The Robots Are Coming!

They are smarter, faster, stronger and even better at Jeopardy than us. They are robots, and they appear to be finding a niche in almost every facet of our lives-not excluding reporting. A technology feature in The Week debuted the newest arena for robots to play: journalism.

That's right, robots are now being hired from one company by more than 20 anonymous sources to pen some of their articles. Although primarily focusing on sports, they are writing on countless other subjects with just as much success. Why hire a robot to do what humans have been doing for centuries? Apparently, they are not only efficient at the task, but also quite good at it. Robotic writing programs "can write articles in under a minute," and industry leader Mr. Hammond predicts, "in five years, a computer program will win a Pulitzer Prize."

Panic (for everyone even slightly involved with the journalism industry) seems to be a natural reaction, but nerves can be calmed...for a moment at least. Experts in robotics say that the stories being written currently are simply stories that would not have been told if it wasn't for the journalist robots. However, one point of alarm is the quality at which they are writing. Linguist "seem impressed." The former versions of these programs and the products they produced seemed, well, quite robotic. New technology has been able to provide a more humanistic voice to the work along with an attention to detail that only a computer could posses.

It seems only logical in this age of ever-growing technological advancements that computers would begin playing a larger role in reporting. There are areas with which humans simply cannot compete with a program such as the speed at which they are able to write. Simultaneously, there are some with which we can. Emotion and genuine concern are two key components lacking in current robotic reporting. Although journalist must stay fair and unbiased, it is their intangible drive for the common good that leads them to reporting and keeping the public informed. If you are still worried about lay-offs due to an influx in robot reporters, a career in robotics is always an option.

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Crime reporters come with a variety of credentials...and rights

Covering crime stories is not for the faint of heart, nor is it any longer reserved solely for those who are "professional journalists." A piece in the Washington Times recently discussed this new trend.

The article detailed the August 26th verdict of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Glik v. Cunniffe. This outcome was monumental because it stated that citizens, too, have the right to document the world around them, despite their journalistic resume, and further upheld the First Amendment.

The case revolved around a man who used his phone to film what he thought to be police brutality, and was arrested when he would not turn the phone over to authorities. I am a strong supporter of quality and excellence from professional reporters, but with advancements in information sharing, I must accept (and appreciate) that news will come from many different sources; news that we may otherwise never know.

"News stories are now just as likely to be broken by a blogger at her computer as a reporter at a major newspaper."

Our textbook offers a few guidelines for reporting on crime, such as get to know the cops, but if it is they who are the offenders this advice falls short. There are key items that should be taken into account, but even if one is a professional reporter they do not always help. The article states that journalist are first and foremost citizens, acting on behalf of fellow average citizens. If we take that as our definition of a journalist, then we open up the field to all. Furthermore, if we use that as our foundation then we will leave a mark on the world that is not only informative but compassionate as well.

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Investigative Journalism Finds A New Home: Online

With advancements in technology we no longer just absorb news or information in one way at a time. Instead, we rely on multiple media sources at once, and everything is now on a multimedia platform.

For example, when I open a new story on KCCI's website, I can view/listen to a video, see pictures, and read a typed article, all full of information about what happened.

I had never before considered how this would effect the necessity for investigative journalists, until I read a blog about the topic.

In past years investigating a large story would take an investigative journalists a lot of time, and there for they would have to be payed a lot of money. Today, social networks and millions of other networks make it easier to find leads, sources and experts to contact about a particular topic. Therefore, it takes much less time for someone to get the amount of information they need.

So now you might think that with this many sources to use anyone could do the investigating themselves and wonder, what is an investigative journalist for? The author says the two main things are:

-uncovering the hidden

-reporting the new

Not all of their work is done online. They not only have to find this information, but they have to verify it, link it together and explain why it's newsworthy.

Instead of thinking that investigative journalism is becoming easier, I think we should realize that this accessibility might actually make it harder. All of this information is available, and now the investigative journalist will have to take the time to look at ALL of it and will have no excuses for missing bits of information.

It's a changing platform, just like all aspects of the media, but it's definitely not dying off.

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The Switch to Digital Media

With the internet changing the way millions of people receive their news, media organizations are realizing that a straight switch to digital is not quite the answer.

Patrick Smith of TheMediaBreifing.com wrote an interesting article on how our society is not yet completely digital. Many citizens (of the UK in Smith’s article – and I’m sure many American’s as well) don’t even have internet access. Smith estimated that 8.73 million UK adults have never been online.

This is a large audience that is being missed by the digital armada. Some could argue that a blog post or an online story is only as good as its potential audience deems it.

Smith points out that the growing use of smart phones and tablets is leading to a larger consumption of media online. Mehreen Khan and Salamander Davoudi of Financial Times (ft.com) commented in their article Future of Communications that, “As newspapers and magazines innovate to meet the demands of the new consumer, the transformation should be seen as an evolution, not a threat.”

It is no question that the internet has changed the way that we consume information. However, marketing and media outlets cannot simply flick a switch and move into a digital world. The progress with be gradual, but unstoppable.

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Are Sports Writers' Jobs at Risk?

First a computer beat us on Jeopardy, now their taking jobs from reporters. A company know as Narrative Science has created a machine that can write sports stories that seem quite…well, human.

The New York Times reported on the fascinating new technology. An excerpt from the article is as follows:

“WISCONSIN appears to be in the driver’s seat en route to a win, as it leads 51-10 after the third quarter. Wisconsin added to its lead when Russell Wilson found Jacob Pedersen for an eight-yard touchdown to make the score 44-3... . ”

These words were written by a computer within 60 seconds of the end of the third quarter of the U.N.L.V. – Wisconsin game. The Big Ten Network seems to be capitalizing off of the efficient and apparently cheap story writing technology. According to Chris Gayomali of Techland, a division of TIME, the current rate for a 500 word story is merely $10. This seems quite a bit cheaper than employing a freelance human writer.

How long until machines take over writing human interest stories or romance novels?

Or homework!?

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Bias - Seeing Both Sides of the Story

When writing a recent story a highly newscast sporting event, I constantly found myself having to use the backspace key to rework a sentence. I kept having to step away from the computer and collect my thoughts before returning to the screen to take another stab at what I was writing. Why was this so hard? I thought I could write without bias no problem, but every time I went to type about how my favorite team screwed up, I found myself regretting the story. How do you overcome bias in journalism?

A recent blog I came across that hinges on overcoming bias in journalism had an interesting article by Robin Hanson detailing bias in journalism and what readers are really searching for. One comment by a reader really struck me when dealing with my own bias.

"I wouldn’t say that this is really what customers want. I think most readers want
opinionated journalism that affirms their biases. Newspapers used to be much more partisan.
If you read 19th century newspapers it’s startling how opinionated and partisan they were,
but that’s because there were a lot more newspapers per city. In the early 20th century
newspapers started consolidating and cities came to be dominated by one newspaper, which,
in order to maintain its monopoly, had to present at least the appearance of an unbiased,
even-handed perspective. When tv news sprang up, it was built on this model. Now the world
of blogging has revived the former world of partisan journalism. This is advantageous for
assessing their truth claims because readers can take into account the writer’s biases, and
also because readers have access to genuinely ardent and articulate defenders of both (or
many) sides of an issue. The problem of the journalist taking the middle ground, is they may
not really understand one or either position that well. It’s valuable to hear both sides of the
dispute for readers presented by people who understand and can defend that position well
because then you much better evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the various
opinions. In short, I think presenting the middle ground is fine, if you understand the debate
well, but it’s unlikely that most journalists will understand both sides of a controversial
question well."

I believe the reader makes a solid point that with today's changing media outlets, readers are becoming more adverse in their knowledge and seeking differing views in hopes of detailing the story in their own perspectives.

A common saying better illustrates this ideal, "History is always written by the winner." Throughout history, the victor in a war was the one who made history and as the other nations crumbled, no one remained to tell the other tales. How would our history books look today if both perspectives were written on many notable times? Would we feel the same way about bias in journalism if we understood both sides of the story?

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"Infotainment not information"

Unforeseen news stories are quite unanimously some of the most difficult stories on which to report. Even if a reporter follows a checklist similar to the one laid out in Inside Reporting for covering disasters, there is still so much uncertainty (coupled with so many variables) that make it one of the most difficult tasks a reporter may ever have to endure. The horror of 9/11 was not an exception. On the anniversary of that tragic day, we are once again bombarded with the heartfelt remembrances from victims' loved ones, photos of the devastation and forced to relive the nightmare that was that fateful day. And every piece of this media has been mindfully and meticulously chosen for circulation.

The substance and quantity of what was selected to be publicized, particularly immediately following 9/11, is what incited one writer to begin examining the journalistic choices after that tragedy. Andria Dunkin, a reporter for The Newark Metro, explains some of her findings in her Review Essay: Journalism After 9/11. She states in the article that journalism helped create a strong sense of community after 9/11, but also took advantage of the nation's need for healing after the events of that day.

Infotainment is what was being provided to the American people not information, according to Dunkin. She raises a very valid point, by in a way asking the question, where was the in-depth reporting? The events of that September day caused some of the greatest pain and suffering this country has ever experienced, but it was caused by terrorists attacking our country, and that should have been more closely examined in the reporting.

After reading this article, I feel as if the media was slightly pandering in their coverage of 9/11, and continued to re-play the same heart-breaking stories over and over to keep the public watching. There was a very serious threat looming over America with Al-Qaeda. However, there was not enough information being released about them, which kept people living in an even greater state of constant fear. If it is the media's job to report the stories, then they must report it all. Constant airing or multiple articles on the same topic do not resonate with most as responsible and ethical reporting. The ultimate goal of journalism should be reporting truth, the whole truth no matter how uncomfortable it may be. If it is not the end goal, then what can be learned when we look back on history and events as unfortunate and unspeakable as those of September 11th?

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Non-journalists going journalist.

To be or not to be...a journalistic company? A recent article posed this question to some of the largest corporations in the world. Sam Diaz, a technology and business blogger, begun to explore the role and responsibility that that these Internet companies now hold in our society in one of his latest posts.

The decision of being a committed journalistic resource has began to take on greater importance because of the increasing role in daily life that these companies now hold. Diaz cites specifically Facebook, Google and twitter when he mentions journalistic credibility and responsibility. It is an extremely important matter to examine when so many use these outlets to facilitate their hunger for news.

Each of these corporations have their own ranking and ratings systems that allow users to consume and comment on material that is most important to them, and also what has received the most attention. It is the latter, however, that leads to the issue of when do these social media sites become more than just a facilitator of thoughts? They are now contributing to the news of the world, and although some say they are simply displaying it, others are willing to accept the challenge to do so with more of a quality, journalistic approach.

Diaz ends his article by asking the reader if these companies should strive to do more to preserve journalist standards, or if it even matters? Simply from the few short weeks I have had in my reporting class, I can answer with a resounding yes. They should do all they can to protect the integrity of the information their sites are contributing to news consumption everyday to help the populations of the world stay involved and connected. Another yes to the second question of if it matters. It is similar to the social responsibility we all have to own each day, and these are standards that must be set in place in order to have any chance of complying to them every day.

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Off the Record - Does Such a Thing Exist?

There are many varied interpretations of the journalistic phrase "off the record". To some it means the comments can be used as long as there is no attribution. To some it means that anything said can only be used as indirect background information, without attribution or direct quotation. And still to others it means anything said during an interview is unable to be used in any form whatsoever.

With the variety of definitions, how can anyone ever be certain what a source means when they want to be interviewed "off the record"? A good practice is suggested on JournoWorld, which states:

if there is any doubt at all about the status of a conversation then you should clarify it.

Jamie McIntyre, a former senior pentagon correspondent for CNN, wrote that he often begun off-the-record dinners in the pentagon in the same manner. "Just to be clear and so there is no misunderstanding," he would proclaim in a somber voice, "when we say off the record, we mean not for reporting in any form, (pause for effect).. unless it's REALLY, REALLY good."

That may seem like a humorous comment, but if you really look at it he has a point. Anything that is said off the record can not be used, but it can be confirmed from other sources later who may be willing to go on the record. Anything being said should, in reality, be something that is willing to be printed and attributed. Sooner or later it is bound to come back at you anyway.

McIntyre goes into a bit more analysis on the idea of off the record in an article on the American Journalism Review.

There is even more reason to question whether or not there can be a conversation that is off the record any longer. An article on the Online Journalism Review mentions how, in 2008, a writer for the Huffington Post wrote about a comment that Barack Obama made during a gathering where journalists were not allowed. This writer was present as a campaign supporter, and did what any good blogger or tweeter would do in today's world: report about the controversial comment made.

That was three years ago and even then the question came up about citizen journalism taking over things. If I overhear something that is being said between two people who are "off the record", is it wrong for me to blog or tweet about it? No, I don't think so, because I was not part of that agreement.

And in a world where everything can be found with ease, an eavesdropped comment can pop up within minutes. That could spread to dozens of places within half an hour. How can you have damage control for that? The only viable solution: don't go "off the record" because such a thing is a notion of the past.

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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.

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Preparing Future Journalists for the Real World: Lessons on Trauma

No matter how many classes you take on the technicalities of writing or how to be ethical in your journalism, nothing can fully prepare you for the first time you see bodies being carried out from a burning buidling or crying community moments after their entire town was flattened by a tornado.

I found an interesting article about a new course at the University of Kansas plans on doing their best to prepare their journalism students for traumatic events they may encounter head-on in their future careers.

The professor (who is a veteran journalist), Tracy Lamsam, says she plans to teach the course with readings and written assignments on the topic, and with lots of guest speakers sharing their experiences in the field.

She also said she is surprised by the amount of students who signed up for the class, which is now up to 85 participants. I think it's great that this many students have signed up because they realize how much it will better their future career.

Growing up in Iowa, I haven't been exposed to much trauma at all. I would assume that the majority of college students haven't, but it's important to consider events like this if you're going into the field of journalism. Even if you plan on spending all your time writing about sports or politics, you'll never know when you'll be in the right place at the right time and have the opportunity to report first-hand on a traumatic, breaking news tragedy.

Not only do reporters need to know how to handle themselves in a situation like this, they need to know how to be helpful to the people they're interview who are being strongly affected by the occurrence.

I found it interesting that the article reported that a girl from Iowa signed up for the course because they only event she'd ever experienced first-hand was the flooding near her hometown of Iowa City.

One of the most important pieces of advice I took from the article was from Ann Brill, the Dean of the KU School of Journalism. I learned that basically, good journalists doesn't just write about the details of the event, they report the emotion and the long-terms effects as well.

Future journalists, always remember to keep these things in mind as your prepare yourself for you dream career!

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Online Media - A Comical Relief

When the work-day starts to drag on, many people have multiple outlets that they turn to as a distraction or a quick relief. These can range anywhere from a quick game of solitaire, or popular news sites such as Yahoo.com, or Foxnews.com. My personal favorite is a comedy article site known as Cracked.com.

Although this popular site doesn't offer up to the minute news, they do give a slight mental relief during a stressful day on the job. Commonly adding anywhere from 2-5 articles a day, Cracked.com offers light-hearted reads that generally contain satirical information regarding current social fads, political figures or media frenzies. When first looking at the site, it is hard to see how to think of it as journalism at its best, or even worst, but upon closer examination, there are many aspects which hold true to what journalism is.

There are multiple courses that may be traversed on the site, leading into either political information, sports, news, or even pop culture, but all of them will offer information none the same. The articles, which are commonly written by freelance writers, have a distinctive structure—bullets, that are commonly used to keep readers attentive and searching for more, which is a factor that many news sources are working on a daily basis to obtain.

Only a few points have been listed as to how this type of media outlet falls into journalism, and some may argue that it isn't enough, but to keep from writing a ten page blog, I will end it on this... Why not check it out for yourself and make the decision?

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Do Cartoons Belong in Journalism?

In today's world of media hype and quick hitting news, journalists are constantly looking for new ways to stay on top of the game.

I will admit, I don't pay much attention to the front page headlines, or try my hardest to keep on top of the day-to-day on-goings, but one thing I usually turn to, is the cartoons. Why is this? Possibly a little comical relief, or my background in illustration, or maybe because I don't have a desire for much else. But not unlike myself, many people tend to enjoy this portion of every news paper, but is it really news?

It all depends on how you look at it. Obviously, the common cartoon strips that are found in almost every major paper in the country can go be viewed positively or negatively. Some people think it is vital the papers as it helps drive up their daily margins, but others may view it as nothing more then a filler. But when it comes to political cartoons, many people tend to get very animated.

Political cartons are a very important historical aspect as they convey powerful ideas pertaining to specific periods of time. During the political campaigns, short clips may work to convey a presidential hopeful's political views, or portray the exact opposite and slander their ideas. During times of crisis, especially era's of war, they may help to rally a nation behind their troops, or tell of a trying battle. During the Spanish American War, William R. Hearst was quoted in saying "you furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war." to a prominent artist of the time, Fredrick Remington.

Political cartoons have had a long prominent history within our news, but as the new outlets develop that allow readers to gain instant access to information anywhere in the world, it is hard saying where they will stand, or if they will even have a leg to stand on.

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The Changing Role of the Social Media Editor.

The role of the social media editor is quickly expanding. Editors have always played incredibly important roles in news rooms and are now adapting those roles to meet the demands of online blitz journalism.

Twitter is an incredibly powerful source for news in the now. But who confirms the news tweets are factual? Social media editors have begun taking on the responsibility of debunking incorrect information posted on twitter.

For some, it is not enough to simply ignore information that is incorrect. Instead, some social media editors have taken it upon themselves to debunk invalid information that quickly circulates on the web.

Steve Myers of Poynter shares his thoughts on the changing roles of social media editors in a recent article. In the article, Myers shares how one social media editor, Anthony De Rosa of Reuters, tweeted in regards to a photo of Irene. De Rosa tweeted, “There’s an image going around of the East River cresting. It is fake.”

Hoaxes are not new to society. However, social media seems to have assisted the speed at which a hoax may be spread. With so much misinformation being spread on the internet via social media, editors face a tough question: When do you expose misinformation and when do you let it slide?

Picture complements of sedonaobserver.com

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Education: In Class or Online

There have been a lot of researchers tending to this topic in recent history. It’s a valid question for the average student today who is trying to fit their education in with their current lifestyle.

The array of degrees available to seek online now can range from your average Liberal Arts degree, to Military higher learning and even medical training.

An article researched by the New York Times (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/study-finds-that-online-education-beats-the-classroom/) found that, on average, students doing some or all of the course(s) online would rank in the 59th percentile in tested performance, compared with the average classroom student scoring in the 50th percentile.

This analysis was hosted by The Department of Education. Now, anyone who has taken a statistics class already knows to account for the fact that they could not quantify the scope of all people seeking education. The study did use ninety-nine cases where there was a direct comparison to online and in class studies for the same courses. This is a fairly sound quantity to utilize for a case study.

Based solely on this, the recommendation would be; go to school online, or mostly online if you can.

I feel that this would need more research before a decision/recommendation would be made. I would appreciate a set of statistics that showed what type of person was excelling in the different formats.

If you are not self-motivated, I cannot see how you would be able to maintain accountability for your education. The reverse side of that coin, if you feel that the classroom is your only resource for networking with other students. You may not know to look into course descriptions to see if they offer Skype classes; you may be missing something that is a better fit for your scheduling needs.

Also, within this information I would like to see the attendance levels of the ninety-nine courses. Are we working with a curve? Was the in class participation thirty average students and the online class 10 exceptionally high achievers.

I think the decision needs to come to the individual level. What are your thoughts?

Photo Credits: http://search.creativecommons.org/#

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Bogged By the Blog

As someone who considers her self to have a clear literary voice, I am currently challenged with blogging. I have been doing research to help utilize the Internet and make it work to my advantage, as my creativity seems to be stifled in this format. I am uncertain if it was the pressure to perform, the fear of not attaining a good result, or if there was a bit of resistance to the new to me formatting.

However, I decided to dive in and research any tips and tricks that other parties found useful in their endeavors on the high speed playing field.

http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/blogging/common-blogging-problems/

Was the first website I went to, I had searched “challenges of blogging,” this was the first returned item under that criteria. There were 5 elements it suggested to me, but only one relevant to our class. #3 No clear purpose. I know we had visited this during class discussion, but reading this to myself, and their description really assisted my thought process.

“Do you want to blog simply to share your thoughts and opinions? Do you want to use the blog to promote your services? Do you want to sell products? Do you want to build your reputation and position yourself as an expert? Do you want to make money from affiliate products or ad clicks,” borrowed from the site above.

I found this a very nice illumination on where to focus when I am searching for a topic, and designing my post for the week. I particularly wanted to share this in case anyone else needed this or knows any individuals who may benefit from this tid-bit as well.

Photo Credits: http://search.creativecommons.org/#

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Writing on Your Own Time - Freelance Journalism

For college students and recent graduates, the idea of working the long hours at a large publication might not hold a lot of appeal. The good news is that there is another option for those who wish to write articles for magazines or newspapers without it consuming their lives. They can become freelance journalists.

There are those who may paint the picture that a freelance journalist is able to be their own boss and work their own hours. This may be true to an extent, but if you want to have some success in this profession you will still need to have a strong work ethic and the desire to put in the extra time to be successful. According to WritingCareer.com, freelance journalism is one of the more hectic forms of freelance writing. You will still need to travel from place to place, hunting down facts, and meet deadlines. This will still be a lot of work, because it is still a job.

A benefit to freelance journalism is the ability to spread your work across multiple platforms. You can work on some newspaper stories that have short deadlines and some magazine stories that have less structured deadlines. You will have more readers because not everyone reads the same newspapers or magazines. You will be able to build a stronger online portfolio of your work by showcasing your ability to write for multiple forms of publication.

Another benefit is the ability to focus primarily on things of interest to you. When you write about something you are interested in or care about, the content is more likely to be good. You'll have motivation to write the story for reasons beyond securing a paycheck. The end result may be a lot of great articles to attract prospective employers. More benefits to being a freelance journalist can be found at the American College of Journalism.

Being a freelance journalist can help you land that job at the major publication. It also offers a bit of flexibility for those who have busy schedules. Any college journalism student should be able to craft a few articles and send them out to various publications. Freelance journalism can be a hobby for those who want to earn some added income but still want to keep their current career.

If any of this sounds like it could be for you, there is more information on how to get started as a freelance journalist. It may take a lot of work, dedication, and piles of rejection to break into the field. But before you throw in the towel and give up on freelance journalism because of a rejection, remember this quote:

"A rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success."-Bo Bennett

Photo courtesy of sambeckwith's Flickr via Creative Commons.

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Do we really need investigative journalist?

A recent blog begged the question, "what next for investigative journalism in a world of information overload?" The post can be read in entirety here. It made a very compelling case for the need, or rather lack there of, for investigative journalist due to the plethora of information that is now completely at our own disposal. It also made a great one for the reason why we still in fact need it.

At first thought, I immediately jumped to the side that argued we do not need them. I can do just about any "uncovering" whenever I want, however I want, and wherever I want, so why do I still need someone to do it for me? The Internet alone seems to do a pretty incredible job helping me solve any lingering inquires I may have on almost every subject matter.

On second thought, however, I decided I may have made my decision a bit haste-fully. In reality, there are more things I learn from these journalist who seek out the truth than I could ever accomplish on my own. For example, the article mentioned stories that were not new, but still had questions that needed to be answered. It is the work of investigative journalists that solves these unknowns.

The blog also mentioned a crucial role of these investigative individuals as holding power to account. This may be the most important aspect of their jobs because they have the leverage as journalist to see that this happens. If there is not a checks and balances on power, then where does that leave those of us without power? It is the beauty of journalism and investigative journalists that allows this exchange to occur, and allows us as the reader to be more informed, engaged, and active participants of this world.

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Are we getting dumber?

I began the journey to finish my college degree over a year ago, and I was terrified. The course load along with working and other activities were worrisome to say the least. I knew the undertaking would be challenging, but ultimately decided it was the path I needed to take. Flash forward to my first evening I sat down to read my first chapter, and I recall vividly the ADHD symptoms (that I had never previously experienced) take over my body. I thought to myself, how can anyone sit and read this much for this long?

Well, my question seems to have been finally answered by Nicholas Carr quite simply in that we cannot. His article in The Atlantic describes this epidemic as the result of the way we absorb information on the Internet, and that it is in fact making us "stupid." "What the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation." I could not agree more, and I was delighted to find out that I was not alone in my dread of the wordy- reading. I was not delighted, however, to learn that these quick-read habits could be affecting my intelligence.

We are a society that relishes in instant gratification, and that has now parlayed into the way we want to consume information. Few pick up a newspaper and read it cover to cover. Rather, they hop on the web, cruise over a few major headlines, and feel quite satisfied...for the moment anyway. It is this new behavior instilled in us from the Internet that has transferred over into our behavior with all types of reading, and appears to be verging on detrimental.

Bruce Friedman, a blogger himself stated, "even a blog post of more than three or four paragraphs is too much to absorb. I skim it." Because this is a learned behavior, is it possible to unlearn it? If we commit to taking in an entire article on the Internet, will it help change patterns in contently finishing in entirety a news story? I for one am willing to give it try. And to not bore Mr. Friedman if he happens to be reading this, I will end before a fifth paragraph has the opportunity to make this a "skim" worthy post.

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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.

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