Thursday, February 18, 2010
Mark Briggs and the future of journalism
In Dr. Scott Maier's Power Journalism class today, Mark Briggs talked to us about the future of journalism. He also lectured on the benefits on using Google Reader to build RSS feeds. The site can be used by anyone with an e-mail address.
Here are some of Briggs' main themes about journalism:
Although some traditionalists criticize social media sites for lacking transparency, the collaboration and connections have improved journalism.
- Facebook sharing rose 500 percent in six months.
- Twitter is the best thing since sliced bread. (My words, his approach...)
- Through API (Applied Program Interface), news sites are sharing their data so others can build their own Web sites.
- The avenues for sending content are increasing, including the new iPad.
- The average age for an American's first cell phone is nine.
- New sites like Utterli have helped locals send traffic crash reports to the police.
- Qik enables the public to send videos.
Entrepreneurial - Innovation comes to people that are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. - Myths of Innovation by Scott Berkun
- In fact, hard work, sacrifice and risk are the keys to success.
Examples of new online business:
Xconomy - Targets business and technology users about the local personalities, companies, and technological trends. Med City News - Targets media companies and organizations that need content about health care, stakeholders who need actionable information about the medical industry, and advertisers who want to speak to this valuable niche audience. West Seattle Blog - A citizen journalism site started by a former TV reporter and her husband. Advertisers nourish their ability to report and hire weekend editors and freelancers. (They both make six-figure salaries, according to Briggs. He also says the blog probably made West Seattle one of the communities most "connected" with local news.) Bargain Babe LA - The site teaches about saving money both on long-term investments like home-buying and on daily visits to the grocery store, and more.
The future looks good because we will make the news look like we want it to.
But I've been told as long as I can remember that 50 % of new businesses fail in the first four years.
Sure, a Web site or a blog might be a side project that ends up attracting advertisers and a small income, but I want to be depositing money at the bank two weeks after I start a job.
Briggs taught me both incredible tools for journalism, like RSS feeds, in addition to advising I lower my guard and embrace social networking for the sake of jobs - and thus a paycheck.
Here are some of Briggs' main themes about journalism:
Although some traditionalists criticize social media sites for lacking transparency, the collaboration and connections have improved journalism.
- Facebook sharing rose 500 percent in six months.
- Twitter is the best thing since sliced bread. (My words, his approach...)
- The volume of Twitter increased 16 fold in one year.
- It's not inane, it depends on who you follow.
- Reporters can request input about stories from audience/readers.
- Even if we lose Twitter in a few years, the concept of microblogging will stay with us.
- Through API (Applied Program Interface), news sites are sharing their data so others can build their own Web sites.
- EXAMPLE: Openly Local - this site is building a database of local governments by using API.
- The avenues for sending content are increasing, including the new iPad.
- The average age for an American's first cell phone is nine.
- New sites like Utterli have helped locals send traffic crash reports to the police.
- Qik enables the public to send videos.
Entrepreneurial - Innovation comes to people that are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. - Myths of Innovation by Scott Berkun
- In fact, hard work, sacrifice and risk are the keys to success.
Examples of new online business:
The future looks good because we will make the news look like we want it to.
But I've been told as long as I can remember that 50 % of new businesses fail in the first four years.
Sure, a Web site or a blog might be a side project that ends up attracting advertisers and a small income, but I want to be depositing money at the bank two weeks after I start a job.
Briggs taught me both incredible tools for journalism, like RSS feeds, in addition to advising I lower my guard and embrace social networking for the sake of jobs - and thus a paycheck.
# posted by CourtneyH @ 3:24 PM 0 Comments
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