Whatcom County Issue Teaser

It took some time to get just the right photo(s) for our topic, as two were necessary.  These topics are local, but have global consequences - can you guess what it is?

Whatcom County Mtg, # 2,3 & 4

Meeting #2

Questions answered:

1) How will you think about bias differently?

Things are not all what they seem initially at first glance.  Many of us had stories to tell of situations where our first impressions were incorrect upon further study / fact finding.

2) How will you interpret news differently now?

It is important to look at the source more critically and ask ourselves questions such as:  Is this source original first person?, Is there another point of  view?  What does this person have to gain by telling me this?

Meeting #3

We discussed the pros and cons of facebook, since we were all familiar with that media form.

Some of the pros include: it is fast, free and allows us to connect with friends/ family over long distances quickly and easily.

Some of the cons include: ads were intrusive, it assumes what you want (makes suggestions) and has potential for privacy issues (i.e. some links can be questionable).

Meeting #4

We had a good conversation about social media and its influence to create and communicate in the political arena.

On the positive side, you can get opinions quickly, target your audience and energize your following (i.e. get out the vote when needed).

On the negative side, there is the potential in that those editing the media to "cherry-pick" responses to polls and re-shape the image to their liking, thereby distorting the truth.

We have 1 interview with the local mayor pending, along with a couple of contacts we are pursuing for more interviews.  We plan to meet at least1 more time to put together an amazing news story to share with all of you.

Whatcom KYG Meeting #1

Whatcom County had its first meeting December 18th.  We had a definite meeting of the minds when it came to a group agreement: i.e. respect for all, meet new people, having fun and to search for great food! (we are already talking about restaurant possibilities for county night out).

We discussed what was media: TV, newspapers, magazines, social media; and what was news: unbiased media ideally.  We then talked about privileges and responsibilities of the press.  After this discussion, members decided to be more cautious about what may be questionable information, more selective about what is believed and what will be repeated.  In conclusion, that we will "do our research."