Longform Journalism Changes

Interesting article on the Poynter Foundation Web Site about how longform journalism has adapted to changes in the news industry: http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/newsgathering-storytelling/196848/longform-journalism-morphs-in-print-as-it-finds-a-new-home-online/. Check it out.

WIU Alum Pens Insightful Crime Story

Check out WIU Alum Mark Konkol's (winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 2011) exceptional story about how violence affects Chicago Aldermen on a personal level: http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/14958798-418/chicagos-violence-hits-home-for-some-aldermen-im-afraid-of-dying-says-austin.html

Mercer University's Bold, New Journalism Teaching Experiment

Mercer University is trying a new experiment in journalism education: a completely integrated news-gathering partnership between its journalism program and the local newspaper and public radio station. The university's president says it may be the future of journalism education. Check out the story at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/business/media/at-mercer-university-an-experiment-to-save-local-journalism.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1

Work at Tri-States Radio and Get Paid

Hi everyone: Tri-States Public Radio (91.3 FM) is in the market for paid part-time reporters. You will get terrific on-air experience while learning to write in broadcasting style. You don't have to be a broadcasting or even a journalism major to apply. If interested, please pick up an application at the front desk at Tri-States Public Radio, which is in a former grocery store next to the old movie theater on the north side of University Avenue (across from Cafe Aroma, near the intersection with Lafayette Street). Thanks, Professor Lisa Kernek

Want a Journalism Job? Learn Computer Programming

Miranda Mulligan, director of Northwestern's Knight News Innovation Lab, says journalism programs need to encourage their students to think outside of the box—and consider learning the basics of computer programming. Mulligan's article recently appeared on the Nieman Journalism Lab web site. Read it at: http://www.niemanlab.org/2012/09/miranda-mulligan-want-to-produce-hirable-grads-journalism-schools-teach-them-to-code/

WIU Alum is Journalism Day Speaker

Mark it on your calendars: October 19 is the 2012 Journalism Day at Western Illinois University. Make sure to attend keynote speaker (and WIU Alum) Chris Ward's presentation entitled: "From comic books to radio: Following the journalism career path in the 21st century." Ward's talk will begin at 12 noon in the Carl Sandburg Theater in the Student Union. Ward is a former Western Courier entertainment editor and currently works as Director of Marketing and Communications for KDHX in St. Louis. He is also author of the comic book, "Political Power: Barack Obama," and a former staff writer and editor of "Wizard Magazine" and "Toyfare Magazine."

What's a Digital Only Media Town Like?

As more and more newspapers cut back on daily publishing, what has been the experience of communities that have only digital media? One of the first cities to lose its daily newspaper was Ann Arbor, Michigan, which converted to a digital-only format three years ago. The American Journalism Review recently analyzed how it's been going in Ann Arbor. Read the story at: http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=5377.

Don't forget: First meeting of the new school year for anyone interested in working on Western Illinois Magazine will be Wednesday, August 29 at 4 p.m. in the Western Courier offices in the Heating Plant Annex. See you!

Fewer People Believe Major News Media

Fewer people believe what they hear or read from major news organizations according to a recent Pew Research Center report. According to a survey, positive believability ratings have fallen significantly for nine of the 13 major news organizations. Despite the declines, however, the study also indicated that a majority of Americans still give most major news organizations positive believability marks. To read a summary of the study go to: http://www.people-press.org/2012/08/16/further-decline-in-credibility-ratings-for-most-news-organizations/.

Welcome back! Any students needing to pick up a journalism class (or interested in politics and journalism) should sign up immediately for Journalism 334, Public Affairs and Beat Reporting, taught by Professor Lisa Kernek. The class still has a few openings so sign up now!

Job Openings in Macomb and Canton

Tom Martin, regional editor for Gatehouse newspapers is looking for a daily newspaper reporter ready to become an editor, or a weekly editor wanting to go to a daily newspaper. His company has openings at: • The McDonough County Voice, a 5-day per week newspaper in Macomb, Ill. • Daily Ledger, a 6-day per week newspaper in Canton, Ill., have top editor openings. Each newspaper has a circulation of about 4,000 and a staff of 4 full-timers in the newsroom, including the editors. The Macomb opening is urgent. The Canton job starts Oc.t 1. Anyone who is interested please contact him at tmartin@register-mail.com.

Did the New York Times Contribute to the Death of Veteran Journalist Anthony Shadid?

The web site, Truth-out.org, is questioning whether the New York Times pushed veteran journalist Anthony Shadid to return to the Middle East, where he had been kidnapped 11 months earlier, without concern for his health. Shadid is believed to have died of a heart attack while trying to illegally enter Syria to report on that country's deteriorating situation for the Times. In the Truth-out story, Shadid's cousin, Dr. Edward Shadid, noted that Shadid had received no counseling or treatment for possible post-traumatic stress disorder following his kidnapping. According to Truth-out, "The New York Times insisted that Anthony illegally infiltrate Syria in a poorly planned, dangerously risky operation. His editors overruled Anthony's objections and failed to provide equipment he had requested. When he then died of what his cousin suspects was a heart attack, the Times put out an inaccurate story that obscured the newspaper's role in his death, while proclaiming him a hero and basking in the reflected glory." Check out the complete story at: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/10204-burying-the-story-along-with-the-body-anthony-shadid-and-the-new-york-times.

Texas GOP Opposes 'Critical Thinking'

In the disturbing trend category: the Texas Republican Party has released its 2012 political platform, which includes a plank calling for the removal of "critical thinking" from public school curriculum. In the platform document, the party states: "We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student's fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority." (page 20, Republican Party of Texas, 2012). The party called on teachers to focus on traditional rote memorization techniques. A critical opinion article about the new platform can be found at: http://truth-out.org/news/item/10144-texas-gop-declares-no-more-teaching-of-critical-thinking-skills-in-texas-public-schools#.T_rDOWpTUS8.email.

iPad Becoming the New Evening Newspaper

Interesting story on Jim Romenesko's blog about how a large number of people who own an iPad use it to troll the Internet in the evenings, which has helped make the iPad the modern day equivalent to the old evening newspaper. Check out what he has to say at: http://jimromenesko.com/2012/07/09/the-ipad-becomes-the-evening-newspaper/.

Bogus Bylines Bring Embarrassment

The march toward "outsourcing" news—meaning the trend of some major news organizations like the Chicago Tribune to subcontract news gathering and reporting to a third party—has resulted in a few recent hiccups. Check out the controversy over Journatic's (one of those subcontractors, which is partially owned by the Tribune) use of fake bylines in some of its stories, which was recently featured on National Public Radio: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/06/156311078/fake-bylines-reveal-true-costs-of-local-news

Is using a press release in a story plagiarism?

Interesting lawsuit involving a veteran Kansas City Star reporter's use of press releases in his news columns: http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/180013/fired-kc-star-reporter-sues-says-using-press-releases-isnt-plagiarism/#

New San Diego Newspaper Owner Unabashedly Promotes Business Agenda

The New York Times reported today that the new owner of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Douglas F. Manchester, openly admits his goal is to use the paper to promote his business and political interests. Read David Carr's story about the San Diego U-T's new direction at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/business/media/san-diego-union-tribune-open-about-its-pro-business-motives.html?_r=1.

University of Oregon School Newspaper Leaps Into Digital Future

The Daily Emerald, the student newspaper at the University of Oregon, is shifting to a digital-first operation and discontinuing daily publishing. Read about some of the lessons the paper is learning: http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2012/05/5-lessons-from-the-oregon-daily-emeralds-digital-reinvention152.html?utm_source=Daily+Must-Reads+from+MediaShift&utm_campaign=e39495060e-Daily_Must_Reads10_24_2011&utm_medium=email

Best Books for Future Journalists

Summer is a great time to catch up on reading. Here's a recent list of books that every future journo should read, according to the Columbia Journalism Review: http://www.cjr.org/review/a_reading_list_for_future_journalists.php

Student Editors Lose Independence at UNLV

The student government at the University of Nevada Las Vegas has announced it plans to select future editors of the student-run newspaper, The Rebel Yell, previously an independent organization. As a result of a previously unnoticed change in administrative procedures, the university's board of regents inadvertently removed regulations that had given that authority to an appointed advisory board consisting of students and faculty. As a result, authority for appointing the newspaper's editor in chief falls to the student government association. Read more about the controversy in the Las Vegas Sun: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/may/30/unlv-student-government-reasserts-authority-appoin/