tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17417414296332881972024-03-05T02:56:34.943-08:00I know everything except the stuff I don'tNathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-32668034779409350622010-12-19T10:33:00.000-08:002010-12-19T10:35:42.672-08:00Three ways to learn about your community in bed<i>This post originally appeared on <a href="http://blogs.spjnetwork.org/genj/?p=726">First Draft</a>, the SPJ Generation J committee blog.</i><br /><br />You're an early-career journalist hired to cover a community new to you.<br /><br />You've picked up a couple tricks from school, internships and entry-level jobs. You know it's a good idea to begin building a detailed source list. Initiate contact as soon as possible; log a phone number here, schedule a meeting there.<br /><br />The best jobs provide lead time to read current events and interact with people in your new community. Other times, you've got to learn along the way, and in many cases, you'll need to learn in your off-hours.<br /><br />This is where <em>pajama bottom journalism</em> comes in - methods to learn about your community, with your laptop, from the comforts of your bed. Or at your Ikea desk. Or at the table you found on Craigslist. I know you wear pajamas sitting in front of them.<br /><br /><strong>(1) Embrace RSS: </strong><br /><br /><strong></strong>Really Simple Syndication, RSS, is a smart way to bring the news to you and saves you the time it takes to visit every homepage for every outlet. Start with a list of all of the news organizations you know and add to your media diet as you go. Bookmark the home pages and subscribe to the feeds.<br /><br />Organization and management is key. Create a method that works for you. Be content in not reading everything you see. Scanning is important.<br /><br />I use the <a href="http://www.apple.com/safari/features.html">built-in RSS reader in Safari</a> and organize feeds into folders by category:<br /><ul><br /><li>10 feeds of onsite Associated Press news, including <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/business/nation/index.html">business</a>, <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/977/index.html">entertainment</a>, <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/832/index.html">health and science</a>, <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/827/index.html">national</a>, <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/838/index.html">political</a>, sports (<a href="http://www.sacbee.com/859/index.html">national</a> and <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/313/index.html">state</a>), <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/index.html">state</a>, <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/842/index.html">technology</a> and <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/836/index.html">world news</a></li><br /><li>feeds from our top-level sections (news, politics, sports, lifestyle and opinion), our <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/blogs">staff blogs</a> and video created by our television station partner</li><br /><li>more than 70 local bloggers in our <a href="http://sacramentoconnect.sacbee.com/">Sacramento Connect network</a></li><br /><li>four local television stations, two university newspapers, one radio station, five local online news outlets and six local news publications</li><br /></ul><br />My goals are simple: know what our staff and partners are producing to best to link related content and listen to what others have contributed to the news agenda.<br /><br /><strong>(2) Connect with local journalists: </strong><br /><br /><strong></strong>Whether you view other local journalists as competitors or partners, you can't discount the value reading, watching and listening to the work of others.<br /><br />There are more than 500 journalists working in the editorial departments of newspapers, magazines, radio stations, television stations, wire services, online outlets and niche publications in the greater Sacramento region. There may be more or less in your region. In any case, a lot of good work is done by those outside your organization.<br /><ul><br /><li>Search for staff lists and bookmark them. Here's <a href="http://www.kcra.com/kcranewsteam/index.html">one</a> staff list.</li><br /><li>Search Twitter for them and follow them. Here's <a href="http://www.news10.net/company/socialnetworking/">one</a> social networking lead.</li><br /><li>Join local media association groups. Here's <a href="http://aajasacramento.ipower.com/">one</a> group.</li><br /><li>Create Twitter lists to manage the noise. Here <a href="http://twitter.com/journalistnate/the-sacramento-bee">we are</a>. Here <a href="http://twitter.com/journalistnate/sacramento-area-journos">they are</a>.</li><br /></ul><br />The goals, again, are simple: listening and connecting. Manage your news flow and build bridges for communication.<br /><br /><strong>(3) Research local ties: </strong><br /><br /><strong></strong>"Local kid makes good" is a pretty good story. Your audience wants to know about people from the area.<br /><ul><br /><li>Keep a list of famous people in a spreadsheet. Anyone born or raised in your area has a local following. Sometimes Wikipedia has done the work for you, like these lists of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento_writers">writers</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento_sports_figures">sports figures</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento_entertainers">entertainers</a> with roots in Sacramento or of alumni from this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_California,_Davis_alumni">university</a> and this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_University,_Sacramento#Notable_alumni">university</a>. If you're feeling collaborative, make your lists public by editing the Wikipedia page. <em>(Disclosure: I used to edit the above sports figures page when I was in college.)</em></li><br /></ul><br /><ul><br /><li><em></em>Set up <a href="http://www.google.com/alerts">Google Alerts</a> for people that interest you. Know when the hometown athlete is arrested or if the traveling musician returns home to try out new material. Alerts for the local universities and community colleges also surface interesting content.</li><br /></ul><br /><ul><br /><li>Create Twitter lists for these hometown connections, and separate them into groups as you see fit.</li><br /></ul><br />Reporters who've been at the company for two decades may have developed an excellent source network that informs them of news about locals. You're not there yet, but you'll make up a lot of time by setting up these news streams.<br /><br /><strong>(Bonus) Know what locals "Google": </strong><br /><br /><strong></strong><a href="http://www.google.com/insights/search/">Google Insights for Search</a> was my favorite takeaway from the <a href="http://www.spj.org/convention.asp">2010 SPJ Convention & National Journalism Conference</a>. The tool allows you see what people search on Google, and you can narrow the query to a metropolitan area during set time frames. A simple search will show you the 10 top search terms and 10 rising searches.<br /><br />Granted, the top search term column is generally useless besides finding out that people may not know how to type ".com." Facebook, Yahoo, YouTube, Craigslist and Google regularly dominate the searched terms in the Sacramento region.<br /><br />The second column, appearing on the right side of the page, is what will grab you. Google displays the terms gaining significant growth. "Breakout" terms are being searched more than 500 percent the normal rate.<br /><br />It provides great support to the national topics you want to localize. Yes, Sacramento does care that much about <a href="http://www.google.com/insights/search/#geo=US-CA-862&date=today+7-d&cmpt=q&q=miley+cyrus+bong">Miley Cyrus</a>.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-70257170268303306412009-10-27T19:49:00.000-07:002009-10-27T21:19:08.315-07:00Tweeting when you don’t want to invest much time<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">The headline and premise of this post seems counterproductive to the nature and value of Twitter. You get more value out of Twitter with the more time you invest.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Many people don’t recognize this philosophy and some journalists let their accounts lay dormant soon after creation. They fill out some basic information, send out a few tweets and fail to gather a following. Thus begins the hibernating account. It doesn’t need to be this way.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The following are seven tweet styles that will add a layer of transparency your job and should elicit a response from followers. This isn't a starter's post. Consider these suggestions after you've filled out your profile information and followed Twitter profiles relevant to your beat. Think of this post as the next step.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>1. Tweet for story ideas.</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It doesn’t hurt to ask your followers for suggestions or ask whether they’d like to see another angle covered on an ongoing issue.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>2. Tweet about the stories you’re working on.</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Obviously, don’t tweet about a scoop or big investigation. But most stories are on common topics and you can always be vague enough to allay fears of other media outlets swooping in before publication.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>3. Tweet for sources on a story.</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It shouldn’t take the place of working the phones, but it doesn’t hurt to leave a virtual post-it note for help.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>4. Tweet about noteworthy interviews. </b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Ask your followers what they would like you to ask the interview subject. They might be interested in learning something you wouldn’t have thought to ask.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>5. Tweet links to other stories you are reading within your beat.</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">If you’re interested in the story, you followers might be too. Make sure to use a URL shortener. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>6. Tweet links to your published work. </b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">When you send out links to your stories, make sure to think of the tweet like a lede. Be specific, use proper nouns and use a URL shortener.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>7. Answer questions.</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">While it’s not necessary to read every tweet from everyone you follow, it’s absolutely critical to monitor when you’re Twitter name is mentioned. Answering reader questions lets followers know your human and builds rapport with readers.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">There are many directions to go when using Twitter to improve your reporting. These seven suggestions should help in the beginning as you better learn how to integrate it into your daily routine.</p> <!--EndFragment-->Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-46820286355671706732009-03-19T21:49:00.000-07:002009-03-19T22:03:41.807-07:00The launch of a databaseMonths came and went. Friends told of a wild project. Superiors pitched an incomplete database. Idea transformed to reality.<br /><br />Finally, a project, begun in September and continually undergoing updates, launched last Thursday in the form of the “<a href="http://www.sacbee.com/1098/story/1493289.html">Local athletes playing sports at the university level</a>” searchable database. Every sport at every NCAA and NAIA member institution was meticulously checked. The information comes from the athletic department Web sites of more than 1,200 universities in the three divisions of the NCAA and more than 300 NAIA universities, with other sources filling in the gaps.<br /><br />A user – be it a parent, athlete, athletic director or curious fan – can search among more than 1,500 former high schools athletes from the Sacramento area playing sports at the university level. Athletes are searchable by former high school, community college, current university, sport and/or last name. The first results page includes name, university, high school, sport and position of each athlete. The more details link displays hometown, class year, major, biography link and university division.<br /><br />People have already taken to it – despite its plain look and lack of useful graphics to help disseminate what’s found within. The database is the fourth most-read “story” at <a href="http://www.sacbee.com">Sacbee.com</a> for the month of March. I couldn’t be happier about its initial reception.<br /><br />The database has already been helpful in offering color to three stories, including <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/sports/story/1578869.html">a list of Loretto High School athletes for a story about the effects of the school’s closure on its high school athletes</a>, <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/sports/story/1703892.html">a list of men’s basketball players on teams selected for the NIT</a> and <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/sports/story/1711904.html">a list of men and women on team’s selected to the NCAA basketball tournaments</a>.<br /><br />I wanted to blog about how I came up with the idea, how I found the information, how I pitched the idea and how the information can be applied as a news resource. No other Web site among the <a href="http://www.burrellesluce.com/top100/2008_Top_100List.pdf">top 100 newspapers (based on page views)</a> has anything like it. It can be duplicated with hard work and an unyielding curiosity. It also takes a lot of hometown spirit.<br /><br />Let me explain what motivated me to collect this information.<br /><br />When <span style="font-style: italic;">The Sacramento Bee</span>, or McClatchy, decided to end my previous project, SacLights.com, a handful of us were absorbed into the newsroom. I was elated and disappointed at the same time. We really believed in the project. Sacramento is still without a go-to resource for nightlife. For all its flaws, SacLights.com was the best local Web site to find out what was going on around town, with more event listings than any other Web site covering the area. Still, my goal was to work in the newsroom, and maybe start writing again.<br /><br />The new position brought full time status, after working as a temp and paid through an outside agency. Better pay came my way and a two-page job description for my new title of online content developer. My duties include posting daily stories, arranging stories on the front page and section front, monitoring Web site statistics, evaluating flagged comments, keeping an eye on local media and combining related stories, photos, graphics, videos and fact boxes.<br /><br />Some days are slower than others and I wanted to start a project that I didn’t think anyone else would have. I thought it would be interesting to compile a list of every local athlete playing sports at the nation’s universities. I wanted to create something unique and capitalize on what newspapers do best – know the community and provide information from a local perspective. The information would benefit reporters and users. Stories could be generated and users would have a tool to play with.<br /><br />What stories could you find? Is Sacramento a baseball town or a women’s soccer town? What are the powerhouse high schools? What would an all-Sacramento football team look like?<br /><br />The idea had ties to a college pet project, my first foray into computer assisted reporting.<br /><br />I was a part of a team of reporters and editors at <a href="http://www.statehornet.com"><span style="font-style: italic;">The State Hornet</span></a> that broke a <a href="http://media.www.statehornet.com/media/storage/paper1146/news/2007/02/13/News/Party.Photos.Raise.Concerns-2717111.shtml">story about hazing</a> on the women’s soccer team at California State University, Sacramento. The <a href="http://www.hornetsports.com">Athletics Department</a> wasn’t happy with our coverage of an unannounced investigation and our relationship soured. Media relations told our reporters they would not release player contact information. They said they had never so before, which was untrue. One reporter, working on a feature profile, was asked to conduct an interview with a softball player in the media relations office. Multiple reporters were told they couldn’t use audio recorders while conducting interviews with coaches and athletes. It didn’t help that we criticized the department by mixing audio files within the frame of a staff editorial in a groundbreaking <a href="http://media.www.statehornet.com/media/storage/paper1146/news/2007/02/19/Opinion/Prepare.Your.Magic.Markers.For.The.Masquerade.Party-2729414.shtml">auditorial</a> format.<br /><br />I was frustrated by the mistreatment of our reporters, many of whom had nothing to do with the hazing investigation, and I didn’t want media relations to dictate communication with players. I responded by creating a Sac State-specific database that included the name, sport, major, year, hometown, high school, e-mail address, AOL Instant Messager name, Facebook (open, private or non-existent) and the MySpace URL of all 402 athletes.<br /><br />(As an aside: Parents’ names and hometowns found in media guides can be cross-referenced online for publicly available phone numbers. I didn’t get that far.)<br /><br />The database information could be applied in many ways. Aside from being a resource to contact athletes through social media networks, trends emerge. Stories jump out if you know where to look. You can see where most of the recruits come from, which can be mapped at the state and city level in a comprehensive look at recruiting. Sac State is commonly referred to as a commuter school, meaning the majority of the students come from the area. The sole student from Alaska must have a compelling story. You look for similarities and rarities.<br /><br />The database ended as unfinished business. Besides some use here and there, leading to a story to be told later, most of the profile and investigation potential didn’t make it to print. I wanted to do it all over again – this time for the Sacramento region.<br /><br />No one asked me to make this and I still don’t think it looks as great as it could. It’s the beginning, a first draft, and I’m going to keep chipping away, making sure it’s the best resource available.<br /><br />I’ll talk in my next blog about what you should do in preparation if you want to create your own version.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-48013708206417596772008-08-28T00:21:00.000-07:002008-08-28T00:23:04.339-07:00Press PauseI'm in the process of moving and will be out-of-state for the weekend... so I've got to postpone the rest of my MySpace Monday entry and a week's worth of Bee reviews. There's so much to write and I can't set aside the time this week. I'll blog up a storm next week.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-58778989601457470752008-08-25T23:06:00.000-07:002008-08-26T00:09:50.537-07:00MySpace Monday: Connecting with potential sources - Part 1You should now have a separate professional MySpace page. You've tricked it out and convinced your normal friends to add you.<br /><br />It's like being a politician. You had to start by galvanizing your base.<br /><br />Now make MySpace work for you. Think about the type of people you'd like to connect with. Do a little networking. Add current sources and work toward adding potential sources. It isn't easy to be comprehensive, and you probably won't be, but if you're focused, you'll find a lot of interesting locals and people you might want to talk to now or later.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">This week's topic: </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Adding new friends to your professional MySpace page.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 1: Come up with a target.</span><br />Structure you're search for new friends based in the type of stories you'd like to write. Musicians, comedians and filmmakers are easy to find with little work. Venues, fellow writers, artists, college athletes, high school students or any other source base will take more time to find.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 2a: Search for musicians</span>.<br />Click the link for <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music">Music</a> followed by the link for <a href="http://topartists.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.topBands">Top Artists</a>. You can then search for bands within the radius of your zip code. Despite a few incorrect listings, you'll find unsigned, indie and major label artists from your area roughly organized by popularity. Be wary of the selected distance. Just 100 listings from the three categories show up. New or lesser known bands may not show up if you select within 20 miles of downtown Sacramento. Bands from Oakland will show up if you search within 50 miles. Decide how much time you want to spend searching. There are a little more than 1,000 relatively active bands within the greater Sacramento area. If you want to be hyperlocal, search within five or 10 miles. Then, categorize in groups as small as Elk Grove bands or Davis bands. More on categories next week.<br /><br />Be aware: some local DJs and rappers have non-music pages and won't show up in the MySpace Music listings.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDC_EFdgkbclzzUnEmtI70XhxlvcF-K3X5Ib37WFjgv-uVUzNMcvLGO092sDLDSOSLCWd3LU3kSntwme90cOv065lxEcJmN4TvRd-Fs1lhrtDwqJr2T_mgPtv9L498bIoifFNOdJhrQ/s1600-h/comedians.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDC_EFdgkbclzzUnEmtI70XhxlvcF-K3X5Ib37WFjgv-uVUzNMcvLGO092sDLDSOSLCWd3LU3kSntwme90cOv065lxEcJmN4TvRd-Fs1lhrtDwqJr2T_mgPtv9L498bIoifFNOdJhrQ/s320/comedians.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238717064231596114" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Tip No. 2b: Search for comedians.</span><br />Click the link for <a href="http://comedy.myspace.com/">Comedy</a> followed by the link for <a href="http://search.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=comedian.search">Comedian Search</a>. Comedians can be searched in the same way as musicians. Select a distance, type in a zip code and sort by the amount of friends to find a starting list of comedians to add as friends. You'll find almost 20 active comedians within 25 miles of downtown Sacramento. Local comedians can also found among the top friends lists on the MySpace pages of comedy clubs. Local comedians are listed in the top friends lists of <a href="http://www.myspace.com/laughsunlimited">Laughs Unlimited</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/punchlinecomedyclubsac">Punch Line Sacramento</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/bistro33comedy">Bistro 33</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/louiescomedy">Louie's Cocktail Lounge</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 2c: Search for filmmakers.</span><br />Click the link for <a href="http://movies.myspace.com/">Movies</a> followed by the link for <a href="http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=film">Indie Film</a> and then the link for <a href="http://collect.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=film.topMakers">Top Filmmakers</a>. Filmmakers can then be searched within a selected radius. The search function doesn't look like it's working right now. I'll update this post tomorrow with examples of a recent search.<br /><br />More to come tomorrow. Part two will offer tips to find groups that MySpace does not categorize as easily as musicians, comedians and filmmakers.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-38207975206561528622008-08-24T16:54:00.000-07:002008-08-24T16:55:51.911-07:00Link: More from the pizza villianRead <a href="http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/08/23/obiden-or-joebama/"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Obiden or Joebama?"</span></a> to read someone from Fox News trying to tell you how not to do a prank.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-61153340915471579522008-08-22T20:18:00.000-07:002008-08-24T23:42:30.962-07:00Link: Poynter Online to launch new Web site tomorrow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXrce9pw2az_oKCA_CL1qY489qxtAB02w0JJPFU6KDAr5xbYKsWJyviqPjFmx_YBMl1eHQaqjIIZi4wM2lWSHntutx6JGOxJBzB1ius2QNEBu-1u3qPm2YT9VkZNuz2kRiviJ7541gw/s1600-h/poynter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXrce9pw2az_oKCA_CL1qY489qxtAB02w0JJPFU6KDAr5xbYKsWJyviqPjFmx_YBMl1eHQaqjIIZi4wM2lWSHntutx6JGOxJBzB1ius2QNEBu-1u3qPm2YT9VkZNuz2kRiviJ7541gw/s320/poynter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237548188976124722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.poynter.org/coalumn.asp?id=122&aid=148478"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Coming Saturday: The New Poynter Online"</span></a> by Bill Mitchell for more information.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-86676955355241667502008-08-22T20:03:00.000-07:002008-08-22T20:17:24.452-07:00Link: No more public editor at The BeeI was saddened to see news that <a href="http://www.sacbee.com"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sacramento Bee</span></a> will no longer have a public editor, otherwise known as an ombudsman.<br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003841924"><span style="font-style: italic;">"'Sac Bee' Drops Public Editor Position -- Trend Continues"</span></a> by Joe Strupp of <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com">Editor & Publisher</a> for more information.<br /><br />The ombudsman job is to provide a link from the readers to the newspaper and the newspaper to the readers. They ask why a newspaper makes certain decisions and reports the decision-making process to readers in a regular column. It is also their responsibility to criticize when a newspaper makes a poor decision.<br /><br />It's sad to see the newspaper decide this position is no longer needed. Editor <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/5/4a4/165">Melanie Sill</a> has written a regular column about the newspaper's print and Web redesign. Maybe the publisher felt her columns provided sufficient explanation of the editorial process.<br /><br />"Times have changed since the era in which many ombudsmen and public editor jobs were established," Publisher <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/5/b46/82a">Cheryl Dell</a> wrote in a staff memo posted on the <a href="http://poynter.org/forum/view_post.asp?id=13561">Poynter.org Romenesko Web site</a>. "Readers now have multiple ways to be heard within the newspaper and in the community. Bee journalists are accessible via email, and we publish their phone numbers as well."<br /><br />It's a tough call. Public editor Armando Acuna will be reassigned to an assistant features editor position. I'm sure the newsroom is happy to welcome him to their department. As disappointing as it is for the newspaper to lose the public editor position, Acuna will probably do more to help the paper in his new position.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-85133852992459508202008-08-22T19:23:00.000-07:002008-08-22T20:38:58.397-07:00Link: So, you gonna eat that?He's at it again. Cristián de la Weber and politics go hand-in-hand.<br /><br />First, he ran a failed campaign for Sacramento mayor.<br /><br />(He forgot to file some paperwork.)<br /><br />Now, he's gone sent Delaware Sen. Joe Biden a pepperoni pizza to congratulate him on receiving the vice presidential nod. Dominos, no less.<br /><br />Read <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/08/22/1285009.aspx">"The case of the pizza prank"</a> to see the media describe Cristián as the "pizza villain".<br /><br />Watch the <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/">"#1 Countdown Veep Watch"</a> to see the pizza delivery girl stand by the state police officer as he speaks to Cristián by cell phone. The full MSN Countdown episode should be available as a video podcast by the end of the day. Download a piece of history.<br /><br />Sources close to me tell me that Cristián is an Obama supporter. In a cell phone interview with this blog, Cristián tells me he was trying to make a mockey of the media's driveway coverage of the pending vice presidential announcement. He, and the guys at the <a href="http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2929522&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=93#post348112833">SomethingAwful Forums</a> thought it would be funny to see how the media would cover a pizza delivery. Cristián took the matter into his own hands and ordered a pizza by cell phone. A note was attached the pizza congratulating the senator. The senator's name was not placed upon the note. Proof of pizza purchase can be found at the <a href="http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2929522&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=93#post348112833">SomethingAwful Forums</a>.<br /><br />And, like I told Cristián, he made a bigger dent in the media ordering a pizza than he ever did as a writer.<br /><br />This blog will stay tuned. Here's hoping Obama cracks a joke about it at the Democratic Convention.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Update at 8:25 p.m.:</span> Today's episode of MSNBC Countdown is now available through iTunes.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-22030752749638485902008-08-21T23:11:00.000-07:002008-08-21T23:54:29.784-07:00All right. Well, take care of yourself.Editor & Publisher contributor Joe Strupp is reporting that five newspapers will no longer carry stories from the Associated Press. <a href="http://www.postregister.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Post Register</span></a> of Idaho Falls, Idaho, <a href="http://www.bakersfield.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Bakersfield Californian</span></a>, <a href="http://www.spokesmanreview.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Spokesman-Review</span></a>, <a href="http://www.yakimaherald.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Yakima Herald-Republic</span></a> and <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/">Wenatchee World</a> of Washington say new rates for the syndicated news service have priced them out. Four of the five newspapers will stop carrying AP stories in the summer of 2010.<br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003839975"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Idaho Falls Paper Drops AP -- Blames New Rates"</span></a> and <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003840644">"Four More Newspapers Intend To Drop AP Over Rates"</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>for more information.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Wenatchee World </span>sent a letter of cancellation at the start of July.<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Post Register, The Bakersfield Californian </span>and<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Yakima Herald-Republic </span>gave AP notice that each publication will cancel its service in two years effect August 2010. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Spokesman-Review</span> plans to find a way out of the contract within 30 days.<br /><br />Each paper will save money and place a wider focus on local stories.<br /><br />The Internet has changed how I read the news and I don't go to the local newspaper for Associated Press content. I look to national outlets, such as <a href="http://www.cnn.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">CNN</span></a>, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The New York Times</span></a> and <a href="http://www.time.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Time</span></a> for the sort of stories AP is likely to produce - straight-forward national news, general interest pieces and full-length exclusives. AP stories in small publications, like the five that will cancel the syndicated subscription, feels odd. I think to myself, "Can't I find this elsewhere?"<br /><br />Publications can't afford to be everything to everyone.<br /><br />I have a feeling newspapers are starting to understand this. They recognize that they purchase these stories for a premium price and the stories fail to generate as much traffic as local stories. As long as readers keep going elsewhere for national news, many more newspapers will weigh the cost of syndicated content.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-39332872845979398832008-08-21T01:28:00.000-07:002008-08-21T01:31:24.562-07:00Quick note about MySpace MondayI decided to change the topic of the upcoming MySpace Monday. Instead of offering tips on how to catalog your professional friends, I want to first offer suggestions on ways to find local sources. I'll talk about looking for local comedians, local musicians and venues.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-41089163817212261482008-08-21T01:09:00.000-07:002008-08-21T01:13:37.217-07:00Link: Brother from another motherHornet alumnus <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/fmwriter">Frank Miller</a> was published in this week's issue of the <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Home">Sacramento News & Review</a>.<br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oid=745522"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Bicycling: The power of one"</span></a> to see Frank's contribution as a freelancer.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-66168186967129520682008-08-21T00:46:00.000-07:002008-08-21T01:09:06.659-07:00Link: First shout-out<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/81/102">Maegan Carberry</a> calls for leaders who will recognize the value of user-created content in her second <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/">Editor & Publisher</a> blog on "new journalism."<br /><br />Visit <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/shoptalk_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003840092"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Young Journos and The Social Contract 2.0"</span></a> to read the <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/">Editor & Publisher</a> article.<br /><br />Carberry references <a href="http://www.truemilitarywivesconfessions.com/">TrueMilitaryWivesConfessions.com</a> as an example of a user-created and user-centered Web site that provides the sort of information and community only a newspaper or women's group might have been able to a few years ago.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_v_szU_GuIzLFlu7BHmULUufi109g6CdJPcK1jmlG_B3ehiUPhM97GNhSqUXJNSQHiAyGDeTYcpG0Ft1ZuByNyDk6D1J6Y4zrLaD2xi_7pT4BwOEM4yryCd_lOQT2s6skipBuEuuApQ/s1600-h/wives.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_v_szU_GuIzLFlu7BHmULUufi109g6CdJPcK1jmlG_B3ehiUPhM97GNhSqUXJNSQHiAyGDeTYcpG0Ft1ZuByNyDk6D1J6Y4zrLaD2xi_7pT4BwOEM4yryCd_lOQT2s6skipBuEuuApQ/s320/wives.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236879834552412130" border="0" /></a><br /><br />"Women who use the site are submitting their own material, speaking in an authentic and comfortable tone, building supportive relationships with one another and using a Digg-like model to prioritize their most compelling content" Carberry writes.<br /><br />Specialized Web sites like this can provide newspapers with story ideas and interdependence through co-operation. Newspapers can work with these outlets for content and specialized Web sites can generate traffic by working with media companies. Reporters can use TrueMilitaryWivesConfessions.com to find sources and mold a story proposal by paying attention to the discussions. The newsroom work can work with the Web site to provide information for graphics and supplementary text boxes. Slideshows can be created by asking the users to submit photos.<br /><br />Reporters spend so much time looking for the human angle of larger stories. The more specialized communities and specialized Web sites develop on the Net, the easiest it is for journalists to find these sources.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Side note: </span>Thanks to Maegan for using a quote I submitted by e-mail. It's cool to have the first reference to my blog.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-49674679072396488242008-08-19T23:07:00.000-07:002008-08-20T00:55:58.197-07:00He's a man. ... He's a card player, gambler, scoundrel. You'd like him.I had a good laugh after reading the Aug. 13 blog post by <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Home">Sacramento News & Review</a> Arts Editor Nick Miller at <a href="http://www.altsac.com/">"Alt Sac"</a>. Miller, no relation, was pissed off by an <span style="font-style: italic;">SN&R</span> review posted on <a href="http://www.yelp.com/">Yelp</a> by <span style="font-style: italic;">Midtown Monthly</span> contributor Tony King. He goes into a fury in the comment section and participates in a back-and-forth with <span style="font-style: italic;">Midtown Monthly </span>editor Tim Foster, who signs off as "omf."<br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.altsac.com/2008/08/sn-vs-midtown-monthly-on-yelp.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">"SN&R vs. Midtown Monthly on Yelp!"</span></a> for more information.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sacramento-news-and-review-sacramento?rpp=40&sort_by=date_desc">here</a> to read the reviews of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sacramento News & Review </span>at Yelp.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/midtown-monthly-sacramento?rpp=40&sort_by=date_desc">here</a> to read the reviews of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Midtown Monthly</span> at Yelp.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYOlbwYboG4kpCkW-QdFilfP_kUgif5WqiZHD0hUmi-YE74wSvbTN8ir0J7TNfVID5e5c1I_pump1zKTpxAGc6P36xgGQxeF0Ip1zzFMn2BymSMpFEI7_zikLaYGmUq09guHmRKvdYw/s1600-h/nick+miller.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYOlbwYboG4kpCkW-QdFilfP_kUgif5WqiZHD0hUmi-YE74wSvbTN8ir0J7TNfVID5e5c1I_pump1zKTpxAGc6P36xgGQxeF0Ip1zzFMn2BymSMpFEI7_zikLaYGmUq09guHmRKvdYw/s320/nick+miller.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236494610392138914" border="0" /></a><br /><br />How's how I see it:<br /><br />Tony K. is a little too self congratulatory of his own magazine in a separate Yelp review. Public reviews are not the place to defend the deadline of a monthly. Every publication has space to fill. You struggle to fill space when you're unprepared, reporters fail to meet deadlines or an article has serious holes. It sounds nostalgic to longingly talk about the pressure of busting your ass at the last minute. It actually speaks to a less professional atmosphere - where certain situations could have been avoided with better planning.<br /><br />While Tony K. is quick to boast about <span style="font-style: italic;">Midtown Monthly, </span>he's as quick to lay a dig into the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sacramento News & Review </span><span>in the linked Yelp review</span><span style="font-style: italic;">. </span>He criticizes the writers for involving themselves far too much in the stories and for being far too happy about what they produce.<br /><br />"The problem with the Sacramento News and Review (besides it being a chain newspaper spread thin) is that it tries way too hard to be witty, snarky and edgy," King wrote. "Of course in doing so, the SN&R actually comes across as clueless, hollow and self-congratulatory."<br /><br />The less first-person, the better. Too often, first-person articles put a reader further at a distance from the subject. They show how a simple reporter can be so close to someone who is newsworthy. It's supposed to propagate a sort of window to another person's life. Sometimes the perspective works, more often, I'm left thinking the article could have done without it. The perspective might be besides the point. I think Tony K. just doesn't like <span style="font-style: italic;">Sacramento News & Review</span> Associate Arts Editor <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/1/9a0">Josh Fernandez</a>. He references him and his articles.<br /><br />Tony K. doesn't stop with Fernandez. He hates the centerpiece designs, hates the feature subjects, hates the review section and hates the SAMMIES. (At least someone else thought that burrito feature was a bad idea.) He even makes an attempt to equate the newspaper to Starbucks. Sorry, three newspapers does not make a chain, a gaggle or a murder. Maybe he forgot that <span style="font-style: italic;">Midtown Monthly</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Capitol Weekly</span> are owned by the same company. I think.<br /><br />The focus of Miller's fury launches some valid points, but he might be the wrong person to back them. Producing a weekly is more difficult than producing a monthly, and again, don't criticize self-congratulations when you are so quick to do it of yourself. If he were in a comparable position, working at a weekly, maybe his opinion would carry more weight. It's tough to tell whether he's been in Miller's position - the position of an editor at a weekly.<br /><br />Foster stops by the comment section to point out "the whole 'competition' bit gets really old." I couldn't agree more. He is super even-tempered and brings about some solid points, after apologizing for the so-called free agent. Foster writes: "People piss on SNR because they expect more from it, or remember it a different way. they piss on it because they care." This is important. People spewing vile because they've seen better from <span style="font-style: italic;">SN&R</span> and they'd wish it provided a better counterpart to the <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sacramento Bee</span></a>.<br /><br />And yes, I recognize many other people are just as angry with <span style="font-style: italic;">The Sacramento Bee</span> and rightfully criticize the declining story production.<br /><br />Miller goes off in the comment section, and its great. Each side volleys good arguments. I'd kind of like to meet Foster. I think Miller's the kind of guy who'll pound a couple of shots and then ask what you're having.<br /><br />A truce was called without Miller going on as much of an attack as King.<br /><br />He simply phoned Foster and hashed everything out.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here, now, thank you. How are you?</span><br /><br />Alas, the flame war was put out.<br /><br />(Side note: I'm pretty surprised by the amount of reviews of <span style="font-style: italic;">Midtown Monthly</span> posted in August. There are 11 reviews this month. Someone must be e-mailing friends and telling them to battle. <span style="font-style: italic;">SN&R </span>has six reviews this month too, with most of them following King's attack.)Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-25841793305223540162008-08-18T22:00:00.000-07:002008-08-21T01:34:42.547-07:00MySpace Monday: Starting your PROfile<a href="http://www.myspace.com/">MySpace</a> is a blessing and a curse for journalists. There’s a wealth of information and many of its features can help when researching for a story.<br /><br />Social networking is consistent presence in the Internet life of anyone in college and recent graduates. We’ve grown up with this technology and only as we enter the job force are many of us thinking about where we draw the line between our private and public lives.<br /><br />Each week, I will write about how MySpace can make you a better journalist. I’ll offer suggestions, strategies and point out potential pitfalls.<br /><br />This week’s topic: <span style="font-style: italic;">Developing a public profile.</span><br /><br />I started working at <a href="http://www.saclights.com/">SacLights.com</a> at the end of last summer. One of my first responsibilities was to find the Web site and MySpace of every local musician. I wanted to do more than catalog data in a spreadsheet. I wanted to start connecting and collecting. Problem was, we didn’t have a MySpace for SacLights.com and I didn’t want to add bands as friends to my private MySpace. I figured it was a good opportunity to start a <a href="http://www.myspace.com/journalistnate">second, professional MySpace.</a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbEIXN8ussFHIRwlrn64Pvrjn7NO_2z_hBqN1gw4xriHvi3ToP7gAkEir7jAms1vGB8H4Vy-Z1rtQpHqkBe7N65fGxytTk5jQKdEPNGkAnNEssf5RpM0aqnAEQUnbz8R2dpIoysX4AA/s1600-h/myspace.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbEIXN8ussFHIRwlrn64Pvrjn7NO_2z_hBqN1gw4xriHvi3ToP7gAkEir7jAms1vGB8H4Vy-Z1rtQpHqkBe7N65fGxytTk5jQKdEPNGkAnNEssf5RpM0aqnAEQUnbz8R2dpIoysX4AA/s320/myspace.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236083023454500050" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There are too many drawbacks to adding local contacts to your everyday, private MySpace. You may be inundated with concert invites. The status and mood feed will fill with notes from bands. The bulletin board becomes an unmanageable outlet for bands to post fliers. Bulletins and status updates by friends are quickly buried. Bands will regularly post fliers in comment sections, sometimes altering the look with large fliers. Connecting with friends is muddied when you add so many non-friend friends.<br /><br />Distributed information becomes a concern. You can only control what your friends post if you’ve altered your privacy options. You may be tagged in a compromising photo, sensitive information might be posted in your comment section and, in the worst of case, your top friends list might become victims of harassment by angry sources. A profile pages says a lot about a person. It also leaves a lot lost in translation. A joke among your friends might be offensive to sensitive sources.<br /><br />Enough about the potential dangers. Here are 10 steps to starting a professional MySpace:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 1: Secure your private profile.</span><br />Make your private profile viewable only by your friends. Require approval before comments are posted. Take a hard look at what you post. You may think you’re profile is secure, but photos can be downloaded by friends and e-mailed around.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 2: Start a professional profile.</span><br />Create a second profile using a work e-mail or professional e-mail address. Add the friends from your private profile so that your friend’s list isn’t empty. Send each of your friends a message to say that your second profile isn’t fake. You're privacy options can be more lenient, allowing for anyone to add you as a friend.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 3: Post a headshot.</span><br />Add a couple of photos. Make sure you have some basic photos that allow sources to know what you look like — very beneficial for in-person interviews at public locations. Headshots are fine. If you’re friends tag you in photos using the private profile, make sure to deny those tags. If you’ve drawn a line of separation, make sure to keep it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 4: Flesh out your profile.</span><br />There’s nothing wrong with being truthful about your general interests, favorite movies, favorite music, favorite television shows, favorite movies, favorite books and personal heroes. Treat the schools section like you would the education section of a résumé. I treat my company section the same way. I’ve listed the six places where I have worked. You can hold back and list only your current position. The networking feature has never been too helpful. You can find other journalists and they can find you as long as you add it to your profile. Most important, tailor your about me section to your career. Talk about your skills. Employers make look at your professional profile page too.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 5: Simple name, simple reference.</span><br />Make your MySpace URL something simple. You can use your URL as a calling card. Use your pen name if possible.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 6: Post stories and photos.</span><br />Photographers should post an album of work. Writers should post some written examples using the blog feature. The blog system allows for HTML, so some multimedia work can be posted as well. It helps to show people what you can do.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 7: Limit HTML and application use.</span><br />You want to make sure that you’re profile can be seen by anyone. Custom designs by third-party Web sites can slow down load times. Applications are typically more trouble then they’re worth.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip No. 8: The notification system is your friend.</span><br />It helps to allow for notifications. You probably don't want to check your professional and private MySpace each day. Notifications allow you to know when a band, comedian or venue has added you or sent you a message.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Tip No 9: Assessment.</span><br />You want a clean MySpace that offers the necessary information. If you can build your own Web site to show off your work, simply offer a link and do not repost all your work. If you’re a photographer and want to house your portfolio elsewhere, just post a couple of photos as examples and display a prominent link to more work. Re-read everything you’ve written for your profile. If this is your first point of contact with sources, you want them to know that you’re a good writer. Copyediting shouldn’t be a lost art.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip N0 10: Add to your heart's content.</span><br />Now you can go ahead and start adding new friends. Musicians, comedians and filmmakers are a good start. Nightclubs, tattoo parlors and business aren't segmented on MySpace yet, but you can find many of them. It's a good idea think about your scope. Do you want to keep your friends list to local sources or go national? The more friends, the harder it will be to segment them and find them later.<br /><br />I hope my suggestions are helpful. Feel free to leave comments on this blog or by sending my a message through my <a href="http://www.myspace.com/journalistnate">MySpace page</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">On the horizon (Update): </span>The next MySpace Monday will detail a couple methods on finding local comedians, local music and local venues. I originally planned to talk about ways to make MySpace your digital Rolodex. That will come in the third post.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-27770352581468588312008-08-17T12:01:00.000-07:002008-08-17T12:05:11.702-07:00Link: That's some headline.<a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com">Editor & Publisher</a> reported last Sunday that an Ohio gay weekly will transition to a biweekly. I mention this because the just-the-facts headline looked like a pun. Not sure you can get around that.<br /><br />Read <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/departments/business/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003837531">"Ohio 'Gay People's Chronicle' Goes Biweekly"</a> by Mark FitzgeraldNathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-82927774502178836222008-08-17T11:54:00.000-07:002008-08-17T12:01:23.464-07:00Link: Can I get a raise? No.<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/1/553/a75">Jon Ortiz</a> of <a href="http://www.sacbee.com">The Sacramento Bee</a> reported that employee pay is set for at least one year. No one is getting a raise.<br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/103/story/1158795.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">"McClatchy to freeze employees' pay for a year"</span></a> for more information.<br /><br />The move makes a lot of sense. Although, I'm not so sure any of the employees expected a raise after so many employees were let go a couple of months ago.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-65022555730155109452008-08-17T11:39:00.000-07:002008-08-17T11:52:34.260-07:00Link: PersevereI just read an inspiring story about <a href="http://www.buccaneers.com">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a> running back Earnest Graham's fight to earn a roster spot in the League. He dealt with going undrafted after four successful years at the University of Florida, an injury as a rookie free agent that forced him to take a settlement, multiple signings and releases from practice squads and financial hardship. His family was evicted from their apartment and they had to struggle to afford spaghetti. His wife is amazing. She supported him along the way and allowed him to pay for a gym membership so that he could stay in shape. Graham's story is less a sports story and more a story about a man who perserved and fought to be the man he is today. He deserves his three-year, $10.5 million contraction extension.<br /><br />Now, how many athletes can you say that about?<br /><br />Read <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3532085"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Ten Mil the Hard Way"</span></a> by <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/915/132">Justin Heckert</a> to find out what I'm talking about.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-35341781961148585182008-08-15T20:07:00.000-07:002008-08-15T20:48:28.935-07:00Yes, he's alive. And in perfect hibernation.Sorry to my readers for being away for a couple days.<br /><br />Hello?<br /><br />Is anyone there?<br /><br />OK. There aren't many people checking out my blog, yet.<br /><br />Maybe my friends will come around, probably not.<br /><br />I was pretty tired after work the last couple of days and its sometime hard to think of quick shorts to write. It seems every idea I note takes too much time to prepare in one day. I'll do my best to come up with content during the weekend. I <span style="font-style: italic;">do</span> intend to post, at minimum, daily<br /><br />My boss sent me a popular link for local bloggers. A Web analyst from <a href="http://www.prospercreative.com/">Propser Media</a> launched local blog aggregator <a href="http://www.riverwrap.com/">RiverWrap.com</a> in June.<br /><br />21Q interviewed Zach Melchori two months ago. Melchori told the blog that he wants to "drive more dialogue" in the city. Blogs are pulled from local writers and national writers blogging about Sacramento.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQKyPRvZ8f-PfFZWVuyBojetgfVqaw2gIEsSpuYR2Ds9Gh_B902Ylop4fPBy5WmZOazRUArHcM39S_W9dGypexBqvXE9AyE6O3yqWgzJrf1a1rjRodCve2hRdXfRmk052Rz2xLkfJLg/s1600-h/riverwrap.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQKyPRvZ8f-PfFZWVuyBojetgfVqaw2gIEsSpuYR2Ds9Gh_B902Ylop4fPBy5WmZOazRUArHcM39S_W9dGypexBqvXE9AyE6O3yqWgzJrf1a1rjRodCve2hRdXfRmk052Rz2xLkfJLg/s320/riverwrap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234957131207869026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/ticket/archives/013342.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">"RiverWrap blog feed covers Sacramento"</span></a> for more information.<br /><br />The concept is simple and a good starting point to find other popular, local blogs. You need somewhere to find blogs to add to your RSS feed.<br /><br />And, yes, I'm submitting my blog.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">On the horizon: </span>I still plan to critique seven consecutive issues of new <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sacramento Bee</span></a>. I forgot to pick up the last Saturday issue. I'll write my first post starting Tuesday. Also, I'll launch a weekly feature called MySpace Monday, where'll I'll give tips on how journalists can use <a href="http://www.myspace.com/">MySpace</a> for researching and reporting. Facebook Friday is not currently in the works.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-23474078889669992072008-08-12T23:30:00.000-07:002008-08-13T00:23:08.899-07:00It's risky, but we can't hold out much longer. We have no choice.I bookmarked an interesting story a couple months ago when I first thought about starting a blog.<br /><br />The Associated Press wrote a piece on March 18 about three student newspapers refusing to publish an advertisement from a pro-life group.<br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003727114"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Three College Papers Say No to Anti-Abortion Group's Ad"</span></a> for more information.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">You can see the ad below:<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3nV3x7WPUMkSLqaMxO1q6mFsoEnoYk8o5OUwyQavPcuJUO-C7nJYroKvcFaccw-DHZLD7hMSf90icY0V2lB-PMRprLslvmTuqvze4LTai9BKZhEBhrHnwe-Q6QXy-x7Yr73CbNA5lA/s1600-h/emergency+contraceptive+ad2-thumb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV3nV3x7WPUMkSLqaMxO1q6mFsoEnoYk8o5OUwyQavPcuJUO-C7nJYroKvcFaccw-DHZLD7hMSf90icY0V2lB-PMRprLslvmTuqvze4LTai9BKZhEBhrHnwe-Q6QXy-x7Yr73CbNA5lA/s320/emergency+contraceptive+ad2-thumb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233887988107508290" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Ten university student newspapers accepted the advertisement. Student newspapers at UW-La Crosse, UW-Stout and Marquette University in Milwaukee did not.<br /><br />I respect the decision by the three newspaper editors to deny publication of the ad. It contains false information. The morning after pill does not cause "chemical abortion." Plan B and RU-486 (the abortion pill) are not the same. Plan B, which must be used within 72 hours after intercourse, stops the release of the egg. The abortion pill, which can be used later in a pregnancy, causes the uterus to empty. Two pills for two separate scenarios leading to two outcomes.<br /><br />Student editors are responsible for all content that makes its way to print, either in stories or in advertisements. Advertisements may be rejected, as long as students make the decision to do so. The 1997 federal appeals case, <span style="font-style: italic;">Yeo v. Town of Lexington, </span>upheld this right and ruled against a man who sued a school district after student editors at a high school newspaper and yearbook rejected an advertisement promoting abstinence.<br /><br />Advertisements are often the last thing student editors want to deal with. As an editor, you'll likely be confronted with ad problems. Administrators will be unhappy with ads from bars. Pro-life and pro-choice groups will be unhappy if their ads appear next to each other. Women's groups won't like ads with women in bikinis. Don't get me started on sex toy ads. It's probably best not to run them in the orientation issue.<br /><br />Student editors: take a little time to see what ads are coming in. Ask questions. Learn about what ads are on the horizon. Don't let yourself be surprised. Allow time to prepare a defense for anything that might generation criticism. It's better than being caught with your pants down... especially on spring break.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-31806228180800011572008-08-11T21:52:00.000-07:002008-08-12T23:30:29.965-07:00Hurry up! Come with me! What are you waiting for?! Get in gear!<a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/alisa-zykova/">Alisa Zykova</a> at the <a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/alisa-zykova/">Editors Weblog</a> posted a short story on Aug. 8 about a <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.philly.com/inquirer/">Philadelphia Inquirer</a> edict to hold some stories until the articles have appeared in print first.<br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_journalism/2008/08/us_philadelphia_inquirer_managing_editor.php"><span style="font-style: italic;">"US: Philadelphia Inquirer managing editor takes "backward" step?"</span></a> for more information.<br /><br />The memo can be found at <a href="http://poynter.org/forum/?id=32127">Ponyter Online</a>. Scroll down to the memos starting at Aug. 8, or search for "Philadelphia Inquirer adopts new online policy."<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenv6kdw-OwBCLTvz1aqfGaHqF0v8SVTXUHHk5gLHmVDW_IeNAeveYFs3BSIEEG2fHM-KpNxL02i2mbYp5YWYGyWvcvzbvJ7thTXf3ARacjI_6jO-y9Nr0gfeKjkGyK2WjTCkLkarIyQ/s1600-h/memo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenv6kdw-OwBCLTvz1aqfGaHqF0v8SVTXUHHk5gLHmVDW_IeNAeveYFs3BSIEEG2fHM-KpNxL02i2mbYp5YWYGyWvcvzbvJ7thTXf3ARacjI_6jO-y9Nr0gfeKjkGyK2WjTCkLkarIyQ/s320/memo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233505387895365538" border="0" /></a><br />Managing Editor Mike Leary told his staff that the newspaper would publish some articles online first, including investigative reporting, enterprise, trend, news features and reviews.<br /><br />"What that means is that we won't post those stories online until they're in print," Leary wrote.<br /><br />I was surprised. Other bloggers were too.<br /><br />"It’s disheartening to see a major newspaper go backward," <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/steveouting">Steve Outing</a> wrote in a blog post titled <a href="http://steveouting.com/2008/08/07/dont-go-backward-newspapers/"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Don’t go backward, newspapers!"</span></a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/3/920">Jeff Jarvis</a> was far more negative in his blog post, <a href="http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/08/07/a-stake-through-the-heart-of-the-has-been-inquirer/"><span style="font-style: italic;">"A stake through the heart of the has-been Inquirer"</span></a>.<br /><br />"You are killing the paper," Jarvis wrote. "You might as well just burn the place down. You’re setting a match to it. This is insane. Even the slowest, most curmudgeonly, most backward in your dying, suffering industry would not be this stupid anymore. They know that the internet is the present and the future and the paper is the past. Protecting the past is no strategy for the future. It is suicide. It is murder. You should be ashamed of yourselves."<br /><br />I had to include to the long quote. Such venom. Such passion. I love it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/yelvington">Steve Yelvington</a> was measured in his response and offered a counter-argument in his blog post, <a href="http://yelvington.com/taxonomy/term/346"><span style="font-style: italic;">"What's wrong with the new Philly publication rule? Us and them"</span></a>. He wrote that by waiting for publication, a newspaper can build momentum for a story's release, "teasing" and "setting the stage," being the operative words.<br /><br />Yelvington is most concerned with a publication giving priority to one medium over another.<br /><br />"It's entirely possible that the print and online components might be completely different with some parts being print-only," Yelvington wrote. "But you can't do that if you regard one medium as yours and the other as theirs. And that's the real problem with the Leary's memo."<br /><br />The memo scares me, yet it doesn't surprise me. I'm not sure how it will change how the newspaper operates after reading a <a href="http://ryansholin.com/2008/08/08/chris-krewson-on-philadelphia-inquirer-memo/">Q&A</a> with Executive Editor Chris Newsom at the <span style="font-style: italic;">Philadelphia Inquirer.<br /></span><br />I think newspapers need to find appropriate publication times with all stories. I think a lot readers check out newspaper Web sites around noon and near bedtime. People seem to be more willing to sit with a longer article at these times. Holding investigative pieces wouldn't be out of step with reader trends.<br /><br />I'm not so sure holding reviews is such a good idea. Then again, I'm not sure what the <span style="font-style: italic;">Philadelphia Inquirer </span><span>reviews. Some reviews should be posted as soon as possible, like a television writer or a political column during campaign season.</span> I could care less about CD reviews.<br /><br />Enterprise, trend and news features can be published whenever. They often get pushed a couple of times. I don't see why one of these articles can't find life online first. If circumstances permit it, and the news environment calls for it, print it online first. Capitalize on the news environment. Don't be left looking like an ambulance chaser. Printing online can even alter the print edition, and even provide design elements by using reader comments or anecdotes.<br /><br />It's common for newspapers to print stories about events at the end of the week. This isn't a problem for some, and it helps to have a snapshot of what's coming if you haven't made weekend plans. But it's a problem for people who want to plan ahead. I'm sure any of these features would be described as news features at the <span style="font-style: italic;">Philadelphia Inquirer </span>and they may be published so late as to be considered irrelevant by some online readers.<br /><br />Lost in the flurry about publication is that a newspaper needs to keep a steady steam of content coming to its the Web site. Links to daytime crime reports shouldn't bury investigative pieces. I also don't expect midnight and morning readers to care about a noon fire. Articles should be rotated appropriately on the front page. Newspapers need to get more bang for the buck. Nothing should go unread because its too hard to find on a Web site, or published too late.<br /><br />I don't mind that <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sacramento Bee</span></a> posts its daily stories online at midnight. I'm not bothered by it because the Web site regularly updates with other content.<br /><br />On the other hand, its time consuming to check my RSS feed when the <a href="http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Home"><span style="font-style: italic;">Sacramento News & Review</span></a> posts its Thursday articles. I haven't clicked on the link from last week and its 52 links remain unchecked. Too much at once. I don't want to read everything at once, and, even if I bookmark some articles for later, many will go unread.<br /><br />Newspapers: don't grasp at the old newspaper model. The Web is your friend. It provides a medium for more eyes than ever before. The print circulation numbers of the past are history. More papers distributed won't solve declining revenue. At the end of the day, that's what the memo was really about.<br /><br />Instead, find ways to get users coming back to the Web site, and translate that Web time to increased revenue.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-31312295157475246682008-08-10T23:07:00.000-07:002008-08-21T00:45:49.491-07:00Link: Where's journalism going?<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/81/102">Maegan Carberry</a> suggested journalism students focus on being versatile in her first <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/">Editor & Publisher</a> blog since its introduction last week.<br /><br />Visit <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003837532"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Do Young Journos Have a Future? And Will It Be Dumb?"</span></a> to read the <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/">Editor & Publisher</a> article.<br /><br />She suggested that journalists need to recognize that they are storytellers. Gather the facts and be skilled enough to present the information in a variety of mediums. She also suggested that young journalists figure out ways newspapers can foster new revenue streams.<br /><br />Honestly, her blog entry doesn't say too much I didn't already know. Journalists need to be innovative and versatile. Researching, interviewing and writing no longer make up a sufficient skill set. Journalists need to be unafraid to record audio for podcasts, produce short videos and interact with readers more than in the past.<br /><br />It all doesn't seem to be new to me.<br /><br />And I've been thinking a lot about this.<br /><br />I think newspapers are soon going to find themselves in the position of college newspaper editor trying to hire a graphic designer. When I was the editor in chief of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.statehornet.com/">The State Hornet</a>, I used MySpace to hunt for staff members. I searched for majors and minors in journalism, government-journalism, public relations, communication studies, photography and graphic design. I made my pitch and tested interest. Graphic editor was my last hire before the start of the semester. It was also one of the most difficult.<br /><br />Graphic design majors were either too skilled or not skilled enough. Talented graphic artists could find better pay elsewhere and the newbies weren't qualified to be an editor. I was lucky to find the person who would become the graphic editor.<br /><br />Newspapers might soon get themselves in this position. Students are being told that they need to be versatile. They're told to have a variety of skills, and while they build these skills, jobs are cut and hiring freezes continue. Students will look elsewhere.<br /><br />I wonder, where will the young journalists be when, and if, the hiring freezes end?<br /><br />The Sacramento region doesn't offer too many internship and entry-level positions since <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sacramento Bee</span></a> decided not to replace many entry-level positions in the Sports, News and Features departments. Many positions at media organizations are unpaid, for-credit internships. You'd need to cobble together a bunch of jobs to make ends meet freelancing. I know that's the name of the game; it doesn't make it any more reassuring.<br /><br />So, skills are one thing. Access is another.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-87439515421480288092008-08-10T22:50:00.001-07:002008-08-10T23:06:06.832-07:00Link: I'll never need a press pass againThe lovable scientists at Cal are working on an invisibility cloak.<br /><br />The Associated Press reports that scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have cloaked three-dimensional objects using artificial materials.<br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26128485/"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Scientists closing in on invisibility cloak"</span></a> or <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1029418920080810?sp=true"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Invisibility cloak one step closer, scientists say"</span></a> by Reuters for more information.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-32183753391243280572008-08-09T11:41:00.000-07:002008-08-09T11:57:27.410-07:00Link: Hey, isn't that mine?<a href="http://www.slate.com/">Slate</a> published an interesting story on Aug. 6 titled <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.slate.com/id/2196810/pagenum/all/">"Dude, You Stole My Article"</a> by Jody Rosen.<br /><br />Rosen found an obscene amount of plagiarized stories published in a Montgomery County, Texas-based alternative weekly. A reader e-mailed to her noting that a story in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Bulletin </span>contained identical paragraphs to a profile Rosen wrote about Jimmy Buffet. She found many more examples of explicit stealing. Article links are provided for comparison.<br /><br />The Web site for the <span style="font-style: italic;">Bulletin</span> has since been taken down, the Slate wrote in a subsequent editor's note.<br /><br />It's a good read, especially when you consider all the time Rosen spent finding questionable content.<br /><br />The lesson is... with almost anything posted on the Internet just a couple button presses away, don't steal someone else's work and think you can get away with it.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741741429633288197.post-61975710018252570362008-08-09T11:15:00.000-07:002008-08-09T11:26:59.626-07:00Link: Cuts at Tribune<a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/">Editor & Publisher</a> reports more buyouts at the <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/">Chicago Tribune</a>.<br /><br />Read <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003837489">"Buyouts at 'Chic Tribune' Announced, Top Eds Exit"</a> for more information.Nathanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940251167558051701noreply@blogger.com0