alexlockwood.net

Should we still be teaching journalism…?

Paul Bradshaw at City has ‘produced’ (and that word is carefully chosen) another inspired blog post, pulling together the views of a number of journalists and academics to answer this question:

Should journalism degrees still prepare students for a news industry that doesn’t want them?

Go read it, it’s excellent. I’ve only a little to add, which I’ve posted there, but will reproduce here. Then I’m having a three day break from the blog. I’ve just read about a quarter of a million words, in journal articles, book chapters and blogs, for a book chapter I’m working on (on media and climate change), and my mind is frying!. So will be back next week. And here’s my comment on Paul’s blog: More »

Tags: industry, Journalism, news, teaching journalism

Local & Green 1: flicking the switch

Each day this week I’ll be posting on Local & Green: why environmental journalism is best at the local level, and can help grow a renewed local media industry. Today I’m looking at…

Flicking the Switch: which newspapers are making the leap to communal green media?
Inspired by last month’s Carnival of Journalism, I blogged about why local media should take the opportunity to connect with its community through environmental action and campaigns. I picked up on a number of examples that were delivering a positive “communal address” to help people take small actions in their lives: however, none of the examples were from local media groups. And it left me wondering why regional media were not using green to drive growth. More »

Tags: campaign, climate change, environmental journalism, Journalism, local & green, local media

The Sunday Times. Sorry, ‘my’ Sunday Times

Any reactions to the new Sunday Times design? Personally, I’m impressed.

It’s amazingly colourful for a broadsheet, and makes the paper feel more consumable, more easily. As editor John Witherow says, “It’s the first time in its 186-year history that the Sunday Times can use color in all sections and we plan to use it to banish grayness and to reinvigorate the newsprint sections.” More »

Tags: design, Journalism, Sunday Times

Why local and digital is better for the environment

A group of bloggers have organised a Carnival of Journalism, each month addressing different key issues in the profession. This month it’s hosted by Andy Dickinson, who set the question: Is (digital) journalism better the more local it is and what does that do to growth?

I’m not one of the official cavorters, but it got me thinking anyway about local (digital) media and environmental journalism. For me, the crossover of local/digital journalism and environmental sustainability could be a fantastic growth opportunity for regional media, as well as local citizen journalism groups and networks, with the result being increased environmental awareness and activity. More »

Tags: Andy Dickinson, Carnival of Journalism, climate change, digital, Journalism, local, local media