No More Violence

It seems that everytime I log into my Google Reader I see articles about journalists that have been attacked, are missing, or have been killed. Is journalism really that dangerous of a profession?

What is the reason journalists are at the center of violence?

Do journalists cause trouble and that leads to attacks? I'd say no, yes there was the time of yellow journalism but that isn't what I'm getting at.

In an article on Reporters Without Borders states that in a little over a year 14 journalists have been killed in Pakistan. I then have to wonder if the murders are being commited by rebels or the general public.

To a certain extent going after journalists could be viewed as shooting the messenger. Why shoot the messenger when the messenger is only wanting to get the truth out?

No more violence. It doesn't solve problems or make the world a better place.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

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R.I.P Katie Couric

After five years, Katie Couric is going to be leaving her post as CBS' evening news anchor. The reason for her departure is unknown.

CBS is currently in third place when it comes to rating the nightly news stations. Couric helped CBS achieve this position.

Averaging 6.4 million viewers a night, Couric is going to be hard to replace.

CBS believes that their ratings will jump as soon as Couric leaves. They believe a new anchor will entice more consumers to watch, but only from the beginning.

New CBS News Chairman Jeff Fager is going to be the individual responsible for replacing Couric. Many people believe that 60 Minutes, Scott Pelley is going to be the one for the job.

They believe that viewers will fall back into third place shortly after he takes the thrown. First place is currently held by NBC's Nightly News anchor Brian Williams and second place is ABC's World News anchor Diane Sawyer.

PhotoCredit:creativecommons.com

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How To Write A Great Blog

Writing a blog can be tricky. Writing a great blog can be even trickier.

The point of writing a blog is to get people to read your posts. If you are writing about boring topics then there is no way anyone will subscribe to your blog.

One important thing to remember is to write about what you know. It doesn't matter if it's a hobby you enjoy or a news story that you have kept up-to-date on. The important thing to remember is to research and report the subject well.

Using a first person voice is always a good plan. It keeps your audience engaged. They will also tend to feel like they are reading something more personal as if the blog is meant for them.

The worst thing you can do as a blogger is lie. Don't act like you know everything about your subject. You don't want to get caught up in a lie and have your readers distrust you.

If you are unsure about something look it up. If you are unable to find the answer admit that you don't know it. Your audience will respect you much more if you admit that you don't know everything then if you lie about it.

Another thing you should try to develop is a voice. Creating your own personal spin on things can make your blogs more unique and distinguishable.

By using these tips in your next blog you are bound to write your way to a large following base.

Photo Credit: Shiva Chettri via Creative Commons

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More Sites Move to Mobile

Our generation is constantly changing the way we get our information. From newspapers, computers, smartphones, iPods and iPads now we are constantly getting news and information on the go. The demand for information and news on the go is making many sites have to move to more mobile-optimized sites to keep up with the competition.

"The businesses know they need it and see the opportunity," says Jason Spero, director of mobile for Google.

The explosive growth of mobile (1.6 billion mobile phones sold in 2010) shows how important mobile optimization is for Web businesses. But most companies have yet to take the plunge. Google says 79 percent of its largest ad customers don't have a mobile-optimized site.

The New York Times has jumped aboard recently when they announced that they are making digital subscriptions to their website and also a mobile app.

The crush of mobile consumers requires either creating a whole new site entirely or adjusting the content so it can be viewed by smartphones and tablets. This may also require them to ditch Adobe Flash software because Apple products unlike Androids can not view them.

I think it will be interesting to see how many more websites or online newspapers add mobile-optimized sites in the upcoming future. I also think it would be a good idea for media journalists and other jobs including visual creativity to learn how to make mobile-friendly sites especially if they work with graphics and photos because photos tend to get distorted and look funny when viewed on a full-site rather than a smaller version.

PhotoCredit: CreativeCommons.

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