Happy Holidays: Reflections on 2010

As 2010 winds to a close, one can’t help but reflect on the many great people and events that have marked the past year in the Diederich College of Communication.

And what an eventful year it’s been for the College!

There were the departures of Associate Dean Gary Meyer and Assistant Dean Rose Richard, the appointments of Dr. Joyce Wolburg and Dr. Erik Ugland to fill the roles of Associate Dean and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research (respectively), and the arrival of our new Assistant Dean Chioma Ugochukwu.

There’s the ongoing Centennial of Journalism celebration with events such as our September kickoff party at the Milwaukee Public Museum, the student-produced Centennial Seminars program, and the launch of a new website dedicated to the past, present and future of our journalism program.

In June, our Urban Journalism Workshop celebrated its 25th anniversary (and continues to keep going strong).

We hosted numerous inspirational guest speakers, such as free press advocates Robert McChesney and John Nichols, host of the PBS NewsHour Gwen Ifill and acclaimed journalist Lisa Ling.

And of course, there were the renovations in Johnston Hall that have brought us the new elevator and the opening of the incredible JPad student lounge.

Thanks to all our readers and contributors for a great first year. Look for new posts when we resume in January. Until then, happy holidays!

Wikileaks: A Journalist’s Perspective

By Steve Byers

It’s interesting that the best discussion of the implications of the Wikileaks situation from the point of view of freedom of the press that I’ve seen so far comes from German site Spiegel Online.

Spiegel Online’s Thomas Darnstadt argues that press freedom has come under attack ever since 9/11 and that “the U.S. government has transformed itself into a huge security apparatus.” He makes a strong case for fighting back in the article titled “Is Treason a Civic Duty?”

Press freedom is vital, he argues, and this essay will cause the reader to question current assumptions.

Steve Byers is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Journalism at Marquette University’s Diederich College of Communication.

Like It or Not: Facebook’s “Like” Button Causes Users to Question Online Privacy

By Lauren Haberkorn

A few months back, Facebook introduced the new “Like” button. Since the launch of that seemingly simple and fun addition to Facebook, users have been “liking” their favorite things and presumably enjoying this fun new button!

It turns out, however, that websites and corporations may actually be the ones liking the “Like” button most of all. Since its launch, nearly two million websites have added the small icon with a picture of a “thumbs up” to their webpages. Not only can you “like” a friend’s status update, photo albums and wall posts; you can also “like” that Christmas dress from your favorite store, a particular article from the New York Times, or the new gadget that you want for Christmas. The “Like” button is now popping up all over retail websites, company homepages, and gossip blogs. With just one click, you can simply say you “like” whatever it is you’re viewing.

It seems so simple. But what happens next? Of course we know our profile and news feed reflect our newly found “like,” but does the owner of the webpage that we “liked” gain access to our personal information and information about our friends? The answer does not seem so clear…