It's true, you can't stay old-school in j-school or you'll get left behind. Competition is steep in the ever-changing world of journalism and to survive, one needs to learn to adapt. Journalism 2.0 is journalism in the digital area, encompassing everything from online reporting, social media, audience/user participation and backpack journalism.
In their blog entry “Journalism Students & the Digital Era”, Jayme Hagen and Terra Poole conveys the importance of social media through their statement, “In this constantly changing social media landscape it is vital you are familiar with all the tools available. By not learning a specific type of media, such as Twitter, you are alienating a potential audience.” It is essential that journalists adapt to the changing media landscape and participate in social media, as that is where their readers and followers connect. Resisting social media could mean losing readers to competition.
During the Gaze into the Stars conference at MacEwan University on Saturday, February 6, 2010. Karen Unland, editor of edmontonjournal.com, urged journalism students to stay current and utilize new media technologies. “If you’re in journalism school right now, learn everything you can about the new technologies and new ways of telling your stories, and invent a new one of your own,” she said during the panel discussions.
Students need to be prepared to be backpack journalists. The concept of backpack journalism refers to the idea that many journalists are now required to be the reporter, cameraman, editor, and producer all at once. A journalists’ job is evolving to be more demanding, as he or she is responsible for more aspects of reporting than during the time of legacy journalism. Journalists need to be technologically savvy in all aspects of reporting and communications. From using a blackberry to operating a video camera, many journalists are expected to have the proficiencies to handle it all.
External Links (also in copy)
Backpack journalism toolkit: advancingthestory.com
Internal Links (also in copy)
Jayme Hagen and Terra Poole's blog entry “Journalism Students & the Digital Era”
Backback journalism is impressive, but wouldn't we be better off having more skilled photographers taking pictures, and skilled cameramen taking videos? The cutbacks in journalism are affecting the quality of the work being put out. Alas, this is the way things are. I like the article Aden.
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