Category Archives: Uncategorized

Death at the Fried Chicken Restaurant – How a story today echos Edna Buchanan’s most famous lede

Posted on October 8, 2019 by Ralph Hanson

One of the things that I really like about living in central Nebraska is that we don’t get a lot of people being shot and killed. It happens, but it’s not a routine part of our lives here on the … Continue reading →

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Newspapers and News in the News

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Ralph Hanson

Neiman Lab takes a look at what digital subscriptions are doing (or not doing) to keep newspapers healthy. Excellent article taking a deep dive at the LA Times with lots of data from Joshua Benton. ProPublica reports on how well-off parents … Continue reading →

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Some people really don’t like how Game of Thrones is ending

Posted on May 19, 2019 by Ralph Hanson

The HBO series Game of Thrones, based the A Song of Fire and Ice novels by George R.R. Martin, comes to an end tonight after eight seasons. Although individual episodes have been controversial, the series as a whole has been … Continue reading →

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Opportunity closes out 15-year mission to Mars

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Ralph Hanson

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab finally declared the mission of the Mars Rover Opportunity had come to an end today after having lost contact with it following a massive dust storm in June of 2018.  for several months. Opportunity left Earth … Continue reading →

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Questions Worth Asking (Maybe)

Posted on October 18, 2018 by Ralph Hanson

How will the Music Modernization Act help musicians? The new MMA simplifies streaming payments for songwriters, older recorded music and producers. And how does the music industry loses $2.65 billion a year from coffee shops? When the owners use their … Continue reading →

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Dangerous Times Globally for Journalists

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Ralph Hanson

I’ve been putting off writing this blog post because I really don’t want to write it. I don’t like writing about a journalist being raped and murdered for trying to cover totalitarian regimes. another journalist has been murdered, once again … Continue reading →

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How Sexual Harassment & Assault Became The Story of 2017 – Part 2

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Ralph Hanson

This week I’m at the Western Social Science Association annual conference. I’m giving a presentation on the explosion of stories in the news media about sexual harassment by high profile men, especially those in the media industry.  Rather than writing a … Continue reading →

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Twitter Responses are the New Autograph (All media are social)

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

Updated 10/9/17 We all have our moments that David Letterman called a “brush with greatness,” moments where our lives intersect with someone famous. In the past, when you met a movie star, musician or famous author, you might ask for … Continue reading →

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Proceeding Home

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

On Sunday of last week I I discovered in the parking lot of my hotel in Florence, Alabama that I had a leaky seal on one of my motorcycle fork legs with fluid seeping out.  I was in the middle … Continue reading →

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Proceed As The Way Opens

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

Proceed as the way opens My two sons learned to loathe that phrase as they were growing up. Conversations would go something like this: “Dad, what do I do if this doesn’t work out?” “Proceed as the way opens.” “Dad, … Continue reading →

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