St. Louis Post-Dispatch seeks social media intern

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is looking for an intern, but not just any intern. The position announcement calls for a "social media intern."

Kurt Greenbaum, director of social media at the Post-Dispatch, posted the position on his blog Wednesday, noting that the intern will work with the online team to use "social media to publish content, engage our audience and encourage reader-generated news, photos, videos and more."

"This person," Greenbaum writes, "will help update, promote and publicize our fledgling social networking site, MySTLtoday; help develop and participate in blogs; increase our profile on external social networks such as Digg, Twitter, Facebook, FriendFeed, YouTube and more; help integrate reader-generated content into our primary site, STLtoday.com; and help develop training for newsroom colleagues on the power and function of social media."

The 13-week spring internship will run from late February to mid-May. The news organization is seeking applicants in their junior year of college or higher.

Qualifications?

"To apply, you’ll need to demonstrate first that you’re a solid journalist, with good writing skills and sound news judgment. Second, show us you’re engaged in social networks. Do you blog? Twitter? Post YouTube videos? Other sites? How have you used your presence in social networks to advance your life — personally or professionally?"

Submit a resume, a portfolio of your journalism and a 500-word essay describing why social media is a vital tool for journalists and ways they should embrace it. Applications must be postmarked by Dec. 12; send it to Kurt Greenbaum, c/o St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 900 N. Tucker Blvd., St. Louis, Mo., 63101 or email it to Greenbaum at kgreenbaum@post-dispatch.com.

Frankly, if I was 20-something and wanted to work in journalism this century, I'd grab at this opportunity. It sounds like a great chance to not only learn some cutting-edge tools but to contribute to a newsroom that's looking for new ideas. This sounds like the kind of internship a sharp, media-savvy student could parley into a full-time job, either at the Post-Dispatch or elsewhere.

The Next Newsroom Project completes plan

Chris O'Brien of The Next Newsroom Project reports that the board of The Chronicle, the independent, student-run newspaper at Duke University, has adopted the project's proposal for a new newsroom.

The plan is available here.

O'Brien, a business reporter at the San Jose Mercury News and Duke Chronicle alum, has served as the project manager for the endeavor. He reports that the concept approved by the Chronicle's board calls for:

• A newsroom for a fully-integrated, multimedia news organization.
  
• Adjacent space for a student media incubator.
  
• The newsroom would be set in a larger media center, presumably shared by other student and academic groups.
  
• A central location so the new building will be at the crossroads of campus life

The plan is the culmination of 18 months of work with support from a News Challenge grant from the Knight Foundation. O'Brien has chronicled the work on his blog with hopes of sharing knowledge with other student and professional media organizations.

Journalism student names top 10 sites

Emily Kostic, a junior studying journalism at Rowan University, has put together a list of Top 10 Sites for Online Journalism Students on her blog, Journalism 3.0: The Future of Journalism According to a Member of the Facebook Generation.

I echo many of her suggestions for sites every journalism student should read. Check it out.

Kostic's blog itself is a good read for journalism students -- and a model for the kind of online reflection students should be engaging in. Recent posts include an interactive map showing where journalists have been killed this year, her thoughts on discrimination against online journalists and an interview with Danish journalists Poul Madsen and Henri Kastenskov of the Bombay Flying Club, an innovative production house that creates flash documentaries for the Web.

I love to see journalism students using blogs to share their thoughts about this changing field. I bet this kind of blog will help Kostic land a job as much as -- or even more than -- a traditional internship. It demonstrates to the world that she's reading about, observing, thinking about and commenting on the field. It also shows that she's acquainting herself with new technology. Good work, Emily Kostic.

ACP creates gallery of post-election newspapers

Marc Wood of Associated Collegiate Press has put up a gallery of post-election college newspaper front pages. You can also view it as a slideshow.

If you want to add your newspaper's Page 1 to the gallery, you can upload it here or email Wood at wood (at) studentpress.org.

College papers overwhelmingly favor Obama

Barack Obama has garnered more than twice as many daily newspaper endorsements as John McCain, according to Editor and Publisher. But the results are even more lopsided for college newspapers: 65 to 1.

Of the 66 college newspapers counted in the E&P tally, only one -- The Daily Mississippian at the University of Mississippi -- endorsed McCain.

In its Oct. 28 endorsement, The Daily Mississippian agrees with McCain's argument that he is the more experienced of the two candidates.

"We feel Sen. McCain’s experience in foreign affairs and his decision to not raise taxes on anyone of any class of society makes him the clear choice for president," the editors write. "Sen. McCain has a history of stepping across party lines; the same cannot be said of Sen. Obama."

The editorial notes that the five editors on the editorial board were split on the decision.

The pro-McCain editorial was the most read story on The Daily Mississippian's Web site last week. At last count, 31 people had commented on it, offering a range of opinions.

Among the red-state college papers that endorsed Obama are The Louisville Cardinal at the University of Louisville, The Daily Gamecock at the University of South Carolina, the Daily Texan at the University of Texas-Austin, the Oklahoma Daily at the University of Oklahoma and The Optimist at Abeline Christian University. The Arizona Daily Wildcat at the University of Arizona, McCain's home state, also came out for Obama.

For a list of college newspaper endorsements, scroll down to the bottom of this article on E&P.

A lousy week for journalists -- and j-students

KANSAS CITY - What a week to be at the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention! Here I am with all these eager young college students, many of whom harbor dreams of entering the field of journalism in the next year or two, and there’s nothing but carnage in the industry.

As David Carr writes in The New York Times this morning, “It’s been an especially rotten few days for people who type on deadline."

Just consider:

• The Christian Science Monitor announced Tuesday it would cease publication of its weekday print edition.
  
• On the same day Time Inc., publisher of Time magazine, Fortune, People and Sports Illustrated, announced it was cutting 600 jobs and reorganizing its staff.
  
• Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the country, revealed plans to lay off 10 percent of its work force, as many as 3,000 people.
  
• On Monday, the Tribune Company announced it was cutting 75 more jobs from the newsroom of The Los Angeles Times, leaving it approximately half the size it was at the turn of this century.
  
• And The Star-Ledger of Newark, the 15th-largest paper in the country, declared plans to reduce its editorial staff by 40 percent.
  

All this came amid news that the nation's daily newspapers saw circulation decline more steeply than anticipated. On Monday the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported that average weekday circulation was 38,165,848 at 507 of the nation's leading dailies in the six months ending in September, a 4.6 percent decline from 40,022,356 a year earlier. Up till then, advertising revenue had risen quarter after quarter.

Here at the Marriott in downtown KC, where nearly 1,800 students and advisers involved in college media are gathered for five days of workshops and panel discussions, we urge students to develop new skills. We encourage them to "think multimedia," we teach them how to create interactive maps, audio slide shows and video reports for the Web so that they'll be able to do things that 25-year veteran reporters and photographers can't. We tell them they need to be flexible, creative and skilled in many areas to survive and thrive.

But even with such new media skills, where are they going to get jobs? News Web sites are struggling too. And online publications do not appear to be the savior of their print counterparts.

As Carr notes in his column, "More than 90 percent of the newspaper industry’s revenue still derives from the print product, a legacy technology that attracts fewer consumers and advertisers every single day."

Two weeks ago, the Times and other news media reported that online revenue at newspaper sites was stalling. In the second quarter, it was down 2.4 percent compared with last year, to $777 million, according to the Newspaper Association of America.

The impact here in Kansas City is palpable. Only three media companies sent recruiters to the convention, down from about 14 in previous years. Why should they meet with potential employees when they have no jobs to fill?

And still we talk here about the power of "capital-J" journalism. We encourage our students to seek out the truth, to expose wrongs, to, as the old saying goes, "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

What will students here be thinking as they head home Saturday and Sunday after sitting through session after session and speech after speech? Will they mull over the words of inspiration and the heartfelt advice from media professionals and journalism educators? Will they pledge to develop new skills and embrace new media?

Or will they simply think about changing majors. Maybe philosophy isn't so impractical after all. At least opportunities for philosophers aren't evaporating before their eyes.

Study multimedia in Italy, N. Ireland this summer

In case you're wondering why I've posted so little lately, it's because I've been devoting a lot of time to negotiating an agreement between San Francisco State University and the Institute for Education in International Media to offer multimedia study-abroad programs next summer. The deal is done!

In 2009 SFSU and ieiMedia will co-sponsor month-long programs in Urbino, Italy (June 30-July 30) and Armagh, Northern Ireland (July 15-August 16).

Students will be able to earn 3 units of journalism credit through the SFSU College of Extended Learning. Students and recent graduates from all universities and majors are welcome to apply. The application deadline is Feb. 1.

The institute, a pioneer in converged media education, has been taking students abroad since 2001.

The programs in Armagh and Urbino are a continuation of the ieiMedia philosophy of taking students to communities that are off the beaten tourist track, allowing them to immerse themselves in the local culture. Students will learn various aspects of digital storytelling -- including photography, video, writing for the Web, blogging and Web design -- and will produce an online multimedia documentary about the local community (see InArmagh.net and InCagli.net for examples of work from previous years). Students will also study intercultural communication and Irish history and culture (Armagh) and Italian language (Urbino).

The cost of the program is $4,475 plus airfare. For more information and an application for Urbino contact UrbinoProject@gmail.com; for Armagh contact ArmaghProject@gmail.com.

About Armagh, N. Ireland
Situated on the Irish Republic’s border, Armagh is a city rich in culture and history. It was here that St. Patrick reportedly built the first stone church in 445 and two cathedrals in his name still tower over the city. With 15,000 residents, Armagh has a wide range of attractions: museums, national parks, historic castles and houses, a modern theater, a university, Ireland’s only planetarium, and numerous restaurants and pubs. Activities include golf, fishing, bicycling, and hiking. Armagh is served by public transportation and is one hour from Belfast, two from Dublin, and three from Galway.

Classes will be held in the AmmA Centre, a multimedia creative learning centre in Armagh. Students will live in the Armagh City Youth Hostel,a modern facility with private baths. Some meals will be provided, and students will have access to a large communal kitchen, as well as laundry facilities.


About Urbino, Italy
Urbino is a picturesque Renaissance hill town and the capital of the Marche region, a beautiful but little-touristed region of Central Italy. The city’s impressive Ducal Palace houses one of the most important collections of Renaissance paintings in the world. The artist Raphael was born in Urbino (in 1483) and visitors can tour his family home, which is now a museum. Other attractions include a small botanical garden, a medieval church and a 14thcentury fortress offering stunning views of the town and the surrounding hills.

The University of Urbino, founded in 1506, will provide classroom space as well as housing. Students will live in a residence hall; all meals in the university dining facility are included.

Rob Curley reports from the front of new journalism

Many wondered why new media visionary Rob Curley would leave the prestigious Washington Post, one of the pillars of old journalism, for the Las Vegas Sun, a little upstart in the desert.

He explained why in a blog post last week.

"I’m more and more convinced every day that the Las Vegas Sun is the most interesting local newspaper in the nation — both to read and to work at," he wrote. For details read the post.

Mindy McAdams offered her thoughts on Why the Las Vegas Sun is So Great in a series of blog posts earlier that week.

Students trying to make a great local newspaper for their university communities can take lessons from the Sun. Go hyperlocal and use multimedia and interactivity to the max. The readers will follow.

Student Political Journalism Junkies to Meet in DC

The Institute on Political Journalism invites students to attend "Election 2008: The Press, the Presidency & Politicians," a two-day conference for collegiate journalists in the nation's capital.

The Institute of Political Journalism is an arm of The Fund for American Studies, which was founded in 1967 "to help instill in young people an appreciation for the American form of government and the free enterprise system. TFAS sponsors Institutes that teach college students about the principles and values upon which the United States was founded."

Organizers of the conference promise opportunities for students to hone their professional skills, network with working journalists and meet fellow journalism students from across the county.

Panel sessions will include:

• Covering Capitol Hill: The Story behind the story
  
• Media Bias in Presidential Elections: Say it isn't so!
  
• Sex, Lies, & Slander: Misbehaving politicians & the press who covers them
  
• Covering the Campaign of 08': View from the press bus
  
• Live from the White House!: Reporters who cover the President
  
• Only the Facts Please: Rumors versus sources
  
• Reporting with Polls: What the numbers don't tell us
  
• Report Card on the Press: How well were economic & business issues covered
  

This conference will provide opportunities for collegiate journalists to:

• Get a quick, affordable two day dose of political journalism
  
• Hear from experienced journalists from Politico, Fox News, USA Today, The Washington Post and more
  
• Network with students journalists from all over the country
  
• Meet potential employers
  
• Visit Washington's new NEWSEUM
  
• Tour the U.S. Capitol Building
  
• Soak up the sights and sounds of the nation's capital
  

The conference is open to college students with an interest in journalism and politics as well as faculty members or media advisers.

The conference registration fee of $75 includes conference sessions, materials and most meals. Participants requiring overnight accommodations will be charged the discounted room rate of $75 per person per night (double occupancy) and $150 per person per night (single occupancy). People who register by Oct. 1 will receive a discount of $25 off the registration fee and $25 per night off the hotel fees. The final deadline to register is Oct. 14.

The conference will take place at The Liaison Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C.

Registration is limited. Register here.

For more information on the conference, contact Joe Starrs, IPJ Director at jstarrs@tfas.org or 202.986.0384.

Column: Old media and new clash at NYU

Alana Taylor, a plugged-in, media-savvy, blogging journalism student at New York University, has an interesting column on PBS' MediaShift critiquing the old-school journalism education she's getting at the venerable journalism school.

Taylor, a junior, is taking a class called “Reporting Gen Y (a.k.a. Quarterlifers),” which she says is one of the few new media classes offered at the school. When the teacher asked if anyone in the class had a blog, Taylor was the only one to raise her hand.

"It comes as a shock to me that the students in a class about 'how our generation is very much invested in the Internet' are not actually as involved," she writes.

Taylor is openly critical of her school for its emphasis on old-school journalism -- for focusing on magazines and newspapers and requiring students to bring The New York Times to class every day. "What is so fascinating about the move from print to digital is the freedom to be your own publisher, editor, marketer, and brand," Taylor writes. "But, surprisingly, NYU does not offer the kinds of classes I want. It continues to focus its core requirements around learning how to work your way up the traditional journalism ladder."

Nearly as interesting as Taylor's blog are the comments it elicits. Check out the piece and add to the discussion.