Here are the slides and audio from my presentation at the Journalism Interactive conference at the University of Maryland. The title of the talk was Share, Like, Recommend: Decoding the Social Media News Consumer. Abstract: Social media is becoming ever more ingrained in the experience of news consumers. Social networking sites are evolving from being more than spaces for personal exchanges, becoming one of the mediums for sharing and recommending the
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One of the leading thinkers on journalism ethics, Stephen Ward, laid out a six-point approach towards teaching journalism ethics at a time of media transition at the Journalism Interactive conference. Ward’s starting point is that in a mixed media environment, everyone has the potential to perform an act of journalism. As a consequence, he argued, ethics is for everyone. The responsible use of media tools needs to be taught across the
For this month’s Carnival of Journalism, host Andrew Pergam asked “What is the role of online video in the newsroom of the future?” Online video has been around for more than a decade but it has taken some time for journalists that video on the web is not the same as video on television. Best practices of online video are evolving. It is not just about giving all your reporters a Flip cam and asking
There is a glimmer of hope in the latest report on the job market for journalism and communication grads in the US. Students graduating in 2010 faced better prospects than those looking for jobs in 2009, according to the University of Georgia’s new Annual Survey of Journalism and Mass Communication Graduates. The survey found that 2010 students with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and mass communication programs were more likely than were graduates a
Mindy McAdams has written a thoughtful post on whether journalism schools can rise up to the challenges of teaching in a rapidly evolving media ecosystem. Arguing that j-school programs need to do better, among the challenges she highlighted: Perhaps most important: How to determine the best ways to prepare the journalists of tomorrow—our students. This is something every j-prof wrestles with. And it prompted me to leave a comment on
One of the key roles of the university has to foster critical thinking, graduating students who have the ability to ask the right questions and think through solutions to problems. For the revival of the Carnival of Journalism, David Cohn has asked the journalist/scholar bloggers taking part to consider the place of the university in the information ecosystem. Journalism schools are uniquely placed within the academic environment to play a leading
The Latin American journalism blog, Clasesdeperiodismo.com, recently asked me for my views on journalism education and more. The e-mail interview is available on the site in Spanish. But if you don’t speak Spanish or are not sure Google Translate will be able to figure out what I mean, here’s the English version: Q: What do you think about the education of today’s journalists? A: Journalism education is in a process
The Emmy win by UBC journalism students and faculty for an investigative documentary on e-waste is a prime example the emerging partnerships between schools, foundations and the media. The documentary, Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground, was produced by students of the International Reporting class, under the supervision of Professor Peter Klein, for PBS Frontline/World. It was made possible by a $1 million donation from Mindset Social Innovation Foundation to fund an international reporting
This promo video provides a taste of a forthcoming exhibition at the British Library in London showcasing new research tools and techniques. The exhibition, called Growing Knowledge, runs from October 12 2010 to July 16 2011. The aim is “to inform and inspire today’s researchers, consult and engage with them, demonstrate the value of investment in digital research tools, and spark a debate on the future of research.” Hopefully there
PBS Mediashift is running a special series called Beyond J-School, taking an in-depth look at journalism education in the digital age. The series was kicked off by a piece I wrote on how to teach social media at journalism schools: Teaching social media is more than showing students the mechanics of Twitter. Rather, they should learn how to build a network of relevant followers and how to interact with them