. I like the fast past atmosphere, not because it goes by quick but I feel helpful that way. After the show is over, like everyday, everyone must attend a pitch meeting for the show. Here executive producers, senior producers, writers, PA’s, and interns for the show come together to pitch ideas. At first when I heard about this my heart stopped. I probably wouldn’t be voted the number one most outgoing person; I do tend to be a little shy. However since working at Fox and Friends I have really opened up more. The pitch meetings are really interesting to be apart of. I believe that I have gotten fairly better since I first started. I say that because I now learned what type of stories are right and what are wrong, what is good for that time of the morning and etc and of course how to pitch them. My point of this blog isn’t to bore your eyes off with my life story, it’s to show that being an intern on Fox and Friends really helped me improve on myself. I’ve been given a lot of opportunities to network with everyone that works in this building. I am getting a deeper side of what producing is all about. I’ve learned to really put yourself out there and do anything you get a chance to do. I believe that even if you do something you have never done before, push yourself to do something that seems of a challenge. Do it because you will most likely end up surprising yourself if you just try.

Running Free

By: Elle Tansey

In my opinion nothing tops the excitement of watching athletes cross the finish line of the NYC Marathon. The pure dedication and months of training all came together for the 43,000 racers this Sunday. Their adrenaline and endorphins were surely passed along to the thousands cheering fans in Central Park as they proudly received their medals.  It is a tradition for me to watch the annual marathon and it is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Usually a few celebrities participate, but in the sea of motion it was quite hard to point out Ed Norton and Alanis Morrisette this year. 

                I spoke with some runners after the race and learned of a great program surrounding this event called Medals 4 Mettle.  This organization allows marathon finishers from all over the world to donate their hard earned medals to recipients who are dealing with disease, handicaps or any similar challenge.  These recipients may not be able to physically run a marathon but they are certainly in their own marathon to continue to courageously live their lives. So many great causes and people surround the NYC Marathon every year and if you aren’t planning on running perhaps you could share the experience from the sidewalk next year.

  Typically, college students have a choice when looking for internships. Pick a big-name company and be a gofer all semester long or a smaller name company and get practical experience in the field. I had that choice this summer when I was offered two internships on either end of the spectrum, at least that’s what I thought.

  I had it backwards thinking I would become Fox’s next gofer – you know, Fox News Channel, where, by the grace of some computer glitch or act of divine intervention, I am interning this fall. To my continued surprise and elation, I have yet to go on a coffee run, and instead, I’m working with the best of both and loving every minute of it.

  Typical intern tasks, like transcribing video, are no joy ride. But everything else I do more than balances things out. I have written two articles for the health website, gone on video shoots with my department’s producers, had a small hand in putting our weekly webisode together, and written my own weekly sports blog for the intern webpage. I have the chance to learn all of the essential tools of the news-media trade while getting national exposure for my writing on a major news website – 20,000 clicks on my first article baby, yeah!

  Besides all of that, the producers, writers, editors, video editors, cameramen and on-air talent that I work with in the Health Department have been nothing but pleasant, professional and patient, creating a positive environment to work and grow in.    

  Recently, one such experience reaffirmed for me why I want to make news my career. One of the health producers, interviewed four doctors around the city for a website video feature and I went along for the ride. We hit each spot, set up the cameras, shot the interviews and moved on. However, the moments in between were those that I took the most from. Whether it was talking with the PR person, learning how to control an interview by observing my producer in action, or taking notes on how to make the most of my internship from everyone (even the docs had a few nuggets of wisdom for me), my eyes and ears were open and the reporter inside of me – I like to call him Clark Kent – was alive. 

  I had many expectations of what it would be like to intern for the almighty Fox News Channel. To say that it’s nothing like what I expected isn’t fair because I didn’t really know what to expect. Some people told me to dress to impress, while others said I should be the one to bust Hannity and O’Reilly with the inside scoop on their “Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy.” Considering this blog is being posted on the website, I’ll let you guess which piece of advice I listened to.

  But I’ll end on this note. At the end of long, sometimes demanding days interning at Fox, I always look forward to getting up and doing it again. Every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, when I push through the revolving door and step outside, I look back at the bold face news ticker running the day’s top stories along the front of the building and I’m full of hope that this fall semester internship isn’t the last time I walk back through that revolving door.

New Jersey: A Battleground State?

Christopher Snyder- FNC ’09 Intern

Election Day 2009 is increasingly becoming a litmus test to see what direction Americans are moving towards for the mid-term Congressional elections next year. There are only two couple gubernatorial elections on November 3^rd: Virginia and New Jersey. Media coverage is primarily focusing on New Jersey due to Virginia’s race seeming to be wrapped up with GOP candidate Bob McDonnell expected to win the governorship in the Old Dominion State. No matter who wins each electoral contest, it is certain that pundits as well as supporters of both Republicans and Democrats will be spinning the result in their favor. No one could have predicted that New Jersey would become the center stage for a tight political contest this election year.

New Jersey has become a three-way contest in the race for governor. Current incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine is seeking re-election after his first term. The governor is dealing with low approval ratings due to an extreme hike in property taxes, along with a significant budget crisis. Corzine’s pitch to voters is that he is the only candidate capable of taking New Jersey out of a recession and creating new jobs within the state.

His main challenger is Republican Christopher Christie. A former United States district attorney, Christie’s message throughout the entire campaign is that in his former position, he was able to dramatically curb corruption in government. If elected governor, Christie proclaims he could achieve the same results.

In addition to the main party candidates, independent Christopher Daggett is a viable player in this race. Daggett has been selling himself as the true reformer for New Jersey as he would not be connected to any political influence from the Republican and Democratic Parties. These candidates all hope to be elected as New Jersey governor.

Opinion polling continues to show the governor’s race as a toss-up. A recent Quinnipiac University Poll released on November 2^nd shows Christie leading Corzine 42 percent to 40 percent with Daggett receiving 12 percent. Initially throughout a majority of the year, Christie was leading in the contest by up to 15 percent; however, the current governor was able to close the gap. The actual voter support that Daggett receives on Election Day will be influential in determining who will be the state’s next governor, Christie or Corzine. This demonstrates how influential the third party candidate, Daggett, is in this gubernatorial contest.

Recent visits by high profile politicians for both Corzine and Christie, such as President Obama and Senator John McCain, demonstrate how crucial this vote in New Jersey is for the political direction of the United States. The Democratic Party believes that if Corzine loses to Christie it could prove to be a symbolic setback for them as they have gained politically since the 2006 mid-term elections, whereas the Republican Party views a win in New Jersey as helping to increase morale with supporters to show that Republicans are capable of winning elections, even in the primarily Democratic northeast.

Turnout will be key to either candidate’s victory in New Jersey. A major factor in this determination is the constant bombardment of negative campaign ads from both Corzine and Christie. Each night, voters have to experience these attack ads which are primarily insults on the opposing candidates and don’t truly inform the voter. November 3^rd’s result will be determined on whether voters were not completely turned off by the constant attacks by the politicians on their rivals to go out and vote.

For the first time in many decades, New Jersey has become a battleground election state. Usually, analysts and pundits are able to determine who could possibly edge out a victory. However, in this race, it’s not possible. On November 4^th, the day after the poll, Americans will get a glimpse on how voters are approving of the current direction of our country.

Source:

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN0139660720091102?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=11604

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1299.xml?ReleaseID=1391

This semesters Howard University scholarship recipient is Hayley Mason. Hayley is quite an accomplished FNC intern and student at Howard University. The Georgia native interns for America’s News Headquarters each week and helps to the make the show a success.

Hayley is an active participant on the executive boards of both of the student council for the John H. Johnson School of Communications at Howard and the Alpha Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She was also Miss School of Communications 2008-2009 and Miss Blue and White for the Howard University Royal Court. Hayley enjoys working with the student news network, The Spotlight Network at Howard as a reporter. When possible, she also makes time to tutor and mentor in the Washington, DC public school system

Each weekend Hayley interns for America's News Headquarters. She is learning all the tasks that go into completing a show. Each week Hayley helps to conduct research, gather pre-interview information, book guests, and write scripts. During the show she stays in the control room to help producers when necessary.

This college junior at Howard University hopes to work in broadcast journalism as a television news reporter upon graduation. Her intern experience at FNC will surely help Hayley achieve all her future goals.

By: Michael McBain

President Obama declared swine flu as a national emergency Friday night.  This means one thing: Panic!  Buy the plastic suits and dispose of all pork products; better yet, send them all to me.  Seriously though, about 1,000 have died already so be sure to monitor your health and wash your hands, just don’t go overboard.     

Sarah Palin will be on Oprah!  I don’t know about you but I’m totally DVR’ing this (I don’t have DVR but can you feel my excitement).  The highly anticipated interview

airs Nov. 16 discussing Palin’s book, which for some reason I don’t see making Oprah’s book club…  Anyway, I’m sure this will be YouTube gold for 2009.  

It’s a bird; it’s a plane; it’s Pay Czar Kenneth Feinberg.  Feinberg will cut compensation in half for 175 employees of the firms that received government aid.  Salaries are expected to drop 90%, but oops, this may cause some problems.  New York Gov. David Patterson said, “That probably cost New York $1 billion.”  Hey, great thinking; that’s how to create a situation, soak the benefactors, and put the burden on everyone else.

The media (NBC, CBS, ABC, and CNN) banned together this past week as the White House tried to prevent Fox News from joining the other four media outlets for an interview with Kenneth Feinberg.  Thanks to backing from the other networks, Fox News was admitted.  This failed cold shoulder probably came from the new think tank, 10-year-olds 4 Democrazy.   

Apple released their redesigned Mac computers hoping to capitalize on the upcoming holiday season.  The iMac will feature a touch based mouse (no buttons or scroll ball), edge-to-edge glass, along with other features I will never be able to enjoy for $1,199.  With upgrades to MacBook laptops and Mac minis as well, let the battle between Mac and PC rage on.

 Internet news 

According to a UCLA study, the internet is altering and enhancing our brain functions.  There are a lot of really big words in the article so just take my word for it.  Right now I am altering your brain!

Google is partnering with music labels to simplify finding, pirating sampling and buying music.  The music industry hopes searches for streaming music from sources like iLike and LaLa amplified by Google will help increase sales.

Cincinnati Bengals receiver, Chad Ochocinco, is launching a Twitter-based news network called “Ochocinco News Network” (OCNN).  He hopes to have other NFL players tweet breaking news to compete with news networks.  Oh Chad, this is as brilliant as my Ochocinco jersey hanging in my closet.

U2 streamed their concert live on YouTube at the Rose Bowl in California Sunday.  FYI.

By: Elle Tansey

My free fun for this week will be compliments of Fox News! I am super excited to be attending a taping of Huckabee tomorrow with my Mom. Having access to so many great television show tapings is definitely a perk to living in New York City. However, if you want to attend a taping of many popular TV shows in the city, be prepared to wait up to a year for tickets -- or try your luck on standby.  

I know that for Saturday Night Live stand-by tickets, you have to arrive by 7 a.m. on the morning of the taping under the "NBC Studios" marquee on the 50th St. side of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Standby tickets are available for either the 8 pm dress rehearsal or the 11:30 pm live show. Obviously stand-by tickets do not guarantee admission but if you’re looking for some spontaneous entertainment, free of charge, it’s worth a shot! 

Now I understand you may be deterred by the thought of a year long wait or the lack of guarantee from standby tickets, but there is good news! While roaming around Times Square doing an MOS yesterday I ran into some eager fans waiting outside the taping of MTV’s “It's On With Alexa Chung.”  This is a new show that has taken over the TRL timeslot and is kind of like a late night talk show for the afternoon set.  The fans outside told me that Alicia Keys, Mario, and Michelle Trachtenberg were on the line up for that day! The bustling line outside also informed me that they only requested free tickets a day in advance via email! So if you are looking to interact with some hot young celebrities or new bands, you might want to check out this taping while you are waiting for tickets to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.