Online journalists optimistic about future

These report findings add to our class discussion today:
--

Journalists working online have an uneasy optimism about the future of their industry—but they are more hopeful than news people from more traditional media outlets, according a new survey of select members of the Online News Association (ONA) produced by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism and the ONA.



“I think there’s a huge potential in online journalism, but there’s also a lot of scary stuff out there … We have to try to not lose our way,” said one respondent.



The respondents were less likely to think journalism is headed in the “wrong direction” than are journalists from legacy media, but more than half believe the internet is changing the fundamental values of journalism—more often than not for the worse. Among the biggest changes cited are a loosening of standards (45%), more voices from outside the institution (31%) and an increased emphasis on speed (25%).



Fully 91% praised some aspect of available technology, 30% saw value in the diversity of voices and half believe the move toward more overtly ideological points of view at news sites “is a good thing.”



This optimism also applies to the economics of the online news business. More than 60% say their online unit currently is making a profit, and four in ten respondents are “very confident” that online news can find a profitable model for online journalism.



Still, these economic hopes are largely pinned on Internet advertising, which began flattening out in 2008 with signs of further decline. Roughly two-thirds of journalists surveyed predicted advertising would be the most important form of revenue at websites in three years. Only a quarter of respondents named an alternative model.



These are some of the findings of a survey of nearly 300 of ONA’s 1,800 members, produced jointly with the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, which drafted the questionnaire. The survey was administered by Princeton Survey Research Associates. The survey is a special report included in the Project’s annual report on the health and status of the news industry, the State of the News Media 2009.



The Online News Association is the world’s largest association of online journalists. ONA’s mission is to inspire innovation and excellence among journalists to better serve the public. The membership includes news writers, producers, designers, editors, bloggers, technologists, photographers and others who produce news for the Internet or other digital delivery systems, as well as academic members and others interested in the development of online journalism.



Read the complete survey.



Among the findings:

* When asked what online journalism is “doing especially well these days,” more named aspects of technology like creating rich, engaging media (31%) speeding up the delivery of information (30%), and reaching out to new audiences (30%) than named new forms of storytelling (16%) or exploiting the potential for greater depth or analysis (12%).
* Six in 10 (63%) of respondents ranked original reporting as the most important type of information they produce. This was more than four times as much as the second-most important information type: aggregated material from wires and other legacy outlets (13%).
* Three-quarters of ONA members surveyed said their sites’ home page is “essential to getting their content to users.” This is nearly three times the number that named e-mail alerts (26%) and RSS (26%). Just 9% considered posting to social media sites essential. Postings on the increasingly popular YouTube were named essential by a mere 4%. And four times as many (18%) said YouTube postings were not at all important.
* The vast majority of these respondents (77%) work in for-profit models. And, a majority, 61%, says their sites are currently turning a profit—but “making a profit” may not be as clear-cut here as in other genres. First, few of these sites are being forced to carry the full weight of those profits. Two-thirds of those in for-profit models (67%) say their sites are subsidized by their legacy media outlet. Less than a third (29%) are either an online-only entity or fully separate from the legacy outlet.

Keeping J-School Relevant

Some of the discussions going on about the future of J-School. Available at Inside Higher Education.

VO/SOT video - for Professor Perri's class

Sample video.

Text of bite:
(SOT) Everybody deserves to be able to express themselves. And the fact that a group of people would pick on anybody else or harm them because of their beliefs, I think, is something that should be abhorrent to everybody.

---

BASIC STRUCTURE OF A VO/SOT

(OC) THIS IS YOU TALKING DIRECTLY TO THE CAMERA - WRITE ONE SENTENCE INTRO SCRIPT


(VO) DESCRIBE WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT WHILE THE VIEWER SEES VIDEO ILLUSTRATING IT. WRITE TO YOUR VIDEO. LEAD INTO YOUR SOUND BITE SO IT MAKES SENSE.


(SOT) SOUND BITE


(VO) MORE VIDEO WITH YOUR VOICE BEHIND IT.

Twitter to seek business revenue

Twitter to seek revenue from businesses
* Twitter to offer business services in 2009
* May try several revenue models this year
* Set to offer commercial accounts

By Alexei Oreskovic
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Internet start-up
Twitter is taking a much-anticipated first-step in its quest to
parlay its popularity into revenue by offering certain
customers an expanded range of services.
The company is preparing to offer commercial accounts in
which corporations and other types of businesses pay a fee to
receive an enhanced version of Twitter, a free service that
allows people to send short, 140-character text messages to
their network of friends.
"We think there will be opportunities to provide services
to commercial entities that help them get even more value out
of Twitter. If these services are valuable to companies, we
think they may want to pay for them," Biz Stone, co-founder of
Twitter, said in an e-mail sent to Reuters.
San Francisco, California-based Twitter has enjoyed a surge
in popularity since its creation three years ago, despite the
fact that the company has yet to make any money. According to
Nielsen Online, which measures Internet traffic, Twitter's Web
site had more than 7 million unique visitors in February,
compared to 475,000 in February 2008.
Last year, the company turned down a $500 million
acquisition offer by social networking powerhouse Facebook. And
some observers have speculated that Google Inc might
have its eye on Twitter, because of Twitter's so-called real
time search capabilities.
Twitter recently closed a round of venture capital
financing pegged at $35 million by media reports, following two
earlier funding rounds totaling $20 million.
While Twitter initially planned to begin seeking revenue in
2010, the company recently decided to accelerate the schedule
and find ways to monetize its service this year.
On Monday, Microsoft Corp and online marketing
firm Federated Media rolled out a special Website dubbed
ExecTweets that allows individuals to monitor Twitter messages
of business executives.
Stone said Twitter has just hired someone to work on
creating commercial products. He would not say when Twitter's
commercial accounts product is set to be introduced, but said
it would be sometime in 2009.
"We have lots of time for experimentation with regard to
revenue generation, so we'll probably be trying a few different
things this year," said Stone.
(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic; Editing Bernard Orr)

SOC Job Fair Thursday!

Tomorrow's Job Fair will include recruiters from the following companies: USA TODAY (internships) and USA WEEKEND (internships), EDITORIAL PROJECTS IN EDUCATION (internships); NORTHERN VIRGINIA MAGAZINE (internships); COMCAST SPORTSNET (internships); SIRIUS/XM RADIO (internships); WTOP RADIO/WFED FEDERAL NEWS RADIO (internships); and WAMU 88.5 FM (part-time jobs and internships). Please encourage your students to attend!

The AU Job and Internship Fair

Launch your career with one of the many employers eager to recruit communication students at Thursday's Job and Internship Fair. Explore internship and job opportunities with organizations including:
Broadcasting Board of Governors
Comcast SportsNet
DC Film Alliance
Discovery Communications
Editorial Projects in Education
MS&L Northern Virginia Magazine
SIRIUS XM Radio
U.S. Department of State
USA TODAY
USA WEEKEND
WTOP and WFED Radio
Log into AU CareerWeb to view all registered employers
Prepare for YOUR FUTURE.

PRESENTATION COUNTS
Monday, March 23
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Kogod Student Lounge

Learn from DC's 2007 Best Dressed designer, Ebong Eka, and impress employers with your business attire. RSVP and enjoy gourmet cupcakes from The Blushing Bakeshop.
RESUME STATION
Wednesday, March 25
12-2 and 5-7 p.m.
The Tavern

Fine-tune your resume during a walk-up advising session with a Career Center advisor.

Access other tools and resources to prepare for the Fair and Your Future at www.american.edu/careercenter/future.


Please help spread the word, and remember to bring your AU ID for admittance to the Fair!

American University Career Center
Butler Pavilion, 5th Floor
P: 202-885-1804
F: 202-885-1861
www.american.edu/careercenter

Minna Scherlinder Morse
Career Advisor, American University Career Center
Direct Line: 202-885-1809
Appointments: 202-885-1804
Email: minnam@american.edu

HOURS: Monday: 12:30-5, Tuesday 10-3, 6-8, Wednesday 10-3, Thursday 10-5, Friday 9-1

The Machine is Us/ing

Check it out.

Need to revise a story? Toss around an idea?

IDEA CLINIC at AU SOC
Bring your story ideas, and two pros will help you refine them.
Bring your lunch. Dessert and drinks provided.
Professors AMY EISMAN and LYNNE PERRI
TUESDAY, MARCH 31
NOON-1 p.m.
MGC 200
Grad and undergrad journalism students welcome

Journalist Social Network

Sign up!

Big Quiz!

Review Quiz

Spring 2009

Reporting

Dr. Walker

Delete all unnecessary words in the following sentences. Avoid rewriting.

1. The car will cost the sum of $250 to fix.

2. With the governor’s signature, the new law takes effect today.

3. We got a lesson in past history from the anthropology professor.

4. A young, 11-year-old boy was injured today in an accident.

5. The police have no suspects at this point in time.

Rewrite the following sentences to make them more precise. Remember: Inanimate objects cannot do the same things people can do.

6. Smaller grocery stores usually know their customers.

7. After paying a $225 fine, the dog was free to go home with its owner.

8. A car stopped to help the accident victims, then called the police.

9. After robbing the convenience store, a waiting vehicle sped east on Northrup Road.

10. American University canceled classes again Wednesday.

Punctuate the following sentences and/or correct any grammatical mistakes. There may be more than one mistake in a sentence, and some sentences may be correct.

11. Goldie Hawn a 50-year-old actress says she has trouble finding work.

12. “If they close school for Christmas, they should close it for Yom Kippur” said Jean Rosenburg a senior.

13. Ann McLaughlin a sophomore from Long Island wants to be a television reporter.

13. The school’s who have the best sports teams are the most popular.

14. My roommate, her sister and me spent the weekend in New York.

15. The woman that called Diane Rehm's radio show told about the accident.

16. In Prince George's County, everyone must recycle their cans and bottles.

17. Nobody in my journalism class is as smart as me.

18. The number of students at American University are increasing.

19. We live next door to the Peterson's.

20. The fate of three students remain in doubt.

21. The Olympic committee were debating Harding's fate.

22. Each student is responsible for getting their paper in by Monday.

23. The D.C. jury reached their verdict in record time.

24. A cat will chase it’s prey if it’s allowed outside.

Correct the following sentences. You may rearrange sentences as necessary.

25. “I love the independence and freedom I find here. I love being my own boss,” says Delrine Alvis, a 42-year-old immigrant from Sri Lanka.

26. Lorraine Hamilton, 38, feels she would have divorced her husband even in her native Bangladesh.

27. Researcher Lisa Chung isn’t surprised by women who refuse to date people outside their native cultures.

28. Fatima Dias, a Sri Lankan, says he is not looking for an American mate. “Dating someone not of your own culture is a disadvantage. Their values and upbringing are different.”

“You have to pick what’s good for you, like buying a skirt. Skirts come in different lengths. You pick the length that suits you best.”

29. Bangladesh native Lorraine Hamilton says life would have been less stressful if she had stayed home. “I would have had my family to help me raise my son and also give me the emotional support I need.”

Paraphrase the following quote, using one sentence only.

30. “I think the media have gone out of their minds with their coverage of this trial because all we ever see on TV anymore is Simpson, Simpson, Simpson. Enough is enough, already. I’ve had it with the Simpson trial. It’s on all the time,” says Maggie Wilson, a senior chemistry major.

Critically evaluate the following news leads. Do not rewrite; just explain their flaws and suggest how they could be improved.

31. Two 7-year-old girls suffocate in unused freezer during game of hide-and-seek at friend’s birthday party.

32. Police Officer Rhoda Brey shot and seriously wounded Robert R. Chuey, 25, of 624 Church St., who fled from the scene of a robbery, then fired at the officer during a foot chase in an alley in the 1600 block of N. 35th St. early this morning.

33. A pollster who spoke to political scientists today began by welcoming them to the city.

34. The Department of Health and Human Services issued a report on alcoholism today.

35. Health care for the poor is substandard in this country, according to medical experts who met at an AMA conference here. They said Vertical Integration Systems will help reverse that trend.

Write a summary news lead that follows the guidelines we have learned in class. Write the lead and then explain how you would construct the second and third paragraphs.(5 points)

FACTS:

a. Yountville is a town of around 3,000 45 minutes north of San Francisco.

b. There’s a not air balloon company in this town.

c. Around 6 a.m., the company was filling 40-gallon portable tanks from a 3,000-gallon tank.

d. One of the 40-gallon tanks exploded as it was being filled.

e. A dozen other 40-gallon tanks exploded.

f. The 3,000-gallon tank was threatened by flames. But a relief valve opened, keeping it from exploding.

g. Several other tanks, one 50,000 gallons, another 10,000 gallons, were also threatened.

h. The town was ordered evacuated by firefighters, who were worried that the larger tanks would explode. They didn’t.

i. No one was killed. One man was injured, hospitalized in stable condition.

j. Yountville is in the Napa Valley.

k. Hot air balloons are inflated by hot air warmed by propane gas burners.

36. An important aspect of covering local government is reporting on:

a. the mayor’s infidelities

b. the city social scene

c. arrests of council members

d. city council meetings

37. According to the reading, many cities have a governing structure that includes the mayor and city council, as well as a:

a. political machine

b. meddling first lady

c. city manager

c. none of the above

38. In the city council story lead in your reading, what elements are missing from the lead, and rightly so? (Tempe is getting most of the noise pollution and too little of the benefits from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, a consultant told the City Council Thursday.)

a. that there was a meeting

b. the name of the consultant

c. the building where the meeting was held

d. the fact that items were “discussed”

e. none of the above

f. all of the above

39. Read the item: “The Reporter’s Preparation” on p. 318 of the Chapter Twenty handout, and write a sentence about what is most important in these four paragraphs.

40. Read the item: “After the Meeting” on p. 320 and summarize in one sentence here:

41. On p. 330, is a section called Working with PIOs. List the three tips on how to do this well that you find most important (not the first three in consecutive order).

42. An important rule in broadcast writing is to write as though you were:

a. imitating Edward R. Murrow

b. talking to a friend

c. trying out for the anchor job

43. Style rules for broadcast writing mainly focus on:

a. hair

b. makeup

c. making numbers and names easy to pronounce for the reader

d. strict adherence to the stylebook

44. Radio is all about sound bites. Television is all about:

a. talking heads

b. sensationalism

c. “happy talk”

d. visuals

45. List and briefly describe five items on the basic checklist and essential tips for effective broadcast journalism that you find most important.

Journalism 2.0: How to Survive and Thrive in the Digital Age

For Thursday, please read through Chapter 6: How to Report for the Web. The link is here or go to j-lab.org.

More meetings to cover!

Check out the DC city government calendar.

Perhaps the Last Word - for now - on the Failing Newspaper Industry

A must read: The state we're in and how we got here.

South by Southwest Interactive

Only the savviest among you will freak out about South by Southwest Interactive. Dig around online and you will be amazed at what is happening in this industry!

Good news about the news biz

The future is high tech (natch), but here's a bit about how.

PEW's 2009 State of the News Media Report

Just out! Look here.
Here's a summary:

Cable Grows Audience, Advertising While Other Media Face Declines

The big media story of the decade is supposed to be the inexorable movement from print to digital, but there is a ringer attracting both audience and advertising as most news media suffer -- cable television.

With a big boost from the presidential election, cable news had a banner year in 2008, growing advertising spending 27 percent in 2008, making online (up 4 percent) look like a 97-pound weakling by comparison. So says the Project for Excellence in Journalism's sixth edition of its State of the News Media electronic yearbook published today.

As co-author of the newspaper chapter of the report, I'm on the leading edge of a litany of bad news familiar to most Biz Blog readers. But comparison to the fortunes of other media yields some surprises:

• Local television audiences were down 4.5 percent for early evening news in 2008, almost exactly matching newspaper declines (4.6 percent daily and 4.8 percent Sunday) for the most recent reporting period. Advertising revenues were down 7 percent, an astonishingly bad result in an election and Olympics year, which typically produces a big increase over a previous year lacking those revenue boosters.
  
• News magazines probably have it even worse than newspapers. They too had circulation declines of almost 5 percent and ad revenue declines of 17 percent. U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek are both rolling the dice with big changes in their formats.
• Ethnic media, a growth area through most of the years the report has been published, saw circulation declines for most African American papers, mixed results for Spanish language papers and continued growth for Spanish language television.
• Digital media took its own hit as the recession settled in, with ad growth slowing to a crawl. Newer formats like ads to mobile devices and pre-rolls continued to show healthy growth (59 percent and 33 percent respectively), but they were exceptions. Banner advertising looks less and less like a sustaining income source for newspaper organizations in transition or online-only startups. One ominous indicator for newspapers and local TV: While local advertising is a growing share of the online total, 57 percent of it goes to Google and Yahoo.

Cable news is the exception to the overall negative or mixed picture. Audience grew 38 percent in 2008. That probably cannot be sustained in 2009. But after decades weighed down by heavy initial capital costs, cable has evolved into a highly profitable business. It is sustained by subscriber fees even if advertising is soft. And the package of services (often including high-speed broadband connections and sometimes phone) is one consumers are loathe to cancel.

The report is cautious on prescriptives, dubious, for instance, about micro-payments for online content or a philanthropic rescue of failing newspapers. "The closest thing to a consensus right now," PEJ executive director Tom Rosenstiel writes, "is that no one source is a likely magic bullet (for newspaper organizations)."

More and more of the news audience, often in a "hunt-and gather" mode, goes to the Internet as a first choice, Rosenstiel writes, but the experimentation with new revenue models to capture that attention has been stalled by the recession.

The Power of the Flip

Friday, Mar 13
Power of the Flip Cam

WTOP investigative reporter Mark Segraves was the first to break that story about the FBI raid at the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer yesterday.

He was in the building as the raid was going on and shot video on his Flip cam. The full story and links here.

Wanted at The Washington Post:: Community Journalists

A new development at the Post that has Journalism tongues wagging!

Colombia J School's Existential Crisis!

Ever think about going to Colombia? Read this.

The 10 Twitter Users Every Journalism Student Should Follow

Thanks to Becca Wall for finding this -- it's fascinating! Also, if you have time, check out www.twitterfall.com. It may blow your mind!

The Washington Post to hire a "citizen journalist"

Read all about it here. Low pay, unfortunately.