July 12, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Why Newspapers Added Blogs: A Case for Change
The slideshow above was part of a presentation entitled “Blogging for Journalists” I gave at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg Florida in July 2007 for the 2007 Summer Fellowship for Young Journalists.
During the UNconference “Blogging for Journalists” during the Portland 2007 AAN Convention, I sketched two flow charts that later turned into this presentation. (Thanks to participants for the healthy discussion!)
Last week’s presentation posited the following:
1. The production process for creating online content for newspapers is, for the most part, extremely convoluted and cumbersome, inhibiting what newsroom staffers are able to accomplish online.
2. Setting up a blog is ridiculously easy. Since anyone can do it, everyone has. Many newsroom-produced blogs do not use the medium well; creating illogical editing/production workflows, or giving folks better suited to column-writing blogs of their own.
3. Let’s not waste time critiquing the flaws of existing newspaper-produced blogs. Instead, let’s consider blog software a storytelling tool - how can we employ this tool to further our journalism?
We then went around the room, positing scenarios, and brainstorming possible uses of blog software for journalism.
Is your newsroom considering starting a blog? You might find “Conversation Bullet Points for Starting a Newsroom Blog” helpful.
Tags: blog, blogging, workflow
Cathy Resmer:
July 13, 2007 at 5:01 am
This is a great slideshow.
Where are your brainstorm notes? What’s next?
I feel like the solution we’ve cobbled together at 7D is ok, but it’s basically designed to do the most with few resources. Let’s call it the Hyundai model. I want to know what the Lexus model looks like for alts. Just so I can aspire to have a Lexus.
Mindy McAdams:
July 13, 2007 at 10:13 am
Laura! That’s just awesome! Thanks for posting it. (I want big versions of the diagrams to show to my students … any chance of getting a PDF?)