It is a Digital Era, There is Always Coverage

I have grown immensely frustrated with the Occupy Wall Street protest, but not in the way that would be the obvious assumption.

When browsing several news blogs I happened across another article talking about the Occupy Wall Street campaign in New York. The article was informative in my opinion; however, one line from the article sparked frustration. The section of the story was talking about Occupy Wall Street claiming to not have been getting enough media coverage. And, while this complaint was specifically geared toward the fact that mainstream media has provided this movement very little coverage, 2011 is a digital age and everything--no matter how big or small--is always covered somewhere in the media.

While this movement has yet to receive major attention in the national news, the age of "citizen journalism," as stated by editorsweblog.org, is at hand. With the number of tweets, blogs, video footage, and photographs available to inform the nation and the world of this cause, the voices of those oppressed are being heard.

If those of the movement would simply stop complaining about the lack of main-stream media coverage and take advantage of the digital advances of our time who truly knows what will result. Look at Barack Obama's campaign--it was on facebook.

Read more...

Fighting a Losing Battle? - The Future of Journalism Education

With all the advances in technology these days, you would think that the rapidly-changing world of Journalism would be thriving. Information is more readily accessible. It is easier than ever to find sources to interview. There are a multitude of tools available to make organization and the creation of stories simple.

But there are colleges that are closing the door on their Journalism programs.

Earlier this year, the University of Iowa was informed that two of its journalism programs were not meeting accreditation standards. One of the key reasons for this, highlighted in an article from the Des Moines Register, was low enrollment rates. As a result, the University of Iowa plans to stop taking applications for its professional master's program.

Also taking place earlier this year, the University of Colorado in Boulder voted to close its School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The school failed to fulfill its research mission, which consisted of:

-- competing with other campus colleges and departments for resources, for scholars and -- most importantly -- for a unique niche in the university community.

These closings could create concern among other colleges and universities across the nation. Where does journalism and mass communication go from here? The first step needed is to attempt to define a field that is constantly changing and evolving with today's technology. This could prove to be difficult because the students of today may be learning the job using what will become the tools of yesterday.

Jan Lauren Boyles, an American University doctoral student, wrote a guest blog about the evolving nature of journalism education. In this she presents the conflict taking place among journalism faculty about how to define journalism and how to proceed to teach it.

This leads us all to wonder: what will come next? Is journalism doomed to slowly dissipate from the education world, standing aside for the popular degrees in business and medical fields? Or will it find its niche among the decay going on around it?

I personally hold onto the ray of hope that it will weather the storm. Just like online journalism is offsetting some of the loss of traditional journalism, I think the educational platform for journalism will find a way to compensate as we progress into the future.

Read more...

Beating the Competition - Setting Yourself Apart as a Journalist

Regardless of whether a person is currently working hard at obtaining their Journalism degree or has recently graduated from college with a Journalism degree, there are many things that can be done to prepare for the competitive job market. As a new journalist, the resume has to be impressive in order to compete with veteran journalists, as well as the floods of aspiring journalists every Spring. The bright side: there is a lot you can be doing now that will benefit you in the future.

One of these is blogging. By creating and maintaining a blog, with at least two blog posts a week, it will show prospective employers that you have the ability to write and produce articles on a regular basis. In the writing world, the words "Writer's Block" may be an acceptable excuse, but deadlines have to be met in the journalism world. And unless you plan on being only an editorial journalist, blogs consisting of pure opinion are probably not the putting your best foot forward.

Another is networking with professionals. Put of all of your available resources to good use, whether that means digitally or the old-fashioned way. An article on 10000 Words suggests using any business cards you have collected so far from guest lecturers or professionals. By contacting these people, you may be able to get some post-graduation advice and could even stand to make a beneficial connection.

Potential job leads can come from these professionals. This also includes your professors. Even if they can't direct you on where to land your first big job, they might be willing to be used as a reference.

The third thing you can do is to establish yourself everywhere online. People everywhere are connected to the internet. The best way to get yourself, and those blogs mentioned above, noticed is to have a strong online presence. Simply having a Twitter account and a Facebook account does not qualify. Revamp your existing profiles to make them more professional. Network with others in the journalism profession, as well as other related fields where you could potentially beneficial contacts.

Use these accounts. Among a large list of 30 things that a Journalism Grad should do are posting 100 pictures to Flickr and maintaining a Delicious account with at least 50 links you find interesting. Using these sources often, and keeping them current, will keep your name out there for prospective employers to find.

Perhaps the most important piece of advice comes from the words of a professional, who was speaking at an International Symposium on Online Journalism.

school is just the beginning of learning. At the core is good writing and reporting, regardless of the medium. But to stand out from the crowd, journalism graduates should follow their passions, develop an area of specialization and master that area.

It seems logical that a journalist should follow their passions. If your heart is in your writing, it will be reflected by the quality that is produced. And those are the articles that you'll want prospective employers to see, because those are the ones that might lead to hearing, "You're hired!"

Photo courtesy of deanmeyersnet's Flickr via Creative Commons.

Read more...

Doing Things The "Write" Way

During this past semester, Brian Steffen's BNR students have engaged in the benefits of writing and reporting.

With the semester coming to an end, many students may wonder what to do next. How do we keep up on our writing skills? What is a good way to maintain what we have learned throughout this course?

One of the best tips for young writers to keep their writing career strong is by starting a journal.

A journal helps because it helps a person express his/her feelings, become more organized, and maintain focus. When writing, a person will become more aware of feelings and help clarify his/her thoughts.

Another good reason to keep up on a journal is developing personal growth in writing. Writing helps create and capture memories of a person's lifetime. If a person decides to go back and reflect on a journal, he/she can personally see improvement as entries continue.

One last reason keeping a journal is helpful is reducing stress. When a person handles problems by writing things out, it helps combine fuzzy, spinning thoughts into how a person is actually viewing his/her troubles. By writing, health can be improved because getting emotions out enables the mind to be clearer.

Journals are a great way to help writers improve writing skills at a cost-free and easy way. By having a journal, BNR students can continue to develop good writing habits and a sense of their own mind.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

Read more...

The Right Body Image

Journalism plays a key role in shaping many minds about what their body should look like.

Magazines such as Cosmo, Seventeen, and People demand writers to show readers what the "ideal" body shape is in our society. Many times, this body shape is pressuring young women to have an extremely thin body.

Media writers have a huge impact on shaping people's beliefs, ideas, and images of themselves. People that have exposure to any type of mass media have been given what the "right" idea of an acceptable body shape is.

Faces of celebrities such as Mary-Kate Olsen, Lindsay Lohan, and Jessica Alba are plastered on
many magazines so readers can see what "real beauty" is supposed to look like walking down the streets of America.

Often times a magazine may leave out that many celebrities have been diagnosed with some type of eating disorder on his/her journey fitting into that size 0 pair of jeans, such as the three ladies listed above.

Which leaves writers with the question: How do you write a piece for readers and not offend anyone by giving them a negative image about his/her body?

Last week, Brian Steffen showed us the different angles there are to approaching a story when it is assigned.

There are many different approaches that can be used when writing about body image.

Create a human-interest story that could involve somebody who suffered from an eating disorder or put together a how-to piece on how readers can lose weight in healthy ways.

Another great tip for writers is to simply report the facts.

Don't make your story about the 105-pound celebrity with the fancy car and underground pool seem like that is what every person has to be like in order to survive.

People come in all different shapes and sizes. Know what you are reporting to readers may influence the daily life of somebody.

Use journalism as a positive tool to make readers feel good. When writing about a topic such as body image, report reality, not the celebrity world.

Photo Credit: The Chic Fashionista via Creative Commons

Read more...

The Internet Age in Journalism

Journalists have to know how to use the internet if they're going to be successful today. But when they start relying on the internet for all their facts, things get messy. So when is the internet useful, and when is it harmful to your story?

Catherine Wylie, a journalist in training and writer for The Graduate Times, talking about the importance of being internet savvy as a journalist. For much of her life she was internet-phobic, but now is an avid blogger and Twitter member. As a journalist, the internet is an easy way to publish work for the masses and find information. But the information found is not always reliable.

So how can you make sure your information is reliable?

First, stay away from Wikipedia facts. As the story of Shane Fitzgerald, a college student who posted false quotes by French Composer Maurice Jarre who had recently passed away, shows us, Wikipedia isn't reliable since it can be edited by anyone. If you insist on using Wikipedia, you should check out the sources at the bottom. These may be much more reliable and contain much of the information found on Wikipedia.

Second, just because it's everywhere on the internet, doesn't mean it's true. Tweets from the Arizona shooting of Gabrielle Giffords claimed the congresswoman was dead. News channels picked up on these tweets and other reports of her death and reported it across the nation. Soon it was confirmed that the Congresswoman was actually alive and in surgery at an Arizona hospital, even though it was widely reported across the internet an TV.

Last, don't use the internet as your only source. Sure, it has a lot of good information, but the internet shouldn't be the only source of information you ever use. Interviews, newspaper, TV shows and many other things can have a positive impact on the story you're writing and add depth you wouldn't have gained from using the internet alone.

The internet is an important tool in journalism if you use it correctly. The internet can help you get your work out there and amass fans and hopefully a job that pays well. But if you use it incorrectly and report false facts, it can also ruin your career. Use the internet wisely and you can save yourself from many mistakes.

Photo Credit: Jcarranzz, WikiMedia via Creative Commons. Sérgio Savaman Savarese, Flickr via Creative Commons.

Read more...

Student Columnist Under Fire

Alex Knepper, sophomore at American University, wrote an article on the way women will attend a "frat party" and then in the end should not be saying anything about rape. He says that the women are indicating that they want sex if they attend and get drunk.

Many people have critized the article and are wanting the staff of the school paper to fire the student who wrote the article. The staff and editors are standing behind the student. While they do not nessarily agree with the article, they are against censoring the article. Many students seemed appauld by the column and the decision to publish it.

A group of students are delivering a list of demands to the staff and asking that the editors actually fire Knepper and make him apoligize. They will make fliers, signs and other means to show support against the article.

Read more...