5 tips for creating content with intergenerational appeal

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Japanexperterna.se

by Emerald O'Brien

The other day, I explained to a 60-year-old what it means to call someone or something "bae." I began by explaining that it started out as an acronym for "before anyone else" and has devolved into a pet name for any kind of significant other, with "other" not being confined to a living being (e.g. Netflix, the USA, the cute barista at Starbucks).

This isn't the first time I've been faced with this type of generational disconnect. Earlier this year I taught an older couple about the word ratchet. This is the same couple whose IBM computer, which has been gathering dust since it was given to them in 2005, is now in my possession so that I may teach them the sorcery that is the Internet.

Generation Y (Millennials) grew up with the Internet at its fingertips. While it isn't embedded in us quite like the new generation (Gen. Z), we are the first wave of adults – and journalists for that matter – who will create a world that has never not known technology. But until we say our final YOLO, we have to be aware of and cater to our audiences who may be less tech savvy than we are. 

Here are some things to keep in mind writing for those who defeat the phrase "user-friendly" by shocking lengths, as well as some tips for writing to an audience with iPhones where hands used to be.

ONA Mizzou Summer Bucket List

By Madison Feller

Photo by Madison Feller

School's out! Summer is here! I know for most of us, summer doesn't just mark the end of finals and the start of vacation. It's the time we have to finally catch up on everything we wish we had time for during the school year. So whether you're headed to an awesome job or a stellar internship for the next three months, we have your summer bucket list so you can come back feeling refreshed, invigorated and informed.

4 books for summer innovation inspiration

By Sarah Darby

Photo courtesy of Flickr user opensource.com

Hello, ONA Mizzou community! My name is Sarah Darby, and I am the incoming  president of ONA Mizzou. I am extremely excited to help plan another year of digital media training and networking events for Mizzou students.

ONA Mizzou has always promoted the intersection of journalism and technology, as we believe the future of journalism will rely on the convergence of these fields. As the business models for journalism continue to change, innovation and entrepreneurship are also affecting journalism in new ways. Journalists are being asked to not only write a story, but also target an audience, grow a social media presence and collaborate with the marketing team. Over the next school year, ONA Mizzou will continue to offer digital media training events, but we will also begin to challenge students to think entrepreneurially through our events. 

This summer, I challenge you to find your inner entrepreneur. Summer is a great time to expand the skills in your journalism toolbox, and these four books will challenge you to think like an innovator in your summer internship, job and beyond.

Welcome to our new board!

By Katy Mersmann

This is my last post as the president of ONA Mizzou and I'm sad that my time is at an end. I've had a great time with our events and Open Newsrooms. I'm thrilled to introduce our new executive board (they should look pretty familiar), and I'm so excited to see what they do!

Sarah Darby, President:

@_SCDarby

Hello, my name is Sarah Darby, and I am excited to be the new president of ONA Mizzou! I am currently a junior convergence journalism major and entrepreneurship minor, and I am originally from the Kansas side of Kansas City. My love for digital media began when I helped launch my high school newspaper's first website. I saw how engaging online content could reach audiences in new ways, and I pursued a number of digital news internships in college as a result. I have worked at news startups in the Midwest and in Buenos Aires. I have also worked as a social media coordinator for ONA Mizzou and Mizzou's Women in Engineering Center. This summer I hope to further develop these skills and interests as a digital news intern at the Kansas City Star.