There are at least 75 noteworthy professional conferences hosted this year for journalists and journalism educators. Those are journalism-specific conferences. That number doesn't even include conferences in related disciplines like public relations, social media, marketing, or blogging. There are hundreds of conferences a year in just this one … [Read more...]
Helping Journalists Think Digital First
I hear the same questions from editors and media advisers: How do we get our staff to think digital first?" It's an excellent question. The short answer is that thinking digital first is all about breaking habits. Traditional print journalists have enjoyed the luxury of allowing a lot of news to unfold before they've had to report anything to the … [Read more...]
9 Tips for Conferencing Like a Pro
Are we there yet? If you're anything like me, you've been saying this for weeks about our upcoming trip to New York for the College Media Advisers spring national convention. I'm quite a conference nerd. I love networking and learning from others who share my passions. There is something rejuvenating about spending a few days with others who … [Read more...]
You Can Ask, But Don’t Demand
You can ask for anything. Want to review content before it's published? You can ask. Want media to hold off on a story until you're ready for the information to be released? You can ask. Want media to stop live tweeting a police standoff? You can ask. You can ask for anything. As I tell students, "they can't eat you." What's the worst … [Read more...]
Identification First, Journalism Second
Journalists are trained to identify themselves when they approach sources for interviews. I teach student journalists to identify themselves by their full name and publication, even when attempting to interview a source they speak to regularly and only for work. Identifying yourself as a reporter allows the source to decide whether to consent … [Read more...]