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Suzanne

Yada
portfolio

news report opinion


design ing writing
Suzanne
Yada
Pages I designed:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, San Jose, CA xxxxxxxx • xxxxxxxxxx cell • suzanne@suzanneyada.com

Objective
To make your publication rock.

Work experience
Reporter
August 2009 to present Spartan Daily, San Jose, Calif.
Covered the California budget crisis beat, shot video, wrote opinions and assisted the
online editor with social media for the San Jose State University student newspaper.
Web intern
June 2009 to present Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, San Jose, Calif.
Uploaded the weekly business newspaper to the Web site, wrote briefs and calendar items,
created small graphics and occasionally wrote feature profiles on local businesses.
Social media strategist/Steering committee member
October 2008 to present Public Press, San Francisco, Calif.
Implemented a social media strategy for the startup nonprofit news organization.
Helped with design and marketing for events. Assisted with grant writing and
strategic planning. Worked with honors students to develop business model.
Copy editor
January 2009 to September 2009 SHiFT Magazine, San Jose, Calif.
Copy edited and designed spreads for a startup magazine sent quarterly to
business leaders in the Silicon Valley who have an interest in social responsibility.
Editor
April 2008 to January 2009 Visalia Times-Delta, Visalia, Calif.
Built a supplemental targeted publication for Visalia’s daily newspaper on downtown areas
in Tulare County. Wrote, designed and coordinated photos for the quarterly tab insert.
Radio host/marketing coordinator
October 2007 to April 2008 KFSC-LP 94.1 FM, Visalia, Calif.
Hosted, produced, edited and scripted weekly radio show about the U.K. culture.

n
Recorded interviews via Skype and edited in Adobe Audition. Set up social networking
Web site and helped nonprofit radio station promote itself, raise funds and organize events.
Copy editor
May 2004 to December 2007 Visalia Times-Delta, Visalia, Calif.
Helped select stories, edit, write headlines and design pages for Visalia’s daily newspaper.
Designed broadsheet pages, section fronts and A1. Uploaded articles to the Web site
and helped moderate online comments. Shot and edited weekly videocast for two months.
* I took 8 months off in 2005 to work abroad in a cafe in Nottingham, England.
Editor-in-chief
April 2004 to January 2005 Fusion Multimedia, Visalia, Calif.
Editor-in-chief for local youth magazine, which was published every two months. Directed
content and design, managed staff, edited and proofed submissions, coordinated
writers and photographers. Met with 10 to 20 at-risk youth to brainstorm stories.
Editor-in-chief
August 2002 to May 2004 College of the Sequoias, Visalia, Calif.
Editor-in-chief for community college weekly newspaper. Managed staff, developed
workflow, designed front page and news sections, assigned and edited stories.

Education
San Jose State University, San Jose, Calif. • January 2008 to May 2010 (expected)
B.S. in journalism (magazine), minor in business • Kappa Tau Alpha journalism honor society
College of the Sequoias, Visalia, Calif. • August 2002 to May 2004 • A.A. in journalism

Skills
AP style • InDesign • InCopy • QuarkXpress • Illustrator • Photoshop • Audition • Audacity •
Writing samples available FinalCut Pro • Premiere • Saxotech/Publicus • NewsEditPro • HTML • RSS • Social media
at suzanneyada.com.
Suzanne
Yada

news
design
Suzanne
Yada

report
ingre
Group aims to explain the
California state budget crisis
By Suzanne Yada that does not have an oil severance tax, said “The system should remain competitive so
Spartan Daily Mitchell Colbert, a senior political science the two ideologies have to find common
Sept. 28, 2009 major who spoke at the campus protest. ground.”
California Forward, a bipartisan pro-
California’s budget crisis is too complex The two-thirds rule reform group that helped organize the town
for most people to grasp, said leaders at the hall meeting Wednesday, released a list of its
“Realizing the California Dream” town hall One of the holdups in Sacramento is a law suggested solutions for the budget crisis.
meeting at San Jose City Hall on Wednesday. that requires a two-thirds vote in the Legis- It cited changing the two-thirds voting
But that’s exactly why the organizers lature to pass the budget, according to the rule, but the list also states that a two-
called the meeting ­— to explain the funda- National Conference of State Legislatures’ thirds vote should remain intact for any tax
mentals to the average citizen and dig up Web site. increases.
ideas on how to fix it, said Chris Block, chief “The two-thirds vote for the budget is an But if any of the reform proposals were to
executive officer of American Leadership important obstacle that affects every single take place, the state constitution needs to be
Forum of Silicon Valley. student in the CSU system,” said state Sen. changed, the group stated in the list.
State lawmakers slashed the California Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, at the town hall
State University budget by $584 million, and meeting. “If people square off from their two What is a constitutional
SJSU is facing a $42 million shortfall, said different partisan corners and don’t have to convention?
President Jon Whitmore during an Aug. 20 find common ground on the budget, then
news conference with student media. that result is years of decreases in funding A constitutional convention - which is a
Evelyn Saleh, a sophomore business man- for the CSU system,” he said. meeting of delegates to revise the state’s
agement major, said she attended a Sept. The two-thirds rule dates back to 1933 highest law - can only happen if state law-
22 campus protest to speak out against the and was designed to slow spending, accord- makers pass a two-thirds vote to put it up
budget cuts. ing to the Web site. for public vote, according to article 18, sec-
“My parents are pissed about the money,” Arkansas and Rhode Island are the only tion 2 of the California Constitution.
she said. “And the governor sucks. He should two other states that require a “supermajor- If the people decide that the state constitu-
be an actor.” ity” to pass the budget, meaning more than tion needs a rewrite, lawmakers must hold
Legislators in Sacramento have been half, according to the Web site. a convention within six months, as stated in
scrambling for solutions, Block said. Jonathan Sandhu, a 2009 political science the law.
graduate who attended the town hall meet- “We need constitutional change,” said Karl
A tax on oil to fund education ing, said that as a conservative, the two- Toepfer, dean of humanities and the arts.
thirds rule is a sticky issue with him. “You have to have a strong united voice that
One idea gaining traction to help fix “I’m for some types of reform,” he said. “If focuses on that issue rather than on the
the budget problem is Assembly Bill 656, it wasn’t so highly polarized, I wouldn’t have budget cuts or the fee hikes.”
which would require a 10 percent tax on oil a problem with eliminating the two-thirds The best thing for students to do, Simitian
companies to fund the state’s higher educa- vote, but the way it’s set up now with no said, is to talk to representatives in Sacra-
tion, according to the Legislative Counsel of competition, it isn’t fair.” mento.
California’s Web site, which archives the text He said conservative California residents “I’m not really sure that folks in the Capitol
of state bills. are not fully represented in Sacramento, and fully appreciate that with every passing
Sixty percent of the tax would be given to until districts are redrawn to accurately re- year, we’re providing less, charging more
the CSU system, 30 percent to the University flect people’s political views, the two-thirds and squeezing students out of the system,”
of California system, and the remaining 10 vote should remain to help level the playing he said. “By whatever means of communica-

eporting
percent would go to the state’s community field. tion students may have at hand, they need to
colleges, according to the bill. “The last budget had to make concessions keep communicating that to the people who
California is the only oil-producing state to meet both sides, and that’s good,” he said. are making those decisions.”
l
MorMon v. LDS

10 girls, a guy and


l
l
l
l
l
l T he Applied engineering meeTing is
hAlfwAy done, And someone Asks, “CAn
Anyone volunTeer This weekend?”

Adam Worsham flips open his MacBook and


pokes at his iCal, already stuffed with opera rehearsals,

ll l l
tutoring, voice lessons, babysitting and 12 units of
classes going towards his mechanical engineering major.
Oh, and a peppering of items labeled “church.”
Just then, a young woman in San José State
University’s Vagina Monologues interrupts the
meeting to sell vagina-shaped candies. “Heaven help
us the day they sell penis pops,” a student sniggers after

m
the volunteer leaves.
Soon everyone is laughing except Worsham. But

l l
the 26-year-old is not being holier-than-thou he just
happily waits for the meeting to get back on track.
Worsham is a fresh convert to the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). And with this
religion’s focus on modesty — even spaghetti straps
are discouraged — you would expect a more offended

l l
response. But Worsham lets it slide.
“It doesn’t really bother me,” he says. “I’ve been
a member for four years. I know that stuff comes up.
But it’s difficult because it really is something that’s
special, personal and private. It’s not necessarily my

l
religious beliefs, I’ve just always felt that way about it.”

l Worsham did not grow up in a religious household,

l he says, but he’s always been spiritual, so the transition


into the LDS church was easy for him. “About the

l
most difficult thing I had to give up was my chai tea
lattes,” he says.

C hurch members are expected to refrain from


alcohol, premarital sex, drugs, tobacco, immodest

l clothing, swearing, tattoos, multiple piercings and —


seriously, coffee and tea?

re
l “The Word of Wisdom tells us not to take any

l substances that would cause addiction to our body,”


says biochemistry student and lifelong LDS member
Amory Baker, 25, referring to a set of health guidelines

l
church founder Joseph Smith wrote in 1833.
Although Mormon is a common nickname for
the church, it’s not preferred.
“We don’t really like calling it Mormon because

l there’s a lot of groups associated as being Mormon,”


Worsham says. He says his nephew once mistook
his church for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus

l
Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect whose polygamous
l
a compound
story

suzanne yada
Spring 2008 • Access Magazine

compound was raided in April.


The mainstream Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints does not allow
i n addition to the Bible, the church
teaches that the Book of Mormon is
another God-given scripture, in which
singing and theater passions, guided
him to his own understanding of Joseph
Smith. “That’s something I wouldn’t
plural marriages. Many of its members Jesus Christ appeared to the Native have been able to strongly say a year after
consider that to be the most common Americans after he died in Jerusalem. I’ve been a member,” he says. “I would
misconception about their faith. Latter-day Saints believe Joseph Smith have said, ‘I don’t really know how that
The second? That they aren’t translated the book in 1827 when he was 21. all works out.’”
Christians, they say.
“It’s because we don’t have crosses,”
says Baker. “For them the cross is a
symbol of their Christian beliefs... For us,
T homas strongly disagrees with the
church’s claims.
“[The Book of Mormon] told the
our symbol that we are Christians is the story of some tribe of Israel who came
lives of the members.” to America and became the Native
Baker, Worsham and about 40 to Americans,” says Thomas, a webmaster
50 other LDS members hang out at the for godlessgeeks.com. “Of course it’s not
San Jose Institute of Religion, a tidy supported at all by genetics, which shows
building a few doors north of campus very clearly that Native Americans were
at 66 South Seventh Street. Religious Mark Thomas, a 58-year-old originally Asians.”
classes and events happen here, as well as software engineer and the president and Whether Mormonism is a cult or
a Sunday service for a young single adult co-founder of the Atheists of Silicon a Christian church doesn’t make much
congregation, or “ward,” as they are called. Valley, says that is “just preposterous.” difference to Thomas – it’s “all lies,”
That’s how Worsham found out “Joseph Smith had all sorts of he says. “Mormons are nice people, but
about the church. He was invited to attend strange stories,” Thomas says. “He they’re innocently sweet,” Thomas says.
a singles’ ward near De Anza College, but reportedly found these gold-gilded pages, “Religion can do that protect people from
things didn’t go as planned. he hid behind a curtain and had another the real world and keep them relatively
“The singles’ ward kind of felt like person translate while he looked into a childlike.”
a meat market, and I didn’t think religion hat to see the words, and it came out with
was about that,” he said. “I didn’t like it. I
thought [the church] was something that I
didn’t need right now, but then I met Lizzy.”
some strange mixture of modern and an
Old Testament style of writing.”
Worsham admits Joseph Smith’s
w orsham says he purposefully avoids
keeping a blind, childlike faith and
actively questions his beliefs.
story was hard to swallow at first. But it “One of my favorite things about

e lizabeth Hatch was preparing to leave


as a missionary to Thailand when
the two met. He was asked to sing at a
was divine intervention, he says, that led
him towards joining.
“When I read the Book of Mormon
being a convert is that I can play dumb
and I could ask any question I wanted,” he
says. “That’s really opened a lot of doors
private school graduation; she was asked and heard the story of Joseph Smith, I was to understanding and allowed me to love
to play piano. They found they had a asking God if it was all true. I received an what I believe and objectively challenge
lot in common, but three months later answer that was just, ‘Follow me.’” what I believe on a daily basis.”
Elizabeth had to leave for her mission. Worsham pauses. He says the church has blessed his
Adam wrote her “these beautifully “That was the most comforting and life in numerous ways.

eporting
written little letters” every week for the powerful feeling I had ever had,” he says. “I really found that I have a
year-and-a-half she was away. “It was as if I’ve been given the biggest specific purpose here, that I’m not just
Adam attended church with hug of my life.” some arbitrary number here on Earth,”
Elizabeth’s family while she was in Just two years after joining the Worsham says. “It’s your obligation to
Thailand and was impressed with the church, Worsham found himself playing become the best person that you can, to
people who “did everything they could to Joseph Smith in a larger-than-life become a pillar in the society and to
set their lives on the right path,” he says. pageant about the very stories he was help people.”
“I never actively tried to convert questioning. And it is that belief that allowed
him to my religion, it just happened that The pageant, up until its him to search through his cluttered iCal
way,” Elizabeth says, whose last name is discontinuation last year, took place until he finally had a spot for the often-
now Worsham. annually at the Oakland Temple. unanswered question, “Can anyone
Worsham’s experience there, using his volunteer this weekend?” A

FALL 2008 ACCESS 43


Nasim and the entrepreneurial spirit
Students today are becoming more enamored with the idea of being
their own boss. Meet one who already is — and has the scars to prove it.
By Suzanne Yada were working on something spectacu- business. A Kauffman Foundation census
Journalism 153: Magazine Editing lar,” she says. “With E.S., you’re bringing shows the majority of graduate students in
Nov. 24, 2008 together all these very unique individuals,” 12 different areas of study, from education
she says. “They can’t sit still and can’t pay to engineering, want to work independent-
There’s a few things you need to know attention. With all due respect, Misses and ly or start their own business.
about Nasim Ghanadan before you under- Mister Professor, but we can’t pay atten- That’s the most important thing about
stand how her jaw got smashed in a fight tion because we have a bigger vision and the Entrepreneurial Society, Nasim says. It
last semester. mission.” brings in a mix of students from different
One, she means business. Two, you It’s campus clubs like the Entrepreneur- departments across campus — engineer-
would never expect it from the optimistic ial Society that bring so many ambitious ing, finance, marketing and business man-
and bright-eyed 20-year-old if you saw her. students across the nation together on the agement, just to name a few — who are all
And three, this has nothing to do with the path to being their own boss. needed in different functions of enterprise.
fact that she is a young and serial entre- Those contacts help expand your
preneur, juggling piles of San Jose State Across the nation network, says Faisal Gowani, last year’s
University schoolwork with her own self- president of the Entrepreneurial Society.
designed money-making work. It’s tough to say just how many student He runs a falafel eatery near campus and
But it has everything to do with the fact entrepreneurs are out there in the United two of his parents’ convenience stores, all
that she really, really means business. States, but there are some major indica- three of which he began to take on while
“I have a problem following the rules tors. According to a 2000 BusinessWeek still in school.
sometimes,” Nasim admits, “but because article, the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Orga- “If I learned one thing from the College of
I think some of the rules need to be nization announced that in just two years, Business, it’s your personal network goes
changed.” their group grew from 1,000 to 3,000 a long way,” Faisal says. “We realized that
Nasim was hanging out with a friend one members at roughly 100 schools, with when we took over the business that we
night when about 20 people ganged up on more than 10 percent of those students served 40 to 50 people a day. We increased
him, she says. “They were going to kill him. running businesses. And according to a it to about 100 a day, just by making con-
So I jumped in and they broke my jaw.” 1997 Gallup study, seven out of 10 high tacts.”
Hanging with what some would call un- school students say they want to start their Leading the Entrepreneurial Society has
savory characters is just part of who she is, own business. helped shaped Faisal’s business style.
Nasim says. This is coming from a girl who Even small business incubators have “The one thing I really learned from
has high connections in the rough-and- been popping up on campuses across the E.S. is don’t put too much on your plate. If
tumble business world of the Silicon Valley, country. The San Jose area had its own for you take on something, you have to see it
with wide business networks programmed a handful of years to help develop new en- through. You can’t be just a college student
into the constantly buzzing cell phone terprise ideas for students, says Tesha Mc- any more. If you take responsibility for
that’s glued to her side. Cord Poe, the program director and small something, either you do it, delegate or
“My main goal is to make those power business teacher at De Anza College at the find someone to help you. Whatever it
moves among the top people of the world, time the incubator was formed in 2001. takes.
whether that’s financially or just the title. The core of it was a course called Boot- “In the past I was a jack of all trades and
My main mission is to talk to as many camp for Entrepreneurs, which featured master of none, but now this new attitude
people at the top as possible and as many individual mentors for students and with following things through, I don’t give
people at the bottom as possible,” she says. speakers on different topics. The require- up that easily. I really credit that towards

re
“I want to be able to kick it with the locals ment was that each student had to bring E.S.”
and be respected among common people.” in a feasible idea for a business plan and
Nasim has built her impressive network develop it with the mentor. A bigger vision
of local business leaders through two av- The incubator was based at the com-
enues: her own multiple business ventures, munity college but shared a name with If the Entrepreneurial Society is a busi-
which includes catering, financial planning San Jose State. “The idea was to have SJSU ness, the Silicon Valley Center for Entrepre-
and part-time accounting; and the Entre- students who would also help develop and neurship is its parent company. It’s both
preneurial Society, a student organization mentor, but it never really developed that those organizations in conjunction that
she helps lead. way,” she says. put on the flagship events such as the Neat
“When I first went to an E.S. meeting, Funding for the incubator dried up in Ideas Fair, which displays new business
I saw all these people with drive in their 2007, but interest in entrepreneurship ideas and prototypes from students across
eyes, people who seem like they have this never has, even in fields of study outside the campus, and the Business Plan Com-
whole other mission bubbling, like they
petition, which pits students’ business plans
against each other for the opportunity to see
their venture funded. Why bother with
Nasim wants to add one more event to getting a degree?
the fold: “Opportunity.” The idea is a charity
event that will auction off children’s artwork More than 80 percent of two- and
to raise funds for impoverished countries. four-year colleges offer entrepreneur
“It’s the niche. And it’s something that I’ve courses, according to the Kauffman
been bubbling on for years,” Nasim says. Foundation Census of Entrepre-
“And I feel like the Entrepreneurial Society neurship Education. In 1970, only
is the outlet to get it done. We’re so well 16 business schools in the country
connected to venture capitalists, to business offered entrepreneurial classes. But
financiers, to industry professionals in the as of 2007, more than 825 schools
global entrepreneurial capital of the world, offer classes.
the Silicon Valley. And honestly, nothing But why go to school at all, if your
brings rich people together like a good cause goal is to work for yourself? Fifty
— good food, good drinks and good cause.” percent of millionaire entrepreneurs
The event was originally slated for De- never graduated college anyway, ac-
cember, but some wrestling with the Silicon cording to a National Foundation of
Valley Center for Entrepreneurship kicked Women Business Owners study.
the auction back to April. Nasim says some In a 2000 BusinessWeek article,
at the top said it was too much, too soon. But Steven Rogers, entrepreneurship fi-
that doesn’t deter her. nance professor at Kellogg, says, “I’m
“If an outsider was to listen in on our not an advocate of students starting
conversations, they’d think it’s completely businesses while in college or while
unobtainable. They’d say it’s too ambitious,” in business school, and furthermore,
she says. “But we’re not in it for the money. If I am not an advocate of them starting
you have passion, no one can stop you. Envy a business immediately after gradua-
can be very flattering sometimes.” tion. I don’t believe the world is going
This is another thing important to under- to end relative to opportunities. This
stand about Nasim, and about entrepreneurs is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”
in general: They don’t like red tape. Nasim But David BenDaniel, entrepre-
in particular prefers to either plow through neurship professor at Cornell, says,
government and bureaucracy or find some “Waiting to graduate is the phenom-
other way to work around it. This gets her enon that happened four, five years
into a lot of trouble. ago. Things are moving too fast.
“I don’t look good on paper,” she says. “I These guys are bright, they’re very
touch the lines of borderline illegal a lot, but employable. The experience of doing
I know when to stop and where to go. I’m this is probably a plus.”
never in it to hurt anybody.”
Besides, she has dreams much bigger than
silly things like paper can hold.
“I want to go to a country, build a skyline
and move to the next. And I don’t want to
own it. I don’t really want to own anything
except for my own property, my own houses.
You go into an impoverished country, you

eporting
have the people willing to work, and you
have the property to work with. Of course,
there’s the government and bureaucracy you
have to work with when it comes down to
starting my own revolution,” she says with a
sly smile.
“To me catering and special event coordi-
nating is like practice to make a skyline. You
gotta figure out where things go. You gotta
make sure the people are taken care of.
You gotta make a mutually beneficial rela-
tionship.”
re
eporting
Suzanne
Yada

opinion
writing
Force break:
Why I still have hope for the crumbling news industry
By Suzanne Yada tions. I had been able to put my head down there had been some staffing cuts at my
Public-press.org and just work, temporarily able to forget all paper, we had been spared the catastrophic
Jan. 25, 2009 these economic woe stories I was plucking gutting that other newsrooms across the
from the wire and placing in the paper were nation have been suffering. In fact, we were
I could see the temblors everywhere. actually, technically, about me. even hiring, believe it or not.
Bankruptcies, layoffs and a poisonous And then yesterday, I arrived to work and But the reason we were hiring: Another
economy have thinned newspapers to the walked in to a ghost town. Gannett paper in the state had laid off its
core, both in physical size and in substance. It was only the first of several signs that entire copy editing staff and is in the process
But I still felt reasonably insulated, since my something was wrong. of moving their copy desk to my paper 200
little hometown newspaper dodged the bul- miles away. None of the original editors
let every time a new round of company-wide Furloughs wanted to move that far, and no one could
layoffs slashed through newsrooms. That’s blame them.
the newspaper I used to work for full-time, “They’re all in a meeting,” the last remain- The one bright light at the end of this tun-
and I still pop in now and again on a per- ing editor in the room said. “It’s about the nel: We’re hiring another copy editor who is
needed basis. furloughs.” far, far too qualified for this position. I’d hate
Up until now, I felt like I would always Oh. Oh no. to think we’re the only gig around hiring --
have a role to play there, like they would “I had read about that,” I said, shaking my JournalismJobs.com says we are not. There
always want -- and even need -- me, and head. must be some other reason she’s coming
there would usually be some way to make it “Wait, you knew about that already? From here. She says she’s settling down.
happen during my breaks from school and where, Romenesko?”
from my Public Press internship. “No,” I said, “from Twitter.” The problem with ads
But Jan. 14 was the first day I felt every- Uttering that sentence made me take a
thing crack. long look at myself and how I get news. I The meeting ended and the copy editors
didn’t know whether the tweet I came across gathered to the roost, hovering around their
‘Good old times’ referenced Romenesko or the Gannett Blog computer stations and trying to make calm
or God knows what other source. All I knew little jokes to take the harsh edge off. The
I’ve been studying journalism at San Jose is that the Twitter-er summed up in 140 pages get assigned, the work begins, and
State for a couple of semesters, despite characters what the original article took way then prepress comes in.
warnings from doom-and-gloom prophets too long to explain. “We have another ad kill,” she said to the
who tell me I need to change my major. I don’t make any apologies for getting news editor.
I’ve also been a volunteer and intern for news this way. This is the way it is for mil- “Are you serious?” the news editor asked.
The Public Press, a new ad-free newspaper lions of others, so you better get used to the “Again?”
model, despite warnings from doom-and- idea. But I’m not in the least bit anti-print, “I don’t get it with these last-minute ad
gloom prophets who tell me print is dead. nor am I anti-long articles. In fact, this very cancellations,” the prepress operator said.
Call me stupid for all I care, but the experi- morning I got up to a nice cup of tea and a “We should have a deadline, or charge 50
ence has been incredible so far in both cases, read-through of my newspaper lying on the percent or something.”
affording me the opportunity to dive deeper breakfast table. If only the newspaper cov- This isn’t the first ad kill of the day. The
into the theories and practicalities of the ered its own industry, I wouldn’t have to rely layout people will now have to fill the big
craft while simultaneously renewing my on pesky things like blogs and tweets to get gaping hole left behind. The half-good news
hope that somehow, somewhere, journalism me the information I wanted. But newspa- is that, since the news-to-advertising ratio

opinion
will survive, and with it, democracy. pers don’t, and for that I am thankful. has already been slashed in a cost-cutting
At the end of December I returned home I knew what furloughing was about. I read measure, we barely had any newshole to
for my winter break to work at my home- it in an article I placed in the paper. (Or wait, work with anyway, and the disappearing ad
town paper, the same Gannett-owned opera- was it a blog post I passed along on Deli- meant we could cram in a little more news
tion where I worked for three years before I cious?) It’s a forced break with no pay, and from the wire. It was a busy news day out
decided to quit and finish my degree. It just practically every Gannett employee must there; we needed the wiggle room.
so happens that this winter there was a need take five days off between now and the end Ironically, our big front-page news center-
for someone to fill in while the copy desk of March. It would have been much harder piece focused on how one of our paper’s big-
trained with new software, and I just so hap- to make every employee write a personal gest advertisers was declaring bankruptcy.
pened to be home at the right time. check to Gannett for a week’s wages, which Say what you want about advertisers’ influ-
There was a bit more paperwork to is essentially what they’re doing, but this ence on editorial content here, but the truth
process this time around, but overall things furlough business is (to believe the words of the matter is, they paid my paycheck. We
have been just like the good old times. Same of the wise Craig Dubow) much better than existed because of them. And without them,
old jokes from the same old personalities layoffs. newspapers as we know them are dead.
that banter about terrible puns and if-I- And it is, to his credit. Alan Mutter esti- There is something wrong in that very
wrote-this-for-The-Onion headline sugges- mates it may have saved 600 jobs. Though concept, and I’m not the only one who thinks
that. As noble as many journalists think news- That, right there, is the problem. David Cohn! David is an innovator. A pusher.
papers are, they have always existed to move We have an entire swath of lower-income A worker. I met him first via Twitter, then in
eyeballs to ads. Journalism only played the people not getting informed about the world person at a journalism conference, and then
part of giving someone a reason to pick it up. around them, left *intentionally* behind by yet again when I found his Spot.Us organiza-
I’m not against advertising at all; business- the media companies. They’re the ones who tion was working closely with The Public
es need to get their name known in order to need to be informed the most. Press.
make money. I just don’t think journalism This is why I still have hope for print, even Spot.Us allows journalists to pitch a story
and advertising should have ever been mar- though I am an online, Twittering, blogging, and asks the public to donate small amounts
ried in the first place, ideologically speaking. RSS-news kind of fool. Print still serves the toward their freelance fees. The Public Press
But on the other hand, some advertising, like public, there is still a niche to fill, there is hopes to both pitch stories and publish
classifieds and coupons, performed a service still a need for quality information distrib- other stories that are funded this way. (In
readers wanted. People buy the Thanksgiv- uted without electrons. There are still things fact, The Public Press has already published
ing editions for the ads that tell them where print can do that online just can’t, and until on its Web site several stories Spot.Us has
the deals are, not because of the great in- the day comes when e-paper becomes so produced so far.)
depth reporting of breaking Thanksgiving affordable that news organizations will just To know that this Presstime article about
Day news in their community, of which (if buy one for each household in their entire Spot.Us was being read in the brick-and-
you ask any journalist who had to work on metropolitan area, there will be uninformed mortar caves of this newsroom makes me
Thanksgiving) there is precious little. people out there, purposefully left out by hope. Maybe there is room for innovation
The problem is that this ad-supported news organizations who frankly have big- even from within this decaying institution of
business model is breaking apart before our ger fish to fry and more money to make newspapers.
eyes. Some journalism ideologues are even elsewhere. Then I flip through the rest of the NAA
saying that this is a good thing, because it Perhaps it’s not the print model that’s magazine, and among advertisements for
causes everyone to stop, rethink and change dead; perhaps it’s the advertising model. the 2009 NAA convention (which promises
their game plan. I can’t tell you layoffs are a And instead of news organizations behaving to be the most depressing $3,150 you’ll ever
great thing, but innovation is, and innovation like a business, maybe it’s time we behaved spend), I see picture after picture of white
comes only when there’s something terribly like a service. men in suits -- and one token white woman
broken that must be fixed. in a suit -- next to labels like “innovators”
The nonprofit model and “industry leaders.” And my hope dims.
The argument for print I agree with Dave: there is simply too
I am hoping that The Public Press is one much bureaucracy here for the flexibility
For one, I am excited I have been able to of many solutions to this problem. As a non- that tomorrow’s news needs. If 2009 will be
work on this nonprofit project, The Public profit, it has a few benefits. Any money that’s the year the newspaper industry collapses,
Press. The goal is to eschew advertising alto- generated above expenses must be recycled it had better also be the year that journalism
gether and try the PBS or Consumer Reports back into the organization’s operation, not learns to thrive without it.
model for a quality, in-depth newspaper. Yes, divvied out among demanding shareholders To quote Lisa Williams: Journalism will
that means print. Because the digital divide or lining the pockets of the CEOs. Nonprofits survive the death of its institutions. And
is still very real, and there is still a market are also eligible for grants and charitable we need 10,000 innovators here in order to
out there for print. donations, like these startup nonprofit news invent those new institutions. Sure, 9,998
Print also has the unmatched function of organizations. The Public Press’ vision is to will probably fail, but it’s those two or three
geographic penetration. The Web is fantastic get a donor, sponsor or grant to provide the that will grow into tomorrow’s replicable
about reaching audiences worldwide, but lower-income areas with free copies of the business models.
if a local site reaches 1 percent of its local paper while offering subscriptions to those This is why this blog post has earned
audience, it’s considered a rousing success. who can afford and simply prefer the printed its title, “Force break.” We need to force
Newspapers are considered weak if they word. something to break here. When I, on my
reach anything shy of 30 percent of its local Will it work? I don’t know yet. Anyone who “forced break” from school (that’s good), had
audience. says they know for sure is lying. But we’re to witness my colleagues get issued their
These are valid arguments for print and working our asses off in hopes that it does. forced unpaid break from work (that’s bad),
shouldn’t be dismissed so easily. I ain’t no We are paving the way forward, building I know it’s just a matter of time before those
curmudgeon, and neither are the amazing trust from the ground up, getting involved unpleasant furloughs turn into more perma-
folks behind The Public Press. I’m always in the community on a grassroots level, nent forced breaks from employment (that’s

n writing
open to change, and if 20 years from now and reconstructing journalism as it always very, very bad).
I’m working as a Web programmer-slash- should have been. The industry’s collapse is But “force break” is also a typographical
journalist, so be it. I will definitely be the perfect opportunity to do so. term. When my printouts are handed back to
prepared and ready to go. But here, now, in me with the letters FB in red ink, it means I
2009, there are just still too many who are Innovate or die need to kick a word to the next line without
not wired. They’re not getting any sort of starting a new paragraph.
in-depth news, even (and especially) if they Back in the newsroom, a startling coinci- The news industry not only needs to start
watch the 6-o’clock news. Newspapers are dence: I was at an editor’s desk looking for a a new paragraph, but they need to start a
the outlets that are supposed to provide that spare red pen when I spied an open copy of new paradigm. Forced breaks aren’t enough.
depth, but they are faced with challenges Presstime, the magazine for the Newspaper We need to reboot.
on all fronts: 1. Less staff, less time and less Association of America. (Why it’s a magazine • This blog post can be found at http://
resources, and 2. Management is increas- and not a newspaper is probably the funni- www.public-press.org/blog/2009/01/25/
ingly pushing for articles that target the est thing in the universe.) force-break-why-i-still-have-hope-for-the-
upper-income readers. It’s what they have to It was opened to an article entitled “Web crumbling-news-industry. Words that are
do to survive, because that’s where the most Site Asks Public to Fund Journalism.” And underlined in print represent hyperlinks that
lucrative *advertising* comes. then I realized -- hey, that’s my good friend can be found at this URL.
Opinion column: Bogus job postings
attract students with their scams
By Suzanne Yada this crap continue. first place.
Spartan Daily So I challenged him. But what if it was a class full of freshman
Sept. 28, 2009 “So what is it that you do on this intern- who may be smart but just aren’t aware how
ship?” I asked the guy. internships work on this campus?
There is no polite way to say “I call He hesitated, then said, “Well, you learn Here’s one job description that is crystal
bullshit” to scammers, but for the love of all about sales and marketing.” clear. It’s our job to make sure these people
that is holy, do it anyway. “Yes, but what is it you do? What is the job don’t interrupt our learning environment. So
Your direct objections could help stop description?” I said. here is what I propose.
companies who prey on broke and desperate He paused. You know those fliers that say “Earn more
students. “Well, essentially what it is, is that you’re income!” and “Great part-time opportunity!”
And we need all of us to do it. These peo- running your own business,” he said. but don’t actually say what the job is, even
ple should not feel welcome on this campus. “No. What do you do? Do you sell knives or after you call them and ask directly?
A few days ago, my entrepreneurship class what?” I said. I’ve included a little cut-out for you. Plas-
was waiting for our teacher to arrive when “No, it’s not selling knives,” he said, the ter these things to the offending fliers.
some random guy burst in with a smile on only solid detail I was able to get out of him. Call bullshit. Don’t just ignore it. You can’t
his face and a fistful of paper handouts. Another girl in the class piped up. let them get away with it. Make sure this
“Are any of you interested in making “So is this some sort of pyramid scheme?” kind of shady crap isn’t welcome at San Jose
money over the summer?” he said. she said. State.
Oh boy! Is the Pope Catholic? He continued to completely avoid our It’s our job.
“Just fill out these forms, and we’ll contact questions with a series of mumblings and
you about an amazing internship opportu- half-answers.
nity,” he said. “I’m not giving you my personal informa-

I call
I had no clue what the name of this tion until you tell me what it is you do,” I
company was or what the job entailed, but said.
it must have been truly amazing as I was And with that, flashing his signature smile,

bullshit!
being asked to fork over my name, address, he collected the mostly blank forms and
cell phone number and e-mail address, sight walked straight out of the classroom.
unseen. I still don’t know what this internship
“You can make up to $10,000 in a summer. actually did. If I could do it over again, I’d
I even made $24,000 last summer,” he said. stand by the door and refuse to let him leave
With his worn baseball cap, shorts and until he either gave us an honest answer Don’t respond to
fresh-outta-college looks, he didn’t seem like or a sincere apology for working for such
he just raked in the same amount I made in scumbags.
job postings that
an entire year. But you know, who am I to I wish I could feel bad for the guy, but I don’t have a detailed
judge? can’t. He’s doing his stupid job, and I as a
I tell you who I am. fed-up student am doing mine. job description!

opinion
I’m a student who has had enough of being The class was full of smart upper-division
spammed in my own classroom. business students, and I would hope they
I could have ignored it, but I refuse to let would have probably ignored his scam in the
Dining column: Thai Basil brings
flavors of Thailand to Visalia
By Suzanne Yada you would find at a Chinese restaurant: it is He still visits his homeland at least once a
Visalia Times-Delta fabulously golden in appearance, taste and year, Somyot said.
Dec. 19, 2007 texture, and it fills you with warmth from “Sometimes I go to Thailand to learn a new
the inside out, a richer temperature entirely recipe for our customers,” he said.
I don’t do spicy food. different from the sharp heat of the spices. As always, he is careful to find if his tradi-
Now I can handle – and even enjoy – some A pad Thai on a spicy scale of 3 is perfect tional recipes appeal to American palates.
subtle hot kicks in an entree to enhance for me: not too wimpy lest I miss out on the So he is frequently doing what every chef
the flavor, but any more than that and it unique and flavorful experience that is Thai should be doing: talking to the customers
amounts to torture on my sensitive taste cuisine, and not too strong lest I leave the directly, after their meals.
buds. restaurant in an ambulance. “That’s the way I get feedback,” he said. “I
I also know that I’m not the only one. Good Pad Thai is what practically everyone or- want my customers to be happy.”
thing Somyot Larpthaveesarp understands ders at any Thai restaurant in America, and
this. That’s why any of his traditional dishes those cooks who knows their stuff better Information
at Thai Basil, located in the Mary’s Vineyard make the pad Thai amazing – or else there Location: 1423 E. Noble Ave., Visalia
shopping center in Visalia, can be ordered on would be no one to cook for. (across from Blockbuster in Mary’s Vineyard
a 1-to-10 spicy scale. And, ladies and gentlemen, this pad Thai shopping center)
“We have original Thai food but modified, is amazing. Phone: 732-8881
so it’s not too spicy but still tries to keep the The other staple dish that you’ve just Hours: Tues.-Fri. 11 a.m.-3 p.m, then 5
Thai taste,” Somyot said. got to order at any Thai restaurant is the p.m.-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; closed
Originally from Bangkok, Somyot opened satay chicken. More of an appetizer than an Monday
the restaurant seven months ago in Visalia entrée, satay chicken is long pieces of grilled Price range: Appetizers $5-$9; Lunch
to very little competition. The fact that there chicken on a skewer, marinated with Thai specials $8-$10; entrees $8-$13
are too few Thai restaurants in this area herbs and flavors. Thai Basil has this down Take-out: Yes
means that we sheltered locals need to get to perfection. Even though it’s served with Catering: No
up to speed on what Thai food is. a fantastic peanut sauce, the marinade is so Sell alcohol: Planning on beer and wine
“Thai food is tasty, it has a sweet and sour packed with flavor that the sauce isn’t even license next year
flavor, and we can cook it spicy on request,” needed.
Somyot said. To top that off, finish with a cool, flavored Somyot recommends
Common ingredients in Thai food include Thai iced coffee –which, in my opinion, is Most popular: Pad Thai, satay chicken
noodles, fish, sprouts, coconut, peanuts, chili better than Starbucks (“You’re not the first and the tom yum kai, a chicken soup with
pepper, lime, and a unique blend of spices one to say that!” laughs Somyot.). mushrooms, tomatoes, cilantro and other
and seasonings that can only be described Somyot credits the quality of his food seasonings.
as, well, Thai. to the high standard of the ingredients he Hidden gem: Pad Kee Maw (drunken
In other words, you have to try it. Thai sometimes has to drive to L.A. to obtain. noodle), a spicy noodle dish with flat rice
Basil’s menus are an extra help for novices, “All the food here, whatever you order, we noodles, basil, chili, onions, bell peppers,
detailed with pictures and lists of ingre- cook fresh,” Somyot said. “We have no MSG, tomatoes and a spicy sauce.
dients to make it more welcoming to try we use tender all-white chicken, our beef is Best dish for watching weight: Anything
something new. New York steak for our customers. My wife on the vegetarian menu, Somyot says. He

n writing
And if you are indeed a newbie to Thai- says to make sure there is no MSG and to use specifically recommends the vegetarian
land’s cuisine, you should probably start trans-free seed oil for the stir fry.” spicy noodle, the vegetable chow mein and
out with the country’s most famous pile of But “be patient,” Somyot said. “Fresh food the vegetarian pad Thai.
noodles, pad Thai. takes a little bit longer.” Best dish for filling a belly: Pad Thai.
At first glance, the pad Thai here may Somyot is so delighted to share his cuisine Best dish for vegetarians: There are sev-
seem like nothing more than large Asian and his culture with others that he has prac- eral options on the vegetarian menu, Somyot
noodles with a bit of egg, a bit of green tically become a one-man tourist bureau for says. “I have customers who come down
onion, and a bit of sprouts and peanuts. But Thailand, complete with brochures and pam- from Three Rivers to order off the vegetarian
it has a completely different taste than what phlets on hand for anyone who is interested. menu,” he says.

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