Writing & Editing for Digital Media Week 6: Page design & making the story work Workshop: Student publications

What does a good webpage need? Home page/landing pages Navigation Branding Search function Useful links (useful to whom?) Appropriate rich content Footer (copyright, "About us" etc) Archives What else?

Home page/landing pages

Navigation

Branding

Search function

Useful links (useful to whom?)

Appropriate rich content

Footer (copyright, "About us" etc)

Archives

What else?

Taking advantage of Web 2.0 Web 2.0 is about how we use the internet to communicate. It's about users, creators and participation. Watch this video. Seriously, watch it: The Machine is Us/ing Us http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g by Prof Michael Wesch, Kansas State Uni http://mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/

Web 2.0 is about how we use the internet to communicate. It's about users, creators and participation.

Watch this video. Seriously, watch it:

The Machine is Us/ing Us http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g

by Prof Michael Wesch, Kansas State Uni http://mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/

Web 2.0 = conversation print = one way conversation web 1.0 = online but still one way conversation web 2.0 = millions of conversations Jay Rosen from NYU talks about participatory media and "the people formerly known as the audience" don't talk to "the audience" - get involved in lots of different conversations with individuals.

print = one way conversation

web 1.0 = online but still one way conversation

web 2.0 = millions of conversations

Jay Rosen from NYU talks about participatory media and "the people formerly known as the audience"

don't talk to "the audience" - get involved in lots of different conversations with individuals.

What does your website say? Do you encourage readers to get involved? Do you let people contact you online (via email, web contact form, etc) Do you give people a reason to come back to your site? ie news updates does it look like the site content changes regularly?

Do you encourage readers to get involved?

Do you let people contact you online (via email, web contact form, etc)

Do you give people a reason to come back to your site?

ie news updates

does it look like the site content changes regularly?

What should a student publication do online? Do you let people know how to find: Your print edition Your editorial office on campus Who's on the editorial team Where to send in a comment or news tip? Where else your paper has an online presence (link to Facebook group, Twitter account, etc) Look at different student newspaper websites and see if they encourage readers to contact you or get involved.

Do you let people know how to find:

Your print edition

Your editorial office on campus

Who's on the editorial team

Where to send in a comment or news tip?

Where else your paper has an online presence (link to Facebook group, Twitter account, etc)

Look at different student newspaper websites and see if they encourage readers to contact you or get involved.

What does Farrago do online? Many Australian student newspapers have a bare webpage without helpful information What questions would a reader have who came to your site? Does your site answer these questions? How can I contribute a story or news tip? How can I find you on campus? How can I contact you online (ie email, contact form, comment on website)?

Many Australian student newspapers have a bare webpage without helpful information

What questions would a reader have who came to your site? Does your site answer these questions?

How can I contribute a story or news tip?

How can I find you on campus?

How can I contact you online (ie email, contact form, comment on website)?

Lack of control of the website (usually hosted by the student union) Poor/difficult to use Uni website infrastructure Lack of support for going online - funding/training/tools Uni concern about publishing online opening up website to comments, user generated content, etc - legal concerns, defamation etc concern that website needs to uphold University's image (website as corporate marketing tool) What other challenges? Challenges

Lack of control of the website (usually hosted by the student union)

Poor/difficult to use Uni website infrastructure

Lack of support for going online - funding/training/tools

Uni concern about publishing online

opening up website to comments, user generated content, etc - legal concerns, defamation etc

concern that website needs to uphold University's image (website as corporate marketing tool)

What other challenges?

Yes, that's a lot of challenges

Here, have a puppy.

Options for student publications Depending on the web infrastructure and tools available to you, you may want to focus on: Making your print publication more online friendly making your current website more online friendly exploring online options beyond your uni website

Depending on the web infrastructure and tools available to you, you may want to focus on:

Making your print publication more online friendly

making your current website more online friendly

exploring online options beyond your uni website

Make your print publication more online friendly publish & promote contact details including email addresses in the print version Ensure that the relevent people have access to that email to read and respond Maybe one generic email for news tips - which will be seen by or circulated to the whole news team. Have a visible presence on online communities where your readers are (ie Facebook, MySpace, Twitter). A place to share your news stories (here's a taste of what's in the mag this month) and for readers to send you feedback and news leads.

publish & promote contact details including email addresses in the print version

Ensure that the relevent people have access to that email to read and respond

Maybe one generic email for news tips - which will be seen by or circulated to the whole news team.

Have a visible presence on online communities where your readers are (ie Facebook, MySpace, Twitter). A place to share your news stories (here's a taste of what's in the mag this month) and for readers to send you feedback and news leads.

What's a short term solution to get us online? University websites move as slowly as glaciers. Establish online communities outside the university to be able to do things quickly and to keep control yourself Ning is a very easy way to set up an online community - it can be private (for your editorial team) or public (for all students of your uni) http://www.ning.com A Facebook group or page is another option - and lots of students are already on there.

University websites move as slowly as glaciers.

Establish online communities outside the university to be able to do things quickly and to keep control yourself

Ning is a very easy way to set up an online community - it can be private (for your editorial team) or public (for all students of your uni)

http://www.ning.com

A Facebook group or page is another option - and lots of students are already on there.

External hosting warning... Beware: Terms of service, copyright and censorship. Do you want to control your own media and copyright? Some companies claim copyright on media (photos! vidoes!) uploaded to their site (ie Facebook) - read the terms of service! Some companies make it difficult to get your data *back* from their site if you want to leave (proprietary file formats, difficult migration process). Can you back up your data and take it with you?

Beware: Terms of service, copyright and censorship. Do you want to control your own media and copyright?

Some companies claim copyright on media (photos! vidoes!) uploaded to their site (ie Facebook) - read the terms of service!

Some companies make it difficult to get your data *back* from their site if you want to leave (proprietary file formats, difficult migration process). Can you back up your data and take it with you?

Companies like YouTube (owned by Google) who host the data can decide to censor it ie if someone claims it is offensive. Try googling "YouTube censorship" or "LiveJournal breastfeeding" These companies doesn't need to announce when they remove material or why If you publish politically sensitive material, you may want to consider hosting it yourself where you can control it.

Companies like YouTube (owned by Google) who host the data can decide to censor it ie if someone claims it is offensive. Try googling "YouTube censorship" or "LiveJournal breastfeeding"

These companies doesn't need to announce when they remove material or why

If you publish politically sensitive material, you may want to consider hosting it yourself where you can control it.

Legal risks I AM NOT A LAWYER! We will look at legal issues in Week 10 Educate yourself on the laws around copyright, defamation & privacy - since you may be storing & publishing reader's personal information (a la Facebook) You need to be aware of the legal considerations the uni faces if moving to online student publishing If you are able to demonstrate knowledge about these issues, you have a better chance of the Uni supporting your move online.

I AM NOT A LAWYER!

We will look at legal issues in Week 10

Educate yourself on the laws around copyright, defamation & privacy - since you may be storing & publishing reader's personal information (a la Facebook)

You need to be aware of the legal considerations the uni faces if moving to online student publishing

If you are able to demonstrate knowledge about these issues, you have a better chance of the Uni supporting your move online.

What can you do now? Talk to the editors of Farrago about how you can get involved. Talk to its publishers (the University and Student Union) about how students can get involved in university web publishing & online news Continue in print and web or migrate to web only? A long term decision which won't happen overnight, and involves you, the Student Union and the University. Not to mention your readers, the students. What else do you want to do online? What do students want?

Talk to the editors of Farrago about how you can get involved.

Talk to its publishers (the University and Student Union) about how students can get involved in university web publishing & online news

Continue in print and web or migrate to web only? A long term decision which won't happen overnight, and involves you, the Student Union and the University. Not to mention your readers, the students.

What else do you want to do online? What do students want?

Extend your involvement on campus Contact and work with student/community radio stations (TV/internet broadcasting?) Work with teachers and students in the Media & Comms school as well as Publishing & Comms Think about other departments that may have skilled people wanting to get involved - IT, visual arts, graphic design, TV & film production courses Clubs and societies who may have skills to offer or a large potential reader base or source of stories (ie overseas students association)

Contact and work with student/community radio stations (TV/internet broadcasting?)

Work with teachers and students in the Media & Comms school as well as Publishing & Comms

Think about other departments that may have skilled people wanting to get involved - IT, visual arts, graphic design, TV & film production courses

Clubs and societies who may have skills to offer or a large potential reader base or source of stories (ie overseas students association)

Unofficial "offcampus" websites PROS: Bypass the University and Union and publish something independent. You control the website and can update it as often as you want CONS: You can expect problems if you use the uni name or the name of your publication. An unofficial website might be hard for students to find, and you probably can't link to it from your "official" website

PROS:

Bypass the University and Union and publish something independent.

You control the website and can update it as often as you want

CONS:

You can expect problems if you use the uni name or the name of your publication.

An unofficial website might be hard for students to find, and you probably can't link to it from your "official" website

If you start a separate blog... GA separate blog or website loses the "Google juice" of your main website. How can students find you? Link to the blog in the main navigation bar of your publication website if possible Put a teaser for the blog (including links to recent posts) on your publication's main web page - you can do this automatically with a widget Mention relevant blog posts in your print publication ie at the end of a story, mention that the author blogs also and give the URL of the blog

GA separate blog or website loses the "Google juice" of your main website. How can students find you?

Link to the blog in the main navigation bar of your publication website if possible

Put a teaser for the blog (including links to recent posts) on your publication's main web page - you can do this automatically with a widget

Mention relevant blog posts in your print publication

ie at the end of a story, mention that the author blogs also and give the URL of the blog

Be good at Web 2.0 Don't just blast out your content and ideas. That's as annoying as advertising. Converse & respond. Don't just use your website - comment on Facebook, other blogs & websites. Link to interesting stuff created by other people, that your readers might like. The web is multimedia - use photos, video, audio. Use a tool to manage updates across multiple sites at once (ie Twitter, Facebook etc) - eg Ping http://ping.fm/

Don't just blast out your content and ideas. That's as annoying as advertising. Converse & respond.

Don't just use your website - comment on Facebook, other blogs & websites.

Link to interesting stuff created by other people, that your readers might like.

The web is multimedia - use photos, video, audio.

Use a tool to manage updates across multiple sites at once (ie Twitter, Facebook etc) - eg Ping http://ping.fm/

New tools available "off campus" Video - YouTube has limits on how long your video can be for pre-recorded video For live video streaming, check out Ustream http://www.ustream.tv/ You just need a video camera You can show your Ustream on your website Or people can watch your Ustream site on your own "channel" or page on the Ustream website

Video - YouTube

has limits on how long your video can be

for pre-recorded video

For live video streaming, check out Ustream

http://www.ustream.tv/

You just need a video camera

You can show your Ustream on your website

Or people can watch your Ustream site on your own "channel" or page on the Ustream website

Blog software is powerful Blogging software is publishing software - so it can be used to do a whole website if you want, not just a standalone blog For example, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ publishes a very busy news website using WordPress Crikey publishes a whole network of blogs using WordPress: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/ Or you can publish one individual blog: http://www.foxforcefive.com/ Open Source blog software like WordPress or Drupal is free and supported by a community of developers

Blogging software is publishing software - so it can be used to do a whole website if you want, not just a standalone blog

For example, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ publishes a very busy news website using WordPress

Crikey publishes a whole network of blogs using WordPress: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/

Or you can publish one individual blog: http://www.foxforcefive.com/

Open Source blog software like WordPress or Drupal is free and supported by a community of developers

Blogs Blogs - a free hosted blog means it's on someone else's website (ie if you start a blog on WordPress.com, Blogger, etc) If you host it yourself: it's on your own website you need to register a domain name and an account with a web host, then upload blogging software. One easy hosting option is Dreamhost, because they can set up your blogging software for you - check out Dreamhost Apps to see how it works http://dreamhostapps.com/

Blogs - a free hosted blog means it's on someone else's website (ie if you start a blog on WordPress.com, Blogger, etc)

If you host it yourself:

it's on your own website

you need to register a domain name and an account with a web host, then upload blogging software.

One easy hosting option is Dreamhost, because they can set up your blogging software for you - check out Dreamhost Apps to see how it works

http://dreamhostapps.com/

One cool tool is Cover It Live - http://www.coveritlive.com/ Great for covering live events "as they happen" Check out the Demo on their website - it shows how you can get it up and running in two minutes You embed it on your website just like you'd embed a YouTube video Readers can ask questions and you can answer instantly Crikey used it to do their US Election night coverage Live Blogging

One cool tool is Cover It Live - http://www.coveritlive.com/

Great for covering live events "as they happen"

Check out the Demo on their website - it shows how you can get it up and running in two minutes

You embed it on your website just like you'd embed a YouTube video

Readers can ask questions and you can answer instantly

Crikey used it to do their US Election night coverage

Free Image &Video resources Sourcing free pictures, video and music is possible through Creative Commons Creative Commons helps writers, musicians and multimedia producers share and build on each other's work, legally. It's an alternative to traditional copyright. Barack Obama just made the White House website Creative Commons! http://www.whitehouse.gov/ Watch this video: Creative Commons - A Shared Culture http://creativecommons.org/videos/a-shared-culture

Sourcing free pictures, video and music is possible through Creative Commons

Creative Commons helps writers, musicians and multimedia producers share and build on each other's work, legally. It's an alternative to traditional copyright.

Barack Obama just made the White House website Creative Commons! http://www.whitehouse.gov/

Watch this video: Creative Commons - A Shared Culture http://creativecommons.org/videos/a-shared-culture

Find and share free, legal content Find out how to access content - and share it - using Creative Commons instead of traditional copyright Here are two sources of loads of sharable media: WikiMedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Flickr Commons: http://www.flickr.com/commons

Find out how to access content - and share it - using Creative Commons instead of traditional copyright

Here are two sources of loads of sharable media:

WikiMedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Flickr Commons: http://www.flickr.com/commons

Get on Facebook! students are already there a way to promote your magazine and get reader feedback and news tips Make sure videoes and blog posts autopost to your Facebook Page Have someone in charge of updating/responding to the page - roster it if needed to spread the load Keep it alive! Change the status update message a few times a week, or send out a message to your group/fans

students are already there

a way to promote your magazine and get reader feedback and news tips

Make sure videoes and blog posts autopost to your Facebook Page

Have someone in charge of updating/responding to the page - roster it if needed to spread the load

Keep it alive! Change the status update message a few times a week, or send out a message to your group/fans

Be useful on Facebook! Don't just use it as a way to advertise. Be useful and interesting Use it as a way to communicate with your readers and make them interested in you and your publication. How? Break news & give teasers from your print edition Publish video & photos It's not all about you. Link to other interesting content! Give readers fun and easy ways to get involved competitions submit photos/videos

Don't just use it as a way to advertise.

Be useful and interesting

Use it as a way to communicate with your readers and make them interested in you and your publication.

How?

Break news & give teasers from your print edition

Publish video & photos

It's not all about you. Link to other interesting content!

Give readers fun and easy ways to get involved

competitions

submit photos/videos

Facebook - Group or Page? Facebook Groups and Facebook pages can do different things. Check out which one suits what you want to do with your Facebook. For a blog post about the pros and cons of Facebook Groups versus Pages for student publications, see: The Student Leader Think Tank: http://www.theslblog.org/2008/12/facebook-page-o.html

Facebook Groups and Facebook pages can do different things.

Check out which one suits what you want to do with your Facebook.

For a blog post about the pros and cons of Facebook Groups versus Pages for student publications, see:

The Student Leader Think Tank:

http://www.theslblog.org/2008/12/facebook-page-o.html

Twitter? Ya rly. Twitter.com - it's a short message, microblogging platform 140 character limit You can post messages (tweets) and "follow" other people to read their tweets. You can update by web, SMS or Twitter tools like Twhirl or Tweet Deck If you are selective about your Twitter community, it's a powerful resource and you'll have experts at your fingertips.

Twitter.com - it's a short message, microblogging platform

140 character limit

You can post messages (tweets) and "follow" other people to read their tweets.

You can update by web, SMS or Twitter tools like Twhirl or Tweet Deck

If you are selective about your Twitter community, it's a powerful resource and you'll have experts at your fingertips.

Journalists use Twitter It's already being used by professional journalists, editors and publications News broken there included the Mumbai terrorist attacks You can break news and get news tips Promote new content you've put online Get feedback & let readers contribute to stories.

It's already being used by professional journalists, editors and publications

News broken there included the Mumbai terrorist attacks

You can break news and get news tips

Promote new content you've put online

Get feedback & let readers contribute to stories.

How can you use Twitter? Jay Rosen - teaches Journalism at NYU "It's a handbuilt tipster network. The people I follow bring essential things to my attention and keep me current." "Twitter keeps me in touch with people who are friends of my ideas. I know about their projects and current obsessions; they know about mine." check out his Twitter stream: @jayrosen_nyu

Jay Rosen - teaches Journalism at NYU

"It's a handbuilt tipster network. The people I follow bring essential things to my attention and keep me current."

"Twitter keeps me in touch with people who are friends of my ideas. I know about their projects and current obsessions; they know about mine."

check out his Twitter stream: @jayrosen_nyu

Join networks of student editors Contact other student publications & editors - share ideas, potentially share resources Join or set up online communities for student editors eg CoPress.org Start a local community for Australian editors using Ning, Facebook, Google Groups,Yahoo Groups, etc The NUS conference (week of 6-11 July 2009) will include 1 day devoted to student media. Contact them to find out more & get involved.

Contact other student publications & editors - share ideas, potentially share resources

Join or set up online communities for student editors eg CoPress.org

Start a local community for Australian editors using Ning, Facebook, Google Groups,Yahoo Groups, etc

The NUS conference (week of 6-11 July 2009) will include 1 day devoted to student media. Contact them to find out more & get involved.

Useful resources for online publishers Tools for Citizen Journalism - a wiki http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tools_for_citizen_journalism Handbook for Bloggers and Cyberdissidents by Reporters without Borders http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=542 includes advice on how to start a blog, get it picked up by search engines, ethical guidelines and recommendations for the best tool to use information on how to blog anonymously and technical ways to get around censorship

Tools for Citizen Journalism - a wiki

http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tools_for_citizen_journalism

Handbook for Bloggers and Cyberdissidents by Reporters without Borders

http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=542

includes advice on how to start a blog, get it picked up by search engines, ethical guidelines and recommendations for the best tool to use

information on how to blog anonymously and technical ways to get around censorship

Australian Resources The Writers Guide to making a digital living http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/writersguide Arts Law Centre of Australia Online - Legal issues for bloggers: http://www.artslaw.com.au/legalinformation/LegalIssuesForBloggers.asp

The Writers Guide to making a digital living http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/writersguide

Arts Law Centre of Australia Online - Legal issues for bloggers: http://www.artslaw.com.au/legalinformation/LegalIssuesForBloggers.asp

University news online The Melbourne Newsroom http://newsroom.melbourne.edu.au The Union http://union.unimelb.edu.au Farrago http://union.unimelb.edu.au/farrago

The Melbourne Newsroom

http://newsroom.melbourne.edu.au

The Union

http://union.unimelb.edu.au

Farrago

http://union.unimelb.edu.au/farrago

Is it any good? Pick one of the Unimelb sites and answer the following: Start at the uni home page and try to find the section you’re looking for (ie Uni news, Farrago, etc). How easy/difficult is it? Try using the search function to find it. Do they have consistent headers, footers and navigation areas? See if anything about the site annoys or confuses you, and work out what the site should be doing at that point. Turn off support for images or JavaScript in your browser, or use your mobile phone and compare the experience to using the same site on your computer.

Pick one of the Unimelb sites and answer the following:

Start at the uni home page and try to find the section you’re looking for (ie Uni news, Farrago, etc). How easy/difficult is it? Try using the search function to find it.

Do they have consistent headers, footers and navigation areas?

See if anything about the site annoys or confuses you, and work out what the site should be doing at that point.

Turn off support for images or JavaScript in your browser, or use your mobile phone and compare the experience to using the same site on your computer.

Workshop time! Your challenge is to suggest ways to better use the Uni’s websites to publish and publicise student writing and news online You should also suggest what kind of content you think Melbourne students want Use your analysis of one of the Unimelb sites as your starting point What navigation/layout changes would you suggest? What kind of internal/external links would be appropriate? Community/audience building: Where do students from Melbourne hang out online? How can you connect with them?

Your challenge is to suggest ways to better use the Uni’s websites to publish and publicise student writing and news online

You should also suggest what kind of content you think Melbourne students want

Use your analysis of one of the Unimelb sites as your starting point

What navigation/layout changes would you suggest?

What kind of internal/external links would be appropriate?

Community/audience building: Where do students from Melbourne hang out online? How can you connect with them?