The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell

One of the other assignments for this course was to read TheTipping Point by Malcom Gladwell, a reporter for The New Yorker. I found the book to be very interesting, because it was discussing something that occurs in every popular situation: the tipping point where an item or thought that only occurs in a small group of people suddenly explodes and is acknowledged by a lot of people.

 

The Tipping Point is an excellent novel about something that truly exists but no one ever thinks about. Gladwell sums it up for the reader in three rules: the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context. He then goes on to explain each rule in depth to really help the reader grasp the concept of the Tipping Point.

He starts with the Law of the Few, which boils down to the fact that there are only a few people that can really cause something to tip: Mavens, Connectors, and Salesmen. Mavens are people that pay attention to ever detail in life, and can tell you exactly where you should go for the best experience in any given place that they have traveled to. They know how to get the best deals, who to talk to, and how to get great service. They also share their information with others because they want to help that person have a better experience. Connectors are people who know a wide variety of people. They have many acquaintances. They are not like regular people, because regular people just want a core group of friends. Connectors talk to and are friendly with everyone. And finally, there are Salesmen that instantly make you like them.These three types of people convince other people to go and try/buy/do new things, causing the new thing to tip and explode with popularity. This is a very astute observation, because, if you think about it, it is very true. Almost everything I buy is based off a recommendation from someone else. I also know who to ask for the best places to purchase things.

Gladwell uses the children’s show Blues Clues and Sesame Street as examples of the Stickiness Factor.  He explains that in order for something to be effective and explode into an epidemic, it must have a stickiness factor. It must stick with the client, and force them to pay attention. Sesame Street ran many, many tests with children to see what was effective and what wasn’t. Their experiments allowed them to perfect a show that taught children while they watched. Blues Clues copied this concept, but simplified the show to make children even more interested (I would know, I was one of them back in the day).

 

The last thing Gladwell says bring a situation to its Tipping Point is the Power of Context. Gladwell uses Bernie Goetz and the New York City subway shooting incident as an example here. Crime was extremely high in New York City, especially on the subway. Goetz was seen as sort of a hero by the public for standing up to four youths who were harassing him on the subway. Many of the patrons of the transit system felt like Goetz had taken the subway back for all the non-threatening people out there. The Broken Windows theory was instilled first in the New York City subway system and then in the NYPD, and it made a huge difference, proving that the context of a situation can cause something to tip. If you take away the small things in a criminal’s environment, the big things are likely to change rapidly. Gladwell spends the rest of the novel explaining case studies that prove his points. He explores the world of epidemics, and explains exactly what causes them. It is something that affects everyone, but no one ever thinks about its origins.

Gladwell uses excellent prose with many examples that apply to most people to enforce his ideas, and it definitely stays with you. I wish more of my teachers over the years took a page out of Gladwell's book.

My Sports Friends

One of my favorite things about attending the University of Florida has been the people I have had a chance to interact with on a daily basis and calling many of them my friends. There is just something about connecting with people who share your passion and have similar dreams they hope to one day make a reality.

Jillian Baach has been one of my good friends for about a year now. We are both juniors at the University of Florida and have taken the same classes as Telecommunication-News students. Jillian is one of the most knowledge people I know about sports. She is very passionate about her work and always has very high expectations of herself. I'd recommend trying to catch one of her Friday sportscasts for WUFT's First at Five program. I enjoyed reading her blog on entertainment it has really helped catch me up on what is popular and all of the latest news in sports and entertainment.

Katie Gillen has been labeled as one of the "Sports Princesses" among the WUFT Sports Team. Her along with her friend Stephanie Jones are two of the straws that stir the drink and are always available when one of the new kids on the block (like me) has any questions. Katie is very driven (I suggest reading her blog if you don't believe me) and I enjoy watching her anchor on Wednesdays this semester for WUFT's First at Five program.

Robert Lopez is one of my closest friends in the sports wing of the University of Florida's Integrated News Facility. We share a lot of the same interests, especially our love for New York sports. He is the one person who has just as much love for the New York Yankees that I possess and that is telling you something. "RoLo's" blog on being a lost New York sports fan especially resonate with me and it isn't always about the Yankees (well, now that I think about it, it kinda is). I have a lot of family and friends who still live in New York and its always nice swapping stories with Robert while we are on our reporting shifts together for WUFT. He helped me anchor my first show today for WUFT's First at Five program and was there for me on my big day. I'd definitely encourage you to catch one of his Monday shows.

Jillian, Katie, and Robert have all been there for me and I have been for them. I am proud to not only call them my colleagues but also good friends.

Spotting Partners

One of the best parts of working out is sharing your accomplished goals with your family and friends.
Today I'm going to showcase my fellow classmates at the University of Florida who led healthy lifestyles.

Ricki Albritton is a graduating senior at UF and is a Telecommunications-News major. Ms. Albitton loves to live life in the fast lane, whether its following professional drivers or running half-marathons. I definitely an appreciate her commitment to running because I understand how hard it is to stay committed to a running program.

Samantha Kerrigan is another fellow Telecommunications major. She'll also be graduating this spring and is very passionate about things she cares about. I enjoyed reading her lists on how to live a healthier lifestyle. I also agree with Ms. Kerrigan that she likes to live each day to the fullest, with no regrets and believing that everything happens for a reason.

Kaitlyn McGrath completes the trio of fellow UF students studying broadcast and that share in the passion for being fit. She is the captain of the Dazzlers and if you have ever been to a Florida Gators Basketball game, those girls are always dancing and moving around the court.

This concludes my shout out to all UF telecom friends who like to not only strive to be better reporters but also healthier people.

A Little More About Me

I grew up in Sunrise, FL and when I graduated from high school I decided to attend the University of Florida. When I first got to UF, I was unsure what I wanted to major in. However, I realized that I wanted to follow my dream of becoming a sports broadcaster and decided to major in Telecommunications.

I really started to get involved with my track at UF during my sophomore year. I took the necessary classes and was able to pass the test to continue on with my degree program. I got involved with the sports radio and NPR stations on campus and developed my skills as a reporter. However, I needed a bit of a confidence boost if I really wanted to pursue my dream of a career in television.

I then decided to make a change and live a healthy lifestyle. I adopted an exercise program and saw great results. With my new look I gained a much-needed boost in my self-esteem and have found my passion in reporting sports and news television.

I hope to anchor sports and news casts for Florida's First at Five program, a student run newscast, this coming fall. I am heavily involved with UF's College of Journalism and Communications. Don't believe me? You can take a look at my resume.

My Resume

Michael Cadigan —E-Mail: mcadigan@ufl.edu

MC

Objective

Pursue a career in television with a focus on sports broadcasting, with the goal of becoming on-camera talent.

Education

University of Florida                                                            August 2010 – May 2014

Major: Telecommunications – News            Minor: History GPA: 3.61/4.0

Experience

WUFT-TV, Gainesville, FL                                                     October 2012 - Present

Reporter/Photog

Sports Apprentice                                                                January 2013 – Present

·       Shadow Anchors and assist in preparing broadcasts. Filming sporting events.

ESPN Radio 850/900, Gainesville, FL                                  January 2012 - Present

Cheap Seats, Sports Talk Show                                           October 2012 – Present

University of Florida Baseball Beat                                      January 2013 – Present

Reporter/Online Writer                                                         January 2012 – Present

Florida’s 89.1 WUFT-FM, Gainesville, FL                         January 2012 – May 2012

Reporter

Skills

Computer Experience: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, NewsRoom, Final Cut Pro, ENPS, Social Media

Referrals

Renee Gork – UF Student Experiences Coordinator     Email: rgork@wruf.com

Steve Russell – Director of ESPN Radio 850/900             Email: srussell@wruf.com

Bridget Grogan – WUFT-TV News Manager                    Email: bgrogan@wuft.org

Mark Leeps – WUFT-TV News Director                             Email: mleeps@wuft.org

Derek Jeter to Play Shortstop for Yankees Tonight

My favorite team is the New York Yankees so it would only be natural that my all-time favorite baseball player would be Derek Jeter. I have watched him play for the Yanks for virtually my entire life and have religiously followed his career in pinstripes.

It was hard for me to watch last year when Jeter was injured in New York's ALDS series to the Detroit Tigers last season and it only became worse after Detroit bounced the Yanks from the playoffs.

Jeter had to overcome his broken ankle from October and hast battled back. He was able to rehab and workout in order to be able to play his first start at shortshop tonight for the Yankees since his injury.

I am thrilled to see Jeter return especially considering how the Yankees have been hit hard by the injury bug. New York has seen OF Curtis Granderson and 1B Mark Teixiera going down to injury and will miss some extended time after knowing they'd be missing the bat of 3B Alex Rodriguez for a good chunk of the 2013 season.

The Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies will square off tonight in some Grapefruit League action.

Miami Heat Look to Extend 19-Game Win Streak

You might be wondering why the NBA's Miami Heat would be featured on a fitness blog. The Heat have won 19-straight games and play tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers in Philly.

Miami is led by all-star forward LeBron James who has been playing some of the best basketball of his career this season, playing a key role in his team's recent hot streak. James has often ran into criticism in the past especially for his announcement in "The Decision." However, LeBron has been answering critics throughout his career especially last season when he led his team to a title.

LeBron James has been praised for his workout routine and thought it might be helpful for those Heat fans who look to emulate the MVP.

Courtesy of totalprosports.com