Building mobile and social media journalism into journalism classes. Presentation at 2016 annual conference of the Association of Education in Journalism & Mass Communications.

1. Anthony Adornato
@AnthonyAdornato
AEJMC 2016
Building Mojo in
the Classroom

2. The Why
Audience is mobile and social
Social media is key driver of website traffic
AND audience is likely viewing on a mobile
device
Audience-first: User experience
Mobile devices streamline the reporting
process and optimize content

5. “It’s important to remember the
iPhone is just a tool. It helps you
gather and transmit the information
faster. It doesn’t replace at all the old
school journalism, the ethics, the
context. There’s not an app for that.”
-Neal Augenstein, WTOP-FM

6. Come Up with a Plan
Newsrooms are multi-platform hubs of
content
Story pitches must include a plan for using
mobile and social for newsgathering,
sharing of information, and audience
engagement

7. Main Assignments
Multimedia web stories
>500 word story
>Photo gallery
>1-1:30 video
Social media checklist for each story
Building social media brand

8. Mojo Gear
iPad Mini
External charger
Mini-tripod (JOBY GripTight GorillaPod)
Stick and lav mics
iRig Pre mic adaptor and XLR cable
Headphones (not earbuds!)
Bluetooth keyboard
Optional: lights, lenses, rigs, grips

9. Mojo Checklist
All gear in your go-bag?
Enough storage?
Devices and accessories charged?
Portable charger?
Batteries?
Have you tested the mic?
Will you have network connection? If not,
what’s your back-up plan?
Recharge and repack when you return.

10. There’s an App for That
Video
Audio
Photo
Social Graphics

11. The Lifesavers

12. Mobile-Friendly Layout
Short and shareable
headlines
Front-load with key points
Bite-sized, “snackable”
chunks
>Headings, bullet points,
lists
>Visual clues for scanning

13. Text in Videos
Mobile users often don’t have volume turned
up
Adds context and gives a reason to listen

14. Don’t Dismiss Vertical Video
Depends on the
platform
Vertical video
optimizes content
for viewing on
mobile and social
“What we’re trying to
do is make sure that
we’re producing video
that works specifically
for each platform.”
-Mica Gelman, The
Washington Post

15. Social Graphics
Stand out in sea of
“noise”
Include more info than
platforms allow
Adobe Spark Post and
Canva

16. Find an Industry Partner
Nightly News, Instagram, Snapchat, website

18. Challenges
Grading
Students’ devices lack enough storage
Audio is often overlooked
Too much movement in shots
Not posting consistently throughout
reporting process

19. Slides
bitly.com/BuildingMojo
Course Website
MobileandSocialMediaJournalism.com