Studying the intersection of journalism, interactive communications and public discourse
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 …
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 …
How did our idea of beauty become so distorted? Check out this cool “evolution” film by Dove, revealing the devious wonders of Photoshop…
During a meeting at my workplace this week, a group of copy editors asked the managing editor whether the same standards of accuracy that apply to print product also apply to the online product. In a nutshell, the managing editor’s answer was this: When it comes to content created by the newspaper, yes. When it …
This morning, my 63-year-old father was complaining about his new cell phone. He can’t figure out why after a few days, the text messages in his inbox disappear. Frustrated, my dad says he is ready to pitch the whole thing in the trash. He’s not patient when it comes to new technology. He can’t understand …