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Archive for the ‘Newspaper’ tag

Virtual Goods Worth More than Real News: Curmudgeon 08/27/2010

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in 2014 Americans will be spending $1.5 billion on online newspaper subscriptions and $5 billion on imaginary objects. Maybe I find this ridiculous because I’m a reporter and my sympathies lie with the newspaper industry.

via MediaPost Publications Virtual Goods Worth More than Real News: Curmudgeon 08/27/2010.

So this does sound like “amusing ourselves to death,” “fiddling while Rome burns,” doesn’t it? Folks will spend money in virtual worlds, to buy everything from a hot avatar to a pig for their Farmville, but they can’t or won’t pay for news. Hmm. Time for some kind of new model. Perhaps that ought to be a model of civic engagement or citizenship education, not necessarily another business plan.

 Virtual Goods Worth More than Real News: Curmudgeon 08/27/2010

Written by Barbara K. Iverson

August 27th, 2010 at 3:14 pm

Attention Young Journalists: Here’s Opportunity Knocking in Chicago

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Famous photograph of Truman grinning and holdi...
Image via Wikipedia
Well, they don’t mention money, but it doesn’t say these are without remuneration either. I’m heartened to see that the Tribune is now defining reporting today pretty much the same way I would. They are asking for 12-15 clips. If you are short some clips, I encourage you to submit some stories to Chicagotalks.org, an edited community and citizen journalism news site for Chicago.

If I were doing this, I’d look to the business reporter opening. For once, they mention that a business story might written for a regular person, a wage slave,and not a big investor or capitalist. Let me know if you get one of these jobs.

2-YEAR RESIDENCY OPENINGS AT THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE WATCHDOG TEAM RESIDENT
This person will work closely with reporters from the Investigative and Consumer Watchdog team to help produce short- and mid-term stories. We’re looking for someone who enjoys digging through records and studying databases but also someone with experience doing shoe-leather reporting. One day this reporter may be cooped up in a drab room combing through court records; the next, she or he may be assigned to a breaking or short-term story. This is a great opportunity for a reporter with some investigative experience and the passion to do more. We value fresh ideas, and this reporter also will get a chance to pursue his/her reporting instincts on watchdog stories. BUSINESS REPORTER RESIDENT We’re looking for an early-career reporter with a passion for news and storytelling and an interest and background in business writing. You will learn by doing in one of the world’s business capitals, covering breaking news for digital and print as well as taking on more ambitious assignments for a news organization with high standards and a deep appreciation for financial and economic stories. The Tribune takes a broad view of what constitutes business news, focusing not just on local corporations and the economy but stories of significance to consumers and investors. This reporter will join a dynamic team of experienced and flexible writers and editors who are equally comfortable producing sophisticated pieces for Page One as they are bashing out breaking news item for the Web. Being curious, driven and creative are important traits because we value original thinking and expect everyone to generate their own story ideas.

METRO REPORTER RESIDENT

Our two-year residency program offers an opportunity for reporters with generally three or more years daily experience to become a part of the Tribune editorial department, mostly covering city or suburban issues. This reporter will join a dynamic team of experienced and flexible writers and editors who are equally comfortable producing sophisticated pieces for Page One as they are bashing out breaking news item for the Web. Being curious, driven and creative are important traits because we value original thinking and expect everyone to generate their own story ideas.

REQUIREMENTS:

Chicago Tribune’s 2-year residency program is an opportunity for journalists with generally three or more years experience to become a part of the Tribune editorial department. It is not a training program. You should send a cover letter, resume, clips (12-15) on 8 ½ x 11 paper and the names of at least three professional references to Sheila R. Solomon, Senior Editor for Recruitment, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611-4041. You may also e-mail srsolomon@tribune.com . Please note in your correspondence for which position you are specifically applying.

Posted via web from Noteoreous

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Written by Barbara K. Iverson

July 10th, 2009 at 2:52 pm

Mike Doyle notes report on local blogs and media and more.

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from ChicagoNow by Mike Doyle Chicago Carless

But wait, there’s more. This Saturday (June 13th) also brings the Chicago Media Future Conference to town. Organized by Mike Fourcher, founder of Purely Political Consulting, Barbara Iverson, Columbia College journalism professor and publisher of ChicagoTalks.org, and Scott Smith, Senior Editor at Playboy.com, as a follow-up to February’s Town Hall, Saturday’s event will squarely address the question of monetizing online news.

via Local Blogs Among Chicago’s Top Niche News Sites According to New Report – Chicagosphere.

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Written by Barbara K. Iverson

June 10th, 2009 at 3:26 pm

Poynter Online – Romenesko

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We will begin to move away from putting all of our newspaper content online for free. Instead, we will explore a variety of premium offerings that apply real value to our print content. We are not trying to invent new premium products, but instead tell our existing print readers that what they are buying has real value, and to our online audience

via Poynter Online – Romenesko.

Will you bother to pay for news from a news website? Hasn’t the old horse left the barn on this one?

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Written by Barbara K. Iverson

May 12th, 2009 at 4:33 pm

The Press Deathwatch and Value of Content

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What I’m working on is an explication of how we can never afford to pay for the kind of news, hard news, that our democracy needs. However, we can produce this news, distribute it, but we have to think outside the norms of money and the economics of scarcity and the Industrial Age. More to come…

But if a comprehensive array of real news is to be part of the picture as well, the time will soon arrive for us to put up or shut up. Whatever shape journalism ultimately takes in America, make no mistake that in the end we will get what we pay for.

via Op-Ed Columnist – The American Press on Suicide Watch – NYTimes.com.

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Written by Barbara K. Iverson

May 11th, 2009 at 3:11 pm