Fun at the Newseum

There's a museum about to open which will honor the news gathering and reporting industry, the Newseum.

While I was in Washington, DC, recently, I was fortunate enough to be able to tag along with a friend who had wrangled an invitation for a private tour even though the grand opening isn't until tomorrow, 4/11/08.  It was a real treat to be able to get in ahead of the crowd.  (Thanks Suzanne!)

As you can see from the layout the New York Times dominates the first floor.  And that could reflect the importance the curators placed on the the NYT, or maybe it took a contribution to get that spot, I don't know.  It's interesting that the internet only gets a small room on the third floor.  But, the museum focuses on history, not process.

There are several displays of historical artifacts such as a portion of the Berlin wall, a headless statue of Lenin and a room dedicated to the attack on the twin towers which is sure to generate emotion in even the most weary of tourists.

A popular feature is ability to pull up the front page of a hometown newspaper on one of several monitors placed throughout the museum.  Online visitors can see it here, too.  But the front page has to have been emailed in PDF form in order to be seen there, and at the time of my visit, and currently, the closest newspaper to Midland on display was the San Angelo Standard Times.  (That newspaper, by the way, has been on top of the recent raid on the Latter Day Saints' compound in Eldorado.)

By far the most enjoyable feature for me was the "Be A TV Reporter" studio.  Participants stand in front of the camera with a microphone and either read off a teleprompter or ad lib a fake news report.  Afterward they are provided a code number with which the video can be viewed and downloaded.  Do a search at youtube with the word newseum and several examples will show up.  It's a hoot.

Correction:  An informed commenter advises that the phrase "Latter Day Saints," above, should be "Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints."

Comments

[Les]

That was a hoot, Geo. Especially when I found the newseum report by those two class of 1964 Midland High reporters. :)

That was surely a unique reunion. The Ozona class of 1971 bows in deep respect. Or jealousy.

[Geo]

I can't slip anything past you, Les.

Yes, it was a unique reunion. I wonder what it will take to get someone to show up at the next one.

[Suzanne Scism Hildebrand]

Correction George. The San Angelo Standard Times has done stories on the sect, Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They are not part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, having been excommunicated generations ago. There is no comparison between the beliefs and the Mormons have long been unfairly saddled with people not knowing the difference between these lunatics and the real Mormons. Thanks.

[Geo]

Got it. Thanks, Suzanne.

[Sue]

OK, what happened to my invite? I just hate it when this happens. Guess I should have kept closer touch with folks in Midland. I'm sending this report to my friend Cindy, also a "64" graduate who didn't get an invite. Oh, the pain.