Important Upcoming Events from the National Association of Black Journalists

By Benét J. Wilson, DJTF co-chair, Online Managing Editor-Business Aviation, Aviation Week Group

The National Association of Black Journalists’ Media Institute is holding a Webinar on Producing & Filing for the Web.   The Webinar will be held tomorrow, Wed. Feb. 3 from 12 noon to 1:00.  It will be moderated by Media Institute Chairman and WebbMedia teacher Doug Mitchell, with presenters Mike Wuebben, Senior Producer, CBSNEWS.COM and Whitney Dehart, Digital Journalist for CBS News.

Journalists today need to be multi-skilled and have a solid understanding of how to produce and write content across more than one distribution channel. We thought a look at the shifting landscape of multimedia journalism is in order and give NABJ members a chance to hear about it from those currently practicing the craft now.  To register or for more information, click here.

The deadline for NABJ’s call for proposals for this year’s annual conference is Feb. 6.  We will focus on everything from training journalists to become more digitally savvy, to discussing how to effectively use social media, and understanding sustainable journalism.   Click here for proposal guidelines and to submit your ideas.

And last — but not least — are you an NABJ member who happens to be a professor or teacher?  A new Yahoo listserv has been created just for you.  As the ones on the front lines who are teaching the next generation of journalists, it’s important that journalism professors have their own forum to share ideas and best practices.  If you’re interested in joining, click here.

RTDNA’s First Webinar Is A Hit

By Andrew Humphrey, CBM, DJTF Founder & Co-Chair

Today’s RTDNA webinar, entitled “Video Free For All,” was a phenomenal success.  At 1pm ET, one hundred participants logged in and learned about methods of finding and using video online to find new audiences and to enhance news-gathering and storytelling.

CBS executive and RTDNA Region 11 Director Lane Beauchamp led and moderated the session with Olivia Ma (YouTube), Andrew Fitzgerald (Current TV) and Kevin Roach (AP) serving as panelists.  All of them explained the benefits of video online and gave excellent advice of how to make its use work successfully.

Here are some of the highlights I experienced:

Some statistics were mentioned first.  Of 144 million online viewers polled, 72 percent watch video, of which 83% watch short form video.  ”Short form” referred to a video no more than 4 minutes long.

Web only video can extend storytelling if it can be made compelling and is promoted heavily.  The use of raw video works when it is made relevant, cuts to the chase of the story and is put in its proper context.

Sharing video with other web sites and media companies, such as YouTube and Yahoo!, has its pluses and opens the opportunity to find new audiences and niche audiences.

The use of embed codes and watermarking video are successful branding techniques.  Adding meta data can effectively allow viewers to find a storyteller’s viewer faster and more easily.

Last but not least, ethical standards remain held in the highest regard and are nearly the same as those for non-digital journalism.

RTDNA Chair Stacey Woefel said the Video Free For All webinar “hit the target dead on in terms of delivering information news managers can’t find other places.”  Click here for RTDNA’s press release.