Tech Blog – Jim Iovino March 10, 2011
Posted by acusumano in : Assignments , add a commentToday in class, we got to hear from NBC Washington’s Jim Iovino, who discussed the changing face of journalism and gave tips on how writers can best appeal to audiences.
As a film student, one thing that I found especially interesting (especially in light of Jon Denunzio’s visit last week in which he actually said quite the opposite) was Iovino’s comment that an ability to shoot and edit video is practically a must-have for anyone interested in entering news these days. (In fairness to Denunzio, he didn’t disregard video entirely; he just said that it was totally irrelevant in his area, which I felt was a bit shortsighted, although he was a great guest overall.)
Some of the tips Iovino had for journalists:
- It’s crucial to be the one to break a story. Fill in the details later; the environment is too competitive nowadays to sit on a story.
- Find a unique angle to present every story. If readers appreciate your tone and voice, they’re more likely to return.
- Journalism always starts with the question…no matter what form (print, television, online), the basics of compelling storytelling are always what drives journalism.
- Sometimes raw footage can be an effective tool to hook the audience.
- Mobile is the way of the future and sites must adapt to keep their stature.
- That said, it’s impossible to predict too far in advance, because two years ago, few people saw Twitter as an effective tool for journalists.
Perhaps the highlight of the afternoon was Iovino showing colleague Pat Collins‘ recent exposure on the “moment of zen” segment on “The Daily Show.” Collins is quite the character; another segment centered around his baffled interview with a woman who traveled three miles each way in the snow to secure a sandwich from the Giant deli. (In her defense, their deli is pretty good…but not six miles in heavy snow good.)
PS: Plastics. Um, I mean, video.
