For the past few weeks, coverage of the George Zimmerman trial has dominated the media, months after the shooting death of 17-year old Trayvon Martin.  After hearing closing arguments today, the all-female jury began deliberations.

While waiting to hear a response from jurors, major news outlets began to cover the back story of the case, addressing crucial details and raising questions about the validity of Zimmerman’s stand your ground defense. 

Zimmerman is accused of profiling and stalking the unarmed teenager, before shooting him dead.  It was in a small Florida community that self-appointed Zimmerman took to the streets to protect his neighborhood from potential criminals.  Zimmerman attests to the fact that he followed Martin, considering the teen up to no good, but claims that the teen attacked him before he fired the fatal shot.

Zimmerman claims that he acted in self defense and is using Florida’s stand your ground to protect him.

With tensions high as jurors deliberate, the nation sits waiting to hear the final outcome.  Last night, a fleeting moment of media coverage ignited angered responses when MSNBC aired the lifeless body of Trayvon Martin.  While striking a cord, the news outlet also stirred up an entirely separate debate; is it necessary to show such graphic images when covering such a story?

The photo that was aired on MSNBC wasn’t the photo that had previously been used in coverage on The Huffington Post of Trayvon’s body covered up with a sheet, but the uncovered, unmasked, bloody image before he was covered.  It’s a shocking photo that is quite personal – his eyes still open and his hands lying beside him.

Gawker quickly published a piece headlined with a dominating photo of Trayvon’s body, with the seeming rationale, according to a Facebook user, “the media is shitty, I’m the media, I’m expected to be shitty.”  The author, Adam Weinstein didn’t quite condemn MSNBC for their decision, but instead decided, ‘if you can’t beat them, join them.’

News outlets have subsequently pounced on MSNBC and Gawker for deciding to publish such personal content, slamming them for their decision to garner page views. For the record, I will not be linking to the Gawker story as they have yet to take down the photo.

Weinstein published comments and letters he’s received since publishing the story with one woman writing, “As a Black woman, I am angry.  livid. distraught,”  she continues to write, “BUT, you should have asked permission from Trayvon’s parents.  They should have had that right.  Trayvon and his parents had no respect/hand in how he was portrayed in the mind of his ignorant murderer.  That decision cost him his life.”

A handful of readers responded on the Gawker story with their irritation that the publication decided to show the image.

“I very much wish I had been given a choice of looking at this picture, instead of having it embedded on the main page,” wrote one reader.

“Nauseating,” wrote another.

News is generally grisly enough without the need of amplifying the gruesomeness of the story.  It makes you wonder what need this fulfills.  Does it help tell the story?  Can’t words do justice?

It’s only been a few hours since the original Gawker story went up and already it has created a firestorm of debate, but this isn’t the first time something like this has angered an audience.  In 2001 many news outlets angered their viewers for showing people jump to their deaths from the World Trade Center attacks.  What the media hasn’t realized yet is that is wasn’t okay with their audiences back then, and it still isn’t okay with them now.

In an ironic and fateful twist, the Chicago Sun-Times laid off its entire photo staff just hours after printing the obituary of famed photojournalist Bob Kotalik who spent his entire career at the paper.

The news first began to circulate on Twitter when reporter Robert Channick tweeted, “Chicago Sun-Times lays off its full photography staff; plans to use freelancers going forward.”

Management at the paper stated that the move was due to an increasing demand for online video.  Roughly 20 full-time staff photographers were let go, but according to Crain’s Chicago Business, the number could be as high at 30 since the publication includes smaller papers like the Chicago Reader.

It was earlier this week that Kotalik passed away in his home in Mesa, Ariz due to Alzheimer’s disease.  Kotalik started his 47-year-long career with the Chicago Sun Times back in 1942 and worked his way up to become the paper’s chief photographer.

The obituary, which ran on Thursday, included a quote from Pulitzer prize-winning Sun-Times photographer John H. White who workerd with Kotalik, just hours before White was let go.

The paper released the following statement after they announced the layoffs:

“The Sun-Times business is changing rapidly and our audiences are consistently seeking more video content with their news.  We have made great progress in meeting this demand and are focused on bolstering our reporting capabilities with video and other multimedia elements.  The Chicago Sun-Times continues to evolve with our digitally savvy customers, and as a result, we have had to restructure the way we manage multimedia, including photography, across the network.”

Readers have taken to discussion forums and social media sites to express their frustration with the layoffs. 

“Did anybody in control there even read the obit of Bob Kotalik??? Sure doesn’t seem like it…” signed disillusioned reader of 60 years on a Chicago Tonight article.

A reader who goes by BobInRogers Park wrote on the same story, “Expecting print-oriented reporters to act as photographers and videographers will be detrimental to the quality of all three aspects of journalism.”

On The Chicago Sun-Time’s Facebook page, one writer commented on over a dozen articles, simply saying, “NO PHOTOGRAPHS ALLOWED.”

The move comes as part of a larger move to downsize according to multiple media outlets, but the focus remains on the photo staff.  The executive director of the Chicago Newspaper Guild, Craig Rosenbaum said in an interview with The New York Times that an unfair labor practice charge would be filed in reaction to the publications announcement.

Over the past few years the publication, which is currently the tenth largest in the country, has seen their paid circulation decrease substantially.  At the end of 2012, they reported a paid circulation of 263,292 compared to 341,448 in 2006, according to The New York Times.

If you want to get the training you need to be hired by some of the top news organizations, you will need a journalism degree, and to complete an internship. An internship will give you the hands-on experience you need to learn the ins and outs of being a journalist. You will practice writing, meeting deadlines and even editing. On top of that, an internship gives you the chance to make connections and meet people who can help your career later on. If you do a good job at an internship, you might be hired on later.

For someone with the dream of being a top journalist, an internship is an important step. If you are looking for an internship, here are 22 useful web sites to help you find the right journalism internship for you:

1. Media Bistro: This is one of the best places to go if you want to look for jobs and internships in the industry. There are a number of entry-level journalism jobs and internships listed on this site.
2. JournalismJobs.com: Another great place to look for internship opportunities. You can also find fellowships and other resources to help you in your career.
3. Poynter: For anyone who is serious about journalism, Poynter is vital. This is the premier think tank for journalism and media ethics, technique and industry news. You can also get access to internship information from around the country and the world, as well as entry-level jobs and jobs for the more experienced.
4. American Society of News Editors: Check out this professional organization for helpful hints when it comes to finding internships. This is a great place to start if you know that you want newspaper experience. Head to ASNE and make connections with newspaper editors who might give you an internship chance.
5. Society of Professional Journalists: Another professional organization, the SPJ can be a great place to go for information on available internships in print, online and broadcast journalism. Connect with professional journalists, learn how it’s done, and get pointed in the right direction for internships.
6. AP Careers: The largest press organization in the world, the Associated Press offers unique and varied opportunities for interns all over the world. While the internship program is currently on hiatus, it will resume in 2012, so it’s time to get your application ready!
7. Internships.com: This general internship web site has a section devoted to journalism. It includes different types of journalism, so you can find internships in broadcast, magazine, music, online, science, and sports journalism — as well as in other categories. A great place to start your search for a journalism internship.
8. American Journalism Center: You can find some great opportunities by interning with the American Journalism Center. You get the chance to learn solid skills and techniques, and put them into practice every day.
9. NewsJobs.net: Find different career and internship opportunities on this web site. You can keep up with the latest news and information, as well as apply for internships open all over the country.
10. Simply Hired: This general jobs web site also features internships and entry level positions. It’s a great place to look if you want information on available internship opportunities.
11. Mass Media Jobs: You can find a number of opportunities on this web site. Internships in a number of media arenas are available, and it is possible for you pinpoint different positions around the country.
12. I Want Media: Poke around on this web site, and you will run into plenty of journalism internship opportunities and entry level jobs. It’s a great starting point for tips, resources and industry news.
13. Media Biz Jobs: Look through available jobs listings and internships. This is a great resource for finding positions at a number of different media outlets — especially if you are involved in broadcast journalism.
14. The Write Jobs: While this web site is devoted to all sorts of writing jobs and internships, it is nonetheless useful for journalism internships as well. A great resource for all things in your writing career.
15. Kaiser Family Foundation: If health reporting is your thing, a media/journalism internship through the KFF might be the right move for you. There are a number of host organizations willing to bring on interns and provide you with a great opportunity.
16. American Society of Business Publication Editors: Cover business news and information, and get your foot in the door at some of the best business publications in the country. Track down internships through this professional organization.
17. Be a journalist: Links to internship opportunities, industry news and more. A great resource if you are looking to get started out as a journalist.
18. Investigative Reporters and Editors: Are you ready to get the real meat of a story? If so, you might want to look for an internship with a media outlet that values investigative reporting. The IRE web site might be just the thing to help you browse internships and entry level jobs.
19. Society of Environmental Journalists: Check out this society’s web site to learn more about the types of jobs and internships available for those who are interested in reporting on environmental issues.
20. World Press Institute: Use this web site to pinpoint different internships and fellowships all over the world. A great resource if you are interested in journalism opportunities on a global scale.
21. Pew Research Center: The Project for Excellence in Journalism is a great place to look for information on jobs and internships in the industry, as well as news, methods and ethics.
22. Copy Editing: For those interested in an internship aimed more at editing, this web site can be a useful starting point. You can find entry level jobs, internships, training, and other resources. A perfect place for the burgeoning editor.