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Rebooting' Journalism, a Free Press – 2.6 Terabytes at a Time A4 LIFESTYLESCLASSIFIEDCOMICSSPORTSJUMPEDIT A4 MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016 OPINION THE NEWS-ITEM, SHAMOKIN, PA COMMENTARY Cheers and jeers The News-Item’s cheers and jeers for the past week of news: • Cheers to the effort by a a group of local resi- dents to honor police with their Spring Saunter/ Walk to Support Law Enforcement on Thursday night in Shamokin. There was a great turnout, including the presence of some young girls who recognize the value of local police. It’s always nice — no matter the cause — to see the commu- nity come together (and getting some exercise in a walk across town on a chilly spring evening — there’s another plus). It was sadly fitting that on the same front page in which we covered the walk was the story on the child porn-suicide attempt case in Shamokin — a reminder of Rebooting’ journalism, a free exactly the difficult circumstances that law enforcement face every day that were recognized by the walk. press – 2.6 terabytes at a time • Jeers to the Trevorton woman who wreaked havoc with her Ford 150 pickup when she BY GENE POLICINSKI INSIDE THE FIRST AMENDMENT crashed it into parked vehicles along Shamokin Street (Route 225) in the village Thursday, result- The rising global furor over the news operations. WikiLeaks’ 2010 sioned by this nation’s founders for a release of classified diplomatic cables robust and free press. From challeng- ing in damage to six other vehicles that simulat- trove of financial records and other came to just 1.7 gigabytes. Edward ing the nature of million-dollar con- ed a NASCAR pileup. The crash occurred at the documents contained in the Panama Papers also speaks to any number of Snowden’s leaked data totaled just 60 tracts to private companies during busy Route 890 intersection and very near the gigabytes, the online Global Post says. U.S. military operations in Iraq and Trevorton Elementary School, so it’s fortunate it Digital Age canards about journalism and a free press. (OK, I had to look it up: A terabyte is Afghanistan, to reporting that as long happened at about 10 p.m. when the streets were Granted, none of the following have 1000 gigabytes). ago as the year 2000, Pentagon leaders mostly absent of activity. There’s no word yet on yet reached the status of “Aesop’s The leaked material includes 4.8 recognized the risks of having private what may have caused the truck to go out of con- Fables” in common knowledge. But million email messages, 1 million contractors like Snowden with access trol, but suffice it to say it’s a reminder that they go something like this: “News is images, and covers 40 years of the to great amounts of classified materi- responsible driving seems more rare with each dead.” Another: “Journalists don’t operations of the Panama-based law als, the consortium has been a new passing day. matter.” And a third: “Who needs the firm Mossack Fonseca, starting in era global thorn in the side of those • Cheers to the volunteer organizers and play- press — old mainstream or new 1977 — with 14,000 clients and 214,000 who once were considered too big or companies named in the files. too distant to be held accountable. ers in the 13th annual Salvation Army Adult online — when there’s the web and algorithms to edit it for us.” The stories just beginning to There’s no question that the Digital Benefit Basketball Tournament, held this past emerge from the maze of data already Age has turned upside down the eco- Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Shamokin Area Even as the resignations, recrimi- nations and outcry gather worldwide involve nearly 400 journalists in sev- nomics of journalism, realigned the Middle/High School. The tournament has over the leak of some 11.5 million doc- eral dozen countries, who thus far audience, and likely changed forever become known as a highly competitive event uments from a Panamanian law firm have identified “140 heads of state, even the manner of how we take in with quality basketball players, including cur- — first to a German newspaper and officials, politicians and associates” news. But the Panama Papers illus- rent and recent stars from local high school then to the International Consortium in the schemes, which are linked to trates that having journalists in place teams. But more importantly it’s been a major of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and people and institutions in 200 nations to gather, make sense of and then fundraiser for the Salvation Army, which uses more than 100 news operations — it’s and territories, Global Post reported. report what they have found is a the funds to do its good work in the greater news professionals making sense of And yes, all of this does matter — required, resilient and valuable asset. even in this new millennium of And it’s not just this single example Shamokin-Coal Township area. The tournament the massive data dump. 140-character self-expression and end- that’s bringing new faces and new represents an ideal combination of the lower And news it is, the intricate details of how some of the world’s most pow- less streams of electrons devoted to methods to news reporting. Some- anthracite region’s love of athletics and its “news” of celebrity burps and bumps. times alone, and sometimes in part- ever-present desire to help the needy in the com- erful people use tax avoidance loop- holes in various nations’ laws, cou- In addition to the on-again off-again nership with venerable news opera- munity. pled with so-called “offshore” shel- resignation in Iceland, Chinese gov- tions like The New York Times, • Cheers to Southern Columbia Area School ters, or outright skullduggery, to hide ernment censors moved quickly to names like ProPublica, Politifact and District’s establishment of a Development Office ill-gotten gains or remove legally remove any mention of the scandal online powerhouse Bloomberg News — an alumni association of sorts that will tap the earned income to low-or-no tax from the nation’s already heavily cir- now populate the annual lists of Pulit- emotional ties, school spirit and wallets of past havens. cumscribed online resources. Rela- zer Prize winners. On local and students to further Southern’s goals as a success- News with nary a trace of “click tives of top Chinese leaders are linked regional levels, news partnerships ful school district. The fact that the office will be bait” fluff here, discounting the vicar- to hidden financial operations, reaching across media and linking according to ICIJ. one-time competitors are becoming headed by a volunteer speaks to the underlying ious thrill of seeing Iceland’s prime minister walk out of a TV interview And what of ICIJ, a 19-year-old non- more common. desire to help. In this era of teacher strikes, polit- profit group of reporters, editors and To be sure, the disclosures con- ical budget battles and shrinking tax bases, pub- when asked even the simplest ques- tion about his peculiar personal news outlets? Created as a project of tained in the Panama Papers are the lic schools need to be creative in seeking new finances. the Washington, D.C.-based Center for news. But the manner in which it is funding. Taking a page from higher education, And journalists do matter when it Public Integrity, its aim is to counter happening also signals what may just Southern appears on the road to the development comes to sorting through — and mak- the increasingly global nature of be — in today’s terms of art — how office mission of creating “a worldwide commu- ing sense of — a stupefying assembly major stories with — according to its journalism and a free press “reboot” nity of alumni and friends who will partner with of raw information and documents website — “computer-assisted report- for the 21st century. the district in its continued pursuit of education totaling 2.6 terabytes of data. ing specialists, public records experts, (Gene Policinski is chief operating officer of the Newseum Institute and The total amount of leaked data fact-checkers and lawyers.” excellence through philanthropic donations of senior vice president of the Institute’s from an as-yet unidentified source is In sum, just the kind of vigorous money, goods, services and time.” Good luck. First Amendment Center.) the biggest in history, say several and effective watchdog role envi- LETTER POLICY • Letters to the Editor must be signed. Requests to withhold LEGISLATIVE CONTACTS names will not be honored. • Full addresses and phone numbers are required to deter- State Rep. Kurt Masser Room 414 Irvis Web: lyndaculver.com Phone: 717-787-3485 mine the authenticity of a letter. They will not be published. (R-107) Office Building 106 Arch St. Fax: 717-772-8418 P.O. Box 202017 Sunbury, Pa. 17801 • Letters are subject to editing and should not exceed 300 Email: kmasser@ State Sen. John R. Gordner pahousegop.com Harrisburg, Pa. 17120 Phone: 286-5885 words. (R-27) 467 Industrial Park Road Phone: 717-260-6134 Toll-free: 800-924-9060 • Libelous statements and personal abuse will be deleted. web: www.senatorgordner. Elysburg, Pa. 17824 Toll-free: 855-271-9386 Fax: 988-1672 • Letters may be mailed or dropped off at the Shamokin or com Phone: 648-8017 Fax: 717-787-9463 Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m Mount Carmel offices of The News-Item, faxed to 570-648- 10934 State Route 61 Fax: 644-7845 Monday-Friday 7581 or sent via e-mail to [email protected]. Persons State Rep.
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