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June 19 2013
What’s a CTO actually do? (and a job advert)
It can be hard to tell what somebody else’s job actually is. If you’ve never done it, you don’t know what really matters.
Job adverts with bulleted lists of skills give some indication, yet somehow don’t get to the heart of it. The language really matters, writing it clearly, describing tasks in a concrete way. Avoiding lapsing into language that others won’t understand.
For ScraperWiki right now, we’ve had a go at describing what our new CTO would do, written unusually as if by somebody who was doing the job.
It doesn’t mention that we’re using a lot of CoffeeScript, or that containerisation is strategically important to us. It doesn’t describe anything else about the company, we assume you can find that elsewhere.
Hopefully it does convey what a good Chief Technology Officer would do for the core infrastructure of a platform-based company.
May 28 2013
Job: Product Marketing Manager
Our new platform and associated data science services are going well, so we’re hiring an ambitious marketeer to help us communicate better what we’re doing.
Full job advert and how to apply here
It’s our first full time marketing role, so since we’re a start up it needs to be someone quite versatile. It’s also a great opportunity – the world of marketing is swinging in a data direction, and ScraperWiki is all about data.
Who do you know who should be doing this?
May 09 2013
UnionDocs Collaborative Studio Calls for Applicants
The UnionDocs Collaborative Studio (CoLAB) is now accepting applications for a 10-month program for a select group of media artists from the U.S. and abroad. Based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, CoLAB offers a platform for exploring contemporary approaches to the documentary arts and a process for developing an innovative collaborative project.
Program Description
The program consists of weekly production meetings, seminars, screenings and other public programs, along with regular masterclasses and critiques with visiting artists. Key benefits include:
- Dynamic interaction among a network of talented peers
- Direct exchange with visiting artists and industry experts
- A structured environment for research and experimentation
- Mentoring on the production of original work and regular group critique
- Exhibition opportunities for the year’s collaborative project
Learn more at UnionDocs.
Deadline
June 15. Apply online.
About CoLAB
CoLAB is a new and alternative fellowship model, offering residency and visa support for six participants coming from abroad and an equal number of spots for local, non-resident participants. It is designed to be affordable and, although participants are asked to make the CoLAB their primary creative focus, the schedule does accommodate full-time or freelance work. Rather than applying with a project proposal or rough cut, all participants are selected on the basis of previous work and enter the program at square one, open to discovery and fresh connections.
The CoLAB has presented original work at premiere venues such as MoMA’s Documentary Fortnight, TEDxBrooklyn, BAMcinemafest, the Harvard Film Archive, the Visible Evidence Conference, Camden International Film Festival, Hot Docs, and Direktorenhaus, Berlin, among other venues. Learn more at UnionDocs.
April 02 2013
Share Our Strength Hiring Impact Communications Manager/Producer
Share Our Strength is hiring a new Senior Manager and Producer of Impact Communications/Storytelling.
Job Description
TITLE: Senior Manager and Producer, Impact Communications
DEPARTMENT: Communications Department
REPORTS TO: Online Community Director
ORGANIZATION: Share Our Strength
DATE: January 2013
Position Summary
No child should grow up hungry in America but one in five children struggles with hunger. Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign is ending childhood hunger in this nation by connecting kids in need with nutritious food and teaching families how to cook healthy, affordable meals. The Manager and Producer, Impact Communications will collect, produce, and distribute relatable and effective content (written, photography and video) that demonstrates the No Kid Hungry campaign’s national and local importance and impact. This position will oversee content assets that bring the No Kid Hungry campaign to life in order to engage our stakeholders and audiences across the Share Our Strength network. Primary assets include but are not limited to No Kid Hungry impact messaging, statistics, ancedotes, short films/videos, and images. The Senior Manager and Producer will oversee an Associate, Content and Storytelling.
Duties and Responsibilities
CULTIVATE THE STORY OF NO KID HUNGRY
- Plan and execute impact content collection, production, and distribution, working with a cross-section of internal stakeholders
- Identify new content opportunities and ways to repackage existing content
- Manage and develop collection strategies including but not limited to interviews, research studies, focus groups, and online surveys
- Produce and manage impact messaging that can be used throughout the year in a variety of mediums, including the website, in printed materials, in presentations and by partners
- Oversee the creation and distribution of impact and storytelling content to the No Kid Hungry network. This includes identifying leads, developing stories, compiling all relevant content, and distributing a user-friendly form to the staff
- Serve as the lead producer on all video and photo projects across the organization
- Recruit and manage content vendors: film crews, editors, photographers, freelance writers, etc. as needed, effectively managing the budget for these projects
ENABLE OTHERS TO TELL STORIES, COLLECT CONTENT, AND USE CONTENT
- Develop “voices” from the Share Our Strength network – individuals who can reliably be counted on to provide content about the No Kid Hungry campaign’s importance and effectiveness. Identify potential media spokespeople
- Field and respond to content requests and needs from a variety of departments and individuals
- Train staff on how to collect, create, and effectively use content
- Provide support to colleagues on the Digital Communications team regarding email strategy, website content, the blog, online distribution, and social media content
MANAGE OUR STORYTELLING ASSETS
- Maintain an internal content management system and regularly share impact updates
- Enforce brand standards and content guidelines with assets, vendors and other departments in conjunction with the Design team
- Manage the content budget and editorial schedule, as well as media rights and releases
STAFF MANAGEMENT
- Oversee the Content Development and Storytelling Associate
Contacts
Maintains and develops extensive contact with Share Our Strength staff, network, and production vendors.
Location and Travel
This position is based in Washington, DC at the Share Our Strength headquarters office. Up to 20% of working time is allocated for travel.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree. Major in a related field is a plus
- At least 5-7 years of experience in journalism, communications, digital media.
- Expertise in the areas of marketing, media, storytelling, branding, and production. A strong understanding of journalism and production industry standards and experience managing the film production process
- A high level of organization and project management experience
- Strong leadership skills with problem solving abilities
- A proactive and clear communicator
- Strong writing skills with the ability to make complex information relatable to a variety of audiences. Creative writing skills and script experience are a plus
- Ability to shoot and edit videos and proficiency in Final Cut Pro is a plus, as are photography skills
- Existing relationships with photographers, filmmakers, and social influencers is a plus
- Must be able to relate to a wide spectrum of individuals, from corporate CEOs to low-income beneficiaries of our programs
- Passionate about the power of storytelling to inspire others to join the No Kid Hungry campaign
Content Samples
Please submit a minimum of two writing samples and (if possible) two media samples (infographics, short films, photography, etc.) Please do not submit more than 8 content samples. We recommend submitting various types of content if possible.
Learn more and apply at www.nokidhungry.org.
April 24 2012
Jacob Burns Film Center Hiring Website/Online Services Manager
The Jacob Burns Film Center is hiring a Website/Online Services Manager. Full details and application information below.
Website/Online Services Manager
We seek a full-time Website/Online Services Manager to maintain and oversee the development of the burnsfilmcenter.org website and provide oversight of its integration with other JBFC online services: weekly e-bulletins, proprietary films database, online ticketing system, Raiser’s Edge CRM, YouTube channel, school information management system. This person will join an 11 person team in Marketing and Membership, promoting and supporting the activities of the Film Center and its educational programs.
Qualifications:
- A minimum of two years’ experience in a similar position
- Strong communication skills – verbal, written, and copy editing
- Experience working with and managing projects and outside vendors
- Previous experience with web user interface design, information architecture
- Strong HTML skills and experience administering content management systems (Drupal, WordPress)
Primary responsibilities:
- Act as a managing editor for the website – responsible for ensuring that its content is clear, consistent, adheres to JBFC Style Sheet as well as other web style conventions, and that the site is easily navigable.
- Oversee the daily maintenance of the website
- Manage outside developers in the implementation of additional functionality, software upgrades.
- Manage CMS user roles and permissions levels
- Provide ongoing training of CMS users.
- Manage vendor contracts for site search, domain registrations, email service provider (Constant Contact), etc.
- Assure consistent tagging and branding of JBFC videos posted on YouTube, Vimeo.
- Track and report regularly on website analytics including trends in visitor sources, demographics, usage patterns, browsers used, etc.
- Engage with managers of similar sites and services, especially those in the nonprofit community.
- Stay on top of new technology and services, including, but not limited to web apps, and optimizing sites for various platforms.
- Work with all departments as needed to help them maintain and upgrade their web presence
The ideal candidate will have strong information management skills and a passion for keeping ahead of trends in technology. A Masters in Information and Library Science is a plus.
Start date: May 1, 2012
Salary Range: $36-40,000 annually. Benefits as outlined in JBFC Employee Handbook.
Please send resume, cover letter, and references via email only to jobs@burnsfilmcenter.org with “Website/Online Services Manager 12” in the subject line of your email. No phone calls please.
The Jacob Burns Film Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer who encourages people of any race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age and ability to apply.
JOB: Senior Digital Editor CurrentTV SF or NY
Current.com is seeking a Senior Editor to help bring our editorial offering to the next level of engagement on multiple platforms. The editor will work with the Managing Editor to develop and maintain Current’s voice and tone online, on mobile and tablet devices and on social platforms. The successful candidate will help innovate new and [...]
April 23 2012
CNN Hiring Video Producer (Los Angelos)
CNN is looking for a Digital Content Producer / Editor to join their Original Video team.
Qualifications: Four year college degree with course work/major emphasis on communications, TV/Web production, journalism or new media or mass media studies. Must have expert experience working with Canon DSLR video equipment. Minimum of 2 years video producing/editing experience at a major online publication/network or major market level TV facility or production facility including field production experience. Video shooting experience also mandatory. Must have solid news judgment and pkg writing or story writing experience. Expert experience working on Final Cut Pro. Strong working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and understanding of Adobe After Effects. Overall knowledge of digital production tools including FTP, conversion tools, and an understanding of multiple video formats/codecs. Individual must be a multi-tasking, multi-skilled producer/editor/shooter with extremely strong creative and visual storytelling skills. Must not be afraid to take risks. Must be a self-starter with strong project management skills and the ability to work independently with limited supervision. Must be able to balance multiple tasks and communicate effectively with outside resources as well as various internal personnel. Must be highly detail oriented with the ability to understand complex technical processes with the ability to adapt to new technologies. Must be able to accept guidance and constructive criticism during the editorial/technical production process. Must be open to travel with the ability to work a flexible work schedule Travel will be intermittent and will be based on news cycle and editorial requirements. Person must be able to lift, carry, and transport and operate technical production gear on a regular basis. A video production reel of the candidate’s work will be required. Vimeo link preferred.
Duties: The Digital Content producer/editor creates unique video content for CNN.Com’s various sections and various digital platforms with an emphasis on distinctive digital storytelling. Must have the ability to execute all aspects of digital video production including: conceptualization of story concepts and ideas, field production, video shooting and editing, writing and publishing. They will also be primarily responsible for the look, feel, and tone of the overall content. This includes shot composition, graphics and effects creation as well as working with music as called for within pieces. The producer will work closely on projects with other producers, writers, reporters, associate producers, editors, and graphic artists. The candidate must be able to plan and organize field shoots and act as field producer on various projects. Some travel both locally and long distance to execute all aspects of news production is required. Responsible for following new production techniques, tools, and trends and for mentoring and potentially training some of the junior production staff members and non-video personnel.
To apply: Please send resume, letter of application and digital portfolio to Nancy Donaldson, Senior Producer for Original Video: nancy.donaldson@turner.com
April 13 2012
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Hiring Interactive Media Producer
The Digital Media department at The Metropolitan Museum of Art is seeking a talented Interactive Media Producer to lead the design and production of complex media projects. This includes mobile technology, interactives, and educational multimedia to support the Museum’s collection, exhibitions and related activities, both online and in-gallery. Special consideration will be given to candidates who have created projects that involve interactive storytelling, or cultural/museum-related matters. This position offers candidates opportunities to work with projects of unparalleled content, excellence, innovation, and visibility with an award-winning team.
Primary Responsibilities
Define the Solution:
- Guide clients through the discovery phase of a project.
- Gather relevant client input, summarizing findings, developing creative briefs and producing strategic recommendations.
- Provide hands-on creation of sitemaps, wireframes, user experience diagrams, and other planning documents.
Be Creative:
- Produce creative guidelines that inspire the Digital Media’s talented interactive team.
- Produce the most creative design and user interactions for optimal experience.
Get Technical:
- Evaluate and recommend technical implementation approaches with our front-end and back-end development teams.
Serve our Clients:
- Guide our clients through the various phases of a project.
- Keep clients up to speed on important milestones and decision points.
- Manage expectations through clear and constant communication.
- Provide innovative solutions to their needs.
Manage the Process:
- Scope interactive work, develop a project plan and lead creative and technical teams through each phase of development.
- Build internal relationships and offer process improvements that produce the most creative and innovative work possible.
Desired Skills & Experience
Experience and Skills
Interested candidates must have at least 2 years’ experience working with creative teams, developing interactive projects, and must possess the following characteristics:
- Strong familiarity with interactive and mobile technology
- Experience creating project documentation, including statements of work, project plans, etc.
- Proficiency with project management, user experience design, and media production applications (e.g. Basecamp, Omnigraffle, Adobe Creative Suite)
- Experience with content and digital asset management systems
- Excellent written and oral communication skills when interacting with internal creative and technical teams as well as with stakeholders
Knowledge and Education
- BA or BS required; advanced degree with a concentration in digital media, digital communications, visual or moving image arts, desired
See the full job description to apply.
October 06 2011
What Would Apple Do?
Here is a snippet from What Would Google Do?
about Apple as the grand exception to every rule I put forth there:
How does Apple do it? How does it get away with operating this way even as every other company and industry is forced to redefine itself? It’s just that good. Its vision is that strong and its products even better. I left Apple once, in the 1990s, before Steve Jobs returned to the company, when I suffered through a string of bad laptops. But when I’d had it with Dell, I returned to Apple and now everyone in my family has a Mac (plus one new Dell); we have three iPhones; we have lots of iPods; I lobbied successfully to make Macs the standard in the journalism school where I teach. I’m a believer, a glassy-eyed cultist. But I didn’t write this book about Apple because I believe it is the grand exception. Frank Sinatra was allowed to violate every rule about phrasing because he was Sinatra. Apple can violate the rules of business in the next millennium because it is Apple (and more important, because Jobs is Jobs).
So then Apple is the ultimate unGoogle. Right?
Not so fast. When I put that notion to Rishad Tobaccowala, he disagreed and said that Apple and Google, at their cores, are quite alike.
“They have a very good idea of what people want,” he said. Jobs’ “taste engine” makes sure of that. Both companies create platforms that others can build upon—whether they are start-ups making iPod cases and iPhone apps or entertainment companies finding new strategies and networks for distribution in iTunes.
Apple, like Google, also knows how to attract, retain, and energize talent. “Apple people believe they are even better than Google people,” he said. “They’re cooler.”
Apple’s products, like Google’s, are designed simply, but Tobaccowala said Apple does Google one better: “They define beauty as sex,” he said.
Apple understands the power of networks. Its successful products are all about connecting. Apple, like Google, keeps its focus unrelentingly on the user, the customer—us—and not on itself and its industry. And I’ll add that, of course, both companies make the best products. They are fanatical about quality.
But Tobaccowala said that what makes these two companies most alike is that—like any great brand—they answer one strong desire: “People want to be like God.” Google search grants omniscience and Google Earth, with its heavenly perch, gives us God’s worldview. Apple packages the world inside objects of Zen beauty. Both, Tobaccowala said, “give me Godlike power.” WWGD? indeed.
August 02 2011
Internship Opportunities Available at Talking Eyes Media/Ed Kashi Photography
Research Internship
Talking Eyes Media and Ed Kashi Photography are seeking a candidate to fill an internship research position. Talking Eyes Media is an award winning non-profit organization that produces documentary films, multi-media, books, and exhibitions on pressing social issues. Ed Kashi is an award winning freelance photojournalist and documentary photographer whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Time Magazine, Newsweek, Fortune, Forbes, The New York Times Magazine, Geo, and MSNBC.com.
The candidate must be an excellent researcher with great writing and communication skills who has the ability to work independently. The internship requires great organizational skills, a positive attitude, and the ability to multi-task and work in a team environment. Position includes online research and telephone outreach. Internship responsibilities may also include writing blog posts. Efficiency, punctuality and a willingness to learn are critical. Knowledge of Final Cut Pro and/or Photoshop are a bonus. Intern must be proficient with Macs and Microsoft Word.
This is a great opportunity for someone interested in journalism, social advocacy, filmmaking, photography, and multimedia. You will be exposed to the process of developing and producing documentary film and photography projects with a great team of creative people. The position is for three days a week for a minimum of three months, with a small stipend available. We can also help attain college credit if needed.
We are based in Montclair, NJ, and you must be able to work in our office. We’re located a block away from a NJ Transit station (35 minutes by train from New York Penn Station).
To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, letter of recommendation and relevant clips and/or tear sheet via e-mail to elissa@talkingeyesmedia.org. Please put RESEARCH INTERNSHIP in the subject line. Please, no calls.
Production Internship
Talking Eyes Media is an award winning non-profit organization that produces documentary films, multi-media, books, and exhibitions on pressing social issues. We are currently seeking a Production Intern to assist us in all aspects of production. This is a great opportunity for someone interested in journalism, social advocacy, filmmaking, photography and multimedia. You will be exposed to the process of developing and producing documentary film projects with a great team of creative people. Duties of the intern will include (but not be limited to):
- Capturing and Logging footage
- Transcribing
- Stringing out sequences in Final Cut Pro
- Researching music and archival footage
The internship requires excellent communication and organizational skills, a positive attitude, collaborative spirit, and the ability to multi-task. Efficiency, punctuality and a willingness to learn are critical. Intern must be proficient with Macs, and have experience with Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, and Word.
We’re looking for a three-day per week commitment for a minimum of three months, with a daily stipend available. We can also help attain college credit if needed. We are based in Montclair, NJ, and you must be able to work in our office. We’re located a block away from a NJ Transit station (35 minutes by train from New York Penn Station).
To apply, please send cover letter, resume, and relevant clips via e-mail to elissa@talkingeyesmedia.org. Please put PRODUCTION INTERNSHIP in the subject line. Please, no calls.
July 08 2011
Job Opening: Multimedia Producer at MSNBC.com
MSNBC.com is seeking an experienced Multimedia Producer / Picture Editor in the NYC area. We are looking for a picture editor who can edit under limited supervision using the highest journalistic, ethical, and esthetic standards. The ability to multi-task and work under tight deadlines while within budget is a must. The ideal candidate will work with the newsroom to formulate coverage and collaborate with internal teams, parent companies and content providers. Proven news judgment, high ethical standards, writing and interpersonal skills are necessary. A successful candidate will have broad knowledge and curiosity about news of all kinds and show a keen eye for spotting interesting and newsworthy visual content as well as generating story ideas. An understanding of industry tools and techniques, an innovative spirit, a passion for digital and social media, and the ability to solve problems in a fast-paced environment are highly desirable. Must be organized and able to manage daily and long-term projects simultaneously. The ideal candidate will be flexible with their time as this position will include some night and weekend shifts. Experience with audio and/or video editing is a plus.
A BA degree in Photojournalism, Multimedia Journalism or other disciplines that emphasize visual storytelling and multimedia production and/or editing is required. Strong candidates with equivalent experience or education will be considered. A minimum of two years’ experience producing or editing visual content for print or online news is essential.
June 27 2011
Branding: Should journalists build a personal brand?
If you’re teaching journalism today, you must be aware of the discussion that surrounds branding.
If you’re a young journalist, or someone planning to enter the field of journalism, you need to understand what personal branding means.
On June 23, Washington Post columnist Gene Weingarten wrote about this, and in summary, he said it’s a bunch of hooey. However, being an intelligent person, he also makes a very good point:
When I was a hungry young reporter … [my goals were]: 1) Get great stories that improve the world. 2) Get famous. 3) Get doe-eyed young women to lean in close and whisper, “Take me.”
Note the order. First came the work.
Now, the first goal seems to be self-promotion — the fame part, the “brand.” That’s because we know that, in this frenetic fight for eyeballs at all costs, the attribute that is most rewarded is screeching ubiquity, not talent.
It’s very important that new or would-be journalists take Weingarten’s point to heart. There won’t be anything to be branded unless you have some substance to market, and that means much more than a talent for writing glibly. Lots of people have such a talent. Many of them spend their lives writing for an audience of one.
“The work” is just that — work — and as part of the work, you have to get off Facebook and go outside and speak to real live people. You have to read, widely and voraciously. You have to be curious about those who live in skins other than your own. You have to learn what makes a good story and how to tell a good story well.
Journalism educator Owen Youngman put it this way:
[E]ffective personal branding turns out to be less about self-promotion and social networks than it is about accuracy, fairness and credibility. Whether the subject is a blogger in Portland, or a newspaper reporter in Kankakee, or a TV anchor in Florida, it turns out that the work creates the brand, and the brand then helps people find more of the work.
If you don’t like the word brand, you can substitute reputation. The reason we talk about this more today than anyone did back in the 1970s when Weingarten was starting his journalism career is that the pace and reach of journalism have changed quite a bit since then. Today someone who’s looking for a stringer to cover events in a hot zone might well turn to Google — and will that employer be able to find you?
Veteran journalist Steve Buttry responded to Weingarten’s column with this:
[B]randing starts with quality and hard work. But lots of outstanding journalists who did the hard work are losing their jobs. They are losing their jobs mostly because their industry has failed to develop new business models and new revenue streams in a period of disruption. But some of those journalists are losing their jobs or struggling to find new ones, in part, because they failed to show their value to their employers and their communities. Personal branding is about showing your value. It starts with quality and hard work, but if you don’t show the value, you can become undervalued. (Emphasis mine.)
That is the lesson new and would-be journalists need to learn so that they can make it in today’s media ecosystem.
Branding isn’t hooey — but it’s also not a shortcut to fame and admiration.
Related post: Journalists must build a personal brand: 10 tips
If you’re teaching journalism today, you must be aware of the discussion that surrounds branding.
If you’re a young journalist, or someone planning to enter the field of journalism, you need to understand what personal branding means.
On June 23, Washington Post columnist Gene Weingarten wrote about this, and in summary, he said it’s a bunch of hooey. However, being an intelligent person, he also makes a very good point:
When I was a hungry young reporter … [my goals were]: 1) Get great stories that improve the world. 2) Get famous. 3) Get doe-eyed young women to lean in close and whisper, “Take me.”
Note the order. First came the work.
Now, the first goal seems to be self-promotion — the fame part, the “brand.” That’s because we know that, in this frenetic fight for eyeballs at all costs, the attribute that is most rewarded is screeching ubiquity, not talent.
It’s very important that new or would-be journalists take Weingarten’s point to heart. There won’t be anything to be branded unless you have some substance to market, and that means much more than a talent for writing glibly. Lots of people have such a talent. Many of them spend their lives writing for an audience of one.
“The work” is just that — work — and as part of the work, you have to get off Facebook and go outside and speak to real live people. You have to read, widely and voraciously. You have to be curious about those who live in skins other than your own. You have to learn what makes a good story and how to tell a good story well.
Journalism educator Owen Youngman put it this way:
[E]ffective personal branding turns out to be less about self-promotion and social networks than it is about accuracy, fairness and credibility. Whether the subject is a blogger in Portland, or a newspaper reporter in Kankakee, or a TV anchor in Florida, it turns out that the work creates the brand, and the brand then helps people find more of the work.
If you don’t like the word brand, you can substitute reputation. The reason we talk about this more today than anyone did back in the 1970s when Weingarten was starting his journalism career is that the pace and reach of journalism have changed quite a bit since then. Today someone who’s looking for a stringer to cover events in a hot zone might well turn to Google — and will that employer be able to find you?
Veteran journalist Steve Buttry responded to Weingarten’s column with this:
[B]randing starts with quality and hard work. But lots of outstanding journalists who did the hard work are losing their jobs. They are losing their jobs mostly because their industry has failed to develop new business models and new revenue streams in a period of disruption. But some of those journalists are losing their jobs or struggling to find new ones, in part, because they failed to show their value to their employers and their communities. Personal branding is about showing your value. It starts with quality and hard work, but if you don’t show the value, you can become undervalued. (Emphasis mine.)
That is the lesson new and would-be journalists need to learn so that they can make it in today’s media ecosystem.
Branding isn’t hooey — but it’s also not a shortcut to fame and admiration.
Related post: Journalists must build a personal brand: 10 tips
Branding: Should journalists build a personal brand?
If you’re teaching journalism today, you must be aware of the discussion that surrounds branding.
If you’re a young journalist, or someone planning to enter the field of journalism, you need to understand what personal branding means.
On June 23, Washington Post columnist Gene Weingarten wrote about this, and in summary, he said it’s a bunch of hooey. However, being an intelligent person, he also makes a very good point:
When I was a hungry young reporter … [my goals were]: 1) Get great stories that improve the world. 2) Get famous. 3) Get doe-eyed young women to lean in close and whisper, “Take me.”
Note the order. First came the work.
Now, the first goal seems to be self-promotion — the fame part, the “brand.” That’s because we know that, in this frenetic fight for eyeballs at all costs, the attribute that is most rewarded is screeching ubiquity, not talent.
It’s very important that new or would-be journalists take Weingarten’s point to heart. There won’t be anything to be branded unless you have some substance to market, and that means much more than a talent for writing glibly. Lots of people have such a talent. Many of them spend their lives writing for an audience of one.
“The work” is just that — work — and as part of the work, you have to get off Facebook and go outside and speak to real live people. You have to read, widely and voraciously. You have to be curious about those who live in skins other than your own. You have to learn what makes a good story and how to tell a good story well.
Journalism educator Owen Youngman put it this way:
[E]ffective personal branding turns out to be less about self-promotion and social networks than it is about accuracy, fairness and credibility. Whether the subject is a blogger in Portland, or a newspaper reporter in Kankakee, or a TV anchor in Florida, it turns out that the work creates the brand, and the brand then helps people find more of the work.
If you don’t like the word brand, you can substitute reputation. The reason we talk about this more today than anyone did back in the 1970s when Weingarten was starting his journalism career is that the pace and reach of journalism have changed quite a bit since then. Today someone who’s looking for a stringer to cover events in a hot zone might well turn to Google — and will that employer be able to find you?
Veteran journalist Steve Buttry responded to Weingarten’s column with this:
[B]randing starts with quality and hard work. But lots of outstanding journalists who did the hard work are losing their jobs. They are losing their jobs mostly because their industry has failed to develop new business models and new revenue streams in a period of disruption. But some of those journalists are losing their jobs or struggling to find new ones, in part, because they failed to show their value to their employers and their communities. Personal branding is about showing your value. It starts with quality and hard work, but if you don’t show the value, you can become undervalued. (Emphasis mine.)
That is the lesson new and would-be journalists need to learn so that they can make it in today’s media ecosystem.
Branding isn’t hooey — but it’s also not a shortcut to fame and admiration.
Related post: Journalists must build a personal brand: 10 tips
If you’re teaching journalism today, you must be aware of the discussion that surrounds branding.
If you’re a young journalist, or someone planning to enter the field of journalism, you need to understand what personal branding means.
On June 23, Washington Post columnist Gene Weingarten wrote about this, and in summary, he said it’s a bunch of hooey. However, being an intelligent person, he also makes a very good point:
When I was a hungry young reporter … [my goals were]: 1) Get great stories that improve the world. 2) Get famous. 3) Get doe-eyed young women to lean in close and whisper, “Take me.”
Note the order. First came the work.
Now, the first goal seems to be self-promotion — the fame part, the “brand.” That’s because we know that, in this frenetic fight for eyeballs at all costs, the attribute that is most rewarded is screeching ubiquity, not talent.
It’s very important that new or would-be journalists take Weingarten’s point to heart. There won’t be anything to be branded unless you have some substance to market, and that means much more than a talent for writing glibly. Lots of people have such a talent. Many of them spend their lives writing for an audience of one.
“The work” is just that — work — and as part of the work, you have to get off Facebook and go outside and speak to real live people. You have to read, widely and voraciously. You have to be curious about those who live in skins other than your own. You have to learn what makes a good story and how to tell a good story well.
Journalism educator Owen Youngman put it this way:
[E]ffective personal branding turns out to be less about self-promotion and social networks than it is about accuracy, fairness and credibility. Whether the subject is a blogger in Portland, or a newspaper reporter in Kankakee, or a TV anchor in Florida, it turns out that the work creates the brand, and the brand then helps people find more of the work.
If you don’t like the word brand, you can substitute reputation. The reason we talk about this more today than anyone did back in the 1970s when Weingarten was starting his journalism career is that the pace and reach of journalism have changed quite a bit since then. Today someone who’s looking for a stringer to cover events in a hot zone might well turn to Google — and will that employer be able to find you?
Veteran journalist Steve Buttry responded to Weingarten’s column with this:
[B]randing starts with quality and hard work. But lots of outstanding journalists who did the hard work are losing their jobs. They are losing their jobs mostly because their industry has failed to develop new business models and new revenue streams in a period of disruption. But some of those journalists are losing their jobs or struggling to find new ones, in part, because they failed to show their value to their employers and their communities. Personal branding is about showing your value. It starts with quality and hard work, but if you don’t show the value, you can become undervalued. (Emphasis mine.)
That is the lesson new and would-be journalists need to learn so that they can make it in today’s media ecosystem.
Branding isn’t hooey — but it’s also not a shortcut to fame and admiration.
Related post: Journalists must build a personal brand: 10 tips
May 19 2011
AFP seeking freelance VJ for Buenos Aires
This job listing comes from Michelle Hoffman of AFP.
AFPTV is seeking a freelance VJ for frequent reporting on both news and features, mostly in Buenos Aires but with travel around Argentina and possibly elsewhere in South America.
The job requires a roughly 80-percent time commitment to AFP. It involves reporting on news and producing sophisticated, voiced feature stories. When necessary, the freelancer may also be asked to contribute to broader cross-border video packages overseen by the regional editor.
The freelance VJ will be integrated into the Buenos Aires’s editorial team, and play an active part in shaping the bureau’s output. Often she or he will work in concert with colleagues in text and photo, as AFP privileges a “multimedia” production whenever possible. He or she will report to the regional video editor, and work under the responsibility of the bureau chief and news editor.
The position requires perfect English or French — since videos will be produced, scripted and voiced in either one or the other of those languages — as well as excellent Spanish. A working knowledge of AFPTV operations is also helpful, as is fluency with Final Cut Pro, Sony HD cameras, FTP software and other video tools.
Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to produce, film, edit, script and voice compelling news and features stories, and to handle tight deadlines professionally.
Please send expressions of interest to
francis.kohn@afp.com;
michelle.hoffman@afp.com; and
indalecio.alvarez@afp.com
Hello there! It takes time and energy to produce News Videographer. If you can, there are simple ways to support this site. If you're already purchasing through B&H Photo Video or Amazon.com, access the sites via these links to give me a small percentage.
May 12 2011
May 10 2011
West Virginia University is seeking a Multimedia Producer
West Virginia University is seeking a Multimedia Producer. This team of (mostly) former newspaper people is doing some cool stuff and telling compelling stories. This is a great position for a newspaper videojournalist/photojournalist looking for something new. The job is posted here: http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=1252333 Check out our latest project: http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/features/cdt
April 14 2011
We’re Hiring! Global Community Builder (CEE)
We’re currently looking for a veteran community builder with experience growing and managing community-driven projects in central and eastern Europe and around the world.
Here’s a quick summary of the role:
The CDI Global Community Builder will inform and implement the design and ongoing management of all CDI programmatic activities across the region, including grant-supported projects. Specifically, the Community builder is focused on growing participation and connections across TechSoup’s web properties and partner sites via implementing a social media strategy, supporting offline events in the region, facilitating workshops and/or trainings, and managing the launch and development of web-based challenges in the region.
Our dream candidate is naturally curious, inspired by the potential of the social web, and has already demonstrated their ability to bring diverse groups of people together to get things done. Bonus points for previous involvement in the NetSquared or nptech community.
Does this sound like you or someone you trust? Check out the full details including application instructions!
Note: Our team is distributed, but we’re particularly interested in candidates in Poland or elsewhere in central or eastern Europe.
March 28 2011
Job Opening: Internship at International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund has an opening for a multimedia/videographer intern:
Job Description:
The International Monetary Fund’s internship is for Videographer/Final Cut Pro with some experience shooting HDSLR. The duties will include shooting with Sony EX-3 cameras, Canon 5D Mark II cameras, editing using Final Cut Pro 7. Duties also to include brainstorming with clients, help with scripting and storyboarding, lighting, working in a broadcast studio, still photography and exporting various formats to publication/broadcast.
The internship is flexible on start times and usually extend for 3 months but can be extended to 6 months. You will be compensated. Language skills are a plus.
Application:
Please send links of work to:
Stephen Jaffe
Imaging Unit, Team Leader
International Monetary Fund
sjaffe@imf.org
(202)623-5945
March 25 2011
OpenCorporates partners with ScraperWiki & offers bounties for open data scrapers
This is a guest post by Chris Taggart, co-founder of OpenCorporates
When we started OpenCorporates it was to solve a real need that we and a number of other people in the open data community had: whether it’s Government spending, subsidy info or court cases, we needed a database of corporate entities to match against, and not just for one country either.
But we knew from the first that we didn’t want this to be some heavily funded monolithic project that threw money at the project in order to create a walled garden of new URIs unrelated to existing identifiers. It’s also why we wanted to work with existing projects like OpenKvK, rather than trying to replace them.
So the question was, how do we make this scale, and at the same time do the right thing – that is work with a variety of different people using different solutions and different programming languages. The answer to both, it turns out, was to use open data, and the excellent ScraperWiki.
How does it work? Well, the basics we need in order to create a company record at OpenCorporates is the company number, the jurisdiction and the company’s name. (If there’s a status field — e.g. dissolved/active — company type or url for more data, that’s a bonus). So, all you need to do is write a scraper for a country we haven’t got data for, name the fields in a standard way (CompanyName, CompanyNumber, Status, EntityType, RegistryUrl, if the url of the company page can’t be worked out from the company number), and bingo, we can pull it into OpenCorporates, with just a couple of lines of code.
Let’s have a look at one we did earlier: the Isle of Man (there’s also one for Gibraltar, Ireland, and in the US, the District of Columbia). It’s written in Ruby, because that’s what we at OpenCorporates code in, but ScraperWiki allows you to write scrapers in Python or php too, and the important thing here is the data, not the language used to produce it.
The Isle of Man company registry website is a .Net system which uses all sorts of hidden fields and other nonsense in the forms and navigation. This is a normally bit of a pain, but because you can use the Ruby Mechanize library to submit forms found on the pages (there’s even a tutorial scraper which shows how to do it), it becomes fairly straightforward.
The code itself should be fairly readable to anyone familiar with Ruby or Python, but essentially it tackles the problem by doing multiple searches for companies beginning with two letters, starting with ‘aa’ then ‘ab’ and so on, and for each letter pair iterating through each page of results in turn, which in turn is scraped to extract the data, using the standardised headings to save them in. That’s it.
In the space of a couple of hours not only have we liberated the data, but both the code and the data are there for anyone else to use too, as well as being imported in OpenCorporates.
However, that’s not all. In order to kickstart the effort OpenCorporates (technically Chrinon Ltd, the micro start-up that’s behind OpenCorporates) is offering a bounty for new jurisdictions opened up.
It’s not huge (we’re a micro-startup remember): £100 for any jurisdiction that hasn’t been done yet, £250 for those territories we want to import sooner rather than later (Australia, France, Spain), and £500 for Delaware (there’s a captcha there, so not sure it’s even possible), and there’s an initial cap of £2500 on the bounty pot (details at the bottom of this post).
However, often the scrapers can be written in a couple of hours, and it’s worth stressing again that neither the code nor the data will belong to OpenCorporates, but to the open data community, and if people build other things on it, so much the better. Of course we think it would make sense for them to use the OpenCorporates URIs to make it easy to exchange data in a consistent and predictable way, but, hey, it’s open data ;-)
Small, simple pieces, loosely connected, to build something rather cool. So now you can do a search for, oh say Barclays, and get this:
The bounty details: how it works
Find a country/company registry that you fancy opening up the data for (here are a couple of lists of registries). Make sure it’s from the official registry, and not a commercial reseller. Check too that no-one has already written one, or is in the middle of writing one, by checking the scrapers tagged with opencorporates (be nice, and respect other people’s attempts, but feel free to start one if it looks as if someone’s given up on a scraper).
All clear? Go ahead and start a new scraper (useful tutorials here). Call it something like trial_fr_company_numbers (until it’s done and been OK’d) and get coding, using the headings detailed above for the CompanyNumber, CompanyName etc. When it’s done, and it’s churning away pulling in data, email us info@opencorporates.com, and assuming it’s OK, we’ll pay you by Paypal, or by bank transfer (you’ll need to give us an invoice in that case). If it’s not we’ll add comments to the scraper. Any questions, email us at info@opencorporates.com, and happy scraping.
March 15 2011
Dream Job Alert: CDI is hiring a Community Architect.
This job is an opportunity to translate your ideas and best practices for increasing civic participation and engagement into programs that currently reach more than 100,000 organizations in over 35 countries around the globe. The ideal candidate is a creative web veteran who brings a range of inter-disciplinary skills to developing, launching and managing community-driven activities at NetSquared.org and other CDI initiatives.
If you’re committed to harnessing the potential of the web to strengthen communities around the world,
focused on providing end-users with great experiences, and thrive in fast-moving entrepreneurial environments, we want to hear from you.
Find the full job description here. Interested candidates, please send billyb AT billybicket.com a compelling story (with links!) that illustrates how your work has created value for end-users, local communities and the organizations you’ve served.
Location: Telecommuting accommodations could be made for an employee who does not reside near TechSoup Global’s headquarters in San Francisco, but this employee would need to be available during the regular working hours of that office (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT) and, on occasion, other TSG offices located in different time zones.
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