Online Journalism

Class, remember that your beta CSS packages are due next week before the start of class.  Zip the entire package up in a folder named “yourlastname” (insert your name, obviously), and email it to me.

Also, remember that we have a quiz on CSS/HTML next week.  Use the HTML/CSS guides linked at right to study.  Quiz is closed book, but if you’ve reviewed those it should be pretty easy.

Next week, we’ll be talking about digital innovators trying to define the future of news.  To prep for that discussion, you have two readings.  Well, one reading and one video to watch.  Both are linked at the top of the reading list at right.  The first is a video by Tom Rosenstiel of the Project for Excellence in Journalism talking about the “future of news.”  It’s about 20 minutes. The second is a blog post by Clay Shirky examining how old business models for media are unsustainable in the Web era. Great read.

Keep the Shirky piece/Rosenstiel talk in mind as you write your blog posts this week.  I’d like you to find and write about an innovative project helping to redefine Web journalism in 2010.

This project need not be related to your news organization.  This can be a small project or a big project.  It can be an innovative application of technology to journalism by an organization or a startup.  It could be a revolutionary online business model (For example, Spot.Us, but don’t write about that site).

In your post, I’d like you to make at least one reference to a thought from Shirky or Rosenstiel.
Where do you find a project to write about?  They’re all over the Web, but I suggest you might look at Nieman Lab, Poynter’s eMedia Tidbits, or winners of the Knight News Challenge. Do some research on the project/idea you select, and answer these key questions:

• How is it innovative?
• How does it take advantage of opportunities offered by the Web?
• What need does it fill?
• Why do you think it will work?  Why won’t it work?