Wall Street Journal goes for video in a big way

Wall Street Journal Adds to Live Video Programming By BRIAN STELTER Operating a bit like a stealth business news network, The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday announced a major expansion of its video unit, which is now producing three and a half hours of live programming each weekday and will soon produce even more.

Writing for the Web

Here are links to three stories about the same event, the Republican presidential debate on Monday. The Associated Press story appeared on the Bennington Banner's website but was clearly written for newspapers. How can you tell? MSNBC's treatment of the debate combines elements of the AP piece, but there are differences. Can you find them? CNN's story also differs from the AP piece. Note the less formal tone and the super-short paragraphs.

Pimp My Blog

Project Guidelines:This is due on Monday, Sept. 19.
Create the coolest blog you can.
Play with design.
Wander around backstage and find gadgets and other features to try out.
Write a blog entry explaining the process and why you chose the things you did.
Best blog wins a prize.
Grades:
A – Blew me away. Fun design, cool features.
Added photos, audio or video
B – Good blog; includes a few features.
C – Looks like most of the other blogs out there, but it’s okay
D – It’s there
F – It’s not there

Human writers? Who needs 'em?

New York Times article about artificial intelligence and sports writing (or is that redundant?).

15-year-old blogger makes big

The Style Rookie is a blog maintained by 15-year-old Tavi Gevenson. It became so popular she has launched an online magazine, Rookie.
It has 40 employees.

Blog critique

Go out on the World Wide Web and find a blog. Any blog will do, but I would encourage you to avoid the super-popular ones. Technorati.com can help guide you to blogs on any topic.

I used it to find a blog about chickens!
In your critique, please tell us:
what you like and dislike about the blog;
how often it is updated (avoid "dead" blogs);
whether the Comments indicate anyone is reading it;
what media elements beyond text it uses.
Post your critique here as a Comment.

TV cooperation

Staffing and Profitability
2011 TV and Radio News Staffing and Profitability Survey
The latest RTDNA/Hofstra University Annual Survey found that 2010 marked a
turnaround year for local TV news. Stations added 750 jobs last year, recovering all the
losses of 2009 (400 jobs lost) and making a dent in the 1,200 jobs lost in 2008. In fact,
the survey found that anticipated hiring in 2011 could bring the industry back to its precrash
peak by the start of 2012.

Total local television news employment is now 26,522. That's an increase of 2.9 percent
in the last year. That's still 1,295 behind the 2007 peak of 27,817. The American
Society of News Editors (ASNE) reports that newspaper employment rose by 100 in
2010 (up 2/100 of a percent) to 41,600. That's down from 55,100 in 2007.

Overall, there are now 745 TV stations originating local news, running that news on
those stations and another 223 stations for a total of 968 stations airing local news.