Preparation begins well before you head to a story. There’s nothing more frustrating than when something that could have easily been prevented goes wrong in the field. So, don’t wait until you’re in the field to complete this checklist. Store
Study Reveals Social Media’s Impact on Newsroom Editorial Decisions
Popular, or trending, topics and content on social media play a significant role in local television newsrooms decisions about which stories to cover. That’s the finding from my latest research, Forces at the Gate: Social Media’s Influence on Editorial and Production Decisions
Mobile Journalism: Snapchat and Digital-First Story Pitches
At the Broadcast Education Association convention in Las Vegas, there was no shortage of discussion about the impact of mobile devices on journalism. Journalism educators are revamping courses and curriculum to prepare students for jobs that will require them to use
Ithaca Journalism Students Cover Presidential Primary for NBC News
Little sleep, lots of coffee, and plenty of adrenaline. It was a whirlwind three days for nine Ithaca College journalism students who covered the South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary for NBC News. My colleague James Rada and I coordinated the
A New Generation of “Fierce Fact Checkers”
Josh Sterns, who directs the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation’s journalism sustainability project, recently asked me to share my thoughts on teaching students how to verify social media content. In the article, How Journalism Schools Can Train a New Generation of Fierce Fact Checkers,
WDBJ Shooting: The Ugly Side of Social Media
The horrific shootings of WDBJ-TV reporter Alison Parker and videojournalist Adam Ward have exposed an ugly side of social media. Bryce Williams, a former WDBJ employee, shot dead Parker and Ward during a live report on the Roanoke station’s morning
Social Media Policy Study Presented at AEJMC Conference
A Survey of Social Media Policies in U.S. Television Newsrooms, co-authored with Syracuse University journalism professor Suzanne Lysak, focuses on how the use of social media by journalists raises new ethical and professional dilemmas. As a result, news outlets are
Mobile & Social Media Journalism Tips Published on PBS MediaShift
In two articles written for PBS MediaShift, I discuss key elements of my Mobile and Social Media Journalism course at Ithaca College. In the first post, Teaching Students to Verify Social Media Content, I outline an in-class exercise, What’s The
Teaching Mobile and Social Media Journalism
The use of mobile devices and social media for reporting is no longer a novelty. Some journalism educators teach mobile reporting skills by integrating them into existing courses. A few, including myself, have developed courses dedicated solely to this topic.
Social Media’s Impact on Editorial Decisions in TV News
My nationwide survey of news directors at network affiliate television stations explores the impact social media is having on editorial and production decisions related to newscasts. I recently presented the research paper in Montreal at the annual conference of the