Photo by Lynn Waldsmith
Some final thoughts . . . Check out this example of a high school newspaper that has gone online. The Patriot is a print and web publication of The John Carroll School in Bel Air, Maryland. Do you think high school newspapers are becoming obsolete? That is, should they go online? Is it time for high school news websites instead of papers?
Which brings me to an interesting blog post I'd like to share about how journalism isn't really about "new media" or "old media". It's about journalism. Click here to read the "New Year's resolution" post from Carrie Brown-Smith, an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Memphis. Though she wrote the post one year ago, I think it's a more than timely way to begin a discussion of journalism for the new decade.
I hope you've enjoyed our journalism blog this semester. Waldsmith's Dispatch will be on hiatus until September 2010 when a new crop of aspiring writers joins me for another semester of journalism bootcamp!
Creative Commons photo, "Sunset Road", by Kopfjäger
First of all I think that it would be amazing if Mercy High School would have an online paper. Especially because everyone at our school already has their own tablet so we could read it whenever we wanted to.
ReplyDeleteI think that the high school newspaper will never become obselete just like the normal newspaper will never become obslete. The online newspaper is just a great way to get information and journalism out to the people in the world.
I agree with the woman who wrote the article about not having it be about if the paper is either online or print, but it should be about the journalism. It should be about what the articles say.
I have thouroughly enjoyed our journalism class because I learned so much about writing and reporting and also because our class had such wonderful girls in it!!
I think the Patriot's online newspaper is extremely professional looking and well done. However, I don't think school paper-form newspapers will become obsolete. I think in order to understand journalism, like history, you have to understand and learn about the past to continue and progress with the future (like tecnologic forms of journalism). I agree with Carrie Brown-Smith because lots of news media groups do like to brag about their new, cutting edge forms of journalism. Sometimes this bragging makes those people forget what this technology is truly doing, spreading news and ideas to other people. I definitely had fun in our journalism class this semester! I'm sad it ended so soon.
ReplyDeleteI was suprised at how professional the Patriot looked. I would not be against an online newspaper for Mercy, however, I would personally be more excited to get the chance to work for a newspaper staff instead of a website staff.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with everything Carrie Brown-Smith said, especially how journalism is journalism no matter what format it's in. Whether we twitter, blog, or print the news, what is important is getting the information out to the public. That is what journalism is all about.
I had so much fun this semester. I can honestly say that journalism was my favorite class. I looked forward to every 6th hour for our intersting discussions :) I have learned so much from this class and I am glad to know the great people in it!
I wouldn't be against an online paper at Mercy, but can't you already get issues of Newsprint online? So, we kind of already have both. Also, there's just something about seeing your name in print. Anyone can be on the internet, but not everyone can be published. That's what makes it so special to be a journalist.
ReplyDeleteI'm really going to miss this class! It was so much fun, especially because of the people in it.
I understand why journalism students would privilege print. But consider this, with the right "marketing" the Newsprint readership might explode by going online. It's easy to imagine a broad audience throughout the community and among alumnae. Just a thought. I'll miss the blog and comments for the next months.
ReplyDeleteI think online paper, The Patroit, was professionally done and very well organized. If Mercy had one I think many students would visit the website. However, since it is online it would be easier to post articles, making the once a month printed paper less important. I personally like the printed paper better because you look forward to that every month. Plus I would rather work on a printed paper than a website one. I agreed with Brown-Smith. Journalism takes many forms, and informs and educates society on the what is going on in this world. I will miss this class, and all the discussions we had!
ReplyDeleteThe Patriot, is very well put together and well thought out. The staff on that newspaper did a nice job on the paper. Personally, I would enjoy seeing high school papers online as opposed to actual print. It would save money and in some cases give room for more stories. The only problem presented with online papers is schools with limited resources would not have the luxury of putting their paper online. Moving the paper online would require more resources.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the article written by Carrie Brown-Smith, I totally agree with her! I especially liked the fact that she gave credit to the "Internets" in saying that they simply make journalism better. Much of the work that can be presented in online journalism can't be done in print. I am not against print journalism, however, I am always up for change. Online newspapers certainly seem like a good change.
I think that the Patriot website was very well done. It would be great if Mercy had an online website, but I think people would miss the actuall paper. I think that many Newsprint readers would not read the paper as often if it was just online.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the article written by Carrie Brown-Smith. Both forms of news have their own advantages. Journalism would not be the same without online or printed journalism.
I think that as everyone said, the Patriot online was done professionally. However, I think that putting Newsprint online has good and bad points. Students may not be as inclined to read the paper if it isn't handed to right to them in the morning. But, Mercy has an advantage since every student has their own laptop. They can refer back to Newsprint whenever they need to and read it on their own time.
ReplyDeleteIn the article, "In 2009, Let's All Be In This Together," the writer brings up an important point. People have spent so much time arguing about whether or not to move forward with technology, we have kind of forgotten why we would want to, and that is, to inform the public. People should stop wasting energy taking sides and really move toward the greater goal.
The Patriot was very well-done and professional-looking. But if Newsprint went online, I would miss the actual paper. Although it would be easier to access since everyone has a tablet, I like having the paper in my hands. I look forward to getting the paper at sign-in and seeing everyone walking in the hallways reading it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Carrie Brown-Smith. Journalism in all forms is great. There are advantages to both printed and online journalism, so the argument should stop, and both sides should move toward their main goal: getting the news out to the people. I enjoyed this class, and I learned so much. I'm going to miss it.
The Patriot's online newpaper is certainly a job well done. This was one of the best examples I have seen. I think that an online edition of NewsPrint could be very benefitial to Mercy. Unlike most high schools, Mercy requires that every student have a laptop. It might be slightly more appealing if students could simply read it on their laptops. Also, parents could have the opporunity to read the paper, instead of relying on their daughter to bring it home. Of course, an online edition would have it's downfalls as well. Many students prefer to hold an actual paper in their hands; and some find it hard to read online.
ReplyDeleteCarrie Brown-Smith makes an excellent point in her article. Journalism should not have to be limited to only one form. The more types of media you have, the more people you are going to appeal to.
The Patriot website surprised me because before I clicked on it I expected it to be a website of average quality, being as it is a highschool website. I was impressed that it was easy to navigate and there seemed more room for the journalist to write(which are the same points we dicussed in class about online work).
ReplyDeleteWould Mercy Highschool benefit from an all online newspaper? In my personal opnion, no. I think everyone enjoys recieveing their Newsprint paper and physically being able to hold it and flip through it. Since so much at our school is already computerized I value one of the few things that are not.
I agree with Smith. She is more a pacifist of the journalism world and she is completley right. All forms of journalism are all good forms of journalism.
Laura N.
ReplyDeleteThe Patriot looked really professional and I was surprised by the amount of work and detail that seemed to go into it. Newsprint would do very well online, because more people like parents and friends that do not go to Mercy will be able to see the stories and the hard work the Newspint staff puts into writing. I agree with Smith because some people like to flaunt how their technology is "new and improved". Even though this class was deemed "Newsprint boot camp", I really loved writing the stories and will miss the blogs, but I feel like I came out a better writer.
Well first of all, I will miss these blog posts and the interesting things i learn from them. Second, I think an online school newspaper is a great idea. However, I think people, including myself, will miss the highly anticipated copy of Newsprint waiting for them in their adviser's room the few times it is published. I like reading Newsprint the day it comes out and hearing the buzz about it through the hall. I feel as if less people would read it if it was online because I think people wouldn't take the time to go online and view it. You are given a copy of the paper at school and are almost forced to at least look at the front page. Having the newspaper online would probably allow Newsprint to come out more than it does and it would probably be easier to produce. It's a good idea but I would miss the paper copy just like some people miss the paper copy of their local newspapers.
ReplyDeleteI really like Carrie Brown-Smith's blog post. It included some very truthful facts. "This is not an either-or, zero sum game. Traditional and new media are BOTH vital – we are on the SAME TEAM" says Brown-Smith. This is a very powerful message and is a taste of reality to some. Society is striving to either only have online newspapers or keep traditional paper copies. There should not online be one ultimate option. The internet helps traditional ways even when it comes to research. You can read a book about something and then go on the Internet and find other supplementary information. The come hand in hand and support each other. The new enhances the old and the old is the new's backbone. Newspapers should be online and paper copy. This is the most convenient way for readers to be updated on current events without sacrificing.
I think journalism was undoubtedly hard and challenging but it was ultimately beneficial. I have improved my writing skills and learned alot about one of my strongest passions, journalism. This class was so much fun to go to because our discussions were always so interesting and alot of the times funny. I think I laughed everyday in the class and that is something I will miss.
I agree with the overall opinion of The Patriot looking well done and professional. As for the question of online vs. "real", I think there's a certain familiarity about a physical paper for some people. If anything, I think the most amiable change or adjustment would be producing not only Newsprint, but all papers, through print and online. Perhaps the online could go into more detail on larger features and of course give readers a multimedia-enhanced experience. It does make sense for Mercy as you very rarely see, at any given time, a student without a laptop within reaching distance.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the Patriot's online newspaper was very well done and quite interesting. The format was clear and easy to use. But I don't think that high schools should get rid of actual newspapers. For many high schools, like Mercy, having a tangible form of the paper is very important. It just isn't the same as viewing the news online. I think that it would be a good idea for high schools to post their newspapers online in addition to having an actual newspaper.
ReplyDeleteI thought that Brown-Smith's article was great and very true. In this day and age both online and paper outlets of the paper are equally important. We shouldn't have to choose betweem them. We should worry more about delivering the news in the most efficient and best way possible.
ReplyDeleteAlthough The Patriot was very well done and professional, I think high school newspapers should stay in print. If Mercy's NEWSPRINT went off paper and completely online, I would be pretty upset. I do like how you can see each issue on the school website, but getting a new issue in physical form every month is very fun! I feel like it would be moving a little too fast for me.
ReplyDeleteAnother thought, I would like to say that I will miss this blog and I have definitely enjoyed my journalism journey this semester! I definitely feel like I improved my writing skills a lot!
Thanks for everything Ms. Waldsmith :)
As nicely done as The Patriot's online newspaper was, I much prefer printed newspaper. It is a great way to revisit older issues, even if it isn't in print anymore. Also, if I were to work on a paper I would rather be able to hold the published copy in my hands then simply see it on a screen.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to miss journalism!
I'm sad that our time together is nearly over. I really hope that I can be on the newspaper next year so that I can keep the fun going!
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with what Ms. Carrie Brown-Smith says in her blog reguarding online newspapers and hard-copy newspapers. School newspapers are not "becoming obsolete" at all. The excitement level is so high whenever another Newsprint edition comes out that you can feel the buzz in the hallways. However, even if newspapers started to become less popular, it would not mean an immediate switch to an online version would help. The purpose of an online newspaper is to provide supplemental information about features in the hard copy of the paper. It should NOT be a matter of either or. If it is, we will be constantly fighting between new media journalists and old media journalists, when all journalists should be on the same team. Overall, yes, it would be very nice to have an online addition of Newsprint, but I would hope this does not mean we have to throw out the physical paper.
ReplyDeleteIN OTHER NEWS...
I'm really excited find out if I can be a part of Newsprint, but I'm also kind of bummed that Journalism class is almost over. BYE BLOG!
i think it would be a great idea to have the high school newspaper online! but, i think more people wouldn not read all of the articles. I think everyone especially the writers of the article to see students walking around with the actual newspaper. However, our world is trying to go green and we should try to conform to it!
ReplyDeleteI definitely think newspapers are moving online now, but I think it will be a hard change especially for school newspapers. Many students want a tangible paper to hold, and I think that having a school newspaper in print will draw more readers. However, I think the transition would be easier to have it both online and in print, like many newspapers are doing now. I personally prefer online news because I feel it fits more with my lifestyle rather than sitting down and opening a gigantic newspaper and trying to find the stories I want, but I feel that something like Newsprint would be better off supplying print copies to maintain readers and use an online version as a supplement.
ReplyDeleteFormer Newsprint staffer here. I'm so excited to hear it's going back online! Back in the 2003-2004 school year, we experimented with a Newsprint website. All the articles ran in HTML format, and we posted a pdf of the issue online. Unfortunately, not enough staffers helped out and there wasn't a high level of coding literacy, so we ended up abandoning the site at the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year.
ReplyDeleteWeb technologies have improved since then, making it much easier to post news content to the web. A lot of college and professional papers now have an editor who maintains the CMS (Content Management System), but staffers are able to post stories online by themselves. That way, everyone on staff gets to learn how to use these new technologies, no matter what their coding level may be.
I highly encourage Newsprint to go ahead with this! I wish I had been able to get more coding experience in high school. The earlier you learn it, the better. It'll be really beneficial for your students no matter what career path they decide on!