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.

Letters Home: Lee McGuire

The following letter was submitted March 7, 2012

Dear ONA Mizzou,

Lee McGuire is the chief communications officer for
Boston Public Schools. He graduated from the Missouri
School of Journalism in 2000 with a master's in broadcast
communications.

Fourteen years ago, KOMU was converting to a tapeless newscast, cell phones were something rare and special that you had to "check out" from the assignment desk, and producing a story for the web was the most revolutionary idea anyone had ever heard of. KOMU and Mizzou prepared me well to adapt to changing technology, the constant reinvention of content platforms as well as the timeless skill of digging for great stories and always telling them well.

With that in mind, here's my advice: Don't just take the first job that comes along because it's in a larger market or seems flashy. Pick a place that will allow you to continue to learn. I was lucky enough to land in a small station in a small city -- a news powerhouse that dominated the market. KTVB in Boise, Idaho had fantastic photographers, terrific on-air talent and extraordinary leadership. I spent just two years there but made friendships that have lasted forever. Just as important, I gained real-world experience from smart people who were willing to teach.

Simplicity of Craigslist a reminder that content is king

   By Andrew Gibson

Craigslist might be getting a redesign, but the success it's
had without one is the real story.

Craigslist might be getting a redesign.

Wait.

The 17-year-old website that's afraid of capital letters might be getting a redesign?

It's not exactly clear what the online flea market's call for "Senior UI / Usability / Front End Engineers" means. But Craigslist does say it needs them to "improve the craigslist user experience -- faster, friendlier and easier."

This could be significant, especially for a website that has barely deviated from its original skeletal look, according to TechCrunch. But maybe even more remarkable is how Craigslist has been able to draw "more than 30 billion page views per month" without a fancy home page. When you think bargain hunting, chances are you think Craigslist.

Another success story is The Drudge Report. Despite its affinity for excessive white space, the website last year drew the 11th-largest share of Internet traffic among news websites, according to Hitwise. You might not agree with Matt Drudge's political views, but his 15-year-old creation is thriving. 

Letters Home: Chris Spurlock

The following letter was submitted March 26, 2012

Dear students,

Chris Spurlock is an infographic design
editor for The Huffington Post. He graduated
from the Missouri School of Journalism
in 2011 with a degree in convergence
journalism.

I want to talk to you about the big test you have coming up. It’s one you’ve agonized over for longer than necessary, and one you’ve probably procrastinated preparing for, too. I’m sure this sounds like every test you’ve ever had, but this one is different. This one is comprised of an infinite number of questions and will last much longer than 50 minutes. To be more specific:

The test will measure whether you are an informed, engaged, and productive citizen of the world, and it will take place in schools and bars and hospitals and dorm rooms and in places of worship. You will be tested on first dates, in job interviews, while watching football, and while scrolling through your Twitter feed. The test will judge your ability to think about things other than celebrity marriages, whether you’ll be easily persuaded by empty political rhetoric, and whether you’ll be able to place your life and your community in a broader context. The test will last your entire life, and it will be comprised of the millions of decisions that, when taken together, will make your life yours. And everything, everything, will be on it.

Meet the new ONA Mizzou student leaders

President: Erin Dismeier 

Hello everyone! I'm thrilled to be the new ONA Mizzou president.  I'm a junior from Chicago in the convergence journalism sequence. I also have minors in film studies and business.  I've chosen to focus on radio reporting and newsroom management in the coming year.

This summer, I will be interning in the news department at WGN Radio in Chicago, as well as writing for Foodmafia.  Along with these two journalistic pastimes, I will be working as a quality reviewer for Millennium Information Services in Itasca, Ill., and waitressing in Lake Geneva, Wis.

Fun facts for your reading pleasure: I love boating, country music, "Boondock Saints" and the Chicago Cubs.

Follow Erin Dismeier on Twitter