Hyperlocal Journalism: Jarvis Explains It All

Jeff Jarvis on New Business Models for News 2009 from CUNY Grad School of Journalism on Vimeo.

Not sure what media types are talking about when they discuss "hyperlocal"?

In this video talk by Jeff Jarvis, the author of "What Would Google Do?" shares new business models that journalists are launching around the country.

As you'll see, journalism will survive but possibly in a form that isn't here yet. For example, it may take the form of individual bloggers, one- or two-person media shops, and non-profit organizations. It's going to be a whole new "ecosystem," Jarvis notes.

There's some interesting ideas to consider here. Let me know what you think...

-rp-

Real-life Journalists? I Don't Think So

You can always count on Mark Luckie's "10,000 Words" to make you think or provide a touch of humor. Today it's the latter.

I laughed out loud at his roundup of stock photos of journalists and the question, "Do Journalists Actually Look Like This?" Ah, no...

I've known plenty of guys who were just as dorky as some of these (and I'm not ruling myself out!) ... Thankfully most of the news women I've known and worked with over the years have been nothing like these "news babes." In real life, the female journalists I've had the good fortune to work with are best described as smart, attractive and professional, in no particular order.

Luckie's also compiled a fun montage of fictional journalists.

-rp-

The Moth Radio Hour: You've Gotta Hear This!

So I'm driving home from Salem tonight, and as I frequently do I turn on NPR to fill the next 50 minutes to an hour before I get home. And I catch the last minute of some guy describing how he became the bat boy for Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees. Bummer, I missed most of that...

That's OK, next up is a woman telling about her summer vacation with the Kennedys. Only it's more like spying on the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport. And I nearly have to pull over to the side of I-5 because I'm laughing so hard at this woman recalling what it was like to be 9-year-old on summer vacation -- with her aunts and their binoculars and the Kennedys a few doors down...

But nothing could prepare me for what came next. The nice lady on The Moth Radio Hour introduced the next storyteller with a warning that what I was about to hear might be too much for me to take. Oh please...

She wasn't kidding. A few minutes earlier I thought I might have to pull over to laugh. Now I thought I might have to pull over to cry at the tale of "Tonight Show" comedian Anthony Griffith sharing the ultimate heartbreak. I won't spoil it, you can let me know what you think after you take a listen.

"I think it's the next big huge hit in public radio," Garrison Keillor notes in a little teaser at the top of The Moth Radio Hour homepage. After hearing Radio Hour 1, I couldn't agree more. As usual, this is something that's been around for a while and it's only now that I'm catching on. Better late than never, as they say...

-rp-

Amazing Veterans Day Parade Photo

Every day when I turn on my computer I'm often greeted by a phenomenal photo taken by one of the fine photographers at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the daily newspaper from my hometown of Milwaukee, Wis. Today was no exception.

The homepage photo on JSOnline today was a re-enacted Iwo Jima flag-raising on a float in the annual downtown Veterans Day Parade. I think I was so moved by the photo in part because we are just about to celebrate Veterans Day on Wednesday, but also the tragedy that happened last Thursday at Fort Hood in Texas. At last count, two of those who were killed and four of the injured were from the state where I grew up, Wisconsin.

The parade photo from Milwaukee was a reminder to honor all those women and who have or are serving our nation, whether here or overseas. We will get an opportunity to honor those closer to home this Wednesday at the annual Veterans Day parade in Albany, just up the road from LBCC.

I'm hopeful one of my students will come back from that event with a photo that similarly depicts the fine folks who wear the uniform of the USA.

-rp-

Nature Photo Show at LBCC

"Action" in nature is the theme for the 30th annual Bob Ross Open Invitational Nature Photography Show on Friday, Nov. 13, at Linn-Benton Community College.

Nature photographers from throughout the Willamette Valley gather each year at LBCC to "celebrate nature and share their experiences, techniques, favorite places and things to see," according to a news release from the LBCC News Service. The show begins at 7 p.m. in the Forum building, Room F-104.

Those who plan to show photos are asked to limit their submission to 20 digital images. They should be sent to Ross several days before the event. His e-mail is rosspix@comcast.net. For more information, call him at 541-928-3711.

This non-juried show is free, and visitors don't have to show photographs to attend.

LBCC is at 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W. in Albany.

(Photo credit: "Common Barn Owl" by Adventures in Librarianship, courtesy of Flickr.com/Creative Commons)

Another Take on Time Management

In my continuing quest to aid all those who are trying to cram 36 hours of life into a 24-hour day, I encourage you to read a new post by Amber Nasland on her social media blog called Altitude. Her focus: "Social Media Time Management: Nine Guiding Principles."

When it comes to managing your time, she notes at the outset, "It’s a balancing act. And ultimately, you’re in the driver’s seat."

Her first gear is managing disruptions: "Pick three things that you have to get done today, and focus relentlessly on those. (Hint: they should always be tied into your bigger picture goals, or you’re wasting time)."

Control information overoad, she continues, and make use of those tools that can save you a lot of time, such as WordPress for blogging or Google Reader to streamline your reading.

If you're in a situation at work or some other circumstance in which you find yourself answering the same e-mail question over and over, Nasland suggests creating a "template" that you can use to cut and paste common responses. Or set up a link to answers for a set of frequently asked questions. I like that one.

And when you don't have the answer, she says "communicate expectations." If you can't get to something for a day or two, say so, or refer people to somebody else who may be able to help.

But my two favorites are the last on her list: 8. Establish routines; and 9. Unplug:

If you set aside specific hours in your day, turn off other distractions. (Yes, it’s okay to close your e-mail program). Put your phone on Do Not Disturb or let it go to voicemail. Even 30 minutes of focused time on a single task, on a regular basis can ramp up your productivity.

and

Get offline. Go outside. Take a bath. Play with your kid. Go to the movies. Or go to an in-person event or Tweetup. There is nothing that will derail your social media efforts more than never walking away from them.

We all need to break from time to time ...

-rp-

(Photo credit: "Time Flies..." by kamera.obskura, courtesy of Flickr.com/Creative Commons)