Connect with us at AEJMC
We have connected with many former journalism colleagues who also are here with us in Denver at the AEJMC conference. The sessions have been informative and interesting, and many of them have covered the very issues that inspired us to write our book, “Think Like an Editor: 50 Strategies for the Print and Digital World.” [...]
Young journalist? Stick with it
Someone asked me yesterday, “Are you glad you became a journalist?” I answered without hesitation, “Yes,” adding, “Why do you ask?” The reply: “I’m just curious.” That conversation didn’t happen with a student in the “boot camp” writing course that I’m currently teaching at the Newhouse School, nor with a colleague, nor during an interview [...]
Zero-sum thinking
A guest here at the Newhouse School the other day told a group of us that basic photo slideshows on his newspaper’s site (200,000 daily circulation) outdrew video views by 220-1. (He was talking about photos with captions, no audio.) Our guest also told us that the most popular video on the site was basic, [...]
“Real people” quotes: We can do better
In a class Tuesday, we got to talking about one of those things reporters seem to universally hate: Getting a few “real people” quotes after a speech or similar event. It’s a rush to grab someone from the crowd as everyone files out, and it usually yields those kind of “drive-by” quotes that add little. [...]
Sign up for Al’s Morning Meeting
Here’s a shoutout to Al Tompkins’ Al’s Morning Meeting. It’s a must read for me every day. You know, not every idea needs to be your own, original idea. Every day, news organizations are basically writing the same stories, or the same kinds of stories, with their own personal twist and their own local taste. [...]
Have fun in the newsroom: Video
I was chatting with a colleague once, and I volunteered that it was important to have fun in the newsroom and the classroom. Work hard, play hard. I think that’s especially so now, when the everyday stress of the business is multiplied by all the uncertainty. My colleague responded to me: “That’s the last thing [...]
