Tuesday 26th February 08

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This is a map I created as part of the JN2053 module. The map includes Preston news stories that are shown using location symbols.

21st Feb 08

Brit Awards 2007


There was no surprise that there was a lot of swearing at last nights Brit Awards, especially when Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne are the presenters of the live show. In fact according to the Times online, media watchdog Ofcom has received 43 complaints.
The star of the show was legend Sir Paul McCartney. He picked up the award for Outstanding Contribution to music and performed a medley of hits. He closed the show last night and said “I need to get back to what I do best - and that is what I‘m going to do.” This is because he has lost his focus due to the divorce from bitter ex wife Heather Mills.
The Artic Monkeys turned up in outfits that were more country squire than rock’n’roll — of plus-fours, cravats, flat caps, a walking stick and a hunting horn. Despite this they won two awards, taking both Best Group and British Album prizes for the second year running.
The Best British Solo Artist when to Mark Ronson with Kate Nash wining the female award. Mika won best British breakthrough act, reformed boy band Take That took away best British Live Act. Kanye West won best International solo artist with Kylie Minogue wining the female award. Foo fighters beat Kanye West to best International album with “Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace”. Tke that won their second award when the readers of Bizarre voted that “Shine” was the best British single.
English tabloid newspaper the Sun has two double page spreads devoted to last nights show. The main stories are about Cheryl Cole not wearing her wedding ring and on the outfits wore by the woman. They is however a story about Sir Paul McCartney. The verdict on the outfits has become something that is expected and now happens every year. The story about Cheryl Cole is big in tabloids at the moment after England footballer Ashley Cole cheated on her.
I also looked at the times online, this basically crams the nights events into one story. It has the power of being able to let us, the readers have our own say and express our opinions which is something I find interesting. It also includes a slide show of pictures, and videos from the event which is something that the print medium can not compete with.

Cruz Beckham

Cruz Beckham stole the show at the Spice Girls gig in New York last night, by starting breaking dancing while his mother (Victoria Beckham) and the rest of the Spice girls where performing hit single Mama. Cruz and the other children of each Spice Girl were brought on stage for this song. Cruz is three today, but managed to do a number of forward rolls, a handstand and even spun on his head.
This has been reported by the Sun with three big pictures of Cruz doing the moves on the dance floor accompanied by a smaller picture showing the Spice Girls bursting out with laughter as he takes centre stage. The story itself is short, the majority of the text is a quote from somebody that had been at the gig explaining what they saw.
The story on the Time online is also short but goes into a little bit more detail. They also comment on what Victoria Beckham said after she eventually stopped laughing. She said how they had been upstaged by her 3 year old son who she believes will be the next Justin Timberlake.

20th Feb 08

The Brits 2008 has arrived and is set to be entertainment at its very best. The event will be hosted by controversial couple Ozzy and Sharon Osborne at Earls Court.
Amy Winehouse and Sir Paul McCartney will put all their current problems of rehab and divorce behind them as the perform in front of 8,000 industry guests to celebrate a year in which sales of recorded music plummeted.
Sir Paul McCartney is set to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award tonight by pop star and friend Kylie Minogue. He has had a tough year, going through a bitter divorce battle with his ex Heather Mills. But tonight will remind him of the good times, recognising his contribution to music which will surely warrant a standing ovation.
Macca told the Sun, being extremely modest that he thinks he is very lucky. “The Beatles did so much good stuff.. and then from my solo stuff, I‘ve been very lucky and made one or two good records.” Macca is set to perform a greatest hit medley including Hey Jude, Sgt Pepper and Live and Let Die along with some new songs.
Amy Winehouse is set to take the stage for the first time since being admitted to rehab. She was looking much healthier at her satellite-linked performance for the Grammy awards, where she took five prizes. Winehouse is expected to perform Valerie, her Best Single-nominated collaboration with producer Mark Ronson. This is the only category Winehouse, 24, qualified to enter after winning Best British Female last year. It is rumoured that organisers also want her to sing a heartfelt ballad from the 5-million-selling Back To Black album.
I looked at the way articles were written in the Sun newspapers and the Times online. The Sun had an eight page pullout full of news and interviews ahead of the big event tonight. These interviews include Kate Nash who is up for Female Solo Artist, the Kaiser Chiefs who are up for best Group and Live Act. Also including an interview with Sir Paul McCartney himself. Each interview is personal to each of the artists story that catapulted them to stardom, their hectic lives, their success and future plans.
The Times online has one story cramming everything in. This is a very brief description of what will be happening and how things have unfolded so far. This is still very informative to people who are interested but far to brief for people who have been looking forward to the annual event for weeks.

Intro

My name is Craig Wood, I am journalism student and the University of Central Lancashire. For this module I will be posting blogs about the current enteratinment news in the UK. I will be commenting on what is happening and how it is being reported.

Feel free to comment

Regards

Craig