Friday, March 7, 2014

Comparing Two News Stories


The most important article in the Thursday, January 20, edition of The Morning Call is on the ninth page of the news section (News 9). Titled “Corbett seeks Medicaid waiver from feds,” the article is the most beneficial to society. The story states the proposed guidelines that allow customers to be eligible for Medicaid. Corbett’s plan would allow individuals that earn between $5,745 and $11,490 to use government funds to buy insurance. He also noted that individuals making between $11,490 and $15,282 must pay a premium after the first 12 months, and those people making more than $15,282 will have to pay a premium and co-payments. The author does a solid job of explaining who is eligible for Medicaid and Corbett’s proposed guidelines.

On the front page of that same issue, the main article titled ‘I felt so violated,’ may be just as important as the previously discussed story. The author of the article, Riley Yates, explains the sentencing hearing of a local Northampton County child sexual abuse case stemming from a 2013 arrest. The author provides all of the details—when the assault happened (between 2011 – 2013), where it happened (Nazareth Middle School) and other details about the case. Being inside the courtroom, the author was able to provide many first-hand accounts of the hearing and quotes from the judge, the victim and the accuser, Shawn Salevsky.

Both stories have strong implications on society, but I believe the second article was placed on the front page to send a message to the community that child sexual abuse will not be tolerated. It provides a sense of comfort that wouldn’t be captured if placed on the inside pages of the newspaper. Instead, the newspaper isn’t hiding from the act of sexual abuse; they are bringing attention to it and stating it won’t be dealt with lightly.

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