Why Should We Blog?

At the beginning of enrollment in BNR class, a majority of Simpson College students had never contributed to a blog in their life.

Many students pondered about this whole blogging business at the beginning of this course. Why would we need blogs? What are we going to write about for our blogs? How are we going to know what we're blogging about is useful? How do people even use blogs?

Traditionally, blogs started out as being a sort of online diary for people across the world. However, as blogging became more popular, many businesses and journalists decided to contribute to the blogging world to gain publicly.

Blogging has helped the journalist world in all different aspects. Once writers have exposed their work online, they are easily able to catch reader's attention. In result, they can receive feedback and gain subscribers to read their daily postings.

As you continue to blog, you will notice an improvement in your writing skills. For those who have previously blogged, think back to the very first blog you wrote. Now snap back to the present. Your writing portfolio and skills have improved tremendously because of your frequent interaction with writing.

What if you aren't interested in blogging for journalist purposes and promoting business? There are still many different reasons you can post your blogs online.

One last pro of becoming a blogger is you can even make profit from blogging. A lot of people blogging have not found themselves becoming a blogger to make money, but find out later that will end up doing so.

An unknown author once said, "Blogging is the new poetry."

If you have never blogged before reading this article, please consider the benefits of blogging. Go ahead and give starting your own blog a shot.

Photo Credit: Tutor2U @ Creative Commons

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Communication or Entertainment...Or both?

Media consumption has skyrocketed over the past two years.

A study done by Ipsos OTX of 7,000 online consumers ages 13-74 shows that people now spend over half of every day consuming media. New technology like smart phones and high tech laptops has fueled this increase in consumption.


The big form of media that has been fueled by new technology is social media. The study showed that 77 percent of the people who participated in the study were members of one or more social Media site.

So, what is it big deal with social media?

Bruce Friend, president of Ipsos OTX Media CT said in an interview with TheWrap, "Communicating is now entertaining, and entertainment is communication."

Social media has broken its boundaries with the help of new media to take on the role of communication and entertainment combined.

Media consumers want to be informed, they want to be in touch and they want to be entertained. Social media has all of these aspects. Social media sites are constantly changing and revamping in order to attract media consumers who have these demands.

Thanks to new technology, social media sites are also being forced into making products available through every different type of smart phone or other media device on the current market.

Are media consumers demanding too much out of their media outlets?
Is entertainment becoming more important than communication, or can they coexist equally through social media?

Only time, and an eye on new technology, will answer that.

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Journalism Makes A Shift In Schools Out East

In recent years, the scope of journalism has shifted from the traditional forms of news gathering to a more online and multimedia approach. It's no secret that the majority of the general news-conscious public gathers more than 80% of their information from an online source. Combined with audio, video, pictures, AND shorter articles, journalistic news has made a shift...and so have the people who participate in its production.

Journalism schools in New York and other cities on the East Coast have noticed this shift to a more multimedia approach and have implemented teaching new skills into their curriculum.

Adam Penenberg, an NYU faculty member said, "The challenge inherent to journalism programs today is like taking a bowling ball and trying to hit a fast-moving target."

Students are being faced with the difficult task of having multiple skills. Journalists used to be able to just write, edit, and occasionally do audio. Now they have to encompass all aspects of social media, online and print news, audio, video production and editing, and photography.

What schools out East hope to accomplish, is by equipping students with the necessary tools/skills to succeed in the rapidly changing world that is journalism and media, that they can learn, adapt, and effectively fit the role of the 'new' journalist.

New courses focusing on managing social media (specifically Twitter and Foursquare) and encouraging discussions by students on class websites are among some of the 'quick changes' journalism schools are making to adapt to this media shift.

--Sound familiar?

Not only are big, journalist-ritzy, East Coast schools making changes, but so are private, community, and state schools. EVERYONE has begun to recognize the need for attention to technology. Classes at Simpson College, for example, try to promote the same key elements in their course work. Twitter, blogging, discussions boards, encouraging internships and practicums in student-run media groups are all essential for those looking to pursue jobs in ANY realm of communications.

--So what does this mean for the Communications/Journalism student?

1. Get with it. --Establish yourself on various social networking sites, create a profile, share your work, gain a 'fan base' and market yourself. The more you do, the more likely people will see it.

2. Be confident. --No one likes a timid journalist. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and try new things. Go after the news; don't let it come to you.

3. Utilize your talents. --Sure they're asking for you to master everything...but you also want to find your niche in communications. If you excel at shooting and editing video, focus on mastering that skill. It's not hard to incorporate other areas of multimedia once you get the basics...but you have to know what you are good at.

Journalism schools and Communications departments across the country are seeing the need to educate and adapt to the changing technological culture we're being thrust into. If we don't keep up with the fast-paced cyber channels being developed, journalism (in any traditional sense) will cease to exist.

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