Archive for July, 2008
July 31st, 2008
Tomorrow it’ll be one year since the bridge collapsed in Minneapolis. As cliche as it is … it’s hard to believe it’s been one year. Today at Poynter, Sara Quinn looks at how the Minneapolis Star Tribune covered the tragedy.
This interactive is incredible. And more journalists should tell stories like this … take readers to the scene and let them experience the moments, good and bad.
The Star Tribune used an aerial photo of the bridge moments after the collapse. The staff identified as many of the vehicles and the people in them as it could. Reporters did interviews with survivors and victims’ families. It choked me up. Take a look.
July 29th, 2008
This video has gotten more than 262,000 views and 190 comments since it was posted a month ago. A former colleague shared it yesterday because it reminded him of our news planning meetings. I’ll bet most of you can relate to this, too.
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July 28th, 2008
Our new metro editor is blogging. Christie Bobbitt started her What’s News blog last week. Drop by and get to know Christie and discuss local news with her. Christie started June 30, coming to us from the Fort Myers (Fla.) News-Press.
Christie Bobbitt
July 26th, 2008
the register star is not sending anyone to cover the democratic and republican conventions, which are a month away. we’ll have plenty of material available through our wire services.
but i’m curious: are there any young people from the rock river valley going to the republican national convention in the twin cities? a former rrs intern and now graduate student is going to denver for the dem party, and i’d like to have her blog, so i’m trying to scope out the other side. let me know at jpollock@rrstar.com or in the comments here.
p.s. speaking of “the cities,” i love this piece of art, spoonbridge and cherry, at the minneapolis scultpure garden…
July 25th, 2008
[flashvideo filename=”http://www.rrstar.com/multimedia/x223017196/Newsroom-writers-group-What-we-talk-about-here-is-the-soul-of-writing/@@download.flv” /]
Reporter Sean Driscoll talks in this video about the writing group he leads for Register Star journalists. The group meets regularly. Sometimes the focus on good writing gets lost in the daily hustle of our business.
July 25th, 2008
sheila (mcclear, i’ve learned) on gawker, a n.y. gossip blog, makes the argument that newspapers should not be in the business of comments.
Newspapers have more important things to do than worry about comments—like, say, report the stories that blogs so desperately need in their 24-7 quest for content!
well, we’re happy to have comments back after a months-long hiatus. the register star encourages community conversation, though you now see our “pool rules” sign before you can post.
i’m sure some of the people across the country who have to scan, warn and ban the “idiot” posters of the world probably got more than a chuckle from sheila’s idea. and they could relate to nerd world’s take on the cruelty of anonymous posters.
July 24th, 2008
Andy Brown, assistant online news editor, came up with an idea to mark the 25th anniversary of George Brett’s infamous pine tar incident.
He put together this online package and is encouraging you to share your memories and thoughts. I’m 30, and I don’t remember this at all. But I enjoyed catching up … 25 years after the fact.
Check out some of our other “Remember When” packages, too.
July 24th, 2008
a couple of years ago, when i was in a management training program, i was encouraged to try 10 techie things. to take a plunge. and then to make my fellow co-workers and staffers do so.
i lost the list, but joining facebook, linked in and myspace probably were on there. same with setting up rss feeds and blogging. not all of this was new to me, but as someone said to me this week, “i learn by doing. i don’t learn by reading a book.”
one thing many of our staffers have learned this week is how to build social networks on ning.com. it’s pretty easy and entertaining (photos! videos! customized colors!), but it does take time while you experiment, i have to say.
this is meant to prepare us as we anticipate launching a seamless way for readers to submit content and connect with one another, especially in our rock river valley communities. no date attached to this yet. stay tuned.
p.s. regarding the headline inspiration, back in the 1980s, we used to say we were “making friends and having fun” in key club in high school. now kids are friends on the web with hundreds of people.
July 23rd, 2008
Our publisher, Fritz Jacobi, announced his retirement this morning. Scott Bowers, our former controller and Springfield Journal-Register publisher, will be our new publisher. Tom Lasley, our marketing development director, will serve as general manager. Bowers, who will be based in Springfield, will split his time at Rockford and the Capitol.
July 23rd, 2008
this week, we had a young aspiring journalist visit the newsroom. instead of spending time in the sun or sleeping in (if i were a teenager again, these would be high on my list), he spent almost four hours at the news tower.
brylind lawson of roscoe, a 16-year-old from hononegah high school, had a smile on his face most of the morning as we gave him a tour and showed him what it takes to tell stories in “the new world.”
he said he could see himself in our chairs someday. that’s what we love to hear.
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