Category: Journalism

Can You Believe Anything You Read?

I just finished reading Blur: How to Know What’s True in the Age of Information Overload  and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a topic that I’ve often pondered as I’ve watched the shift from traditional news coverage to the rapid expansion of information sources that allow literally anyone to have a “voice.” But how can we as consumers–or as journalists, which is a hat I often wear–separate fact from fiction from self-promotion.

The book offers some very in-depth insights and examples which I found fascinating–and helpful. In brief, the authors outline a process that involves asking the following questions: Continue reading “Can You Believe Anything You Read?”

Will Ebooks Replace Traditional? I Don’t Think So.

My husband bought me a Kindle when they were originally released several years ago now. As an avid reader and book lover it wasn’t a product I would have thought that I would want, use or like–but I was wrong. I’ve found the Kindle to have a multitude of benefits, most notably as a tool when traveling. My Kindle (and now my Android which has a Kindle app) cuts down significantly on luggage weight! I also like being able to get access to information immediately. When I hear of a book I’m interested in, I can simply buy and download it. No need to find, travel to or spend time at a bookstore.

On the other hand, I’ve also found over time that Continue reading “Will Ebooks Replace Traditional? I Don’t Think So.”

How Social Media is Changing Advertising and PR

In the “old days” there was advertising and there was PR. Advertising was communication that we created about ourselves and we paid for. PR was communication that we earned through creating relationships and clever pitches to the media gatekeepers who would then share information about us on our behalf. Social media represents a new communication option that has had, and will continue to have, a marked impact on both advertising and PR. Continue reading “How Social Media is Changing Advertising and PR”

Are Travel Agents Making a Comeback (and why you should care)?

The Internet has had a dramatic impact on many industries and businesses–creating opportunities for some and destroying them for others. Consider the changing nature of the publishing industry and the impact of being able to buy online for companies like Best Buy and many others. But business tends to be cyclical and it is often true that “what goes around comes around.” A recent article in the New York Times suggests that this may be the case for at least one industry — Continue reading “Are Travel Agents Making a Comeback (and why you should care)?”

Do You Care About Where What You Read Comes From?

I’m researching an article on the publishing industry and the impacts that self- and e-publishing have had on traditional publishing, how traditional publishers are responding, the implications for content consumers (us!), etc. It’s been a fascinating process and I’ve connected with a number of experts from every point along the continuum from traditional to e-publishing.

One of the key points that continues to be raised Continue reading “Do You Care About Where What You Read Comes From?”

Ghost Tweeting: Who are you really listening to? Do you care?

In many of the online forums I frequent debate rages over the practice of “ghost tweeting”–communicators who work either within a corporate environment or on a contract basis to maintain the accounts of their bosses or clients. It’s the type of activity that has been going on for years in the corporate and political world. As director of corporate communications in the energy and health care industries, I’ve frequently been the “voice” of CEOs, executives and other spokespeople. It’s common and accepted practice, at least among communicators and those they speak on behalf of… But, what about the “uninformed public” and often misinformed media, particularly “citizen journalists.” Do they know who they’re really listening to and who they may be quoting? Does it matter? Continue reading “Ghost Tweeting: Who are you really listening to? Do you care?”

Don’t Believe Everything You Read…Especially Online!

When I was a kid my dad frequently told me: “don’t believe everything you read.” This was most often in response to some nugget of information I chose to share which he didn’t believe. However frustrating this was to me as a child (and it was very frustrating!), I’m sure it played a large part in shaping what I consider my “healthy skepticism” about most things (and what others, I’m sure, generally find simply annoying). At any rate, this advice came to mind recently when I read a story about a San Francisco-based plastic surgeon who had made some egregious medical errors and yet Continue reading “Don’t Believe Everything You Read…Especially Online!”

“Real” Writers Hate Demand Media, Suite101, etc. – But Should They?

There is a common enemy in the world of freelance writers and it is Demand Media (and Suite101, and About.com, and Examiner and…) – the “content farms” that pay writers literally pennies (sometimes less), per word, and distrbute their content to the growing masses of online sites hungry for new content to fuel their Continue reading ““Real” Writers Hate Demand Media, Suite101, etc. – But Should They?”