Now that we are in a few hours into 2019, 2018 prepared me for my next venture in life. After losing my dream job as a digital content producer and suffering major health problems that followed after that, I realized that life is too short for me to be living for someone else and not for myself.
As you may, or may not know, starting a new career in your late 30s is risky and you end up having to compete with others who are almost 10 years younger than you. I filled out so many applications for journalism jobs that I was afraid to count. That’s when I decided to take matters into my own hands and start my own freelance journalism company.
Hi! I’m Allison Joyner, and I am the founder and CEO of Allison Joyner Enterprises, LLC, and I welcome you to come to me for all your digital content needs. At AJE, I could help you with Internet-based elements to meet your marketing or journalistic needs for your company, non-profit organization, or publications.
As a graduate of Clark Atlanta University and a current grad student at Syracuse University, I have extensive training for creating content that is both literary and informative. Some of my services include (but are not limited to) content creation involving social media, writing and video & audio editing. My skills have been used for websites, small businesses, TV stations, and non-profit organizations that were able received enhanced engagement in their digital platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
So the next time you need focused-driven content to drive in more customers and readers, think of AJE for your media needs.
Feel free to connect with me to leave a message or give me a call at (601)951–3154 or email at Joyner.allison.n@gmail.com
I read this article in the Jackson Free Press having a little bit of justification for the racially motivated quotes said by U.S. Senator for Mississippi, Cindy Hyde-Smith, this month, addressing that she is a product of white privilege. That thought never passed my mind, probably because I am not white, because I wasn’t sure what that was. I looked it up.
The Cambridge English Dictionary defines “white privilege” as, the fact of people with white skin having advantages in society that other people do not have. This “privilege” goes back to medieval times and is still impacting the world today. The historical dominance achieved by European explorers on the six remaining continents started a permanent tear in humanity. What makes things worse is that this is still the case centuries later.
Bring this back to Hyde-Smith, she is a benefactor of this and may not know it, or even, does not care to change it. What is hard for me to understand is that I will NEVER know how this luxury feels.
Hyde-Smith with Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant
I will never know how it feels to be appointed to her position by Mississippi Governor, Phil Bryant. I will never know how it feels to surround yourself with people who look like her and have the same privileges as her.
I will never know how I can change political parties with a drop of a hat and have no repercussions from it [Hyde-Smith moved from Democratic Party to Republican Party in 2010 as a state Senator, causing the Capitol to have 26 members on each side].
Image of Hyde-Smith visiting a Civil War Museum in 2014 from her Facebook page. The caption read “Mississippi at its best.”
Most of all, I will not know how it feels to be white like her, and forget she is a woman as well.
That may be one of t
Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) greets Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, in her office on Capitol Hill, on July 25, 2018, in Washington, DC.
he reasons why she voted to confirm Justice Bret Kavanaugh into the Supreme Court ignoring the fact that he potentially sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in his high school glory days.
I pray that Hyde-Smith realizes her privilege and allow other cultures, like feminism and racial harmony, into her heart one day. If not, the state of Mississippi will be in a lot of trouble for the next two years.
“U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said last month that no more than 250,000 Americans are in ‘extreme poverty,’ denouncing a United Nations report saying 18.5 million Americans suffer extreme impoverishment.” That was what Washington Post Policy reporter Jeff Stein and Economics reporter Tracy Jan both wrote and tweeted in mid-July which later had to be retracted because Haley said she never gave that statistic.
Although neither journalists lost their jobs, misquoting a source can be a career-ending foot with a little-to-no possibility of regaining credibility. One way of preventing this from happening is by making sure you have a recording device that catches every syllable.
Watching continuing coverage of the Mueller investigation and the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, I noticed that most are relying on their iPhone or
other smartphone devices to record reactions from Senators in the echoing halls of the capitol. But camera shuttering and fellow journalists mumbling in the background can compromise their sound bite.
So is there a better way? I try to answer that question in my latest field test project for my Emerging Media Platforms class I am taking during my matriculation at the Communications@Syracuse graduate program of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
As I previously mentioned in my proposal, I found the Shure MV88 iOS Digital Stereo Condenser Microphone online when I was preparing to conduct several interviews on a cruise ship earlier this year. As you may, or may not know, cruise ships do not have the best acoustics on any of its decks. A constant “humming,” from the engine room, is resonating throughout the ship which sometimes makes it hard to listen to a person that is right beside you more or less in the same cabin with you. The MV88 seemed like the perfect investment for me because it was small enough to fit in my pocket and easy to calibrate with their free Shure Plus MOTIV Mobile Recording app.
INTRODUCTION TO FIELD TEST
As you continue to read this study, you will find out about a field test that can improve reporting to lessen the inaccuracies of quotes and helping journalists work smart instead of working hard in reporting the news.
A clear hypothesis will be addressed to give the instruction of the field test. This test will also determine a target audience of what the findings will benefit them in their work for years to come.
This study starts with the background behind the MV88 iOS Digital Stereo Condenser Microphone from Shure Industries. Project Manager for the MV88 of the MOTIV product line, Soren Pedersen, will give us an in-depth look into the microphone and also some of the reasons why Shure decided to make this product.
The execution of the field test will be determined from an independent survey supplied with samples that compliment the research’s data. The results from the test, including comments from surveyors and vivid analytics of the results, will confirm or not confirm the hypothesis stated. Lastly, a brief conclusion, including my recommendations to the target audience, will be shared at the end of the report. Enjoy.
HYPOTHESIS OF FIELD TEST
Using the Shure MV88, does the smartphone microphone work better or worse in quite of loud environments and will it help journalists have more accurate quotes. This will benefit journalists (the target audience) who use recording devices for professional purposes.
SO WHAT IS THE MV88?
Shure Industries created the MV88 to offer content creators unraveled convenience and professional quality audio on the go. Reasonably priced at $149.00 the microphone connects to the lightning connector port of all current Apple iPhone, iPad, or iPod products and enhances audio quality to its camera and voice memo apps or by using the free Shure Plus MOTIV Mobile Recording App which offers recording editing and sharing enhancements to your content.
Product Specialists, Soren Pedersen, has been working for Shure for over 10 years. Pedersen and his team developed the MOTIV and PG ALTA products like the MV 88.
I was happy that he was willing to answer a few of my questions in a phone interview at the Shure World Headquarters in Chicago:
How did the MOTIV product line begin?
With the relationship with the app and the microphone itself, how did that get developed?
With the microphone in the iOS already, why did Apple think it was a good idea to have a microphone company build a better microphone?
The MOTIV app is very technical. How would a novice approach going through the app?
I’m a journalists and a content creator, and like you said journalists are going to be using the microphone more than for musical purposes. As you may or may not know with the news there has been inaccuracies and misinformation when reporting. How would the clarity of what the microphone is picking up help prevent that?
With the field test that I’m conducting now, I’m trying to see if people can hear a difference in clarity and quality of sound. What should I expect my results to be?
PUTTING IT TO THE TEST
In making the comparison of the built-in mic on my Apple iPhone 8 and the MV88 I recorded myself singing the same song into 3 different environments: a dark closet, the Rockefeller Center subway platform and the center of Times Square during New York rush hour traffic. After creating the samples I drafted a Google Forms survey to conduct an A/B test for my target audience of professional journalists and journalism students who would be interested in a device like the MV88. When listening to 2 of the samples from each environment, questions were given on the criteria of quality, clarity, and overall enjoyment of sound.
Below are the samples that you can listen for yourself:
INSIDE SAMPLES:
SUBWAY SAMPLES:
TIMES SQUARE SAMPLES:
THE RESULTS ARE IN!
A total of 80 individuals responded to my request to take the survey. Each person was helpful in retrieving vital data to determine if the MV88 improves sound quality for Apple products.
When it came to the indoor samples:
More people (68.8%) enjoyed the sound coming from the standard iPhone microphone made the lyrics seem clearer than the MV88
56% said that the clarity of the sound coming from the iPhone was their main reason for making their choice
Over 61% responded that they would buy the device that recorded the sound which in this case was the iPhone 8
When it came to the subway samples:
The majority (83.5%) preferred the MV88 over the iPhone
Clarity was also a factor when making their decision with 61%
In a close margin (57% to 42%) were not interested in buying the MV88
When it came to the Times Square samples:
The MV88 narrowly won (53% over 46%) over the iPhone
Clarity was also appreciated the most with 50% of surveyors but 38% liked the quality of the sound the most in this sample instead of the other 2 samples
Once again, the No’s were the majority of purchasing the MV88 by 53%
COMMENTS FROM RESPONDENTS:
“They [both samples] were very clean and understanding.”
“Audio recording devices are a purchase I make based on what the end user is.”
“Despite the noise floor being loud, I thought sample A (MV88) provided the most audible difference in sound.”
“Neither sample was a ‘quality’ recording. 1A (MV88) was better at drowning out the background noise while 1B (iPhone) picked up everything and drowned out the vocals.”
“Clarity and quality make a difference when it is being recorded.”
“I like how clear you can hear the first one with all the noise of the subway and the volume doesn’t have to be all the way up to be able to hear clearly.”
“When it comes to purchasing the recording device, there are several other factors I would consider in addition to sound quality, including portability, size, etc. That’s why I answered ‘NO.’ However, the ones selected would be my choices to consider.”
“1B (iPhone 8) brings out the vocals more but, in turn, brings out the background noise. A simple noise filter would make it very usable.”
“I like how clear it is throughout even with all the noise in the background.”
“I might buy it would depend on price.”
CONCLUSION
In my opinion, I think my field test was a success in finding out if there are ways of improving accuracy in quoting sources. Microphone attachments like the MV88 will in fact help assist with that problem and also enhance the content for their stories.
Out all of the data accumulated, I would recommend the Shure MV88 iOS Digital Stereo Condenser Microphone to my fellow journalists to take with them to use for interviews that will be in loud, outdoor, or chaotic environments.
I would love to hear your thoughts about my field test and the results that were determined. Please leave a comment below and I would greatly appreciate it.
My week was filled with networking and barbeque during the Online News Association’s annual conference in Austin, Texas. Thousands of digital journalists from around the world gathered to find out about new tools, techniques, and technologies of our ever-changing industry.
Out of all of the discussions, from reporting during the Midterm Elections to female journalists facing harassment on the Internet and in the newsroom, the most dynamic was the “Tech Trends for Journalists” session on the last morning of the conference.
The address, led by professor of the NYC Stern School of Business and founder of the Future Today Institute foresight and strategy firm, Amy Webb, led the over 2,000 register conference-goers through a journey of how some of their favorite reporting tools, like wearable tech and smartphones (that’s right smartphones), will be replaced by over 108 new trends that will start as early as 2019. Webb, who is also known as a quantitative futurist, introduced a few examples from her “2019 Trend Report for Journalists, Media & Technology” report that will help newsrooms fight against misinformation and offer alternatives for funding quality news in the near future.
Some of the trends mentioned:
Natural Language Generation: Machines translating content into different languages and generate content for different mediums and in different voices or styles.
Immutable Records: Information records using blockchain technology that can NEVER be deleted or modified. A company to watch is Tron
Token & Tekenominics: This new blockchain business model will revolutionize how media companies approach monetization and distribution. Civil is one of the companies to watch as their recent platform is the home of the podcast Zig Zag with hosts Manoush Zomorodi and Jen Poyant.
Faceprints: Advance computing systems that can use unique features of our face– bone structure, skin color, even capillaries– to identify us. AlterEgo, developed by the MIT Media Lab, is a closed-loop, non-invasive wearable system that allows people to converse without opening their mouth– simply by vocalizing internally.
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
Whew, my mind is blown just writing this so I know your brain is shook reading this! If you think you can handle more information (and I suggest you to read slowly) click HERE to read the full report.
In comparison, the great state of Mississippi is more all rural than metropolitan and having access to certain things are difficult to come by. Now, with the help of technology, this common problem has a solution.
The Unmanned Aerial Systems Program at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Miss, prepares students for careers as operators and/or coordinators of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) aka “drones.” The program offers a 2-year Associates of
Applied Science degree, plus industry and government certifications. Hinds
students learn to build and operate drones, understand UAS hardware/software
systems, as well as learn commercial applications such as aerial photography,
agriculture, surveying, mapping in addition to ecological monitoring and inspecting.
Hinds UAS Instructor, Dennis Lott, told Jackson, Miss news station, WAPT-TV, “80% of the commercial market in the United States is going to be agriculture.”
Lott also mentioned that the future of drones could help farmers grow crops, deliver emergency supplies and even drop off packages at your front doorstep, now being tested by retail website Amazon.
Hinds is one of the first institutions of higher learning in the U.S. to teach students not only to maintain drones but to fly them for the commercial application of the future. In 2016, Hinds joined forces with Mississippi State University to extend their students educational opportunities with the 2+2 agreement in their Precision Agriculture department. In addition to the 60 hours of coursework at Hinds, students can transfer to MSU for a bachelor’s in Agricultural Engineering Technology and Business department.
In addition to the relationship with MSU, Hinds CC has been collaborating with William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, since 2014, to explore the possibilities of sending medical response faster with the help of drones. The Healthcare Integrated Rescue Operations or HiRO uses a modified DSI 1000+ drone to carry a 20-pound telemedical kit to send ahead while first responders are in route to a remote area like a farm or inside of a national park. Each kit has a Google Glass video glasses which connects bystanders with a doctor to walk them on how to care for a person in need of medical attention before an ambulance arrives. To see a simulation of how the HiRO drone will work and save people’s lives, visit their YouTube channel HERE.
an A/B test for my target audience of professional journalists and journalism students who would be interested in a device like the MV88. When listening to 2 of the samples from each environment, questions were given on the criteria of quality, clarity, and overall enjoyment of sound.
educational opportunities with the 2+2 agreement in their