Practicing Convergence Journalism

Interviews

Bruce Lerch, a Boston area high school sports reporter, explains how he is always multitasking when he practices convergence journalism at a high school game.

Bruce Lerch, a Boston area high school sports reporter, outlines how he plans for and gathers his visuals when covering a sporting event.

Bruce Lerch, a Boston area high school sports reporter, says Twitter and message boards are key to connecting his reporting with interested audiences.

Scott Barboza, who covers high school sports for ESPNBoston.com, says convergence journalism has enabled him to not only find an audience but also a community where he can find sources and story ideas.

John Katsilometes, multimedia columnist for the Las Vegas Sun and lasvegassun.com, points out that his thinking about a story goes beyond writing to how different media can add texture to a story.

Assignments

1. Go to a local outdoor park to chronicle activity in the park by shooting still photos. Remember to think about framing, the rule of thirds. Each of you should shoot enough video so you can put together a :30–:40 demonstration video.
2. Pair up with another student in the class and chronicle the other person learning to shoot a video. Each of you should shoot enough video so you can put together a :30–:40 demonstration video.
3. Go to a local outdoor park to chronicle activity in the park by shooting video. You can work in pairs as you get used to using the equipment. Remember to think about sequencing. Each of you should shoot enough video so you can put together a :30–:40 demonstration video.
4. Pair up with another student in the class and chronicle a four-hour block of the day. Choices could include a) morning from getting up through a first class or b) midday including classes, work, meals, and c) your choice is to 1) use still pictures and audio (natural sound and interviews) to make a slideshow or 2) use video and audio (natural sound and interviews).
5. Using the data provided on a spreadsheet for a local school district, create a pie chart, bar graph, and/or fever chart (which tracks changes over time) of enrollment. A pie chart could show percentage of enrollment for the different grades. A fever chart could track how enrollment has changed over the past five years. A bar graph could compare enrollments over several years.
6. Using the data provided on a spreadsheet for a local school district, create a pie chart, bar graph, and/or fever chart (which tracks changes over time) of school district revenues. A pie chart could show percentage of revenue from different sources. A fever chart could track how revenue has changed over the past five years. A bar graph could compare different revenue sources over several years.

Downloadable Files

• Revenues.xls
• SchoolEnroll.xls

Links

Links to stories and journalists mentioned

Photographer Karena Cawthon
http://www.karenacawthonphotographer.com/

High school sports reporter Scott Barboza
http://search.espn.go.com/scott-barboza or http://espn.go.com/boston/

High school sports reporters Bruce Lerch or Tom Layman:
http://espn.go.com/boston and http://bostonherald.com   

Links to good examples of audio, video, still pictures, slideshows

National Press Photographers Association
www.nppa.org/competitions  
Check out NPPA’s monthly “Best of…” contest winners. Annual winners’ submissions can also be found for photos, slideshows, videos, and multimedia.

National Public Radio
www.npr.org   
Check out NPR’s audio reports as well as slideshows and other multimedia presentations.

White House News Photographers Association
http://www.whnpa.org/contest/eyes2012/
Check out the winners in its Eyes of History 2012 contest for still, video, and new media.

Links to articles and websites about using visuals and graphics

Ken Kobré and Videojournalism: Multimedia Storytelling
http://kobreguide.com/content/
Ken Kobré’s book and website provide example, tutorials, and links relating to best videojournalism on the web.

Developing maps for journalists
A Washington, DC, firm helps news outlets develop sophisticated ways of visualizing data.
http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=5175

Articles about “best practices: visual journalism”
http://www.poynter.org/tag/best-practices-visual-journalism/

Graphics evolution
By creating USA Today’s weather map, a news art revolutionary set the tone for modern design.
http://www.ajr.org/article.asp?id=3642

Want to correct misinformation? Try doing it with a graphic
http://www.niemanlab.org/2011/09/want-to-correct-misinformation-try-doing-it-with-a-graphic/

Links to articles about using audio and video

Voicing the story: The art and craft of podcast narration
http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/newsgathering-storytelling/chip-on-your-shoulder/75420/voicing-the-story-the-art-and-craft-of-podcast-narration/

Future of journalism: Internet audio and radio
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/audio/2008/jun/19/future.of.journalism.audio

What is podcasting?
http://www.journalism.org/node/1899

Music use in multimedia: Pitfalls and concerns
http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/newsgathering-storytelling/94672/music-in-multimedia-add-sparingly-not-as-a-crutch/

How online audio tools can help journalists
http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/digital-strategies/157307/how-online-audio-tools-can-help-journalists-and-journalism/

9 key elements that can help journalists be better video storytellers
http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/digital-strategies/163352/9-key-elements-that-can-help-journalists-be-better-video-storytellers/

5 types of photos that make for strong photo essays, audio slideshows
http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/newsgathering-storytelling/visual-voice/171050/5-types-of-photos-that-make-for-strong-photo-essays-audio-slideshows/

Want to keep mobile users engaged longer? Just add audio
http://www.niemanlab.org/2011/04/want-to-keep-mobile-users-engaged-longer-just-add-audio/

Sound reporting: The NPR guide to audio journalism and production.
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/431789.html

Why photojournalists should gather audio
http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0506/storm.html

Videosmith: The must-have’s
http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0105/videosmith.htm

The future for web publishers [video]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/video/2008/jun/24/jarvis.future1

YouTube helps video journalists get a start
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2009/01/youtube-helps-video-journalists-get-a-start020.html

Best practices: How online video improves journalism
http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/als-morning-meeting/89083/best-practices-how-online-video-improves-journalism/

The video explosion
http://www.ajr.org/article.asp?id=4428

Guidelines for live coverage
http://www.rtdna.org/pages/media_items/guidelines-for-live-coverage159.php

An antidote for web overload
http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reportsitem.aspx?id=101886

NewsLab journalism resource and training website
http://www.newslab.org

Sources

Barboza, S. (2011, July 19). High school sports reporter, espnboston.com. (J. Kolodzy, Interviewer).

Cawthon, K. (2011, June 24). Photographer. (J. Kolodzy, Interviewer).

DCruze, R. (2010, March). 14 inspiring and useful photojournalism tips. Retrieved June 16, 2011, from photoradar.com: http://www.photoradar.com/techniques/tips/14-inspiring-and-useful-photojournalism-tips?page=0%2C0.

Kern, J. (2008). Sound Reporting: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and Production. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Kobré, K. (2004). Photojournalism, the Professionals’ Approach. Amsterdam, Boston: Focal Press.

Layman, T. (2011, July). High school sports reporter. (J. Kolodzy, Interviewer).

Lerch, B. (2012, January 6). High school sports reporter. (J. Kolodzy, Interviewer).

McCombs, R. (2011, March 31). Music in multimedia: Add sparingly, not as a crutch. Retrieved May 24, 2011, from poynter.org: http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/newsgathering-storytelling/94672/music-in-multimedia-add-sparingly-not-as-a-crutch/.

Mitt Romney launches presidential campaign. (2011, June 2). Retrieved June 7, 2011, from mittromney.com: http://mittromney.com/press/2011/06/mitt-romney-launches-presidential-campaign.

NPPA code of ethics. (2007). Retrieved June 3, 2011, from nppa.org.

Potter, D. (2009, November 11). Tips for shooting breaking news. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from newslab.org: www.newslab.or/2009/11/11/tips-for-shooting-breaking-news/.

Rasmussen, T. (2010, August). Asst. Managing Editor of Photography, Denver Post. (J. Kolodzy, Interviewer).

Romney announces 2nd try for GOP nomination. (2011, June 2). Retrieved June 13, 2011, from cbsnews.com: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7368206n&tag=mncol;lst;1.

USA Today snapshots. (2011, June 2). Retrieved June 2, 2011, from usatoday.com: http://www.usatoday.com/news/snapshot.htm?section=L#.