ethics, medicine, and the media.

With the recent disaster in Haiti, there have been more discrepancies between whether or not it is ethical to have doctors play the role of both a medical professional and a reporter. While it contributes to the dramatic nature of the story, many believe that there needs to be a clear divide; either you’re a doctor or a reporter.

While there are multiple news stations that have correspondents in Haiti, the most notable story was the recent brain surgery Dr. Sanjay Gupta, also a reporter for CNN, performed on an injured young girl. While conducting an interview for NPR’s On the Media, Bob Garfield said “To watch this cable news star in the moment, not as a reporter but as a healer, is simply irresistible.” While the surgery was heroic, Dr. Gupta requested to be filmed. Was this necessary? Where can we draw the line?

Similar stories exist concerning the ethics in the media meeting the medical world. During an interview with Garfield, Dr. Jonathan LaPook confirms that it’s unethical to act like a reporter when the situation calls for a doctor. “I’m thinking of my patients with Alzheimer’s, and when I go out there to report something I’m thinking that they’re listening. And, God, forbid, I should give somebody false hope…that is one of the cruelest things that somebody can do”, said LaPook.

So where is the line drawn? What types of situations are considered okay to have an individual play the role of a doctor and a reporter?

my media diet, 3 servings of technology

My media diet consists of the three aspects that help sum me up. I read Rolling Stone online every afternoon, listen to music such as Bruce Springsteen, and watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians with my roommates at night after dinner.

My dream job for the future is to be a writer for Rolling Stone magazine. I check and read different categories of the website everyday to familiarize myself with the kind of writing they publish. Music is one of my main loves and not a day goes by when I'm not listening to a broad range of music. As for watching TV, I'm completely guilty to loving trashy reality shows and more often than not go around quoting the shows obnoxiously on a daily basis.

So basically, my media diet it low calorie and very easy to maintain. I completely accept how ridiculous that sounds!

Amtrak anniversary

Amtrak is preparing for the anniversary of September 11th with more security by instating new security measures on that day. These measures will include more federal, state, and local officers patrolling stations and riding trains. The surge is part of Operation ALERTS.

The security efforts are mostly focused on the routes in the Northeast Corridor - from Boston to Washington D.C. "Operation ALERTS will enhance the readiness and communication capabilities of hundreds of police and security officials stationed in some of the heaviest rail passenger areas along the Northeast Corridor," said Amtrak Police Chief John O'Connor. "Our law enforcement partners in this deployment represent first responder agencies that will protect and defend the railways during any type of emergency or potential threat."

Amtrak and the TSA would like to assure passengers that these security measures are NOT in response to any specific identified threat and is calling the security initiative a "multi force security surge".

***Not sure how good this is!

little change of scenery

Goodbye Visual Rhetoric, hellooooo Intro to Journalism! That's what this blog is going to be focusing on from now on. For our first post, we were asked to embed a link and post a video. For my video, I chose John Mayer performing my favorite song of all time, "Why Georgia", live in L.A. in 2007.



And for my link, since I love to watch "The Office", I found a website that has memorable and hysterical quotes hahaha

Enjoy!