Samuel's Journalism 120 Blog

  In lieu of the documentary we recently watched on WikiLeaks, I did a bit of digging. After clicking many links, I found an  article  written by Australian journalist and documentary film maker John Pilger in 2014, detailing the various wrongdoings and violations of Julian Assange's human rights during Sweden's seven-year preliminary investigation into an allegation of rape. Violations include the years-long placement of Assange in pre-charge detention, and the denial of his right to due process.    Although Swedish investigators have since dropped the case  against Assange, authorities recently uncovered the involvement of the UK's Crown Prosecution service in destroying key emails  regarding the WikiLeaks founder after the lawyer on the UK end of the investigation retired in 2014. It has also been revealed that the lawyer in question had advised Swedish officials to not visit London to interview Julian Assange in 2010 or 2011, prolonging his standoff with authorities

     Whenever I read a news article, I almost always consider that it may or may not be real. Typically, I get my news from trusted news media that I have run fact checks on. While I have noticed that certain news outlets have become increasingly biased since the recent American election, they've rarely given false coverage, and have taken down the stories upon realizing their false authenticity. If I'm genuinely surprised by something I read or believe that it's untrue, I check to see if anyone else is reporting a similar story.       The fact that professional journalists fabricated news for the sake of their story didn't exactly surprise me. Its almost something to be expected, with the so-called rise of "fake news", and an increasing amount of bad publicity. Whether they be a professional journalist or a random person with more than enough time on their hands, anyone can create fake news with a little creativity in mind.       I partially agree with Sh

     This article found on  Vice News  is a surprisingly perfect example of soft news, despite belonging to their section on Communism. Chines technology company Tencent has recently released an app that, believe it or not, allows you to virtually clap for their president. That's right, while you can't like a post on Facebook or watch a YouTube video, and you can't "Google" all your questions away, you can give your president all the claps he deserves, as well as compete with friends and family for the highest number of claps. This story qualifies as a soft news story because it doesn't cover any hard-hitting topics, and was more so written for entertainment rather than informative purposes.      A recent story covered by the  New York Times  is an excellent example of hard news. The article discusses the C.I.A.'s expansion of its covert operations in Afghanistan, sending multiple small teams of highly experienced officers and contractors to work alongs

Toxic Secret ‘We expected cancer’: Are industrial spills in Canada’s ‘Chemical Valley’ making people sick? Timing - 4/4 The story is up to date containing much more information and accounts than the story similarly covered by Vice  in 2013. I've given it a 4/4 because it is much more than an update on the original story, and is increasingly becoming more and more relevant as new facts are uncovered.  Significance - 4/4 This is one of the biggest (and longest) stories I've read in a long time. Canada's "Chemical Valley" is plaguing the Sarnia community, vastly polluting the air with large amounts of carcinogens. This affects the approximately 70 000 people living in the vicinity of the 15-square-mile area containing roughly 40% of Canada's petrochemical industry.  Proximity - 3/4  This story hits close to home for some, affecting Canadians as well as some Americans who live near the Canadian-American border. It largely affects those livin

Suspected Kidnappers in Custody, Child not Found      Roughly two weeks ago, local preschooler Julia Carter, age 5, went missing. One week later, Sophie Harris, a student at Silverton Junior High. was abducted. And now, just two days ago, Eva Davis has been abducted.       Despite the arrest and pending prosecution of her suspected captors, Eva's whereabouts are currently unknown. The two men, aged 29 and 37, deny any involvement in the three cases, despite an overwhelming knowledge of each case.       Giving the surprising amount of disappearances that occurred in the past weeks, parents, as well as local law enforcement, are on edge.      "It's an awful feeling," Mrs. Davis proclaimed; "You feel as though you failed your child, failed as a parent". "No mother should ever have to wonder if their child is dead or alive".       If you or someone you know has any information regarding her potential whereabouts, they are urged to contact a

     This past Thursday, Halifax Judge Gregory Lenehan acquitted yet another cab driver of sexual assault. The provincial judge ruled that Houssen Milad could walk free.  Vice News  reported that although Lenehan believed the complainant was sexually assaulted in the summer of 2016, there was Crown had failed to prove that Milad was responsible. A  Metro News reporter  who was in court for the ruling stated that the judge"slammed the Crown for doing a “disservice” to the complainant and the community by failing to conduct a proper investigation." Lenehan has a long-standing history of acquittals and sexual assault cases. In March, he also acquitted cab driver Bassam Al-Rawi of two alleged sexual assaults, the first of which involved a woman so intoxicated that she was passed out in the back of his cab. However, despite her having a blood alcohol level between 223 and 244 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, roughly three times the legal driving limit. Lenehan