Newseum.org

I initially selected this site after visiting the Newseum two summers ago. I was skeptical about the use of the site to future journalists. My thinking being that the sites main purpose is to attract visitors to the museum itself. After navigating the site for a short time, I discovered that I was not far off.

Newseum.org features several main tabs including: tickets, plan your visit, news, theatres and exhibitions, programs, education, fun and games and host an event. Right away you can tell that the sites main function is to share what the Newseum is doing and to try and get you to the museum.

Although the site services tourist rather than journalist, I still felt that the news tab would supply an adequate dose of the news. However, I came to find that the news tab was about news having to do with the Newseum itself rather than a daily record of important events. This tab seems to be updated on a weekly basis, which means that it is not always timely. The exhibits tab tells of the exhibits at the museum and future exhibits at the museum. The programs tab tells of different programs being filmed at the museum. The programs would be very beneficial to attend, however, again this seems to be aimed at tourists rather than journalists. The plan your visit tab gives you very basic information about the museum such as its location and telephone number. The education tab serves teachers and parents who may bring students to Washington to visit the Newseum. The fun and games tab includes simple games for elementary age children. The host an event tab gives information about hosting an event at the Newseum.

In conclusion, I would advise to stay away from Newseum.org if you are looking for informative material and a daily record. The site is an excellent source of information if you are planning to visit Washington D.C. It provides information about exhibits, ticket prices and special events at the museum. Having visited the Newseum I would advise anyone visiting Washington to visit. It is one of the newer museums on the mall and its exhibits are informative and entertaining. It covers many different areas of journalism including: broadcast, radio, print and photography. The Newseum provides insight into some of the greatest journalistic works in history. The site, however, does little for a working journalist.

Religion News Writers Association [rna.org]

The Religion News writers Association is a charitable, literary and educational organization whose purpose is to promote excellence in media coverage and in public discourse about religion. RNA envisions religion reporting and commentary informed by civility, accuracy, fairness and insight.

In 1999, RNA created an educational and charitable arm, the Religion News writers Foundation. Since it’s founding the RNF has received millions in grants to create tools and training for religion reporters. To be a member there is a $50 a year fee for journalists and educators, and a $25 a year fee for students.

When the site first opens up, the right hand side of the page is where members can sign in and underneath that there is a “latest news” column. Under the news column there is a calendar of events pertinent to the RNA. The main thing that sticks out when you first open the site is a headline that reads “Chandler Student Award”. It is encouraging students to enter the 2010 Chandler Award for Student Writer of the Year in Religion. Under that major heading ore three smaller columns labeled “Religion Link”, “RNA Conference”, and “Training”. The religion link column showcases issues that have to do with religion and writing and provides resources for those who want to cover a specific topic of religion. The resources seem to be very helpful. The RNA conference talks about their RNA conference in Denver, Colorado that will be held in September, and the training column links you to KnowledgeWebb which offers dozens of do-it-yourself lessons in digital media, including "Twitter basics”. The far left column of the page has links to RNA’s sister sites, membership and networking, donations, career center, about us, and a few other tabs that have to do with scholarships and advertising.

I think that this site can help journalists by providing them with resources for writing about religion. The religion link section of the site seemed to be the most helpful because it provides religion story ideas and resources. For example, on April 28^th the post was about “National Day of Prayer, and a National Debate Over Prayer”. It gives a brief history about court decisions about this issue and provides resources about the court case and other links that pertain to this topic. The career section of the site is really helpful because it provides a job search function as well as a job posting option. You can also post a resume or search for other resumes if you are hiring.

On a scale of 1 to 5 I would rate this a 3. I really liked the religion link resource, but I felt like that was about the only resource I could use as a journalist. Being a non-member I wasn’t able to utilize all of the resources the site had to offer, and I think if they get enough funding it might be more helpful to offer those benefits free of charge. Writing about religion is a tricky subject, so I am glad this resource is available for journalists to look at and reference to in times of confusion or even curiosity.

Unityjournalists.org

Unityjournalists.org is a website that advocates that journalism has the obligation to reflect a representative picture of the communities in the world which they live. Therefore, they want diversity in coverage and in the newsroom. Their mission states, “UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc. is a strategic alliance advocating fair and accurate news coverage about people of color, and aggressively challenging the industry to staff its organizations at all levels to reflect the nation’s diversity.”

The purpose of their goals is to include people of color in all aspects of journalism, whether it is with coverage or in journalism organizations at all levels. The objective of increasing these is to work against the media made stereotypes and myths. They advocate all types of diversity that accurately portrays the world.

The website presentation is rather simple with a selection of 15 tabs on the side that further detail the reasons for the organizations and the ways to get involved for the common purpose of promoting diversity.

One tab is named “Past Conventions.” It shows three different conventions held that take you to the advertisement for each. The “NewU” tab details a current competition for the summer of 2010 where students can apply for one of four positions in a “boot camp” with one-on-one mentoring which helps new entrepreneurs realize their ideas. The “News Releases” tab is simply what it states. It shows previous press coverage for the organization. The calendar has the next conventions with necessary information. The website takes donations. It has received $4,810 by four donors. Readers can also sign up for e-mail newsletters.

On the home page there it a flash video with Unity slides. Underneath is UNITY news. Partners of UNITY include AAJA, NAJA, NABJ, and National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Visitors can also sign up for the UNITY News that gives them an e-mail with the latest news. Overall I rate the website a 2.5 out of 5. I felt it was almost too simple, and needed more updated information under “Past Conventions.” I do think what these journalists advocate is extremely important to accurate journalism.

Society for Professional Journalists

The Society for Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism foundation, dedicated to upholding the free practice of journalism and ethical behavior. SPJ was founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi. From my understanding of the website, Sigma Delta Chi is now a branch of SPJ that supports the educational programs of the Society and serves those pursuing a profession in journalism. SPJ promotes the free flow of information that is vital to a well-informed society; works to inspire and educate future journalists; and protects the First Amendment freedom of speech and press through its advocacy efforts. SPJ’s mission is maintaining a free press as the cornerstone of our nation and our liberty. The membership fee to join SPJ as a college student is $36 for one year. The website states that by joining SPJ, you are making a solid investment in yourself and your profession. Members are put at the forefront of industry happenings.

The website is full of information for journalists. On the home page is an article about SPJ’s current project, Access Across America. There are links to more information about the project, such as when the tour is coming to a town near you and a blog featuring more on the event. On the left hand side of the page is a toolbar, featuring everything from job postings for employees and employers to discussion boards about ethics.

There is a training section that would be very helpful for journalists. It features upcoming events such as Newsroom Training and how journalists can sign up for the conferences. The job bank is also very useful for journalists. Employers are able to post available jobs and job seekers (if they are members) are able to search available jobs.

There is a special section called Generation J that is aimed at making sense of the changing journalism field. It is targeted at recent graduates of journalism school and offers a mentoring program where recent grads are paired up with news veterans.

I would rate the site a 4.5 out of 5. There is a plethora of information to look at and it is presented in a logical manner. The site is very interactive and interesting and is aimed at a younger audience. All the articles were written very informally, which I really enjoyed. While the site offers helpful information, it is confusing at times. I was unclear on the differences between SPJ and Sigma Delta Chi. Both organizations strive to inform the public in an ethical manner, but it is clear they are two different organizations.

Center for Media and Democracy

The Center for Media and Democracy was founded in 1983 by John Stauber. Stauber ran Center for Media and Democracy for 16 years until July 2009 when Lisa Graves took over. The Center is a non-partisan, independent, non-profit organization that aims to sift through the different motives and manipulations plaguing today’s media and give only the facts. According to the Web site, the organization aims to: investigate and counter spin by corporations, industries and government agencies; inform and assist grassroots action that promotes public health, economic justice, ecological sustainability, human rights and democratic principles; advance transparency and media literacy to help people recognize the forces that shape the information they receive and promote open content to help all citizens “be the media”.
The Center for Media and Democracy publishes SourceWatch, an online encyclopedia similar to Wikipedia about issues, groups and people that effect the public agenda. It publishes PRWatch, Fake TV News and Weekly Spin, which gives information about the outside forces that manipulate the news. It also performs original investigations involving misinformation, supports public education campaigns, and staffs the PR Watchdog Resource Center, which answers questions from journalists and the public. The Center has also produced at six books about a range of topics.
The Center’s Web site gives viewers access to Sourcewatch, the encyclopedia, and their projects, some which are also listed under Sourcewatch. Others have their own adjacent Web site of their own. The projects include: Climate change, coal issues, nuclear issues and tobacco. The Web site also gives access to the different reporters who cover the different topics of interest.The main page of the Web site gives an variety of recent news stories from the different projects and reporters.
Fake TV News, which is under the Publications tab on the Center’s Website, is a 2006 report by the Center. The Center tracked 36 video news releases to see how TV stations used them as not only news but news that has been gathered by their own reporters. KOKH- 25, the Fox News syndicate in Oklahoma City, aired six of the video news releases, five of them in their entirety. KOKH-25 was the top offender in the report.
This Web site could be helpful to journalists, but I found it would be more helpful to the public. The Center for Media and Democracy aims the news stories at the public, not at journalists. I think the publications help point out the inconsistencies and wrongdoings of journalists and their organizations. Again, the Web site is aimed at educating and protecting the public.
I would give the site a 3. The current events on the homepage have been frequently updated, but many of the publications are out of date. Sourcewatch has an extensive database of names, groups and events but the information under each entry is lacking. There is a great wealth of information on the Website, information that citizens should be educated in. Journalists are citizens too and this site could be a jumping off point for good story ideas. However, as far as a resource for journalists, the Web site was lacking.

RTDNA

The Radio Television Digital News Association is the world's largest professional organization exclusively serving the electronic news profession.
RTDNA has more than 3,000 members including news directors, reporters, anchors, producers, educators and students. Its core goals are to maintain journalism ethics and to preserve the free speech rights of broadcast journalists. A lot has changed since RTDNA was founded in 1946, but its commitment to encouraging excellence in the electronic journalism industry never has.
RTDNA is a membership oriented organization. For its members it provides a wealth of information on technological, industry trends, management techniques, and industry updates.
RTDNA is also an excellent source for networking between members.
Whether you're a member or not, anyone who considers themselves a journalist is encouraged to attend the annual RTDNA convention; this year it was in Las Vegas. The convention brings news professionals from all edges of the nation together to discuss the news industry: where its going, how it can be improved. Whether you're a seasoned professional or an eager college student the networking opportunities are unmatched; having everyone in the same place with a built-in happy hour is bound to create friendships.
Networking is such a big part of what RTDNA does that its website even has its own career center. Here you can check the job bulletin or post an opening and watch the strongest candidates come forth.
There is a research section for in-depth information into various topics - the big one right now: Women and Minorities in the Newsroom.
RTDNA even gives out awards including the Edward R. Murrow award for journalists who demonstrate the spirit of excellence the made Murrow a standard for the broadcast news profession.
RTDNA offers scholarships for students pursuing careers in radio, television and digital news. In addition recipients are awarded an expenses-paid trip to the RTDNA International Conference and a one-year membership.
There is a "Best Practices" section which offers information, tips and links to everything you'll need to gain a greater understanding of how to report in difficult situations or on difficult topics.
And of course the "Communicator" tab offers various multimedia content and up to the minute info on everything RTDNA is doing.

Over all I give rtdna.org a 5 out of 5. This is the complete package. Whether you're a member or not the resources seem limitless for everything from networking to researching to getting the latest updates. I've seen the conference first hand and having the opportunity to meet so many top level professionals is an unrivaled experience; the forums are simply unmatched.
RTDNA is the leading broadcast journalism organization for a reason: they go all out for their members and non-members. Come for the networking, stay for the prolific information.

Native American Journalists Association

The following is an analysis of the Native American Journalists Association, also known as NAJA. Their Web site can be found at http://www.naja.com. NAJA is located on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications building.

In 1983, a group of Native American journalists met at Pennsylvania State University to assess the state of Native media and its communications with the public. They decided that a national organization was needed to advance and improve Native media. The same journalists met again in 1984 and created the Native American Press Association, also known as NAPA. In 1990, the organization's name was changed to the Native American Journalists Association to better reflect the group's goals to expand and include those in the radio and television news industry.

Membership of NAJA includes individuals, associates, students, high school students, high school teachers, as well as corporate, non-profit, academic and tribal members. Membership dues vary depending on your classification among the groups just mentioned.

NAJA's primary goal is to improve communications among Native people and between Native Americans and the general public. NAJA has several missions. First, NAJA's mission is to serve and empower Native journalists through programs and actions designed to enrich journalism and promote Native cultures.
Secondly, their mission is to recognize Native Americans as distinct peoples based on tradition and culture. Their mission also is to educate and unify its membership through journalism programs that promote diversity and defends challenges to free press, speech and expression. NAJA is also committed to increase the representation of Native journalists in mainstream media. Lastly, NAJA encourages both mainstream and tribal media to attain the highest standards of professionalism, ethics and responsibility.

The Web site is very easy to use and navigate. On the left side of the page you can find the information just mentioned, as well as 2010 convention information, how to donate, the latest news and issues among Native Americans and general information for students about internships, scholarships and NAJA student chapters. There is also general information for professionals about jobs, awards and opportunities. The information on these tabs are informational and useful, however, the resources tab is by far the best tab. Under the resources tab, you can find two things: community links and media links. Under community links, you can find Native American publications and organizations, as well as journalism organizations. It was so easy and helpful to navigate and read the Native American Times and the Navajo Times under this link. Under the media links tab you can find reference guides such as SPJ codes, journalism centers, journalism libraries, journalism organizations such as the Web sites our class has been blogging on all semester and then some, job sites, publications, news sites, news research, as well as newspapers, radio and TV organization links.

NAJA's Web site could be very beneficial to anyone and everyone in journalism. Not only can it help you become involved in a local chapter, but the site also provides very helpful links to internship and job sites for journalists to gain the experience they need. The media links tab is the most crucial section on the Web site. Everything a journalist could need is at your fingertips and is just a click away. Whether it's reading a publication or finding facts for a story you are working on, it's going to be under the media links tab under the resources section. The site also helps provide a Native American outlook on issues, as well as topics and issues facing the Native American community. Thus, it provides a diverse perspective on issues in order to reach and accomplish NAJA's missions and goals.

An issue facing all journalists now is the job market. As mentioned, NAJA provides current job and internship listings to members, as well as visitors. However, NAJA doesn't outright address jobs and internships as an issue, nor does NAJA address any issues whatsoever. On the other hand, NAJA does provide a link to the Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism, also known as CIIJ. On the CIIJ's Web site, you can find issues facing journalism. For example, CIIJ mainly addresses the issue of diversity in the media as a concern, which calls for more diverse media organizations.

Overall, I would rate this site a four out of five. It was very helpful and easy to use. It also wasn't as complicated or complex as some of the Web sites we have blogged about this semester. Simple seems to work best. The resources tab is the best part of the Web site without a doubt. Everything a journalist could want or need can be found under the resources tab links. I also felt that NAJA accomplishes all of their missions and goals as well. For example, NAJA provides a Native American perspective, but they also promote journalism professionalism. If NAJA would have outright addressed issues facing journalism and how to resolve those issues, then I would have given the site a perfect rating.

Online News Association

ONA (Online News Association) is a group of over 1600 “digital journalists” including writers, producers, designers, editors etc. The group is open to anyone who is interested in online journalism. The “about ONA” section broadly defines their goal or mission as an attempt to “inspire innovation and excellence among digital journalists to better serve the public.” Then it goes on to explain the vision and values of the organization. The site describes ONA as “a leader in the rapidly changing world of journalism…” Their values closely resemble the SPJ code of ethics.

The Home page of the ONA website (journalists.org) provides several links to sub-sections that are full of resources. The “latest news” link takes you to information such as ONA news, Training and Webinars, Conferences and Seminars, Grants and Fellowships and others. The “Discussion” link takes you to forums that cover everything from committees and regional discussions to a guide for the website and blog searches. The “Networking” tab links you to other members of the ONA site. Under “Member Resources” you’ll find Training, Discounts and Legal resources. There are also links to a calendar of events, archives of past events and an awards page.

This site is designed entirely to help journalists learn better ways of disseminating news via the internet. The previous list of content links would be an excellent resource for anyone (not just journalists) that is interested in web-based reporting. The home page updates in real time with the latest pertinent news and dates of interest to online journalists. I give the site a 4 out of 5 based on the amount of access a non-member is granted. The site itself is great but you must be a member to get to the meat of it. A one year membership to ONA costs $75 for professionals, academics and associates. These same members can purchase a three year membership for a reduced rate of $150. Student memberships are $25 annually. Some of the benefits of becoming a member of ONA include: Access to the yearly awards competition and conference. Also, members gain instant access to all of the materials and media offered on the site.

Newsguild.com

Newsguild.com is a search engine for journalists to use to find stories about basically anything they need to find. According to newsguild.com it's partnered with SmartName to make searching for specific topics much easier and shortens time spent looking for what you want. The Web site gives ideas for searching and also gives the searcher a place to type in anything they are looking for.
On the top timeline of the homepage there are the titles, GUILD, NEWS, NEWS ARTICLE, CURRENT EVENT INTERNATIONAL NEWS, WORLD NEWS and NEWS MEDIA. When clicking on these, say you click on the NEWS link, it goes to a page that pulls up searches such as breaking local news, OKC newspapers and free news for stocks. These will take you to local or international headlines from major journalism outlets. There is also a blank search bar where you can type anything in and it will find news outlets with your specific search.
Also located on the home page is related searches. Such as, newspapers, politics and finance news. Clicking on these links will give you the most popular newspapers, the top stories in politics and the latest on financial news, locally, nationally and internationally.
Newsguild.com is basically a search engine. All it does is have links that leads to other links that will bring you to stories related to your search. The Web site doesn't have any helpful information, but I can see how it would shorten the time journalists spend searching the Web. Especially in this shortened time span journalists are facing because of the Web. Stories must be posted immediately after the event being covered ends. The only problem is, this Web site gives about 3,000 different options for the topic you're searching for. If it shortened and became more precise, I think it would be much more useful.
I would give this Web site a 3 on the ranking scale. Yes, it is useful and shortens time spent searching on the Web, but I think it is still too broad; it gives too many examples that may not even be related to the search wanted. I noticed that at the top of the homepage, and every page there is an advertisement saying the Web site is for sale. I'm wondering if other journalists are not happy with broadness of this Web site and that's why it is not doing well.

NewsLab

NewsLab is a non-profit journalism resource center. It was founded in 1998 by Deborah Potter, a journalism trainer, reporter and writer. Deborah conducts workshops for journalists, educators and students across the country and around the world. The site is a resource for journalists, and it feeds them well.

The site features a section for issues plaguing journalists. There is a section of journalist’s resources, strategies for journalist’s to follow and various tips and tools to make journalism a little bit easier. Each article has space for any journalist to provide input. Comment sections make the site a well-rounded forum.

The site is organized like a news website, which appeals to the journalist’s eye. Each topic is written like an online news story and the latest posts are on top. At the top corner, you can see that NewsLab is active in most social networking sites. They are on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and more. This makes it easy for journalists to stay in contact with NewsLab and get constant updates and tips.

The posts are relevant and interesting. This week, Deborah posted strategies for effective storytelling. She identifies seven habits and then explains how they will help in media. And most of her tips are new to me. For example, she talks about the value of silence on television. While most newscasts talk our faces off, she says don’t be afraid of silence. “If you have unusual video effects, compelling images, or complex graphics on the screen- be quiet.”

She also posted What not to say on air. This article adds some humor to the site. Even though I have no desire to be on air, stories such as these are interesting to anyone who sees the television news blunders on their silver screen every day.

The site is up-to-date with the changing industry and features many articles about journalism innovation. For example, Deborah examines the State of Local TV News. This and other articles such as the Tips for Multimedia Journalists and Innovative Interactivity examine the current changes and uncertainties and makes sense of them. She addresses new methods of journalism. She gives advice on how to make the most of the market. She includes information that you cannot find everywhere, such as the exact economic numbers. While most people would recommend online avenues, this site actually shows you the exact difference between platforms by showing that online revenue was up 26% last year, to $1.3 billion, while television suffered a 22% drop last year.

And if all these resources were not enough, the site even features a job bank in the lower corner with recent job postings and a place for employers to post jobs. Any journalist could use this site whether they want to get their foot in the door or are a veteran media manager. There is a lot to learn from Deborah. And because journalism is a common interest of ours, her articles are interesting and amusing to read. If all media practitioners visited this site, it could genuinely improve our day-to-day product.

Now for my rating. Let me preface by saying that I am very picky, especially when it comes to online reading. I am a very busy woman and there are millions of sites on the web. Most only deserve about 30 seconds of my time.

With that said- I give this site a 5 out of 5. Each article I read was extremely helpful and interesting. Deborah Potter provides new information, and insightful advice. This site will not only enlighten me, but help me become a great journalist. I have already added it to my bookmarks.

National Association of Hispanic Journalists

Nahj.org, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists website that is useful for any journalism students and in particular those involved with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
NAHJ was founded in 1984, to give a national voice and unified vision for all Hispanic Journalists. The goals and missions of NAHJ include as stated on the website “to organize and provide mutual support for Hispanics involved in the gathering or dissemination of news, encourage and support the study and practice of journalism and communications by Hispanics, foster and promote a fair treatment of Hispanics by the media, further the employment and career development of Hispanics in the media and finally to foster a greater understanding of Hispanic media professionals’ special cultural identity, interests, and concerns.”

NAHJ has approximately 2300 members which consist of journalism educators, working journalists, journalism students and other media related professionals. NAHJ is governed by a board of 18 members of executive officers and regional directors.

NAHJ is sponsored by donations and advertising on their website. They offer space on the right side of their website pages for advertising. Other than that the only way I see they raise money is though donations.

The website is a useful tool for journalists, but I would think it would be more useful to journalism students and educators. It offers information regarding upcoming events such as conferences in different regions. The homepage has many different links to useful information including tabs specifically for professionals, students, convention news and multimedia. All of those tabs are on the top of the website. If you scroll down the site is divided into several sections. Those sections include “lo ultimo” which includes information about events coming up and conference information. The section brings the highlights from the whole website and puts them in one section for people to look in one spot. This section, which is the biggest also, includes recent articles in the news that have to do with Hispanic journalists, or have some impact of Hispanics. A second section is titles “Guest Bloggers” where different guest give their thoughts on journalism and how it will affect members of NAHJ. One of the blogs by Fernando Diaz talks about new social media and guidelines for journalists. He helps identify “a policy for behavior in the rapidly growing social media space.” Other sections include the latest information on convention news, information for professionals, information for students and the last includes the latest information on media advocacy. These sections are useful to journalism students and professors because they provide information about other ways of learning about journalism including conferences and scholarship opportunities.

In each section there is something about the regional conferences. They are pushing these opportunities to learn a lot about how journalism is changing how they can embrace the change in the industry.

Overall I would rate this website a 4. It is a very useful tool for those members who are very interested in NAHJ. However I don’t think other journalists would seek out this website. It is a lot about upcoming events and less about the change in journalism and what students can do to embrace it.

Media Info Center

Mediainfocenter.org was developed and is managed by the Media Management Center at Northwestern University. It is allied with the Kellogg School of Management and the Medill School. One of its main purposes is to educate senior executives from all media industries with its data and research on some of the media’s most complex problems. It also participates with media companies in projects that engage challenging issues in terms of strategy, marketing, content and sales force productivity. The site’s development was sponsored by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight foundation.

The most prominent item on the site’s home page is a list of links to recent media-related news. The links take readers to news and research sites like New York Times, Advertising Age, Reuters and others. Some of the news headlines include, “Hulu’s a towering success-just not financially,” “Music video games primed for new dance revolution,” and “2009 newspaper ad revenue fell to level not seen since 1985.”

On the left side of the home page, readers can find a list of links, like newspaper data for example. That link has links to information about newspaper circulation, employment, ad revenue, audience demographics and more. There is another link with similar information about magazines and books, and one for interactive data. Another link on the list takes site readers to film and programming data, while another contains information about world press freedom. Another link has information about journalism schools, and another, the First Amendment.

The site also includes links to a blog, MMMCDigiMe, on the right side of the home page. The blog’s topics vary and are written by several different authors, but all relate to issues in the media. One blog is titled, “What if news searched for you?” and another, “Hyperlocal News - A Perspective from Outside.in.” The blog discusses issues that are often prominent in the news, but from a different, more personal perspective that makes readers think.

There are also links on the home page to recent media research conducted by the Media Management Center. Overall, the site is structured clearly and easy to navigate.

This site can be very useful for journalists because it contains so much relevant news, research and statistical information. The statistical information can be especially helpful to news organizations who are trying to improve their readership and need some basic information on news readership and demographics in general. It can also just help keep journalists up-to-date about current media trends. It’s important for journalists to stay in-the know about media issues so they can do journalism accordingly. Journalism education shouldn’t end after journalism school—this site is proof that it can’t, because the media is constantly changing, and journalists must stay up with what is going on.

Many of the site’s news articles and research address the issues of journalism innovation and changes. One Media Management Center study is titled, “Life beyond print: Newspaper journalists’ digital appetite,” which discusses a survey that found almost half of the journalists believe that their newsroom's transition from print to digital is moving too slowly. Some of the site’s news articles address journalism innovation, too. One article is about how the soon-to-be-unveiled Apple iPad will change the image of magazines. Another article addresses how online TV-watching is becoming an interactive experience, and another talks about the relevance of print newspapers in an online age. So clearly the site is addressing the issues of the changing journalism industry, and sends the message that journalists should be thinking about them and how to respond to them.

I would give this site a rating of 5 because it seems like an excellent resource for journalists in terms of relevant research and news. It keeps journalists in-the-know about important issues and shows them how to respond to the ever-changing news industry. Overall, it’s a thoroughly-researched, legitimate site that gives journalists the news and resources they need.

National Association of Black Journalists

The following is an analysis of the National Association of Black Journalists website. www.nabj.org

The National Association of Black Journalists was founded in Washington, D.C. by 44 men and women in 1975. The organization has 3,300 members, students and professionals. There are regional chapters throughout the United States that people can join. The organization is the largest organization for black journalists worldwide. According to its site, the organization of students, journalists and media-related professionals "provides quality programs and services to and advocates on behalf of black journalists worldwide." NABJ's mission is to strengthen ties among black journalists, sensitize all media to the importance of fairness and equality in the newsroom, expand job opportunities and training for black journalists, foster examples of successful black journalists that will encourage other black journalists, and to provide training services to the general public. NABJ is now headquartered at the University of Maryland-College Park.

NABJ holds annual conventions and career fairs in the summer time, giving members, as well as other black journalists who are not members, a chance to find a job in the journalism industry. The organization also gives out honors and awards to black journalists, and also gives away $10,000 in scholarship money. NABJ also offers internships in the different areas of journalism. What I know from personal experience is that the organization is a great networking opportunity for black student journalists trying to find jobs or internships.

The site contains a lot of useful information for those students looking for jobs, skill improvement, work shops and more, as well as information on upcoming conventions and job fairs. The site also offers news that is relevant to black journalists, such as discrimination in the workplace and racial slurs in media in a section called Headlines. The majority of the content is on the left side of the site, which includes a members only section, a background section, a section called "Our Folks" that describes some of the members of the organization and what they are doing in the field of journalism and awards, a newsroom section that offers press releases and other information on the organization, an awards section, a resources section, and a student section that provides scholarship, internship and project information. However, some of the content is not up to date, which is odd for a journalism website, which should be timely and accurate. The layout of the content on the website is user-friendly, meaning that the information is easily accessible and visitors don't have to search around for information.

NABJ's website is helpful for black journalists, students and professionals, because it provides great resources for them, such as other journalism organizations to be involved in, contacts for other journalists, other website links like the Pew Center and Poynter Institute, other African American journalism websites and stories and job and internship opportunities. Students can find this site especially helpful when trying to find an organization to participate in, as well as for scholarship opportunities and job search opportunities. Those who are not African American can find this website helpful by reading the stories about how blacks are represented in the media and treated in the workplace for a better understanding of the struggles black journalists face in the profession.

The organization helps to continue the push for equal opportunities and better representation of black people in the media. What I've seen different in this site is the positive or success stories of how black people fight against the struggle of fair representation. An innovative part would be the seminars and workshops the organizations hold on a regular basis to help teach firsthand how to avoid and correct unfairness for the black community in the media. According to its site, it is also helping to increase the number of black people in management positions and encouraging black journalists to become entrepreneurs in the journalism profession, such as begin their own journalism business. The "Media Monitoring" section under the resources tab helps explain the relevance of diversity, or the lack of it, in the profession.

I would rate this site a 4 out of 5. The site is simple, easy to navigate, contains very relevant, informational stories that drive the importance of diversity and race issues in the media, and provides countless resources for student journalists and professionals to become better journalists, as well as give them the tools to teach or show other journalists how to cover, report and even approach diverse issues. Although the site is the more traditional, mainly print stories and hardly any video except for the slideshow on the home page, the site offers opportunities for black journalists to excel in the journalism profession.

MediaChannel.org

Founded in 1999, MediaChannel is “the first media and democracy supersite on the World Wide Web.”

This web site was founded by Danny Schechter and Rory O’Connor and states that it is a place where “Journalists and media professionals, organizations and activists, scholars and citizens all need improved access to information, resources and opportunities to reach out and build connections.”

With its motto “As the media watch the world, we watch the media” MediaChannel includes information on numerous topics from social, political and cultural media. Organized sections of different videos, featured stories, blogs, archives, groups, members, links, and news media wire are neatly organized on the home page. The web site not only provides information and different perspectives, it also encourages participate, action and debate.

A section on the homepage called “MediaChannel Student Journalism Network” is an incredible addition of the site that is devoted to student journalists that provides a place where they can promote work, share videos and perspectives and even helpful tips.

Signing up as a member is completely free and allows you to comment on blogs and receive newsletters and alerts of updates and information of any topics that you are interested in.

The website is incredibly organized. Each of the 1107 organizations affiliated with MediaChannel can be searched by topic, type, and country. The site also offers a link that quickly allows you to tweet a specific story or topic link to whoever you choose.

MediaChannel also offers a social network that is completely free and has features that are similar to those on Facebook. You can blog, add friends, join groups, get instant updates of information of your choice, and leave comments.

The website also has a tab entitled “make a donation.” in order to create the new “MediaChannel 2.0” that is said to be launched very soon. The website is asking for donations from its viewers in order to upgrade and improve the technological aspects of the site. “Now we again need your help: to improve site technology, to add new interactive social features, to help train young journalists and to promote their work worldwide.”

This site also has an incredible addition of the site called the “MediaChannel Student Journalism Network.” The link leads you to a page that is devoted to student journalists that provides a place where they can promote work, share videos and perspectives and even helpful tips.

Overall, I give this website a 5 out of 5. It provides an abundance of great information, choices of multimedia and promotes the importance of journalism. Even Walter Cronkite commented about the MediaChannel website and said, “We’re always ready to speak out when journalists are at risk. But today we must speak out because journalism itself is at risk. That’s why I’m speaking out and reaching out to you tonight, to tell you that I like the idea of the Media Channel and want to encourage your participation. And that’s the way it is.”

Cyberjournalist.net was created by Jonathan Dube in 2000. The site was created to highlight different types of converged media and covers everything from "online journalism, citizen’s media, digital storytelling, converged news operations and using the Internet as a reporting tool" (Dube 2010). The whole point of the site is basically a critique of different types of online writing.
At first glance the site looks pretty well put together. After looking around for a few minutes it becomes clear that it is mostly clutter. The domain is paid for by Google advertising and the site runs wild with it. Once you do make your way through what is advertisement and get to what is actual content, there are some pretty interesting pieces. The search tool is your only hope for narrowing down or finding any specific topics though. There are links to different sub-topics but they don't really have much direction once you get there. There are buttons for "great work," "future of media," "innovation," "social media," and so on. Each topic has an abundance of articles and some are harder to navigate than others.
There are other links that seem a bit more promising. I haven't read many of the books offered from the site's "bookstore" (Kovach and Rosenstiel have top billing) but it's nice to know they are available. There is also a link to make submissions regarding convergence, media, internet reporting and the like. Of course, the site wouldn't be complete without the obligatory facebook and twitter links.
Overall, I found this site to be very cumbersome and hard to navigate with any real focus. I understand what he is trying to do with the site but, personally, I don't think the structure works. To follow suit, I give this site a 2 out of 5 based solely on the effort.

Knight Center for Specialized Journalism

The Knight Center for Specialized Journalism, www.knightcenter.umd.edu, was an organization through the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.  It was announced in December 2009 that the center would cease operations, but this center has been providing resources for journalists since 1987.  The center was founded 22 years ago with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to provide seminars and educational fellowships.  The Knight Foundation has donated over $20 million to the university.

The in the announcement of the center’s closing, the Dean Kevin Klose of the Journalism College states one of the centers achievements is providing in-depth training for journalists to improve their competencies.  Knight Center has worked with over 2,700 journalists from over 500 news organizations.  At the Knight Center, professionals received specialized training on their beats whether that was law, health, or science.

The Knight Center Web Site is organized to highlight Knight Center programs and seminars that it offered.  The front page of the site highlights recent or upcoming events, such as the closing announcement.  It also mentions things such as seminars and archived webinars.  A video runs on the right hand side of the page, but it does not always load unfortunately leaving just a black square.  Scrolling down the site, the purpose of the Knight Center is restated, but more importantly on the right hand side is information pertinent to journalists. 

Seminars with pertinent dates and descriptions are listed, although they are out-of-date due to the cease of operations.  A multimedia section also highlights a video by someone in the profession and underneath that Beat Guides are available.  For example, there is a guide currently posted to give advice to Business reporters.  General advice is given, as well as information on specific companies, market information, and useful web links.

At the top of the Web Site, there are tabs to learn more about the seminars and fellowships, but more important to working journalists is the resources tab.  This tab is really where this site benefits journalists by providing beat guides and source lists.  The guides provide information similar to that of the previous example of business reporting, but the source lists are a place journalists could easily go to begin a story.  They provide advice and sources that would be relevant depending on the nature of the story.  For example, there is a source list for understanding the big picture of our economy.  The site suggests going to the IMF World Economic Outlook for information on the current financial crisis.

Most of the information on the site addresses more traditional journalism practices, however the inclusion of the multimedia section showed a recognition of journalism changes.  Some of the final seminars the center offered were focused on the changes of new media, such as how foreign reporting is affected by the changing role of Media.  In the announcement of the closing, one of the reasons cited was the changing role of journalism and the new thinking that is required for the new technology.

Overall, I would rate this site a 4 out of 5.  It is a shame that the center is closing, because the information provided to journalists such as source lists and reporting advice is quite good.  It gives journalists a place to go when researching a story.  My only complaint about the site would be the fact that the outdated seminar information still dominates the screen.  They should focus more on the resources instead of past conferences because that is where the most beneficial information lies.

 

Investigative Reporters and Editors

Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. is a nonprofit organization that focuses on the quality of investigative reporting. It was formed in 1975 and presents the IRE awards and holds conferences and training classes for journalists. Its headquarters is in Columbia, Missouri, at the University of Missouri school of journalism.
The IRE website is designed to help journalists find resources and tips to help them better prepare and perform in their jobs. A primary purpose of the site is to promote the many IRE seminars, webinars, and conferences they put on. It also includes information for a number of workshops including ones on watchdog duties and ethnic media. For students and young professionals looking to gain the edge there are fellowships and scholarships available as well as resources for mentoring.
On the menu on the home page one can navigate to the Resource Center which is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories of both print and broadcast. There are more than 3,000 tipsheets from national conferences on how to cover specific beats or do specific stories. These stories and tipsheets are searchable through the online database or by contacting the resource center directly by phone.
The site even includes a job center. It posts job openings, jobs wanted, as well as resources to scholarships, fellowships, grants and awards.
The IRE website as I have described is the basic public version but there is a whole other side to it that is yet to be seen. For IRE members there are far greater resources including networking, training and blogging.
Over all, out of 5, I give this site a 3. Its pretty good; it has good material, but in the end I'm left feeling pretty underwhelmed. I would have liked to see some advice thrown right out to me or something to make me feel this is important. But instead the mass effort on the site is geared toward getting people to come to conferences, sign up for workshops. Whatever happened to reel em in and bait em before trying to make a sale on em. Perhaps the good stuff that I'm just not seeing is on the members side of the website.

Maynard Institue for Journalism Education

The Maynard Institute for Journalism Education is a nonprofit organization dedicated to training journalists of color in order to provide accurate representation of minorities in the news media. The Maynard Institute is the nation’s oldest organization dedicated to helping the news media reflect the nation's diversity in staffing, content and business operations. Although the Maynard Institute emphasizes training those of color, all programs are open to journalists of all races. Since this is a non-profit site, the Maynard Institute relies on donations from individuals, corporations and foundations.

When you first enter the site you are directed to a page filled with columns that some staffers have written. These columns are discussing the media’s representation of minorities. One example is a column on covering the Tiger Woods incident. It says that instead of relying on the facts, the story became full of gossip and celebrity. There are tabs on the home page that will narrow down the type of column you may want to read. There are features, cultural and diversity columns as well as “the next America”- a tab dedicated to talking about the future of diversity and the media. On the right side of the page there is a “diversity headlines” news feed that allows you to click on a link and be taken directly to a news story. At the top of the page there is a resources tab that has “industry studies”, “organizations”, “diversity guide”, “diversity game”, and “minorities in the media”. These resources are filled with interactive timelines and quizzes, as well as lists of links and journalists resource sites.

I think that this site can help journalists by informing them of how they can report on minorities better and more consciously. It provides journalists with a great amount of links to articles about media and how they report on diversity and opinions from Maynard Institute staff that has dedicated their lives to train journalists of color on portraying minorities in the news accurately. Through the use of interactive information, links and resources this site allows journalists to respond to the challenges of reporting on minorities.

On a scale of 1 to 5 I would rate this site a 3. I was very confused when I first opened the web page. It didn’t tell me what it was about or what their mission or goal was right off the bat. I had to do some major digging to fins out that it was dedicated to training journalists of color how to portray minorities in the media. Despite the confusion, I think this site does provide journalists with copious amounts of information. This would be a great resource to spend a lot of time on before covering minorities so that you could really try and portray them in an accurate way.

High School Journalism

Highschooljournalism.org is a website intended to attract people interested in youth journalism including students, high school journalism teachers, editors and guidance counselors.

The objectives of Highschooljournalism.org are to provide young people interested in getting involved in the news business with websites and links to information that will provide them with a better understanding of the journalism industry. Also it provides students with news and information regarding things coming up in the young news world. The site is not only for students but for teachers and editors as well. One very useful resource this web provides to students and teachers is information about journalism programs on a national level, but also on a state-to-state level. Information about possible summer internships, workshops, and even accredited JMC colleges and universities a student might be interested in.

The homepage is very easy to navigate. In the middle it has news about the most recent internship programs, workshops and scholarship opportunities available for students and well as teachers. On the left hand side of the page there are separate tabs for students, teachers and editors providing information geared toward each section under than tab. Also on the left hand side of the page it links to the groups Twitter and Facebook pages. It also provides a PDF of the First Amendment intended to be placed in a student’s locker!

This website provides students with over 3,000 student news outlets. Offering them examples of good and interesting stories, video, photos and more recently good multimedia.

Under the most recent news in the middle of the page, the site offers lesson plans on journalism for teachers, a “Future now” section where journalist and scholar Dan Gillmor tells what students should learn in a journalism school to get them prepared for today’s current and changing state of journalism. It teaches basics of journalism ethics and tools to help one strive for objectivity and truth. It provides students with key resources such as news literacy links, journalism reviews, scholastic press groups, national groups for journalism teachers and is always updating articles about youth journalism in the news.

This site can help journalists, but journalists can also help this site. They can find interested young student journalists to get involved. It can also give journalists an outlet to start teaching young what journalist should be striving toward, even at a high school level. Journalists can give back to this site by providing insight on the journalism industry, what can be expected in the future as opposed to now and what important skills editors look for in journalists, much like it is displayed on hsj.org. It explains the changing industry and what is becoming more important features of a good journalist. For example it states that multimedia is becoming bigger in journalism and students need to acquire those skills if they want to be in the running for possible job in the future.

I’m not exactly sure if the website has “members” but people who visit this website include students, teachers, editors and anybody interested in youth journalism in anyway would benefit greatly from this website.

This website is sponsored by the John S. and James Knight Foundation. The Knight Foundation mission is “to seek opportunities that can transform both communities and journalism, and help them reach their highest potential. We want to ensure that each community's citizens get the information they need to thrive in a democracy.”

I rate this website a 5 out of 5. It was very well organized and very informative. I wish I knew about this website when I was in high school. It provides students with so many resources to be successful before even attending college. It provides them with a basic understanding of the journalism principles and mission so they will have a good understanding of what they are working toward. I was very impressed and will visit this site again in the future.