5 Best Tips for Journalists' Use of Multimedia

5 Important uses of multimedia for journalists:

1. Professional Facebook
     -Creating a professional Facebook is key for anyone trying to establish themselves in the "real world". It is important to always keep in mind that anyone, anywhere can access this information, and it can ultimately work against you in a professional capacity. Keep the "party pics" on your personal website (or off the internet altogether), and keep in mind that this information is and always will be tied to your name.

Your Facebook Professional Policy: Balancing Your Relationships On and Off the Clock

Facebook + Journalists


2. Blogging
     - Blogging is a way for professionals to spread information to others. People often seek out people with similar views and interests. Contributing to a blog on a regular basis helps get your professional voice out into the world. Blogging helps to capture readers that typical news reports may not.

Is Blogging Journalism?


3. Podcasts
     - Podcasting, like blogging, is a "new age" way of getting your voice heard. Literally and figuratively. A podcast is beneficial in spreading the information you wish to share, and allows those interested to subscribe. It is a useful tool for journalists as it is another growing area of media, and allows for a quick and easy way to share information.

4. Twitter
     - Twitter is a great way for journalists and professionals alike to communicate and share ideas and subjects. Twitter makes it easy and accessible for people to group themselves together with "trending topics" and ways for professionals who have similar interests to share information. This is important to keep in mind as a professional journalist, in order to be able to get your information out!

How We Use Twitter for Journalsm


5. YouTube
     - YouTube is another quick way for journalists of all capacities to share, and even gain information. It is key to remember the quickness with which information can spread. YouTube can be an incredibly useful tool as a professional journalist.

However, "Citizen Journalism" is growing by the second, it's important to strive to keep your credibility as a journalist.

YouTube and the Future of Journalism

Narrated Slideshow

Narrated Slideshow

Spread the news...

Like most students, I spend lots of time (perhaps too much time) on Facebook, a social media site. It's crazy to see how many things are shared and re-posted through "friends". One article caught my attention, for multiple reasons. For one reason, the information is something all students could really use this time of year, since it is the week before finals week at Park. It also caught my attention because it was "shared" through multiple friends of mine, meaning one friend posted it on their Facebook and someone liked it and decided to re-post it themselves. This happened three or four times before I saw it, and I know at least one person shared it after me! The idea that information can be spread so quickly and easily is one of the “cool” elements of being a communications major in this generation.

The article below is about the “7 Dumbest Things” students do when studying for tests. I am guilty of all of these, and hope this article is helpful to my fellow students! Happy finals week!

7 Dumbest Things Students Do While Cramming!

Lightroom and Photoshop Assignment

Assignment Link

Discovery

At the beginning of the semester I was assigned a project over a photographer of my choice (from a list of choices) and present his or her life, career, and photographs. On Tuesday, my professor presented an example, and he chose Ansel Adams. Over the past few weeks, conducting research, and following my professor’s lead, I realized something. The true driving force behind any talented professional is passion. While conducting research on Walter Iooss, and his truly remarkable sports photography, I was humbled by his views. Iooss can still see the heroic qualities in the athletes he photographs, and can still appreciate the true beauty of the women he photographs, regardless of the flash and glamour that has now emerged in this generation.
I think we all have a personality flaw when it comes to looking in on others’ professions, wondering “how hard it could really be to do that”. However, without the passion and drive, we “outsiders” lack the spark that makes these greats, great. I encourage you to dive into a little of Iooss’ biography, and hopefully share the awe that I had after reading about him.

Walter Iooss

InDesign Project.

Click Here for my very first InDesign project!

The assignment was to complete a two page newspaper layout, but the content wasn't the important aspect. Focus on the design elements, and let me know what you think! Thanks.

Interviewing

Will the nervousness I feel before I conduct an interview ever go away?

I channel my photography professor as I open my door, “No one has ever died from this…” took a deep breath, and I greeted Ethan. I had a project to interview a student, who wasn’t majoring in the same thing as I am, and find his or her passion. Sounded simple enough in class, so why now, at the time of my interview, am I becoming increasingly sweaty and nervous? To be completely honest, I chose Ethan out of curiosity and ease. Ethan lives across the hall from me in my apartment building; however, aside from casual hellos and goodbyes, we’ve never had much of a real conversation. I stopped him in the parking lot last week and asked if he would mind me interviewing him. Then the time came…and inside I panicked. I wondered if the questions building up so effortlessly inside would flow as freely when it came time to say them out loud, and as my Professor Lofflin had promised, they didn’t, and probably wouldn’t for a while. Lofflin had admitted to still getting nervous before interviews, and I consider him to be so knowledgeable in the area. The thought of never being as good at this as I once assumed I would become was terrifying for me, however it seems I am not alone…I sought advice from the all-knowing internet and was shocked the amount of information available to me. Below is an article I found to be light and insightful.

Follow the link to the full article. Below are the 13 tips they suggest!

Tips for Effective Interviewing

#1 – Find a good location

#2 – Prepare Your Goals Ahead

#3 – Write down your questions

#4 – Work on your flow

#5 – Think about the medium

#6 – Bring a buddy

#7 – Avoid Obsessing

#8 – Be a little annoying

#9 – Be a little sneaky

#10 – Empower them

#11 – Work them up

#12 – Endure awkward silences

#13 – Ask for what you need

Audio Project

I have just completed my very first audio editing project. The assignment was to record a minute of audio about the new Communication Arts Lab at Park University, and include a sound bite. I was nervous to complete this assignment but I think it turned out decently for my first time...

We were not only in charge of recording and obtaining the sound bite, but also responsible for editing and finding instrumental music to include. I'm pleased with my very first time, let me know what you think.

Copley Lab Audio

Will I Find Work?

As a student who has been in school since I was, roughly, five years old, I have been asked, "what do you want to be when you grow up” an unbelievable amount of times. I’m reaching the point in my life when I can answer with confidence. I want to be a journalist. But what does that mean?

Anytime I consider what I will do with my degree I am both excited with the endless possibilities, and nervous at the idea of not finding anything. I finally decided to sit down and see what the always looming “they” had to say about it.

This is the most satisfying information I found…

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos088.htm

Welcome

This is officially my first post as a "Communications Blogger". As you may or may not have gathered, I am a student at Park University, studying to become a journalist. At the wonderful age of 22, I have changed my major 7 times, and I'm not exaggerating.  I have declared my major in communications, and this is where I will stay. I have fallen in love with the passion of my professors, the camaraderie among the students, and the abundant resources available to me in the classroom.

The lessons I’ve learned in the classroom, from lectures and textbooks, are nothing like the lessons I’m learning just by observing. Observing the twinkle in the eyes of my professors as they share personal experiences, observing the frustration of the students learn the all too familiar feeling of trying and sometimes failing, observing my own self-appreciation when I’m proud of something I have done.

It is through this blog that I hope we can share these observations, from one student to another; welcome.