Every writer has their own approach to their craft. Imagination, observation, and personal
relationships are just a few of the sources that writer’s draw from to create
their work. However, as acquaintances of
writers, are we allowing ourselves to become their subjects for creative
development? In her article “Opting for Invention Over the Injury of Invasion,” Carol Shields reflects on the struggle to
limit the damage to personal relationships that can be caused when they are
used as inspiration in fiction writing.
As she opens her article “Opting for Invention
Over the Injury of Invasion,” Carol Shields recollects a time when she met a
friend at a shopping mall who had just purchased a green nightgown and was on
her way to find green candles to match her new intimate wear. Intrigued by this look into the corky
characteristics of others, Shields added this detail into the novel she was
currently writing. Upon reading her
draft, however, Shields removed the node to her friend in fear that she would
be uncomfortable by the reference to her unusual color coding practices. Shields reflected that many writers face such
a challenge between utilizing real life human inspiration and offending friends
and colleagues by adapting their traits into their fiction work. In her discussion of this struggle, Shields
notes that, “For I am convinced that no one wants to make an appearance in
someone else's fiction, whether in the guise of a slightly demented shopper or
equipped with heroic raiment” (Shields, 2000). Shields states that every writer will address
this situation differently, but I agree with her assessment that we should
consider how others will be affected by the use of their personal interactions
and experiences for fiction writing. No
matter how innocent or flattering a reference may be, it could still invoke a
sense of embarrassment or a feeling that their privacy was invaded.
The sentiment which Shields describes can also
be related to writing for the social media environment. Writers of online content face a similar
dilemma: how will what we write affect those that are involved? The Society of Professional Journalist’s Code of Ethics asks writers to “minimize harm,” but that can
sometimes be difficult with the rapid speed of information sharing through
social media. For example, when Joe
Paterno’s death was falsely reported by a small local media outlet, the inaccurate report went viral and soon
national news outlets were publishing the report as truth. This premature report not only affected
Paterno’s family, but also affected the victims of the sex scandal at Penn
State that clouded Paterno’s successful coaching career. It is important to ensure that the
information we are sharing on social media is accurate and well researched or
it can have damaging effects on those that are involved.
In closing, it is important for writers to
consider the affect that their work will have on their audience when they are
preparing to release it to the world. In
her reflection on fiction writing, Shields noted that people are reluctant to
have details of their lives shared, no matter how small or identifiable they
may be, so one must balance real world inspirations with personal
relationships. In terms of writing for
social media, writers should also be aware of how their reports will affect
those that are involved before sharing information on a global platform. No matter what the genre or publication platform,
writers should always make sure to address how their audience will react to
their content before they publish it.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Multimedia Tools
As I have discussed in my previous blog post Blog Best Practices,
digital media writing requires several key components in order to stand out
among the millions of online media authors.
Additionally, writing for online media also calls for the use of
multimedia tools. Consumers are not only
looking for engaging content, but they also want that content supplemented with
sensory elements. When used correctly,
multimedia tools can greatly enhance messaging, and two of the most common and basic
tools are photo and video.
First, photos can enhance messaging by providing an impact through illustration that may not be able to be accomplished through words. Recently, I read a classmate’s blog which lead me to discover Opacity: Urban Ruins. This blog is centered on imagery, and each post has a short description followed by a gallery of images of a particular “urban ruins” location. The images shown of each location are very powerful, and it would be difficult to truly illustrate these scenes of abandonment in words. This blog aims to showcase decay and neglect, and the photo structure supports that theme perfectly. More and more websites, such as Pinterest and Instagram, are adopting this format of photo illustration in order to connect with their audience on a whole new level.
Furthermore, video is a multimedia tool that can create another layer to digital media presentations. An extraordinary example of the use of this tool is depicted in the NY Times story “Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek” by John Branch. This story not only provides very engaging writing, but it also delivers stunning visual elements that make the reader feel like they are actually experiencing what they are reading. As you scroll through the story, the reader is met with several video elements that help depict the feeling of being in the avalanche. The video imagery that I found most powerful was the bird’s eye view tour of the Cascade Tunnel, which was so visually spectacular that it made me feel like I was flying over the area myself. It also allows the reader to see just how large of an area the Cascade Tunnel is, which helps to illustrate the story being told in the text. The use of video throughout the article brings about a new level to storytelling which could only be possible in the digital media age.
Although multimedia tools can enhance messaging, they will not always be effective if they are not crafted in a clear and concise way. One example of this was outlined in the NPR article “Chart Check: Did Obama's Graphics 'Enhance' His Big Speech?" In his 2013 State of the Union speech, President Obama decided to supplement his presentation with visual aids such as videos and charts. The NPR article specifically focused on the charts displayed during the presentation to determine whether they did in fact help convey the President’s message. Charts were utilized to illustrate such topics as Social Security, jobs, the stock market, and several other important topics, and data analysts determined that they were unclear, confusing, and sometimes misleading for those with an untrained eye. Visually, these charts may have looked well put together, but if the audience could not understand or connect with the information then it was not ultimately worth using them. Multimedia tools are meant to create another connect between the information and the consumer, but it is better not to use the tools at all if they do not invoke that connection.
Multimedia tools are an essential piece to writing for digital media. They must, however, be used properly to enhance your information. You must take the time to research and craft the right multimedia pieces or your supplements will not translate to your audience. Proper use of multimedia tools will enhance your messaging and bring even greater success to your online media writing.
First, photos can enhance messaging by providing an impact through illustration that may not be able to be accomplished through words. Recently, I read a classmate’s blog which lead me to discover Opacity: Urban Ruins. This blog is centered on imagery, and each post has a short description followed by a gallery of images of a particular “urban ruins” location. The images shown of each location are very powerful, and it would be difficult to truly illustrate these scenes of abandonment in words. This blog aims to showcase decay and neglect, and the photo structure supports that theme perfectly. More and more websites, such as Pinterest and Instagram, are adopting this format of photo illustration in order to connect with their audience on a whole new level.
Furthermore, video is a multimedia tool that can create another layer to digital media presentations. An extraordinary example of the use of this tool is depicted in the NY Times story “Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek” by John Branch. This story not only provides very engaging writing, but it also delivers stunning visual elements that make the reader feel like they are actually experiencing what they are reading. As you scroll through the story, the reader is met with several video elements that help depict the feeling of being in the avalanche. The video imagery that I found most powerful was the bird’s eye view tour of the Cascade Tunnel, which was so visually spectacular that it made me feel like I was flying over the area myself. It also allows the reader to see just how large of an area the Cascade Tunnel is, which helps to illustrate the story being told in the text. The use of video throughout the article brings about a new level to storytelling which could only be possible in the digital media age.
Although multimedia tools can enhance messaging, they will not always be effective if they are not crafted in a clear and concise way. One example of this was outlined in the NPR article “Chart Check: Did Obama's Graphics 'Enhance' His Big Speech?" In his 2013 State of the Union speech, President Obama decided to supplement his presentation with visual aids such as videos and charts. The NPR article specifically focused on the charts displayed during the presentation to determine whether they did in fact help convey the President’s message. Charts were utilized to illustrate such topics as Social Security, jobs, the stock market, and several other important topics, and data analysts determined that they were unclear, confusing, and sometimes misleading for those with an untrained eye. Visually, these charts may have looked well put together, but if the audience could not understand or connect with the information then it was not ultimately worth using them. Multimedia tools are meant to create another connect between the information and the consumer, but it is better not to use the tools at all if they do not invoke that connection.
Multimedia tools are an essential piece to writing for digital media. They must, however, be used properly to enhance your information. You must take the time to research and craft the right multimedia pieces or your supplements will not translate to your audience. Proper use of multimedia tools will enhance your messaging and bring even greater success to your online media writing.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Blog Best Practices - Classmate Blog Replies
Blog Best Practices
In today’s digital world, there are countless blogs written by people from all walks of life, so how can one blog stand out from the rest? In order to determine the best practices for creating a successful blog, I selected a blog from the Time’s list of “The Best Blogs of 2011" to examine. I chose to analyze the blog “Get Rich Slowly," which focuses on personal finance. I currently work as a marketing professional in the banking industry, so this blog interested me because it directly relates to my current business field.
First, I think one of the most important practices of managing a blog is to create a clear, identifiable theme for your posts. The blog “Get Rich Slowly” identifies itself as a financial advice blog. One thing that I particularly liked about this blog was that not all of the posts were about obvious financial topics. When people think “financial” they immediately think of banking, but there are so many more aspects about finances that touch our daily lives. The most recent post on the blog was entitled "Ask the Readers: How do you dream?" by Linda Vergon; the writer reflects on dreaming and whether or not it is worth it to dream about something that may never be attainable. Although the majority of the post was not financially related, the author keeps to the overall theme of the blog by wrapping up her post by applying her thoughts to the topic of personal finance. The writer even poses a question to his audience to promote reflection and discussion of the ideas presented in her post. The format in which the writer chooses to present a financial discussion is not only engaging, but it also promotes reader participation and feedback.
Next, frequency of posts is a key component for a successful blog. The homepage of “Get Rich Slowly” displays the most recent posts to the site. I searched backwards from the first post, and it seems new blogs are posted almost daily. The posts are also created by several different authors, which makes frequent posts less cumbersome; additionally, it allows the site to provide a wider range of perspectives on a single topic. Many of the authors seem to have been chosen because of their firsthand knowledge of the particular subject matter. For instance, one of this week’s blogs focused on generating income through real estate. The author of the post was a landlord herself, so she was able to provide insight on the pros and cons of taking on this type of income generation. All of these factors allow the blog itself to stay relevant and keep readers interested with their continuous posts by various authors on a variety of topics.
Finally, generating profitability is an important aspect for those bloggers that are making a living from their work. Anyone can create a blog, but not everyone can make a career out of blogging. Therefore, bloggers are faced with the challenge of obtaining advertising to support their work. I think the most logistical way to find interested advertisers is to find ones that relate to the blog’s overall theme, and “Get Rich Slowly” does just that. All of the ads on the homepage are financially related. There is a web banner for Ally Bank prominently placed at the top of the blog’s homepage while the rest of the ads were placed on the right hand side of the page. Although I am sure that the blog owners are making generous revenue for strategically placed ad, I felt that the Ally Bank banner took away from the branding of the blog itself. The banner was right in between the logo and homepage site and the first post, so it seems too integrated into the blog itself. Revenue is very important to bloggers, but I think it should be secondary to the overall look and feel of the blog itself. First and foremost, consumers are coming to a blog for the content, not for the advertising.
All blogs cannot fit into a single mold, but there are basic characteristics that are apparent within a successful blog. Theme and frequency are just two of the many staples to creating an engaging blog. Revenue generation is also very important for career bloggers, but it should not be the central focus of a blog’s layout. Content is what truly drives a great blog, so that should always be the main focus above all else.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Joe Paterno Press Materials
For
Immediate Release
Contact:
Ashley DiSipio, ashley.disipio@snhu.edu
Joseph “JoePa”
Paterno Dies at Age 85
State
College, PA – On Sunday, January 22, 2012, Joseph “JoePa” Paterno lost his battle with lung cancer at age 85. Paterno had been admitted to the local hospital where he died on January 12 for treatment related to his lung cancer. Best known as the head coach of
the Penn State football team for 44 seasons, Paterno received dozens of awards and
honors for his victories and leadership over the course of his career.
Paterno’s legacy was recently clouded by the Jerry
Sandusky sex abuse scandal that broke in 2011.
When Sandusky, who was Paterno’s assistant coach from 1969-1999, was
charged with children molestation, Paterno came under fire for not taking more
aggressive action when an abuse incident was reported to him in 2001. In his last interview before his death,
Paterno reflected that he could have done more, and said that "...I
backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would
have a little more expertise than I did. It didn't work out that way." In November 2011, Paterno announced he would
retire at the end of the football season, but was instead fired and was unable
to complete his final season as head coach.
The family released an official statement on Sunday, after unconfirmed reports surfaced on Saturday that Paterno had already passed, which stated in part that Paterno, “…died as he lived. He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been.”
Paterno leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Susan, five children, and 17 grandchildren.
###
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Social Media Tools
Social media has changed the scape of our online
world by allowing the global society to interact in ways we never thought to be
possible. This new media form has
evolved into countless outlets and tools that allow users to customize their
social experience. Social media also
poses a new challenge for writers and journalists to identify the best avenues
to reach their target audiences. To gain
further insight on the complex world of social media, I tried three Social Media Tools
to
assess which would be most effective in reaching new media users.
First, this blog itself has been a test of a social media tool for me. It has been challenging to switch gears from writing in a very formal, academic way to writing for an interactive audience. It has become essential for writers to be able to adapt to new media writing styles. In her article The Transformation of NPR, Jennifer Dorroh discusses how NPR addresses the need to incorporate new media into their business plan and states, “The organization [NPR] is asking all of its journalists to rethink their storytelling and audience interaction…” and they spent $2.5 million “…to train its 450 editorial employees in digital storytelling skills and to pay for substitutes to fill in for them while they learn.” This shift in focus by NPR is just one example of how traditional media outlets are incorporating new media forums into their reporting approach. It is essential for journalists to be part of the social media revolution or they will be left behind. Social media writing requires an entire new skill set, which I have experienced firsthand during my blog writing journey.
Next, I tried tools that could drive people to my blog, one of which was social networks. Social networks are the first thing I think of when talking about social media. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ are just a few of the online communities that have been established as part of the social media revolution. Users can consume, interact, and share media that interests them, and that is why it is so crucial for writers to utilize these sites. For example, I follow UMass Boston, my undergraduate alma mater on LinkedIn, and they recently posted an article about their upcoming Social Media Day event. By “liking” the article, I am showing my interest in the piece.
I also went so far as to “share” the
story so that all of my followers can now access the information even if they
do not follow UMass Boston.
In her blog post regarding building online relationships with readers so that they can
interact and share just as I did with the UMass article, Burlington Free
Press reporter Lynn Monty reflects, “It’s imperative they
[journalists] live in as many social networks as possible, just like newspapers
hitting doorsteps each morning, we need our links hitting tablets
and iPhones where people are … and they are on each and every social
channel.” Now that journalists are
writing for new media, they need a way to direct consumers to their content. Social networks provide that link between
online users and the writers’ long forum content, so journalists must work to
build a following on social networks in order to have their stories heard and
shared with others.
Finally, another tool that can drive consumers to my blog through mobile channels is QR codes. I currently work as a Marketing Officer for a small community bank, and I have recently begun using QR codes on our print advertisements in order to have potential customers visit our website. The site I prefer to utilize is QRStuff.com because they provide quick and simple QR code generation for free. I created a code that links straight to this blog:
These codes not only allow writers to create
access to their online media content, but it focuses on mobile access, and Monty notes, “As the
web has moved from search to social, news has moved from doorsteps to mobile devices.” Computers are no longer the only way to
access online information; mobile web access has become increasingly popular,
and 55% of cell phoneowners use the internet on their phones. QR codes are meant to be scanned by a mobile
device in order to access the content, and they can be found everywhere in
today’s advertising world. Creating a
link between the print world and the online world allows writers to cater to
traditional media audiences and new media audiences.
The way we share information has changed drastically, and social media has become the hub for consumer interaction and media sharing. Journalists are tasked with not only adapting to a new writing style, but also finding ways to bring readers to their content. Consumers have unprecedented control in the new media landscape, so it is important for writers to be able to understand and navigate social media in order to have a successful online presence.
First, this blog itself has been a test of a social media tool for me. It has been challenging to switch gears from writing in a very formal, academic way to writing for an interactive audience. It has become essential for writers to be able to adapt to new media writing styles. In her article The Transformation of NPR, Jennifer Dorroh discusses how NPR addresses the need to incorporate new media into their business plan and states, “The organization [NPR] is asking all of its journalists to rethink their storytelling and audience interaction…” and they spent $2.5 million “…to train its 450 editorial employees in digital storytelling skills and to pay for substitutes to fill in for them while they learn.” This shift in focus by NPR is just one example of how traditional media outlets are incorporating new media forums into their reporting approach. It is essential for journalists to be part of the social media revolution or they will be left behind. Social media writing requires an entire new skill set, which I have experienced firsthand during my blog writing journey.
Next, I tried tools that could drive people to my blog, one of which was social networks. Social networks are the first thing I think of when talking about social media. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ are just a few of the online communities that have been established as part of the social media revolution. Users can consume, interact, and share media that interests them, and that is why it is so crucial for writers to utilize these sites. For example, I follow UMass Boston, my undergraduate alma mater on LinkedIn, and they recently posted an article about their upcoming Social Media Day event. By “liking” the article, I am showing my interest in the piece.
Finally, another tool that can drive consumers to my blog through mobile channels is QR codes. I currently work as a Marketing Officer for a small community bank, and I have recently begun using QR codes on our print advertisements in order to have potential customers visit our website. The site I prefer to utilize is QRStuff.com because they provide quick and simple QR code generation for free. I created a code that links straight to this blog:
The way we share information has changed drastically, and social media has become the hub for consumer interaction and media sharing. Journalists are tasked with not only adapting to a new writing style, but also finding ways to bring readers to their content. Consumers have unprecedented control in the new media landscape, so it is important for writers to be able to understand and navigate social media in order to have a successful online presence.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Unrestricted Web Publishing
The foundations of news reporting are the sources of
the information that supports the accounts and claims made within a piece of
written content. In the age of the World
Wide Web, it becomes challenging to clearly identify sources and evaluate their
creditability. Online content is filled
with user generated blogs and opinion based articles, so it is important for
readers to be able to sort through this information to discern if what they are
reading is coming from legitimate and reliable sources.To better illustrate the investigation process of
assessing sources, I selected a current events article published on the Time website entitled “Authorities Arrest Captain of Capsized Ferry”, and I tracked each of the cited sources. To determine the creditability of each
source, I utilized the “Criteria to Evaluate the Credibility of WWW Resources”, which was published by Virginia Montecino in August 1998. Although the
Time article was relatively brief,
the author, Maya Rhodan, noted three different sources to support her
story. Before even diving into the
sources, I noticed that Ms. Rhodan also noted her Twitter handle next to her
name to direct her readers from her formalized, source rich article, to her 140
character social media reporting outlet.
I also noticed that this online article, like most of articles of the
same nature, do not end with a formal work cited page, as suggested in Virginia Montecino outline; rather, authors utilize
links directly to the source they are referencing, which actually promotes
consumer research and evaluation.
Two source links are found in the very first line of text, referring back to a CNN article discussing the arrest of the South Korean Ferry captain who abandoned his sinking Ferry boat, and then to an earlier Time article on the current death toll from the incident. Both articles appear on creditable websites and their authors are clearly associated with these noteworthy news outlets, provide current information on the incident, and do not show a bias on the subject, which are all highlights of the Virginia Montecino evaluation criteria. The Time article appears to follow the same format as the original piece, but the CNN article, which is referred to multiple times throughout the article, looks to be an account from a reporter closer to the scene; the article itself, which discusses the arrest of the Ferry captain, was authored by three different individuals who recount the reporting of an individual in South Korea. This presentation provokes the question, “Is there any evidence that the author of the Web information has some authority in the field” and “With what organization or institution is the author associated?” (Virginia Montecino, 1998) The three authors of the article, all noted as representatives from CNN, identify their source as a CNN affiliate, YTN, based in South Korea. This article provides no other linked source, so all of the provided information is said to have been from YTN.
The third source, which is identified as the AFP, is cited in the middle of the report, and it supports the statement that arrest warrants were issued for several members of the Ferry crew. Unlike the first two sources noted, I was not familiar with AFP, so I definitely felt the need to investigate it further. If I was not doing this exercise, I probably would have not checked the CNN and Time sources because I consider them to be trusted news outlets, but, as an educated media consumer, that should not be an excuse to not check the facts of a story. When I arrived at the AFP website, the title of the site was noted as “The Sunday Times.” Since that did not seem to fully described the abbreviation, I clicked on the wording and was brought to the homepage entitled, The Straits Times, which is a news publication based in Singapore. Knowing this, it seems that this was an account provided by a news outlet that was much closer to the situation than that of the original article in Time. The article on The Straits Times did not list an author and did not offer any additional sources, so I had reached another dead end as I had done with the CNN article reporting from their affiliate. Trusted news outlets in our nation are using reports from journalists in other nations instead of sending their own reporters to the location, which truly shows the reach of global reporting and connectivity provided by the World Wide Web. However, because there are no global guidelines to evaluate sources like the ones provided by Virginia Montecino, it becomes increasingly difficult for consumers to fully examine each source because it is coming from a world away.
After completing this examination of the Time article's sources, it is clear that unrestricted web publishing can be a very harmful tool. Unreliable information can spread through the world like wild fire with the help of online social media forums. Particularly in the case of this article or any article regarding tragic events, families are anxiously waiting to hear about the fate of their loved ones, so any report on the subject is taken very seriously by those directly affected. Additionally, although the CNN article used a source presented as a legitimate first-hand account, it is very easy for consumers to present their created content in the same manner even if it is not truly such an account. Mass communication has evolved to allow consumers to participate largely in the transmission of information, and this blurs the lines between true journalism and user generated material. Therefore, sources become a critical part in the differentiation between fact and fiction, but verifying sources has become even more challenging in the age of digital media.
Two source links are found in the very first line of text, referring back to a CNN article discussing the arrest of the South Korean Ferry captain who abandoned his sinking Ferry boat, and then to an earlier Time article on the current death toll from the incident. Both articles appear on creditable websites and their authors are clearly associated with these noteworthy news outlets, provide current information on the incident, and do not show a bias on the subject, which are all highlights of the Virginia Montecino evaluation criteria. The Time article appears to follow the same format as the original piece, but the CNN article, which is referred to multiple times throughout the article, looks to be an account from a reporter closer to the scene; the article itself, which discusses the arrest of the Ferry captain, was authored by three different individuals who recount the reporting of an individual in South Korea. This presentation provokes the question, “Is there any evidence that the author of the Web information has some authority in the field” and “With what organization or institution is the author associated?” (Virginia Montecino, 1998) The three authors of the article, all noted as representatives from CNN, identify their source as a CNN affiliate, YTN, based in South Korea. This article provides no other linked source, so all of the provided information is said to have been from YTN.
The third source, which is identified as the AFP, is cited in the middle of the report, and it supports the statement that arrest warrants were issued for several members of the Ferry crew. Unlike the first two sources noted, I was not familiar with AFP, so I definitely felt the need to investigate it further. If I was not doing this exercise, I probably would have not checked the CNN and Time sources because I consider them to be trusted news outlets, but, as an educated media consumer, that should not be an excuse to not check the facts of a story. When I arrived at the AFP website, the title of the site was noted as “The Sunday Times.” Since that did not seem to fully described the abbreviation, I clicked on the wording and was brought to the homepage entitled, The Straits Times, which is a news publication based in Singapore. Knowing this, it seems that this was an account provided by a news outlet that was much closer to the situation than that of the original article in Time. The article on The Straits Times did not list an author and did not offer any additional sources, so I had reached another dead end as I had done with the CNN article reporting from their affiliate. Trusted news outlets in our nation are using reports from journalists in other nations instead of sending their own reporters to the location, which truly shows the reach of global reporting and connectivity provided by the World Wide Web. However, because there are no global guidelines to evaluate sources like the ones provided by Virginia Montecino, it becomes increasingly difficult for consumers to fully examine each source because it is coming from a world away.
After completing this examination of the Time article's sources, it is clear that unrestricted web publishing can be a very harmful tool. Unreliable information can spread through the world like wild fire with the help of online social media forums. Particularly in the case of this article or any article regarding tragic events, families are anxiously waiting to hear about the fate of their loved ones, so any report on the subject is taken very seriously by those directly affected. Additionally, although the CNN article used a source presented as a legitimate first-hand account, it is very easy for consumers to present their created content in the same manner even if it is not truly such an account. Mass communication has evolved to allow consumers to participate largely in the transmission of information, and this blurs the lines between true journalism and user generated material. Therefore, sources become a critical part in the differentiation between fact and fiction, but verifying sources has become even more challenging in the age of digital media.
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