J352: Online Journalism

Bias=Ratings

noreply@blogger.com (Elena Connolly) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:55:00 +0000

It seems that in cable news, the more biased you are the higher your ratings will be. Fox News is dominant in the primetime slots for their news shows including "The O'Reilly Factor", "Hannity", and "Glenn Beck". Additionally, the top 10 cable news shows are all on the Fox News Channel according to this Huffington Post article. It has recently been announced that CNN has fallen to last place in the ratings well behind the obviously biased MSNBC and Fox News. It seems the desire for the most unbiased news possible is superseded by shows like the primetime lineup on Fox. This leads me to wonder, is it bad for journalism that opinion shows are gaining such popularity, or is it just a byproduct of people wanting entertainment?

Degree or Experience?

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:19:00 +0000

There was an interesting question posed on the Web site of the Poynter Institute - is it necessary to hold a degree to work in journalism? It has often been preached in our journalism classes that we have to get as much experience as possible if we want to get a good job after graduation. We are told that regardless of whether it is paid or not, that we should take any opportunity presented to us. If that is the case, is a degree, and classroom journalism education really necessary? There are plently of people who are successful in the journalism field without completing thir education. I do believe that what we learn in college is vital to our success in journalism. From the basics to the specialties, you get the skills you need to earn those initial experinces. Do you guys think you can succeed without a degree in journalism?

Koobface?

noreply@blogger.com (Pat Guthrie) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:58:00 +0000

Actually hadn't heard about this until today, but there's apparently a virus spreading through facebook called Koobface. I read this article in the USA Today tech section, and apparently the virus spreads by having a user play a fake Christmas video, and then infiltrating the users computer. The user then has to solve some sort of puzzle in order to get back control of their PC from the virus. I really hadn't thought of it before, but with Facebook being as popular as it is, it's surprising to me that more viruses haven't spread via Facebook. Is there any way Facebook could possibly work on being more protected against viruses? What the virus does after it's taken effect is create a new facebook account to continue spreading the virus Christmas video. Do you think Facebook should be taking more measures against computer viruses? And even though this virus appears to just create new accounts, do you think the threat of viruses on Facebook could rise to that of viruses in e-mails?

Bad Times for Newspapers, who's reaping the benefits?

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:09:00 +0000

In my non-print media class today we spoke a little about the decline of print newspapers and how many papers across the country are losing money and cutting staff. While it has been widely publicized how print journalists are in trouble we spoke about how there is a portion of journalists that are benefiting - wire services such as the associated press. We wondered if wire services were doing well with the lack staff writers currently plaguing many newspapers. We surmised that the wire services are getting a steady deal of business thanks to the cutbacks elsewhere. What do you guys think, are wire services where aspiring journalists should look for jobs? Or is it only a matter of time before they become outdated?

New York Times photo gallery shows rural hardships for the elderly

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:06:00 +0000

"Growing Old, Hanging Tough," a New York Times photo gallery, shows what life is like for elderly people in rural areas. I thought most of the pictures successfully incorporated the characteristics we described in class, but several could have been stronger. For example, the opening shot has interesting quality of light, but could have had a different perspective. I thought image5 told an interesting story and used the rule of thirds. However, while most of the pictures had one person as a subject, but very few have strong points of entry.

Was this a successful photo gallery? What would you have changed or improved had you been the photographer?

TICK TOCK!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Newman) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:56:00 +0000

The blog closes at midnight!!! If you need a count of where you're at with posts, send me an e-mail. I've graded everything up to December and I'll start working on that about 7 p.m. today when I'm done with work.

Good luck!

Google Teams With Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Elena Connolly) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:43:00 +0000

I recently saw that Twitter will be the newest member of the Google club. Now, Google search engines will be able to find tweets and content from Twitter and display it in their search results. This article describes the deal. This will no doubt add to the already impressive momentum that Twitter has. The Google search capabilities will definitely add to the visibility and popularity of the already widespread Web site. Now people will be able to be involved with the site and follow their favorite celebrities without necessarily having an account. I think this could mean big things for the site and will no double add to its popularity.

Health agencies use new media to alert public about H1N1

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:56:00 +0000

The H1N1 flu caused health agencies to use new media to publicize health warnings and suggestions, found a Boston Globe reporter in a Dec. 11 article. Because young people are extremely susceptible to the disease, but are not likely to watch television or read newspapers regularly, the Boston Public Health Commission used new media technology to reach them. The agency used YouTube and Twitter to increase awareness of the disease. Videos of the flu posted by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention on YouTube attracted more than 3 million views since late April.

Experts and officials disagree about whether this was effective. What do you think?

Web Sites Intertwined

noreply@blogger.com (Elena Connolly) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:05:00 +0000

I was reading an article about how Craig's List is filing a lawsuit against eBay because of what they call "being mislead" by the company. As it turns out, eBay has a 25 percent stake in Craig's List which I didn't know. This all began when eBay sued first to regain their stake in the company after having it dissolved. Craig's List claims this is because eBay had launched a competitor to their site, Kijiji. This brings up the question about Web sites getting involved with others. Do you think it's a good or bad idea that companies like eBay are getting involved with others like Craig's List?

Are Journalists giving up on Newspapers?

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:52:00 +0000

There was an interesting question posed on the poytner institutes Web site today - are journalists giving up on newspapers? The piece talks about different well-respected journalists who are taking buyouts and going to work for online companies, abandoning the newspapers that made them as successful as they are. I'm not sure that this isn't a mutual decision. Many newspapers have to look for cheaper options, and their high-profile writers may not be feasible to keep anymore. On top of that, many older journalists may want tot try something new, as they have been in the newspaper business for who knows how many years. Moving to the Internet and away from newspapers does not make them less of a journalists, but they are changing with the times. What do you guys think?

UK Guardian chooses odd topic for multimedia

noreply@blogger.com (katherine) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:39:00 +0000

Just out of curiosity I started to browse through a few foreign news sites for multimedia. While looking through the Guardian, a British newspaper, I stumbled upon a video titled "Tube tunnels by night" under their multimedia section on the news page. It wasn't the featured video but it received 20 comments, so I was curious to see what it was all about.

To my surprise, the video focused on a night crew that upgraded London's current underground train tracks to a newly designed system. It was six minutes long, at times blurry and shaky but the comments received were all very positive. I personally thought the topic was a little boring and that the video quality wasn't the best. However I guess since I'm not British maybe I don't understand the importance of the "tube". I also checked on the two reporters. Dave Hill, who seemed to be the main reporter, is not even a videojournalist. On his blog he describes himself as an "occasional broadcaster", but mainly a blogger/writer for the newspaper. The other person named was a video producer.

Overall it was very interesting to learn what other groups of people expected from their news source. Personally, I think something like this would not work here. The video length along with the topic just don't think appeal to a big enough audience. Then again, the London underground train system is a lot more impressive than D.C's metro.

AOL and Time Warner going separate ways

noreply@blogger.com (Pat Guthrie) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Yesterday, in something that was relatively underreported, AOL and Time Warner split. 10 years ago, when the companies announced they were merging, it was on the cover of time magazine, and was considered a huge deal. What the merger essentially meant was merger of old and new media, from two juggernauts of their respective industry. But both companies are parting as shells of what they were 10 years ago. For AOL's part, technology was actually their undoing:

The cultures of the two companies clashed, while AOL’s flagship dial-up Internet business was surpassed by broadband.
Today, as the two companies go their separate ways, each is a smaller version of what it was a decade ago, and each is still fighting the disruptions that new technologies have unleashed on the media business.

It appears that AOL is trying to catch up with the new technology by hiring Tim Armstrong, a former Google executive. He's planning changes to the company that include premium content, and news and local information. My big question here is, what's going to happen to both of these companies now. Time Warner is an old media empire, can they adapt to new media. And can AOL, which was such a giant 10 years ago, catch up to the internet developments which it started?

The eight necessary traits for future journalists

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle Chazen) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:35:00 +0000

I read this article on Mashable which highlights eight important qualities that journalists need in order to be successful in the changing world of journalism and online media.

1) Entrepreneurial and Business Savvy- As more and more newspapers become extinct, many young journalists are becoming entrepreneurs by beginning their own publications and Web sites. They must learn to go after commercial opportunities regarding their content.
2) Programmer- News organizations which are gradually transferring online arelooking to hire programmers with HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, ActionScript3 and Python skills. This involves the ability to create multimedia and interactive stories.
3) Open-minded Experimenter- The new journalist should be open-minded and willing to try new things to connect with readers. This involves a lot of trial and error.
4) Multimedia Storyteller- Journalists need to have multimedia skills to convey stories on different platforms, using audio, video and graphics. Journalists are encouraged to learn through starting video blogs and using multimedia applications such as Qik, live streaming from cell phones.
5) The Social Journalist and Community Builder- Journalists need to engage audiences and use social media effectively by connecting with readers both online and offline and building online communities.
6) Blogger and Curator- Journalists should blog regularly and act as curators of other content on the Internet. Journalists can use tools like Twitter and StumbleUpon as social bookmark and share.
7) Multi-skilled- Journalists can no longer focus on one skill set and should be able to use social media, edit and shoot videos, edit stories, write headlines and understand multimedia programs.
8) Fundamental Journalism Skills- As the field of journalism drastically changes, journalists still need to maintain the fundamental journalistic skills of solid writing, news judgment, ethics, investigation and verification. These are important in establishing credibility.

Do you think this list of skills is accurate and essential for future journalists? What would you add or delete from the list?

Variety adapts to include paywalls

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle Chazen) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:43:00 +0000

Beginning tomorrow, Variety will start using paywalls on its Web site as a way to revamp its subscription structure.

One in every ten of the site’s visitors will be asked to register to the site after viewing two pages of content in order to read more articles.

Both print and digital subscribers who log in with a user name and password have full access to the Web site. Nonsubscribers can only access five pages of content per month. To access all Variety content, including print editions, Variety.com and Digital Variety, users must pay a $248 subscription rate each year.

Variety president Neil Stiles said that while unique visitors to the Web site will decline, the core readership will remain and is the focus of these new changes. Unique vistors can access the home page, headlines and short article summaries for free, and news from Variety will still be aggregated online.

Is Variety a source that you would pay to use? What do you think will be the overall effect of the site’s paywall and decline in unique visitors?

AP Mobile

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Ludka) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:50:00 +0000

The Associated Press has created an app for iPhones and Blackberrys where you receive updates on your phone. In an already fast-paced world, this makes things even more round-the-clock. This is a positive development in some respects - it makes it easier to access information at all times and faster - but comes with some negatives too. AP is known to be a very reliable source but we all make mistakes, especially when there's pressure to get the information out first. By making everything even more fast-paced and therefore adding more pressure for speed, are we possibly sacrificing accuracy? Will AP - one of the most reliable news sources - become less reliable because of the speed of stories? Is speed worth that sacrifice?

Are Writers Using TMA (Too Many Acronyms)?

mlivi@umd.edu (Matthew Livi) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:43:00 +0000

I read an interesting article on Poynter about the increasing usage of acronyms by writers. The piece cleverly begins with a sentence consisting of two acronyms: "ROLF from TMI." For those whom Poynter deems acronymically impaired, the sentence stands for Rolling on the floor from too much information.

The writer, Roy Peter Clark, refers back to his days as a young child in Catholic school when other students would write atop their papers JMJ, which stands for Jesus, Mary and Joseph. He then touches upon an occasion when he received a letter from a girlfriend that was labeled SWAK, and was elated to discover this stands for Sealed With A Kiss.

But are writers excessively using acronyms? It is evident that we use them often in our everyday lives, but is this type of speech appropriate for journalism?

I feel an acronym is appropriate to use when it refers to some type of technology, such as a CD-ROM, or a famous figure, such as JFK. But other than that, acronyms such as LOL and OMG have no place in professional journalism. What do you guys think? Am I right or should I STFU?

Murdoch says digital media will not harm future of field

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle Chazen) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:47:00 +0000

Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and CEO of News Corporation, wrote an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal that counters the argument that new technology leaves the future of journalism in question. Rather, technology and digital media will allow reporters to cover stories more thoroughly, he said.

Murdoch wrote that new technology makes the field “more promising than ever,” and will give the media the opportunity to expose wrongdoings and important stories to readers on a larger scale.

"From the beginning, newspapers have prospered for one reason: the trust that comes from representing their readers' interests and giving them the news that's important to them. That means covering the communities where they live, exposing government or business corruption, and standing up to the rich and powerful.”

Murdoch said the media needs to demonstrate that the news offered is worth paying for. The focus should be on important news that the readers truly want to read, he said. People will pay if the media provides readers with valuable and useful news. Murdoch doesn’t believe in government intervention to help failing newspapers since the media’s independence from the government allows them to hold officials responsible.

To Murdoch, technology should be viewed as the reporter’s friend, not foe. Reporters should make use of digital media to better tell stories and captivate readers. He said many old rules, such as the FCC's cross-ownership rule, are now outdated and should not be in existence.

Do you agree or disagree with Murdoch? Are news organizations taking advantage of new technology? Should the government intervene to save dying newspapers or will intervention chill free speech?

A device with the potential to industrialize the field

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle Chazen) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:15:00 +0000

In class, we recently discussed how with the ongoing shift from print to online, news organizations need to find a way to keep up with the technological changes in the field. Overall, most Web sites have not attempted to use paywalls, and those sites that do have seen little success. Today, five newspaper and magazine organizations announced their alternative idea to turn a profit and remain in business.

Time Inc., Conde Nast, the Hearst Corporation, Meredith and the News Corporation announced their plan to create a revolutionary device. This software will be a full-color, touch-screen digital magazine that will work for newspapers, books and other media.

The goal is to make this software more interactive, viable and sophisticated than what is now available for reading news on cell phones. This video of the proposed digital magazine shows how the device looks and acts somewhat like an iTouch.

The group creating the device plans on selling the different publications it will offer through a store similar to iTunes. The device is expected to attract both readers and advertisers and serve as an innovative way for readers to get their news while organizations can still make a profit.

Do you think people would purchase this new device? Will it allow more news organizations to stay afloat in this tough time?

University of Nevada, Reno, receives $8 million to advance multimedia journalism

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle Chazen) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:11:00 +0000

Today, I read this article about the Reynolds School of Journalism and Center for Advanced Media Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, receiving almost $8 million to advance the study of multimedia journalism. This money will allow the school to technologically adapt to the ever-changing world of journalism.

"This is a transformational gift," said University President Milton D. Glick. "It means our students will be even more prepared to communicate on every platform-print, broadcast, the Internet, social media and whatever comes next."

This gift is the biggest the journalism school has ever received, demonstrating the importance of multimedia in comprehensively reporting news through different facets. The school recognizes the influence of social media on the field and plans to teach students how to use social media efficiently and professionally.

The money will be used to install a robust server system, update the school’s technology and construct a multimedia newsroom so students can effectively learn how to use multimedia programs and equipment.

Do you think other journalism schools are fully preparing their students to face the new technologies required to stay competitive in the field? How will schools that do not receive grants keep up with schools like the University of Nevada? Is the journalism school at the University of Maryland offering enough courses in multimedia and online reporting?

Google working with newspapers

noreply@blogger.com (Pat Guthrie) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:11:00 +0000

I saw this article about Google working on a news-by-topic service on the New York Times website. There's a pretty long description of what Google is trying to do to help the papers, but you can pretty much see it for yourself here. It basically allows you to keep track of an ongoing story by updating you with articles on the subject as soon as they are published by different papers. Google did this in conjunction with the Washington Post and the New York Times, and although it's still in the works now, if it's considered favorable by users, Google would offer the software free to news sites so they could embed it like they do Google Maps and YouTube. Judging by what you see on the Google site, what do you think of this idea? Do you think people would use it, or do you think it's not enough of a necessity that it would catch on?

Awkward Adult Facebook Survival Guide?

noreply@blogger.com (Denisha) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:59:00 +0000

I found this funny "survival guide" for adults who want to know more about Facebook on MSNBC. It's a pretty simple multimedia package with information about the ins and outs of Facebook. The goal of this was to give adults a basic knowledge of what seems to have consumed their children's lives. This was a pretty comical view at teaching the "Facebook illiterate" how to make their way through the site.

I thought this was interesting because I know that I have had some of my aunts and uncles ask me about how to use Facebook and I have even had some of them friend request me. It was a big deal when my one uncle figured out how to upload his picture for the first time. It seems to me that Facebook, which was once very restrictive, is now open to everyone- young and old.

It was also interesting to read how to use a site that almost came as second nature to us. Do your older relatives have Facebook? Do they ask you how to use it? How do you feel about Facebook being so open to all ages and generations?

Offensive Material and Web Searching

noreply@blogger.com (Denisha) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:18:00 +0000

I came across a CNN article about an offensive photograph that surfaced on the Internet. An racially inappropriate photo of Michelle Obama. The image brought a lot of dialogue about the web searching, specifically through Google. Google did not pull the image immediately because they said that they usually take the side of freedom of expression. They believe that with freedom of expression there comes both good and bad. Later on Google removed the site that originally posted the photo with the reason that "the page potentially contained malicious software that could harm the computer of anyone who visited it."
It was interesting in this article to learn about the complexity of deciding which sites and photos are featured first on a Google search. Apparently now when you search Michelle Obama you will not come across the photo but if you are more specific the photo is still out there. Should Google and other search engines change the way they decided what is posted first on a search? Should searches with offensive material be harder to find or should we leave the process of what comes first on a search as it is?

Facebook Online Safety Board

noreply@blogger.com (Denisha) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:38:00 +0000

A recent Washington Post article said that Facebook has formed an online safety board. The point of this online safety board is to join five Internet safety organizations (Common Sense Media, ConnectSafely, WiredSafety, Childnet International and The Family Online Safety Institute) so they can consult on online safety issues. What was interesting to me is that both MySpace and Facebook, who are owned by News Corp, have deals with state attorneys generals to increase efforts to protect the sites youngest users from abuse.

I think this is a good idea and could lead to some huge strides in safety and security options that are available to Facebook users. Security options are very important when I use Facebook and I tend to pay close attention to my privacy settings.

I remember a time when Facebook was a social networking site for students in college, but now I know kids age 13 and younger who have Facebook. If we can't stop young kids from joining these sites, then I think that there should be measures taken to make sure they use it in a safe manner.

Do you think this advisory board is a good idea? Will the board lead to a safer Facebook?

Internet Censorship in China

noreply@blogger.com (Denisha) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:10:00 +0000

Last month Obama traveled to China where he had a town hall style meeting with students from Shanghai. I came across a New York Times article talking about the meeting and how Obama spoke to the students about the Internet censorship in China. Obama believes that an internet that is not censored is actually a "source of strength, not weakness". Obama went on to make a valid point about the internet being free in the United States. He basically said that although sometimes he wishes that information wasn't so free in the United States, he realizes that people being open about their opinions in turn makes him a stronger leader. He brought up how he has a lot of critics and can easily find out both the good and bad thing people are saying, it ultimately makes him better. Although the forum was supposed to be open and "free" the article noted that it seemed as if the government had hand picked the students and the questions they were going to ask.

Can you imagine if our Internet wasn't a free forum as it is now. Yes, there are some restrictions on our internet, but as a whole it's pretty much an open space for people to exercise their first amendment rights to speak freely. What if the government had control to not only monitor but also what we see and post on the Internet? I think that if this were to happen, blogs would not exist and comment boxes would be pointless. What do you think? How different would the United States be if our Internet was censored?

I Now Pronounce You Man and Wife...You may update your Twitter.

noreply@blogger.com (Denisha) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:31:00 +0000

In a recent Los Angeles Times article, a traditional wedding took a technological twist when before the couple from Maryland ended the wedding with the kiss the groom paused the wedding to update his Twitter status. The groom pulls out his cell phone and writes his tweet before kissing his bride, who waited patiently. The moment was also caught on film and quickly was posted on YouTube and local news stations picked up the story. I originally heard about this story on a local news station and it shocked me a little bit. Are we becoming consumed by social networking? Are moment's that are supposed to be "sacred" like a wedding really coming to a point where every move we make needs to be documented on our Twitter or Facebook account?

In my opinion Twitter is to blame for this obsession of documenting our every move at every second of every day. That's partially the reason that I do not have a Twitter account- because I doubt anyone wants to know what I'm doing, all day everyday and frankly I don't want people to know what I'm doing. A beautiful moment, after saying your vows, is not the time to update your social networking statuses. Although the moment was "cute" and gave us something to talk about I wonder...are we addicted to social networking sites?