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| Creative Commons photo by Brian Indrelunas |
Showing posts with label Convergence Journalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Convergence Journalism. Show all posts
A new kind of newsroom?
By Katy Mersmann
A few weeks ago, I came upon an article by Nieman Lab breaking down a Pew Research Center study that suggests that Americans get their news from specific outlets based, at least in part, on their political preferences. In many ways, it seemed like a no-brainer. People like to have their own opinions confirmed and it's only natural that audiences would focus on news they perceive as being reported in a way that supports their beliefs.
#MyPersonal45
By Ryan Levi
Being a journalist is a stressful job. Being a journalist in the digital era where we are constantly connected and able to report and produce content anywhere we can get a cell signal is even more stressful. So how can journalists avoid over stressing and maintain a work-life balance?
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| Photo courtesy of Quinn Dombrowski |
Reporters face unreasonable expectations after Sun-Times photo layoffs
By Andrew Gibson
There's a long list of reasons why the Chicago Sun-Times will likely suffer from laying off its entire photo staff. It won't have the varying perspectives that come from visual-first journalists. Morale in the newsroom will surely drop. And it won't have the crew that's come to learn the nuances of the city after years of experience. Look no further than John H. White, the 35-year Sun-Times veteran and Pulitzer Prize winner selected by the Environmental Protection Agency to photograph Chicago's African-American community in the 1970s.
But there's another problem: Quality inevitably suffers when journalists are forced to multitask on daily deadlines. And that's exactly what the Sun-Times is asking its reporters to do: be responsible, along with freelance photojournalists, for shooting professional-caliber photos when they're on assignment.
But there's another problem: Quality inevitably suffers when journalists are forced to multitask on daily deadlines. And that's exactly what the Sun-Times is asking its reporters to do: be responsible, along with freelance photojournalists, for shooting professional-caliber photos when they're on assignment.
Student Work: Monica's Gusto
She was in the 212
by Monica Ayala-Talavera
Self-described minimalist Kayla Alewel has a flare for finding unique pieces in hidden vintage shops around the world – but she keeps her fashion secrets just that.
When I found her, she was sipping on her morning mocha at the J-Café before her magazine journalism class. In the photographs above Alewel is wearing a Leith black sweater and Trouvé boots, both purchased at Nordstrom, and black pants from Urban Outfitters – but what set her apart from the mass of tired coffee-sippers was her vibrant head piece.
Read the full post on Monica's gusto
Monica is a senior in the University of Missouri's convergence journalism program.
Letters Home: Stephanie Stouffer
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| Stephanie Stouffer is a client strategist at Engage in Washington, D.C. She graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism in 2011 with a degree in convergence journalism. |
If I had access to this list during my last few months of college, I’m still not sure I would have been prepared for what was to come. I have learned more about myself and my work ethic since graduating in May 2011 than I ever did in my four years at Mizzou. I am currently working in Washington, D.C., as an account executive (my official title is “client strategist”) for a digital strategy firm. I started this job in December 2011, exactly 7 months after I graduated. I love my job more than anything, and it truly was fate landing this gig. But those 7 months between graduation and starting this job were some of the toughest months I have ever experienced. Here are just a few things I’ve learned along the way:
The Five Hardest Things About Journalism: No. 1
By Andrew Gibson
This is the fifth post in a series about what I think are the five most difficult parts of journalism. My opinions are based on one year at Mizzou in Columbia, Mo., and a summer internship at KCNC-TV in Denver.
Journalism decided to throw me in the fire last semester.
I had to write a story about teen pregnancy in my News (Journalism 2100) class. It’s a challenging and sensitive topic, especially for a 19-year-old male who had never reported before January.
Which takes me to challenge No. 1: sources.
Finding teen mothers who would talk took weeks and weeks of persistence. I called and emailed places all over Columbia — My Life, Planned Parenthood, Lutheran Family Services, Columbia Housing Authority, Rock Bridge High School and Douglass High School, to name a few — looking for someone who wasn’t intimidated by a notebook and voice recorder.
This is the fifth post in a series about what I think are the five most difficult parts of journalism. My opinions are based on one year at Mizzou in Columbia, Mo., and a summer internship at KCNC-TV in Denver.
Journalism decided to throw me in the fire last semester.
I had to write a story about teen pregnancy in my News (Journalism 2100) class. It’s a challenging and sensitive topic, especially for a 19-year-old male who had never reported before January.
Which takes me to challenge No. 1: sources.
Finding teen mothers who would talk took weeks and weeks of persistence. I called and emailed places all over Columbia — My Life, Planned Parenthood, Lutheran Family Services, Columbia Housing Authority, Rock Bridge High School and Douglass High School, to name a few — looking for someone who wasn’t intimidated by a notebook and voice recorder.
The Five Hardest Things About Journalism: No. 2
By Andrew Gibson
This is the fourth post in a series about what I think are the five most difficult parts of journalism. My opinions are based on one year at Mizzou in Columbia, Mo., and a summer internship at KCNC-TV in Denver.
People often shrink away in terror when I tell them my major is journalism. Following the shock, a common question is, What do you want to do with that?
My response usually has two parts. I say, ideally, I’d like to be a political columnist, but my realistic goal is simply to land a job.
Journalism has an uncertain future, and I can’t afford to be picky right now. I’ve accepted, and even embraced, that my first job will probably be a general-assignment reporter at a small news outlet.
That means I’ll need the skills to gather information about almost everything. If there’s a fire, my editor will likely give me the story. Is the local grocery store recalling its green onions? I’m on it.
Which takes me to challenge No. 2: Journalists have to know a little something about everything. Our job is to observe the world and then present it in a way that people can understand.
If we don’t get it, can we expect the same of our audience?
This is the fourth post in a series about what I think are the five most difficult parts of journalism. My opinions are based on one year at Mizzou in Columbia, Mo., and a summer internship at KCNC-TV in Denver.
People often shrink away in terror when I tell them my major is journalism. Following the shock, a common question is, What do you want to do with that?
My response usually has two parts. I say, ideally, I’d like to be a political columnist, but my realistic goal is simply to land a job.
Journalism has an uncertain future, and I can’t afford to be picky right now. I’ve accepted, and even embraced, that my first job will probably be a general-assignment reporter at a small news outlet.
That means I’ll need the skills to gather information about almost everything. If there’s a fire, my editor will likely give me the story. Is the local grocery store recalling its green onions? I’m on it.
Which takes me to challenge No. 2: Journalists have to know a little something about everything. Our job is to observe the world and then present it in a way that people can understand.
If we don’t get it, can we expect the same of our audience?
The Five Hardest Things About Journalism: No. 3
By Andrew Gibson
This is the third post in a series about what I think are the five most difficult parts of journalism. My opinions are based on one year at Mizzou in Columbia, Mo., and an internship this summer at KCNC-TV in Denver.
There’s a great irony in reporting.
Journalists are expected to dig into the depths of a story, examining every relevant angle, yet condense what they find into something readers can skim in minutes.
That’s challenge No. 3: judging what information is important. And doing so quickly.
I learned to use this reporting skill in News (Journalism 2100), and one experience called “man on the street” sticks out in my mind. Everyone in my class had to draw a story idea from a hat, gather background information, interview two people and write a 250- to 350-word story, all in 90 minutes.
This is the third post in a series about what I think are the five most difficult parts of journalism. My opinions are based on one year at Mizzou in Columbia, Mo., and an internship this summer at KCNC-TV in Denver.
There’s a great irony in reporting.
Journalists are expected to dig into the depths of a story, examining every relevant angle, yet condense what they find into something readers can skim in minutes.
That’s challenge No. 3: judging what information is important. And doing so quickly.
I learned to use this reporting skill in News (Journalism 2100), and one experience called “man on the street” sticks out in my mind. Everyone in my class had to draw a story idea from a hat, gather background information, interview two people and write a 250- to 350-word story, all in 90 minutes.
The Five Hardest Things About Journalism: No. 4
By Andrew Gibson
This is the second post in a series about what I think are the five most difficult parts of journalism. My opinions are based on one year at Mizzou in Columbia, Mo., and an internship this summer at KCNC-TV in Denver.
Starbucks Via was a good friend of mine last semester.
This was especially true when my News (Journalism 2100) instructor,Karon Speckman, assigned everyone in my class to cover a Columbia, Mo., City Council meeting.
It started at 7 p.m., so I figured I’d be done two hours later. That would leave me plenty of time to get a quote from someone in the audience, write a 400-word story and check my grammar before midnight, I thought.
Instead, I walked out of the meeting, which was still going on, around midnight with rings around my eyes, an audio recorder with maxed-out memory and a notebook with smeared, illegible notes.
“Welcome to the world of public meetings,” Speckman said in class the next day.
And welcome to reality, Andrew, because you want to be a political reporter someday.
This is the second post in a series about what I think are the five most difficult parts of journalism. My opinions are based on one year at Mizzou in Columbia, Mo., and an internship this summer at KCNC-TV in Denver.
Starbucks Via was a good friend of mine last semester.
This was especially true when my News (Journalism 2100) instructor,Karon Speckman, assigned everyone in my class to cover a Columbia, Mo., City Council meeting.
It started at 7 p.m., so I figured I’d be done two hours later. That would leave me plenty of time to get a quote from someone in the audience, write a 400-word story and check my grammar before midnight, I thought.
Instead, I walked out of the meeting, which was still going on, around midnight with rings around my eyes, an audio recorder with maxed-out memory and a notebook with smeared, illegible notes.
“Welcome to the world of public meetings,” Speckman said in class the next day.
And welcome to reality, Andrew, because you want to be a political reporter someday.
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