Aggregator Michael Wolff Fights for Neswer.com

“I’m trying to put newspapers out of business!”  Beginning to end, Michael Wolff does not hesitate on his intentions for the future of journalism and news production.  Aggregation is the name of his game, and he is playing tough guy with Newser.com.  Wolff’s forceful belief that aggregation is not stealing of content seems to be a major controversy in the journalism world.  Companies like TechDirt.com have discussed this issue and have written multiple articles on aggregators, and possibly bloggers, being ‘parasites newspapers’.

Wolffs confirms that, “what we do is bring it all together.” There are many other Web sites that are invaluable and resourceful when it comes to aggregation.  Many of the more visited sites are the Huffington Post, Google News, Drudge Report and The Political Simpleton, just to name a few.  The previous site are all very successful, and in my opinion, extremely useful and informative.

Wolff suggests that the future of journalism is in aggregation, but then who will write all of the articles?  Wolff believes that lengthy articles will phase out and his two paragraph storyboard, with just the most important information, will be the only news necessary.  My sentiments are that there will always be a need for long form journalist.  The possibility of only reading two paragraphs for ‘ALL’ you need to know is not realistic.  Normally, the first two paragraphs contain the hard hitting information, but there’s always more to the story to explain. 

On the other hand, Wolff makes a point in that, “we are all going in the direction to be an individual entrepreneur at some point in time.”  This time I fully agree with his statement.  I do believe that journalist will have to be jacks of all trades. Journalists will need to know how to research, write, report, shoot, edit and present.  Beyond the list previously stated, journalists will have to know how to run their own businesses.  In a growing world of niches, niche journalism will be a must and an understated necessity in their careers. 

So farewell Rupert Murdoch and his aging form of journalism.  Murdoch’s daughter, Elisabeth Murdoch, agrees that the end of TV is also soon to come.  Michael Wolff will be the first person to wish Rupert goodbye, with a boot to his behind and a, “Rupert, Rupert, I love you!”

Lincoln Park and Lakeview Robbery Map

Robberies in the year 2009 were at an astonishing high in the Lincoln Park and Lakeview vicinities. The unfortunate incidents were relatively similar. Therefore, the police were able to link the robberies to each other. Some of the robberies did not fit the exact mold and were deemed inconclusive to the same robbery string. This map should help with the path of connection between the possibly connected. At the same time, the map will show other crimes of similar offense. No arrests have been made as of December 27, 2009.

Many robberies appear to be close to child friendly areas like the Lincoln Park Zoo, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and school. If you are living in these areas, please make sure not to walk alone at night. Also, young males in their 20′s, make sure you walk in groups places to avoid the threat of becoming a desirable target.

If you have any information on these robberies, please contact the Chicago Police Department at (312) 746-8396.

View map of Lincoln Park and Lakeview Robberies

Creative Magazine Style Storytelling on FLYPmedia.com

POW! FLYPmedia.com had my focus from the time I click the mouse to the Web site and throughout the duration of my website surfing.  According to the “10 Laws of Interactive Storytelling,” the front page MUST be promising, and FLYP definitely caught my attention.  From the bland grey background illuminated by colorful story boxes in the forefront, to the sliding storyboard, FLYP found a function to keep viewers interested. 

Media companies, such as FLYP, include interactive tools to keep viewers connected.  Blog rolls of different arenas line the left side of this cool page and allow viewers to interact with topics of interest.  Some of the blog rolls that are included on the Web site are about the economy, international affairs, notes from Washington, a Think Tank by Steve Coll, and many more.  By discussing topics of interests, users are expected to come back to the sites and keep the conversation going.

One of the most grabbing details of FLYPmedia.com is the storyboard and the Flash Player used to tell stories.  This Web sites’ motto, “More Than A Magazine,” truly shows where Web site storytelling can go in the future.  The intricate, colorful, and 3D feeling Flash stories are such that you feel as if you’re a part of the story.  Interactive storytelling rules say that leveraging your digital assets will set your Web site apart from the next; FLYPmedia.com has definitely set itself above and beyond the average website.

When you check out the stories, really look at ‘Portraits of a Working Marriage.’  The architecture of the Web site is mind blowing.  I wanted more when I finished watching the story.  This story felt almost like a movie because of the way their creativity told the story. This is an elaborate presentation that has staying power. 

FLYPmedia.com proves that Mike’s “10 Laws of Interactive Storytelling,” are vital and pivotal in a Web sites staying power.  Anyone who comes to the FLYPmedia.com will take with them an experience like none other.

Search Engine Optimization Necessity

It is evident in this day and age that journalism is a tool of the masses.  Everybody wants to be a reporter of hard hitting, political, and even entertainment news sourcing.  The big question is who is truly a reliable journalist?  What are the credentials that people entrust in their journalists of choice?  Are bachelor and master degrees a necessity to report THE NEWS?

According to Mashable.com, fundamental journalistic skills are respected, but don’t seem to be the social norm anymore.   Brown-Smith said that “it will be a marriage between core values and new media skills.”  Mashable, the Social Media Guide, provided the article “8 Must-Have Traits of Tomorrows Journalist.” 

The 8 Must-Have Traits of Tomorrows Journalist:

1. Entrepreneurial and Business Savvy
2. Programmer
3. Open-Minded Experimenter
4. Multimedia Storyteller
5. The Social Journalist and Community Builder
6. Blogger and Curator
7. Multi-skilled
8. Fundamental Journalism Skills

Focusing on number 2, there is a key necessities missing.  The information given about the benefits of a journalist being a programmer are such programs as HTML, CSS, PHP, Java Script, ActionScript3, and Python skills.  In my times learning about the necessities of understanding programming, this list is missing a major process, SEO.

SEO, Search Engine Optimization, is vital in page view traffic on a website.  SEO allows search engines to recognize the most searchable words in titles and subtitles.   Company consultants use this process to increase page views, which increases advertisement placement and therefore increases revenue for websites.  SEO is eminent in page views and site content structuring and works coherently with programs such as those listed previously like HTML and CSS.  When the SEO process is used correctly, the accuracy in which results are shown is vast.  Online search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, and AOL are few among many search engines that rank websites using SEO. 

It would be wise is Mashable informed their online student body of this process.  Maybe they will end up being the next top programmer/journalists.