workshops

If I were still in the first three years of my professional journalism career, I’d be applying for this opportunity with the Society of Professional Journalists. If you do fall within years 1 and 3 of your post-college career and you want to advance your skills in reporting and new media, then you have until Thursday (March 15) to get your application in for the SPJ Reporters Institute this summer.

This program, which runs three days in June at The Poynter Institute in Florida, costs $300 plus travel. For that, you’ll meet some top journalists/instructors (and network with other young peers). The sessions will cover all of the following topics (and more): Read more

Author and journalist Susan Orlean (left) has written two nonfiction pieces that have been turned into films. She’ll discuss her new book, Rin Tin Tin, in Mediabistro’s first online Literary Festival & Workshops starting July 16. Other speakers include Rebecca Skloot, Jason Boog, and Jason Allen Ashlock. Register now.

One thing that I’ve been diligent in talking about here at 10,000 Words is creating a mobile presence. By 2014, mobile Internet is poised to take over desktop Internet usage, so the time to start strategizing is now. But with the dizzying array develop other Internet-connected devices, what’s the best way to begin this process? As I’ve stated before, the work of creating a mobile presence is less about aggregating current content and more about developing an information workflow. Luckily, the Poynter Institute has you covered with their latest workshop: Developing a Smarter Mobile Strategy.

The workshop will take place from March 28, 2012 – March 30, 2012. Here is some information about the workshop from Poynter:

Even if you’ve got some mobile products under your belt, we’ll help you learn to develop mobile news content and revenue strategies. You’ll gain insight into improving the working relationship with vendors and better ways to use your mobile metrics. We’ll help you sort through the issues in creating smart phone and tablet apps vs. using the mobile Web.

Knowledge about revenue strategies around mobile content is extremely important. According to Gartner, a leading IT research and advisory firm, worldwide mobile advertising revenue was forecasted to reach $3.3 billion in 2011 and $20.6 billion by 2015. “Mobile advertising is now recognized as an opportunity for brands, advertisers and publishers to engage consumers in a targeted and contextual manner, improving returns,” said Stephanie Baghdassarian, research director at Gartner. With HTML5 video on the rise, this will present a new avenue for organizations to approach advertising on mobile devices.

You’ll also learn these topics from Poynter during the workshop:

• A process for developing and improving your mobile strategy
• The latest information on mobile audiences
• How to manage mobile product development
• How to make the most of your mobile efforts in spite of fast-changing technology
• The basics of mobile usability
• Best practices in vendor relationships

Sessions will be led by Poynter faculty members Regina McCombs, Sara Quinn, and Kelly McBride, and will include research sessions with Robert McCann, Jr., of the Nielsen Company, David Butler of The New York Times Regional Group, and Janel Jacobs of the Orlando Sentinel and the Sun Sentinel.

For more information about this exciting and informative workshop, visit the workshop page. All applications for the workshop are due by February 24, 2012.

Are you still debating if you will register for the Online News Association Conference and Awards Banquet, aka ONA11? (We highlighted the conference last week.) Well, here’s one more reason to go: J-Camp. ONA is offering a new two-day series of panels where leading experts from Google News, Facebook, and Twitter will teach journalists both the basics and more advanced aspects of social media. If you haven’t signed up for ONA11 yet, there’s (just barely) time to make the early bird registration. Read more

Two weeks ago, we covered Journalism Interactive 2011, a two-day conference hosted by the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism and sponsored by publisher SAGE/CQ Press. As we continue into the second half of 2011, we’re highlighting five upcoming journalism workshops and conferences that will help you network, expand your skill set, and learn new topics from some of the thought leaders in the journalism industry.

Read more