ANATOMY OF THIS BLOG, PART V -- WORLDFOCUS: A GLOBAL APPROACH TO TV NEWS

We now review the last part of "Anatomy of This Blog." As you scroll down the right-hand margin, you will find the TV and e-news service, Worldfocus -- possibly the first real attempt to bring a truly global perspective to the American TV viewer. If you prefer your news via TV, this is the link for you!

To quote from their website (emphasis added):

"Worldfocus responds to the mainstream media's diminished coverage of international news. All the major networks have closed foreign bureaus and cut resources for international news coverage, which amounted to only 8 percent of all American news coverage last year.

"By partnering with international news organizations, Worldfocus fills the void in international news coverage....The nightly news program and Web site report on events from around the world and cover the stories that don't always make the headlines.

"We approach news in a way that combines the editorial integrity of public television and traditional media with the diverse perspectives of journalists, bloggers and local citizens."

A star-studded international team of producers, anchors and staff labor under the direction of Executive Producer Mark Rosenwasser, most recently a Senior Producer for "CBS Evening News" and winner of 23 Emmy awards. This is indeed a noble and first-rate effort to make American news programs less provincial and more global!

As you log-in to Worldfocus via the link in this blog, you will find the lead story at TOP-CENTER, along with other major stories. Clicking on any of them will take you to the full story. You will see the link inviting you to "Watch The Show Online" -- a great idea, since you won't be tied to the scheduled TV time.

IMMEDIATELY BELOW you will see the major international news stories in capsule form. Click to go to the full story.

Every story featured gives you the opportunity to comment -- a great option for the active, non-vegetative reader!

FURTHER DOWN ON THE PAGE you will see "News by Region," where you can focus on your geographic interests.

I would encourage readers to click the link "Worldfocus Staff Bios" and become familiar with their all-star team.

A great option for the global citizen who wants to be well-informed is to make it a habit to watch the full half-hour show online on a daily basis. If you prefer to get your news via TV, there is no better way to become familiar with the global reality than Worldfocus!

There is a multitude of opportunities to use Worldfocus in the classroom: What stories are featured that didn't make it to the U.S. mainstream media? Why not? Among the stories that the U.S. mainstream media did cover, is the Worldfocus perspective the same as that of other U.S. media? How is it different? How does the "feel" of Worldfocus differ from that of the more common U.S. news programs? Which do you prefer and why?

Good hunting!

ANATOMY OF THIS BLOG -- PART IV: THE WORLD'S MEDIA AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!

Today's post is about one of the most exciting features of this blog: the global news gathering and editing service known as WorldPress.

Only a few years ago, if you wanted to know what the international media were saying about a major (or minor) news story, you had to (A) live in a major city; (B) go to the main library and search among the few international publications available; or (C) subscribe at significant expense to those publications that merited your interest.

Today, thanks to the founders and editors of WorldPress, the world's media is at your fingertips! Just a click on the WorldPress link (below, on the right-hand side) will take you to the major newspapers, magazines and news centers around the world -- an incredible wealth of relevant, professionally selected news articles from every corner of the world!

As we try to achieve what Robert Hanvey called "Perspective Consciousness" -- the understanding that we all have a local, national or cultural perspective through which we view (and often distort) reality -- WorldPress is an invaluable tool to develop our global awareness as global citizens.

WorldPress provides a never-ending supply of possibilities to enrich the lives of our students. What news stories are important in other parts of the world? How do they differ from our media's priorities? Why? What similarities and differences can students note between their local/national news coverage and other global perspectives? What are the implications of differences in perspective for foreign policy? For global peace?

Do you want to know what the Egyptian newspapers were saying about Secretary Clinton's visit? Or what "The People's Daily" in Beijing said about President Obama's visit? Perhaps what the Arab media has to say about the latest Middle East flare-up? Just click the WorldPress link and you will know!

IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE FRONT PAGE of the website you will find "In The Spotlight," a kind of "global front page" that gives you the main global stories and a summary of each article. Clicking on any entry will send you to the full article.

ON THE LEFT COLUMN you find a handy guide that gives you links, among others, to "World News," and "Features," (such as "Country Maps and Profiles", "Documents in the News," etc.)

The World News section is organized by region. Under that heading you also find "World Headlines" and "World Newspapers." Do you want to know what bloggers around the world are writing about? Just click "World Blogs" and you will find a carefully selected list, by region, of some of the most influential blogs in the planet.

ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAGE you will find "Today's World Headlines." You may want to compare these headlines to your local newspapers'. What differences do you see? Why?

Do you want to know what the global media are writing regarding a specific story or issue? Go to the UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THE PAGE, enter the topic and click on "Search." That's it!

Check out all the other features of WorldPress! Once you become familiar with this website, you are likely to insist on checking it before making up your mind on any issue of importance.

"Is my perspective on target?" Compare it with other global perspectives before you decide.

Enrich your life and have fun with WorldPress!

Until soon....

ANATOMY OF THIS BLOG -- PART III: THE NEW YORK TIMES GLOBAL EDITION, WITH THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE

We will continue today to "flesh-out" the links that you have available when you access this blog. We will concentrate now on the publication considered "the newspaper of record" in the USA. "I read it in the Times" is usually a statement that confirms the reliability and validity of the information in question. Even persons that may question the Times' editorial positions will normally read the news content of the newspaper and rely on it.

The blog gives you access to the Global Edition of the Times, which focuses on international and global affairs. This e-edition also incorporates the professional input of The Times' European sister paper, The International Herald Tribune. Together, they provide an unsurpassed view to news, analysis and opinion from an American/Western perspective.

When you click the Times link, you will be taken to the Times homepage, which is set-up like an "e-newspaper." The major pictures of the day are front-and-center; you can click below the picture shown, to see the rest of the pictures available.

AT THE VERY TOP OF THE PAGE you have links to "Video," "Most Popular" and "Most Recent" news, among others.

ON THE EXTREME LEFT MARGIN you have geographical and subject links to the content, including (in the lower half) links to blogs and the "Week in Review," a great resource for those readers who cannot keep-up with events on a daily basis!

BELOW THE PICTURES, in the center of the homepage, you find summaries of the day's main story and other important stories, as well as another geographical index to take you to the part of the world that interests you. You will notice that you can click on "Post a Comment" below some of the stories and express your own opinion or questions. You should take advantage of this feature! Share your thoughts with the best educated audience in the west!

ON THE RIGHT OF THE PAGE, AT THE TOP, you find "Global Spotlight," which will normally cover a subject in some depth. Also on the right are the day's main business and stock market news.

HALF WAY DOWN THE PAGE you will find a video story and below this, "On The Blogs." You may find a favorite blogger that you would like to follow!

FURTHER DOWN you find (ON THE LEFT AND CENTER COLUMNS) subject links to thorough coverage of the World, U.S. Politics, Opinion, Movies and "Week in Review" among others, and (ON THE RIGHT) links to the "Most Popular" stories of the day.

At the BOTTOM-RIGHT of the page you will find "Recent Blog Posts."

Well, there you have it: your e-guide to the "newspaper of record" in the USA. Use it well and you will be on your way to mastering what Hanvey called "State of the World Awareness," and "Knowledge of Global Dynamics"!

In our next blog we will review a very exciting link, -- WorldPress.org -- that puts the world's media at your fingertips! Dozens of the world's best media outlets within a click of your keyboard!

Until then. Keep blogging....

ANATOMY OF THIS BLOG--PART II: THE BBC LINK

In Part I of "Anatomy of This Blog" we took a brief tour of the blog and the different features that are available to the reader. Now we will focus on one of the links: the BBC. Future posts will focus on The New York Times/International Herald Tribune, WorldPress and Worldfocus.

THE BBC LINK, found on the right column of each post (after the descriptions of all the different links,) will connect you directly with arguably the most respected news organization in the world. It will take you to a BBC homepage customized for this blog.

THE CENTER COLUMN of the BBC homepage will start with what the BBC editors consider the top international news story of the day. Moving now to the LEFT COLUMN, you will find "More Top Stories," including a geographical and subject organization of the news content. At the bottom of this left column, you will find the "Most emailed" and "Most Read" stories for that day. You can email your choice of the most important stories to the people you care for!

BACK TO THE CENTER COLUMN. Under the top story, you have access to the day's relevant Blogs. A bit further down, you will find "TV Channels." Here you have direct access to 13 BBC TV channels. Our readers are encouraged to pay special attention to BBC World News and BBC America -- a wealth of visual information on global affairs!

Right under the TV choices you will find "Weird and Wonderful," a summary of interesting happenings around the world that will make your conversation more interesting in any group! Under "W and W" you will see "Travel," a great resource to plan your next trip around the world! An interactive map will help you locate your destination and all relevant information.

LET'S GO NOW TO THE TOP OF THE RIGHT COLUMN, where you will find "History on This Day," with important historical events guaranteed to make you seem more erudite that you thought possible!

Below "History," you will see "Business and Money," of interest to those of you planning to be industrial tycoons.

Just below the business news you will find a great resource: The BBC's "World Service," with international news in 32 languages! If you want to practice your Spanish, German, Russian, or Arabic, this is the place. (You may also want to refer your non-English-speaking relatives and friends to this section!)

WANT MORE? At the bottom of the BBC homepage you will see "EXPLORE THE BBC." Here you have subject headings for anything from "Arts" to "Weather," including the famous BBC Radio Service, music and entertainment.

CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR? At the bottom-right corner of the page you have an alphabetical index that will take you directly to that nuclear proliferation story you were looking for!

This wealth of information was not available to the most powerful people on the planet just a few years ago. Now it is available to you, me and any global citizen who wants to be well informed about the neighborhood we live in: planet earth!

In the next post we will continue to dissect the great news, analysis and opinion resources that are available to you, the readers of this blog. Until then.