Alaina Walsh

Wisconsin rail advocates push for expansion, increased service Members of a new passenger rail coalition gathered Tuesday to advocate for broadened service across Wisconsin cities.

We might be seeing some more trains in Wisconsin!! Read more about it here.

www.dailycardinal.com/article/2025...

‘We’re in the fierce urgency of now’: Wisconsin lawmakers push for climate accountability bill Democratic lawmakers unveiled the Climate Accountability Act Tuesday to address urgent climate concerns.

Wisconsin legislatures are working to slow and stop climate change, because to be frank we are in a climate crisis. Read more here!

www.dailycardinal.com/article/2025...

#UWJ201 #317

@prowag.bsky.social talked about the media cultivation theory, and I found this fascinating. I think this phenomenon is harmful to those developing their critical thinking skills and consuming more TV, like our younger generations. Could this influence their career aspirations, goals, and drive?

This poses a question for me-- why are these ads so attractive to us? Do you think ad agencies consider these strategies to be "Gen Z" ads, in the sense that they are targeting young people? Or do you think this strategy is timeless and can be used across generations? #UWJ201 #317

As a student journalist, and one that focuses on politics, I feel that there is so much power in getting fresh, TRUTHFUL, information out to the people. There is so much pride in acting as one more layer of keeping our democracy in check. #UWJ201 #317

#317 #UWJ201

I agree with this as well. The different frames of the story also allow for different media sources to write a story on the same topic. This way we can get different views on the same story without having the same paper or media source have to right different angles to the same story.

#UWJ201 #317

Yes, they may pursue the stories that get the most buzz, but do they write the stories to frame the attention of their audience rather than inform?

#317

#UWJ201 In the first article we read, a former NYT public editor argues that major newspaper reporters aren’t driven by politics but by the pursuit of scoops, impact, and recognition. This posed the question for me: Is media bias a myth, or does motivation shape the narrative?

Wisconsin has the widest achievement gap in the U.S. for math and reading. MMSD is working to change that Wisconsin schools made little improvement in closing the gap in math and reading scores  between Black and white students, the latest federal test results showed.

Wisconsin once again has the highest achievement gap between students. Read more about it in my coverage with @dailycardinal.bsky.social

www.dailycardinal.com/article/2025...

Which Romance Novel Should You Read Next? Tell us a few things about what you like, and we’ll give you a spot-on recommendation.

Take this short quiz to find your next romantic read.

I think that the Superbowl is a community activity. "Football, food, and family" seems to be an American value. I think firms profit from the Superbowl being a well watched event, rather than firms drawing in viewers #317

(2) He would post things on his social media accounts that would attract public attention and then media sources would report on what he was saying and what it means. I think that political figures use the fact that journalists survey to attract attention to themselves.

(1) I think that surveillance is the most easily manipulated. A few weeks ago @prowag.bsky.social talked about how President Trump used social media to create a presence during his election, and I think that proves this point.

Judge Rules That Trump Administration Defied Order to Unfreeze Billions in Federal Grants The federal judge in Rhode Island said the Trump administration had failed to comply with his order unfreezing billions of dollars in federal grants.

Breaking News: A judge declared for the first time that the Trump White House had defied a judicial mandate by ignoring his order to release billions in grants.

Trump 2.0 Heralds an Aggressive Flexing of Power President Trump’s early moves to slash the federal government and expand American territory represent significant ideological swings from his first term.

News Analysis: President Trump has already shifted to a more aggressive approach toward the role of government and the posture of the U.S. on the global stage, only three weeks into his second term.

Federal Workers Grapple With Trump’s War on Bureaucracy One thing lost in the Trump administration’s war on the federal bureaucracy is the collective voice of the employees. But some have begun to speak out.

One was fired by email at 12:47 a.m. Another wept as security escorted her from the office. A third frantically tried to fill a prescription after she got a 24-hour notice that her health care was ending. These workers are grappling with the Trump administration’s war on the federal bureaucracy.

After Trump’s DEI Order, Companies Navigate a Legal Minefield Companies navigate a legal minefield as President Trump wages war on diversity programs, but they still have to guard against complaints of bias.

Companies that just one year ago celebrated Black History Month and stocked Pride products on their shelves are in a new phase — what some lawyers refer to as "rainbow-hushing," meaning dropping or quietly rebranding their DEI programs.

#UWJ201 This week we read an interesting article where a comparison was made between firefighters, cops, and journalists. Why does the news cycle prioritize sudden crises over ongoing ones? And why are bad stories prioritized over good ones? How does this shape public awareness & policy? #317

A Guide to the Lawsuits Against the Trump Executive Orders Dozens of suits have been filed that seek to stop some of President Trump’s executive orders. Here’s a brief rundown.

Dozens of lawsuits have been filed that seek to stop some of President Trump’s executive orders. Here’s a brief rundown.

Trump administration federal grant freeze will not affect federal financial aid at UW-Madison The University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Student Financial aid announced Tuesday that the temporary pause of federal grants and loans will not apply to federal student financial aid.

Trump administration federal grant freeze will not affect federal financial aid at UW-Madison

Story by Alaina Walsh
Photo by Mujib Rahman

#wisconsin #uwmadison #financialaid #usgovernment

I think this is a really interesting thought-- the success of fear also contributes to the large distrust of media. If we know that media is always trying to scare us into a reaction and/ or decision, why should we trust it?

#UWJ201 @prowag.bsky.social showed political campaigns during lecture and they didn't include any kind of policy. I am thinking-- if advertising, endorsed by candidates themselves, isn't policy focused, could that contribute to the idea of "horse race" reporting and the lack of policy reporting?#317

I don't think there is a definite answer to that question. I think it depends on future generations and the development of technology. I believe that journalists have a responsibility to uphold truth in democracy, but we need to continue to train journalists who have the courage to do so.

I think that the focus on polling numbers rather than policies targets uneducated voters. I think it leads to voters choosing not to vote because they believe their vote won't matter in the long run, or they vote based off the little knowledge they have and the leading candidate.

I think about this all the time. Why do candidates often target voters they know they already have? I think it also creates its own media bubble. The people that are being targeted are surrounded by the same demographic of people, so then it creates an almost certainty that that candidate will win.

#UWJ201 Do you think 'Horse Race' reporting provides the necessary framework for understanding the political landscape, or does it contribute to misinformation and voter apathy? How do you think this style of reporting affects public perception of elections and voter engagement? #317