Val Hoeppner, director of education at the Diversity Institute, will lead Mid-America Press Institute’s next workshop on “Smartphone – Smart Journalism” May 22 at The Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, Ill.
Hoeppner, who oversees multimedia and mobile media instruction for the Freedom Forum New Media Training and other programs, will focus on helping reporters extend the capabilities of their smart phones through multimedia, editing, note-taking, location and live-streaming apps.
“In a mobile media world, it is important for journalists to be able to adapt to heir surroundings, report faster and quickly add multimedia,” she said. “During the workshop, we will explore some of the best apps on the market to help improve storytelling with photos, videos, audio and more.”
The six-hour workshop will center on the IPhone with options for Android phones, she said. Many of the apps she will discuss can be used on IPhone and Android.
Registration for the workshop is $40 and includes lunch. Registration can be made with John Ryan, MPI executive director, jmryan@eiu.edu.
In addition to her other duties with the Diversity Institute, Hoeppner also oversees multimedia instruction for the Chips Quinn Scholars program, gthe American Indian Journalism Institute, the Diversity Institute Multimedia Scholars Program and other academic initiatives.
Hoeppner also is an adjunct professor of journalism at Belmont University, Nashville. She is also an Associated Press Photo Managers board member and a member of the Native American Journalists Association.
Hoeppner came to the Freedom Forum from The Indianapolis Star where she was the multimedia director and previously the deputy director of photography. She spent 10 years as the photo editor and a staff photographer at the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Hoeppner has a bachelor’s degree from Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo.
• Nearly 60 percent of Americans will have a “smart phone”by Christmas 2012 – learn how consumers are using their phones to consume news.
• 119 million tablets will be sold world wide in 2012 – find out how iPad and Android tablet users are consuming news.
• Technology is changing rapidly – hear what’s next and how journalists can capitalize.
• Apple’s iPhone 5 and iPod Touch 5G are powerful tools for gathering, transmitting and publishing news – learn what apps journalists need to start their mobile toolkit.
• Mobile technology lets you report faster and add multimedia – walk through some of the best multimedia apps on the market and improve your storytelling with photos, video, audio blogs and more.
• Apps make the smart phone – learn what utility apps can help you be a better reporter.
• Getting your report online, in app or on the air quickly is what mobile is all about – learn what apps will help you publish faster.
Horvit to lead Watchdog Journalism seminar
Mark Horvit, executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc., will lead a one-day seminar on Watchdog 
Journalism April 25 at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 333 W. State St., Milwaukee.
Horvit, who also teaches investigative journalism as an associate professor at the University of Missouri, will lead sessions on “Web for Watchdogs,” Key Documents You Can’t Live Without,” “Open Records,” and “Quick-hit Watchdog Investigations.”
Before joining IRE, Horvit was projects editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He also has worked on projects teams at newspapers in Texas, North Carolina, Missouri and Florida.
Registration for the one-day workshop is just $40 and includes lunch. Registration can be made by emailing John Ryan, executive director of Mid-America Press Institute, at jmryan@eiu.edu or by calling 217.581.7939.
Mid-America Press Institute and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association are co-sponsoring the one-day workshop along with the IRE and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The workshop will begin with registration at 9 a.m. April 25 and conclude by 3 p.m.
Those needing to stay over can get the Journal Sentinel’s corporate rate at The Hyatt Milwaukee, 333 W, Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, Wis., 414.276.1234, by telling them you are part of the seminar at the Journal Sentinel.
Using the Web for investigative stories and getting tips on quick-hit investigative pieces will be the heart of a one-day Watchdog Journalism seminar April 25 at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Mark Horvit, executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors, will lead the seminar, which is being sponsored by the Mid-America Press Institute, the Wisconsin Newspaper Association and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The workshop will start with registration at 9 a.m. and conclude at 3 p.m. Sessions on open records and key documents for investigative pieces also will be included in the seminar.
Registration for the seminar is $40 and includes a box lunch. Registration can be made with John Ryan, MPI executive director, via email: jmryan@eiu.edu or by phone, 217.581.7939.
A tentative program is attached. Those interested can also fill out the registration information on the program and fax it to Ryan at 217.581.2923.
The Hyatt Milwaukee, 333 W, Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, Wis., 414.276.1234, is the seminar hotel, if someone would need to stay over. Let Ryan know to make sure you get the Journal Sentinel corporate rate.
The program:
Thursday, April 25
9 a.m. Registration: Coffee and newspapers will be provided.
10 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
10:15 a.m. Web for Watchdog:
From better search techniques for the invisible Web, how to find documents and databases on deadline and where to find reliable Web sites for reliable stories.
11:30 a.m. Break
11:45 a.m. Key Documents You Can’t Live Without:
Move beyond anecdotes and he-said, she-said journalism with data and documents. Advice on developing a documents state of mind, navigating public records, exploring key records on a variety of beats, and becoming familiar with key national data sets to produce high-impact local stories.
12:45 a.m. Break
1 p.m. Working Lunch and Open Records:
Advice on crafting records requests, tracking them and holding local officials feet to the FOIA fire. Includes strategies for dealing with excuses and obstacles from public officials who stand in your way of getting key documents and data.
2 p.m. Break
2:15 p.m. Quick-Hit Watchdog Investigations : Strategies, story ideas, resources and tips for watchdog stories on a variety of beats.
3 p.m. Adjourn
Consolidated production has risks, rewards
Bob Rose of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (left) listens as Ben Cunningham of Lee Enterprises and Doug Gass of Gatehouse Media talk about their design organizations. (Photo by Bryan Murley)
By Samantha McDaniel
Eastern Illinois University
Some newspapers are switching from in-house copy and design desks to centralized off-site centers whose main focus is to produce any number of papers.
Doug Gass, the content/delivery manager for GateHouse Media Design, and Ben Cunningham, the news design manager for Lee Enterprises, said these centers communicate with the papers they serve to provide a quality product.
Gass and Cunningham spoke at the Mid-America Press Institute leadership workshop about the good and bad about consolidated production centers.
Gass said GateHouse employees will read the stories and design the pages as best as they can to the what the newspaper wants, but will not always be able to comply exactly.
“The newsroom usually has an idea of how things should be played so we try to work with that,” Gass said.
He said if there is an issue and the design is not working or a headline does not fit, designers will communicate with a designated contact at the papers to get information they need.
At Lee Enterprises the focus is more on design than copy-editing, Cunningham said.
Like at GateHouse, the designers work with the paper’s staff when they have a problem with the design.
By focusing only on design, the papers can be designed faster and design quality increased, Cunningham said.
One problem with these consolidated centers is the distance from the town or even state where the paper is located.
Gass said because they are so far away, copy editors will not be as familiar with names and local events, so it is easier to miss errors.
He said they try to keep people on one or two papers consistently so they can become more familiar with these names.
“All states have their own ways of doing things,” Gass said. “If you are not sure what something means call the editor.”
Cunningham said another problem is consistency with page design.
If a new designer is working on the paper every day, there is more of a chance that the style of the paper will change.
At Lee Enterprises, Cunningham said they attempt to teach people about the designs of different papers.
“We have team leaders assigned to a certain product from the beginning,” he said. “When any designers are assigned to it, the team leader will try to give them training.”
He said they also document the process of designing for different papers the designers can access when they are unsure of something.
Gass said they have similar procedures. They archive newspapers that the designers can consult if they are unsure of a style.
A benefit of these off-site production centers is that they can still produce if there is an emergency at the newsroom.
If a newsroom losses power, the company can still access their files and produce the papers. Also, if one center has a problem, the work can be shifted to another center or, in some cases, it can be sent back to the newsroom for design.
Gass said the most important thing is to have communication with the papers.
“We have some newsrooms who are very in touch with everything we do and others that tell us to make them look good,” Gass said.
Facebook can build reader engagement
Lauren Siegert, online director for the Southern Illinoisan, discusses promoting content on Facebook during the MPI leadership workshop Saturday, Feb. 16 in St. Louis. Photo by Bryan Murley
Success of pay walls, growing social media traffic, making money off videos, integrating copy desks and creating niche products will be topics of sessions at the Feb. 16-17 MPI workshop at the Sheraton St. Louis City Center Hotel & Suites, 400 S. 14th St.
MPI’s annual board meeting also will take place during the two-day conference.
Registration for the conference is $50 for the first staff member and $40 for each additional staff member. Registration covers continental breakfast both days and lunch on Saturday, Feb. 16. MPI has a room rate of $115 for a single and double, $125 for a triple and $135 for quad occupancy. Reservations must be made by Jan. 25 at 314-231.5007.
Bob Rose of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sherry Skufca of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette and Mike Turley of Gatehouse Media are chairing the seminar. A detailed program will be sent out by the end of the week.
To register, contact MPI Executive Director John Ryan at jmryan@eiu.edu or call 217.581.7939.
Mid-America Press Institute and the Illinois Press Foundation will sponsor a one-day seminar on Law, Ethics and Social Media on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the Illinois Press Association headquarters, 900 Community Dr., in Springfield. Registration will be $25 and includes a box lunch. The seminar will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Margaret Holt and Ray Long of the Chicago Tribune will lead one-hour sessions on Ethics and Standards and Social Media, respectively.
Jordan Powell of the IPA and media law expert Don Craven will lead sessions on the latest twists and turns in the state’s Freedom of Information Act, open meetings law and other media law developments.
To register, email John Ryan, MPI executive director, at jmryan@eiu.edu.
Questions? Please contact John Ryan or Barry Locher. (blocher@illinoispress.org, 217-241-1300)
