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The Second Rise of Independent Journalism

The New York Times has an interesting article this morning about professional journalists at Web-based news operations doing serious investigative reporting. VoiceofSanDiego.org and others are cited as forcing traditional news media outlets to play catchup on their reporting.


NABJ’s (New) Media Institute

NABJ kicks off its fall Media Institute series with Lessons From the Multimedia Battlefield in Nashville. The seminar, which runs Oct. 23 to 25, features new media professionals who will help the journalists in attendance understand how to position themselves in a new media landscape. My personal bias is that I’m the closing speaker for the event, but despite that, I’m a champion for journalists understanding that they do not have to sit on the sidelines while the new media tide washes by. I advocate people — even more importantly if they are not employees of Web newsrooms — investing in themselves through training and seminars, such as this one.

Here’s the lineup:

Thursday, October 23

Opening Dinner - 6:00 p.m.
Belmont University - Massey Ballroom
1900 Belmont Boulevard.
Nashville, TN 37212-3757
Speaker: Rick Hancock, Assistant Professor-Professional-in-Residence, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Topic:The Entrepreneurial Journalist

Friday, October 24

First Amendment Center
John Seigenthaler Center
1207 18th Ave. S.
Nashville, TN 37212
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Facilitating Change
“Nothing stays the same except change.” It seems the biggest obstacle, virtually speaking, is change. Journalists must adapt and change their mindset in order to thrive. With lessons from authors like Chris Anderson, Thomas Friedman and dozens of authors, this session will help you open your mind to receive the multimedia tools you need the most.
Dr. Sybril Bennett, New Century Journalism Program, Belmont University.

Snapshot: Shooting for the Web
Oh Snap!!! People really do need different pictures on the web and that means you should learn how to use the new technology to improve your portfolio. Whether you are posting stories or an online resume, quality counts. Learn how to shoot for the web so you won’t have to “shutter.”
Val Hoeppner, manager, Multimedia Education, Diversity University

Using Multimedia to Tell Better Stories
Like Nike, Just Do It. Here’s your opportunity to get hands-on training. You’ll learn how to use the latest technologies to tell better stories. You’ll be exposed to numerous websites and software to improve your story telling exponentially.
John Girton, Tennessee State University

Saturday, October 25

First Amendment Center
John Seigenthaler Center
1207 18th Ave. S.
Nashville, TN 37212
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Shooting for the Web
Make multimedia part of the daily reporting process and get the most from your photography, audio, video and staff. Val Hoeppner shows you the tools you need and how to produce multimedia stories efficiently, effectively and economically.
Val Hoeppner, manager, Multimedia Education, Diversity Institute

Multimedia Storytelling with John Girton & Paul Cheneweth
This is an extension of the “Using Multimedia to Tell Better Stories” session. So often there isn’t enough time to learn how to do at least one thing well. Here’s the extra time that you need to really master flickr, Skype or several other online applications.
John Girton, Tennessee State University
Paul Cheneweth, Web Developer, Belmont University

The Business of Blogging
Blogging can be everybody’s business. Is a blogger a journalist? Is a journalist a blogger? The answers will vary, yes, no, maybe, who cares? The fact is that blogging is yet another way to extend your brand, your business and your bottom line. Learn how to maximize your reach, exposure and potential by adding this tool to your overall marketing strategy.
Dr. Sybril Bennett, New Century Journalism Program, Belmont University.

Closing Dinner
Speaker: Ju-Don Roberts, managing editor, washingtonpost.com

Learn more about this session and the media institute on NABJ’s site.


ONA Conference Is a Month Away

The Online News Association conference is fast approaching. If you’re interested in new media — innovation, implementation or jobs — this is the conference you want to attend. I first became involved in ONA as a panelist for the ‘04 conference. Since then, I’ve been on the conference planning committee each year. Last year, I was elected to the organization’s board. My obvious bias aside, each year this conference offers panels and workshops that challenge those in new media as well as those thinking about it. This year, we’ve added a multimedia learning lab, where participants can learn new technologies and techniques. In addition, there will be a job fair, pre-conference workshops on video shooting and database reporting as well as other topics. That will be followed by two full days of workshops. Find out more about the conference at http://journalist.org/2008conference.



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