Tag Archives: social media

Ten Steps for Moving Journalism Forward

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) has a problem — it's still a "society" (the oldest of its kind), but the terms "professional" and "journalist" are not what they used to be. Digital media and bottom-up news models have forced SPJ to re-evaluate its role and how it best can help today's journalists survive andContinue reading “Ten Steps for Moving Journalism Forward”

Digital Storytelling and the Rise of “Layered Narrative”

(Cross-posted from http://velocidi.posterous.com/) MERCEDES-BENZ BRINGS US the story of a baby named “Crash,” a miracle to his parents for surviving a collision that, by the looks of the car his mom was driving, should have been impossible. It’s a chilling video piece, dramatic yet real; produced, yet personal. But that’s just part of the story.Continue reading “Digital Storytelling and the Rise of “Layered Narrative””

Out of Edelman, Back Into the Fire

ON JUNE 27, 1990, I was having dinner by the beach in Santa Barbara when I looked up and noticed the city was on fire. Within minutes we heard the sirens and my fellow restaurant patrons headed for the door and out of town, away from danger. I, however, slapped on my press pass andContinue reading “Out of Edelman, Back Into the Fire”

An Apology: My Social Media Confession

On behalf of myself as a professional communicator, I want to apologize. If you are a company, I’ve misled you. If you are a consumer, I’ve used you. And as much as I’d like to change the future, there may be no turning back. Somehow I managed to take the most engaging and exciting advancementsContinue reading “An Apology: My Social Media Confession”

Cancer Can’t Kill What She Did for Modern Media

Five years ago, a young San Francisco Chronicle editor built a bridge from old mainstream media to the then new and largely untested digital frontier. She didn’t know that she was doing it at the time – all she knew was that she had cancer, and rather than cry in silence, she decided that ifContinue reading “Cancer Can’t Kill What She Did for Modern Media”

Newspapers: Making the Case for Free

(Originally posted at http://www.edelmandigital.com) The future of newspapers may well be in Colorado, once home to the late “gonzo journalism” provocateur Hunter S. Thomson and today home to no less that 12 free dailies. All of these papers are very local, and perhaps more importantly, successful. This trend is even more interesting in light ofContinue reading “Newspapers: Making the Case for Free”

A Social Media Sanity Check: Six Ways to Slow Down

I’ve had to take things a little slower lately, which for me means going from working about 70 hours a week to only 60 hours. Nevertheless, there’s great value in slow. Going slower makes you think faster. Slowing down can make you more productive. Slow works but doesn’t get enough credit. My colleague Steve RubelContinue reading “A Social Media Sanity Check: Six Ways to Slow Down”

A Social Media Prayer

Our user profiles, who art online, hallowed be our names. Thy check-ins done, thy badges won, on Earth as they are on FourSquare. Give us this day our Facebook updates. And forgive us our overuse of emoticons and exclamation points, as we forgive those who tag us in old high school photos. And lead usContinue reading “A Social Media Prayer”

The Real Story behind “The Last Newspaper”

 You don’t get to age 43 without experiencing some loss, usually the loss of hair and the ability to maintain that body you once knew in high school. It’s a familiar theme, even necessary. Hell, without loss there would never have been a Disney animated film. A few days ago, someone asked what my newContinue reading “The Real Story behind “The Last Newspaper””

PR Industry: Fall Back, or Spring Forward

My relationship with PRSA – the Public Relations Society of America – goes back to 1994 when I first got into the business. As a journalist, I belonged to the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and was even president of the University of Missouri chapter, so I was no stranger to trade organizations. Both groupsContinue reading “PR Industry: Fall Back, or Spring Forward”