Charlie DeBoyace Assignment #3

Eric Garment Assignment 3

Allie Gehring Assignment #3

John Brill, Assignment #3

Nick Foley, Assignment #3

Rene Salvatore, Assignment #3

Amanda Perez: Assignment #3 Sequence

Mark Sanchez, Assignment 3

Su Hong Assignment 3

Assignment 3, Chris Leyden

Chelsea Jordan, Assignment #3

William Jackson, Assignment #3

Jenn Davis, Assignment #3

Claire Yan Assignment #3

Zack Ward, Assignment #3

Mike Gasper, Assignment #3

Zack Ward, Assignment #1

My name is Zack Ward and I'm a sophomore journalism major at the University of Maryland. I think one of the biggest challenges journalists face these days is developing a wide variety of skills. Technology is constantly changing what is required of reporters and their is an increasing demand for journalists who are well rounded. This means becoming skilled in video, audio and still photo among other things. 

Another challenge that new media journalists face is how to adapt to new forms of social media. Twitter, Facebook and Youtube cannot be completely ignored. Journalists have to adapt to using some of these social media tools if it fits their audience. However, they also have to balance upholding a certain level of professionalism. Also, with the internet and online journalism comes the challenge of gaining readership. Journalists nowadays have to be internet savvy and know how to create hits and be at the top of Google searches. 

Allie Gehring Assignment #2

Spencer Israel Assignment #2

Nick Foley Assignment #2

Mark Sanchez, Assignment #2

Charlie DeBoyace Assingment # 2

Claire Yan Assignment #2

Chelsea Jordan, Assignment #2

John Brill, Assignment #2

William Jackson Assignment #2 M.O.S

Amanda Perez, Assignment #2: M.O.S.

Eric Garment Assignment #2

Su Hong Assignment 2

Chris Leyden, Assignment #2

Jenn Davis, Assignment #2

Rene Salvatore, Assignment #2

Mike Gasper, Assignment #2

Zack Ward, Assignment #2

Allison Gehring, Assignment 1

Allison Gehring

JOUR 203 Assignment 1

The biggest challenge of new media journalism for me will be balancing all of the skills necessary to be successful. In the past, journalists could easily get jobs by being exceptional at one specific skill. Back then, if someone was great at shooting video, or writing, or editing, they were pretty much guaranteed a job. In this era of new media journalism, the ideal journalist is expected to know how to do it all. They can go out and shoot and produce their own stories using the technology available. Instead of only being a journalist for television or for print, there is a lot of overlap with online journalism and social networking. The challenge comes because even though we are in journalism school to learn these skills, protocol could change by the time we are ready to enter the workforce because of the rapidness with which technology changes. There will always be a new skill to learn or master.

Assignment 1, Chelsea Jordan

As a journalism student, I am very concerned about the future of journalism. I think that one of the challenges that journalists are facing now is their ability to remain competitive. The industry's biggest villain right now seems to be technology, but I think that if journalists are willing to learn how to incorporate and use technology to their advantage it will really end up being an ally to them.

By keeping up to date on new technology as well as learning about a variety of new media tools, journalists will be able to keep competitive in an industry where bloggers and Youtubers are sometimes scooping professionals for a story.

While journalists may be facing a down time currently, I think that as they learn to collaborate with social media users and integrate new technology into their work, they will be able to create a better and more interesting product for their audience.

Claire Yan, Assignment #1

Hi, my name is Claire Yan, and I am a sophomore journalism student at the University of Maryland. Some challenges facing journalists today largely revolve around the new technologies, equipment, and journalism mediums that are becoming so popular. There is constantly new multimedia equipment that journalists must become well-acquainted with in order to keep up with the fast paced world of journalism. This multimedia is used for newer forms of journalism, like online newspapers, social networks such as Twitter, and blogs (such as photo blogs).

The new journalism mediums also pose another challenge for journalists: the dying popularity of print journalism. Small newspapers are going out of print, and big newspapers are opting to post their news online. The online world of news is gaining strength while newspapers are weakening, and this poses a threat to newspaper reporters, writers, and their jobs, especially in today's weak economy. However, if journalists make sure they stay on top of all the latest media and technology innovations, this can help better ensure their job stability as journalists.

Assignment # 1 Charlie DeBoyace

Hi my name is Charlie DeBoyace, I’m a sophomore journalism major at the University of Maryland. There are a lot of challenges facing journalist today, chief among is the fundamental change in the way people consume information. We now live in a 24-hour news cycle. No longer will breaking news have to wait for the evening edition. News can be broken on 24 hour news networks such as CNN or MSNBC or on internet news sites at any time of day.

So, today’s journalist must learn a whole new set of schools that previous generations didn’t. Such as the ability to shoot and edit, video and photos and of course record and edit audio clips. So, contrary to popular belief, journalism is not dying, it is simply evolving and journalist must adapt with it.

Nick Foley, Assignment #1, Self-Interview

The biggest challenge facing journalists today is staying relevant in news and in technology. We have to update news minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour as opposed to once or twice a day in newspaper form. We also must learn how to write news, shoot video, and take audio, whereas journalists used to only write news. Since journalism has advanced technologically, we have to make sure that we are providing the most unique forms of news to our news consumers, and if we don't, we won't get a job. It's that simple.

Amanda Perez, Assignment #1: Challenges of Multimedia Journalism

Hello, my name is Amanda Perez and I’m a sophomore journalism major at the University of Maryland. Here in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, it’s very evident that the field of journalism is changing rapidly. If we’re going to succeed, journalists must evolve with it. It’s up to journalists to use multimedia to our advantage and find the most compelling way to tell a story. Ten years ago, a great journalist may only have known how to write. These days, we must be much more technologically savvy to stay competitive. Necessary skills including shooting and editing video, taking and editing photos, and using the Internet. The production of a broadcast piece that may have taken five people in the past is now a one-man-band enterprise.

Journalists also have much more responsibility now. With the Internet, there’s pressure to get news out to the public much faster. There’s a constant battle between speed and credibility. Online, anyone can be a reporter of sorts through the use of Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. This focus on speed often causes the amount of editing to decrease. Because fewer eyes see stories before they’re made available to the public, journalists must be especially careful with their writing and fact checking. It’s also up to journalists to make sure any information they get from the Internet is credible.

Despite the new challenges that multi-media journalists are faced with, these changes in the field of journalism are exciting. The news is more accessible to people than ever before. A good multi-media journalist is able to tell a story much more effectively than solely through print. The future of journalism is uncertain but if we adapt to these changes, it could thrive.

Spencer Israel Assignment #1

 

Hi. I'm Spencer Israel, a sophomore journalism major here at the University of Maryland. The biggest problem faced by today's young journalists I feel is the competition. Look at it this way. Guys like Walter Cronkite and Howard Cosell were really good at what they did, but they also got lucky. They hopped on the journalism bandwagon before it really got popular. Even print journalists had an easier path back in the day. With newspapers being so successful, and there was always going to be a job waiting for you at a third rate paper, whether you wanted it or not. 

But today, that's not the case. The lines between print and broadcast have been blurred, and now, journalists are expected to have a wide variety of skills-- such as still photography, multimedia, and audio. And with newspapers going down by the wayside, jobs at premium websites, networks, and stations are at a premium. The result is veterans competing with college graduates for the same jobs, and there just aren't enough. And that, is what I feel the biggest problem faced by today's young journalists.

Jenn Davis, Assignment #1, Flip Profile

Years ago, the word “journalist” evoked the image of a newspaper writer. Maybe they worked for the New York Times or the Washington Post. But today, we have a field of new mediums for journalism, including an ever-changing class of rising journalists. 

Part of the challenges that journalists face is the need to be multifaceted. With the invention of social media, like Twitter or Facebook, and the addition of online publications, such as the Washington Post online, a competing journalist must understand and utilize these open spaces for information.

Simply a pencil and paper will not suffice in the current market. A journalist has to become a photographer, videographer, and a radio personality at any given time. It is imperative that they can perform these functions by themselves, as employers look for journalists who can work on their own.

One of the bigger challenges that I think journalists face is the increasing competition between amateur journalists and professional journalists. Amateur journalists are the ordinary people who use social media as a way to disseminate news. With today’s technology, nearly everyone has access to the same media tools, however it is harder to tell if these amateur abide by the same principals of professionals, such as the obligation to tell the truth.

This means that journalists are constantly in a race to provide not only the fastest, but the most accurate information to their readers or viewers.

Journalists may face a changing industry, but it also an exciting one!

Eric Garment Assignment #1

Hi, I’m Eric Garment, and I’m currently a sophomore broadcast journalism major at the University of Maryland-College Park. I hope to one day enter the field of sports journalism, either as a broadcaster or a writer. However, modern journalism poses problems to people such as myself.

One of those problems is money. As print journalism is seemingly going by the wayside and online journalism continues to see new entrants in the form of people who just wish to have their opinion heard regardless of compensation, it seems to be increasingly harder to get a job as a journalist. It almost seems as if getting a journalism job has become like bidding for a construction contract: the lowest price will win.

Additionally, the existence of marquee jobs in sports journalism has limited the pool of positions that people desire. The top job seems to be at ESPN, and some students fresh out of college may be unwilling to take a job at a local sports desk.

One other problem in modern journalism is that if someone can’t do all aspects of a job, they’re potentially less appealing to an employer.

All of these things are problems that myself and people like me will face in all kinds of journalism, not just sports, as the field continues to change.

Su Hong Assignment 1

Something that never occurred to me until I entered the video slice, was that I would eventually have to be on video myself. From the first video slice class I learned that looking at yourself and editing your own video is harder than I realized. As a broadcast journalism student, I guess this is something I will have to get used to. At first, it was really awkward to see myself on tape. When my partner asked me questions, I did not quite know what to answer. I guess I got stage fright. I did not know whether I had to look at her, or look directly into the camera. Although the first couple of seconds were a little difficult and nerve racking, by the end of class I kind of got used to it. What made me feel better was that it looked like the other students felt way I did.

It was really interesting to learn a few tricks on the first day. I learned that many journalists record what they want to say before they go on air and secretly listen to themselves as they talk. Kind of like what I am doing now. It was also interesting to see the different types of ways you could film a person. For example, you could have the person sit in the middle and look straight into the camera, you could have them off to the left, or you could have them off to the right. I am really looking for to this class and I hope I’ll take a lot of things with me.

Rene Salvatore Assignment #1

Hi my name is René Salvatore I am a sophomore broadcast journalism student at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland in College Park. I am going to talk about the challenges facing several professional and non-professional journalists these days. The first is the new technology that is being integrated into newsgathering. Journalists are no longer being sent out with an entire team. They can be sent out to shoot, report and edit a story together all on their own. The new term for this is backpack journalism. Older journalists in the field are having new technology thrown at them and being told they need to learn it immediately. Another challenge facing many journalists is the undetermined future of print media. With the world of online journalism not completely figured out yet there is a lack of jobs for print journalists. Newspapers are going under and no one has figured out a way to successfully monetize their online forms. The future is a little uncertain but what many journalists seem to be doing is branding themselves. They are branching out from their network or show and marketing themselves. Many do this via Twitter or Facebook or with their own blogs. Branding oneself as a individual journalist could make one more marketable in the future. 

Mike Gasper, Assignment #1

My name is Mike Gasper, and I am a sophomore journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park. I currently have an internship at ESPN 980 in Rockville, Md., and hope to become a sports journalist, but I am fully aware of how challenging of a goal that is to reach with the current direction of journalism.

In modern journalism, a reporter cannot be skilled in just one area, such as print or video. A journalist must be able to skillfully report in a variety of ways. Sure, journalistic organizations are cutting back on personnel, but this is because they have come to expect their reporters to be able to report through audio, video, photography, and of course, writing. With these expectations, it simply isn't necessary to have as many people on staff all doing different jobs that one reporter could easily do.

The reason for this increase in importance in the use of audio, video, and photography is that today's news consumers are no longer satisfied with simply reading a reporters take on an event. They want to see it and hear it, otherwise, a reporter will have a hard time keeping the consumers attention.

At this point in my journalistic career, my plan is to gain a solid understanding of all the ways that reporting can be done, and then to gain valuable experience at various internships.  

Mark Sanchez Assignment #1

Journalism Video Assignment #1

Learning how to produce videos for the web is hugely important. I can tell you personally, when I’m applying for internships and jobs, on nearly every job description it states that candidates must be well versed in “videos and multimedia”. When I’ve read this on job descriptions, I’ve always been very hesitant about applying as I have no experience, until now, with making videos for the web. But as I’m becoming more adept in learning how to produce video for the web, there are many challenges I will face along the way.

Making videos for websites is not traditional journalism; when I aspired to become a journalist at a young age, I did not even consider Internet multimedia skills. I idolized Seymour Hersh and Woodward and Bernstein; I imagined breaking important news and writing the information for the next day’s newspaper. I’m no computer expert or even a public speaking expert – in my childhood dreams, I was never broadcasting the news, which has become a staple for today’s journalist. So when I make content for the web, I am working in a field in which I am inexperienced and not exactly suited for. But, because I want so desperately to be a well-rounded journalist, I will still learn these skills.

A less abstract and more tangible reason for struggling with producing content for the Internet is money. There is, as any journalist can tell you, little money to be made in the field. But to create a moving or effective piece for the Internet, there are so many tools a journalist must use. I’ve never even owned a camera, much less a video camera. And I’ve definitely never owned a tripod. Moreover, even if I had the physical tools, the online programs can be very costly. Photoshop and Quicktime Pro are essentials for a journalist concerned with multimedia and they can cost a few hundred dollars. There are many obstacles, both abstract and physical, that hinder a journalist from producing quality video for the web. But, to become the best journalist (and one who can be hired), I must learn to produce video for the web.

John Brill, Assignment #1

Hi, I’m John Brill. As a sophomore journalism student it is clear that the field is changing dramatically from the past. Journalists must learn new skills in order to be successful.

With the advent of the internet, information moves very quickly, meaning stories are expected very quickly. Blogs and social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter get headlines to readers almost instantaneously. Journalists much get their information and stories written as fast as possible in order to stay competitive.

It is clear that online media is overshadowing the print industry as newspapers around the country downsize. Journalists must familiarize themselves with all new technology. A Journalist should not only know how to write, but must also be a jack of all trades. He or she must know how to shoot and edit video, use audio, and be decent photographer. These skills are basically required in order to get a job. Those in favor of print must adapt to multimedia in order to survive in this dynamic industry.

William Jackson Assignment #1

Assignment #1 Self-Report

Hello, my name is Luke Jackson and I am a sophomore at the University of Maryland. I am broadcast journalism major here at College Park.

Probably the biggest challenge about being an up-and-coming journalist these days is that there is no blueprint for becoming a paid journalist after college. The field is changing rapidly. No longer can one go to a highly esteemed journalism school and expect a job right out of college.

With the newspaper industry facing more and more challenges by the day, it is becoming increasingly important for current and aspiring journalists to know how to perform multiple tasks at once. No longer can journalists just be writers. Journalists have to be writers, photographers, videographers, and be familiar with audio equipment in order to be proficient at the job. Journalists also have to be able to use social media to their advantage.

Employers tend to be looking for journalists who do a little bit of everything, and are not proficient at just one particular skill. Just because one can’t only be a writer anymore doesn’t mean the profession is dead. It means the profession is changing. And if journalists don’t change as well, they’ll be left behind.

Personally, I’ve written for a number of websites. But it’s time for me to get some internships and become a complete journalist.

Assignment 1, Chris Leyden

Jour 203 Video Slice Assignment #1

For many years journalists went to school to learn the skills needed to work at a newspaper. While many journalists share those same aspirations today, most understand the need to be a well-rounded reporter. To get a job in today’s shrinking market it is important that a journalist not only know how to write, but also how to shoot video and edit it.

It is an important that early on in a potential journalists training they learn how to take and edit their own video so that it becomes second nature to them. While many of the older journalists in the profession are struggling of late to make the transition, an entire new younger class of journalists has mastered the multimedia aspect.

The biggest challenge facing a journalist who in creating video content for the web is the concept that people’s attention span when surfing the Internet is only a few seconds per page. Because of this, the video that is put together needs to be extremely engaging right away.  Another aspect that is important to keep in mind when in the field is that any story that can be told in words can be told better with visuals. This means that not only do reporters have to go out into the field and find quotes to write a story, but they also should take video or pictures of the subject to attach to the story online.

Producing video itself is not that easy, as there is a lot that goes into making a piece look good. With the invention of pocket cams reporters can easily have a camera on them at all times. The problem with these cameras is that unless they are on a tripod it is very obvious that they are shot handheld. It is also important that print journalists understand the rule of thirds, and use that as a visually appealing technique. There is a lot more that goes into shooting video than just setting up a camera and talking into it, and reporters in the future will have to do this instinctively.

The concept of being a strictly print journalist is completely gone from the journalism landscape, and the reporters who get jobs are going to be the ones who can do video also.  That is why it is so important the students learn the skills from a young age so they can apply them moving forward.