Texas State University Mass Comm Week

PAGE ONE: THE UNDERBELLY OF JOURNALISM

2011-10-24T18:35:00.002-05:00

Tomas Hernandez

The New York Times, if anything, is a figurehead of journalism. If the Times is still printing papers then there still might be a chance for the newspaper industry. The film, Page One, was a portrayal of this. I found the film to be very refreshing. One cannot help but be intimidated by the field of journalism. In the film they even referred to the publication as a “fortress.” Page One gave the viewer an inside look on how the newspaper industry was handling a change in technology.

The film starts out with the Times talking to Wikileaks about their leakage of government footage and information. This event symbolized the transition from agencies giving the publication information, to individuals getting self-served information: blogging, tweeting, forums. They also self-reflect on the Judith Miller issue. This is when Judith Miller, writer for the NY Times, perpetuated the idea that there were WMD’s in Iraq. They then found out there were none. With the Wikileaks and the Miller case, published news is not as valuable of a source as it used to be. The film fluctuates; they take a look on the weakness of the newspaper industry, but also they gloat of the Times’ successes. For instance, “Taiwanese president needs the times to know if the world exists.” This, and other quotes such as “it’s the New York Times…” became a bit irritating. There was a small handful of journalists being interviewed; a notable name was David Carr. David Carr is an reporter for the NY Times as well as an ex crack addict. I liked to think of him as a dinosaur journalist. In the beginning of the film he hated the idea of new technology. He seemed arrogant about the fact he wrote for the Times, his quotes also seemed contrived. There was a point in which he was giving VICE a hard time about working with CBS. That’s when the line was crossed. However, as the film went on, Carr adjusts to new media, and the film overall gets closure. Carr is a symbol in this way.

Search Engine Optimization

2011-10-24T18:04:00.002-05:00

Paul Robinson, president and chief operating officer for Apogee Results spoke to a class of Mass Comm students in Hine 204. Thursday afternoon. It was the last speaking event of Mass Comm Week.

The agenda included approaching online marketing , what is SEO, why does it matter, SEO myths and local search results, but the thing stressed most by Robinson with regard to developing relationships with customers online was trust.

"The ratings and reviews world is starting to get a black eye," said Robinson."When you are doing business online trust is very important, seeing one hundred reviews that give 5 stars looks a little weird. "

Black hat optimization employs shady methods of optimization that can get your site banned from Google search results.

"There are also grey hat areas of optimization," said Robinson

Mass Comm Week Wordle

2011-10-21T13:20:00.005-05:00

This is a Wordle Word Cloud depicting the highlights of the tweets made with the #mcweek hashtag during the week. Lots of great comments about our wonderful speakers!

It's Still News

2011-10-21T12:40:00.000-05:00

By Tracie Walker

San Antonio Express-News writer Roy Bragg spoke about technology and the changing world of journalism on Thursday, Oct. 20. Bragg emphasized that even with the abundance of social media to keep the public informed, journalists are still needed because they're trained to find the information that people want to know and to write about it with integrity.

Bragg urged aspiring journalists to be aggressive with their work and to strive to report the truth.

"I won't write something until I'm ready to bet on my life that it's true," said Bragg.

He said that the newspaper editors can be blamed for the decline of the truth being told because of staff-size reductions and the urgency to produce material. He noted that a reporter being allowed several weeks to write an in-depth story is rare because of editors' fast-paced attitudes of "wham bam thank you ma'am" to get a story published.

Bragg told students that the problem with newspapers today is not the internet or the audience's attention span, but rather that newspapers haven't changed their style of reporting in the past 150 years. He said that yesterday's news needs to be on a website with tomorrow's news in the newspaper.

He kept his audience laughing with entertaining stories of reporting about tax-free weekend at the San Marcos outlet malls and about the "condom rapist," during which he wrote down what he overheard jurors saying through the walls.

Although some students, like Adrian Hanner, mass communications junior, said that Bragg didn't seem organized and left in frustration, others enjoyed listening to Bragg share his experience as a reporter.

"It was a fun speech and interesting," said Zahra Farah, journalism junior. "He's funny and talking at a level that college students can relate to."

"I loved that he's not apologetic about being aggressive," said Laura Garcia, journalism junior. "His real world examples of reporting were fun to listen to."

Securing a great internship

2011-10-21T11:47:00.002-05:00

Jarod Phillips, who interned this summer for the International Center for Journalists, shares his thoughts on what it takes to get a good internship.

Video: Q&A with Brian Stelter

2011-10-20T21:36:00.000-05:00

Film Screening - Page One: Inside The New York Times
Q&A with Brian Stelter, Writer/Reporter, New York Times

Sonic branding helps further brand image

2011-10-20T19:47:00.004-05:00

By: Melanie Yoes

Stephen Arnold, CEO of Stephen Arnold Music, the company responsible for much of the background music heard on TV today, spoke to Texas State students Thursday about the important role sonic branding plays in helping the listener identify a product or TV show.

Freelancing - Not for the faint of heart

2011-10-20T19:09:00.002-05:00

By: Thanya Gonzalez

It was a message of hope, persistence and discipline for those wanting to learn the skills necessary to becoming their own boss.

Lance Lawhon, Leslie Hancock and Susan Lahey, experienced freelance writers, spoke to Texas State students at Mass Comm Week on Thursday.

"You are your own product," said Hancock, a freelance communications professional. "You have to outline the benefits you can provide to potential clients."

Lawhon, president of New Covenant Consulting cautioned that working for oneself and from home takes a lot of hard work.

"You have to have discipline. No one is going to come wake you up to do it (work)," said Lawhon. "You need to know that you really want to do this. Learn to manage yourself and your time and keep track of all of your expenses."

Lahey, a principal for Fishpond Content urged students to find what they are really passionate about, find out how to do it and make it happen.

Among the list of things that will help those wanting to become their own boss, networking is key. Hancock described Austin as "one of the most connected towns" where networking is possible on a daily basis. Hancock called on aspiring journalists to build their contact list and their portfolio.

Being comfortable with the web is an integral part of society, according to Lawhon. Blogging, web content and social media are among the many categories journalists are responsible for.

"Anyone who has experience is social media is of value," said Hancock. "Clients don't know what to do with social media, so they're relying on you. Being a freelancer is all about agility."

Video: Telling Stories with Data

2011-10-20T17:47:00.000-05:00

Telling Stories with DataMatt Waite (professor at University of Nebraska, formerly of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Politifact); Matt Stiles (data journalist, NPR, formerly of Texas Tribune); Denise Malan (investigative/data editor, Corpus Christi Caller-Times); Ryan Murphy (data reporter, Texas Tribune)

Telling Stories with Data

2011-10-20T16:15:00.001-05:00

Freelancing - not for the faint of heart

2011-10-20T15:28:00.005-05:00

By: Thanya Gonzalez

It was a message of hope, persistence and discipline for those wanting to learn the skills necessary to becoming their own boss.

Three panelists, Lance Lawhon, Leslie Hancock and Susan Lahey, all experienced freelance writers, spoke to Texas State students as part of Mass Comm Week.

"You are your own product," said Hancock, a freelance communications professional. "You have to outline the benefits you can provide to potential clients."

Lawhon, president of New Covenant Consulting, cautioned that working for oneself and from home takes a lot of hard work.

Lahey, a principal for Fishpond Content, urged students to find what they are really passionate about, find out how to do it and then make it happen.

Networking is key. Described by Hancock as "one of the most connected towns," Austin is a place where you can network everyday. Hancock called on aspiring journalists to build their contact list and their portfolio.

Being comfortable with the web is an integral part of society, according to Lawhon. Blogging, web content and social media are among the many categories journalists are responsible for.

"Anyone who has experience is social media is of value," said Hancock. "Clients don't know what to do with social media so they're relying on you. Being a freelancer is all about agility."

Roy Bragg - It's Still News

2011-10-20T14:48:00.002-05:00

By: Thanya Gonzalez

There is no such thing as yesterday's news, only today's news, is the message Roy Bragg brought to students as part of Mass Comm Week.

Bragg, a writer for the San Antonio Express-News, spoke about how media saturation has changed the world.

"You can get information in a small town at the same time everyone else does because of the ability to connect," said Bragg.

While Bragg credits technology for becoming more resourceful and efficient, there are still a few things he prefers to do the old-fashioned way.

Aguilar discusses House Bill 2194

2011-10-20T14:18:00.003-05:00

By Robert Beckhusen

I recently talked to border and immigration reporter Julian Aguilar about House Bill 2194, which ensures voter registrars meet the same requirements as registered voters.

Aguilar wrote:

[Rep. Jim] Murphy's bill lays out new training requirements for deputy registrars, which may include a test at the end of their training. The intent is to make certain that a deputy registrar "can perform all the duties required and to increase efficiency in county clerks' offices by reducing some of the time and paperwork involved in processing voter registration applications," according to the bill analysis. But the Brennan Center says the laws, taken together, will reduce the registration rate, partly because state governments do not make an aggressive effort to register voters. They “instead rely on individual voters to ensure that they are registered,” the study says.

[...]

“The laws are another step in making it harder to register and harder to vote overall in the state of Texas,” says Lee Rowland, who serves as counsel to the Brennan Center’s Voting Rights and Elections Division. “And it’s coming at a time when registration rates are lower than they have been in the past.”

Rowland argues the new citizenship requirement will disproportionately affect blacks and Hispanics, who are more likely than whites to register through registration drives. In 2004, about 13 percent of new black and Hispanic voters were registered through drives, versus about 8 percent of non-Hispanic whites, according to U.S. Census data cited in the report. In 2008, 5.4 percent of new white voters were registered through private drives compared with 11 percent of new black voters and 9.6 percent of new Hispanic voters.

Read the rest at The Texas Tribune.

Aguilar spoke to an audience of Texas State students and Laredo area high school students on Oct. 20, 2011 during Mass Comm Week. He was joined by San Antonio Express-News reporter Jason Buch to discuss reporting on the border, immigration issues and drug-related violence in Mexico.

Zeale and Nakia panel on Storify

2011-10-20T12:31:00.000-05:00

Multimedia is the new fad in journalism

2011-10-20T11:59:00.004-05:00

By Briana Amaro

With the right knowledge, tools and drive to create something that’s different and new, multimedia can become a journalist’s best friend.

Karla Leal, a reporter for the Spanish broadcasting channel Telemundo, spoke to students about the importance of multimedia in stories at this year’s Mass Comm Week at Texas State University-San Marcos.

“Multimedia is now,” Leal said. “It’s not the future.”

During her presentation, Leal defined a multimedia report as something that “combines different elements that complement each other to improve the content of a story, making it more interesting, powerful and complete.”

Multimedia reporting, said Leal, allows for more creative storytelling and provides the audience with more information on the topic. Video, text, photos, audio and graphics are all examples of multimedia.

Leal also explained the Mass Media Formula, an instructional guide on the basis for radio, television and print stories.

Editing and publishing are even more important when a reporter uses multimedia. PhotoPeach, JayCut, YouTube and Blogger are just some of the tools Leal mentioned in her presentation.

Texas State student and advertising major Austin Stewart said, “It’s interesting to see how many websites use multimedia—how ideas play out and different news stations use multimedia.”

Leal has been with the Austin-based Telemundo since 2009, four years after beginning with the network in California. She has currently entered into a fellowship with the International Center for Journalists.

“I feel like I’m a link between the people that I interview,” Leal said.

Bob Metcalfe Speaks at Tx State Mass Comm Week

2011-10-20T02:01:00.000-05:00

An Evening with Bob Metcalfe

2011-10-19T21:41:00.000-05:00

An Evening with Bob Metcalfe; Sponsored by the Graduate Student Association
Bob Metcalfe, Internet pioneer and inventor of the Ethernet communications standard, UT Professor

Using data to inform the readers

2011-10-19T20:25:00.002-05:00

by Sarah Vasquez

Denise Malan, investigative/data editor for Corpus Christi Caller-Times newspaper, shared ways to inform the public with facts and figures.

There are several ways journalists can use data. Several examples Malan shared included the salary of public officials, analysis of street projects, and budgets. With the collected data, journalists can show the readers the facts instead of telling them.

“In these days, the people just don’t want to read something and take your word for it. They actually want to see it. They want to discover things for themselves. They actually want to get into the database and discover something that you haven’t seen,” said Malan.

The readers and journalists can make their own analysis and conclusions with the information given. She said that this can be used to test what the public officials are telling the public.

An important reason to use data is to help public data become even more public. One way journalists receive this information is through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Through this act, most documents produced by government agencies, including emails, are open to the public. Of course, there are exceptions that can not be given such as social security numbers and credit card information.

Malan gave tips on what a journalist should keep in mind when submitting a FOIA request. When possible, request the records in an electronic format, but also make sure to request record layout and code sheet to know what the columns and codes in the document mean.

The hardest part of working with data is cleaning is up. Malan stressed that a journalist should always save a copy of the data as it was received and never erase the data in a working copy. But after all the cleaning up is done, this is what Malan referred to as the fun part: the analysis of the data.

Her suggestions to students on data journalism is to take advantage of the resources Texas State University provides such as a basic programming class. Malan is currently taking classes at a community college to learn programming.

“If I could go back and talk to my college self, I would say use some of your electives on these things,” said Malan.

Comm grads needed as Austin high-tech job market continues to expand

2011-10-19T18:45:00.004-05:00

By: Melanie Yoes

Austin has been known as a high-tech haven for the past two decades, and the scores of online startups and web-based companies still flocking to the “Silicon Hills” should provide plenty of job opportunities for tech-savvy communication graduates.

A high quality of life, low cost of living, tax incentives and a young, educated population base attract businesses from around the world to the Silicon Hills, a nickname Austin acquired after it experienced a technology boom in the early 1990s similar to that of Silicone Valley in northern California.

While the market for mobile apps and online services continues to grow, more and more jobs are becoming available to communication graduates in and around Austin, particularly in the field of social media management.

As part of Mass Comm week at Texas State, Andrew Waldrup, culture evangelist at Gowalla, Whitney Francis, community manager at Google Places, and Jennifer Stafford, social media manager at HomeAway.com, spoke to students Wednesday about the importance of networking and communication within the realm of social media and the high-tech world.

“It’s not really so much about what technical skills you have, but about who you know in this business,” said Stafford, who handles social media for HomeAway.com, a vacation rental web site. “If you can pick up at least the basics it will be really helpful for you, but you don’t have to go to school for, say, web development to get a job in one of these fields. Basic HTML is about as techy as I get.”

Waldrup, a Texas State alumni recently hired by Gowalla, said keeping up with the latest social media platforms and practices is important for those considering a career in a high-tech or social media field.

“You need to have a presence on all the social media sites, as well, so employers can see that you know what you’re doing,” he said.

Francis, who manages the social media for Google Places, recommends that students research the company they are interested in before applying, start a blog about a hobby or interest and print business cards with their contact information to hand out at monthly high-tech meet ups at bars and restaurants around Austin.

“I ran a blog called Free Eats Austin and did social media consulting for restaurants and bars a few years ago. Someone in the Google HR department found my profile on LinkedIn, brought me in for an interview, and that’s how I got my current job,” she said.

Waldrup also suggests that students create a business Facebook or Twitter account to get experience running the back end of those social media outlets.

“It’s very different, running your personal social space versus running one that’s representing a company,” she said.

Many of the new high-tech startups are looking to hire young, creative types and early adopters rather than job-seekers with a standard business mindset.

“The more personality you have the more interested we are in getting to know you, rather than the cookie-cutter person with a PR degree,” said Francis. “Your resume is key when you’re looking for a job in this field. The type of resume you would send to a regular business is pretty boring to a tech company, because culture is really important to us. Since it’s such a tight knit setting and you end up working closely with people, often for long hours, it’s important to express your personality in that piece of paper.”

Communication Careers at Tech Companies in Austin

2011-10-19T18:37:00.000-05:00

Communication Careers at Tech Companies in Austin
Andrew Waldrup, Culture Evangelist, Gowalla; Whitney Francis, Community Manager, Google; Rodney Gibbs, CEO, Ricochet Labs (makers of QRANK); Jennifer Stafford (HomeAway)

Nakia Interview - Music and Social Media

2011-10-19T18:34:00.000-05:00

Nakia Interview - Music and Social Media; featuring TXST student and rapper ZealeNakia Reynoso, Musician and finalist on NBC's The Voice; Zeale (Valin Zamarron)

Diversity, Experience and Skills-Obtaining a Job in the Media

2011-10-19T18:17:00.007-05:00

By Jeana' Jacobsen

When you look up Texas mass communication colleges on Google, Texas State University is listed in the top five. With an award-winning campus based radio station and collegiate newspaper, this should come as no surprise.

Texas State alumni participated in a panel during Mass Comm week Wednesday, October 19, discussing how the knowledge and experience gained at Texas State has helped them get to where they are today.

The panel of four consisted of San Antonio-Express food and wine writer, Jennifer McInnis; assistant editor for the Texas Association of Realtors, Jaime Kilpatrick; The CW Austin Star, Mandy Dugan; and vice president of Business Development with Texas Sports Radio Network, Will McGinnis.

A common message that all four panel members stressed upon the student audience was the importance of getting involved at Texas State, taking internships, networking and learning as many skills as possible.

The panel suggested that students need to shake as many hands as possible during mass comm week because its a great opportunity to meet dozens of media professionals in one place at one time.

"You really have to put yourself out there," McInnis said. "You have to sell yourself. I wouldn't take no for an answer."

Panelists all expressed how much they took away from Texas State and applied it into their career. Joining mass communication organizations, getting involved with KTSU or the University Star or experiencing multiple internships are what lay down the bricks of the road to success.

Dugan and McGinnis both were involved at KTSW during their time at Texas State and said how much fun it was and how much they learned through the experience.

"That's what helped me seal this job," Dugan said. "...from everything I learned here."

Although its highly recommended to gain a variety of skills and internships, McGinnis emphasized that graduates need to still have a focus for what they want to do for a career.

"You want to find a job doing something you like," McGinnis said. "Or else you're not going to be good at it."

Mass Comm week is such a great opportunity for students and graduates to learn about opportunities that are out there and how the world of mass communications is constantly expanding and becoming more diverse, therefor demanding more from those hoping to work in the industry.

ZEALE and Social Media

2011-10-19T16:37:00.003-05:00

By Jeana' Jacobsen

Texas State Mass Comm Week welcomed Austin based artist Nakia and local rapper ZEALE to participate in an open discussion regarding musicians and how social media has played a part in their musical careers. ZEALE had much to say about how social media has helped expand his audience and allows him to reach multiple people all at once.

Sammis & Ochoa

2011-10-19T13:33:00.004-05:00

Tanya Sammis and Mario Ochoa from Sammis & Ochoa: A Public Relations Agency sit down to discuss a few of the elements that go into make someone a successful entrepreneur in the PR world.

(My apologies about the blurriness of the content)

The Elements of Entrepreneurship

2011-10-19T13:14:00.003-05:00

By: Lyanna Fuentes

Local entrepreneurs, Tonya Sammis and Mario Ochoa, spoke to students Wednesday, October 19, about successfully starting a new business using any and every resource now available with the expansion of technology.

The duo began Sammis and Ochoa, a full-service public relations firm based out of San Antonio, on January 19, 2010 after working together at another firm.

Sammis, Chief Executive Officer of Sammis and Ochoa, stressed the importance of strategic planning when beginning any business venture. The duo also shared their own checklist, which was used to help keep them organized and on track.

“The worst thing you can do in business is skip steps,” said Ochoa, Chief Strategic Officer of Sammis and Ochoa.

The team shared many tips for anyone interested in starting a business of any kind, including the idea and practice of “bootstrapping,” or beginning a business with limited financial resources.

They also recommended several resources including Legal Zoom, MyFax, and Free Conference Call. Ochoa said these tools can help entrepreneurs save money on lawyer fees and expensive phone services.

Local small business development centers like San Antonio Small Business Development Center and other groups specializing in consulting and aid were recommended as valuable resources for any entrepreneurs.

While Ochoa emphasized the difficulty of entrepreneurship, he was sure to support and encourage all students interested to follow their dream of owning and operating a business.

The duo began their small public relations firm with $125 in their newly opened bank account.

“We started with next to nothing,” said Sammis.

By the end of 2010, Sammis and Ochoa had reached $68,000 in sales.

Both Ochoa and Sammis stated that one of the key components in this type of venture is having faith in what you are doing and in that you will accomplish the goals set for your company.

“The greatest capital you can put into a business is personal capital,” said Ochoa. “Having faith is the greatest piece of the puzzle.”