Comments on: Brave new world http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/06/07/brave-new-world/ a group discussion about the future of student media Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:13:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Caitlin Mullen http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/06/07/brave-new-world/#comment-36653 Caitlin Mullen Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:03:05 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/06/07/brave-new-world/#comment-36653 That's awesome that you got to experience all of this firsthand, Jim. That online media conference thing a couple of us went to back at the end of April? They talked about all of the things you mentioned and more. It was really, really informative and exciting. It's going to be interesting to see how we work with it, come August. :) That’s awesome that you got to experience all of this firsthand, Jim. That online media conference thing a couple of us went to back at the end of April? They talked about all of the things you mentioned and more. It was really, really informative and exciting. It’s going to be interesting to see how we work with it, come August. :)

]]> By: Meranda http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/06/07/brave-new-world/#comment-29637 Meranda Sat, 09 Jun 2007 17:20:10 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/06/07/brave-new-world/#comment-29637 The phrase "get me something for online" is more common place in my newsroom even than "hold it to 12 inches." Though already its relevency is fading: The editor really doesn't have to tell the reporters he wants something for online. We already know. So, when we come back from an event/meeting/scene, we write a brief and tell editor that "I just moved the fire/meeting/whatever for online." We know when we arrive on the scene, we should call back immediately with something to get up on the Web, and every time we get something new we should call back in with an update. We break news online first — always. We never hold back. It isn't about whether TV can get the scoop from us. Let them chase it. As our editor frequently looks at us and says when they have the same story we do: "We can do better." It's about being the go-to place for the news in this community. We'll turn it around into a second-day story for print, but we'll post and update it a half-dozen times as warranted during the day before any of our print subscribers see it on their front porch. Our readers notice and respond, at least half of our most-read stories each day are breaking news items (all of our updates fall under the 'breaking news' heading). Take this for instance: Earlier this week, the state dept. of education sent out data revealing how local schools and corporations fared in rankings based on our state tests. I got the information around 5 p.m. Tuesday, embargoed for release at 11 a.m. the next day. I was working the night shift Wednesday, so I quickly analyzed the data and wrote the basic news story before leaving Tuesday night. We posted it online at 11:01 a.m. Wednesday and had several comments before I even arrived at work. That night, at the school board meeting I was covering, the superintendent made an announcement and preceded it with: "This will probably be in the paper tomorrow, but the state today released..." And several of the teachers and parents in the audience commented: "The J&C had it online this morning." I followed my online story with a print package on local reaction and context. Nobody told me to do this. It is what we're expected to do. Yes it's more work (I ended up writing three stories for print, plus the one that went online that morning, plus packaging the data for a graphic for print and another, more detailed one, for online), and yes it means you're on constant deadline and your work is never done. But it's totally worth it to know that your community is relying on you to get the news to them in a timely manner and to still put it in perspective and offer context to help them understand. The phrase “get me something for online” is more common place in my newsroom even than “hold it to 12 inches.” Though already its relevency is fading: The editor really doesn’t have to tell the reporters he wants something for online. We already know. So, when we come back from an event/meeting/scene, we write a brief and tell editor that “I just moved the fire/meeting/whatever for online.” We know when we arrive on the scene, we should call back immediately with something to get up on the Web, and every time we get something new we should call back in with an update.

We break news online first — always. We never hold back. It isn’t about whether TV can get the scoop from us. Let them chase it. As our editor frequently looks at us and says when they have the same story we do: “We can do better.” It’s about being the go-to place for the news in this community. We’ll turn it around into a second-day story for print, but we’ll post and update it a half-dozen times as warranted during the day before any of our print subscribers see it on their front porch.

Our readers notice and respond, at least half of our most-read stories each day are breaking news items (all of our updates fall under the ‘breaking news’ heading). Take this for instance:

Earlier this week, the state dept. of education sent out data revealing how local schools and corporations fared in rankings based on our state tests. I got the information around 5 p.m. Tuesday, embargoed for release at 11 a.m. the next day. I was working the night shift Wednesday, so I quickly analyzed the data and wrote the basic news story before leaving Tuesday night. We posted it online at 11:01 a.m. Wednesday and had several comments before I even arrived at work.

That night, at the school board meeting I was covering, the superintendent made an announcement and preceded it with: “This will probably be in the paper tomorrow, but the state today released…” And several of the teachers and parents in the audience commented: “The J&C had it online this morning.” I followed my online story with a print package on local reaction and context.

Nobody told me to do this. It is what we’re expected to do. Yes it’s more work (I ended up writing three stories for print, plus the one that went online that morning, plus packaging the data for a graphic for print and another, more detailed one, for online), and yes it means you’re on constant deadline and your work is never done. But it’s totally worth it to know that your community is relying on you to get the news to them in a timely manner and to still put it in perspective and offer context to help them understand.

]]> By: Bryan http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/06/07/brave-new-world/#comment-29197 Bryan Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:36:31 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/06/07/brave-new-world/#comment-29197 Thanks for the info, Jim. I had the same experience this spring at the Roanoke Times. The mojo packs are definitely something we should be aiming for, as well. Thanks for the info, Jim. I had the same experience this spring at the Roanoke Times. The mojo packs are definitely something we should be aiming for, as well.

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