WRITERS LIFEGUARD: Mantrae of Our Times

Way back when — in April, 2009 — I called Writers Lifeguard No. 16, “Mantrae for Our Times.” It had but four markers of change: Screen is the new Paper Short is the new Deep Pictures are the new Words Free is the new Pay Now, more than a year further into our climb — [...]

‘Nomad’ Digital Mag to Tap Mobile Market, Pay Freelancers Share of Subscription Revenue

A new publishing venture has launched which takes advantage of mobile devices. A group of magazine journalists and editors have formed to publish a weekly digital magazine, Nomad Editions, specifically for mobile technology. Content will be created by freelance journalists with area-specific expertise; readers, who will subscribe through a mobile app, can receive an “exclusive, [...]

Stephen Janis is Baltimore’s Alternative Journalist

By Rachel McAthy, Journalism.co.uk August 11, 2010 He might be shadowing an apartment manager dealing with suspected drug dealers one day and discussing the policing of crime with veteran detectives the next. Everyday, Stephen Janis aims to be the journalist on the ground, covering crime and corruption stories missed by the mainstream. Janis is an [...]

Missed the DPJ/Knowledgewebb webinar?

If you didn’t catch Thursday’s Knowledgewebb webinar “10 Steps to a Tech Savvy You,” you will find it through Aug. 20 posted here. All of the notes and links are up there, too, so you can grab those if you didn’t take notes during the webinar. More than 300 of us were online for the [...]

Knowledgewebb Launches Displaced Journalists Partnership with Free “Tech Savvy” Webinar

By Amy Webb CEO, Knowledgewebb Knowledgewebb is pleased to partner with Displaced Journalists to offer community members a deep discount on its annual membership dues. Knowledgewebb offers hands-on training, self-directed courses, ongoing webinars and more for professionals working in publishing and small-business communications. Need pointers on how to edit an audio podcast? Want to brush [...]

Hacks/Hackers Survival Glossary for Journalists

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the jargon associated with digital media, you are not alone. As Displaced Journalists eager to get back in the game, we all need to be well-versed in ever-evolving technology lingo. Hacks/Hackers, a network concerned with the intersection of journalism and technology, has come up with a list of important technology [...]

Reflections of a Newsosaur: Journalists Running Start-Ups Face Tall Odds

By Alan D. Mutter Posted Monday, June 7, 2010, on Reflections of a Newsosaur Fed up with furloughs and down-sizing – or forced involuntarily out of their jobs – journalists across the land are taking matters into their own hands by starting their own news sites. While I applaud these brave and commendable efforts, I [...]

Programmer-Journalist? Hacker-Journalist? Our Identity Crisis

“Labels matter,” writes 2009 Knight News Challenge Winner Aron Pilhofer. “And as this niche of journalism grows more mainstream, labels will matter that much more. So, who are we?” Read more of Pilhofer’s thoughts on the subject at the MediaShift Idea Lab site. Pilhofer welcomes ideas.

Why Journalists Should Learn Computer Programming

By Roland Legrand, June 2, 2010 Yes, journalists should learn how to program. No, not every journalist should learn it right now — just those who want to stay in the industry for another ten years. More seriously, programming skills and knowledge enable us traditional journalists to tell better and more engaging stories. Programming means going [...]

Is Print Media Doomed Worldwide or Just in the US?

As I walked in the headquarters of the Jawa Pos—the flagship newspaper of one of South East Asia’s largest print media empires—I was wondering just how screwed my profession is; globally I mean. Is the death of print a world-wide certainty or merely an American reality? After all a lot of “old economy” businesses are thriving [...]