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May. 16th J-schools and storytelling in a multi-platform media world: who is doing it right?

Updated Sunday, May 17, 08:17 Paris

I am delighted with the reaction elicited by my call for information on how J-schools adapt their curriculum to the new changes in our industry, and, particularly to teach storytelling techniques in a multi platform world.  Many of you have written, including Randy Stano, of the University of Miami, who reports that “we are rewriting all of our curriculums.  no one can seem to keep up with the changes.“

Also Leslie-Jean Thornton of Arizona State University’s Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, who writes: “We’re pretty sure we’re on the right track here at the Cronkite School. There are more than a few of us teaching that. “

I am planning to talk to Leslie-Jean and Randy, as well as a dozen other academics who have written to me offering information. Stay tuned.

Here is the link to an informative article from Jeremy Gilbert, assistant professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.  Jeremy, a rising academic star whom we had the pleasure of meeting at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies first as a Poynter Fellow, then as a faculty member, tells us about Medill’s Spring New Media Publishing Project, where students work with professionals to create tools that will help the industry cope with change:

Experimentation will help save journalism. Unfortunately, major news organizations’ business models are failing and research is one of the first things to go.
But journalism schools and students have the time and resources to experiment with solutions to the major disruptive changes rattling the industry. New approaches to information gathering and analysis are needed for journalism to flourish. We must build new tools for the creation and consumption of news.

For full article: http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=162857

 

How are the J-schools training the next wave of storytellers?

I am exploring the question myself. As a former academic (is one ever a FORMER academic?) having taught at both Syracuse University and the University of South Florida for many years, as well as assorted stints and Master classes at a variety of universities worldwide, I am keen on finding out how the curricula of journalism schools adapts to the new realities of our industry. From writing to editing and visual presentation, the game has changed dramatically, and I am sure that the best and most avant garde professors out there are already incorporating multi platform storytelling into their courses.

Please let me know who you are. I would like to write a series of blogs on the subject, profile those colleges and universities who are doing it right, and talk to the professors and perhaps even the students in such programs.

Counting on you to help me here. If you are participating in the programs I describe here, or if you know someone who does, please let me know via email:

Mirrors & Images in Lagos, Nigeria

When I first met Victor Ehikhamenor , the Nigerian artist, he had just returned to Lagos from the USA, where he was living and serving as a professor.  Like many other Nigerians of his generation, he was trying to rediscover his home country after years away. Lucky for us, we were able to lure this gifted artist—-whose canvas is an explosion of color—-to test the waters of newspaper design. He agreed. He told me: “Mario, I ‘ve got a lot to learn about your business, but I am willing, very interested, and it is a pleasure to work with you.“  And, so, together with publisher/editor Dele Olojede and a team that was then creating what would be the new Nigerian newspaper NEXT, we went to work.

Victor proved a quick study. Not only that, he brought the touches of the artist to the reality of visual journalism. You can see his work already in Next on Sunday,and soon in the daily Next.

But Victor is always the artist, and his roots and passion are with painting and the fine arts.  Now he opens an exhibit of his work, Mirrors & Images, May 24. The exhibit includes a lecture by Victor. It runs through May 29 at Terra Kulture, in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

Those interested in more information, please contact Victor Ehikhamenor at

 

 

Readers will pay for online news, says report

Earlier this week we reported about a new report that demonstrates that newspapers have a long term future, but must invest on digital strategies.

Now that report, Moving into multiple business models: An outlook for newspaper publishing in the digital age, by PricewaterhouseCoopers, in cooperation with the World Association of Newspapers (WAN), is ready to be presented at the upcoming Power of Print Conference & Expo, to be held in Barcelona, Spain , on 27 and 28 May. Those interested in attending can still register:  Our Rodrigo Fino, of Garcia Media Latinamerica, will be one of the feature speakers.Full details can be found
at http://www.wan-press.org/powerofprint2009

The PwC report is based on surveys of 4,900 consumers in seven countries,
interviews with leading publishers, advertisers and media buyers around the
world, and industry reports, analysts reviews and PwC expertise. It can be
found at http://www.wan-press.org/article18128.html (download from bottom of
the page).

Highlights of the report, according to WAN:

Among other findings, the report says consumers are willing to pay for
online newspaper content, a point we have made repeatedly in this forum, and one I hope will become the centerpiece of discussion in newsrooms across the globe.
Two-thirds of respondents in a global survey said they were willing to pay for general news content
online and all are willing to pay for it in print, despite the advent of
the free daily newspaper. But newspapers need to develop strategies for
monetising their content and intellectual capital.

- Despite the huge potential for growth online, print remains the largest
source of revenue for newspaper companies, and will continue to be so for
some time.

- General consumer spending on the internet will increase in the next few
years, and this will change the mindset of consumers who are now expecting
to get everything for free.

- Consumers don¹t only appreciate journalists for their general news
reporting but they place high value on the deep insight and analysis provided
by journalists.

- Traditional newspapers still have a strong and relatively loyal reader
base, as their reliability is perceived as being greater than that of other
media.  This gives newspapers the opportunity to lead and to follow
audiences as they use online and portable electronic media. The report found
that the core principles of deep analysis and trusted editorial translates
well online the newspaper brand is more important than the medium.

- The market for mobile devices is growing rapidly. But mobile news delivery
is low on the list of consumer preferences because of the difficulty of
reading on the devices.

Good news in advertising front?

Good to wake up on a Friday morning and read some positive news about advertising revenues and how it is possible that its decline has bottomed out and perhaps the needle indicators start inclhing their way up.

John Fry, chief executive of the regional newspaper publisher Johnston Press in the UK, said today that advertising revenue had begun to stabilise after a year of steep decline – but signs of recovery were not likely until 2010.

“It would be dangerous for me to start talking about economic recovery, but we are not seeing it [ad revenue] drop like last year. We are not in the green shoots area yet, we are still bumping along the bottom.“

For full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/13/johnston-press-john-fry-ad-revenue-stabilise

Related:

- UK: Is the worst of the advertising recession over?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/organgrinder/2009/may/13/worst-recession-over-advertising

- Australia: News Ltd chief John Hartigan sees ad slowdown easing
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25483175-7582,00.html

- Australia: Newspaper circulations hold up and buck global trends
http://business.smh.com.au/business/newspaper-circulations-hold-up-and-buck-global-trends-20090514-b4sl.html

Benefits of stitching your newspaper

There are many benefits to stitching newspapers, especially compact formats, so that the pages stay together , which I consider a bonus to readers: now you can download a publication by Tolerans, the Swedish stitching company, that tells you all about it..

Of special interest: links from the IFRA Executive Service

- UK: Further publishers investigate moving to paid-for content
http://www.nma.co.uk/further-publishers-investigate-moving-to-paid-for-content/3000483.article
 
- UK: Newspapers need to be more print-like online to profit, says BBC’s Huggers
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/13/erik-huggers-bbc-newspapers-online
 
- USA: Find the right buyer for your paper [NY Times]
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/94729314-3eec-11de-ae4f-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1
- USA: All the News That’s Fit to Buy – Inside David Geffen’s play for The New York Times.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/196997
- ‘USA Today’ Offers App for Mobile Android Market
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/departments/online/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003972792
- Dow Jones to expand in India
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dow-jones-to-expand-in-india

 

 

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TheMarioBlog posting #263

 

Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia on May 16, 2009