Managing an Online Newsroom NESPA –– May 2014 Jason Wallestad
Managing the Online Newsroom
May 12, 2015
At a lunch presentation at the New England Scholastic Press Association, Jason Wallestad shared tips for "Managing an online newsroom."
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Managing an Online Newsroom
NESPA –– May 2014 !
Jason Wallestad
The high school newsroom has been built around a print paradigm
●Number of stories
●Length of stories
●Timeline – Assignments, Writing Process, Deadlines
To see what the online newsroom should be, let’s look at the capabilities of the medium.
●You can publish one story at a time.
●There’s no limit to the number you can publish.
●There’s no length limit on stories.
●Stories will be more likely to be read if they’re timely and relevant.
●You can publish video, audio, & unlimited photos
The online revolution in high school media should fundamentally change your journalism classroom
●Your audience is redefined.
●Your timeline is redefined.
●Your definition of content is redefined
If we let the needs of an online newsroom drive our teaching, what we get is…
CHAOS
Managing the chaos – the big picture
Tip 1: Acceptance. Embrace the chaos.
Managing the chaos – the big picture
Tip 2: Empower student leaders. De-emphasize your role as teacher.
Managing the chaos – the big picture
Tip 3: Create a culture of urgency.
Managing the chaos – the big picture
Tip 4: Motivate beyond the grade.
Managing the chaos – the big picture
Tip 5: Create a culture of communication and collaboration.
Managing the chaos – the big picture
Tip 6: Set and uphold standards.
Managing the chaos – the big picture
Tip 7: Make sure that students are always thinking in terms of their audience.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 1: Have an online EIC.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 2: Hold daily staff leadership meetings.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 3: Hold daily staff meetings.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 4: Pull together small group meetings regularly. Make students physically move.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 5: Review analytics daily. Don’t let your audience be an abstraction.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 6: Have a virtual space for tracking assignments.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 7: Have a virtual space for communication outside of class.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 8: Use Google Docs
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 9: Set quotas for both writers and editors
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 10: Set up stations/desks for individual editors
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 11: Set deadlines realistically
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 12: Check in with as many students as you can every day.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 13: Get your EIC to make rounds.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 14: Don’t be stressed out by downtime.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 15: Make all students involved in a story sit together.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 16: Publish stories when they’re ready. Don’t schedule them.
Managing the chaos – practical tips
Tip 17: Have a plan for publishing breaking news quickly.
Managing the chaos – build systems
Story Assignment Process Editing Process Publishing Process Grading
Related Documents
