The second powerpoint I looked at was Focused Fencing by Corinne. My first reaction: it looks amazing. I know looks aren't everything for a pitch, but when I read through it I could tell Corinne put a lot of effort into it. I also really liked how she explained the sport and why her magazine would benefit readers. I was very impressed that she came up with hard numbers; I thought it was impossible to do for my pitch.
I really can't give much criticism for Corinne's pitch. It sells the product well. If I had to give one bit of advice, it would be to shorten the sentences on the slides to bullet points. The sentences aren't long and complicated, but anything that's not a few words looks long and cumbersome on a powerpoint. The powerpoint itself should just highlight key facts; the speaker can do the explaining. But like I said, I really liked her pitch.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Powerpoint reactions part 1
Part of our homework assignment was to look at our classmates powerpoint pitches and comment on them. The first one I immediately thought of was Breanna's project: See the News.
Her Project revolves around photo journalism and how stories can be told purely through photos. I love the idea and her powerpoint. It's simple, but that's what's so great about it. When we were making them last week I looked to my classmates' power points for inspiration, and I Breanna's blog gave the me the inspiration I needed. I was overcomplicating everything, but her pitch made me realize that a powerpoint shouldn't be so intense. Her pitch gets to the point fast, and it tells us exactly what she's striving for. But I'd like to know why she thinks her idea would better journalism. I personally think it would; we don't have enough photo journalism out there, in my opinion. But what does she say?
Her Project revolves around photo journalism and how stories can be told purely through photos. I love the idea and her powerpoint. It's simple, but that's what's so great about it. When we were making them last week I looked to my classmates' power points for inspiration, and I Breanna's blog gave the me the inspiration I needed. I was overcomplicating everything, but her pitch made me realize that a powerpoint shouldn't be so intense. Her pitch gets to the point fast, and it tells us exactly what she's striving for. But I'd like to know why she thinks her idea would better journalism. I personally think it would; we don't have enough photo journalism out there, in my opinion. But what does she say?
What I learned from Meg Heckman
Last week Meg Heckman, I fantastic local journalist, came to speak to our class about what it's like in the journalism industry right now and how important it is to keep coming up with good ideas. Meg focuses on hyper local journalism, so all the entrepreneurial examples she gave were based on that. My favorite example she gave was Chicago Talks, a hyper local site that reports solely on the poorer areas of Chicago. City news seems so focused on the industrial district that the majority of the city is overlooked. I've never thought about it before Meg showed us the website, but it's such a fantastic idea. Imagine how many stories newspapers overlook because they are too focuses on "bigger" things.
If Meg taught us anything, it's that coming up with new ideas in the journalism industry is critical. It moves too fast for us sit still and watch. As my editor at my old internship told me on my last day of work, zig where others zag. If you see a good idea, think of something even better.
If Meg taught us anything, it's that coming up with new ideas in the journalism industry is critical. It moves too fast for us sit still and watch. As my editor at my old internship told me on my last day of work, zig where others zag. If you see a good idea, think of something even better.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Stateless Media: another unique news outlet
Ever since I've started this class I've been looking for news outlets that stand out from the crowd. Our first lecture was that entrepreneurs need to bring something new to the table, so now I'm curious as to what others have done.
I recently stumbled upon Stateless Media, a news outlet that brands itself with its "shortreals," short, journalistic films about popular news stories. The shortreals aren't 30 second clips that you'd find attached to an article; these are full video features that dive deep into a story and pull out facts.
What's great about Stateless Media's videos is that they can be humorous and journalistic at the same time. A video can dive into a controversial topic and pull out things that a newspaper or magazine would never use. The videos are longer than your standard feature, but they are entertaining and extremely well-made. I've always been a fan of video stories, and these are the best ones I've seen so far.
I recently stumbled upon Stateless Media, a news outlet that brands itself with its "shortreals," short, journalistic films about popular news stories. The shortreals aren't 30 second clips that you'd find attached to an article; these are full video features that dive deep into a story and pull out facts.
What's great about Stateless Media's videos is that they can be humorous and journalistic at the same time. A video can dive into a controversial topic and pull out things that a newspaper or magazine would never use. The videos are longer than your standard feature, but they are entertaining and extremely well-made. I've always been a fan of video stories, and these are the best ones I've seen so far.
Powerpoint presentation link
I still can't figure out the audio for my pitch or how to embed the powerpoint, but it still should be viewable on Google Drive. Here is the link, and let me know what you think:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18-bYsHBiLzmGFt_EBd_EUiekYhtzwYeBoQoKTiz0CJA/edit#slide=id.g12182b3f5_2_185
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18-bYsHBiLzmGFt_EBd_EUiekYhtzwYeBoQoKTiz0CJA/edit#slide=id.g12182b3f5_2_185
Response to Meg Heckman's article
Meg Heckman, a well-known journalist in the area, is coming to our class today to speak about her visit to Local Independent Online News Publishers Association summit, but she asked us to read an article she recently wrote for netnewscheck.com before class.
I'll let you read it, but it's a report on LION's first summit in Chicago. It was a gathering of 75 journalists who are dedicated to local and hyperlocal journalism. As Meg puts it, it was "a study in the paradox of local digital journalism."
The article reflected a very optimistic attitude at the summit, something that you don't hear too often when it comes to the future of journalism, but I really enjoyed how much support local journalism is getting through LION. I recently wrote about my local newspaper's publisher filing for bankruptcy, and how it was kind of an eye opener. The threat of papers going under is real, and this news only solidified that.
But after reading Meg's article, I am more hopeful than I was last week. It's cleat that people still care about local journalism, and even if the the publisher doesn't stay up, maybe The Westford Eagle will find a way to live.
Creating a business pitch
Last week's reading talked about how to pitch business ideas. In writing it seems easy enough; I even wrote a post last week saying how creating a pitch was a lot like pitching a news story. We were told to create a powerpoint pitch for our idea, and I thought it would be a piece of cake. But sitting down to actually create a powerpoint presentation for your business idea is a lot harder than it seems.
For starters, I don't have any real budgeting information or investors, so I can't include that in my pitch. It felt awkward to not have such crucial information in my pitch, but then again it's just for practice. Then the technology didn't work. We were supposed to put the powerpoint on the blog and attach audio to it, but nothing was cooperating. Goes to show that technological mishaps can happen even during the most important moments.
The most challenging part was actually coming up with the best way to sell my idea to investors. I needed to find a way to make it sound new, desirable, and professional, while giving real details and goals. It was the first time I actually sat down to think about my business in such detail, and while it was tough, it was exciting at the same time. It actually sounds like it could be a real business.
If I can figure out how to put it online, I'll post the powerpoint as soon as I can.
For starters, I don't have any real budgeting information or investors, so I can't include that in my pitch. It felt awkward to not have such crucial information in my pitch, but then again it's just for practice. Then the technology didn't work. We were supposed to put the powerpoint on the blog and attach audio to it, but nothing was cooperating. Goes to show that technological mishaps can happen even during the most important moments.
The most challenging part was actually coming up with the best way to sell my idea to investors. I needed to find a way to make it sound new, desirable, and professional, while giving real details and goals. It was the first time I actually sat down to think about my business in such detail, and while it was tough, it was exciting at the same time. It actually sounds like it could be a real business.
If I can figure out how to put it online, I'll post the powerpoint as soon as I can.
Monday, October 14, 2013
My home town newspaper is in trouble, and boy is it eye-opening
I found out the other day that GateHouse Media, the company that owns my home town newspaper The Westford Eagle filed for bankruptcy.
I couldn't believe it. The Westford Eagle has been a part of my home ever since we moved to Westford when I was five years old, and there's a chance I might not see it anymore. I'm kind of in the stage of disbelief. I want to say that everything will be fine, but look at how many newspapers have gone under. As much as I love the Eagle, it's not exempt from such things.
This just proves that journalism needs new ideas. I know the Eagle has been making real attempts to adapt to the digital age, but I guess that just isn't enough.
I couldn't believe it. The Westford Eagle has been a part of my home ever since we moved to Westford when I was five years old, and there's a chance I might not see it anymore. I'm kind of in the stage of disbelief. I want to say that everything will be fine, but look at how many newspapers have gone under. As much as I love the Eagle, it's not exempt from such things.
This just proves that journalism needs new ideas. I know the Eagle has been making real attempts to adapt to the digital age, but I guess that just isn't enough.
An important lesson on self-branding
I think I've mentioned this before on the blog, but my goal is to one day become a video game journalist. I love video games and the video game industry; it seems that there is something new to talk about everyday. Working for a gaming publication would be amazing, but this weekend showed me that I have a lot of work to do.
Two weeks ago John Herman, a social/multi-media guru and self-branding expert, gave the contact info for Chris Dahlen, a local freelance writer who has spent a good amount of time as a games journalism. I spoke over the phone with him, and he gave me great advice for how to get started as a video game journalism.
Our conversation basically boiled down to self-branding. I will have to pitch story ideas to editors, remain in touch with them, and prove that I can be a reliable and talented addition to their staff. I have my own gaming blog and my social media accounts have a lot of gaming content, but it's time to go beyond that. I need to take charge and dive into the video game journalism world.
Self-branding is important for journalists, but it's equally important for businesses, especially startups and entrepreneurs. When you pitch business ideas or advertise, it's up to you to show what your business is about and what you stand for. This isn't something I was thinking about for my semester project, but knowing how I'm going to brand it is on the top of my list.
Two weeks ago John Herman, a social/multi-media guru and self-branding expert, gave the contact info for Chris Dahlen, a local freelance writer who has spent a good amount of time as a games journalism. I spoke over the phone with him, and he gave me great advice for how to get started as a video game journalism.
Our conversation basically boiled down to self-branding. I will have to pitch story ideas to editors, remain in touch with them, and prove that I can be a reliable and talented addition to their staff. I have my own gaming blog and my social media accounts have a lot of gaming content, but it's time to go beyond that. I need to take charge and dive into the video game journalism world.
Self-branding is important for journalists, but it's equally important for businesses, especially startups and entrepreneurs. When you pitch business ideas or advertise, it's up to you to show what your business is about and what you stand for. This isn't something I was thinking about for my semester project, but knowing how I'm going to brand it is on the top of my list.
I sure am glad I didn't major in business
Last week's visitor was Joe Burke, my professor's friend who bought his magazine Points East a number of years ago. It was basically two-hour lesson on the terms, skills, etc, that you have to know to run a successful business. It was long, and my brain hurt afterwards, but it taught me one very important thing.
Business, no matter how you look at it, is not easy. I always thought that being a businessman (or businesswoman) meant taking numbers and adding and subtracting them. There's so much more to that though. A businessman has to predict, keep track of expenses, and know what to do when a bank account is lower than expected, just to name a few. The mind of a journalist and the mind of a businessman are two very different things; I can't imagine majoring in business after Joe's lecture.
Business, no matter how you look at it, is not easy. I always thought that being a businessman (or businesswoman) meant taking numbers and adding and subtracting them. There's so much more to that though. A businessman has to predict, keep track of expenses, and know what to do when a bank account is lower than expected, just to name a few. The mind of a journalist and the mind of a businessman are two very different things; I can't imagine majoring in business after Joe's lecture.
The Art of Pitching: it's actually just like journalism!
One of our readings for today is titled The Art of Pitching. At first I thought it was going to be how to pitch news stories, but it actually details the best ways to pitch business ideas to investors. I thought I was going to be in a world of pain (business kills me), but I actually found the reading fun. As it turns out, pitching business ideas to investors is a lot like pitching new stories to editors. I know this isn't really related to entrepreneurism, but I think there's a cool relationship between the two. Here's some examples as to how they are similar:
Explain yourself in the first minute
This section of the reading talks about answering one simple question in the first minute of the pitch: What does this organization do? If you look at it from a journalistic angle, you'll have to ask," what is this story about?" When you pitch a news story to an editor, you don't want to fumble around and give the back story. Say what the story is, and give the background details when you write.
Answer the little man
"The little man" is what the reading's author says should be on everyone's shoulders when pitching a business idea. He asks, "so what?" In journalism, this little man would ask, "who cares?" Why would your publication want to read this story? Why is it news worthy.
Know your audience
This is self-explanatory in both business and journalism. Who are your readers? Will they care about this story enough to pick up a paper (or mobile device) to read it?
Set the stage
I said before to simply state what the story is about when pitching it. Well when that's done, your editor will want to know more. He or she will ask questions about the story. If you can't answer them, he or she will send you back to investigate or scrap your idea.
Explain yourself in the first minute
This section of the reading talks about answering one simple question in the first minute of the pitch: What does this organization do? If you look at it from a journalistic angle, you'll have to ask," what is this story about?" When you pitch a news story to an editor, you don't want to fumble around and give the back story. Say what the story is, and give the background details when you write.
Answer the little man
"The little man" is what the reading's author says should be on everyone's shoulders when pitching a business idea. He asks, "so what?" In journalism, this little man would ask, "who cares?" Why would your publication want to read this story? Why is it news worthy.
Know your audience
This is self-explanatory in both business and journalism. Who are your readers? Will they care about this story enough to pick up a paper (or mobile device) to read it?
Set the stage
I said before to simply state what the story is about when pitching it. Well when that's done, your editor will want to know more. He or she will ask questions about the story. If you can't answer them, he or she will send you back to investigate or scrap your idea.
Monday, October 7, 2013
The biggest frustration in learning business
I wrote earlier that I was having a hard time understanding all the business terms and applications that were given to us for homework. After a couple more read throughs, I'm still having a tough time understanding it all. There is just so much! I'm sure part of it has to do with the fact that this is the first time I've really tried to learn business; everyone has a hard time learning something for the first time.
But after a few reads, I think I've figured out why I'm having such a hard time learning everything. It starts with the first subject on the list we were given: assets = liabilities + equity.
The equation is simple enough. Once you put it in numbers it's not that hard. What's challenging is what those numbers mean.The packet defines assets as anything a company can use to generate revenue through the sale of goods and services. So far so good.
Then it says that assets can include patents, trademarks, and goodwill. What's goodwill?
Luckily for me there's another packet about goodwill...and liquidating value. What the heck does that mean?
By the time I look up liquidity, I forget what my original question was! It never ends!
The same thing happened when I looked up accrual basis of accounting. It's somehow distinguished by the cash basis of accounting. So in order to understand one basis, I have to know exactly how another works? What???
Joking aside, it's actually extremely frustrating. I have such a hard time keeping up with the transitions that I forget what I learned the second I switch topics.
Thank goodness I picked journalism, and not business, as my major...
But after a few reads, I think I've figured out why I'm having such a hard time learning everything. It starts with the first subject on the list we were given: assets = liabilities + equity.
The equation is simple enough. Once you put it in numbers it's not that hard. What's challenging is what those numbers mean.The packet defines assets as anything a company can use to generate revenue through the sale of goods and services. So far so good.
Then it says that assets can include patents, trademarks, and goodwill. What's goodwill?
Luckily for me there's another packet about goodwill...and liquidating value. What the heck does that mean?
By the time I look up liquidity, I forget what my original question was! It never ends!
The same thing happened when I looked up accrual basis of accounting. It's somehow distinguished by the cash basis of accounting. So in order to understand one basis, I have to know exactly how another works? What???
Joking aside, it's actually extremely frustrating. I have such a hard time keeping up with the transitions that I forget what I learned the second I switch topics.
Thank goodness I picked journalism, and not business, as my major...
Sunday, October 6, 2013
I think I've realized why newspapers are struggling financially...I think
Through the assigned reading I learned about things called assets. Assets are things that can be used to generate revenue, so they can pretty much be anything. Since this is a journalism program, I thought what a paper like The New York Times could have for assets. I came up with three things: newspaper copies (both physical and digital), advertisement (both print and online), and subscriptions.
Before the Internet, those three things sound like more than enough because people had to pay for their news, but people get free news all the time in this day and age. Between social media and an absence of paywalls, it's no wonder that newspapers have a tough time making money.
When I look at it this way, I have a better idea for how my "company" can bring in a strong revenue; it needs a variety of assets. Subscriptions won't be enough, so I'm going to have to think of other assets I can sell to customers when it comes time to make a business plan.
Before the Internet, those three things sound like more than enough because people had to pay for their news, but people get free news all the time in this day and age. Between social media and an absence of paywalls, it's no wonder that newspapers have a tough time making money.
When I look at it this way, I have a better idea for how my "company" can bring in a strong revenue; it needs a variety of assets. Subscriptions won't be enough, so I'm going to have to think of other assets I can sell to customers when it comes time to make a business plan.
Business homework: attempt #1
Our homework assignment for this week was reading on various aspects of business. Being a class about entrepreneurs, I figured this topic would come up sooner or later.
Business is my Kryptonite. I've never done well in business classes, and the terminology and ideology behind it goes way over my head. You'd think that understanding vocabulary would be easy an English major, but something about business vocabulary just doesn't stick.
The reading topics range from accounting equations to depreciation. The first time I read them through, I had no idea what the majority of the reading meant. Assets, liabilities, and equity seem like easy concepts to get down. But accounting, cash flow, balance sheets: those will be the death of me.
Although this is challenging, this is exactly what I signed up for. I don't plan on owning a business in the future (who knows though, maybe someday I will), but I think it's important for me to know these things as a professional. There's no easy way to understand business, so I'm just going to have to keep plugging away.
Business is my Kryptonite. I've never done well in business classes, and the terminology and ideology behind it goes way over my head. You'd think that understanding vocabulary would be easy an English major, but something about business vocabulary just doesn't stick.
The reading topics range from accounting equations to depreciation. The first time I read them through, I had no idea what the majority of the reading meant. Assets, liabilities, and equity seem like easy concepts to get down. But accounting, cash flow, balance sheets: those will be the death of me.
Although this is challenging, this is exactly what I signed up for. I don't plan on owning a business in the future (who knows though, maybe someday I will), but I think it's important for me to know these things as a professional. There's no easy way to understand business, so I'm just going to have to keep plugging away.
A visit from John Herman
Last week John Herman came to our class to discuss his work and what it means to brand oneself through social and multimedia. If you don't know who John Herman, you should definitely check out his website (which is linked in the sentence before). The guy's done it all: he had his own web series, he's made films, he's written books and plays, he's worked with TV and radio, and he teaches. John has an incredibly inspiring story.
What really inspired me is his ability to see how to best use social media and how he just did what he wanted to do. Learning how to best use social media takes time, and that's something I plan on learning throughout my career as a journalist. But he wasn't afraid of failing at a project or messing something up. If he thought of an idea, he just went for it. He took risks. That's really what being an entrepreneur is all about, it seems like: learning what you love, and taking risks.
So for the past week I've been thinking about how I can learn more about social media and what I can do to take risks. I think I just have to use social media more and more. I frequently use Facebook and Instagram, but I need to connect with people on Twitter more. That means to actually tweet at people and ask questions instead of looking at tweets and calling it a day. I'll also have to experiment with social media that I'm not familiar with, like Storify, Vine, and anything else I come across. Finally, I'll have to blog more. I have a gaming blog that I love, but I have a hard time updating it on a regular basis. The more I post, the more chances people will see it and connect with me. If this doesn't work, I'll keep trying other things.
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