I've Learned More than James Caan

In 2003, Esquire magazine published an interview of 63-year-old actor James Caan called "What I've Learned." I read it over and over again, and pretty soon, it was burnt into my memory. What made this interview so unique and fun to read was that it wasn't your typical Hollywood interview-style article. No cheeky paragraphs about the actor's sharp Prada pants, latest film flop or flavor of the week. Instead, I read excerpts taken from Caan's career highlights, the most unforgettable snapshots of his personal life.

So, as an homage to Esquire, and in honor of one of my favorite actors, I've decided to create a "What I've learned" for Online Journalism 442. Although it won't include any stories about beer-induced bar brawls or an excessive use of expletives, it will hopefully capture my experience in a different way:

What I've Learned

No matter what anyone says or what what any book, article or mojo may tell you, newspapers are alive and kicking. They're just temporarily taking a backseat to the glitz and glam of online journalism and the rise of multimedia. You see, online news is the new Malibu Barbie in town-with her shiny blond hair and glossy lips. She's unique, exciting and drives a fast car. But one day, Malibu Barbie will realize the value of teamwork, recruiting the wiser, more experienced Vintage Barbie once again to take on the news world while harmoniously living together in Barbie's Dream House. Besides, she needs a roommate. Rent doesn't come cheap nowadays.

Journalists can blog and bloggers can be journalists. Everyone has a VOICE, but it's our job as readers to sort out fact from fiction. May the force be with you! In the meantime, buy earplugs...

The continuous news desk is located somewhere between heaven and hell. It's heavenly to read updated local stories online, receive breaking news text alerts on your blackberry, and track audience readership throughout the day to determine ways to get more page views. It's hell when you're actually part of the team trying to pull all this together. Sorry Shelley...

It's hard to come up with engaging, unique news stories to fill up one's homepage. That's partly why shovelware was invented. Hiring more writers good! Print Plus stories awesome! Relying on shovelware forever...not fun.

When it comes to writing breaking news, the Inverted Pyramid story structure works best for print and online. Period. If you want to invoke the literary, narrative spirit of Nathaniel Hawthorne and take up countless paragraphs to describe a ten car collision on I-95, please seek employment elsewhere.

Everyone should learn to code. That, and klingon. It looks good on your resume and makes for interesting cocktail banter. Then again, if I have to hear the word Tag one more time...

I have seen the future of human interaction and social growth. It's called Facebook. Be afraid, be very afraid.

Yes, I was terrified of this class from the beginning. How do I think I did? Let me get back to you on that one...

Potty Mouth

Speaking of the Local10.com Odd File, a story about kids and constipation appeared on their news site on Thanksgiving. Never in a million years did I expect to see this kind of quirky article posted on a local news site. Maybe a better niche is located between the online pages of a parenting or health magazine?

Though the article offers useful tips for parents to treat this painful problem, thanks to insight provided by local doctors and the Nationwide Children's Hospital, the intent is completely overshadowed by the ridiculously prominent pic of toilet paper appearing to the right of the story-just above additonal medical information. Kind of inappropriate, and kind of upping the gross out factor. I realize that everything has its place in the online news world, but I'm failing to grasp the relevance of this article when it is clearly presented as a joke piece.

Machete Maniac

The Local10.com homepage featured this story in its local news section early Saturday morning. According to the article, 46-year-old Tampa woman Annette Jenkins was thrown behind bars when she chased after a Thanksgiving dinner guest with a machete. And I thought turkey only caused excessive napping or football watching.

Anyways, Jenkins now faces aggravated assault charges for her maniacal behavior. Thing is, quirky artcles of this nature usually attribute a quote or two to a police spokesperson or local authority. Yet, this article simply recounts the "alleged" event and offers no additonal information or explanation. Kind of odd. For this reason, I wouldn't have posted this vague, rather weak story on the homepage. Instead, I would have buried it in local ten's "Odd File." Then again, maybe that's where it will end up...

Eye on the U Gameday Blog

It's Game Day and Miami Herald sportswriter Manny Navarro has launched his Eye on the U live blog. Though Navarro's opening paragraph notes that UM receiver Aldarius Johnson will not be joining his teammates against the North Carolina State Wolfpacks today for violating a team rule, he doesn't elaborate any further on the matter. I guess it's safe to assume that this is private, personal information. And I can completely respect that...

As usual, Navarro offers key tips/informative analysis to hopefully lead the Canes to victory, and as of 12:45 pm, has included first half thoughts and highlights. What's even better is that Navarro's live blog is actually "live" and filled with play-by-play action, making his readers believe they're actually at the game rooting for the Canes. He also engages MiamiHerald.com readers through the Comments page, encouraging a community forum/discussion, answering questions and providing additional insight into the game itself. I can definitely see why sports-related topics generate the most clicks/user traffic-closely behind breaking news-on the MiamiHerald.com site. It's fun to read, fast to post, and creates a sense of community.

Miami Herald Breaking News: UM Receiver Suspended

The Miami Herald.com breaking news section posted this story Saturday at 11:50 am, "Canes leading receiver is suspended," literally minutes before UM is scheduled to play North Carolina State.

Miami Herald reporter Susan Miller Degnan reports that the Hurricane's leading receiver Aldarius Johnson, a freshman hailing from Miami Northwestern High, was suspended Saturday for "violating team policy," according to UM sports information spokesman Mark Pray. Johnson's suspension is described as a big blow for the Canes, especially since today marks the final regular-season football game.

The short, concise article left me wondering what exactly a "violation of team policy" entails. The article "Miami Hurricanes have a lot to play for in finale," which is featured as part of the homepage's UM Football link, doesn't even mention Johnson, as this story was posted on Friday and has not been updated.

Will MiamiHerald.com do a follow-up piece later in the day, or will they just leave it as is? I hope to receive more information soon...

Gas Station Murder: Miami Herald v. Sun Sentinel

MiamiHerald.com posted a breaking news story Saturday morning about two men who shot and killed a Hess gas station clerk, before fleeing with a cash register full of money. When I clicked on the article, "Police release photos of gas station murder suspects," I had expected to see surveillance shots of the suspects, but instead received a recap of Tuesday's shooting and a message encouraging those with more information to contact local authorities. I guess the headline was a bit misleading for me. However, I enjoyed reporter Adam Beasly's narrative lede, which helped put a new spin on the crime scene and engage readers, since an inverted pyramid structure wouldn't have been as effective following several days of fact-based, no-nonsense coverage.

SunSentinel.com also covered this story in "Police release surveillance stills in fatal Hess shooting.". I liked the Sun Sentinel's detailed headline, and sure enough-when I clicked on the story-I was able to see a surveillance shot of one of the murder suspects, which the article noted was released by police on Friday. The article recounts the crime scene with effortless precision and a confirmed desciption of the men is attributed to a Hollywood police spokesman. The SunSentinel.com story also ends with a message urging those with more information to contact local authorities, yet unlike the Herald, it includes a link to the Hollywood Police Department site, which I believe is very effective in encouraging people to reach out and help police.

Sorry Ms. L, but I think SunSentinel.com did a better job in drawing people into their story than MiamiHerald.com. Maybe the Herald could post pictures/stills in its article to match the headline for their story?

I Want a Blackberry Storm!

Thanks Miami Herald reporter Bridget Carey for providing a 60-second review (pros and cons) of Verizon's new touch screen Blackberry Storm in the Multimedia Section. It really peaked my curiousity and helped explain why there were so many folks lined up outside Verizon stores in the cold last week.

Surviving the Holiday Eating Season

Thanks MiamiHerald.com for Tuesday's timely homepage link, "Holiday Diet: How to Fight the Thanksgiving Glut," which takes the reader to the "Diet and Nutrition" page filled with helpful Thanksgiving eating/drinking tips (putting it on, putting it off), scrumptous, health-conscious recipes, and my personal favorite...Dave Barry's Holiday Gift Guide 2008, because who doesn't need a talking fly swatter or a gun shaped egg fryer.

L.A. Times Covers Cyber Stalking Case (Part II)

November 21 marked Day 2 of Lori Drew's federal trial for cyberfraud in the tormenting of 13-year-old suicide victim Megan Meier, as reported by L.A. Times.

According to the article, Day 2 involved the cross examination of Megan's mother by defense lawyer Dean Steward and the initial testimony of Drew's accomplice in Megan's tormenting, 18-year-old Ashley Grills, who testified with government immunity. Lori Drew's hairdresser also took the stand, and her testimony about Drew's glee while mocking Megan was painful to read. Especially cringe-worthy was Drew's alleged reaction in 2006 when her hairdresser asked if she planned on attending Meier's wake-given her involvement in the hoax-to which Drew replied, "It's not like I pulled the Trigger." Wow, sounds to me like someone is filled with remorse and regret!

The L.A. Times recapped the events/evidence of the case in great detail, noting that Drew is accused of "violating federal law by providing false information to MySpace to set up the account, obtaining information about Megan in violation of MySpace rules, and then using the MySpace account to intentionally "inflict emotional distress" on the girl."

In Part I of my blog coverage of this cyber stalking case, I had some questions regarding jurisdiction, which have since been addressed-thanks to this article. Apparently, when authorities in Missouri concluded that there was no statute under which Drew could be charged, U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien decided to indict Drew in Los Angeles on computer charges since MySpace is based in Beverly Hills, and his office could therefore obtain jurisdiction. So, in answer to my own question, MySpace seems to be off the hook as a responsible party.

Funny thing is, the jurisdiction debate may not be over. While under cross examination on November 21, Grills stated she thought she sent the final e-mail telling Megan that the world would be better off without her from an AOL instant messaging service, not MySpace. Drew's attorney thinks this revelation could be a blow to the government's claim of jurisdiction. I wonder what's going to happen now...

Woman Goes on Trial for Cyber Stalking

A federal jury will deliberate today in the 2006 case of a Missouri woman accused of creating a fake profile on a social networking site in order to terrorize a teenage girl who later committed suicide.

A couple of years ago, Lori Drew, her daughter and her assistant posed as a teenage boy on MySpace with the intention of harassing and humiliating 13-year-old neighbor Megan Meier. Prosecutors claim their cruel messages ultimately led Meier to take her life.

AOL News points out some interesting facts in this article:
1)Prosecutors characterize the case as the nation's first cyber-bullying case, and the results from it could set legal precedents regarding online harassment
2)marks the first time the federal statute on accessing protected computers has been used in a social-networking case; It has been used in the past to address computer hacking

Drew's defense attorney Dean Steward told jurors on November 19 that Drew "did not violate the Computer Use and Fraud Act and reminded them she was not facing charges dealing with the suicide." Steward even attempted to get the U.S. District Judge to forbid mention of the suicide during the trial, since the case was about whether Drew violated the terms of service of MySpace-not whether she caused Meier's death. The request was denied...

Chapter 10 of Foust's "Online Journalism: Principles and Practices of News for the Web," addresses legal and ethical issues facing journalists in the online world. This cyber stalking case brings to mind Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which immunizes interactive computer service providers from liability for information originating from third parties (ex: Zeran v. America Online), yet some questions still spark concern. For instance, does this rule apply to and protect social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook and Twitter? I realize MySpace sets standards of conduct, but does it monitor or edit content published by users? Why is Drew the only responsible party in this case?

Another intersting tidbit mentioned in the article was that the case is being prosecuted in Los Angeles since MySpace's computer servers are based in the area. At first, I thought this was an example of forum shopping, yet upon further review of the facts, I'm not too sure why the case is being tried in L.A, and not Missouri were the crime was committed. It is my understanding that forum shopping gives plaintiffs the power to choose courts that are more likely to rule in their favor. But if the state is not bringing forth any charges against MySpace, why not just conduct the trial in Missouri? Just a thought...

Kudos to AOL News for posting this interesting story last week alongside an interactive survey and slideshow.

El Nuevo Herald Not So New

When MiamiHerald.com unveiled its new and improved website, I kind of suspected that elNuevoHerald.com, its Latin American counterpart, would have enjoyed a revamp as well. Thing is, El Nuevo Herald doesn't seem to have changed a bit. I don't see any of the cool bells and whistles of the MiamiHerald.com site, such as a Mulitimedia, News Grid or even Marketplace sections. The El Nuevo Herald homepage is overwhelming, its breaking news section is buried towards the bottom of the page and its blog/columnist corners aren't as inviting and interactive as MiamiHerald.com. One thing I did find interesting was that ElNuevoHerald.com has a link at the bottom of its homepage where users/readers can offer suggestions and provide comments regarding the website. The most recent comment posted by a reader was his disastisfaction and surprise to find "old news" on the website's homepage for days at a time. Ouch!

Cirque du Soleil's Corteo SlideShow

Corteo, Cirque du Soleil's lastest local production, is described as a nostaligic trip into a clown's life, yet the narrated slideshow does not seem to encompass this journey or correlate with the images shown. Instead, Gerard Theoret, Artistic Director for Corteo, repeatedly describes the premise behind the show-a touching story about a clown whom dreams of his funeral and reflects upon his personal life- as images of acrobats and dancers flash on screen. I would have preferred a behind-the-scenes narration of the production itself, similar to the Blue Man Group Slideshow we saw in class recently, which was visually captivating and interesting.

What's the Deal with Modesto Modique?

When I signed up to receive breaking news text alerts from MiamiHerald.com over a week ago, I have since been privy to updates regarding the 2008 Presidential Election, developing storms and high school shootings-all admittedly newsworthy stories.

However, on Friday, November 14, 10:54 am, I received the following breaking news text alert: "FIU President Modesto Modique announced he will step down." I'm still not too sure why I recieved this. Perhaps it would have pertained more to me had I been an FIU student?

Anyways, I went online to find out more information behind Modique's retirement, partly hoping to uncover something scandalous. But, no luck. The Friday online article and Saturday follow-up piece recount Modique's career highlights and rise to to the top, but don't really delve into what prompted his decision to step down. Therefore, I think this story could have simply been a features piece on the homepage or a nice stand-alone article in the Neighbors section, instead of a breaking news story.

Miami Herald.com: Dillard High School Slaying

The Breaking News text messages regarding the Dillard High School shooting encouraged readers to find more information at www.miamiherald.com. When I logged onto the Herald news site recently, I discovered four days worth of articles, uncovering a variety of different perspectives and story angles.

On Wednesday, November 12-the day on which I received the breaking news text alerts-the online stories recounted the tragic event with precision and in a fluid sequence, starting with an article about the school's ongoing, unsuccessful battle to keep weapons off campus, followed by an article focused on the shooting itself, and finally two articles focusing on the outcome: "Student Charged with first-degree murder in Dillard slaying,", which details how 15-year-old Teah Wimberly was charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of fellow student Amanda Collette, as well as an article describing classmate reactions. On Thursday, November 13, all the focus was on Wimberly, specifically how a case of unrequited love and teenage rancor prompted her to shoot her former friend in a high school hallway. Friday, November 14 featured reactions of Collette's parents, school officials and police. The need for improved school security measures as a result of this tragedy was featured in the article, "Family of slain teen wants tighter school security."

Though the Miami Herald print plus stories featured in-depth, informative multimedia links, Sun Sentinel.com offered a more poignant photo gallery .

Miami Herald Breaking News Text Alerts: Dillard High School Shooting

I received the following Miami Herald Breaking News Text Alerts:

November 12, 2008, 12:22 pm: "Police responded to Dillard High School on reports of a shooting. A female student was found unresponsive."

November 12, 2008, 12:54 pm: "A 10th grade female student found unresponsive in a possible shooting at Dillard High School has died."

I would have liked to have received additional updates about the high school shooting, specifically who shot the young student and why...

Miami Herald Text Alerts Going Strong, Fading Fast

Following last Tuesday's election, I received short and sweet text alerts regarding the status of Hurricane Paloma on Thursday and Friday evening. I haven't gotten anything from Saturday to today, though.

Miami Herald Has Shown Me Love

Well, I spoke too soon. I received a text alert from the Miami Herald at 11:03 pm stating, "Barack Obama has been elected president, the Associated Press says."

Obama Wins!!!

At 10:59 pm, WSVN-7 declared Obama our new president!!!

284/145 votes

Still no Herald Breaking News Text...

Not Feeling Herald Love

At 9:37 pm, the MiamiHerald.com homepage featured the headline, "Obama Holds Slim Fla. lead, wins Pa." When you click on this mainstage story headline, the print plus story includes a video of Herald reporter Evan Benn "covering the election from the continuous news desk." Yet, when I played the video, Benn just provided an overview of early "glitches" discovered at some Florida voting polls which had been corrected quickly, and he encouraged people to vote before the polls closed at 7 pm. Not quite the update I expected two hours after the polls officially closed. Maybe this video could have been removed from the related links section, and replaced by a video of McCain and Obama supporters awaiting results or something a little more current? Just a thought.

Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for my Miami Herald Breaking News text alert. I hope Shelly didn't forget about me...

What Tweets Tell

I'm tweeting on Twitter's Election 2008 page. Hot Topics featured on this site include Florida, Ohio, Illinois, basically the names of states that have yet to tally their votes. A few folks on the Florida Hot Topics page are providing predictions on whom they think will win that state, while others are providing electoral vote updates based on data compiled by CNN and other news-related websites.

At 9:16 pm, one tweet stated that "McCain insiders say they have lost Florida, and CNN is calling Ohio for Obama." Weird thing is, at 9:17 pm, the Cnn.com Ohio results graph showed that the current tally is 57/42 Obama, based on only 9% of precincts' reporting. Wow! That tweet jumped the gun a bit. Tweeter may be fast at getting the news out there, but this instance proves that it's not always the most accurate.

Miami Herald Mobile Text Alerts

It's almost 9 pm. Big Election Day! I have just signed up to receive breaking news text alerts from the Miami Herald. Let's see how it goes...

Sloppy Jatropha Shrub Slideshow

The jatropha shrub slideshow was featured in the Miami Herald's Multi-Media section. Though the two and a half minute-long narrated presentation is filled with a a dozen eye-popping images of Haiti's scenic farmlands and the process behind creating biofuel from the jatropha shrub, the poor audio quality seems to overshadow the whole purpose of the slideshow.

The slideshow was intended to showcase the jatropha shrub as a possible alternative to fossil fuel, as well as identify ways to sell and market this plant as a means of addressing our current energy crisis. Everyone can agree this is a crucial topic facing our world today, but unfortunately, in the midst of my having to replay the slideshow several times due to the lackluster sound, I could see how others in my situation may have bypassed the message.

In all fairness, I've become accustomed to viewing top-notch narrated slideshows on the Herald's multi-media site, so maybe that's why I'm sounding a bit harsh right now.

Breaking News Story Headlines

Miamiherald.com and SunSentinel.com covered a breaking news story about a Coconut Creek woman who died early Wednesday after losing control of her pick-up truck on I-95. Though both media outlets recount the accident in great detail, I preferred the Sun Sentinel's headline, "Woman killed in I-95 wreck south of Cypress Creek Road identified" vs. the Herald's "Coconut Creek woman dies in I-95 crash", as it is more detailed and establishes a sense of closure. The Sun Sentinel's lede is also more effective, since it is jam-packed with important information. I noticed, however, that neither the Sun Sentinel nor the Miami Herald placed the (police) attribute in the lede's opening sentence when describing the accident.

It was interesting that SunSentinel.com featured a related links package at the bottom of the page, which included a photo gallery of vivid/graphic I-95 accident scenes called, "What a Wreck." Though this photo gallery didn't exactly hurt this story, it didn't exactly add anything to it either. I got the distinct impression that the Sun Sentinel reuses it whenever there is a story regarding highway crashes.

Candidates Woo South Florida's Small Business Owners

The front page of Wednesday's Miami Herald featured an article entitled, "Wooing Small Businesses," which highlights how "South Florida's small business owners are weighing the dueling plans offered by the presidential candidates." The homepage of Miami Herald.com also includes this article, but with a slighlty different headline, "Candidates Woo South Florida's Small Business Owners." I believe this headline is very effective for online journalism, compared to its orignal print headline, since it pinpoints who exactly is wooing the small business owners and defines the geographic location-both pertinent elements of the story.

Though the related content links of the print plus story are useful and insightful, they are not exactly "related" to the topic at hand. The three-picture slideshow (of a small business owner, McCain and Obama, respectively), which was also featured as part of the related links package, was not very effective. I would have preferred to have seen a narrated slideshow of several business owners providing an overview of their current econmic situation, which economic plan benefits them the most, and which candidate they are supporting. Or, perhaps the Herald could have featured a narrated slideshow of the presidential candidates themselves discussing their proposed economic plans. An audio clip of the candidates' speeches could have served as an alternative to video or slideshows, and might have been just as poignant.

The printed article encourages readers to log onto the Miami Herald website to obtain additional campaign coverage.. The Herald's Political Currents page is awesome! It is a wonderful multi-media, interactive site featuring everything from political polls and quizzes and campaign commentary to early voting maps and candidate updates.

Kudos to Miamiherald.com for coming up with an eye-catching headline for Tuesday's print story, "When Red Met Blue," a clever piece about coping mechanisms for couples with different political backgrounds. Though the online story headline did not have the same "When Harry Met Sally" vibe to it, it was still pretty catchy: "Love can Survive the Election, even for Political Opposites."

Alicia Silverstone Rocks the Vote

No offense to actress-turned-activist Alicia Silverstone, everyone's favorite dim-witted, shopaholic Beverly Hills teen queen from the 90's movie classic "Clueless," but was it really necessary for MiamiHerald.com to post a 37-second video detailing why the 32-year-old vegan likes to vote early? I think not.

The article, "Alica Silverstone, Matt Damon Rock the Vote," which captures Silverstone's celebrity essence quite nicely and why she favors early voting, would have been effective on its own. So, maybe the blink-of-an-eye video re-cap of her voting preferences was a bit over-kill. But then again, she is a movie star and the mere mention of her name can atract audiences to any website. I would have liked instead to have heard who she voted for and why...

Check out this great video clip from You Tube "Barack Obama rally in Tampa with Alicia Silverstone," which details how Barack Obama restored Silverstone's faith in politics. Now, this is the type of video I would have liked to have seen in the Herald's Mutimedia package.

Search Engine Optimization

I decided to google the Miami Herald's Sunday online and printed headline "The Hijacking Suspect Next Door" in light of Tuesday's discussion regarding Search Engine Optimization-just to see if any of its key words would help locate the article within the vast world wide web-and oddly enough, the exact article popped up as the first search result.

I say oddly because, as pointed out in class, I didn't feel as though any of the headline's words helped narrow down what the article was truly about. They were way too vague. The copy editor could have used key words in the headline like Cuba or Miami (geographic location), since the hijackers were Cuban sympathizers who hijacked a flight from Miami; maybe the name of one of the hijackers, whom were profiled in the story, could have been used as well. Just a suggestion...

Upon further review of the articles generated by Google search, I noticed that though the first few results retrieved the Miami Herald story, the rest of the results ranged from Turkish terrorists to even a Chinese jet that was hijacked on its way to Japan. Basically, the majority of the articles appearing after the first few results were completely unrelated to my original headline search.

I believe the reason why this Miami Herald headline appeared at the top of the Google search page is because the article is still fresh. But if we give it some time to travel through the black hole of the world wide web, eventually being replaced with other stories with similar headlines, we may never find it again-without of course using more "key words" in our search.

The Hijacking Suspect Next Door

"The Hijacking Suspect Next Door," a story about Cuban sympathizers who hijacked a flight from Miami in 1958 causing it to crash off Cuba, made the MiamiHerald.com mainstage and front page of the printed paper Sunday morning. Though a very interesting article, I was surprised that Sunday's Dolphins game didn't appear anywhere on the mainstage (maybe, it's still early?) Usually, Dolphins game coverage is featured prominently, and includes discussion forums and reporter blogs.

Kudos to the Herald for not "shoveling" the printed piece straight to its website, deciding instead to create a wonderful "print plus" story. Miamiherald.com includes a video interview of Osiris Martinez, a survivor of the plane hijacking that killed his wife and three children. You can see the regret and sadness in Mr. Martinez's eyes when watching the video, which also features photographs of his family and Cuba not found in the Sunday print edition. I think the use of video in this story was very effective, as it allows the reader to empathize with Mr. Martinez's experience.

Videos Really Do Stand on Their Own

Miami Herald Online News Editor Shelley Acoca stated during her recent visit to our Online Journalism class that videos-when featured as stand-alones on MiamiHerald.com-generate more user traffic and attract unique visitors.

On Saturday, MiamiHerald.com posted the video, "Remembering El Encanto," former Jewel of Havana" in its Multi-Media section and accompanying story, and sure enough my Cuban mom-who has never really perused the Herald website for news- was transported back to her roots. Having left Cuba when she was only nine years old, she said it was wonderful to see photographs and video of the historic department store, and complimented the Herald on its great coverage.

I guess Ms. Acoca was right. Videos have the potential to attract unique visitors, and hopefully, reel them in for more. I can proudly report that my mom may now be hooked on the Herald.

(The Miami Herald' Sunday print edition featured a follow-up piece of this story entitled, "Fashion Flashback")

Early Voting Makes Herald Mainstage

Less than an hour after posting my blog regarding Shelley Acoca's recent class visit and the Early Voting Links Package-which for the past week has appeared on either the top or bottom of the left-hand panel of the Herald's webpage-the story is now prominently featured on what Ms. Acoca described as the "Mainstage," or front and center/top of website.

UM journalism graduate Rafe Sangiovanni, who joined Ms. Acoca during Tuesday's class, exaplined that "Mainstage" stories are not actually "real" stories. Instead, they feature attention-grabbing headlines above captivating photographs, which-when you click on the headline-take you to a previously posted breaking news story. In this case, when I clicked on the headline, "Early Voters Greeted with Lines on Saturday," I was instantly taken back to the original article/related content page I had blogged about earlier today. Mr. Sangiovanni noted, however, that the article itself can be updated throughout the day, whenever new information becomes available, to promote continued interest and content longevity.

I appreciate how MiamiHerald.com posted the Early Voting Package on its Mainstage, as it encourages folks to get out and vote on their day off. This is a perfect example of dayparting, or gearing stories toward a particular demographic, or what the target audience typically engages in at that time.

Out with the Old, Pay for the New

Local community newspaper Miami Today is unveiling a new "E-Paper" next week, which will offer the entire news and advertising content days before its printed paper reaches your door.

Thing is...the old MiamiTodayNews.com allowed readers to view all articles free of charge, and only charged a few dollars to obtain stories older than seven days. The new Miami Today "E-Paper" will only offer a few select articles for your reading pleasure free of charge, and all the new and improved "good stuff" is only available to subscribers.

Subscribers will be able to read articles in text or newspaper view, save articles into a personal electronic news clipping file, listen to articles read aloud, receive the e-paper on a mobile phone, and even receive the e-paper as a podcast or RSS feed.

Not bad for a small, local paper, who's now decided to ride the multi-media wave. But, kind of bad for me who used to enjoy the online edition and its former, limited amenities for free. Though subscribing to the E-paper will only cost you $30 a year, I wonder if their loyal readers will still want to pay to view the new and improved site.

Instant News Editors: Managing Priorities

Miami Herald Instant News Editor Shelley Acoca visited our Online Journalism class Tuesday to showcase the MiamiHerald.com website and discuss choices she and fellow online producers make daily to generate reader traffic. For the past week, the MiamiHerald.com homepage has featured Links Packages on Early Voting to help readers locate (via interactive maps) early voting sites and times. I think this story-which is updated daily-is very informative, and strengthens the Herald's sense of community and political awareness. Ms. Acoca mentioned on Tuesday that she and online producers had created a document entitled, "The Miami Herald Recommends," which includes voting recommendations generated by its Editorial Board for president, constitutional amendments, etc. Ms. Acoca noted that regrettably, this document had not been posted as the homepage has limited space for links, and the online producers therefore had to feature only the most pertinent information. I'm glad that this document finally made the homepage later in the week, as it is useful for undecided voters.

Ms. Acoca also mentioned that when creating a Links Package, online producers need to feature the most important links at the top of the list, as readers/scanners generally tend to click only the first few. Therfore, I was a little surprised to see nearly twenty links on the "print plus" Early Voting story page. Though the majority of the links were interesting and captured my attention, I could understand how some readers may find it overwhelming.

Gettin' Stoned in the Stone Age?

According to the Daily Telegraph (UK), scientists recently discovered evidence suggesting that prehistoric man liked to get high in the Stone Age. Well, at least it explains those trippy cave drawings and funky clothing...

The Telegraph reports that researchers found equipment on the Caribbean island of Carriacou, dating back to 400 BC, used to prepare hallucinogenic drugs for sniffing. The so-called "drug paraphernalia" included ceramic bowls, as well as tubes, for inhaling cohoba, a hallucinogen made from mimosa beans and used by South American tribes "to induce spiritual or trance-like states."

Though actually kind of funny, this story didn't exactly warrant a slideshow to detail man's early history of drug use. In my opinion, this story seemed more "half-baked" than newsworthy. I' m sure the Geico Cavemen aren't the least bit amused.

Miami Herald Audio Slideshow

I was scanning Miamiherald.com for examples of narrated slideshows and came across "Anorexia: Juliet Robboy's Story," which focuses on a young woman's struggles with bulimia and anorexia and her ongoing journey towards recovery and self-love. I was overwhelmed by the slideshow's heartbreaking, striking images, melancholy backgound music and Juliet's truthful yet painful account of her treatment at South Florida's Renfrew Center. The emotions evoked in this audio slideshow are so poignant and thoughtful that simply producing a printed story would never have done her journey justice.

Swimming with the Dolphins

Kudos to MiamiHerald.com for its in-depth, live coverage of Sunday's Dolphins vs. Ravens game. Reporter Armando Salguero's Live Blog is packed with pre-game news and interesting football tidbits. The blog page is also alive with Dolphin fan comments, discussion and debate, successfully generating a great public forum. The "Breaking Down the Game: Dolphins vs. Ravens" page and related multimedia links are entertaining and informative. The Herald also does a nice job of posting/updating the score on its homepage (front and center). Perhaps this story could have benefitted from "chunking," by creating sections for player bios, as well as outlining each team's stengths and weaknesses,etc. I suspect the Miami Herald will offer a more elaborate, expanded story in its print version on Monday.

Palin Stops By SNL

After days of hype, GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin finally crossed paths with her seemingly "better half" comedian Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live. Even though Hollywood Reporter.com attests that Palin's SNL stint yielded the show its highest ratings in 14 years, the majority of Twitter users and I agreed that her attempt to connect to the American audience felt contrived, uncomfortable and just plain desperate. Check it out...

I'm Tweeting on Twitter

I joined Twitter today because social networking guru Alex de Carvalho made it look like fun. They have a page called "Hack the Debate," which allows Twitter users to share comments/tweet the presidential debates while watching a live stream of the broadcast. I think I'm going to check out the next Hack the Debate, which will take place on Wednesday, October 15, 9 pm, and-if I'm lucky-maybe my debate tweets will air on TV. I think it's great that Twitter is encouraging the community to become an active member of the political process, and in a way, contribute to social change.

So, here's a tweet i wrote (140 characters or less):

The NY Post reports that politcal scientists believe comedian Tina Fey's spoofs on SNL may be spoiling the McCain/Palin ticket.

Rick Sanchez: World's Fastest Multimedia Man

When media strategist and UM professor Alex de Carvalho discussed the rise of social networking sites-like Twitter, Facebook and Flickr-with our Online Journalism class Tuesday, I began to understand the importance of not only establishing your internet identity and reputation, but creating a sense of community as well.

I've realized that Journalists can have the best of both worlds. On one hand, they can be the objective, detached investigator, a fly on the wall researching and reporting just the facts before moving on to the next story. On the other hand, we have the twitters, the bloggers, the self-promoters; those who have established their credibility and authority in the online news world by inviting the audience to participate in discussions and share their reactions on everything from sports to politics. These individuals are the true community builders, replacing the old-fashioned pencil and pad reporters with modern, multimedia mavericks.

On Wednesday, MiamiHerald.com reported that news pioneer Rick Sanchez has unleashed TV's "first true multimedia experience" on CNN-a format filled with enticing video clips, live interviews and discussion boards. The Herald reported that Sanchez's unconventional, speedy and flashy format could become the "future of TV news-or it's death." Though former UM Broadcast Journalism professor Sam Roberts compares Sanchez's show to "Larry King on Steroids," he noted that the concept of promoting direct discussion and interaction on the Internet between the news source and the community is truly great and revolutionary. And I have to agree. Rick Sanchez is effectively embracing the opportunities offered by multimedia, and using his experiences to connect people in a variety of ways.

I can't believe that the former WSVN reporter whom had once been criticised for labeling everything from a school shotting to a kitten being trapped in a tree as "shocking news," is shocking the news world again. But this time, in a good way.

Windows Movie Maker Magic

I created and edited a slideshow with soothing "elevator" music in Windows Movie Maker, and uploaded it on YouTube. Wow! That was a doozy. I hope this is good practice for Tuesday's class.

Good 'Ol Reliable: The Inverted Pyramid

The Who, What, Where, When and Why were successfully tackled in this Saturday's Miami Herald article regarding former football legend O.J. Simpson and co-conspirator Clarence Stewart-both facing life with parole for armed robbery and kidnapping.

The no-nonsense lede, "O.J. Simpson is going to prison," captures the attention of "scanners" and encourages them to read on to obtain additional details and background information. The Subheads, "Colorful Testimony" and "Plea Deals," are effectively titled and provide an overview behind the jurors' decision and the four co-defendants' involvement in the case.

The inverted pyramid works well in the O.J. story, since readers want to receive the most pertinent information early on in the first couple of paragraphs. The aptly titled subheads are also effective, as they allow readers to skip/scan ahead to access information pertaining to that topic, especially if they're pressed for time.

This article is a great example of a "print plus" story, as the text is paired with web-exclusive feautures, such as: a video of the Las Vegas courtroom and deliberation, a slideshow and related links (Jury Instructions for the O.J. Simpson Case).

Since this article could also be considered a "thematic" story (O.J. is the theme), the structure could have been divided into chunks, allowing readers to explore related elements or parts of the story without effecting the main story. For instance, instead of simply posting pictures of the nine men involved in the Las Vegas armed robbery, miamiherald.com could have created chunks or seperate pages for each of the nine men, detailing their involvement and individual plea deals, which would grant readers control over how they view and obtain their information.

Narrative Story Structure

"Raccoon-eyed models in snug alpaca coats were standing on platforms at the Kevin Bruk Gallery one recent evening, looking a little restless.

They had been told not to move, for a spooky-arty effect. But their fidgeting kept breaking the spell."

Featured above are the first two paragraphs of an article posted on MiamiHerald.com Saturday entitled, "Fashion is Art at Bruk Gallery Show." The vivid description of the models created an air of mystery, drawing me further into the story.

I soon discovered that the article was about local designer, Silvia Arguello, whom recently unveiled her new line of coats and dresses on models on display at the Kevin Bruk Art Gallery. The article focuses on the rare feat of hosting a fashion show within a Miami art gallery and documents Arguello's rise in the fashion world.

The narrative structure of this article is perfectly suited for entertainment-based stories, since readers/web users are able to dedicate more time to being "teased," allowing the descriptive elements of the story to unfold with ease while mixing factual data in order to maintain interest and increase involvement. I don't believe that this sort of story structure would work well with "breaking news" since readers aren't in the mood to be entertained when seeking just the plain, quick facts.

The Oak Tree: Further Explorations on Photo Editing

During the washed out, wet weekend, I photograhed an old oak tree and played around with PhotoShop.

A Flickr of Hope

Thanks to Carolina's informative blog on how to make a slideshow on Flickr, I felt inspired to photograph the County Club Prado in Coral Gables, a historic landmark created in the 1920s.

Voila! I have cropped and added a photo of the Miami River taken during a recent boat tour. I hope this looks OK. I was trying to make a slideshow of some images, but I finally gave up. Does anyone out there know how to do that?

Manhunt for Hamburglar Continues...

I've attached a photo to a blog I had recently posted:

WSVN 7's Crime Stoppers reports that the search continues for a suspect who robbed a McDonald's Drive-Thru Wednesday. Wow, he must have reallllly been craving an Egg McMuffin.

Luckily, survaillance cameras caputured the man at the scene of the crime. His picture (taken from a frame of the surveillance video) is prominently featured on the WSVN webite. In addition to posting a 25-second video of the story, the website features a link to the Broward County Crime Stoppers website, which encourages online readers having any information to contact police to help capture that Hamburglar! Well, the promise of a reward doesn't hurt either...

Miami Herald Unveils Sleek Website

The Miami Herald unveiled a new and improved website Thursday, accomplishing its goal to deliver multimedia news with lightning speed and efficiency.

The homepage is easier to navigate and more reader-friendly, the new ad sizes jump from the page without deflecting attention from the posted news stories, and every section featured in its printed paper runs across the top of the page and is only a click away. I especially like the "Highlights" section, which appears on the upper lefthand corner of the homepage, as well as the "Most Popular" section featured below. These sections, almost reminiscent of the printed paper's "5-minute Herald," is a great way for readers-on-the-go to get the news they want when they want it.

Kudos on the multimedia section, News Grid, Community and Commentary sections, which are sleek and inviting. However, I could do without the huge pop up ads that seem to overwhelm my computer screen when I try to navigate from page to page.

But overall, miamiherald.com has outdone itself. Competing local news websites should watch out 'cause there's a new MultiMedia sherrif in town!

Police ID "Ghost of Highway 441"

Ms. Levinson pointed out to me before Tuesday's Online Journalism class that the Miami Herald had published a follow-up story this past Sunday regarding the bed-sheet wearing woman who had been struck by a pick-up truck. So...here's my second-day story:

Police ID Bed Sheet-Wearing Woman Killed by Pick-up Truck

The woman who was clad only in a white sheet when she was struck by a pick-up truck early Thursday morning was identified by police Saturday-a day after her death.

Dayana Mortimer was hit by a Dodge pick-up, a day after her 26th birthday, as she crossed County Line Road on U.S. 441 at about 5 a.m. The driver of the truck stopped to help the woman, who was badly injured, and cooperated with investigators. Miramar police are still unsure as to why she was wearing only a white bed sheet as she headed north to Broward County.

The Miami Gardens Woman was rushed to Memorial Regional Hospital on Thursday and remained in critical condition until she died midday Friday, police said.

Investigators had attempted to ID Mortimer by taking her fingerprints Thursday, but did not have any luck. One day later, the Sun Sentinel posted her photo on its news website and encouraged anyone with information regarding the accident to contact Broward Crime Stoppers.

Miramar police were finally able to track down Mortimer's family with the help of Miami Gardens police, according to Miramar officials.

Mortimer's family delined to commnent, requesting time to make funeral arrangements.

Ghost of Highway 441 Vanishes?

On Thursday morning, miamiherald.com broke a story regarding a woman, clad only in a white sheet, whom was critically injured after stepping in front of a pickup truck on US 441. Several hours later, local news websites such as, local10.com, nbc6.net, wsvn.com and sun-sentinel.com, began to follow the story. On Friday, sun-sentinel.com stepped out of the pack, and posted a photo of the woman on its website. They even ran with a new headline; one focusing on helping local police identify the woman.

It's now Sunday, and unfortunately, the story has seemed to have vansihed from all local news websites. The story never even made it to print, and an update on her condition never appeared on TV. I wonder what happened. Is she is still in the hospital in critical condition? Have police managed to identify her? There are so many unanswered questions, which begs me to wonder...was she only a soundbyte, a former hot topic for bloggers that has now fizzled? It's almost disheartening.

Hopefully, everything will turn out all right. So, as part of an assignment for our 442 Online Journalism class, here's my take/new lede:

Police are still trying to ID a woman struck by a pickup truck and crtically injured Thursday morning while crossing County Line Road. According to a police spokesman, the woman was rushed to Memorial Regional Hospital with life threatening injuries, and was wearing only a white sheet at the time of the accident.

Witnesses say they saw the woman cross County Line Road and head into Broward County on U.S. 441 about 5 a.m on Thursday. A short time later, she was in the left turning lane when a Dodge pickup struck her. The driver of the truck stopped to help the woman, who was badly injured, and cooperated with investigators.

The woman was not carrying any identification, nor had any identifying marks, scars or tatoos on her body. Miramar Police attempted to ID her by taking her fingerprints, but did not have any luck.

Police have since released a photo of the woman in the hopes that anyone with information on this accident, or who the woman might be, will contact Broward Police at
(954) 602-4000.

Sun Sentinel Releases Photo of Woman Struck on 441

At 7:42 am on Friday, Sunsentinel.com released a photo of the woman struck by a pickup truck and severely injured Thursday morning on State Road 7, hoping someone will identify her.

Police are asking that anyone with information regarding this accident call the Broward County Police Station.

On Thursday, a lot of attention was placed on the fact that the woman was clad only in a white sheet. Now, that information has moved further down into the story, as the mission of identifying her has taken precedence. The article also gives a more detaled account of the accident, as compared to the Miami Herald (see blog below). Currently, the Sun Sentinel is the only local news source that has released a photo.

Tracking the Ghost of Highway 441: Miami Herald Reports

The Miami Herald posted this story on its website Thursday night:


"MIRAMAR, Fla. -- Authorities say a woman wearing only a white sheet is in the hospital after being struck by a pickup truck in Broward County.

The woman was critically injured early Thursday morning when she was hit while walking along a major street in Miramar. She was rushed to the hospital with life threatening injuries.

Police say they have no idea who the woman is. She was not carrying any identification.

The driver of the truck is cooperating with investigators.

The woman is described as being in her early to mid 30s, about 5 feet tall, 175 pounds with a black short Afro and brown eyes."

There have been no updates on this story since it first broke Thursday morning. Hopefully, the woman's identity and condition will be revealed later today.

Tracking the Ghost of Highway 441 Interesting Tidbit

Maybe I'm just reading too much into this, but when the Miami Herald broke the story at 9:19 am Thursday that a woman clad only in a sheet is in critical condition after she had "stepped in front of a pick-up truck," I realized that none of the subsequent stories posted on WSVN, local10 or even nbc6 mentioned that she was suffering from serious injuries because she had actively stepped in front of a truck. Instead, they all reported that she had simply been "struck" or "hit" by a truck (more passive voice).

Am I reading way too much into these semantics? Check it out for yourself. I've included the links in my last blog.

WSVN Now Tracking Ghost of Highway 441

WSVN posted its "Struck in the Street" story around noon. The Herald story contains a more detailed description of the unidentified woman, who remains in critical condition after being struck by a pick-up truck on US 411 Thursday morning. When Herald reporter Adam Beasley broke the story at 9:19 am, he had included the name of the hospital and a brief eye witness report, unlike WSVN. Yet, the Herald has not updated its story since this morning, and more "breaking news" is seemingly taking precedence.

Another notable difference is that WSVN reported that the woman was rushed to the hospital with "life-threatening injuries," while the Herald attributed that description to a Miramar police spokesman and used the word "critical," instead, to describe her condition. WSVN's use of the word "life-threatening" has a more negative connotation than the Herald's use of "critical," which can at least imply that there is hope for her...

Well, hopefully WSVN and the Miami Herald will post more information later today, as soon as police identify the woman.

FYI: local10.com and nbc6.net published the same story as WSVN.

Manhunt for Hamburglar Continues...

WSVN 7's Crime Stoppers reports that the search continues for a suspect who robbed a McDonald's Drive-Thu Wednesday. Wow, he must have reallllly been craving an Egg McMuffin.

Luckily, survaillance cameras caputured the man at the scene of the crime. His picture (taken from a frame of the surveillance video) is prominently featured on the WSVN webite. In addition to posting a 25-second video of the story, the website features a link to the Broward County Crime Stoppers website, which encourages online readers having any information to contact police to help capture that Hamburglar! Well, the promise of a reward doesn't hurt either...

Tracking the Ghost of Highway 441

It's been one hour since the Miami Herald broke the news on its website about a woman, clad only in a sheet, whom is in citical condition after stepping in front of a truck Thursday morning on US 441.

I decided to visit other local news websites, such as wsvn.com, nbc6.net, and local10.com to see if I could obtain additional or updated information, but the story had not made it onto any of these websites. I guess the Miami Herald was the first to break the story? Channel 10's website, however, did include a weird story entitled, "Naked Man Dies After Being Chased by Police" in their local news section.

I'll keep ya posted...

Ghost of Highway 441

Miami Herald reporter Adam Beasley posted this story at 9:19 am under the Breaking News Section.

Beasley reported that a woman wearing nothing but a sheet is in critical condition after stepping in front of a pick-up truck on US 441 Thursday morning.

Miramar police are trying to identify the woman, who as of 9 am, was at Memorial Regional Hospital.

A brief physical description is provided in the article online. Let's see how this story develops throughout the day...

On a side note, bloggers can be really insensitive. In the "Comments Section" featured below the article, one blogger wrote that she "must've been looking for her crack pipe." I wonder if the Miami Herald can find a way to keep comments like this off of their website. What if the family of the woman happens to read this? There should be a balance struck between freedom of expression and protecting one's personal well-being and family.

Spielberg Maybe onto Something...

Before Tom Cruise was jumping on Oprah's couch, declaring his love for Katie Holmes, he was a fugitive of the law, laying low on a New York subway. Until, a "Breaking News" story flashes on a thin video screen of what seems to be a USA Today "E-Paper," and his cover is blown.

In the 2002 sci-fi flick Minority Report, Steven Speilberg depicts the replacement of printed text and still photos with the "E-Paper," in which content, video and sound are constantly updated on a mixed-media front page. In a 2005 Washington Post online discussion regarding the future of newspapers, Media & Entertainment Industry reporter Frank Ahrens suggests that we think of it [E-Paper] as a "combination paper, television and Internet, presumably wirelessly connected to a futuristic Wi-Fi, perhaps the next generation of the new Wi-Max super hotspots that are rolling out and cover several square miles instead of several square feet."

Even though Ahrens descibes Cruise's nail-biting subway "E-ride" as a throwaway scene, as our Online Journalism class strolled through the halls of the Miami Herald last week, I couldn't help but think that maybe Spielberg was intentionally commenting on the future of journalism itself. And, with mixed-media reporting increasing in popularity, maybe readers will be living that future sooner than we think.

During our Herald tour, Mixed-Media Managing Editor Rick Hirsch noted that news stories are published on miamiherald.com first, which-unlike its printed paper-have the ability to be updated continuously to attract wider audiences, and can later be polished by adding related links (i.e. video and audio content) and vivid photo galleries.

It was rather distressing to hear Hirsch say that, when it comes to news, there is "no longer loyalty to a brand." Hirch compared the web's homepage to the front page of a newspaper, and explained that if it is not updated throughout the day, readers will be left with no choice but to seek their news elsewhere.

Due to increasing competition to grab readers' attention, Hirsch says the Herald is seeking alternate ways to deliver news instantly and efficiently. One way is through sending complimentary text message alerts on breaking news, sports scores and even weather updates. This proved extremely helpful during the impending threat of Hurricane Ike.

Hirsch realized that there exists a "broader reach through the web," and that is why the Herald is beginning to create niche specialty sites, such as miami.com and miamimoms.com, in an effort to attract a varierty of interests and promote discussion.

So, even though the "E-Paper" may seem a little eerie, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of enjoying its eye-popping graphics and endless breaking news stories on the Metro in the near future...just as long as I don't have to sit next to Tom Cruise.

Lights, Camera...Action

It may look like just a dusty room with wires and tables scattered on the concrete floor, but during a recent tour of the Miami Herald, our Online Journalism class got a sneek peek of the newsroom's lastest venture: the creation of its very own TV studio.

According to Rick Hirsch, Managing Editor of Multimedia, the Miami Herald hopes to have a studio up-and-running by next year to help "increase the frequency of video commentary" and create more programming for the web. As Hirsch explained, the demand for video content is on the rise, and the Herald needs to find alternative ways to compete with other news sources/outlets and attract wider audiences.

The studio will produce content focused on sports, local news, public affairs, weather and entertainment. As of now, Hirsch says only a handful of the Herald's staff shoot news video for the web each day, but that number may increase once the studio takes off. Due to the significant growth of online readers (in-house reports indicate that from August 2007-August 2008, the number of unique online visitors rose from 2.8 million to 3.9 million), the studio is expected to help the Herald provide news stories in more efficient and visually captivating ways.

The Miami Herald has succesfully ventured into radio, has dabbled in podcasts, and now they are about to take their website to a whole new level. The Herald's ready for it's close up, Mr. DeMille!

Kentucky Fried Secrets

Handcuffed to a lockbox holding a 68-year-old secret, security expert Bo Dietl didn't know where the Brinks armored truck and flood of police officers were taking him. What he did know was that a mysterious man, known only as "The Colonel" was counting on him to protect his many "herbs and spices"...

Relax. This isn't a matter of national security, or even something out of an espionage novel. On Tuesday, September 9, after decades of being locked away in a filing cabinet in Louisville, the secret recipe behind Colonel Sander's tantalizing fried chicken was set free. Long enough to be transported to a temporary, undisclosed location as the head honchos of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)revamped security at their corporate office and plotted to create a new breed of fast food: Original Recipe Chicken Strips!

This chicken tale made national headlines. Videos depicting shrilling police sirens and KFC big wigs in a panic popped up on youtube last week (see above).The WSVN website even included an article and related links in its "Odd News" section. I guess people out there really are interested in knowing why the chicken crossed the road...

Sleeping is Overrated

As Rick Hirsch, Managing Editor of Multimedia for the Miami Herald, provided our Online Journalism class a rundown and tour of the continuous news desk-recognizable only by an endless cascade of cubicles, the incessant hammering of computer keys and the symphony of ringing phones-you couldn't help but recall the classic 80s film, Wallstreet. Except this time, Gordon Gekko (brilliantly played by Michael Douglas) wouldn't stand before you dressed in a sharp suite and smug smile, insisting that "lunch is for wimps." It seems like at the continuous news desk...sleeping is.

Though Hirsch explained that the continuous news desk is not necessarily a 24/7 job, there are many key players who continually strive to keep the Miami Herald working like a well-oiled media machine. There are radio news anchors (at WLRN), homepage producers, instant news officers and assignment editors working together, reporting, editing, publishing and updating breaking news stories all day long with speed and accuracy while analyzing ways to target new audiences. David Stout, a New York Times continuous news desk correspondant, has become quite accustomed to facing these daily obstacles and demands.

Hirsch described the continuous news desk as the nerve center of the Herald, dedicated to gathering information and weighing the value of potential stories, all while competing with other media sources to keep the masses updated on breaking news.

Although it may seem as if the brains behind the continuous news desk operation don't get much of a chance to catch up on some well-deserved shuteye, at least they get to eat lunch. And, judging by the wrappers found lodged in between the computer montior and keyboard, Doritos seem to be the snack food of choice.

Seeing is Believing: The Rise of the Visual Journalist

Michigan State doesn’t need a crystal ball to look into the future of journalism. Thanks to the innovative “info-graphics” classes of Professor Karl Gude, students are getting a crash course in media multitasking, converging graphics, technology and content to become better storytellers.

In a recent Poynter Online interview (click link above), Gude, a former Newsweek graphics director, discusses the importance of combining critical thinking skills and visual tools (i.e. Dreamweaver, Photoshop, 3D programs, etc.) to strengthen news stories while instilling a sense of art appreciation and journalistic flexibility.

Gone are the days of the pen and pad reporter,notes Gude. The visual journalist is on the rise and in demand-writing, shooting and editing their own news stories, uploading them to the web, and envisioning novel and clever ways to bring information to the masses.

Blogger Beware

Blogging upholds our freedom of speech by building a foundation for self-expression and interactivity, yet when dealing with rising issues of copyright law and libel liability, how do we determine when our words have crossed the line?

Over the years, courts have struggled to maintain a balance between defending those who have been defamed by bloggers and protecting one’s first amendment rights.

In Chapter 10 of “Online Journalism: Principles and Practices of News for the Web,” author James C. Foust defines libel as “the publication of false information that is defamatory, or likely to harm someone’s reputation.” According to Foust, statements contained in chat rooms, discussion boards and forums can be held liable for false and defamatory speech, since they are considered published information.

As Jennifer L. Peterson reports in Wisbar.org, “the standard for defamatory speech is the same whether the medium is paper or the Internet.” According to Peterson, there are three elements to a defamation claim: 1) a false and defamatory statement concerning another; 2) made in an unprivileged publication or broadcast to a third party; and 3) with fault amounting to at least negligence on the part of the speaker.

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 contains protection for online service providers and users and encourages courts to extend immunity to bloggers, stating in part that "No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.”

According to Peterson, “Section 230 was enacted, in part, to maintain the robust nature of Internet communication and, accordingly, to keep government interference in the medium to a minimum…encouraging "robust" discourse by bloggers, therefore, is consistent with the purpose of section 230 and, not incidentally, the First Amendment.”

In Cubby v. CompuServe, a New York federal district court held that the CompuServe Internet service provider (ISP) was not liable for defamatory statements made by a subscriber in its online forum, since it was determined that CompuServe had not exercised any editorial control over any published information/statements.
However, Sections 230 does not intend to provide absolute immunity to all types of Internet communication. In Stratton Oakmont, Inc. v. Prodigy Services Co., the court ruled that the Prodigy ISP was responsible for published libelous statements, since they actively engage in screening and editing content on its bulletin boards and forums.

According to Foust, “a statement made in a discussion forum that is clearly an opinion could not be considered libelous, but a statement asserting factual information could be.” Since no significant court cases have provided guidance on this issue, a website, as noted by Foust, is therefore presented with three choices: 1) screening and editing all content appearing on discussion boards and in chat rooms, which can prove time-consuming and expensive; 2) exercising no control over what users say, which can make potentially libelous statements accessible to the public; or 3) choosing not to provide discussion boards or chat rooms at all, which is considered the most popular choice nowadays, yet does not seem to address the issue at hand.

In an effort to make sense of this blogging legal haze, maybe it’s time for the courts to reevaluate its defamation standards. Until this happens, perhaps we should hold ourselves accountable for our words and set our own standards of personal responsibility.

Check out these interesting links:
http://www.wisbar.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Wisconsin_Lawyer&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=56211
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Decency_Act
http://www.internetlibrary.com/cases/lib_case69.cfm
http://www.internetlibrary.com/cases/lib_case80.cfm

Vying for Media Attention: How Journalists are Learning to Promote their Work & Adapt to a Changing Environment

In this YouTube clip posted over a year ago, Washington Post Online Executive Editor Jim Brady discusses the need for journalists to keep up with new multi-media skills and trends, especially within the online world, in order to stay ahead of the competition.

As everything in the online world is subject to reinvention, the ongoing “fight” for national and international readers remains constant. According to Brady, consumers are continually reforming the ways in which they get their news, and therefore, it has become imperative for journalists to learn new media skills in order to adapt to an ever-changing environment.

And so, the convergence and evolution of media has given rise to the “Superjournalist,” one who is able to produce content faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than the local news, able to master a variety of media in a single bound…

Through gathering and producing stories for more than one type of media (check out Chapter 1 of James C. Foust’s “Online Journalism: Principles and Practices of News for the Web”), Superjournalists are able to have their stories available to larger audiences with immediacy and tact.

Superjournalists seem to thrive in the field of online journalism, as basic media skills are adapted to changing situations and new ways of covering stories are explored in order to reach their full potential and hopefully attract wider audiences.

Online Journalism Conditionals

If journalists can post blogs,
and bloggers can post news,
then can bloggers be called journalists?

Thanks to the emergence of online journalism, blogging has developed into a socially conventional form of self-expression and a vehicle for gathering and sharing news. Yet one question still remains. Is blogging really journalism?

This question has no clear answer and therefore continues to spark much debate.

According to a 2002 Business Week article, “Are Bloggers Journalists,” some organizations have begun to “legitimize blogs as a grassroots form of journalism.” The article reported that bloggers have received press passes in the past, have broken major news and continue to compliment traditional media outlets.

In the 2002 edition of USC Annenberg Online Journalism Review, Senior Editor J.D. Lasica wrote that the blogging movement may “sow the seeds for new forms of journalism, public discourse, interactivity and online community.”

However, Seattle Times technology columnist Paul Andrews reports that “not everyone who keeps a journal is a journalist…But professional journalists too often dismiss those who don't work for traditional media, when the truth is that the most vital and moral dispatches on the Web are being created by amateurs.” He goes on to say in the USC Annenberg Online Journalism Review that “it's the role of institutional media to act as gatekeepers… but what you have in print publishing today is a consolidation that's inimical to the diversity that exists in everyday life. With the rise of the Internet, people don't need to be bounded by those traditional filters anymore."

Unlike traditional media outlets, bloggers do not have to answer to gatekeepers. Their views and opinions are free-flowing, unrestrained and immediately accessible to the masses.

Though blogging has become a pioneer of new media, it faces an uncertain future. As First Amendment Center research attorney David L. Hudson, Jr. shares on Cyberjournalist.net, “the regulation of blogging presents many important First Amendment issues. Only time will tell where the legal lines will be drawn on whether bloggers are journalists, when anonymous bloggers can be unmasked and when public employees can be disciplined for the content of their expression made on a blog.”

Anyone can blog, anyone can share their voice. But not everyone can distinguish fact vs. opinion. Therefore, if we continue to closely monitor the progression of online journalism and blogging, then we will be better equipped to pay attention to the voices that can effect and influence us the most.

Check out these interesting links:

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2005/tc2005037_7877_tc024.htm
http://www.cyberjournalist.net/news/003286.php
http://www.ojr.org/ojr/workplace/1017958873.php

I blog…you blog…we all blog

You know you’ve finally arrived on the scene, when your life story gets posted on Wikipedia.

Stop what you’re doing, go to a search engine and type in “blog.” Hundreds of thousands of results pop up. Everyone seems to be “blogging,” the word “blog” is actually considered a verb (I blog, you blogged, they are blogging), and even Spell check on Microsoft Windows seems to acknowledge it as acceptable dialect, since no red underlined markings appear to declare it as misspelled or out of the ordinary.

So, how did this cultural phenomenon come to be? James C. Foust’s “Online Journalism: Principles and Practices of News for the Web” and Wikipedia recount its early beginnings and provide some insight regarding its exciting future.

The “blog,” short for web log, is described as an electronic journal entry, diary or post, providing commentary on news, events and a variety of subjects. Blogs promote convergence, as they combine different types of media, such as video, audio and even music files to strengthen its message.

There are all sorts of blogs, too. News, corporate, personal, question (you can type in a question and others post answers and advice). The list is endless. The rise of Home Improvement and Makeover television programs may have contributed to the increasing popularity of "house blogs,” or blogs allowing homeowners to document and share information regarding their home improvement or renovation process.

According to Wikipedia, before blogging became popular, we had digital communities (Usenet), commercial online services (Genie) and Bulletin Board Systems, which created an outlet to post messages. The modern blog was born from the online diary, where people would keep a running account of their personal lives. Justin Hall, a student at Swarthmore College who began blogging in 1994, is generally recognized as one of the earliest bloggers, while Dave Winer’s “Scripting News” is also credited with being one of the oldest and longest running weblogs.

The collective community of all blogs is known as the “blogosphere,” which may sound ominous to some-kind of like the web’s own version of the black hole, filled with infinite data and information. Though it may be easy to lose your way in this black hole, blogging is quickly becoming more mainstream, as many journalists today use blogs to increase the reach of their messages/reports while others consider them therapeutic.

Though blogging has many advantages in modern day culture, it simultaneously presents concerns regarding accuracy and truth. According to Chapter 4 of Foust’s “Online Journalism: Principles and Practices of News for the Web,” “blogging offers the potential to create entirely new forms of discourse, making room for a level of participatory community that has not been possible before." Blogging also creates a “marketplace of ideas, unfiltered by media corporations or editors.” However, according to Foust, “the downside to the fact that anyone can blog is, of course, that anyone can blog.” Therefore it becomes inherently important to define our realities and establish out journalistic independence.

Links of interest:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog
http://olj.hh-pub.com
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_60311,00.html

Rules for Reading Online News

In a January 2007 New York Times article, columnist and radio personality Garrison Keillor wrote that nothing compares “to the fine art of holding a newspaper.” As laptops are becoming more affordable and socially chic, it’s almost a rarity to find what Keillor describes as the stylish, classy newspaper lover lounging in the local Starbucks, reveling in ink smudges as his fingers sift through the local and sports sections. Instead, we hear aggressive fingers pounding on keyboards, see wires and battery packs covering coffee tables (sometimes, with no sight of any espressos or frappuccinos) and wonder…where have all the Cary Grants and Spencer Tracy’s gone?

Adaptation is key to any growing, changing environment. As society continues its quest to embrace and promote the online revolution by creating web editions of national newspapers and magazines and offering free Wi-fi services at local hangouts (i.e. Starbucks), some fear that newspapers may become extinct. But that’s not the case at all.
According to a 2005 Editor & Publisher article entitled, “Dispelling the Myth of Readership Decline,” print media is reaching more people than ever, thanks to a symbiotic relationship with their partner online editions (ex. Tampa Tribune, WashingtonPost. Newsweek).

As online journalism evolves into an acceptable vehicle for news, perhaps it would be suitable to lay out a few ground rules to fully enjoy the experience:

1) Sharing is caring: Feel free to post your comments regarding articles and blogs. The beauty about online media is that it promotes an open forum-like environment, with everyone sharing their beliefs, thoughts and opinions
2) Everyone has an opinion: It’s becoming increasingly difficult to sort out facts and truth from seemingly endless mounds of data, so do your research, check your sources and stay on track…
3) Blogger Beware: With rising concerns of copyright law, liability and defamation, it’s important to be cautious of what you write, as your words can be accessed by anyone and everyone; I’ll touch on this topic more in a future blog
4) And lastly, the most important advice of all… please don’t bring your laptop to the beach. Sand and saltwater don’t mix well with computer screens and keyboards-unless you’d like to spend your evening cleaning out the cap lock and shift keys with a Q-tip. If you’d like to catch up on the news while enjoying Miami’s cooling waters and bright rays, maybe it’s best to take a newspaper.



Check out the following sites for more info:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/01/10/keillor/index.html
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/01/10/keillor/index.html

Online Journalism not for Dummies

Heart racing. Chair shifting. Butterflies in stomach.  No matter how much older you get, the first-day-of-class jitters never seem to go away. Especially with terms like SEOs, converged newsrooms and htmls flowing through the classroom, as your brain tries to interpret what sounds like a foreign language. 

Yet, what seems like a foreign concept to a few, is evolving into a simple, modern practice for the wave of the future. It's almost scary to think that online journalism, with its 24/7 deadlines, sense of immediacy and quick punch-lines, will one day replace the cool comfort of flipping through the newspaper on a lazy Sunday morning. 

But not all good things must come to an end. Both print and online journalism can coexist, working together to bring the news to the masses in an efficient way.