Work Smarter: Web 2.0 for Journalists was a winner

A dozen journalists immersed themselves in Web 2.0 during a recent Saturday half-day workshop sponsored by AWJ-Chicago. The idea was to come away with a better grasp of definitions and a stronger sense of value of discovering and using the web applications available.

Barb Iverson, AWJ vice president for new media, teaches, writes and speaks about blogging, digital technology, and online media publication in the journalism department at Columbia College and around the world. She shared both her talent and enthusiasm and grounded the group with concepts to help distinguish between Web 1.0 (read only) and Web 2.0 (read and write).

As journalists, that write part is the part where Web 2.0 can make a difference in efficiencies. Iverson planted the idea of Web 1.0 as a cathedral – top down, while Web 2.0 is more of a bazaar – open, more friendly and aiming for net neutrality.

“Get motivated by what you do,” Iverson said. Use the tools and set aside time regularly to explore and learn applications available on the web. People who write and edit need to learn how to use what’s available to make their work easier.

Iverson encouraged participants to stake out personal territory and establish individual expertise (on the web) by using tags. She introduced applications including Flickr, Naymz, Instapaper, Picnik, Brightkite and Twitter, Digg and Friendfeed and showed the video EPIC 2014.

Among those who shared the morning (and learned to share documents via GoogleDocs), were Judith Nemes, Bonnie Layton, Marcia Frellick, Jane Dwyre Garton, Pam DeFiglio, JoAnne Stone-Geier, Karen Kring, Pat Terry, LeeAnn Trotter, Maria R. Traska, Holly Wendling and Jody Warner.

This workshop is intended to be the first of a series of tech workshops for journalists sponsored by AWJ-Chicago.

Photo: Bonnie Layton and Marcia Frellick collaborate at AWJ's Work Smarter workshop.

[Report by Jane Dwyer Garton. Photo by Karen Kring]

Melody Spann-Cooper keynotes 15th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Meeting January 31

Members and the interested public are invite to AWJ-Chicago's 15th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Meeting.
When: Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008, 6:45 p.m.
Where: ABC-7 Chicago Studios, 190 N. State St., Chicago
Melody Spann-Cooper is scheduled to speak. The first annual Joy Darrow Memorial Scholarship will be awarded as well as other AWJ-Chicago Scholarships. New officers will be elected.
Admission of $10 for the public, free for members includes refreshments.
A book of 11 tickets can be bought for $150.

Announcing -- AWJ's NEW Website

Months in the making, better than before, we bring you our new AWJ Chicago website. Please change your bookmarks and such to http://awj-chicago.org right now and check out our new look and feel.

The biggest improvement is that you, the member, can login to your membership information and change and update your own listing. You decide what information you want published (or unpublished) in the AWJ Directory. You can see job listings as an AWJ member that are not out there for the general public.

The old web address http://awjchicago.org will be linked to this blog, but as we get going with the new site, we won't be updating the blog anymore. The http://awj-chicago.org site has a blog and a built-in "evite" system, too. We'll be adding links to photos and audio of our programs in the future.

The listserv is going to stay as good as its been thanks to Keidra and Karen. The listserv remains open those Chicago-area journalists interested in the issues important to women journalists and the fair and balanced treatment of women by the media, be they dues-paying member of the association or not. Dues-paying member of AWJ-Chicago do get additional benefits

You can contact me about the new AWJ website from the new site.
barbara i

TELLING STORIES WITH SOUND December 6

Association for Women Journalists-Chicago invites colleagues to...

TELLING STORIES WITH SOUND

Great prose makes any news story stand out--as do indelible images. But audio, when
used creatively, gives radio a big advantage over other news media. Depending on
what it is and how it's used, sound can put you in the action more completely
than writing or images can. Working great sound into daily news storytelling is
a radio news reporter's biggest challenge…but when it works, your audience is
all ears.

Come hear Chicago Public Radio reporter Diantha Parker play and talk about some
of her favorite radio moments…and about how non-broadcast news outlets are
starting to use audio, too.

Thursday, Dec. 6.
5:30 p.m. reception
6 p.m. program
Columbia College, 33 E. Congress, Room 219
enter on Wabash
free for members
$15 for nonmembers
RSVP to Natalie Y. Moore by Dec. 3
nymoore@hotmail.com

Nonmembers can join on site or before by contacting Kelly Kleiman at kellynfp@yahoo.com.

Diantha Parker is a reporter for Chicago Public Radio, with particular focus on criminal justice and legal
affairs. She reported extensively on the George Ryan and Conrad Black trials. Diantha came to Chicago
Public Radio in 1998 from National Public Radio headquarters in Washington, DC as part of the original
staff of Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!, NPR and Chicago Public Radio's weekly news quiz. Before her move, she
was a producer at All Things Considered, Weekend Edition Saturday, and Talk of the Nation. She returned
to All Things Considered as a visiting producer in 2001, and contributed the network's coverage of 9/11
and its aftermath. She's also worked for PRI's The World, and is a frequent contributor to NPR and
Marketplace. Prior to entering the public radio universe, Diantha was a writer and editor for U.S.
News and World Report and for The Woodrow Wilson Center's Wilson Quarterly, among other publications.
Diantha was named Best Reporter by the Illinois Associated Press Broadcasters Association in 2003. She
holds a B.A. in English Literature from McGill University in Montreal.

Joining AWJ now

It's great that everyone wants to join AWJ now; must be something about that invigorating autumn air. But please note: if you join before December 31, please send $50 (for a professional membership) or $20 (for a student membership). This will entitle you to the benefits of membership for the rest of 2007 and all of 2008.

Such a deal! If you're thinking about joining for the first time, do it now because:

--Professional-membership dues will increase to $50 on January 1. Pay that same amount now, and you get one extra program for free.

--And it's no ordinary program, either: it's "Telling Stories With Sound" on December 6, with Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker. (Non-member admission is $15.)

As soon as we complete the update of our Website, it will reflect this deal and the new dues; meanwhile, if you're ready to join for the first time, please don't use PayPal. Instead, write a check for $50 (or, students, $20) and send it to Kleiman, 5701 N. Sheridan Rd., #27J, Chicago 60660.

Thanks!

Stay In and Watch the AWJ Scholarship Fund Grow!

The Association for Women Journalists once again invites you to Stay Home to benefit the Scholarship Fund!

This year a generous donor has offered to match the fund with $1 for every $2 that is donated through the end of the year!!! So take advantage of this generosity and watch your money go further!

To save on cost with postage and paper, AWJ has elected to make this years fund an online based drive so that all of the money goes to directly benefit the Scholarship Fund.

Click on the link below to donate directly through PayPal. Payment can be made with either credit card or check. If yoy still wish to mail in your check, send donations payable to AWJ to
Kelly Kleiman, 5701 N. Sheridan Rd., #27J, Chicago 60660

Membership: Change of contact e-mail address

To reach Treasurer Kelly Kleiman (to update your membership information or for any other reason), please e-mail KellyNFP@yahoo.com. The old e-mail address (KellyNFP@uron.cc) is far too likely to bounce back your message, as many of you have already had occasion to notice.

My apologies for any inconvenience.