Final Story
Final Story Pitch
The 2019 WSU Sustainability Fair is occurring Monday April 22 in the CUB Senior Ballroom. This event will showcase the newest innovations in the fields of sustainability, gathered from several different colleges including the CAHNRS College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Resources Sciences, the School of Design and Construction, and CEREO the Center for Environmental Research.
This would make for a good multimedia package because there are many participants all presenting new devices, experiments, and other visually interesting data. Also, there are a lot of opportunities for good soundbites from people presenting at the event and interested or concerned student and facility visiting the fair.
This event would make a good story for a couple different reasons. WSU has been making significant progress in the area of environmental studies recently with projects like environmentally sustainable clothing fibers, 3-D printing using recyclable materials, and the Composite Materials and Engineering Center creating housing materials out of recycled airplane parts. All these stories have recently been featured in the Daily Evergreen and other publications.
Additionally, ASWSU recently approved new on campus recycling initiatives with the hopes that they may affect lawmakers to eventually implement state wide environmental protocols. There have also been increased recycling costs in Pullman and calls for a reform of our current recycling system, which will be addressed at the event.
Sources:
Event Organizer: Jason Sampson 509-335-9564
Researchers Presenting Projects
Others Attending the Event
Tradition, Dedication, and Optimism, Alex Wright’s Story.
Last January, Alex Wright started his drill weekend in Tacoma the same as he always had. As a member of the U.S. Army Reserves Watercraft Unit, he was required to report for drill and training one weekend every month. Alex woke at 5 a.m. in his sleeping quarters and then made his bed with pristine folded corners, the way he had been taught in basic training, so not to risk being called a slob by his sergeant. After that he headed to showers in the hopes that all the hot water had not been used up. Now 5:30 a.m. the only think left to do was head to the mess hall with everyone else to enjoy a quick breakfast before heading out to Pier 23 to work on their watercraft vessels.
However, on this day Alex noticed an odd energy in the room. Instead of the usual morning chatter it was oddly silent. People seemed sullen and grey and the only voices Alex heard were whispers of people saying things like “how could they do this to us” or “I guess that’s it.” Shortly after breakfast Alex and his battalion were pulled aside and that’s when Alex figured out why things seemed so different.
Alex and his battalion of 500 soldiers were told by their supervisor that the U.S. Army had decided to deactivate all Watercraft units in Florida, Puerto Rico, California, Virginia, and Washington effective October 2019. This meant Alex was now one of thousands of soldiers throughout the nation who were just told that by the end of the year their jobs would no longer exists, and they would have to find another unit to serve.
Disbelief, confused, and utter shock are just a few of ways Alex described feeling following this news. Alex swore into the army in October 2015 and began serving in the U.S. Army Reserves Watercraft Unit since July 2017. He had signed a six-year contract to serve in this unit but since the Army could no longer withhold this contract, Alex had the potential to void all previous obligations and leave the military early. However, for him, this was not an option.
Serving in the army not only provided the much needed money for attending Spokane Falls Community College but serving in the armed forces was considered a family tradition. Alex’s great grandfather served in the Army, his grandfathers on his mom and dad’s side of the family served in the Army and Navy respectively, his uncle was also enlisted in the Navy, and his brother is currently an U.S. Army Nuclear Engineer.
“In our family, serving our country is what you do,” said Alex’s brother Gary Wright.
Gary remembered the day Alex was sworn into the army. He said he was so proud that Alex was taking the first step in fulfilling the dream they had shared since they were little kids, to be a part of something bigger than themselves and serve the country their family loved just like their ancestors had done before.
Alex and his family are extremely close. He remembered how hard it was the first Thanksgiving where drill kept him spending the holiday with his family for the first time since he was born. Despite the loneliness he felt while away from them, he said he knew he was making his family proud by fulfilling his obligation to serve. According to Alex, his family understands this sacrifice because many of them have been through it too and the time they spend away just makes the times when they are all together mean a little bit more.
“It’s not an easy life,” Alex said, “but it’s the life we’ve chosen.”
Alex’s journey serving in the U.S. Army Reserves Watercraft Unit has been far from easy. At the beginning of his ten-week training course for this position he was told by his sergeant to look around room at the other 25 trainees standing next him. Statistically, three of the people you see around you will not graduate, Alex was told. That ended up being a low estimate, and at the end of the course Alex was one of only 11 trainees to pass.
In just over two months Alex had to learn everything from maritime law, to nautical terms, to how to re-wire a watercraft engine. Though it was hard work. Alex thrived and was at the top of his class when the course ended.
“At training we were either studying the materials or cleaning our barracks” Alex said. “I’m not a big fan of cleaning so I got really good at studying.”
Alex quickly excelled through the ranks of his unit saying that his time working on the army’s watercraft vessels, especially when he got to sail them, were some of the best times of his life.
The salty smell of the ocean, the monstrous roar of the boat’s engine, and the cool crisp wind hitting his face, Alex truly loved serving in this unit and worked hard to get to where he was, which only made the news of its deactivation so much harder.
However, Alex has managed to stay positive and hopeful through this experience.
“That kid’s optimism is crazy,” said Forrest Karo, a former classmate and long-time friend of Alex Wright’s.
Karo recalls that in school while everyone else was stressing about a test or complaining about all the homework they had, Alex would not only hunker down and get the work done but do it with a smile.
“He’s someone who can find the bright side in any situation,” Karo said. “Not only find the bright side but convince you it’s the only side.”
Alex remains hopeful about his future in the Army and plans to find another unit, possibly serving in a drill camp or as military police, to serve in after the U.S. Army Reserves Watercraft Units are officially deactivated in October.
Until then, Alex continues to neatly fold his army uniform and place it in his bag before heading out for his remaining drill sessions every month; he continues to solute the American flags he hangs throughout his home; and he continues to smile ear to ear when talking about his time in the Army.
“Yeah, the situation isn’t great, but when do things always go your way?” Alex said. “At the end of the day, despite all the stress and frustration I’ve faced, I’m doing something special. This uniform is a privilege, not a right, and I will continue to feel privileged to wear it for as long as I can.”
Source List:
Alex Wright
Gary Wright
Forrest Karo
Ray Suarez Podcast Reaction
This was an interesting podcast because Ray Suarez gave physical advice involving reporting as well as more abstract suggestions involving ethical and moral methods of interviewing people. One of the first points that stuck out to me was Suarez saying that you don’t necessarily need to get a degree in what you want your profession to be, but instead gain experience.
Some more practical and physical advice I found helpful were Suarez’s comments about interviewing someone who isn’t used to being interviewed. I’ve been thought many different methods of interviewing while in the communications department and some people have told me that once you start an interview you do not break or stop until the interview is done. I prefer Suarez’s advice of stopping an interview or letting the interviewee compose themselves or take a minute to think. This not only seems kinder and nicer, but as Suarez said it often leads to a much smoother and more coherent interview.
Suarez’s comments about how he comes in prepared for an interview were also interesting. The idea of not just winging an interview because the audience doesn’t want to hear things they already know seems obvious but is nevertheless nice to keep in mind. Less obvious though was Suarez’s story about coming in to an interview with a single page of notes with ten phrases instead of questions. Beyond serving as mental prompts, I imagine this would also make an interview flow much better since you, as the interviewer, aren’t so focused on asking specific questions word for word and instead can work in these prompts whenever it seems natural.
Suarez’s honesty about journalism and interviews sometimes being exploitive was very refreshing to hear from a professional journalist. It seems to me a lot of times journalists will take the moral high ground in a situation and will speak openly about it, but don’t always admit the faults or pitfalls they face or have participated in. Sometimes inherently what is morally right for the profession goes against someone’s own ethics and Suarez commenting on this and acknowledging it truly made what he was saying afterwards more credible. He even admits that he has not always been moral in hindsight, but always tries to do the right thing in the moment, which I think is a much more obtainable goal than ‘always do the right thing’.
Story Pitch 4
For this story I want to profile student Alex Wright. Alex Wright is a junior ROTC student at the Community Colleges of Spokane and has been enlisted in the army since his senior year of high school. Alex comes from a military family who have been in the military for generations.
A few weeks ago, Alex was informed that his position in the army involving the maintenance and regulation of aquatic vehicles had been cut completely. Alex was informed of this almost overnight and it essentially meant that his position in the army no longer existed. Alex has been faced with the decision of either leaving the army and having to find alternative ways of funding his schooling or staying in the army and be relocated into a different position, possibly having to move to a different state or not being able to find a job at all. The army has been very vague about his future and the possibilities he has moving forward. Additionally, since Alex comes from a military family, there is a feeling of honor and obligation that comes with having to stay in the armed forces.
Not only is Alex’s story and circumstances surrounding these issues specifically interesting, but it is also representative of a larger group. Alex was not the only student faced with this hard decision and this story is one that is largely unreported on. Also, Alex’s story specifically shows how decisions made by the government can seriously affect people’s life in drastic ways.
Possible Contacts:
Alex’s father who served in the army.
Other people who served with Alex and are now in similar positions.
Alex’s brother who attends WSU.
Multimedia Package
Story Pitch 3
A part of the Veterinary History Collection is being displayed at the Animal Health Library in Wegner Hall. Dr. Fenerick Smithcors, veterinary professor, started the collection in the 1950s and began donating his collection to WSU in the 2013. The collection includes a plethora of veterinary related pieces like books, journals, posters, and other illustrations. Suzanne Fricke, WSU animal sciences librarian said she hoped that this exhibit will bring awareness for issues including preservation and animal safety and health. The exhibit will be on display until summer and pieces in the art exhibit will rotate periodically to show off as much of the full collection as possible and this means even more backgrounds and b-roll that can be filmed for the story.
This exhibit has many eye-catching visuals that would look very interesting in video. Wegner hall also features labs and research facilities so there’s a chance to incorporate what’s depicted in the art with practical science going on. The collection has an interesting story behind it and a message that is trying to be conveyed by it.
Sources:
Suzanne Fricke, WSU animal health sciences librarian, email: vetref@wsu.edu
Ed Odell, WSU animal health sciences library and archives supervisor, eodell@wsu.edu
Greg Matthews, special collections librarian and co-creator of the exhibit, greg.matthews@wsu.edu
Doug Lambeth, digital projects production coordinator staff and co-creator of the exhibit, dlambeth@wsu.edu
Veterinary students and researchers at the exhibit.
The TurnAround Podcast Reaction
One of the things I found most interesting about this podcast was the dichotomy between being a “serious” journalist and doing more fun or uplifting interviews. Katie Couric talks about times where she interviewed presidents and ask them hard hitting questions but then she also brings up talking to people like Burt Reynolds. I don’t fancy myself a serious person so knowing that as a journalist you don’t always have to interview people about intense or life changing topics is comforting.
Another aspect of this podcast I found helpful and interesting was Couric’s advice about interviewing someone about something you are unfamiliar or maybe not inherently interested in. I agree with Couric’s statement that everyone has a story to tell and found her advice of becoming genuinely interested in a topic before interviewing a person helpful. Sometimes the more newsworthy stories I could write about aren’t the ones that most align with my personal interests, but I like the idea of finding something within those stories to spark my interests to get better interviews.
The part of the podcast where the issue of the degree of knowledge or authority a journalist should write at was also interesting. Couric mentions that often time journalists write for other journalists instead of the public and that it’s alright to ask a “stupid question” if you believe the reader of this article would also have that questions. The idea of not knowing enough about a topic and having the person I’m interviewing call me out on it terrifies me. But, the fact of the matter is some people know more about some things than others and there’s nothing wrong with asking for clarification.
New $10.1 million joint marketing plan approved for Cosmic Crisp apple
The Washington State University Board of Regents recently approved a $10.1 million marketing plan for Cosmic Crisp, an apple developed by WSU’s Pome Fruit Breeding Program.
The Board of Regents first discussed this marketing plan Sept. 21, 2018 and approved it Jan. 25, 2019 after hearing a presentation on the increased market demand for the Cosmic Crisp, according to the Board of Regents meeting minutes.
The $10.1 million will be distributed over four years said Matthew Skinner, the associate vice president for WSU Financial Services, and will be used to fund physical and digital ads as well as marketing research about Cosmic Crisp.
As a part of the approved marketing plan, WSU paired with Proprietary Variety Management (PVM), a commercialization company, to develop joint marketing and vending strategies for Cosmic Crisp. Proprietary Variety Management has marketed other popular apple brands such as Ruby Frost and Pink Lady.
Currently, PVM has created a logo for Cosmic Crisp and launched an online marketing campaign that centers around the website, cosmiccrisp.com. On the website there is a timeline outlining the history of Cosmic Crisp, videos about the growing process, testimonials from people who’ve eaten the apple, and a digital cookbook of recipes for different Cosmic Crisp dishes.
Additionally, PVM created seven different store displays and packaging designs for Cosmic Crisps and posted them to the Cosmic Crisp website. The website also features an online gallery of Cosmic Crisp related pictures.
The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of Cosmic Crisp’s positive characteristics by marketing it directly to the future consumers, according to PVM’s website.
“It’s crisp, juicy, and flavorful,” said Dr. Bruce Barritt, an apple researcher and one of the founders of the Pome Fruit breeding program. “That’s what the consumers want and that’s how this apple was made.”
Cosmic Crisps has more potential than any other apple variety, said Barritt, it’s unique in its ability to be stored for over a year and stay fresh and this will be the focus of future ads.
PVM plans to have Cosmic Crisp available to consumers by late 2019 and hope to have nine million 40-pound boxes in stores by 2022. PVM estimates that Cosmic Crisp could generate around $200 million in sales within the first year, according to the Cosmic Crisp website.
Cosmic Crisp breeders, WSU’s Office of Commercialization, and WSU’s Agricultural Research Center will receive 4.25 percent of Cosmic Crisp future profits, according to the Cosmic Crisp website, with additional profits coming from royalties payed to WSU by growers who license Cosmic Crisp trees.
The Cosmic Crisp apple has been in development since 1998 under the name WA 38 through WSU’s Pome Fruit Breeding program. The Pome Fruit Breeding program was created in 1994 and focuses on creating fruit varieties that can survive under Eastern Washington growing conditions, according to the Pome Fruit Breeding website.
The Cosmic Crisp apple is not the only new apple variety developed by the program, said Julie Thayer, WSU greenhouse manager. The Pome Fruit Breeding company also created the WA 5 apple in 2009 and the WA 2 apple in 2010. Previously, no branding or vending licenses were issued for these apples’, so they have not been available to the public.
“Breeding the apple isn’t always the tricky part,” said Thayer, “sometimes it’s branding them.”
However, shortly after partnering with WSU to promote Cosmic Crisp, PVM licensed the WA 2 apple, changing its name to Sunrise Magic. PVM is currently marketing Sunrise Magic with a web campaign that promotes the apple by highlighting its unique bright pinkish-red color, crispness, and firm texture. Trees are currently available for purchase by interested growers and the apple is expected to be available to consumers soon, according to the Sunrise Magic website.
Source List:
Matthew Skinner, Associate Vice President of Financial Services. Phone: 509-335-5524, Email: skinnerm@wsu.edu
Bruce Barritt, Apple Researcher and Founder of Pome Fruit Breeding Program. Phone: 509-663-818, Email: etaplz@wsu.edu
Julie Thayer, Greenhouse Manager. Phone: 509-335-8829, Email: jthayer@wsu.edu
Proprietary Variety Management, Website: http://provarmanagement.com/
Board of Regents meeting minutes, Website: https://regents.wsu.edu/
Pome Fruit Breeding program, Website: http://dialogue.tfrec.wsu.edu/breed/
Cosmic Crisp, Website: https://thecosmiccrisp.com/
Sunrise Magic, Website: http://www.sunriseapple.com/
Story Pitch 2
For this news event I want to follow up on a story that was reported by the Daily Evergreen, the Board of Regents approving a $10.1 million marketing campaign for the newly developed Cosmic Crisp apple. I’m curious exactly how the $10.1 million will be spent. Proprietary Variety Management, PVM, the company in charge of the advertising, said the majority of the money will go to research and ads but does not get into specifics. I’m curious if they are attempting a viral marketing campaign or one that utilizes physical commercials and ads. I’m curious what exactly are they planning to spend the money on specifically. I also want to know where the future profits of this apple will go. The interim associate dean of the college of agricultural, human and natural resources sciences said WSU will receive 4.75 percent of the apple sales but is it the whole school or the agricultural college or just the program who developed this apple?
Some other questions I have are WSU and PVM had previously partnered on the other apple WSU created a few years ago called Sunrise Magic. I want to explore how well did this old campaign did, what were the overall results, and how is this new campaign is going to differ from this previous one.
Additionally, one of the main selling points of this apple is that it can be kept in storage for over a year and stay fresh. This is impressive when compared to the shelf life of other apples so I’m curious how this will affect future apple sales, can this type of breeding be recreated, and what does that mean for the future of WSU’s involvement in apple production.
Sources:
Scot Hulbert- Interim Associate Dean for Research for CAHNRS College, scot.hulbert@wsu.edu 509-335-4563
Kathryn Grandy- Director of Marketing and Operations at Proprietary Variety Management, 509-248-4352
Julie Thayer- Greenhouse Manager, jthayer@wsu.edu 509-335-8829
Katherine M. Evans- Researcher/Fruit Breeder of Cosmic Crisp, kate.evans@wsu.edu
Desiree Jacobsen- Executive Assistant to the Board of Regents, desiree@wsu.edu 509-335-6662
Bruce Barritt- Started WSU’s apple breeding program, etaplz@wsu.edu 509-663-8181
Man on the Street Interviews
Mitch Douglas
Mitch Douglas, 21, is a Communication student at Washington State University from Edmonds Washington. Christmas 2005 is a day I will always remember, said Mitch. Mitch had received an Xbox two Christmases prior and as December 25, 2005 approached, the gift he was hoping for the most was a copy of Battlefield 2. On Christmas day Mitch got his wish and spent the next walk and a half playing the game non-stop.
Amy Nusbaum
Amy Nusbaum, 26, has been a Graduate Teacher of Psychology at WSU for four years. She now lives in Pullman permanently but was originally born and raised in Longview, Washington. The Fourth of July is Amy’s favorite holiday. Every year her and her family go to watch fireworks around Lake Sacajawea in Longview Washington. Amy recalled on particular year where a stray firework shot towards her mother who ran away screaming. “That was some of the funniest stuff I’ve ever seen,” said Amy.
Luke Lobdell
Luke Lobdell, 18, studies Landscape Architecture at WSU. Luke remembers Christmases in Spokane Washington, his hometown. Three years ago after Christmas, Luke was hanging out with his group of friends from school when his family kept interrupting him. Luke and his pals decided they needed a place they could hang out and call their own. So, for the remainder of their Christmas break Luke and his friends built a small wooden fort where they could all hang out. “The fort is a magical place,” said Luke.
Lights, Camera, Conservation: Wild and Scenic Film Festival Comes to Moscow
The Moscow Wild and Scenic Film Festival blended nature with film to promote conservation, cultural appreciation, and change. Over 300 people from all over the Palouse arrived at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre last Friday at 6 p.m. to experience the four-hour long festival, selling out the venue, a rare occurrence according to the theatre’s Operations Director, Jamie Hill.
The festival’s purpose was to illustrate the challenges facing our planet and encourage people to get involved and combat these challenges and those who caused them, explained Zach Waterman, an organizer of the festival and Chapter Director of the Idaho Chapter Sierra Club, a sponsor of the festival.
“The only thing more powerful than big money and business,” Waterman said, “are engaged citizens.”
Films in particular are a powerful medium and can combine big stories with even bigger visuals that illicit strong emotional reactions in their viewers that encourage them to take action, said Waterman.
The 14 films shown at the festival covered a plethora of different topics from around the world all centering around the concepts of conservation and cultural appreciation.
The audience nodded along in agreement with the message of needing to preserve wildlife areas for future generations presented in the film “A Letter to Congress”; they cheered for communities and people shown fighting to end harmful mining practices that polluted their local water sources in the film “Water Warriors”; and they sat in stunned awe at the pictures and videos galaxies and celestial bodies accompanied by messages about light pollution displayed in the films “Lost in the Light” and “Music of the Spheres”.
Another film showed the Palouse Prairie Charter School’s fourth-grade class and their journey of building a canoe from the ground up with the help of different indigenous groups of the Palouse. This project taught the class the history of Native Americans in Idaho and the importance of water and wetland preservation.
This film’s purpose is to spark curiosity about different cultures as well as encouraging compassion for the natural world and raise conservation awareness, said Renee Hill, the teacher of the fourth-grade class depicted in the film.
Besides just raising awareness, the festival also raised money through ticket sales and a silent auction. All the money collected will benefit the conservation work of the festival’s sponsors, the Idaho Chapter Sierra Club and the Palouse Group of the Sierra Club, in the upcoming year.
Some of the specific projects the money will help fund include the Friends of the Clearwater project that help protects rivers in the Clearwater Basin of North Central Idaho, the campaign to close the Montana coal power plant Colstrip, and work to remove salmon barriers in the Snake River, according to the Palouse Group of the Sierra Club’s website and Facebook page.
Though this is the first Wild and Scenic Film Festival shown in Moscow, the festival has been touring in different cities in the United States since 2006. In 2018, more than 45,000 dollars was raised for the 850,000 different organizations that hosted these festivals, according to Theresa Huck, the On Tour Sales Manager for the Wild and Scenic Film Festival.
Plans are being made to bring this festival back to Moscow next year, according to Palouse Group of the Sierra Club Facebook page.
Source List:
Zach Waterman, Moscow Wild and Scenic Film Festival Event Organizer and Chapter Director of Idaho Chapter Sierra Club. Phone Number: 208-384-1023. Email: zack.waterman@sierraclub.org
Jamie Hill, Operations Director of Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre. Phone Number: 208-882-4127. Email: operations@kenworthy.org
Renee Hill, Fourth-grade teacher at Palouse Prairie Charter School. Phone: 208-715-5074. Email: rhill@palouseprairieschool.org
Theresa Huck, On Tour Sales Manager for Wild and Scenic Film Festival. Phone: 530-263-6385. Email: thersea@wildandscenicfilmfestival.org
Palouse Group of the Sierra Club, Website: http://community.palouse.net/sierra/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pgsc1/
Thoughts on “Loosening Lips: The Art of the Interview”
This was a very interesting article and I think the overall concept that was most surprising to me was the amount of strategy and planning that goes into interviewing someone. I knew that before an interview the interviewer should have questions prepared and have done background research, but the strategy that goes on during the interview interested me. Strategies that Nalder mentioned like finding a common ground to continue a conversation seem obvious but others techniques were less obvious like getting the interviewee to talk about others to get them to open up or the idea of combating a “no comment remark” with proposed alternatives and explaining that by giving more information the story will better reflect the interviewees point of view.
These tips involve persistence but not in how persistence is typically thought of. Usually when persistence is mentioned it’s in the context of not backing down until the interviewer has the answers they need, but what Nalder seems to be suggesting is that persistence is key, but it must be done in a softer more subtle way as to not scare the interviewee into shutting down and to make the interviewee feel overall more comfortable and open.
Nalder’s points on silencing the ego and listening more and talking less during an interview also were very helpful. The balance between getting someone to talk but still holding back enough so that you can listen to that person’s answers was something I hadn’t previous thought about. This advice followed by Nader’s suggestion to “Take Over” and still show authority while being courteous seems like it would be a hard line to walk but being aware of this line is the start to conquering it.
Story Pitch 1
For my first story I want to cover the 16th annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival in Moscow Idaho. The festival takes place on Friday from 6pm to 10pm at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre. The festival includes the screening of fourteen films that center around the theme of conservation of wild and scenic places as well as a silent auction. The festival is hosted by the Idaho Sierra Club, an environmental conservation organization, the Kenworth Performing Arts Centre, the venue of the event, and the Palouse Group of the Sierra Club, a nonprofit organization.
The angle I want to take on this story is exploring the relation between this festival and increased interests in conservation. I want to see how this festival has helped conservation efforts and why a film festival was chosen. The Idaho Sierra Club has organized other events to aid in conservation awareness, like campouts and hikes, so I’m curious why they chose a film festival as well. Also, I want to see how these films have inspired others in relation to their own feelings towards conservation of wild areas. I’m also curious what inspired the filmmakers to participate in this event and create their specific films and how they feel their art is helping conservation efforts.
Some possible sources for this story would be:
Casey Mattoon- An event organizer and head of the Idaho Chapter Sierra Club. Contact info casey.mattooon@sierraclub.org and 208-384-1023.
One or more of the creators of the fourteen adventure and conservation films being screened.
An audience member of the film festival.
A different member of the Idaho Chapter Sierra Club or the Palouse Group of the Sierra Club.
A representative of the Kenworth Performing Arts Centre.
Noah Benson 