Acts of convergence: Random Acts of convergence: Random occurrences or Routine occurrences or Routine

workflow?workflow?

AEJMC August 8, 2007AEJMC August 8, 2007

The “C” Word?The “C” Word? Don’t use it anymoreDon’t use it anymore First generation First generation

changechange Stage we must pass Stage we must pass

throughthrough Get all reporting and Get all reporting and

editing skills in one editing skills in one classroomclassroom

But grieve for a lost But grieve for a lost pastpast

1. Denial and Isolation1. Denial and Isolation

I won’t teach thatI won’t teach that I have no room in my I have no room in my

syllabussyllabus It’s not what my kids It’s not what my kids

need to knowneed to know That’s not real newsThat’s not real news They’re not real They’re not real

journalistsjournalists

2. Anger2. Anger

Let’s vote on it!Let’s vote on it! My students hate it!My students hate it! You don’t pay me You don’t pay me

enough to do that!enough to do that! See, it won’t work!See, it won’t work! Fix this computer so it Fix this computer so it

works!works!

3. Bargaining3. Bargaining

I’ll put I’ll put thatthat in the in the syllabussyllabus

IfIf somebody else somebody else teaches itteaches it

AndAnd I can keep all I can keep all my my otherother material material

And somebody else And somebody else gradesgrades it it

4. Depression4. Depression

It’s the death of It’s the death of journalismjournalism

They’ll know I don’t They’ll know I don’t know anythingknow anything

I’ll have to change all I’ll have to change all my classesmy classes

When can I retire?When can I retire?

5. Acceptance5. Acceptance

Same values applySame values apply Same skills in Same skills in

different mediumdifferent medium The kids are getting The kids are getting

jobsjobs The profession is The profession is

demanding itdemanding it Best TV jobs at Best TV jobs at

newspapersnewspapers

Second Generation Second Generation ConvergenceConvergence

““Multimedia reporting”Multimedia reporting” Print does online videoPrint does online video Broadcast does online Broadcast does online

wordswords Not newspaper reporters Not newspaper reporters

doing stories on TV and doing stories on TV and TV reporters writing TV reporters writing stories for newspapersstories for newspapers

Still TV and newspaper Still TV and newspaper stories onlinestories online

Net Neutral Matthew Gruen, 16, isone of thousands of Wikipedians devoted to policing Wikipedia's neutrality.

Third generation convergenceThird generation convergence

““Reversing the flow”Reversing the flow” The web is the The web is the

“upstream” medium“upstream” medium You can print it or You can print it or

broadcast it later…or broadcast it later…or notnot

It changes the way It changes the way we do newswe do news

It changes the way It changes the way we use mediawe use media

What’s working?What’s working?

Turning out web Turning out web producersproducers

Everybody is looking Everybody is looking for editors/producers for editors/producers with web skillswith web skills

Sports folks get it Sports folks get it Ellyn AngelottiEllyn Angelotti

From KU, to Journal World, to Naples,Now interactivity editor at The Poynter Institute. Age 24

The big surpriseThe big surprise

Best Jobs in TV may Best Jobs in TV may be at newspapersbe at newspapers

Newspapers requiring Newspapers requiring video skills for all video skills for all hireshires

Audrey Esther to Audrey Esther to Virginia PilotVirginia Pilot

Denise Spidel to Denise Spidel to Naples News Naples News

Should work but isn’tShould work but isn’t

Faculty keeping Faculty keeping current in new media current in new media skillsskills

Student newspaper Student newspaper doing more than doing more than shovelwareshovelware

Students keeping that Students keeping that multimedia orientationmultimedia orientation

What have we learned?What have we learned?

Students can do Students can do multimediamultimedia

You need good tech You need good tech supportsupport

ProgrammersProgrammers Sys OpsSys Ops Geeks get itGeeks get it Geeks ruleGeeks rule

Ah ha! momentAh ha! momentThe web is a medium onto itself.The web is a medium onto itself.

It will require professors with web It will require professors with web experience and sensibilities.experience and sensibilities.