In an aggressive fashion, the National Association of Black Journalists’ Digital Journalists Task Force, under the director of chairman Andrew Humphrey organized a series of strongly attended seminars sprinkled throughout the five day event.Of course, for the digi-media fanatics, like myself, for the thousands of other journalists attending, there need to be more sessions.
My seminar on branding had nearly 100 people in it. While it was scheduled to end at 3:30, the 90-minute session ended at 4PM with a mostly packed room. My panelists were perfect: Sybril Bennett of Belmont University, Barry Cooper, founder of Black Voices and managing editor of pilotonline.com and Katrina Witherspoon, vice president, interactive services for Reach Media – parent company of the Tom Joyner Morning Show and BlackAmericaWeb.com. They each broke down the complexities of branding, and talked clearly and honestly about what it takes to be successful on the web.
What was clear from most of the participants’ questions was that there is a huge knowledge gap. Most of the journalists in attendance fell into several categories:
1) Very afraid of the internet, simply because of the lack of understanding of how the web works;
2) Focused on thinking the web will be the ticket to making money in their next and/or current careers; and,
3) Eager to learn, absorb, grasp anything they can about the internet and digital media.It’s that third group that is the most encouraging – and most frightening.
I’m glad my journalists friends are “eager” to learn, but as Bennett stressed several times, there are too many of us who are so late to the game that we really need to catch up. Basically, many of us are behind and need to get with the program to: 1) try to secure their jobs for the present and future; 2) quickly learn and develop their own personal strategy to create their own brand. So, here’s some quick advice to my journalist friends who are – well – freaking out:1) Learn how to use a digital camera. Yeah, go ahead and purchase even the most basic one from your local Circuit City, Wolf Camera or heck, your local Walgreens! Get us to taking pictures, downloading them, playing around with whichever picture editor is on your computer. Upload those pix; download, email them.
2) Take online class or tutorial to learn more about digital media. Many of the major digital camera and software manufacturers offer free and fee-based classes to help you learn the basics. Check the Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Sony or other sites like CNET or Adode (makers of PhotoShop, Flash and Illustrator.)
3) Be kind to a teenager – your own or a neighbors’ – and learn from them. I’m not trying to be condescending, but just keeping it real. By some pizza and a couple liters of Mountain Dew, then sit down with one or a couple teens to have them teach you everything from texting, Instant Messaging, blogging, FaceBook, MySpace, iTunes. I’m sure you can bribe them for an hour a month – at least – with some pizza and Mountain Dew!
4) Read your company – and your competitors’ – with new eyes and curiousity. Analyze how news and information is being distributed and packaged in new, innovative and exciting ways. Remember, it’s three dimensional – words, pictures and sound! It’s along way, baby, from hot-type, ink and an a scratchy audio or fuzzy analog video. It’s all digital!
5) Don’t get psyched out by the technology. Embrace it!
6) Celebrate – and promote – your skills as a reporter, editor and/or producer. Content is – and will continue to – drive the future of digital media. Media companies of all kinds need individuals who know how to get information, review/edit reams of news and other content quickly and synthesize it in a digestable fashion.
To learn more about digital media issues, please visit DigitalMediaCrashCourse.com, and read my ‘Foot(e)Notes’ column.
