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Coming soon to a computer screen near you:

The New Media Journalist Revisted.

I officially graduated (from the comfort of my lounge room) and have my Bachelor of Arts (Journalism), with distinction mind you sitting in it's mailing tube collecting dust under my bed.

So, I guess I'm qualified as a journo now. Do I intend on being one? Heck no.

The new flava flav of this blog will be the use of multimedia and social networking sites (oh, joy!) in educational settings.

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Well, this offically marks the end of my requirements to post a regular blog for my multimedia journalism course.  Pending results, I will finally be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts.  To cut the long story short, I started in 2001, dropped out at the end of 2002 to do a completely different course (Bachelor of Business - Music Industry) which I completed in 2005.  This unfinished business, so to speak, has been niggling away at me ever since then.

It's been a hectic, but enjoyable semester.

Who knows, I may keep this blog up and running into the future.

Signing out (for now)

POPshonelle

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I've mentioned a few times already that I have a list of fashion blogs that I 'read' daily. This list has expanded over the last 6 months, and has been joined by blogs created soley for the purpose of sharing home cooked meals and restaurant experiences. Many of these creators aren't trained journlists, or photographers for that matter, but I thoroughly enjoy their posts.

In some ways, this contradicts how I feel about the reliability of the internet and it's content. But, to me, that's what the internet is sometimes. A big contradiction.

I was actually talking to my parents about what the world would be like without the internet, and I honestly can't remember my life without it. To add to the mix, the current global economic crisis is making communication and reporting appear to be even more crucial. Even if excessive reporting leads to what I would almost consider to be fear campaigning.

As part of this experiment in new media and journalism, I've also had the chance to peruse a handful of noteworthy industry blogs. A personal 'favourite' so to speak is the BuzzMachine. Jeff's posts are witty, yet informative and up to date on most of the latest issues in global journalism. A stand out post would have to be October 17th's which referred to NPR's reporting on the economic crisis and related the journalism as a process not product

Innovations in Newspapers is perhaps a little too on the political and cynical side for me, but I do like their analysis on the nature of various news outlets around the world.

All in all, there are countless blogs and websites out there, and to mention them all would be impossible. But, even with this plethora of information, we are given choice and change.

Change we need, perhaps?
Time will tell.

The future is unpredictable. But, I hope that somewhere someone picks up this image of very timely graffitti and publishes it front and centre.


For more links, check out the Noteworthy section!

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I can't help but think of Austin Powers when I hear the word MoJo. I know it's soooo 1997, but hey, nothing wrong with a little bit of nostalgia every now and then.


In this day and age, we need to be able to repsond to breaking stories faster than ever before. A lot of these posts have been about how the everyday citizen can contribute to news with mobile phone footage, but what about the journalist? Where do they come into the equation. Granted, they are not alway in the right place at the right time, but once they get there - they need the tools to get the job done. FAST.

But, with the current state of Australian broadband and wireless internet speeds (not to mention the excessive charges set by the telcos) - the mobile and 'need it now' nature of this technological revolution in journalism might be undone by lack of suitable access.

A reasonable solution is to use the wireless modem capabilities and tap into a wireless network - which are typically 'faster' than the mobile networks. Seems to work for my friends who bring iPhones into my wirelessly networked house.


Image from C-Net

I've just been 'rewarded' at work and now have a crazy PDA phone in my possession, but, as a mac convert my brain just can't seem to be capable of using it to it's potential. I did, however, test Facebook's mobile site (but am still not able to register my phone due to the site only catering for US, UK and CA)...

Better have another one of those icy cold bottles of MoJo to keep me going.

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After re-reading my efforts from the airport, I can say that it was evident that I needed a break, and I am probably not cut out for the mojo thing. Granted, I'm typical of Gen(wh)Y, and can access technology from almost anywhere...but I prefer to do it on my own terms. That means, looking at sites like these.

Videoblogs are something that you either get into and love, or just don't bother with. Unless, of course, you're me. Then you sit on the fence. I love the concept, but don't love the current state of what's out there.

MediaShift shares with us 5 video blogs that do it 'right'. I agree that content must be on the money and not just another viral marketing campaign, and I certainly believe that video blogging has a future - but really, who knows what it will look like.

My problem with the majority of videoblogs is that it's hard to know if they are real or not. Yes, I know the same can be said about everything on the internet (even Facebook is a target now, it seems), and I'll search YouTube until the cows come home, but for some reason I just can't quite bring myself to watch, or regularly watch, a 'series' of videos without feeling a bit ... odd. Given that almost anyone with a computer (well, at least a trusty mac) can create content using the standard software.

I guess I'll give it a whirl, and perhaps, just maybe, make it a regular thing. So, stay tuned for the video post over the weekend.

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I've fallen a little behind on the blogging lately.  I guess that's what happens when you juggle full time work with full time (off campus) study.  My motivation levels have been high this semester, but time has been slipping away quicker that I can say BOO!

Even as I speak, I am sitting in an airport lounge starting a much needed week long break from work to jet over to Perth to see my parents.

If you wanted to visualise my life, you can always check out POPbubble!

Singapore, much like South Korea has, dived head first into the world that is created by the user.  In fact, the island's main reporting outlet, the Straits Times, was the initiator with their site STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile & Print).   But, unlike the straight down the line reporting offered by the Straits, STOMP takes a much more 'youthful' and social networking spin, which is directly reflected when first viewing both sites.

The STOMP platform immediately lures in Gen Y, with it's more glossy appearance and reporting, as well as offering gossip style columns, advice and the very entertaining (well to me anyway) English As It Is Broken part of the site.  Young Singaporeans are clearly embracing the site, and I witnessed dozens of posts & comments over the short period of sitting here.

Looks like my overly inflated internet half hour will shortly expire, better double check the email & let the parents know before I get cut off...excellent!

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The New York times.

Big. Global. Influential.

Contender for the world series perhaps?
Thankfully, it's not based in Chicago. Next year Cubs...


The NY times, in particular the tech pages, is something I've been following (or at least trying to) over the course of a few months now. I must admit, between work and study it's not hard to fit in all this media consumption.

Perhaps I'm doing it all subconsciously?

I love reading about gadgets and innovations, even though I'm highly unlikely to ever puchase such things anytime in the near future. The NY times techpages seem to be endlessly updated with reviews, tech news and opinion pieces. The reviews, to me, would be the most useful part of the site - as I already use CNet when considering an electrical purchase.

I do find that the site, much like most other online news sources, is riddled with advertisements making it hard to distinguish between news and advertising. I've also noticed this trend with many blogs (perhaps they've read my post on getting "Free Money!"), having relevant, and irrelevant, ads posted down the side of their page. In fact, many bloggers are now being used as unofficial marketing material for some companies - being sent goods to use in their photos and posts. I assume the marketing departments are catching onto the influence of bloggers as inspiration for others...

On that note, off to consume some more news. Perhaps for the 3rd or 4th time today. Will it ever end? Or will we continue to overload ourselves with information?