Free resource: Reporter’s Guide to Multimedia Proficiency

Noted journalism educator Mindy McAdams has collected 15 of her blog posts on multimedia journalism into the “Reporter’s Guide to Multimedia Proficiency.” The free 42-page PDF document is available in English and Spanish and is “fully linked and usable online in most Web browsers, or in Adobe Reader, or in Preview on the Mac OS.” Invaluable for the next generation of journalists!

Newspaper survival tips stress multiplatform reporting

In “12 Things Newspapers Should Do to Survive,” Vadim Lavrusik offers a range of suggestions for “what newspapers should be considering in order to survive and evolve with today’s technology-driven, short-attention-span world.” At the top of his list is “Putting web first and reporting from multiple platforms.” He explains:

Reporters need to focus on primarily gathering information and how to present that information in multiple formats: websites, mobile platforms, social networks and finally print.

The reason? Technology is changing the way people consume news, and though many are still getting their news through traditional print outlets, many others are shifting to get their news through various media, such as television, mobile phones, and the web.

Other tips focus on creating community, integrating real-time reporting and creating content for mobile devices. A good read with lots to get class discussions rolling.

YouTube starts Reporter’s Center channel

In yet one more sign that journalists no longer have a monopoly on gathering and distributing the news, YouTube has started a Reporter’s Center channel. According to the channel

The YouTube Reporters’ Center is a new resource to help you learn more about how to report the news. It features some of the nation’s top journalists and news organizations sharing instructional videos with tips and advice for better reporting. If you have experiences on reporting the news yourself and would like to share your tips, feel free to submit them for inclusion on this page.

(Thanks to Stacy Spaulding for the link!)

55 useful Web sites

Graphicdesignr writes about visualizing data and highlights free and easy-to-use multimedia tools. His “55 websites you should know about” list is full of useful tools and suggestions for the journalist. Among the recommendations:

“Mashable: Social networking news; there’s something for everyone.”

Social networking and bookmarking:
“Facebook: who isn’t on Facebook these days, Join networks by city, school, employer, and interact with other users.”

RSS aggregators:
“Google Reader: Subscribe to and read blogs and news content.”

Blog platforms:
“WordPress: My favorite blog publishing system. Customizable in design and function, and easy to use.”

Other categories include Web editors, videos, photo editing, photo storage, timelines, slide shows, graphics, maps, and Geocodes.

Video journalism resource

Ken Kobre, author of “Photojournalism:The Professionals’ Approach,” has created a great new resource for journalists shooting video. “The Kobre Guide to the Web’s Best Videojournalism” highlights video stories and offers custom video tutorials on a wide range of video journalism topics. Teachers and students can subscribe to a YouTube feed to stay current.

Beyond the inverted pyramid: The news diamond

In his post “A Model for the 21st Century Newsroom: Pt. 1 — the News Diamond,” Paul Bradshaw offers a Web-first model of publishing that might prove useful for those teaching convergence journalism classes. He breaks the types of news reports into those that capitalize on the online mediums twin strengths of speed and depth. Compelling reading, as is Pt. 2 — Distributed Journalism.

Instructor’s Manual now available

Instructors who have adopted “All the News” for classes have access to an Instructor’s Manual for the text. The IM includes chapter summaries, chapter outlines, chapter quizzes, definitions of key terms, sample syllabi and a compilation of all Assignment Desk exercises from the book. Instructors need to get a login and password.  Next, visit the text catalog page, click on the “resources” tab, and download the electronic file.