Thoughts on UT event, free offer to students
Last week's "Public conversation on Web journalism" event at the University of Tennessee brought out a who's who of Knoxville media professionals, myself included.
But perhaps not surprisingly, much of the discussion at my table -- each professional spoke with several groups of students one-on-one -- centered on advertising and being flexible in what could be a terminally ill industry.
As most folks that read this site know, I'm the content manger for all of Scripps' news(paper) Web sites. I know a thing or two about online ads through having served as the project manager for several ad-related projects including the launch of the much-vaunted Yahoo! APT application.
In my prior experience, I've found college communications students to have staunch, traditionalist attitudes towards journalism. So I came away from this discussion taken by surprise by each students' eagerness to learn the "business" side of the business. Several students expressed interest in going into online ad sales and Web marketing/public relations.
Those hardy souls that wanted to seek content jobs were also ready and willing to obtain the skills necessary for work with the Web.
Unfortunately, the only problem is getting those skills. There still don't exist classes at UT that teach Web design and development with a journalistic/communications focus (let me know if I'm wrong here). These types of classes are essential to building programmer-journalists that will finally bring this industry through the rapture.
Don't believe me? Just take a gander at the fine work being done by programmer-journalist/Jesus Adrian Holovaty or NewsMixer-wunderkind Brian Boyer. Both are fine soldiers in the war against the status quo.
I was a bit dismayed, though, at the number of students that still don't understand the value of having a personal Web site. At least two students asked me the same question: "How do I get a job in writing/online advertising/sales in a down market when nobody is hiring?"
Why, start a Web site of course! (You can also volunteer any of these services for a local non-profit. That's what I did in Boone for the Red Cross.)
But again, it appears that nobody is teaching these career-building skills in the various courses these students are taking.
So in keeping with Politifact) creator Matt Waite's philosophy of "build something or shut the fuck up (STFU)," I'm offering my services to UT students in the following areas:
- Strategies on how to market yourself to employers using the Web
- How to manage your online identity
- How to get started publishing on the Web
The best thing? I will do this for free for any UT students in the College of Communications and Information Sciences that ask.
And while I'm at it, I'll throw UT a bone, too, and offer to teach the following courses/workshops within any communications discipline:
- Basic Web design (HTML, CSS, JavaScript): In which you'll learn the skills to be competent in the Web media industry
- Basic Web development using Django: In which you'll learn how to create a basic blog application using Django (and the potential for more)
- Web terminology, or how to speak like a geek: In which you'll learn all of the vocabulary that will be tossed around in working with designers, ad folks, programmers and other denizens of the Web
- Search-engine optimization for media content: In which you'll learn how news and information content can be optimized for Google.
I won't say this offer is free, but I'm sure we can work a deal. It would be worth it to see students graduating into jobs that will save us all.
UT students and professors: Please feel free to share this entry around campus. Just use the handy contact form to get in-touch.
Let's start solving problems, and stop just talking about them.
Eight comments
While it may not be focused around development for Journalism or Communications, the Information Sciences department in CCI does have IS 301 which is an introduction to web technologies course. It pretty thoroughly covers HTML and CSS with some basic introductions into what JavaScript is and how media elements work, but pretty much stops there.
It really only focuses on the technical side of things, like a regular computer science course would, looking at things (important things regardless) like page structure, writing valid code, hex colors, etc. But this course could be leveraged into a second level course which could cover what you actually do with these technical skills, from a specifically journalistic or communications point of view.
Also, interestingly enough, the final project for this class is to produce a site for a local non-profit. It's a solid class, just one that most students either don't know about or don't take seriously.
It's funny - I emphasized to the students at my table how important it is for them to control their own brand. When I Google them, I want to see a web site that makes them shine. I had to tell one guy, "your Facebook profile is not your web site."
When they left I insisted they create a simple web site hosted on the UTK account and email it to me. (Heck, convert their Microsoft Word resume into HTML via the file save options!)
One of the smart students emailed me a URL later that day: he started a blogspot account with his clips and resume. It's really so simple.
@Jospeh
Thanks for the tip on IS 301! I thought that college offered something along those lines.
But my beef is that the course doesn't tackle the subject matter from a communications point of view -- most journalists or public relations folks aren't building Web sites, they're using a CMS. I want to address their needs without overburdening those that don't necessarily have a passion for Web design.
@Jigsha
I would actually argue that Facebook is their Web site in terms of the aggregate Web. Any site they use that comes back in a Google search result needs to be considered here, not just their personal site.
This gets into techniques such as always using your actual name as a username (mine is always patrickbeeson) on social networking sites and applications.
I'll be first to enroll if UT would offer J-331: STFU and Build Something.
Part of my amazement in joining the Scripps corporate group is that I'm surrounded by people who share that philosophy. Project managers who can build their own Django blogs, salespeople who understand UX and our CMS, developers who can turn around apps and ask "How can we monetize this?" It's impressive. And it's a departure from the newspaper I left where editorial still wants the site to be PDFs of the newspaper and salespeople simply want 20 ads above the fold on the homepage.
BTW, whenever I comment I link my name to my LinkedIn profile. At least until I STFU and build out willhortman.com ;)
@Will
Word.
Having a team that understands all aspects of the business is invaluable. I don't know how I would do my job if I didn't have at least cursory knowledge of Django, Web design, Web advertising and Web analytics.
Patrick,
Thanks for all your good and wise words and for the offer to UT. I, too, would take the course you describe if it were offered because there is too much I don't know.
I will carry your offer forward, but in this day of budget cutbacks, I don't expect immediate results. Still, maybe you and I can put our heads together at some point and work out something.
And thanks for all the contributions you have already made to our program.
Jim
Great post(s) -- I think this is on-target for information professionals as well as journalists. These aren't "bells and whistles" tools; they are essential skills to keep the connectivity between analog and virtual communication. Without awareness of how these two boundaries can blur (e.g. understanding how unmanaged virtual and analog identities might create ambiguity and dissonance), a professional is at a distinct disadvantage for him/herself and may also be limiting the potential of his/her firm. It really isn't about innovation but more like about survival.
Coming from a entertainment industry background (and a little news experience thrown in there), I agree there is a HUGE linkage between journalistic communication, information and technology. It's a trinity that is inexorably linked. Feedback from journalism practitioners will help make sure that we can best highlight that linkage in SIS courses, so this is a very valuable discussion.
Jim is right, budgets are TIGHT!! but maybe we can brainstorm some other solutions -- hey, who isn't into a good work around, lol.
I'd love to see this dialogue expand to include more students and faculty!
Suzie
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