Why NAJA ROCKS!

    For this blog entry I attempted to researched the Native American Journalists Association. Their website provides a brief mission statement explaining NAJA's purpose. "NAJA serves and empowers NAtive Journalists through programs and actions designed to enrich journalism and promote Native cultures." Along with promoting culture, NAJA also recognizes Native Americans as a separate society based on tradition and culture. They say, through this initiative, they would like to promote diversity, free press, speech, and expression. Continually, they raise awareness for Native American's in the media, and hope to ensure that mainstream and Native American media obtain a high standard of professionalism.
     The Native American Journalist Association's website is an important tool in educating media professionals because it provides a different culture's perspective on one avenue of mass media. Also, they provide  various sections for jobs in the media profession such as print, radio, web, television, and reporting. Furthermore, the website provides a list of contact information in case another media professional  would like to get in touch with a member of NAJA.
    Continually, the website establishes NAJA's credibility by listing their numerous awards  and scholarship recipients. The Native American Journalist Association also holds an annual convention including programs like Native voices, where students majoring in journalism produce a daily newspaper, radio or television newscast, or a website through the program. NAJA also takes stereotyping  very seriously, which perpetuates the idea of diversity in the media. For instance, they denounced a Wisconsin man for cheering on runners in a triathlon for dressing in a traditional headdress and loincloth.

Challenges in Diversity

Personally, being culturally sensitive is not difficult for me. However, for the sake of argument, the biggest challenge presented when the issue of diversity comes into question is the difference between speaking casually and writing. Certain phrases that are acceptable within everyday speech would not be considered acceptable in writing. For instance, one may use the phrase "retarded" to express that they find something to be silly or stupid. Saying someone or something is obviously not acceptable within the realm of writing. As a mass media professional it is important to remain politically correct, which means being conscious of a subject's needs and social background.

Why News Writing is Difficult...

News writing is difficult for everyone. But, I believe it is especially difficult for those who are used to traditional English writing. Journalistic writing is more difficult because one is unable to fully express themselves descriptively. News writing is about being precise, English writing is not. Therefore, it is often difficult to switch gears between being a journalist and being a writer because in Journalism one is never allowed to interject opinion, or personal happenings. Editorializing is where I face the most difficulty. If writing a story on a subject that I am passionate about I have to remember that I am writing a news story for other people.

You Got Hit by the Grammar Truck!!

Grammar is SO my favorite thing to do. I just loved learning how to properly insert a semi-colon. Did that have to be hyphenated? Honestly, most days I would rather pull my teeth out than talk about transitive verbs. Not to mention, trying to teach someone to how to form a sentence correctly is about as awkward as G.W Bush's press conferences. Nevertheless, grammar is an important part of being a writer, and as a writer, it is a necessary evil. I guess some people may find grammar particularly riveting, but I'm sure they find watching paint dry as well. :)