Newsroom Training
Blogging for Journalism / Advanced Blogging
(9:30 a.m. - noon) So you already have a blog -- how's it doing? Are you happy with the traffic and the comments, or are you looking for ways to build your audience and attract better feedback? There are a variety of recognized techniques for achieving those goals! We'll discuss how to improve your SEO (search engine optimization), how to manage and respond to comments, and how to manage links to get the maximum benefit from including them. Also: Have you considered a vlog (video blog)? See the PowerPoint.
Audio for Reporters
(1:30 - 4 p.m.) Any newspaper reporter can learn to gather and edit audio and produce professional-sounding MP3 files. It only takes 2.5 hours! This training has been tested on reporters around the country and is absolutely THE low-stress way to begin your transition to multimedia reporting. Learn how to handle equipment and conduct an interview to get clean audio. Then find out how easy it is to cut, copy and paste -- the audio file! Finally, export an MP3 file that is instantly ready to play online.
- The reporter’s audio gear list
- Audio ethics guide: Editing and more
- Super-Fast Guide to Audio Editing (PDF, 236 KB)
Includes instructions for how to download and install Audacity, a free audio-editing program that works on Windows and Mac. You can print this. You may share it with others in your newsroom too.
- Editing Audio with Audacity, Part 2 (PDF, 193 KB)
Skills for your later audio projects -- including multitrack editing; fade-in and fade-out; noise reduction. This is more advanced than what we covered in the workshop session, but you can easily add these skills to your repertoire later.
- BBC: Advanced Radio Tips
Don't let the word "radio" deter you -- these simple lessons (written for school kids) are for everyone who works with audio, whether or not you ever go "on air." It's one page that will help you gather and edit better audio. Another BBC page teaches us a lot about handling the microphone, including when to use a condom (I'm not kidding).