News media in flux, photojournalist says

Daniel Lapham

“I am going to continue what I am doing to the best of my ability and just grow.”
—Daniel Lapham
OETA Photojournalist

Elizabeth Jones
News Writing Student

The way people get news is changing — and is going to change even more, said Daniel Lapham, a photojournalist with Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, when he spoke to a class of journalism students recently.

Lapham told students these changes will likely affect their careers, including the amount of information available, the increasing media outlets from which to obtain it, and the fervor with which it is reported.

In his own short career, Lapham said, he has worked for a daily newspaper, a weekly newspaper and now television news.

Today, many people get their news from their mobile phones, he said.

Lapham said he is concerned that journalism is becoming a confusing mix of fact and opinion.

Lapham’s best piece of advice to students was to develop a strong foundation in the fundamentals in journalism and writing.

With tattooed arms and pierced gauged ears, Lapham was not what journalism students were expecting when he entered the classroom.

Last chance to withdraw November 13

Kayla Hitt
News Writing Student

The last chance for students to withdraw from classes for the 16-week fall semester is Nov. 13.

Mary Turner, Learning Support specialist, said students should talk to their professors and find out how they are doing in their classes before they decide to drop a class.

“If students cannot pass, obviously they should drop the class,” Turner said. “If they can pass, but it would take more time and effort than they can reasonably give, they should drop.”