During my internship over winter break i had the opportunity to write an article about a local band. I had tons of fun writing it and am excited to see it was published with tons of great pics!
check it out: Keystones
2.26.2010
2.25.2010
Everyone's a journalist
Is that guys sitting next to you on the train a journalist? What about the person two tables over from you in the coffee shop?
It seems like anyone in their right mind can be a journalist today. Am I really competing with the person crossing the street? Some consider anyone who blogs or writes to be a reporter, but giving your own opinion on a matter in the form of a blog post should not be considered journalism. (oops, not that I'm being hypocritical or anything).
This industry has done a complete turn around with the technology boom. If reporting some sort of news that occurred is considered journalism, then heck almost every tweet on twitter is a report. I think the term journalism has gotten insanely broad over the past few years. New types of journalism have formed and most people studying this field have some sort of specialty. But I am a believer that having a degree is, and very well should, get you further then not having one.
It seems like anyone in their right mind can be a journalist today. Am I really competing with the person crossing the street? Some consider anyone who blogs or writes to be a reporter, but giving your own opinion on a matter in the form of a blog post should not be considered journalism. (oops, not that I'm being hypocritical or anything).
This industry has done a complete turn around with the technology boom. If reporting some sort of news that occurred is considered journalism, then heck almost every tweet on twitter is a report. I think the term journalism has gotten insanely broad over the past few years. New types of journalism have formed and most people studying this field have some sort of specialty. But I am a believer that having a degree is, and very well should, get you further then not having one.
2.11.2010
2.08.2010
O Monday
This is a great article, just sayin.'
Thought I should mention that today I conducted my first podcast interview. Much to my surprise, it was extremely easy! I was worried that I would mess up the recorder, that there was a slight possibility of it exploding and my whole podcast being ruined. Not really. But you get the point, I was nervous.
I checked out the H2 zoom, it was so easy to use. I just googled the most simple way of how to record with it, watched a YouTube video about it right before the interview, and presto, I was a pro. Holding the microphone right up to my interviewee felt really cool, and it was really fun.
I have slowly started editing the recording, but I need to emphasize the word slowly. The whole podcast is due by Friday, so I have some more googling about using GarageBand to do. I have mostly been cutting out the bad stuff and mushing audio together. It's pretty choppy, so I need to work on smoothing it out.
I can't post the interview here, the interviewee does not want me to, and I will respect that. But there is definitely more of this podcasting business to come, don't fret.
Thought I should mention that today I conducted my first podcast interview. Much to my surprise, it was extremely easy! I was worried that I would mess up the recorder, that there was a slight possibility of it exploding and my whole podcast being ruined. Not really. But you get the point, I was nervous.
I checked out the H2 zoom, it was so easy to use. I just googled the most simple way of how to record with it, watched a YouTube video about it right before the interview, and presto, I was a pro. Holding the microphone right up to my interviewee felt really cool, and it was really fun.
I have slowly started editing the recording, but I need to emphasize the word slowly. The whole podcast is due by Friday, so I have some more googling about using GarageBand to do. I have mostly been cutting out the bad stuff and mushing audio together. It's pretty choppy, so I need to work on smoothing it out.
I can't post the interview here, the interviewee does not want me to, and I will respect that. But there is definitely more of this podcasting business to come, don't fret.
2.05.2010
Some vocab terms
Here is a list of vocab terms that every journalism student should know. I had no idea what some of them were, so I am also helping my clueless self by typing these definitions:
RSS: (really simple syndication) web feed that is constantly updated in one standardized format. It benefits blog readers, people who get their news online, as well as audio and video online because the media is updated instantly
SMS: (short message service) in other words, this is text messaging. People can now get news updates sent to their phone via text message
e-paper: also called "electronic paper." This is a display of technology that mimics paper. The paper reflects light and displays images indefinitely
Widgets: displays an information arrangement changeable by the viewer such as a window or text box. This allows viewers to directly interact with the website
vlogs: video blogging. what I am writing now but in video form
Twitter: free micro blogging service that allows users to update "tweets," 140 word phrases. Most newspapers have a twitter account to update readers in short, consistent statuses
HTML: the language used to layout web pages. I know, there is a language to write web pages? yes, it is very very complicated
RSS: (really simple syndication) web feed that is constantly updated in one standardized format. It benefits blog readers, people who get their news online, as well as audio and video online because the media is updated instantly
SMS: (short message service) in other words, this is text messaging. People can now get news updates sent to their phone via text message
e-paper: also called "electronic paper." This is a display of technology that mimics paper. The paper reflects light and displays images indefinitely
Widgets: displays an information arrangement changeable by the viewer such as a window or text box. This allows viewers to directly interact with the website
vlogs: video blogging. what I am writing now but in video form
Twitter: free micro blogging service that allows users to update "tweets," 140 word phrases. Most newspapers have a twitter account to update readers in short, consistent statuses
HTML: the language used to layout web pages. I know, there is a language to write web pages? yes, it is very very complicated
2.02.2010
An Epiphany
Today I had an epiphany. Yes, that's right, an epiphany.
After sulking about my future career yesterday, I have come to a distinct conclusion about the use of technology for journalism. Perhaps it is not about learning all the right ways to use the technology, it is about the content within the medium.
I know you may be thinking, "why hasn't this girl thought about that before," right? Well, I have been so consumed with learning about the technology, that I forgot the most important part, the content. A story is still a story no matter what medium it is in. A boring topic is still going to be boring whether it is in print, video, audio or photos.
So then, here comes the big question... what kinds of stories do people like the most? What intrigues the reader? I think news is not meant to be told through online video. Personally, I enjoy the little things in life. Like the story of the local kids who did some huge charity project. That makes people happy. It makes listeners/viewers/readers get the warm fuzzies. Warm fuzzies are good, they sell.
After sulking about my future career yesterday, I have come to a distinct conclusion about the use of technology for journalism. Perhaps it is not about learning all the right ways to use the technology, it is about the content within the medium.
I know you may be thinking, "why hasn't this girl thought about that before," right? Well, I have been so consumed with learning about the technology, that I forgot the most important part, the content. A story is still a story no matter what medium it is in. A boring topic is still going to be boring whether it is in print, video, audio or photos.
So then, here comes the big question... what kinds of stories do people like the most? What intrigues the reader? I think news is not meant to be told through online video. Personally, I enjoy the little things in life. Like the story of the local kids who did some huge charity project. That makes people happy. It makes listeners/viewers/readers get the warm fuzzies. Warm fuzzies are good, they sell.
2.01.2010
The Future of Journalism
An article from Kevin Z. Smith, president of the Society for Professional Journalists, states, "While the answer to journalism’s future hasn’t been decided, be confident that SPJ will be an organization that makes the future happen rather than watches and wonders."
The constant talk about the future of our industry is extremely depressing for a college student. By the time I graduate, many say there is the potential for newspapers to be dead, leaving myself and all the other journalism students left with nothing. But, as Smith says, there is a future, and it is up to the journalist to make the choice to just "let the future happen, wonder what happened or make it happen."
Some say the future of journalism lies with social media, some say once the economy picks back up so will newspapers, and others say news can no longer be free and readers will have to pay for news online.
As I sit here typing this blog post, I wonder, what am I getting myself into? Almost everyday I ask myself that question while pondering if I will ever have a successful journalism career. But, Smith's article has given me a little bit of hope. Instead of waiting for the future to happen, students like me need to make it happen. But how?
How can a puny freshman like myself possibly know what direction to head in? There is so much left to learn, and so little time. Right now, bringing this topic up in class for discussion is one way to get some great ideas. Learning about technology and the effectiveness of Twitter, video, and web is going to take a lot of time, but it has to be done if a student like me is ever going to gain success. SPJ is a great organization, and it has the power to change the future of journalism.
The constant talk about the future of our industry is extremely depressing for a college student. By the time I graduate, many say there is the potential for newspapers to be dead, leaving myself and all the other journalism students left with nothing. But, as Smith says, there is a future, and it is up to the journalist to make the choice to just "let the future happen, wonder what happened or make it happen."
Some say the future of journalism lies with social media, some say once the economy picks back up so will newspapers, and others say news can no longer be free and readers will have to pay for news online.
As I sit here typing this blog post, I wonder, what am I getting myself into? Almost everyday I ask myself that question while pondering if I will ever have a successful journalism career. But, Smith's article has given me a little bit of hope. Instead of waiting for the future to happen, students like me need to make it happen. But how?
How can a puny freshman like myself possibly know what direction to head in? There is so much left to learn, and so little time. Right now, bringing this topic up in class for discussion is one way to get some great ideas. Learning about technology and the effectiveness of Twitter, video, and web is going to take a lot of time, but it has to be done if a student like me is ever going to gain success. SPJ is a great organization, and it has the power to change the future of journalism.
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