Hyperlocal news is as much as a buzz phrase for those in news media today as anything else — yes, even social media.
But as these things happen, no real definition seems to hit at what we’re talking about, and I was surprised to not be able to easily find someone who tried to give one.
So, expecting some comments to show where I missed one or simply critiquing my own, I humbly submit one, if only for my own understanding.
I received some degree of criticism recently on a post about journalism classes I wish were more readily available in college J-schools.
I openly admit some forms of them already are and that many colleges have wonderful professors looking forward and doing great work with them. Still, I stand by the conversation being an important one — needling great institutions further.
That’s perhaps why I thought it funny that someone e-mailed me soon after that post and directed me to a collection of 50 open courses that could offer many of the basics of j-school.
They point to a variety online resources, including a great many of them from MIT’s open coursewares — part of a phenomenon on which I’ve written before. It seemed like another swing at j-schools. It’s far away from the name recognition, networking and other assets of a traditional school, but it’s certainly good for the dialogue.
See some of the best and some thoughts below.
Continue reading Pointing to free online ways to train journalists
Two Saturdays ago, friends Sean Blanda, Brian James Kirk and I presented at the BarCamp NewsInnovation — which Blanda organized and Brian and I helped run — on TechnicallyPhilly.com, which we co-founded in February.
Read my thoughts on the event here. Read Twitter coverage of our presentation by looking through #BCNI304, which relates to the room in which we presented.
Below see the notes from and video of the presentation we gave.
Continue reading Community News Startups: Presentation notes from BarCamp for NewsInnovation
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You missed the national BarCamp for NewsInnovation conference this past Saturday, held at Temple University in North Philadelphia — even though I encouraged you to come.
I sure didn’t. As I posted about the week prior, I was in Annenberg Hall on April 25.
It seemed to be a personification of online communities and conversations I’ve been following only online — like the value of personal branding, which was the focus of the first hour-long session I attended, how valuable journalism school really is (why it might not be) and why news organizations and journalists need to add value.
I made it to four sessions, spoke at two and helped divvy out the sponsored food during the long day which officially went from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., though I was out of the house before eight a.m. and not home before 11 p.m. (after a bumping after part).
These conferences are structured around creating dialogues and allowing anyone to speak on something important to him, so nobodies like me led sessions next door to ones held by executives, editors and reporters from places like the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, GateHouse Media, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philly.com, McClatchy News and, likely more than I don’t know about. I mean, gees, the whole growing crew at Publish2, which develops tools for what it calls collaborative journalism, showed up.
See the complete schedule here.
I learned some things, and I’d like to share them.
Continue reading Advertising can't be the only option and other musings from BarCamp NewsInnovation
In launching TechnicallyPhilly.com, co-founders Sean Blanda, Brian James Kirk and I lamented that despite encompassing the fourth largest media market in the country, being its most historic and one of its more culturally impactful cities, Philadelphia wasn’t often the home of important tech conferences or part of broader discussions.
Despite also being home to major universities and sitting in the middle of a confluence of other important urban centers like D.C., Baltimore, New York, Pittsburgh and Boston.
So, when Jason Kristufek led the push to hold several regional and then a national BarCamp for NewsInnovation, I was thrilled that Blanda took control of the situation like the great leader he is, and brought the national version to Philly, specifically Temple University.
If you’re a tech-head or a news hound or anyone who cares about the future of news gathering and dissemination, the Fourth Estate or the protection and defense of democracy, I certainly hope you will sign up to attend even some of the FREE national BarCamp NewsInnovation to held be held all day this Saturday, April 25.
Today, my colleagues Sean Blanda, Brian James Kirk and I, debuted TechnicallyPhilly.com, a news site covering the community of people who use technology in the Philadelphia region.
I am calling myself the future of journalism.
Now that is self-promotion in a world of self-promoters.
Yesterday I joined a contest on the journalism-bookmarking site Publish2, in which I say “I am the future of journalism because…” Rate my Publish2 submission here.
Continue reading Rate my Publish2 entry: I am the future of journalism because…
While I do have a few outstanding applications out for gigs in Philadelphia, I am halting my aggressive hawking of myself: this professional writer is going from “unemployed journalist” to “freelance journalist.”
The only difference is an occasional paycheck and less sympathy from family and friends.
Though I like the idea of the stability and requisite health insurance that comes with permanent work, I am resigning myself to trying to find regular work on my own in a region currently unfriendly to young media aspirants, amid tonight’s announcement that more layoffs are coming at the city’s two largest daily newspapers, part of this country’s continued newspaper bubble burst.
To prove I am taking this seriously, I went and added a fresh new page on ChristopherWink.com, Web self-promotion.
Here’s to introducing Chris Wink’s Services.
Continue reading My Services: Freelancing for money in a variety of ways
