iWitness, a new Twitter service that searches tweets by time and location: Works well for breaking news, not so well for other news pieces

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Mu Lin

I tested iWitness over the weekend trying to locate local sources for a few news reports; the results show iWitness works well in a breaking news situation where the event affects a lot of people in a relatively small area (e.g., Colorado Spring wildfire), but it doesn’t work equally well in other situations. Continue reading →

Posted in Industry observation | 2 Comments

Two multimedia journalism degree programs in Kansas, and why U of Kansas J-School overhauled its curriculum

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Mu Lin

In updating my map of multimedia journalism degree programs in U.S., I only found two such programs in Kansas: Kansas State U and University of Kansas. The one at U of Kansas will officially start fall 2012, and the reason cited by UK for the new curriculum is interesting to read.

At University of Kansas, beginning fall 2012, the journalism school implements a new curriculum. Among the changes, “Visual Storytelling” is now a required course; it has been an elective in the past.

In announcing the new curriculum, the school says “You will find the new curriculum is designed to help you gain multimedia storytelling skills. These skills will help you find a job and become a valuable asset to your employer, in the rapidly changing media environment and competitive job market we live in today.”

Note that it says “multimedia storytelling skills,” not “reporting skills.” I want to write a separate post talking about the difference between “reporting” and “storytelling;” these two terms are not always interchangeable.

At Kansas State U, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication offers a concentration in “Journalism and Digital Media,” one required course for this concentration is “Convergence Reporting.” Two other majors offered are Advertising, PR.

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The gap between journalism education and the (changing) journalism profession

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Mu Lin

Journalism education needs to incorporate more “new skills” to catch up with what is expected of the next generation of journalists. This is an observation based on a comparison of skills emphasized by media professionals and skills being taught in journalism schools. Continue reading →

Posted in Digital journalism education, Industry observation | 7 Comments

Comparing two data visualization tools: Tableau Public vs. Infogr.am

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Mu Lin

Tableau Public and Infogr.am are two popular data visualization tools that I have been testing and learning recently. When it comes to producing interactive online charts, each tool has its pros and cons: Continue reading →

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My test drive of Tableau Public: a free data visualization tool

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Mu Lin

In my search for a data visualization solution that is manageable for journalism students, I took a test drive of a data visualization tool called Tableau Public; this tool was released in 2010 and has been gaining popularity in the digital journalism field for interactive data visualization. Continue reading →

Posted in Data journalism | 1 Comment

Different fates of hyperlocal news sites in UK: what spells the difference?

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Mu Lin

Quality journalism alone is not enough to help sustain hyperlocal news sites. A “live” or social media strategy may help make a difference. This is an observation of several failed attempts at local sites in UK, as well as a most recent one which seems to be “quietly confident” for its future.

There have been attempts to run a local news site to fill the gap left by the disappearing local newspapers. Three such attempts are Saddleworth News, Guardian Local (Leeds, Cardiff, Edinburgh), and Wrexham.
Continue reading →

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Finally, a Google Fusion map embedded into a blog post, with an embedded legend

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Mu Lin

After several hours of trial and error, I finally created the interactive map below which shows median household income by county in New Jersey. Three major steps are involved in creating this map: (a) create a standard Google Fusion map, (b) create a customized legend, and (c) embed the map into a blog post (or web page). Continue reading →

Posted in Data journalism | 1 Comment

News media now look for “storytelling” expertise in new hires

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Mu Lin

What does a “storytelling reporter” job entail? A job ad by Arizona’s Republic Media explains what they are looking for in this new hire:

We are seeking a reporter to tell powerful stories – some that are developed over time, some in the immediacy of the news. This reporter must have an eye for the telling detail that encapsulates the story and a sense for human drama that will surprise, sadden or inspire. The job is not to write a column or to showcase a particular kind of voice. The job is to find the heart of a story and collaborate with an editor to tell it in a sophisticated way. This reporter will become a presence on all platforms, so an eye for multimedia possibilities will be essential. He or she will have the chance to write breaking news for the newspaper and azcentral.com, and to craft some of the memorable stories that come afterward.

Other than this “storytelling reporter” on that job ad page, which lists more than 20 media jobs, five other jobs also include the mentioning of “storytelling.” These jobs are Assistant News Director/Content Manager, News Producer, Community News Watchdog Reporter, Editor, and Digital Optimizer/Editor.

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Analyzing 12 university-sponsored news sites for multimedia and digital contents

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Mu Lin

The 12 university-sponsored news sites feature interactives, videos, photo slideshows and social media journalism; they need improvements in web writing and photography. Continue reading →

Posted in College media going digital | 3 Comments

Data visualization for business reporting

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Mu Lin

Visualization of some raw data can vividly, visually convey the main points buried in the data. Here’s a good example of how a business report can make use of data visualization. Continue reading →

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