Re-examining the industry

Good thing none of the content from my last post was on the exam.

It's more fun when the exam questions surprise you, anyways.

But I guess my cynicism isn't really merited, considering all of the test questions came straight from the book.

So here's a new attempt to further explore the things about online journalism that apparently I didn't quite grasp a few weeks ago:

What is a newsgroup?

After some investigation online about newsgroups, they seem useful (although not always reliable) and incredibly absorbing. Newsgroups are systems that allow readers to post e-mail messages for others to read. Members can upload files, share information and respond to questions.

Some services require payment, such as  Giganews   and NewsDemon. Others are college-student-sustaining-economic-calamity-friendly, such as the free services offered by Google Groups.

After a search on Google Groups, I discovered there are myriad groups from nutrition to politics to finance. There's even a group for the Medieval Society of Marquette.

In the journalistic realm, newsgroups should be taken with a grain of salt. Although they can provide background information, tips and story suggestions, newsgroups aren’t necessarily reliable sources.

But there are resources and forums specifically for journalists in an online era. One group of note is called Wired Journalists. I just joined it.

The group says it’s for journalists who want to build online skills, serve the community and advance their careers. All of the above: check.

Members can list their personal Web sites, blogs, Linkedin and Facebook profiles. They can even follow each another on Twitter.

The site features questions to which members can reply discussion board-style. A recent question simply asks, “How do you feel about journalism right now?”

The responses are insightful. Kurt Greenbaum, an editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, wrote something I found particularly intriguing:

“I feel great about journalism. I think there has never been a better (or more important) time to be a journalist, because of all the means and modes of getting information. I feel deeply concerned about the newspaper industry, however.”

That’s somewhat reassuring (says the student blogger…) but also a bit unnerving (…who also works for the student newspaper). Either way, posts like this open doors for more posts and more interactivity on the Web through newsgroups.

It's a shame I didn't look into this before that exam...

Examining the industry

In efforts to study for my exam tomorrow, I’ve been going through my notes. Duh.

The first thing in there is about converged newsroom methods. They’ve become increasingly reporter-driven. Producers used to dictate where reporters went on story assignments and instructed the appropriate angle to take. But thanks to those little black backpacks accommodating thousands of dollars worth of electronic toys, reporters can take liberties like never before.

There are some pros Dr. Byers discussed in class:

1)    Immediacy. Multimedia coverage can come from most remote of places.

2)    Non-linear. Stories can take twists and turns as readers link to supporting pages and articles online.

3)    Continuous and expanding coverage. The story develops quickly as reporters continually add updates.

4)    Lower costs. Save the trees. We like digital.

5)    Opportunity for getting info from a variety of sources and media. Access is endless.

6)    Two-way communication: Consumers can offer their own material. Story comments appreciated, thank you.

7)    Easier to travel, less distracting to onlookers. All the equipment is so tiny and fits so nicely into that backpack.

Great stuff. But what about the cons? Backpack journalism certainly isn’t the end-all be-all.

1)    May produce reports that lack context and analysis. Immediacy is great, but often there’s no time to hone in on details before a reporter moves to the next thing.

2)     “Jack of all trades, master of none.” I can take a few decent photos and put them into iMovie to make a nice looking audio/photo slide show. But it’s just nice. Not spectacular. (A note to my future employer: It’s not spectacular yet.)

3)    Forced backpacking reduces quality. I’m tired. I don’t want to run around all day and shoot video and photos and blog and then write a story.

4)    Technical hiccups. Once my iTalk drained my iPod battery and I had to take notes longhand. What!?

5)    Requires multimedia convergence. We’ve seen this effort flop so many times, even right here at MU Student Media.

6)    Seasoned journalists and academics are skeptical of change. Everything worked so well in the past, and this is a pretty big jump.

7)    BIG DEMAND. LOW SUPPLY. (Another note to my future employer: Hello!)

Regrettably, the past few posts have not been based around some ridiculous comment from Dr. Byers. 

Had I been able to finish my last post, there would have been some comment on a Byers absurdity. But when the screams of students thundering down Wisconsin Avenue echoed all the way to the basement of Johnston Hall, we all got a bit distracted. 

At that point three of us dashed outside armed with video cameras and notebooks to run with the pack.

And then we wrote a story about it, but that's beside the point. 

The basis of my post would have been that in the midst of such a historic election and the fact that half of our class was involved with producing a newspaper that in six hours would come hot off the press with election coverage, we would still, still, have an exam the next morning. 

That's an absurdity.

However, our class received an e-mail at some point throughout the evening stating that the exam was moved to next week. 

And there was much rejoicing.

And then some sleeping. 

And now we're studying.

Election Night 2008

ELECTION NIGHT 2008 – an epic moment. The Associated Press, CNN, CBS, The New York Times, everyone has called Barack Obama as the 44^th president of the United States of America.

We’re in the Marquette Tribune newsroom right now watching CNN live. Our reporters are out on scene at the Obama and McCain campaign parties. I can only imagine the respective screams of thrill and tears of sorrow.

Here in the basement we just sit and watch. We only see the masses at Obama’s rally at Grant Park in Chicago. We see the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s joyful tears. We can only wait for formal concession from John McCain.