UNF Newspaper Shocks

[SarahTay]

You may have gotten word on this, but as a student there and journalism major, I want to know your opinions.

The headline: HPV grabs you by the throat
The picture: A young woman in just bra and panties sitting on a desk, legs spread wide open - and a young man eagerly kneeled in front of her, head caught in between.

http://www.unfspinnaker.com/printeditions/34/34-28.pdf
(Story's on pg. 5)

First Coast News got word and reported on Monday night's 11 o'clock news. Action News Jax is currently airing a piece now. And it's even made for discussion on online paper The Huffington Post.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/article/198423/3/Update-UNF-Paper-Accts-Frozen-After-Cover-Depicting-Oral-Sex

The editor-in-chief and the staff are standing by their decision, calling the story with the image "necessary". You can read the piece - it's supposedly about the link between oral sex and throat cancer. Unfortunately, it reads pretty sketchy; it's really about the link between HPV in women and the risk of men developing throat cancer after performing oral sex on a woman infected.

Now I agree that the topic of the "story" is important and everyone should be aware of a possible health risk. However, the staff are blindly - or purposely out of shame - ignoring the main issue for argument: the cover. How dare they call the mumbled generic quote from an editor with no visual nor auditory poise an explanation? The cover and article circled around women like a wolf-pack. In how many more ways can we turn women into merely bodies? Is it a coincidence that women face the brunt of HPV and the girl is scantily clad while the boy is in full dress? Are you saying that women who dress in such a manner are "asking for it"? Or more so are the type of women who have HPV? God forbid we feel empowered in our own skin or make like normal and wear underwear. Or have an intimate, physical relationship. As if women and young girls weren't already insecure enough about their bodies. Men already quick enough to jump for the take and skip the give.

You want people to care about the story? Any woman or man or couple, especially college-aged, is more than likely aware of what HPV is and has themselves or know's someone who has dealt with HPV personally, seeing as it's  so common that "about half of all men and more than 3 out of 4 women have HPV at some point in their lives." This cover is shameful and pays no mind to its target audience. I'm all about pushing the hot topic envelope and word play, but we're not talking about the writing, we're talking about the picture.

Where do we draw the line with ethical journalism and responsible reporting? Would this have gotten different feedback had it been ran by say, The T-U? Can a university newspaper go so unsupervised and run rampant making their own decisions? I am uneasy knowing these kids may be the next news leaders in our community.

Also, I'd like to point out that the piece was written by a male, the editor is a male, and the staff has about 16 males to 6 females. Just saying...

[Jimmy]

This is obviously an important topic to you.  I think if you step back, it's nothing more than what happens in news rooms every single day.  I wasn't shocked by the cover.  I don't think it's demeaning to anyone.  And if the women on the staff - are you one of them? - were put off by it, why haven't they walked out and let us know it?

But back to my point - this is the way the news business works nowadays.  Specifically about the cover, "if it bleeds, it leads."  That's what the cover was about.  It was screaming "pick me up!"  If some people did, and decide to get the HPV vaccine, all the better. 

It's up to every person to decide if it's responsible journalism, or not.  As an alumni of UNF (and a lawyer who's pretty in-favor of the 1st amendment), I think it was within bounds.

Just my $.02.

[BridgeTroll]

First... Welcome Sarah.  Your main point seems to be...

This cover is shameful and pays no mind to its target audience.

I will not judge the shameful part... but it most certainly does pay mind to the target audience.  The picture would likely not make on to the front page of a "mainstream" newspaper.  It is a college campus newspaper.  I would imagine "shock " photos sell fairly well.  The picture calls attention to the article.  The idea is to get a twenty year old to pick up the paper and read the article.  No easy task.

[Ocklawaha]

I'll withhold judgment until I can get a better view!

OCKLAWAHA

[finehoe]

Can a university newspaper go so unsupervised and run rampant making their own decisions? I am uneasy knowing these kids may be the next news leaders in our community.

People at university aren't "kids" they are young adults.  Unless UNF funds the paper, they have no role in supervising what the content of the paper is.   The Journalism Education Association says administration review has no legitimate educational merit and is only a tool leading to censorship.

[acme54321]

I'll withhold judgment until I can get a better view!

OCKLAWAHA

FTW

[buckethead]

Shocking???

If I had a nickle...

[wsansewjs]

Sarah, I think you are little too sensitive on this kind of topic.

I used to work for UNF Spinnaker as an assistant web editor, and used to go to UNF as a student few years ago. This kind of message is not actually shocking to the YOUNG college students, because the intensity of the content is something that the young college students are already used to thanks to the exposure to the internet, movies, TVs, etc.

This is a newspaper DESIGNED BY and MADE FOR young college students. In other words, it may be shocking to other area where the tolerance of content is much much lower. I would say for whose tolerance of low levels, TOO BAD for you. Welcome to the new world. Suck it up.

May I add clearly on the record... First Coast News is for idiots.

-Josh

[TheProfessor]

I didn't think the front page was inappropriate at all.  It looked like something that could go on the cover of the Village Voice or FolioWeekly.  The article was informative as well.

[Ocklawaha]

I'll withhold judgment until I can get a better view!

OCKLAWAHA

FTW

SHIT! Now I'm gonna have to have my mouth amputated... DAMN ARTICLE!

OCKLAWAHA

[BrSpiritus]

This is a town that is ever at odds with itself.  The Liberal Left sees no problem with the cover art, it's "Progressive".  The Conservative Right has the vapors because it suggests oral sex.  Having been a journalism major in college you need to tailor your article to the common reader, i.e. short attention span theater.  If you can't grab them in the first few sentences or with the photo, the article is hence a failure because it could contain the secret to being rich or eternal life but no one would read it.  Now in light of all that I would say that this particular article was a blazing success.  People all over town are talking about it and I even saw it posted in Craigslist Rants & Raves.   So as the people of this down start dividing camps to wage war over the article the author smiles, because he has done everything a good journalist should do.

[copperfiend]

The people most upset probably didn't even realize UNF had a newspaper.

[Captain Zissou]

I didn't think the front page was inappropriate at all.  It looked like something that could go on the cover of the Village Voice or FolioWeekly.  The article was informative as well.

I agree.  Honestly, how else would you portray an article about that subject matter??  I think it's fine, and it has definitely drawn attention to the issue, so I say good job.

[copperfiend]

Jacksonville is the same town that couldn't handle The Vagina Monologues being on a theater marquee.

[Shwaz]

Jacksonville is the same town that couldn't handle The Vagina Monologues being on a theater marquee.

Jacksonville is only one chromosome away from being Westboro KY.