On taking a break...again

By Katy Mersmann

From Flickr user Jason Howie

We have talked about it before: the need to take a break and a breather from the newsroom to maintain some semblance of sanity. At Mizzou, we've taken to calling it #MyPersonal45, encouraging student journalists to take a 45 minute break, everyday, from work and stress and do something they really care about. (And then tweet and tell us what they do!)

So, it was kind of fitting when I was perusing the national ONA Twitter account and saw a link to a Poynter story about the mental exhaustion social media managers and reporters face when following graphic, disturbing stories. The problem is especially pervasive right now, with images of horrific executions of journalists coming out of Syria. Poynter quotes Bruce Shapiro, executive director of The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, who mentions that the images and stories can be especially challenging because so many of the social media managers following them are young and inexperienced, and not used to viewing extreme suffering.

Tips to help journalists maximize their iPhones

The iPhone 4S offers journalists new avenues for mobile journalism.

By Dalton Barker

With the continued proliferation of social media and the need for journalists to report and inform instantly, knowing how to use an iPhone is becoming essential.

Many of us are aware you can record interviews on the device. But did you know you can also buy an iPhone tripod to snap detailed images for your newsroom?

Didn't think so.

This is one of the tips the International Journalists' Network suggests to help mobile journalists improve their iPhone photography. IJNet also lists camera apps that might come in handy, including AutoStitch, a tool for creating panoramic images.