Digital Journalism @ SMU
The course blog for CCJN 2380

Feb
09

If you want to sock away some extra points while learning about the future of journalism, I hereby announce two extra credit opportunities, worth up to 10 points each. The assignment is simple: write a one-page speaker summary (up to 250 words) with your reactions and reflections to the speaker.

OPPORTUNITY #1: Evan Smith, CEO of the Texas Tribune, has been invited by the Northwestern University Club of D/FW to speak on “The Future of American Journalism” on Thursday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. The event is just a few minutes away from campus at The Richards Group, 8750 N. Central Expressway. The registration fee for non-members is $20. Register here.

Free alternative to the Evan Smith event: Listen to the audio of the Online/Convergence Panel at the Feb. 6 SPJ Career Conference at UT-Arlington. I moderated the panel, which featured Kent Chapline, executive producer of CBS11tv.com, along with Matt Stiles and Elise Hu of the Texas Tribune. Special thanks to student Brooks Powell for recording the session.

OPPORTUNITY #2: The spring O’Neil Lecture in Business Journalism will be delivered by Michael Ramirez, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for Investor’s Business Daily. It will take place on Tuesday, March 2 from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Crum Auditorium, Collins Executive Education Center.

Feb
05

As I mentioned in lab today, send me your practice beat blog item via e-mail by noon Monday. MS Word works fine for the practice blog. Before you write your blog item, be sure to look over the blog item gradesheet on Blackboard to familiarize yourself with the criteria I’ll be looking for.

Next week we will focus on how news organizations are using social media for journalistic purposes. For Tuesday’s class, please read Briggs Ch. 2, Foust Ch. 9 (pp. 180-85) and the American Journalism Review article “Networking News” on Blackboard. See you Tuesday.

Feb
05


Dallas Morning News staff writers Ted Kim and Matthew Haag visited our class on Thursday, Feb. 4, to discuss their approach to beat blogging for the DMN’s highly successful Plano Blog. Student Brooks Powell captured the session on video.

Feb
02

Be sure to check out the DMN Plano Blog to prepare for our guest speakers on Thursday. And between now and Friday’s practice blog lab, keep your eye out for the blogs and Twitterers you’ll want to routinely follow to stay on top of your beat.

Speaking of which, if you weren’t in class Tuesday, check out last semester’s beat list on Blackboard (under Course Documents) and shoot me an e-mail letting me know your top three beat choices.

Jan
30

The first week in February is “Beat Blogging Week” in Digital Journalism. Read Chapter 5 in the Briggs book. Meanwhile, in the Foust book, read Chapter 4 (pp. 69-70) and all of Chapter 8. On Thursday we’ll have our first guest speakers of the semester: Dallas Morning News reporters Theodore Kim and Matthew Haag, the tag-team duo behind the hugely successful Plano Blog.

Jan
28

For Friday’s lab, you will convert a broadcast script into an AP style Web news story. Bring those AP stylebooks! To prepare for the lab, you may want to reread Foust Chapter 7 (particularly exhibit 7.2 on page 138) and Briggs Chapter 6 (particularly the first two pages of the chapter). You’ll also want to read Cory Bergman’s tips on Converting TV Scripts to the Web.

Jan
22

Today’s Twitter Lab assignment is posted on Blackboard under “assignments.” Please read it carefully before starting. Here are the goals of today’s lab:

1. Join Twitter if you haven’t already.
2. Follow at least 50 people or organizations. (If you’re already on Twitter, follow 50 more people/organizations than you already do.)
3. Post your first tweet. (If you’re a Twitter veteran, retweet an intriguing item from one of the new folks you follow.)

See the assignment for suggestions on whom to follow.

Jan
21

Here’s your five-point, one-page homework assignment, due at the beginning of Friday’s lab at 1 p.m. Aim for about 250 words.

Find a news site that is covering the Haiti crisis and assess its coverage based on the Four Pillars of Web News:

  • Immediacy/Urgency.
  • Is the site on top of the latest news? How frequently are updates posted? How are updates indicated on the site?

  • Non-linear News Presentation.
  • Is the reader empowered with options to experience the story in whatever form he/she wants, in whatever order he/she wants?

  • Reader Interactivity.
  • Does the site give its readers/viewers a voice? How can readers contribute to the story and its surrounding conversation?

  • Multi-platform content.
  • How compelling and effective is the site’s multimedia content? How would you assess its quality?

    Jan
    20

    Please read chapters 1 and 4 from the Foust textbook. Please also download Journalism 2.0 by Mark Briggs (it’s a free PDF — click here for the download page) and read the intro chapter, as well as chapters 1 and 2.

    Jan
    19

    Congrats to these six Fall 2009 students for getting their Digital Journalism audio slideshows published by professional media outlets! Spring 2010 students, it’s your turn.

    Kathryn Garvie, KERA.org: Home-based Hairdresser Faces Fewer Customers
    Allison Donnelly, KERA.org: Revamping Your Resume for Today’s Market
    Gwen Sullivan, KERA.org: Adjusting When the Recession Takes a Bite Out of Business
    Kimmy Ryan, KERA.org: Recycling Clothes to Stay Current For Less
    Christine Ricciardi, PegasusNews.com: Profile of Local Dallas Artist Del Rio Dan
    Jaclyn Mitchell, PegasusNews.com: SMU Gospel Choir Provides ‘Voices of Inspiration’