Comments on: Teaching journalism new tricks (and keeping a few old ones too)

By: Why (and how) blogging matters for journalism students « JournalismCity

Why (and how) blogging matters for journalism students « JournalismCity — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:20:52 +0000

[...] for journalism students 18 July 2008 Posted by Jonathan Hewett in Uncategorized. trackback Neil McIntosh, head of editorial development for guardian.co.uk: A student with a blog shows they can (or [...]

By: Badger Gravling

Badger Gravling — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:25:14 +0000

I think that wanting to learn about new technology and finding ways to reach readers is an essential skill for any journalist.

Mainly because the skills which a good journalist uses to build up contact lists, find stories from their readership, and get audiences interested/outraged from the first few words are all things which tie in perfectly with creating good web content.

Things like SEO are just helping the reader find you - just the same as a great headline.

Tools like RSS just give you an influx of ideas and reports to play with.

Things like social networking is just an easier way of connecting with more contacts and readers.

The only difference is that now reader/consumer/audience will expect to create and air their responses and their own content, and to discuss it with the author…

By: Cinephile

Cinephile — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 11:45:00 +0000

I look at it simply, if anyone cares and honestly has time to read anything I have to say,then good for me, good for them,good for mankind.
Seriously 1st amendment springs to mind here people,freedom of speech?albeit censored.
Some keep a diary others blog, and the real lucky ones get to scream it from the rooftops!

By: Alex Parker

Alex Parker — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:40:47 +0000

Thanks, Neil. I can only hope!

By: Colin Kerr

Colin Kerr — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:16:04 +0000

Good point by Alex.

If you’ve nothing interesting to say don’t bother blogging.

You don’t need to blog every day but sometimes you can blog three or four times a day if you feel inspired or excited about a particular topic.

By: Neil McIntosh

Neil McIntosh — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:12:08 +0000

BTW Alex - I’ve just checked out your blog and, turns out, you can write very well. So first hurdle cleared. That you’re also one of MTV’s election correspondents tells me you perhaps have plenty to say too - or will very soon…

By: Neil McIntosh

Neil McIntosh — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:09:17 +0000

Hi Alex - as regular readers will attest, I frequently have nothing to say - and then say it badly

I agree with Chris that, to an extent, it’s a valuable skill to spin something out of nothing. All columnists do it; the best ones do so effortlessly and invisibly.

But I’d imagine, Alex, that if you sat down with a notebook and thought of all the things you care about - be it family, sports, film, music, other arts or pastimes, you’d find a few things you could write about. A blog doesn’t have to be about a single given subject (the common thread can just be your experience, thoughts and writing). I bet you have something to say - and it needn’t be “important” to be worth saying.

By: chris

chris — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:14:21 +0000

And yet … don’t writers, well, write? Just as footballers have to practise doing interesting things with the ball, so surely anyone who aspires to write should be honing her skills on a regular basis? And I’ve always loved the skill of someone who can spin entertaining writing out of thin air.

By: Alex Parker

Alex Parker — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:23:31 +0000

My problem with blogging, as evidenced on my own blog, is that I have very little to say. I am a journalism student in the US, and I’m definitely cutting my chops with multimedia, but I don’t want to blog just for the sake of having a blog. I don’t want my multimedia to be gratuitous. I think it should serve a purpose to forward a story or issue. It’s like nudity in a movie: It’s usually nice to see, but is it always necessary? I like to blog because, yes, it’s increasingly important, but I don’t want blog for the sake of saying I do it. I’d feel much more comfortable if I had something important to say…like you fine folks.

By: Colin Kerr

Colin Kerr — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:47:30 +0000

I agred that all student journalists, and also working journalists, should be trained in all aspects of new media.

In the first instance, that should be the responsibility of the training schemes but after that the onus should be on the employers to make sure that their journalists are web literate.

Web 2.0 skills won’t make you a great journalist, but they should make you a better journalist.