Dixie Chicks Article:

1. How effective is the headline?

The headline is clever as it uses a pun to get the massage across.  The words the author chose are effective, using “Chicks” to represent the Dixie Chicks. This helps the article feel more casual and gives the serious topic a more fun edge. The way the author wrote the “in the Line of Fire” was clever as it helped was talking about how the band had been in trouble for their slur against President George W Bush but it also made reference to the fact that they where talking about the war and troops being sent overseas.

2. The journalist has chosen not to include an extensive byline. Do you think this is a good decision? Explain your answer.

I think the idea of not using an extensive byline was a good idea because some people would have found the content of the article very confronting, as it is a serious topic.

3. How does the introductory paragraph help your understanding of what the article will be about?

The introductory paragraph gives some information on the Dixie Chicks and their beliefs and how and when the slur was made. So it just gives the reader some insight into the situation and what happened.

4. What kind of tone do you think the journalist is trying to achieve? Provide examples to explain your answer.

The author does seem to use slightly plain text when writing the article. However the author does show their own opinion where they seem to be defending the Dixie Chicks so it is obvious that he is siding with them. The author has both a plain stating tone much like that of a news reporter would have. Few other stations played Not Ready to Make Nice, and while it has done well on iTunes, it's quite possible that in singing about their anger at people who were already livid with them and were once their target audience. This segment of the article puts forward that the author does have some issues towards the hate that the Dixie Chicks were getting and was quite disgusted by it.

5. What do you think the journalist's purpose was in writing this article? Provide examples to help prove your answer.

I believe that the author purpose of writing this article was to defend the Dixie Chicks and their beliefs. This is visible because towards the end of the article you realize that the things the Dixie Chicks were doing were positive and that they good side in the argument whilst everyone else who was attacking their views were wrong.

6. The journalist makes considerable use of direct quotations throughout the article. How does this affect your understanding of the article and influence your opinion of the band members? Use evidence to support your claims.

The quotes throughout the article really help the reader to understand the situation more clearly. The quotes also let the reader develop their own opinion because they are hearing from people who where a part of it not just from the author who already has their own opinion. This is shown in the article where is states, "a four-minute f___-you to the format and our listeners. I like the Chicks, and I won't play it." This quote shows the reader some of the different reactions of people to the Dixie Chicks.

7. How effective do you think this article is in achieving the journalist's purpose? Explain your answer in full please.

I believe that the author has succeeded in achieving his purpose of getting his views across about his opinion of the Dixie Chicks event. I believe this because at the end of reading the article I know that the author felt that the Dixie Chicks where right in saying what the said and that that was the corrects stance because everyone deserves to exercise their right to freedom of speech.