Studying the intersection of journalism, interactive communications and public discourse
If you wanted to go see the pros play golf this week at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn. you had to do it without your cell phone. PGA tour event organizers banned all cell phones, PDAs and other electronic devices from the tournament regardless of “silent mode.” In return, officials set up sponsored “AT&T …
Louise Horstmanshof and Mary R. Power wrote in their 2005 paper, “Mobile Phones, SMS and Relationships” that people are embracing SMS (Short Message Service) communication because it is quick, efficient, cheap and convenient. I agree. More than ever before, SMS is allowing human beings to maintain social and familial connections both locally and overseas. When …
Diversion: escape from routine or problems; emotional release Personal relationships: companionship; social utility Personal identity: self-reference; reality exploration; value reinforcement Surveillance (forms of information seeking) – from “McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory: 5th edition,” 2005
Modern society suffers from “divided consciousness,” according to Kenneth J. Gergen’s 2002 essay, “The Challenge of Absent Presence.” Our attention spans have become increasingly diverted by new communication technologies, especially the mobile telephone. They make it easy for people to be physically present, yet “absorbed by a technologically mediated world of elsewhere.” Gergen’s got a …
“You do not have to make money. You do have to make a difference. You do not have to be successful. You do have to be valuable. You do not have to seek private gain, but it is hoped that you will serve the common good. It may be harder, more painful to serve the …
Online users, especially young people, don’t want to pay for information. They are used to getting it for free. But if that’s the case, how will the professionals who gather and produce this information be able to sustain themselves without a source of income? Journalists have to be willing to work faster & smarter since …
Shorter is better. Why? Because people don’t read online. They scan. You have about 5 seconds to get the user’s attention. So write in simple, direct language that communicates thoughts efficiently. Use an active, conversational voice with strong verbs. Don’t be passive. The best verbs demonstrate action, movement, things happening. Sources: Attribution = credibility. Let …
Other places I’ve visited recently… Museum of Science, Boston. The Tesla coils in the Theater of Electricity are still way cool. The Stockyard Food & Spirits – Located in Brighton, Mass., this local steakhouse/haunt worth visiting for the consistently good food and the decor. Check out Al Capone’s bar and the other unusual collectibles and …
People can waste incredible amounts of time watching online videos. But some are so ridiculously funny, they are totally worth the time, such as Will Ferrell’s visit from “The Landlord.”
Places I’ve visited recently: The Spa at Norwich Inn – Took a day off for a much-needed spa day with the girls. Massage. Facial. Sauna. Sunshine. The experience left me so relaxed, I floated through the rest of the day. If only that vibe could last longer (and cost less…) Max’s Tavern, Springfield – Seriously …