Wednesday, September 27, 2006

future of online

Been a couple of interesting days with the start of the postgrad online journalism course and visits by Bobbie Johnson, Technology Reporter, The Guardian and Dominic Tuohy formerly of the Editors forum.

Both were illuminating in assessing the future of online and providing fibre for a secondary debate about the role of Universities in supplying talent to the market.

Bobbie spoke about how important blogs were, particularly for any one wanting a look in at The Guardian. We looked at a future where journalists would earn their crust by acess per view. If you're a good reporter you'll attract a constituent in the same way a DJ can move with his/her fanbase, we'll get to a point when the question asked by the editor is: how many readers do you have?
Dominique spoke about the bottom up approach. Newspapers may not likely go under now but they were under threat. That whilst the buzz words are web 2.0 - share, talk, distribute - this was sloganeering for a raft of newspaper who hadn't yet made any decision to embrace new habits and tools.

The threat of change is something which attacks a basic human condition and a once predictable livelihood. Bobbie has a firm grip and utterly refreshing outlook as both a newspaper reporter and online writer and rolls together points often ignored, overlooked by many.

We should do this again I mused. Next time havee a whole class and become one of our visiting lectureres. I hope he accepts.

2 comments:

Chris Horrie said...

That is an excellent idea. This material is so important it should be shared with larger groups of students in other colleges as well - by having scheduled webcasts. Can westminster host that, or maybe the BJTC or PTC. Can we put the idea of the BJTC hosting a series of scheduled webcast guest speakers at a given time (eg 10am every Thursday morning or something)and then get each college (20 of them to do two a year or something). Could the BJTC do that?

Chris Horrie said...

That is an excellent idea. This material is so important it should be shared with larger groups of students in other colleges as well - by having scheduled webcasts. Can westminster host that, or maybe the BJTC or PTC. Can we put the idea of the BJTC hosting a series of scheduled webcast guest speakers at a given time (eg 10am every Thursday morning or something)and then get each college (20 of them to do two a year or something). Could the BJTC do that?