COMM11007 Week 8 Blog Activities

Week 8 – Media Release

1.      Practical: Review the scenario on the next page. Write a media release that incorporates the three key messages as per the example in this week’s study guide. Post this media release on your blog. A template is available to guide you with structure, noting that for this exercise you do NOT need to include talking points at the end of the release.

2^nd August

Fight Breaks Out Between Cosplayers at Sydney Convention Centre

Of the 36 people involved, 12 were injured; two are still in a critical condition, with seven still in the Royal North Shore Hospital.

CEO of FakeComicCon, Casey Smith said: ‘Our immediate thoughts are with those who have been injured and their families. We are very concerned and saddened for all those people involved.’ 

FakeComicCon are working with authorities investigating the incident.

Mr Smith said: ‘A Queensland Police Spokesperson said four people have been arrested on a range of weapons and assault charges.’

‘I am very upset that this has happened,’ said Mr Smith, ‘FakeComicCon will continue to work with the relevant authorities, to ensure it is not repeated.’

‘An outbreak of violence such as this is not in the spirit of our event,’ said Mr Smith.

FakeComicCon has run this series successfully for the last three years in Sydney, without incident.

Mr Smith said: ‘We want everyone to know that FakeComicCon is doing all it can to make sure future events will continue to be a safe place for players and like-minded people to gather and enjoy themselves.’

The FakeComicCon series is a national event that is run in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth; with international stars of television and film attending events around Australia, and growing each year.

In 2016, more than 30,000 people attended the Sydney event alone, with the most popular events being the autographed photo signings with international stars.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Please contact:

Jemima Smith,

Communications Manager, FakeComicCon

Phone: (Work, Mobile)

Quiz Week 8 – Figures

I did not like this chapter as much as the chapter on words. Figures are not my strong point. I have always found maths difficult and confusing. Whenever I must use numbers, I make it as simple as possible, and check repeatedly.

A reason for my confusion revealed itself in Hicks (2013, p. 161), where it explained the British and United States billion, is now worth only a thousand million, instead of a million million, as it once was – and is what I thought it was worth. As if I am not confused enough!

As explained in this chapter on numbers, it is preferable to use whole numbers, and avoid using percentages, fractions and technical terms. I have always found this best.

Surprise, surprise! I got 100% correct on the first attempt. Maybe, because I am aware of the trouble I have understanding figures, I take a bit more trouble to get them right.

I think a lot of people don’t understand figures. The other day, on Sky News, the Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop said: ‘The Australian Government has pledged five million dollars to the plight of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.' Five million dollars is peanuts to the government, it is almost an insult to boast this is a generous sum. Five million dollars is only a couple of houses in Sydney!

Reference:

Hicks, W 2013, English for journalists, Chapter 11 Figures, pp. 158-162, 4th edn, Routledge London and New York.

SKYNEWS.COM.AU, 2017, Australia pledges $5 million to Rohingy, viewed 28th September, 2017, http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2017/09/10/australia-pledges--5-million-to-rohingya.html