Students and teachers from around the region attended 40 sessions at the New England Scholastic Press Association\u2019s 68th Annual Conference at Boston University\u2019s College of Communication Monday, May 2.<\/p>\n
Jason Tuohey, the editor of BostonGlobe.com, gave the keynote speech: \u201cFocus in a Time of Upheaval: How to Navigate the Rapidly Shifting Journalism Landscape\u201d
\nAmong other session topics were blogging, science reporting, jobs in journalism, investigative reporting and high school journalism, how to sell advertising, what it\u2019s like to study journalism in college, yearbook trends, student press freedom and state laws, how to optimize news content for the Web, profile writing, step by step design, infographics, student privacy, finding interesting stories for a high school news show, and breaking into the TV news business.<\/p>\n
Speakers included College of Communication faculty, journalism professionals from the New England region, and high school advisers and staff members.
\nIn the afternoon, publications and productions received all New England Awards. Complete listings of these awards, Special Achievement Awards and Localizing Contest winners appear in this posting.<\/p>\n
Also in this posting are the 68 suggestions the Board of Judges has offered on how staffs can improve their work.<\/p>\n
Despite huge changes in technology, excellent journalism is as crucial today as when newspapers started in this country, according to Jason Tuohey, editor of BostonGlobe.com.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s such a tumultuous time in journalism,\u201d Tuohey said. \u201cThere is so much technological change.\u201d<\/p>\n
During Tuohey\u2019s keynote speech and in the question-and-answer session that followed, he addressed journalism\u2019s history and current state and also made predictions about the future.<\/p>\n
Looking back to the 1770s, Tuohey noted that some newspapers, such as The Hartford Courant, are still publishing.<\/p>\n
Radio news began in the early 20th century, and it became especially important to listeners during World War II, Tuohey said.<\/p>\n
Then came TV.<\/p>\n
But the three were stable and coexisted, Tuohey said.<\/p>\n
It used to be that as a journalist, you\u2019d pick one medium and stay with it, Tuohey said, mentioning Woodward and Bernstein, Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite.
\nThen came the Internet, with Google in 1998.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs of 2013 there were 5 billion searches,\u201d Tuohey said. \u201cIt\u2019s everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Facebook was founded in 2004 at Harvard in a dorm room, Tuohey noted.<\/p>\n
Since then platforms including YouTube have drawn more than 1 billion, and users consume more than 1 million hours of video per day, Tuohey said.<\/p>\n
When he asked how many had used the Internet that morning, most in the auditorium raised their hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cAd revenue for newspapers is way down,\u201d Tuohey said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut there are more opportunities for journalists now than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Using data driven explanatory journalism, Tuohey said, journalists produce some of the best stories using new media including investigative nonprofits, newsletters, data bases and niche websites like Elite Daily.<\/p>\n
Tuohey has been editor of BostonGlobe.com since 2011. During that time he has overseen its editorial coverage on the Web and mobile and social media.<\/p>\n
Since starting his career, he said, he has observed a large-scale shift in how media exist online.<\/p>\n
This idea was central in Tuohey\u2019s presentation as he described how networks have changed journalism, while noting the practices and new publications that have thrived in the changing landscape.<\/p>\n
Tuohey called particular attention to sites including NowThis and AJ+, which operate solely on social media.<\/p>\n
He added these outlets to a list of new media publications that included such names as Quartz App (which delivers news through text message), and theSkimm (which delivers news as an email to subscribers).<\/p>\n
Tuohey also marked, in his speech, the growth of popular social media networks like Facebook and Twitter and how journalists have been able to use these platforms to tell stories.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty years ago, none of these businesses existed,\u201d Tuohey said. \u201cNow they are replacing print, radio and TV. The best stories are the ones that are told on all these platforms.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that as journalism has changed, some outlets including The Boston Globe have struggled.<\/p>\n
In contrast, he cited the success of \u201cniche\u201d publications like Refinery 29, and watchdog, non-profit, organizations like Pro-Publica and The Marshall Project.<\/p>\n
\u201cNone of these platforms could have existed in the old years,\u201d Tuohey said. \u201cBut now they are thriving in this culture.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tuohey showed a picture of a crowd using cell-phone apps to light up the dark.<\/p>\n
Divided horizontally into thirds there were three sections: \u201c2005,\u201d \u201c2013\u201d and \u201c2021\u201d with a big question mark at the bottom.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you graduate, you will have apps that are unknown now,” Tuohey said. “What should you focus on?<\/p>\n
\u201cFocus on being a journalist because while the technology may change, the hallmarks of strong journalism never do.<\/p>\n
\u201cLearn how to tell a story. Learn how to get people to trust you, how to write and edit, how to write a good headline, how to scour public resources. Double check, triple check.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, learn the technology too.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive voice to the voiceless.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you focus on being a good journalist, you\u2019ll do just fine. You might just bring stability to our industry when we need it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dakota Antelman, an editor of <\/em> The Big Red at Hudson High School in Hudson, Mass., and Riya Pujari, an editor of<\/em> The Harbinger at Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, Mass., contributed to this story. <\/em><\/p>\n Q: \u201cIs print journalism dead?\u201d<\/p>\n A:\u201c It\u2019s not dead. There are still hundreds of thousands who read a newspaper every day. Long-form articles\u20145,000 or 10,000 words\u2014 can be some of the most read on the Web.\u201d<\/p>\n Q: \u201cWhat is hurting print journalism the most?\u201d<\/p>\n A: \u201cYouTube and Facebook are hurting many aspects because of the need to play catch-up.”<\/p>\n Q: \u201cWhat do you suggest to improve the quality of features?\u201d<\/p>\n A:\u201d Find interesting topics. There\u2019s a huge audience. Add emphasis with graphics, multi-media and video.\u201d<\/p>\nKeynote session includes Q and A<\/h2>\n
All-New England Awards for 2016<\/h2>\n
Broadcast<\/h3>\n
Class I<\/h4>\n