online media today

Symposium on Converge Journalism

2004-04-05T14:57:00.000-04:00

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the University of Florida's Symposium on Converge Journalism.

Though the panel discussions were very interesting, the best part of the day for me was the lunch. I like fried chicken.

And I like interesting conversation. I sat near freelance writer Mark Glaser, The Orlando Sentinel's Anthony Moor and The Dallas Morning News' David Leeson. We (or more accurately, they) discussed photos and videos on the Web.

Moor commented that the Orlando Sentinel had just recently decided it was alright to run a stand alone photograph on the Web as has been done for years in print newspapers. He then made a very good point in stating online journalist are having to somewhat reinvent the wheel to figure out what works and what doesn't on the Web.

Standard print practices have been in place for many years. We are still in the infancy of online media, and are to the point that standards are starting to develop.

These standards and practices are ever changing with electronic media because the media are ever-changing. Just when we figure out what works on a website to be viewed on a PC, we have to figure out what will work on a PDA or cell phone.

We are at a very important period for online media and anyone working in the field can help shape how it will be done in many years, and that's just plain old cool.

And the chocolate cake was pretty good too.

Gainesville24-7.com

2004-04-05T14:40:00.000-04:00

A few of my classmates work as writers for Gainesville24-7.com, so I thought I'd check out the site and review it here.

A great thing about GNV24/7 (as the banner reads) is the blog section. In fact, that's a big part of what GNV24/7 is about.

The blogs are kept by journalists and are used for reporting and more often commenting on news. My classmate Daniel Silverman recently wrote a great blog entry on the future of the PC.

As for design, the site is set up in a logical fashion and looks a lot like many other news magazines. I can't stand the puke green throughout the site, but that might just be a personal thing.

Although the search bar is in a great location in the upper-right corner, the choice of color for the box makes it blend in with the background. I think another color could have been selected to go with the scheme but also to stand out a little.

The site also looks great on my computer, but I would be concerned for anyone with smaller resolutions. The site is not designed to be seen well on an 800x600 screen.

Overall GNV24/7 is a great news magazine. The viewpoints are interesting and a little different than the norm and the use of blogs as journalism is really intriguing. If only the color scheme didn't make me want to upchuck, this could become one of my favorite Gainesville sites.

Getting international news from an international source

2004-03-22T14:48:00.000-05:00

I like getting my International news from BBC News because of the distinct difference in bias and self-censoring. International sources generally cover news events very differently than American sources.

The BBC News site is set up for an 800x600 screen, which is a good thing, since it is still used by just under 40% of web users. I think that fact sometimes escapes web designers when they have resolutions of 1400x1050 or higher.

The search bar is in the upper right hand side, the title bar is simple and not overpowering and the navigation bar is very concise, all nice features on a news site.

Perhaps the best part of the BBC News site is that it is completely devoid of advertisements. Now I know this is not possible on American commercial news sites, but I still love it. At least if those sites could get rid of the annoying flashing ads, that would be a step in the right direction.

Another nice feature of the BBC News site is the availability of a low graphics version. Again, this is something web developers also forget in designing sites: not everyone has access to DSL, cable modem or a T1. Users on dial-up connections can switch from the graphics version to the low-graphics version quite easily.

The BBC News site is also great to get a different perspective on news than we are used to in the United States, as I mentioned before. I would encourage you to check out their site and compare how they are covering stories as compared to how they are covered by American press. See where you get your international news from then.

Reviewing the Independent Florida Alligator site

2004-03-01T14:29:00.000-05:00

The only student newspaper worth mentioning at the University of Florida is the Alligator. It is a pretty decent paper for being student-run and runs daily Monday-Friday.

As a part of the Keg Party, I have been the subject of many stories written by the Alligator staff. I also wrote an article for the paper a few years ago, just so you know my connection.

The Alligator Online has a few things on its site that larger media outlets could stand to take a look at.

There are only seven sections linked to on the front page. Now I know larger news organizations will have more content, but they can still limit what is thrown to the user on the front page.

The pages don't scroll down ridiculously far. Again I understand that this is easier on a small site, but it is still very refreshing to see.

There is only one flashing ad. I hate flashing ads because they distract the user greatly, especially when more than one appears on a page.

The Alligator site also leaves much to be desired. The archives are sketchy at best, often not loading the correct page or a page at all. The search feature needs to offer advanced features, especially searching by date.

Another way the Alligator could distinguish itself from other college newspapers would be to offer more web-only or at least web-specific content. There should be more external links on the stories and even more importantly, internal links to other stories on the same or a similar topic.

Overall the Alligator needs to work a lot on its site to make it more than just an online version of the print paper.

ESPN's John Marvel on ESPN.com

2004-02-23T16:38:00.000-05:00

In nine years, ESPN.com has gone from a text-heavy site that featured one graphic and a fan poll, to one of the most popular and cutting-edge media sites on the web. John Marvel, former executive editor of ESPN.com and currently Editor at large at ESPN spoke to my Advanced Online Media Productions class today about ESPN.com's history and future in converged journalism.

ESPN.com made a huge step in online video transmission last year with ESPN Motion. Motion is a downloadable application that automatically downloads new video clips when they are available and the user is online. This allows the user to have "instant" access the latest video content when logging on to ESPN.com. Marvel said 75% of all ESPN.com users have downloaded the application.

Motion, which was designed by ESPN.com engineers is now being used by ESPN's parent company in the form of Disney Motion. Many other sites are looking to get a hold of the Motion technology as well.

ESPN.com is also working toward providing video content on various new media like handheld devices and cell phones. Already ESPN.com will send scores and breaking news to cell phones in a text format.

ESPN.com has always been at the forefront of technology and continues to be a leader in the industry. It was the first content site to charge users, Marvel said, and boasts 275,000 "Insiders," users who pay for premium content.

Marvel said ESPN.com is now a nearly $100-million business and was one of the first sites to make money through advertisements.

Drudging up the Drudge Report

2004-02-23T14:42:00.000-05:00

The Drudge Report worked its way back into the spotlight the last few weeks with rumors of infidelity involving Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry.

The rumors got a little out of hand when mainstream media outlets started reporting on the alleged scandal, something that has happened with Drudge's "journalism" far too many times.

Drudge first came into the spotlight by breaking the Monica Lewinski story six years ago. Since then he has reported a mix of truth, rumors and flat-out lies on his site and on his radio program.

Today's 24-hour-a-day news culture has created such competition and fear of getting scooped that rumors on sites like Drudge's find their way into mainstream media all too often. Matt Drudge has been shown time and time again to be an unreliable source at best, yet we keep hearing his name.

As Rory O'Connor writes for MediaChannel.org, Drudge's rumor mill, spread by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity on talk radio, really distorts what is news and what isn't.

Is it news that Kerry was forced to deny ridiculous rumors, or should the lack of any basis for the rumors keep that bit off the front page?

I think Matt Drudge and the likes should really be ignored by the mainstream media. If reporters were to focus more on reporting the truth then simply being scooped, the consumers would only read the truth, and not non-news stories on unfounded rumors.

Regurgitating Matt Drudge's rumors and lies makes the mainstream media no better than Drudge himself, which is a very sad thing for responsible journalists everywhere.

Keg Party column

2004-02-23T14:07:00.000-05:00

I wrote an editorial that was published today in the Independent Florida Alligator. The editorial focused on why students should vote for the Keg Party, a student government political party at the University of Florida. I am running for student body treasurer with the party. The article was co-authored by Travis Marsh, the presidential candidate, though I was the only author credited on the site and in the print version.

If you want more information on the keg party, please visit our site KegParty.org. The language on the site is sometimes crude, but is used only for humor's sake.

If you are a UF student, please be sure to vote Tuesday or Wednesday, whether it is for the Keg Party or anyone else running. Student Government can not represent the students if the students do not vote.

Lets talk about spam

2004-02-16T14:34:00.000-05:00

Everyone hates spam. I hate it. My mom hates it. You hate it.

And the pink meat-substitute isn't very good either.

Spam, unsolicited junk email that comprises around half of all email sent, is an enemy that plenty of individuals, companies and countries are fighting, and it looks like they're losing.

The U.S. Can-Spam act has failed. Anti-spam registries are pretty much all scams gathering email addresses to spam themselves.

So how are we going to get rid of spam?

Microsoft is developing a system that would require an e-mail sender to spend 10 seconds of computing time to send out a message, wreaking havoc on users that send out millions of spam messages. While this may eventually be the answer, I doubt this system would be easily implemented. This could also become a problem for those who send out legitimate emails to thousands of users who solicit that mail. I don't see how list-servs would play in to this plan.

PCWorld reviewed eight e-mail "options" (desktop clients and web services) and actually found one that blocked spam, Mailblocks 2. I haven't used Mail Blocks, but it also sounds like a temporary solution, requiring e-mailers to confirm that they are human and not a spam-bot before sending the mail to the user. Spammers will soon find a way to work around this small obstacle.

The short answer is that there is no short answer. Twenty years from now, spam may be a thing I tell my kids about, but I'm pretty sure I'll still be dealing with it for the next few years. And so will my mom. And so will you.

Photo Presentations

2004-02-15T19:53:00.000-05:00

The Web is a great medium for presenting photos, whether it be for an advertising photographer, a newspaper of magazine or just family pictures. Users can present photos in full color in various sizes to potential clients, readers or family and friends.

There are plenty of things to keep in mind when making an online photo presentation to make sure it is of high quality and user friendly. File size, navigation and layout are all considerations when creating a photo presentation. Check out these examples of quality photo presentations that utilize the potential of the Web.

Martin Sundberg Photography- This site is for a photographer specializing in shooting active lifestyle, action, and portraits, for advertising and editorial publications. The gallery contains 20 images which can be selected by clicking on each number at the bottom of the page or on the L or R on the right side of the page to go left and right. The site does a good job of presenting vibrant action pictures in a large enough size to be seen easily by prospective customers. The shots have no titles or captions, but they are not needed to accomplish Sundberg's goal of being hired as a photographer for an advertising campaign. The navigation is simple and functional, and I like that the numbers are circled when rolled over.

ESPN's daily photo gallery- ESPN presents eight sports photos every day as a Flash movie. The photos can be navigated through forward and back arrows, clicking on numbers, or through an automatic slideshow. ESPN typically selects photos that are visually appealing and cover a large number of sporting events. The photo gallery is located on the main page and can be viewed for 16 days on in the archive.

Spencer Tunick (nudity)- Spencer Tunick has been gaining fame for organizing large nude "installations" and was recently featured in the HBO documentary "Naked World." Tunick's photo gallery works in its simplicity. Clicking on the über-tiny thumbnails opens a larger picture. Clicking on that picture brings up an even larger image in a new window. Each photo has a very brief caption that gives only the location of the installation. The gallery could have easier navigation but the simplicity of this page works for Tunick's site's look and feel.

Transitioning from Free to Fee

2004-02-09T14:21:00.000-05:00

In his article published by the Online Journalism Review, Donn Friedman discusses how the Albuquerque Journal changed from a free service to a fee-based service, generating income and increasing traffic along the way.

And if you are an internet-news junkie like me, you are probably asking right now, "Fee-based? As in paying? No one will pay for news online if they can get it for free!"

Friedman, the Journal's assistant managing editor of production and technology, felt the same way for years but after reluctantly changing the site upon the demands of his publisher, his view has changed too.

I won't go into the details of his step-by-step article, but I will point out a few things that I am still unconvinced will work for many online media.

First, Friedman acknowledges that many pundits believe the fee-based system works only for local newspapers with little to no competition for local news. He then refutes that by writing, "Readers need what you have to offer. And if you stop giving it away for free, they will pay for it."

If the St. Petersburg Times started charging for their web content, readers would be quick to switch to TBO.com to get the Tampa Tribune's stories. Readers do not need one local paper has if another offers similar content.

Friedman also points to news outlets like the Wall Street Journal charges. Consumer Reports, and Encyclopaedia Britannica. These sites can charge because what they offer is either unique or far superior in quality to their competitors. There are plenty of comparison chopping and product review sites, but none come close to the prestige of Consumer Reports, which built its reputation long before the web existed.

Friedman has some great points and even better pointers. He's covered all the angles for switching to a fee-based system should a news outlet decide to do that, because he's been through it. I just think he is a little unrealistic in which media can actually make that switch.

But I could be wrong... so enjoy my blog while it's still free.

Editor's Note: 2.10.04 added link to OJR article.

NewsDirectory.com is a tool for all journalists

2004-02-02T02:24:00.000-05:00

NewsDirectory.com, a directory of Web sites for newspapers and magazines throughout the world, is a very useful tool for journalists. A user can search for papers by location (country and city outside of the United States, by city or area code within the U.S.) or publication title. The directory contains links to more than 17,000 sites on six continents.

The directory is a great resource for any journalist, whether looking for a specific publication, journalist or article, or to just get global news from the local sources. It's especially great for those interested in online media to look at how news is presented online throughout the country and the world.

A quick search of my own found links to all the college newspapers in Florida, my favorite papers from Spain and several local papers that could otherwise be difficult to locate.

The layout of the site is simple and easy to use, although its simplicity is hideous to any web designer.

Overall I love the directory and recommend without reservations, although it could use a little CSS.

Review: St. Petersburg Times' "The Last Full Measure of Devotion"

2004-01-26T02:31:00.000-05:00

The St. Petersburg Times published a multimedia report Jan. 25 on Sgt. Paul R. Smith, the only man nominated for a medal of honor for the Iraq war, entitled "The Last Full Measure of Devotion." Smith was killed during firefight with Iraqi soldiers on April 4, 2003 near Saddam International Airport.

The "Interactive Special Report" consists of the story chunked into five parts, several photo galleries, flash documents and a guestbook.

The story is well written and intelligently broken into chunks. Links to the chunks are labeled simply as Part 1, etc. which does not allow the reader to readily access the story from many points.

The most helpful feature in telling Smith's story is the "battlescene," flash slideshow that goes through maps of the area, detailing the logistics of the battle step-by-step with a short audio narration. The feature however, is not labeled well on the navigation bar. Also there is also no easy way to click through the slides; next and back buttons would have helped navigation.

Another neat feature is the satellite view of the battle scene. This image is a flash graphic allowing the view to zoom and scroll throughout the photo. Again there is no easy way to navigate the document and even the directions given are incorrect for my PC. A group photo including a partially-hidden Smith is uselessly presented in the same format.

The photo galleries are very well made and tell the story concisely with audio files that add to the story when appropriate. I like that the viewer can choose whether to hear the audio clips.

Overall the interactive report is a well-produced piece. The navigation in many areas seems to have been overlooked and there isn't even a way to get back to the default page from inside the report. Also many of the graphics and even the main page are slow to load, even on a cable modem connection. I very much enjoyed the piece and the graphic features, but I hope the Web designers at the Times learn from their navigation mistakes.