Becoming a well oiled machine

After sifting through 500 or so articles on Google Reader today, Mindy McAdam's post on the Reporter’s Guide to Multimedia Proficiency caught my eye.

There's no doubt about it - the newspaper industry is changing. No longer is a print publication the only source for information. In today's world, information is available through audio clips, videos, online news, RSS feeds, social networks, blogs, microblogs and millions of other media that we have yet to even fathom.

Now, take a deep breath. You're not the only one feeling overwhelmed.

The current trend in journalists' attitudes toward this adjustment is sort of an "out with the old, in with the new" outlook on content as well as employees. However, I can attest to the fact that it's not just the "old farts" who are feeling a little behind. I'm hesitant to jump headfirst into some of this stuff myself, but it's all about forcing yourself out of your comfort zone and using your brain to its full capacity.

My advice? Start with the steps outlined in McAdams' RGMP:

"1: Read blogs and use RSS
2: Start a blog
3: Buy an audio recorder and learn to use it
4: Start editing audio
5: Listen to podcasts
6: Post an interview (or podcast) on your blog
7: Learn how to shoot decent photos
8: Learn how to crop, tone, and optimize photos
9: Add photos to your blog
10: Learn to use Soundslides"

Don't worry. I'm only on step four or so. Looks like I'm going to be taking my own advice in the next few months.

Job-hunting made easier, hopefully

Fortunately, I haven't been laid off. However, I am struggling to find a job, so I can use all the help I can get.

Mashable posted an article today about the 30+ Websites to Visit When You're Laid Off. And if there's anything I need right now, it's a guide to finding a job.

Plinky to the rescue

Got writer's block? Leave it to Plinky to solve your problems.

You're prompted with stimulating questions the second you join. Wanna know what the coolest thing I saw in another country was? Check it out.

Blogs, coming soon to a newsstand near you

While most newspapers are trying to ditch their print products and go completely online, The Printed Blog is metaphorically standing in a room of seated people.

The Printed Blog is the first daily newspaper to print only user-generated content. Basically, it's a newspaper comprised completely of blogs. The creators hope to draw advertising dollars from companies or people who can't afford to spend an arm and a leg on a newspaper ad. Ads in the Printed Blog will go for about $15 each.

Unusual? Yes. Successful? We'll have to see...

Resumes of the 21st century

I updated my resume today, and I actually put my blog just beneath my contact email.

If you had told me two years ago that blogs would be an important thing to have on a resume, I probably would have laughed in your face. Now, it makes total sense. Wanna find out how much I know already about the industry? How about how much I want to learn about it? Or where I get my information? Or how I go about writing stories or how I approach tasks?

Just read my blog.

It's that easy. You get so much information about me, my work ethic, my enthusiasm, my optimism (or lately, my pessimism) before you even interview me. It's genius. Now for the cover letters... Oy...

The most wonderful time of the year (for blogging)

Here's what to do with your blog while you're on vacation.

Apparently, most bloggers worry about losing momentum or their fan base while they're away from work.

It's funny; I tend to blog more while I'm on vacation. Maybe it's because I'm a student and not actually employed, but I'm extremely busy up until the holidays and barely have time to write. And when I actually do blog during the semester, I can't help thinking that I should be studying or working on that paper I've been putting off rather than writing in my blog.

Now, I'm carefree! And so the blogs abound. Lucky you.

Multimedia journalists

One of D.C.'s TV news stations has the right idea.

The broadcast station is hiring "multimedia journalists," reporters who will shoot and edit their own stories. WUSA's cameramen will also be changing roles, some of which could even land them on-air.

This is the direction that newspapers need to be heading. One-man multimedia journalists. Reporters who not only investigate and write their own stories, but also shoot some video, edit it and even take some pictures. Add in some blogging and you have an all-around multimedia package that will keep people coming back for more.

Yes, it will take a lot of work on the reporter's part, but honestly, I don't think that's a bad thing with newspapers struggling as much as they are. A little hard work and determination certainly won't hurt anything.

Aching for analysis, apparently

I've been putting off checking Google Reader simply because of the fact that I haven't been checking it. I didn't want to have to sift through post after post after post. But today I realized that the longer I wait, the more posts I'm going to have to endure, so I might as well get it over with.

After I narrowed down 208 new items to about 20 that I actually thoroughly read, I had a realization about blogging. I've always heard that the more you post, the better your blog simply because shorter, more frequent posts attract more readers. It makes sense, and I've always kept that in mind in regard to my blog. I try to post every day, but it's been over a week since my last entry, and I admit I felt a little inadequate and nervous about not being on top of things.

Well, I knew I wasn't going to read every single one of the 200+ items on my Reader, so I went to the blogs that I value most. Later, I realized that I was more likely to read posts by people who blog less frequently than Romenesko-type blogs.

I knew that whatever I read at yelvington.com or Teaching Online Journalism would be well thought-out, original, personal and relevant to me and my interests. Those are the things that I value in blogs. Yes, Romenesko and Twitter are good for short snippets of information and breaking news. I get much of my information and ammunition from sources like those. However, when it comes to the goals that I hope to accomplish with my blog and what I'm interested in reading on others' blogs, I strike a chord with blogs with less-frequent entries and analysis of some sort.