Class Summary

This was an interesting and useful class that provided insightful as well as practical tips on understanding and functioning in the new multimedia world of public affairs journalism.  The highlights were the good reading selections. Tops on my list were assignments that offered basic, practical definitions and explanations of Web 2.0 social networking technology and how it works. For example, the video that explained De.li.cious, the no nonsense step-by-step guide to designing web sites, the sites on eye-tracking. The analysis of government web sites was especially interesting because the cost-benefit of cities and states applying Web 2.0 in effective ways is going to be a challenge.  

The second highlight was insights and information from PADA classmates. From learning about the B-boys in Korea to learning about social entrepreneurship web sites, I gained much from each brininging their corner of the digital world to class. The presentations by Kiplinger Fellows Hank Wilson and Amanda Zamora were especially useful and fun.

While examining the impact of the web and multimedia on the presidential primary was interesting, it didn’t always lend itself to the kind of engagement necessary to proselytize mid-career journalists like myself, as well as other digital virgins.  

By the way, the March 2008 issue of the Quill, the magazine of the Society of Professional Journalists, features “Backpack Journalism” as its cover story. (www.spj.org)  The cover package of stories summarizes in very real-life ways what we’ve discussed in the class and what the Kiplinger program is attempting to do. The cover art shows the iconic silhouette of a newspaperman, only he’s toting a microphone and a video camera.  The subhead reads: “As technology and news consumption evolves, so must journalists. “ Inside are four reports, in which reporters give first-person accounts of their struggles to integrate the new technology into their newsrooms. In addition, the story package includes four pages of down-to-the basic helpful tips on how to record audio and video.  I wish I had had some of them as I set sail in the new digital world.  It offers up a healthy listing of web sites and blogs to help journalists embark on this new world.  One site, www. masteringmultimedia.wordpress.com provides practical tips, as well as a bit of intellectual discussion on the epochal changes facing journalism as we know it. It also raises a lot of good points about what newsrooms need to do to better accommodate the changes, but what they don’t seem to be willing to do. Another good site is www.multimediashooter.com. It’s chocked full of examples of high-quality multimedia storytelling, as well as reports on how to do it well.  All in all, the SPJ stories are a handy little how-to booklet.

Charlise  3/7/08