Here's a term you won't find defined in the AP Stylebook. It's what is known in newspapering as a "thumbsucker" or a "think piece." It's an analytical, thoughtful article that really explains a current issue. Think of a deep thinker sucking his thumb while he tries to think deep thoughts and you'll get the metaphor behind it.
I think it's a word that was used by hard-news guys who didn't necessarily appreciate the ivory-tower types who wrote for the edit page.
But I digress ...
The article is titled "Reconcilable Differences," and it's by Ronald Brownstein in the current issue of The Atlantic at http://www.theatlantic.com/ ...I'm linking you to the magazine's home page because I want us all to be familiar with the publications that run quality public affairs journalism by the end of the semester. The Atlantic has been one of the best magazines in America for more than 150 years, and Brownstein is one of the best political reporters in the business. His take on this year's presidential election is the best I've seen so far.
A weblog for Pete Ellertsen's mass communications students at Benedictine University Springfield.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Blog Archive
-
▼
2008
(218)
-
▼
August
(10)
- Alaska papers: Nuanced picture of Palin
- COMM 337, 386: Sarah Palin bio in Anchorage paper
- More 'prepared remarks' before a political speech
- COMM 207: The 'Six Reading Myths' I mentioned in c...
- COMM 207, 337, 386: Prepared speeches
- COMM 337, 386, 207 / READ!
- COMM 207: Some "AP Stylebook" things to know
- COMM 386: 'Capitol Fax' blog w/ Obama story
- COMM 386: Basics on polling / PLS READ!
- COMM 386: 'Thumbsucker' by Brownstein
-
▼
August
(10)
About Me
- Pete
- Springfield (Ill.), United States
- I'm a retired English, journalism and cultural studies teacher at Springfield College in Illinois (acquired by Benedictine University and subsequently closed). I coordinate jam sessions for the "Clayville Pioneer Academy of Music" at Clayville Historic Site and the Prairieland Strings dulcimer club, and I sing in the choir and the contemporary praise team at Peace Lutheran Church in Springfield. On Hogfiddle I post links and video clips for our sessions and workshops on the mountain dulcimer (a.k.a. "hog fiddle"), as well as research notes on folklore and cultural studies, hymnody and traditional Anglo-Celtic and Scandinavian music. I also posted assignments and readings in my interdisciplinary humanities classes. The Mackerel Wrapper (now on hiatus), carried assignments and readings for my mass comm. students. I started teaching b/log when I chaired SCI-Benedictine's assessment committee, and reopened it as the privatization of public schools grew increasingly troubling and closer to home.
No comments:
Post a Comment