Tag: WordPress

Posted in Conferences & Conventions, Education, multimedia journalist, Technology

Resources To Build That Perfect Portfolio Website

Posted on by nabjdigital

By Benét J. Wilson, chair, NABJ Digital Journalism Task Force & social media/eNewsletters editor, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Editor’s note: please join me for a free webinar, “Top 10 Dos and Don’ts for Resumes,” on Tuesday, July 9 at 9:00 p.m. ET.  I’ll offer my tips and do three live demos of my famous resume review. Please share this link and encourage folks to attend. It will be recorded for those who can’t make it.

As preparation continues for this year’s National Association of Black Journalists Annual Convention and Career Fair, I can feel the excitement and preparation that is taking place.  One of the key items you need to have in time for the convention is an online portfolio where potential employers can see your work all in one place.

Michelle Johnson, Associate Professor of the Practice, Journalism at Boston University, NABJ Educator of the Year AND one of my digital journalism heroes, did a workshop at the 2011 Philadelphia convention –The One-minute Media Mogul: Creating Online Portfolios — that is my go-to resource.  When I got laid off in October 2011, Michelle was one of the first people I called. I wanted to get her notes from her great presentation so I could create my own portfolio.

She kindly gave me permission to share them, so here they are, as promised. I’d love to hear from you on which site you decide to use, and send links to see what you came up with.  Thanks!!

For Building a Free/Low-cost Portfolio or Website
WordPress.com
Wix.com
Tumblr.com
Weebly.com
Squarespace.com
Bluehost.com (for setting up a “self-hosted” version of WordPress)

Tips: Creating an Online Portfolio Using WordPress
WordPress is not just for blogging! It’s a full-fledged “content management system” that you can use to build a web site. With just a few tweaks, you can easily and quickly launch your own site. See these articles for details:
CUNY: Creating a Top-Notch Journalist Portfolio

How to Build a Distinctive Portfolio Site
WordPress.com vs hosted WordPress

“Self-hosted” WordPress Bluehost.com tutorials:
How to Install WordPress
Installing Themes
Setting up WordPress as a CMS
http://wordpress.forthenovice.com (videos)

WordPress.com Tutorials/Help
If you are using the free version of WordPress, look here for tips on how to configure your site: WordPress.com Support

Embedding documents
Do you want to embed :
Scribd.com – Need to embed a pdf of your resume? Try scribd.
Docstoc.com – Similiar to Scribd.
Tutorial: How to Embed PDF, Spreadsheets, etc. into WordPress
WordPress Plugin: Google Doc Embedder (Note: this works only for the self-hosted version of WordPress, not the free version.

WordPress Themes (aka templates)
Wordpress.com Theme Showcase: http://theme.wordpress.com/themes/

Note: The themes below are for “self-hosted” WordPress sites. You cannot install your own themes on the freebie sites available at wordpress.com.

Graph Paper Press: Great templates for photographers, visual types
Gabfire: For creating a news site.
Themeforest.net: My personal favorite. Tip: Click on “Wordpress” in the navigation bar first to filter out other formats.

WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
This article compares the two.

Posted in Conferences & Conventions, multimedia journalist

How To Get DIGITALLY Ready For The NABJ Convention

Posted on by nabjdigital

janine mackBy Janine Mack, recent graduate, Syracuse University, master’s in broadcast and digital journalism

Editor’s note: Guest blogger Janine Mack offers tips to digitally prepare for the NABJ Annual Convention & Career Fair July 31-Aug. 4, 2013.

It’s that time of year when I urge those in my network to start getting ready for the annual convention. Successfully preparing for NABJ can make the difference between landing an awesome first job or internship and heading back home empty handed. Here are a few tips to get started now.

1. Get an online portfolio! If you do not have a website with at least 8 to 12 clips of either video stories that aired or published print articles, then you are already behind. Ideally, you want your firstnamelastname.com that way when people Google your name, your web presence will be the first thing to come up. I didn’t thing people Googled me until my website showed me otherwise. WordPress, About.me and Weebly are good places to start building a simple portfolio.  Some great examples of each come from Vanessa Deggins, Sarah Glover and Kirstin Garriss, respectively.

2. Google yourself. I always thought people were crazy when they said this, but one day I found old comment I thought was deleted and pictures of other people named Janine Mack half-naked. Recruiters and prospective sources will look so should you. A good rule of thumb is to delete anything that you would not want on your website.

3. I have a website, now what? Make sure to put your resume, some details about what you do and your aspirations, your clips and a nice professional picture of you doing whatever aspect of journalism it is that you do. Some of my favorite examples of how it’s done are Wesley Lowery, Stephanie Siek, Fadia Patterson and Eva McKend. Don’t forget to update it whenever you get a new job or an internship, to have it critiqued BEFORE you head to the convention and that the link is on anything you hand out such as business cards, resumes, demo reels, etc.

4. Build up your social media presence. Start accounts with Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, Storify, etc. These accounts should also be as a fine balance of personal, but professional with of course no on grammar, spelling or punctuation errors. Every account should be customized with your first name, last name, a picture and a brief biography of you on it. Once the accounts are established, link them to your webpage and begin to familiarize yourself with each one. You want as many ways as possible for recruiters to search for you, to add you to their network and to keep in touch after the convention is over. Plus, it’s fun to live tweet at the convention.

Posted in Education, multimedia journalist, Social Media, Technology

Resources To Build That Perfect Portfolio Website

Posted on by nabjdigital

By Benét J. Wilson, NABJ Program Chair, NABJ DJTF chair & freelance aviation/travel journalist and blogger

Yesterday, Marissa Evans, a student at Marquette University, posted an item from the 10000 Words blog: 5 Free Sites to Help Journalists Build an Online Portfolio – 10,000 Words. But the good folks weren’t at last year’s NABJ Annual Convention & Career Fair discovered a better resource.

Michelle Johnson, Associate Professor of the Practice, Journalism at Boston University (and one of my digital journalism heroes), did a workshop at last year’s convention —The One-minute Media Mogul: Creating Online Portfolios — that was much more informative.  When I got laid off last October, Michelle was one of the first people I called. I wanted to get her notes from her great presentation.

She kindly gave me permission to share them, so here they are, as promised. I’d love to hear from you on which site you decide to use, and send links to see what you came up with.  Thanks!!

For Building a Free/Low-cost Portfolio or Website
WordPress.com
Wix.com
Tumblr.com
Weebly.com
Squarespace.com
Bluehost.com (for setting up a “self-hosted” version of WordPress)

Tips: Creating an Online Portfolio Using WordPress
WordPress is not just for blogging! It’s a full-fledged “content management system” that you can use to build a web site. With just a few tweaks, you can easily and quickly launch your own site. See these articles for details:
CUNY: Creating a Top-Notch Journalist Portfolio

How to Build a Distinctive Portfolio Site
WordPress.com vs hosted WordPress

“Self-hosted” WordPress Bluehost.com tutorials:
How to Install WordPress
Installing Themes
Setting up WordPress as a CMS
http://wordpress.forthenovice.com (videos)

WordPress.com Tutorials/Help
If you are using the free version of WordPress, look here for tips on how to configure your site: WordPress.com Support

Embedding documents
Do you want to embed :
Scribd.com – Need to embed a pdf of your resume? Try scribd.
Docstoc.com – Similiar to Scribd.
Tutorial: How to Embed PDF, Spreadsheets, etc. into WordPress
WordPress Plugin: Google Doc Embedder (Note: this works only for the self-hosted version of WordPress, not the free version.

WordPress Themes (aka templates)
Wordpress.com Theme Showcase: http://theme.wordpress.com/themes/

Note: The themes below are for “self-hosted” WordPress sites. You cannot install your own themes on the freebie sites available at wordpress.com.

Graph Paper Press: Great templates for photographers, visual types
Gabfire: For creating a news site.
Themeforest.net: My personal favorite. Tip: Click on “Wordpress” in the navigation bar first to filter out other formats.

WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
This article compares the two.

 

Posted in Conferences & Conventions, Education, multimedia journalist, Social Media, Technology, Webinar

MULTIMEDIA BRAND YOU: PABJ & TABJ Digital Journalism Training

Posted on by nabjdigital
  1. Share
    “
    Multimedia Brand&YOU @benetwilson @normbond @bobbibooker @KelleyLCarter @AmaniChannel @SmallBizLady @skyphoto @TechLifeSteph @Darishamedia
    pabjpabj
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 10:18:24
  2. Share
    “
    @PABJ Multimedia Training. The info is great and informative…but we’re also learning what’s maddening about Skype…#pabj
    Denise Claydenisethewriter
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:03:33
  3. The day started with Benet Wilson, chair of NABJ’s Digital Journalism Task Force, Program Chair for NABJ’s 2012 Convention and a freelance aviation/travel journalist and blogger. She provided an overview of top tech trends, must-have apps and
    social media for journalists.
  4. I started my talk by encouraging folks to get into social media — but to start slow, with one or two platforms. This gives you a chance to see what works best for you. Below are my recommendations of five to try.
  5. Next, I offered up my list of great iPhone apps, below.
  6. I ended my presentation by offering my thoughts about tech trends for journalists coming down the pike, using the wisdom of my tech sensei, Amy Webb of Webbmedia and Knowledgewebb.
  7. After Wilson was entertainment journalist Kelley L. Carter. Carter, co-chair of the NABJ Arts & Entertainment Task Force, discussed her journey as a multimedia freelancer, from
    print journalist to guest expert on HLN/CNN and other media outlets. She talked about how
    she expanded her brand online and provided tips to journalists
    who are interested in crossing platforms. She also provided suggestions to
    journalists on how to find multimedia freelancing opportunities.
  8. Share
    “
    @KelleyLCarter says her present freelancing career exploded around coverage of MJ’s death…
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:45:38
  9. Share
    “
    @KelleyLCarter says invest in yourself with a good online reel and website
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:44:26
  10. Share
    “
    @KelleyLCarter suggests developin an expertise, for her its entertainment journo, and she gets more calls as a freelance expert for tv/radio
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:47:49
  11. Melinda Emerson, AKA ‘The Small Biz Lady,” provided an overview of thinking as an
    entrepreneurial journalist, small business person, and monetizing your work
    online.
  12. Share
    “
    @SmallBizLady Melinda Emerson tells us how to think as an entrepreneurial journalists, small biz person & monetizing ur work online.
    pabjpabj
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:32:45
  13. Share
    “
    @SmallBizLady H.E.L.P: Help. Engage. Listen. Promote–
    pabjpabj
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:16:02
  14. Share
    “
    Brand yourself online with the 3C’s Content, Community and Commerce #smallbiz chat with @pabj and @SmallBizLady
    Temple TABJTempleTABJ
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:25:08
  15. Share
    “
    @SmallBizLady says do key research to know your key customer and who you are influencing!
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:28:08
  16. Share
    “
    @SmallBizLady says its good to have quality content and be an expert but make sure you ate talking with ppl via social media
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:31:01
  17. Share
    “
    @SmallBizLady says use social media, become an influencer, build a following through social media, monetize ur content
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:39:33
  18. Share
    “
    “@SmallBizLady: The door to wisdom is never shut. – Ben Frankin”
    Gerald Greengeraldgreen56
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 18:20:26
  19. Next up was Norm Bond, an international authority on marketing,
    corporate diversity, sales and multicultural issues spoke on Branding
    101.
  20. Share
    “
    @normbond My ‘professional hook’: Tech-life Expert #personalmarketability #PABJ
    Stephanie HumphreyTechLifeSteph
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 11:57:11
  21. Share
    “
    @normbond says u need a logo that speaks to who you, newsletter, qr code, website, blog talk radio, blog, promo items/biz cards #pabj
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 12:19:35
  22. Share
    “
    Manage your online presence to leverage your offline presence. @normbond #pabj #TABJ
    Temple TABJTempleTABJ
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 12:19:56
  23. Share
    “
    .@normbond says u need logo that speaks to you, newsletter, qr code, website, blog talk radio, blog, promo items/biz cards #pabj /CHECK!
    NABJDigitalNABJDigital
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:08:18
  24. Bobbi Booker and Darisha Miller discussed recent social media
    mishaps made by journalists and how to turn a PR crisis online into good PR.
  25. Share
    “
    @bobbibooker and @Darishamedia are discussing the tweets by @rolandsmartin that drew attention by @glaad and how to react and respond #pabj
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 12:49:29
  26. Share
    “
    @bobbibooker says our social media is a branding and we need to extend old school courtesies and relationship building #pabj
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 12:46:18
  27. Stephanie Humphrey gave an overview of apps and online tools based on her root.com article. She covered
    Pinterest and what it is, and described miscellaneous technology
    blogs/websites that are good to follow.
  28. Share
    “
    @TechLifeSteph suggests the iRig microphone as a great digital microphone tool to use with ur iPhone #pabj
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:10:47
  29. Share
    “
    @TechLifeSteph is a trained engineer who has parlay-d her tech experience w/ tv appearances & blogging 2 becoming a multimedia journo #pabj
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:14:29
  30. Share
    “
    @TechLifeSteph suggests apps- iJournalistPro, CoverItLive, Evernote, Dragon Dictation, WriteRoom, Dropbox, Google Docs, Cloud storage #pabj
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:18:10
  31. Share
    “
    @TechLifeSteph — Consistency is the key with blogging and social media. Good Reminder! #PABJ
    Dawn Angeliq RobertsPRDawn
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:30:15
  32. Amani Channel covered visual journalism on the web and general
    multimedia standard practices. He also provided an overview of how he set up
    his own news site, and offered suggestions on how to monetize it.
  33. Share
    “
    @AmaniChannel discusses “Skills to Pay the Bills In a New Media World” #PABJ
    pabjpabj
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:37:18
  34. Share
    “
    @AmaniChannel — Get out of your comfort zone! #pabj
    Dawn Angeliq RobertsPRDawn
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:41:48
  35. Share
    “
    “More stations are hiring one man band reporters. Multimedia skills will come in handy”
    – @amanichannel #PABJ
    TempleTABJTempleTABJ
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:41:33
  36. Share
    “
    @AmaniChannel says… You are a Brand! People are watching and listening! #pabj
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:42:48
  37. Share
    “
    @AmaniChannel sees shooting and editing trends… video skills, one-man band, dslr cameras, tapeless cameras #pabj
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:44:09
  38. Share
    “
    @AmaniChannel digital skills tips- seek freelance opps, guest post, start a blog, leverage social networks, create UGC content #pabj
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 13:54:00
  39. Share
    “
    NEW MEDIA REPORTING use Twitter, Live Stream, Facebook and always SHARE YOUR CONTENT!! #pabj
    Temple TABJTempleTABJ
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 14:01:50
  40. Sarah Glover, PABJ President and photographer/videograher at the Philadelphia Daily News, ended the day with a tutorial on how to how to build a WordPress website.
  41. Share
    “
    #PABJ Sarah Glover giving a awesome presentation on WordPress at the Digital Journalism training. Great organization.
    Dr. Stephen JonesDrStephenJones
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 14:12:52
  42. Share
    “
    @skyphoto wordpress tutorial: pick a template that showcases your specialty (broadcast, print, photo, design). #PABJ
    Temple TABJTempleTABJ
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 14:20:48
  43. Share
    “
    part of my presentation today @ #pabj digital training derived from Michelle Johnson’s presentation at #NABJ11 on building a WordPress site
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 16:57:03
  44. Share
    “
    Journo websites should have at least: resume, about, works samples, contact info, social media feeds (Twitter/FB/blog). #pabj
    Sarah J. Gloverskyphoto
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 17:16:28
  45. Share
    “
    Learning about making a website using WordPress @pabj multimedia training. Been a really productive set of workshops today.#pabj
    Denise Claydenisethewriter
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 14:18:50
  46. Share
    “
    Learned a lot today from attending the #PABJ multimedia workshop. a lot of great insight to social media way explained.
    BernardThornBernardThorn
    Sat, Mar 03 2012 16:38:54
Posted in Innovation, multimedia journalist, Social Media

BLOGGING & BEYOND: How To Go From Media To Multimedia

Posted on by nabjdigital
Markette Smith

By Markette Smith, co-founder and executive producer at www.dconheels.com

As a multimedia journalist and the cofounder of a popular Washington area blog, DConHeels.com, I get asked all the time, “How do I get started creating a blog?”
My answer is always the same: “Just do it.”  Getting started is the easy part. All you need is your own eloquent words and a platform on one of the many free blog host websites, like WordPress or Blogger.
Once you have a great idea for a content focus, such as “Food” or “Fashion” laid out into a blog format, the big question then becomes: “How do I make it pop?”
The answer? Photos, video, widgets, RSS feeds and more… they all certainly help. But it’s easier said than done.
So to help new bloggers and veterans alike, NABJ has pulled together a multimedia blogging Q & A panel discussion that I am helping to produce entitled, “Blogging & Beyond.” The panelists are superstars in their field and, at the 2011 convention in Philly, they will share with you their pearls of wisdom that will no doubt help any print or broadcast writer go from media… to multimedia.
The speakers include:

Where you can find us:

  • Date: Friday, Aug. 5
  • Time: 2:15-3:45pm
  • Where: Room 115A

You can get a head start on the panel discussion by asking your questions to our speaker in advance on Twitter. Just use the hashtag: #bloggingandbeyond

P.S. — Check out this spotlight on one of our “Blogging & Beyond” panelists:
Clay Cane is a New York City-based writer and an alum of Rutgers University, Phi Beta Kappa, with a B.A. in English and African-American Studies. He has contributed to numerous publications such as The Root, AOL, theGrio and The Advocate.
He has interviewed various celebrities, including Beyoncé Knowles, Nicki Minaj and Jodie Foster. Clay has provided commentary for WVON (the largest black talk radio station in Chicago), BET, TV One and several online outlets. Clay is a member of New York Film Critics Online and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association. Currently, he is the Entertainment Editor at BET.com.  http://www.claycane.net

Clay’s BET Blogs include:
http://blogs.bet.com/celebrities/entertainment-spotlight/
http://blogs.bet.com/celebrities/what-the-flick/

He’s also on Twitter: @claycane

 

Posted in Conferences & Conventions, Equipment, Technology

Friday Fast Five + Five: The NABJ Convention Edition

Posted on by nabjdigital

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

The National Association of Black Journalists Annual Convention and Career Fair is only 12 days away, and I’m in full preparation mode.  First, I hope you’ll attend my workshop — BRAND YOU: CREATING YOUR ONLINE IDENTITY — on Thursday, Aug. 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Room 119B.  My goal is that by the end of this interactive workshop, you will be well on your way to creating your own brand.

Today’s Fast Five + Five is all about the iPhone apps I’ll be using to help me keep up and document everything going on at the show.  For you Android users, I’m sure you can find similar apps. And for Blackberry users? I’m really sorry (don’t hate – my work phone is a Blackberry).

  1. Concur: My company uses this program to track travel and work expenses.  I’m blessed that my company pays for me to attend NABJ, and this app will allow me to keep track of expenses on the run.  And after the convention, there’s no huge pile of receipts to track. Nice!
  2. WordPress: I write two blogs — AviationQueen.com and this one — on this blogging platform. The app allows me to review, approve and write comments and even churn out a quick post on the run.
  3. CamCard ($6.99): every year I collect a huge stack of business cards and 0nly input a fraction of them on Microsoft Outlook. I hate paying for apps, but this one was worth the money.  I can take a picture of a card and the information is automatically updated in my NABJ contacts group. Plus it’s environmentally friendly.
  4. Ustream: this app allows me to shoot live video from my iPhone. I can also upload the video to my YouTube channel.
  5. Instagram: anyone who knows me knows I’m always carrying my camera.  I love the pictures I can take with my iPhone, which makes this app a joy. I can do all kinds of photo tricks and upload directly to Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.
  6. Tweet Deck: not only can I keep track of my five Twitter accounts, I can also create columns to follow the #NABJ11 and #NABJ hashtags.
  7. Dragon Dictation: Let’s say I’m in a workshop or plenary and I want to dash off a quick message about what I’m hearing.  I can use this voice recognition app to record and upload the message to Twitter, Facebook, email or a text message.  The translation isn’t perfect, but it’s still quicker than typing.
  8. BlueFiRe: the audio recorder that comes with the iPhone is adequate. The FREE Blue FiRe audio recorder app ROCKS!!  It has markers, different sound recording levels and an FTP site that automatically allows you to upload up to 2 GB of recordings.
  9. QR Reader: more and more convention exhibitors and attendees are using QR codes to provide information on goods, services and data.  This reader allows me to snap a picture with my iPhone and download information.
  10. Around Me: when you’re in an unfamiliar city, you need to know where certain things are, like banks/ATMs, parking, pharmacies, restaurants, stores and even hospitals.  This app will use the GPS function on your iPhone to tell you where the nearest outposts are.

So did I miss any? What are your must-have iPhone apps for the convention?

Posted in journalism, multimedia journalist, Social Media

The College World Reporter: Digital Media Advocate

Posted on by nabjdigital

By Donell Edwards, Founder & Publisher, The College World Reporter

In December 2008, The College World Reporter (CWR) student empowerment magazine was born from the idea to provide a newsletter with information for a small group of students at a local technical college.

As founder of The CWR, I immediately recognized the much greater opportunity to develop the newsletter into an empowerment magazine to help prepare college and university students to successfully make the transition from college into the various careers of their choice.  That is still the primary mission of The CWR.

Using digital media has made this all possible.  It would have been too cost prohibitive for me to use any other media platform and achieve our goals.  I wanted to offer the publication at no cost to subscribers, because The CWR was not developed as a commercial enterprise, but to empower students, and digital media has been the solution for us.

Since we have no source of revenue there are no advertisers, sponsors, foundations, government agencies, or benefactors of any kind providing funding.  All of the expenses incurred are my responsibility, and I gladly volunteer my time and resources.  However, still, without digital media it would not be possible for The CWR to exist.

I also want to acknowledge the wonderful support and outstanding contributions of our team of approximately 20 writers from various professional disciplines, who so graciously volunteer their time and freely offer their advice each month for our readers.  A session with many of these experts as a client to receive the counsel and advice readers receive for free in The CWR would cost hundreds of dollars.  However, due to the fact that these incredible individuals share the same passion as I do to empower students, they willingly contribute their time, knowledge, and benefits of their experience in their columns each month.

In addition to being cost effective, another advantage of digital media is in distribution.  It is very costly to send materials through the mail or by other means, and these are in addition to the cost of printing and packing.  If vendors are used to sell through various stores or retail outlets they must be paid.  This all becomes a very, very expensive enterprise.  On the other hand, delivery of digital media is done over the Internet for almost nothing, it is immediate and eliminates many of the disadvantages of distribution by mail or other means.

A sometimes overlooked advantage of digital media is the physical space required to store print publications.  My daughter is in fashion design school and subscribes to a number of print publications and does not have enough room for all of these magazines that she uses in her studies.  However, using an iPad eliminates that problem.  So, storage of digital media publications is simple and does not require the physical space of print publications.

I would like to make it clear that this article is not an indictment against print media, which is still very popular with many readers, including some who read digital media. This article is my endorsement of digital media as a viable source for anyone interested in starting their own publication and is intended to be a revelation of the many, many advantages of using digital media.

It should also be noted that as The CWR evolves we will be utilizing a more sophisticated form of digital media that simulates for the reader the experience of reading a print magazine.  We plan to launch our new digital version in early 2012, but you can take a look at the prototype at this link, http://cwrmag.wordpress.com.

Another great feature of digital media is the opportunity to have immediate access to a global audience with global distribution.  At The CWR we are developing an international corps of reporters, many of whom are students from Brazil, China, Nigeria, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, and other countries.  Through these international reporters readers in America learn about their cultures and people, and the further work of The CWR in bringing people of different cultures in America and from around the world together is accomplished.

A powerful tool made possible through digital media, especially for students and researchers, is the ability to include links to sources and similar articles, which allows readers to cross-reference and validate what they are reading and conduct research quickly and with much less effort and investment of time than using traditional sources.

There is also much greater flexibility with digital media which allows the use of embedded video to bring stories to life, and utilizing social media networking sources like Facebook and Twitter significantly expands the reach of small publications to a greater audience.

One of the limitations of The CWR, which has absolutely nothing to do with digital media, is the fact that we chose to be a non-commercial publication, which does not allow us to market and promote our work the way that we should in order to help empower more students.  So we take this opportunity to ask everyone reading this article to visit our website at http://www.CWRMagOnline.com and evaluate our work, and we hope that you will see the value to students and anyone else who is interested in the welfare of students.  Then we ask that you spread the word about the work that we are doing and encourage students, parents, educators, and anyone interested in student empowerment to get a FREE subscription to The CWR at http://tinyurl.com/SubscribeToCWR.

Digital media is an incredibly remarkable method of disseminating news and information because of its enormous reach and immediacy, cost effectiveness, many distribution advantages, almost unlimited tools and resources, and simplicity.

Posted in Entrepreneur, multimedia journalist, Social Media

NABJDigital Profiles Marcus Osborne, Your Straight Male Friend

Posted on by nabjdigital

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

Marcus Osborne

One of the many benefits of being a member of the National Association of Black Journalists is the people you meet at the annual convention.  The convention is a golden opportunity to network, and at last year’s conference, I met Marcus Osborne.

Osborne, a radio industry veteran based in the Bay Area, and I were on a panel in San Diego covering the relationship between journalists and public relations professionals.  We chatted after and said we’d keep in touch.  Since then, he has ramped up his venture, StraightMaleFriend.com, a multiplatform effort that offers advice to women from a male perspective.  Below, we discuss how he came up with the idea, using social media to support Straight Male Friend and what it takes to do a similar endeavor.

NABJDigital: How did you come up with the idea for the site?

Marcus Osborne: I’ve always been a guy with lots of platonic female friends.  A few years ago, I appeared on a reality show on ABC called “How To Get The Guy.” It was for 30-something professional women with everything in their lives but love.  Three of us came on as average guy relationship counselors.  The women would put questions in a fishbowl and we’d answer them. After the show was over, I though “we could create an industry doing this.”  Frankly, I don’t think women know what they’re talking about when it comes to giving advice about men because women get that information from other women.  I kept seeing women giving crazy advice about men, and I would say, “you’re crazy, no guy would do that!”

I was the co-host and producer on a country radio station in the Bay Area and I got laid off back in 2007.  I have two daughters, and moving from the Bay Area was not an option.  So I looked at my skills. I could write, I’m good on the air and can talk on relationships.  I had a friend who was having relationship problems, and said I could help. From there, I sent out an email to all my female contacts asking for 10 questions they wanted to ask males.  I got thousands.

From there, I turned it into a book, Your Straight Male Friend…Every Woman Should Have At Least One!, did a book tour and launched a blog, Your Straight Male Friend.  In the last year, I felt it was time to get serious, so I created SMF Media to create content on every media platform: online, radio, print, TV, movies, or whatever else we can find.  The content will be all original, with StraightMaleFriend.com as our first product.  I just signed a deal with CBS Radio to syndicate our podcasts and website.

Looking ahead, we’re searching for a title sponsor for our national tour, where we’ll do live events.  That tour is the focus for 2011.  The plan is to get us to the top 40 markets to do our live events.

ND: How did you find the “males” for the show?

MO: I worked with both guys [John Scott and Matty Staudt] in radio. I worked with Matty for 10 years and he’s one of my best friends. We play off each other and he’s very creative.  I wanted him on my team to manage the content.  I’m the big picture-creative guy who likes to think big.  But I also needed someone who could manage the small things, so I brought in John Scott, who used to manage the Bay Area AM Clear Channel Country stations.

ND: You started the blog on Blogger, but moved over to WordPress. Why did you make that move?

MO: That was a recommendation from one of our web consultant people.  You can do more on WordPress because it allows for greater flexibility and versatility that Blogger doesn’t have.  But as things take off, we’ll probably build a website from scratch.  That will allow us to do the things we can’t do on any blog platform, like a chat function, do posts and podcasts in real time and meet people.  We want to create a national community. We want to be like Oprah.

ND: You are a big user of social media, including Twitter, Facebook, the blog, the podcast and Formspring for questions. How important do you think social media has been in expanding the reach of the show?

MO: It’s a great time to be an entrepreneur.  If you have a really good product, people will talk about you.  Look at Facebook. We can see how our content is forwarded, and it costs nothing.  Do you know how much it would cost for PR alone?  I checked our analytics and found that Facebook is the number one place people find Straight Male Friend. It’s incredible, the power of social media.  The greatest advertising is word of mouth, and it’s particularly important for Straight Male Friend because we talk about issues that are extremely personal.  We are not counselors, but we can offer advice.

ND: How do you make money with Straight Male Friend?

MO: We are doing it through advertising, and I expect to be generating revenue in the next six to seven months.  We’re doing ads on our podcasts and we want to create one-minute featurettes that will be syndicated on radio stations and sponsored by an advertiser like Coca Cola.  You’ll also see banners on our website and see links to content partners.  The process has been grueling, but the money’s coming.

We’ll also make money off Straight Male Friend events, the book available at Amazon.com and we’ll sell merchandise. We also have an online version of Straight Male Friend in video, which will be a sponsored show.  You have to be creative, but there’s lots of money to be made.

ND: What advice would you give to people who want to take their issue/topic and replicate some of the things you’ve done with Straight Male Friend?

MO: If you want to do this, go ahead and put a blog together and start writing.  Get it out to as many people as you can.  Make sure your product is good and decide what your audience is.  And ask the question: will it be something that appeals to sponsors?  The only way to make money is through sponsorships or through subscriptions.  But subscriptions are hard because there’s just too much free stuff out there.

Posted in multimedia journalist, Social Media

NABJDigital Profiles Travel Blogger Kiratiana Freelon, Part 1

Posted on by nabjdigital

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

Kiratiana Freelon is a travel blogger who is carving out her own path with her writing.  I “met” her via Twitter, where there’s a very active community of black travel bloggers and tweeters.

 

Kiratiana Freelon

Right before graduating from Harvard in 2002, Freelon landed a $20,000 fellowship around the world. She decided to create a series of travel guides to destinations in the African Diaspora—destinations like West Africa, Paris, London, Brazil, and the Caribbean. She took the $20,000 trip around the world in 2002 and 2003.

 

On April 6, 2010, Freelon received the first physical copy of her first travel guidebook: Kiratiana’s Travel Guide to Black Paris. In conjunction with the book, she decided to start a travel blog: Kiratiana Travels: Let a Black Girl Show You the World. Her goal? To inspire people to travel and live abroad.  She is also the editor of BlackAtlas.com, American Airlines’ website that offers travel insights from an African-American perspective.  Freelon spoke to NABJDigital on how she got started and advice for those who want to do the same.

NABJDigital: What is your journalism/writing background?

Kiratiana Freelon: I’ve been writing since forever, but the only “real” journalism job I had was for 1.5 years at a local community newspaper in Chicago, the Hyde Park Herald.  Coming out of high school, I just knew I was going to be a broadcast journalist. I had completed the Northwestern Journalism High School Institute and I was headed to Harvard for college. There, I wrote for the Harvard Crimson and wrote and edited a book called The Black Guide to Life at Harvard.

ND: How did you begin blogging?

KF: I first heard of this idea of blogging in 2002 when I was graduating from college. I only knew of one person who had a blog. So when I moved to Paris, I KNEW that I wanted to share my experiences with people by blogging. Back in the day when I traveled around the world, I would just do email updates. So I started a blog called Black Girl in Paris, which I updated while I was living in Paris from 2005 to 2006.

ND: How did you come up with the Black Girl In Paris blog?

KF: Well there was already a book called Black Girl in Paris. The title just FIT me. I was literally a Black Girl in Paris and I was there to discover the black culture of Paris.

ND: How did you end up writing the Black Atlas blog for American Airlines?

KF: The opportunity became open at the perfect time for me. I had just published my book, Kiratiana’s Travel Guide to Black Paris. I was also establishing myself through social media by tweeting, blogging and attending conferences like SXSW and Blogging While Brown. When the position opened as editor, I had the right background for the job and a friend thought it would be a perfect fit. It’s an interesting position in which I get to write, interact with bloggers and manage social media.

ND: What advice would you give to others who might want to begin blogging?

KF: The first advice is to decide what you want to blog about. If you have passion for a subject material, then start stalking ALL the blogs on that specific subject. When I knew I wanted to be a travel blogger, I started reading TONS of travel blogs. Look to see how they are designed and what types of widgets they have.

This is going to come off as rather snobbish but DO NOT use Blogspot to begin blogging. Yes, Blogspot is an easy platform to just start blogging, but it usually doesn’t project a professional image. It’s pretty easy to find a nice clean WordPress blogging theme. Check out freshworkshops.com for some great online tutorials on installing WordPress yourself.

Additionally, blogging is all about community. Find the people in your niche and SUPPORT them and they will start supporting you. It can be as simple as retweeting them, or profiling them.