Thursday, August 02, 2007

Get published in any Newspapers

"Quit putting second- or third-string copydesk people on the Web team. Because I was just at Google, and I can tell you, they don't hire second- and third-string talent."

This quote comes from a deeply interesting article from Wired attributed to Net-media intellectual Rob Curley, VP at Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive.

It's a longish article; more geared for the mag than the web, but pan through and there's more than a few gems.

My favourite is the aforementioned.

The web is still considered the "bastard child" by many editors. Got an intern; don't know what to do with them, how about photocopy the senior journalists research; make the tea or better still let them loose away from harm's way - give them the net.

I'm not suggesting interns are undeserving. No the contrary. Next time you're given the net to do yourf irst article, shout woopee in front of the editor. S/He won't get it, but you should.

The web class I take with nternational Masters students I stress the point, make the web your own. Everything is perishable, most media are strugglng to reinvent, but the web, the web, well we haven't even scratched the surface.

There are remarkable insights that we (students/ clients/ journalists I train) share in Eureka moments. Principally you're not just writing for eyeballs. It may be the greatest article but if you'er not offay with what the admen call "customer-pathway" writing ie link-rich articles in mini inverted triangles, then you've got some going to do.

In final projects, onliners play with form and function, creativity and conformity, technical and journalism, information architecture and weighted design. It's 2007, what might we be doing in 2012?

Chances are it'll be something far beyond what we're doing at present. My guess citizen joe and josephine will have got the video news construct. I can be fairly certain a next generation will get it and more based on a huge project being undertaken in the capital. Doh I have been given Chatham House rules, but will be sure to tell more when possible.

No comments: