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Topic: Online journalism training?
| Author | Message |
| yourstruly | Posted – 7/2/2007 9:54:21 PM | show profile | email poster I feel my career as a news wire editor beginning to hit a dead end. Obviously online journalism is on the rise. I've messed around with Photoshop, HTML, Flash and video/audio editing in my spare time, but that certainly doesn't qualify for a position involving them. So here are my questions: 1) How good an idea is it to pursue this field? (Very good, I'm thinking.) and 2) Where are some good, reputable places for me to get training in these fields without me having to quit my job to go to j-school full time? Thanks in advance! |
| aoscruggs | Posted – 7/10/2007 9:43:28 AM | show profile Have you checked out your local community college That's where I got all my training. I'd look for online courses in HTML or XHTML/CSS through the IT department if you want to improve coding skills. For Photoshop, Flash, I'd check out the design department. For the latter, go to Lynda.com and look at their training courses. A monthly subscription is only $25. If you don't have the software, download a trial version from Adobe and practice for the next 30 days. Finally, I built a portfolio by creating projects and "messing around with them myself." Check out the web movie I made for my father-in-law's 90th birthday. http://youtube.com/watch?v=QQhv2CZFyHA I've used it as a clip to demonstrate my ability to tell a story and edit video. |
| Redacted2008 | Posted – 7/10/2007 10:20:39 AM | show profile If you are working with a limited budget and you want to go into online journalism (I'm a print reporter), as a writer/editor, which courses would be the most essential (which skills)? |
| reporterwriter | Posted – 7/10/2007 10:21:13 AM | show profile Good tips! After all, what you're talking about isn't the journalism, it's the presentation of it. Do talk with people doing online journalism to find out where technology and software are and where they're heading, so you can make the most of your training dollars. |
| aoscruggs | Posted – 7/12/2007 12:15:08 PM | show profile Osaki, check out online jobs on Journalismjobs.com That's how I figured out what skills I needed to have. I also looked at the site for ONA. Just like in print, there's a division between the writers and the designers. When I check out newspaper/magazine sites, it's clear that the writing has just been pasted from the print product. When it comes to online storytelling, though, I'm seeing inspirational work from the Detroit Free Press and the NY Times websites. |
| aoscruggs | Posted – 7/12/2007 12:15:38 PM | show profile Osaki, check out online jobs on Journalismjobs.com That's how I figured out what skills I needed to have. I also looked at the site for ONA. Just like in print, there's a division between the writers and the designers. When I check out newspaper/magazine sites, it's clear that the writing has just been pasted from the print product. When it comes to online storytelling, though, I'm seeing inspirational work from the Detroit Free Press and the NY Times websites. |
| ju-don.roberts | Posted – 7/12/2007 6:10:18 PM | show profile | email poster Online News Association and others Several organizations an universities put together excellent training opportunities. The ONA will offer video, flash and other hands-on training workshops at its annual conference (full disclosure: I'm running the conference this year.) http://www.journalists.org/2007conference/ The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers an intense training program in video, flash, photography, audio, etc. http://www.ibiblio.org/bootcamp NPPA offers great training opportunities each year: http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/workshops_and_seminars/ Also check out the SND short courses: http://www.snd.org/events/events.lasso?ID=32922 http://www.sndboston.com/workshop.php There are many other great resources out there. Check Poynter and some of the other journalism organizations for their lists. |
| Bleak Spouse | Posted – 7/13/2007 2:06:46 AM | show profile yours: honestly i think you are qualified for these jobs already with your experience, because doing online news doesn't involve very much. and you only need to know basic html (if any), and the photoshop skills you need for one of these jobs are very simple and can be learned in 30 minutes or less. my advice is to start applying to online positions and see how it goes. that's what i did (coming from print) and it worked out just fine without any additional training. |
| someone | Posted – 7/13/2007 3:36:07 PM | show profile What program? aoscruggs - What software program did you use for video and audio editing? Was it iMovie? Good job! |
| aoscruggs | Posted – 7/13/2007 4:25:22 PM | show profile Video movie editing Thanks for the compliment. I use Adobe Premiere Elements. I'm a PC girl. |
