Afghanistan Dispatch

The Washington Post’s Afghanistan Dispatch was most compelling for its design, rather than its effective use of multiple media to tell a story (although that was admirable as well). The majority of convergence pieces I see in online publications present the video or the photography or the interactive what-have-you, the very stuff that makes the story a convergence story, as if it were an afterthought. When I see a video off to the side of an article, separated from the text and most likely to appear in its own window once selected, I’m not compelled to watch it. The Post integrates these elements into the story by giving them position above the text, headlining this story as truly a convergence story, not a print piece with some stuff thrown in afterwards for online publication. The layout is consistent, appealingly simple, and, most importantly, user-friendly. It is a model convergence as a form of journalism and not just a modified form of traditional journalism.

New York Times Multimedia

Journalism of the quality featured by the New York Times multimedia site is precisely the reason I chose to be a convergence major. I would love to be out in the world, producing work of this caliber (or dare I say even better) some day. It is true that I have never been a fan of the Times as a hardcopy printed newspaper. However, their website and multimedia features are on an entirely different level. There are so many stories to tell and the number of ways in which they can be told is nearly as vast. Many stories can’t be told in 500 2-dimensional words or crammed into a 60-second clip. The need to tell these stories is why I chose convergence.

Multiple Media

My favorite presentation of the winners was the New York Times election photograph story about all of the presedential elections.

For one thing, this was a presentation that did not take itself too seriously. Yes, there were the serious shots that evoked great emotion, such as the one after September 11th, or the one and only Bob Dole reduced to tears as George Bush Sr. praised him, however there was also the light heartedness of the humorous shots that could only induce laughter, such as the picture of a halo-ed Joseph Lieberman of George W. and Jesus.

Not only that, but the audio commentary proved a great complement to the pictures, with the photographer Stephen Crowley adding excellent insight to everything. A lot of times it was really interesting to see his view on a photo that you could have seen completely differently.

On the whole, this is the type of convergence journalism that I hope I can come out of this class able to do, albeit not quite at this level yet. It is inspiring, and something that I can truly dream to achieve.

True Multi-Media

I absolutely loved the third place winner in the Multi-Media division, "Photographer's Journal: Campaign Moments," from Geoff McGhee, Stephen Crowley, Lisa Tozzi, and Judith Schlieper at NYTimes.com. I believe this is multimedia at its finest, and really inspires my to venture further into convergence.

The photos are amazing. The photos cover all four types of photography we discussed in class; informational, graphic, emotional, and intimate. I loved the humor in many of the photos; Clinton’s limosine parked in a no parking zone, Bob Dole with the angel wings behind him; they make the pictures more entertaining. The emotion in the photos also helps, whether that be of supporters watching on election night or Reagan's last moments in office, he captures them beautifully. In his audio, Crowley says covering campaigns can be difficult because you have to find new things to photograph each day. I think he does a great job of this by adding humor, emotion, and an artistic level to his photographs.

What I really love about this piece is the audio commentary. At first when I heard his introduction piece I was a little confused, but in the later journals I enjoyed it more. I liked him talking about each photo, giving background as to what was going on in the shot. Not only did I learn a lot from this (like how a simple act like lying on the floor can create a great image), but viewers learn as well. I never knew that Bob Dole had so little feeling in his hand, until I watched this presentation.

The audio really makes it multimedia and is a great example of how blending two mediums can enhance a story. Yes, the pictures alone were marvelous. Yes, the audio commentary Crowley provides is both interesting and informative. The two together- perfect convergence.

Stephen Crowley's Journal

When it comes to the internet, I have the attention span of a gnat. What I liked about Stephen Crowley's work is that it worked on several levels.
The photos are the caliber expected of a New York Times reporter, and bring new insight to these political characters that we see every day on TV, in the paper, and on the internet. The audio added another layer of information by explaining the circumstances behind the shots, telling about the events surrounding the particular moment captured, or telling another tangential story. The captions add a little more solid information to these other two elements.
These elements added up to a long slideshow on a much-covered subject - but I kept watching. I learned something new, I laughed, I cried, and I kept watching to the very end. This is what all multimedia storytelling should aspire to.

The Good and Bad of Seamus Murphy

Convergence Confab
I viewed the first-place photo shoot in the the World Understanding category, which was shot by Seamus Murphy and entitled "Afghanistan's Search for Peace." Several things caught my attention while going through this 40-picture collection. Murphy has a very distinct style that runs through virtually all of his prints, which includes a lot of negative space and mainly shadowy people. None of the photos are particularly sharp.

One of the things I enjoyed about the collection was its inclusiveness. The photos ranged from frightening shots of children in bombed-out villages, to people doing daily tasks, to photos of the military. It drove home the point that although the country is at war, there is still more to life than air raids and terror. I also appreciated the lenghty captions included with the photos. These captions told small stories about the events being portrayed and gave context to the collection. Through the captions, the audience learns about the history of the Taliban, the brave leader of the anti-Taliban group who was assassinated just prior to 9-11, and the woman who was the only female candidate for Afghanistan's presidency. These captions help the viewer understand the current political and social situation these photos were shot in.

Although I liked the collection overall, I found some points to be less than satisfactory. For instance, one shot contains a fairly close up image of dead bodies lying on a road. The shot seems a little tasteless, since it is not necessary to see the deceased Afghanistan citizens to know they exist. I personally found this photo a bit vulgar, particularly since you could clearly make out their faces. Another issue I had with the collection was the use of the term "Islamic fundamentalist" in reference to a man who killed an anti-Taliban leader. This term is actually illogical, since a true "fundamentalist" of a religion follows the faith's teachings to a T, and the Quaran preaches moderation and tolerance, not war. Therefore, this term is really incorrect and deemed offensive by many
Islams.

David Snider and What Makes Good Photography

David Snider's portfolio was impressive. I can only hope my pictures will possess some potential for capturing that emotion in unique detail or beautiful simplicity. What a gift! In "The Great Picture Hunt" pdf, I was especially affected by the picture of the little boy trapped in the phone booth. It was a hate/love moment, but that's why the picture is so good, it causes you to feel something. How does one manage the courage to capture emotion? That is a feat in itself. Add confidence to the list Mr. LaBelle. Because David Snider must have such a trait to take pictures of a man sleeping on a bench and deal with the possibility that he may wake up at any moment and learn that he is the subject of someone's vision. Exploring the unknown is an ability I've always treasured, but not because I'm comfortable doing it...only that I understand its value when accomplished. I'm sure I will face my struggle with the unknown this semester.

David Snider's Street Pictures

To explain my opinion on Snider's fantastic work would be redundant...everyone has pretty much said in one way or another how I feel about it. The work and the intricate attention to detail convey vivid emotion, and his each one of his photos catches the eye in one way or another.

The thing that really got me, however, was the fact that he was taking these pictures of COMPLETE STRANGERS. One of my classmates touched on this, but a lot of these pictures look staged...they are just too perfect to have been taken randomly. I am by no means accusing Snider of setting up his photographs, instead I marvel at his ability to somehow blend into the environment so well that people were able to continue their lives as if he weren't there. I know that whenever I sense that a camera lens is pointed at me, and it is not a time to pose, I feel pressured to act as if I normally would, but then, in turn, in my quest for normalcy, I act unnatural, stiff, and awkward. This has happened in some of my previous quests to take pictures of others as well. Yet somehow Snider captures life without the awkwardity (word?). Granted, I am almost positive that there are hundreds of pictures that he did not use, but he has a gift. It is incredible.

David Sniders Street Pictures

The quality photography work in David Snider’s online portfolio was highly impressive to me. When I look at many modern-day publications, it seems as if the photographers were just firing frames as quickly as possible, hoping to have a usable shot or two when all was said and done. It’s obvious, to me at least, that Snider’s photos are composed and taken at an exact time when some aspect can be captured in a visually appealing manner. As such, Snider’s photographs would likely elicit a response from readers as if he had frozen a moment in time just for their viewing pleasure. I believe it is true that every person has at least one story to tell and it is our jobs as journalists to tell them. These stories are told best when they can be captured, as Snider has managed to do, so that their subject appears to be alive, even on a two-dimensional page.

My Experience

It is not just tradition; it’s ritual, at my suburban Saint Louis high school to rush out at the beginning of senior year to have your senior portraits taken. Then, you have to order as many wallet size photographs of yourself lying next to a giant 2005, wearing your cheerleading uniform, with your head propped up on your fist, as humanly possible so you can pass them out to all friends, family, and minor acquaintances before graduation rolls around.

As fascinating an experience as that sounds, I decided to have my pictures taken by a friend of a friend, a college student with a budding photography business. This was all I could think about as I read LaBelle’s tutorial and looked through Snider’s photos.

Katie, the photographer, sat down and talked with me before she even took one picture. Nothing formal or planned out, in fact, I didn’t even realize she had done it until now looking back. She was doing her research, being ‘curious’ as LaBelle would say. She knew before taking a picture what I would like and what I wouldn’t, what she could say or do to make me smile.

What surprised me even more about our ‘shoot,’ and what made me think of her when I look at these two photographers, was that instead of posing me on a white sheet, we just walked around the quaint downtown of Webster, Missouri. She told me to just be natural walk around, talk to my mom, who was along for the ride. Of course, she did give me some direction. At times, she would tell me to stop and look at the camera or look over my shoulder and smile, but for the most part it was a completely organic experience.

Yes, Katie declares herself a photographer, but now, after hearing from LaBelle and Snider, I see that her ‘techniques’ were that of both a ‘feature photographer’ and ‘street photographer.’ She hunted for my photos, just as LaBelle says great feature photographers do, and like Snider’s street photography, the real moments she captured were more compelling than any of my other friends’ cheesy ‘hands in the pocket-leaning against a door’ poses.

The Trophy Photo

I think each element that David LaBelle describes in the article, "The Great Picture Hunt" is absolutely essential for the novice and expert photographer and photojournalist to keep in mind; particularly the photojournalist because it is by using these methods that a story is truly told. In photojournalism, and all forms of journalism for that matter, curiosity is key. According to David LaBelle, it is, "the soul of the enterprising journalist." It was also really interesting to read that he thinks the great journalist is not in love with photography necessarily, but rather in love with people and life. I can identify with this because although I find photography incredibly intriguing and it is something that I really enjoy, my true love and passion lies within the lives of people and life in general.

I learned a lot from this article in terms of what the components of an excellent feature photo are. Emotion, moments, composition, unusual angles, captivating subject matter, humor, arousing technique and originality are all elements that have been obvious to me when dealing with taking photos, but it was simplicity that actually stood out in my mind in this article for one reason in particular: "to respect the readers' time."

Overall, I was extremely fascinated with all of the aspects of this article and I found this information to be extremely valuable in my pursuit of captivating photos that will ultimately move people from the inside, out. When looking at the photos from David Snider's street compilation, I recognized that his photos were prime examples of how it is a photojournalist actually tells stories. It is by revealing truth and beauty through originality, and in turn, invites the viewers into the scene by evoking emotion within them giving them new eyes to see. "There may not be any new ideas under the sun, but there certainly are many new ways to look at them."

David Snyder Photos

Looking at the pictures before reading the article included, I had to wonder, "Are these photographs staged?" In some of the photos people are looking directly at the lense, but are in the midst of action. Either they are great models or were caught in the middle of a moment in their life. My questions were answered after reading his prelude...he was ten feet away shooting strangers. I know from working through a broadcast internship how timid people are when they see the news camera came out, but I need them to not look at the camera, I need them to act like I'm not there (at least for b-roll). It makes me nervous how completely different it is with a camera. I need a picture of a person, not a wide shot of b-roll. Now I am the one who is nervous, not the other way around. One photo in particular stood out to me: the Hassidic Jews. That man is staring straight at him. I couldn't help but think, "What did that guy say to him after he took that photo?" Did the guy bark at him and David Snider went running off? Or are people more comfortable with their photo being taken than I would assume?

Photography in convergence - Liz Langton

I loved David Snider's photography portfolio - it's often the simple moments we all experience that are captured from an interesting angle that make for memorable photos, like Snider's. It's a good reminder that we should really observe the world around us as if we are seeing it for the first time.
I was also interested in another article on the Digital Journalist website that caught my attention. It was interesting from a convergence standpoint. Not all of us students in this convergence course will focus on photography, but this article gave good advice for what we can do to maximize our contribution and output in multimedia storytelling. Communication, of course, is key, but this article proved that having a good understanding and respect of all the different aspects of convergence reporting - photography, broadcast, design, and print reporting - will help us in working together as a team and putting together successful news packages.

Picture Talk

Seeing as the Great Picture Hunt was a strain to read on my computer screen, I opted to peruse David Snider's Street Pictures. The comments he made in the introduction about the timidity and fear involved in taking a stranger's picture really resonated with me. I am a naturally shy person and have always felt strange about, in a sense, violating a person's privacy by giving permanent material form to a moment in his or her daily life. Looking through Snider's portfolio makes me regret passing up any photographic opportunities because of personal reservations. By having the confidence to insert himself into and record a stranger's life (not to mention the small bit about having technical and artistic skill), he is able to capture great expressive moments. You can tell, too, that these photographs aren't sly attempts capture people completely without their knowledge. In many, it is obvious that Snider made a connection with his subjects simply by being there with a camera. This is especially noticeable in one picture of a child peeking around the corner of a doorway. His eyes, directed straight at the camera, show his playful rapport that emotionally draws the viewer into the photograph. It is precisely this appeal that a photographer wants his or her pictures to have, and the boldness to achieve that is admirable.

David Snider Gallery: Jessica Ekhoff

Convergence Confab
I really enjoyed David Snider's photo gallery for a myriad of reasons. On the most basic level, I find myself particularly drawn to black and white photos because they seem to distract the eyes less and allow complete focus on the emotion and details of the image. Snider uses several unique techniques, such as pulling the gaze in opposing directions, as seen in the first picture of the boy skating away from the direction of the statue's arms. In addition, he seemed to have a mastery of background and foreground, as is evident in his shots of the Eiffel Tower with the lone man in front and the surving alley scene. I liked the fact that his display focused almost exclusively on people, not so much on objects or environment. There is something pure and simple to this strategy which seems as though it would appeal to any human being. Snider's ability to capture raw, uncensored emotions and reactions adds to the merits of the exhibit. His touches of irony did not go unnoticed either, such as the shot of the pair of blind walkers standing next to a lighted "walk" street sign. Snider definitely suceeded in his goal of capturing the simple beauty of humanity.

Applied Convergence Baby

By Sarah Damian

Newspapers all over are desperately reaching out for new employees who can run their refurbished interactive online news sites that organize all their videos, articles, podcasts, etc. etc. etc. My dad just gave me an ad to read from the Southern Illinoisan that runs in my hometown, Carbondale, Illinois, and it basically featured a job that embodies the new convergence journalist like me! Millions of people of my generation are blogging and podcasting and video-blogging on a daily basis, serving as citizen journalists that combine the elements of convergence journalism, especially traveling bloggers who really represent the aspect of backpack journalism.

Until recently, I was positive I was going to do broadcast journalism, enveloping myself in video-editing. Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premier, Avid...I'm going to dominate all the non-linear editing systems... But wait! I also love to write. Reading articles that dig deep and articulate the written word so incredibly well inspires me, and I aim to accomplish such talented, lengthy pieces. Caryn Rousseau, a Mizzou alumnus, now works for the convergence branch of the Associated Press on their new asap website geared towards the younger news audience. Choosing story by story what medium to emphasize, she fits the needs of the audience in terms of what approach will best satisfy them in attaining information. One of her assignments was to interview an Amish girl from the midwest, but she wasn't allowed to videotape or photograph her. Thus, she produced an audio clip that brought the audience closer to the Amish lifestyle. Being adept at using a digital voice recorder among other journalistic devices proved worthy.

I definitely understand the idea of mediocrity. Rousseau explained how the requirement to suddenly know how to edit video footage was a challenge. But if she needs assistance, she has professional AP editors available. The incoming journalism graduates, if trained in these varied, but collaborative technologies, can become amazing 21st century investments for all news organizations. I am increasingly learning the benefits of web development as the world and its contents find a home online. Learning Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop, in addition to FCP and Soundtrack Pro will no doubt be beneficial in entering the job market of journalism.

*Some people say 'forget backpack journalism....pocket journalism is the new thing'. Phones are serving citizen journalists in prominent ways, as seen by the Michael Richards outburst and the hanging of Saddam. Traditional pro journalists watch out! You have some competition!

When to Backpack - Liz Langton

Imagine a news organization sending out one backpack journalist to cover 9-11. Impossible to imagine, right? The backpack journalist will play a very different role when it comes to covering major events as opposed to the less-covered or harder-to-access stories. The bigger the story, the smaller the backpack.

It is safe to assume that convergence students will specialize in one or two forms of coverage, either by choice or chance. The smart newsroom could employ them in their specialty for the major events, and give them free reign over multimedia storytelling for stories that wouldn’t normally receive multimedia exposure.

I see the real impact of the backpack journalist being in covering these stories that either can’t be or aren’t being covered by a multimedia team. The case of Preston Mendenhall in Afghanistan is a good example.

Did Mendenhall get every photo angle perfect, every quote in the right medium, every video clip flawlessly? He even admitted to a smudge on his camera that a video expert would have caught. Did the smudge make a difference in the long run? Probably not. He had access to a part of the world that many did not – and he showed it in ways that many could not. By weaving together a multimedia story, he was able to draw in a larger audience than a print story would alone.

The lower cost of sending Mendenhall and access restrictions on the media are reasons to celebrate the well-trained backpack journalist. This is positive not only for the newsroom, which can save money and resources, but also for the news consumer. It’s a world full of ignored corners and restricted areas, and the backpack journalist is our best bet for getting the full story out there.

Backpack Journalists

When I left my high school newsroom to head to university known for its journalism program, I thought it was the last time I was going to be able to experience journalism as a cooperative undertaking, as opposed to the competitive field that it generally seems to be. That was before a man I like to call B.S. Brooks told me about a little thing called convergence journalism.
Although I agree that a do-it-ALL-yourself journalist is most likely not going to be able to produce the superb package that a specialized team would, the idea that a journalist is not, at a given point in his or her career, confined to a small aspect of the field is reassuring. I, being an indecisive person with a restless attention span, like the fact that I could go to work one day as a photographer and the next day, suggest an idea for a graphic, then create it exactly as I envisioned it. That journalists are now more able to understand and to dabble in the entirety of their field seems like it creates a newsroom that goes beyond, “I’ll scratch your back,” to a truly cooperative workplace in which a sharing of ideas, responsibilities, and skills is the norm. The community, those people that we are working for, benefits from this cooperation when the outcome is a journalism in which they can participate, and to suggest that “backpacking”, well-rounded journalists should be used sparingly could possibly reverse this open connection.

Backpack Journalism

Alas, it is only the first assignment of the first class of the sequence that I have chosen for a profession that should end up being what I do for a career, and I already am questioning the root of the field that I have chosen! Both articles established excellent points, and after extensive thinking, I think that I agree with both of them.

First, there is Stone's article, which made enough sense that I became worried. And I tend to agree with what she said--it is extremely difficult for one to become a master-of-all-trades type of journalist. Also, there are few instances where that sort of thing would even be necessary. I concur that this type of thing should be the exception and not the rule.

However, I read further into Stevens' article, and I realized that convergence journalism as we know it now is not best produced by a single jack-of-all-trades journalist. It is made up of teams of master-of-one-trade-and-jacks-of-the-rest-of-them journalists, each with a single mastered skill or skills that they lend to the group, bringing not only their skill to the public, but also working to improve that specific skill for the other journalists by means of a sort of quasi-mentoring. This would ideally be how journalists cover the typical news stories--in groups where everybody is continuously learning, bust still bringing the skilled journalism in their respective fields. Then, once these reporters do become masters-of-all-trades, they will continue to report these stories with their teams, but can also do a long-term story by themselves where a master-of-all-trades (so many hyphens!) solo journalist would be the best fit for the story.

So, in essence, I agree with both of the articles. I think that Stone is generally correct, but being close minded, and that Stevens is totally correct. I would also be interested to hear these authors' opinions now, 5 years after the articles were written, and to see if they have changed at all.

A Cross-Over Artist

A while ago, I heard someone say, "The Great Journalist is a cross-over artist." In my opinion, this could not be more true, and isn't this exactly what a convergnce journalism is training us to do? To become a cross-over artist? While there is some criticism to the general concept of a backpack journalist, I believe that it is "here to stay."

Backpack/convergence journalism is a form that promotes one of the most essential things journalism can offer: a public forum. Because of the multimedia used in backpack journalism, people are now able to recieve news in the most accessible, understandable and even most personal way possible. A photo may captivate one person, where video footage or words would another...hence the importance of the cross-over artist. The backpack journalist is essentially catering to the needs of the citizens by providing various options for them to recieve the news. Because of this, the journalist is not only telling a story, but inviting the audience to join in. This ultimately makes journalism more of a conversation, rather than just a one-way or linear (as they called it in the "Here to Stay" article) form of communication.

While I do agree with the second article about there sometimes being low quality photos, video and/or sound from a backpack journalist's coverage, I believe that with the advancement and improvement of technology, this will all become less of an issue and the demand for the convergence journalist will sky rocket. I completely disagree with the statement made in the second article that, "the do-it-all journalists should be the exception, not the rule." Presently I do think the backpack journalist is the exception rather than the rule, but only because the convergence of different forms of media has only truly began recently and because we are still waiting on innovations in technology and in training in order to imrpove the overall quality of the distribution of the news from multimedia. Although this seems to be present situation, in the future I believe the backpack journalist will become the rule rather than the exception because the use of the various forms of media bring a greater connectedness not only between the journalist and the citizens, but between people in communities, cities, countries and ultimately the world. Definitely here to stay.

"Here to Stay" all the way

I guess this helps with the whole ‘what is convergence?’ question from class.

Even though I chose convergence, I was one of the weary who didn’t quite understand what I was getting myself into. I just know that from the get-go people have been telling me that convergence was the ‘future’ of journalism, and now, I believe them.

Considering I did ‘choose’ convergence (ironic that it’s not really a choice I guess, more of an, "I'll take one of each please"), I tend to side more with the “Here to Stay” scenario. While I agree with much of what Stone has to say about the importance of specialization, she looses me with her idea that the future of journalism should be determined with a ‘strategic plan for reorganization.’

Journalism is an art of action, not passive planning. It is what’s happening now, not what might happen ten years from now. This year, Time magazine’s celebrated person of the year was ‘You’, and although many called foul, I agreed with their choice. It is a personal world out there, and journalists have to work in it. Consumers are choosing what they want to read/watch/hear, when they want to read/watch/hear it and from whom they would like to read/watch/hear it. In other words, they are picking their news.

Our duty as the watchdog is getting more and more difficult, and we all know it. Multimedia journalism, as Stevens calls it, delivers the news the way consumers want it. That is, with ‘new approaches of storytelling’, not through extended research and budgeting, as Stone calls for.

The market is changing; there is no doubt about that. Embracing multimedia journalism is not only embracing the changes, but also working with them, using them to our advantage. I find it so bizarre that the next generation of consumers has already accepted this, yet many in the journalism world have not. We (well obviously not ‘we’, since ‘we’ are convergence enthusiasts) need to pick up the pace.

Back Pack Journalists

I would tend to agree more with the views in “Backpack Journalism Is Here To Stay.” Journalists with the ability to function in a variety of mediums will be in high demand in the very near future. This is not to say that they will always be using their entire skill set. The best journalism will be produced when a team collaborates and each member contributes his or her special abilities. In certain situations, though, being able to do a little bit of everything could go a long way towards helping a news organization get the coverage it desires. Ultimately, we face a situation where the public wants all of its information from one source: the internet. Journalists, no matter how many years of experience they have, will have to keep up because news that is unread or unwatched is worthless. I say out with the old to make room for the new.

Backpack Journalists

So that's why I chose the convergence sequence. Not because I agree with one article or the other, but because both of these people took time out of their day to discuss my future career. TONS of people are debating this topic. The sheer fact that so many people are concerned with "backpack journalism" proves that it is here to stay. Aside from my own personal "eureka," I had mixed thoughts on each article.
I do believe there is a need for “backpack journalists,” but I also believe that there will continue to be a need for specialists (like any career field). I agree with Martha Stone in thinking that there will be quite a few of these backpack journalists who will be a “jack of all trades and a master of none”, but she didn’t rule out the fact that if the person was good, backpack journalism would be helpful. So that argument revolves around qualified people and training, not whether backpack journalism is useful. With the way technology is being used among upcoming generations I think the “backpack journalist” will be necessary for every newsroom, maybe not is masses, but definitely necessary. It is a very particular type of person that is able to be a successful and thorough “backpack journalist” and that’s ok. How many convergence students are there compared to every other sequence? Few (back to the fact it takes a “particular person”). And that’s ok. It is obvious that there will be an ever-growing field for this new multimedia journalism…job security anyone?

backpack journalists-Jessica Ekhoff

Convergence Confab
Although I understand both sides of the argument explained in the two articles, I obviously side with the writer in favor of convergence journalists (I would have picked one heck of a bad sequence if I was against them, wouldn't I?). The point I thought most thought-provoking was the one about quality. While it's true a convergence journalist can't carry around heavy camera, sound, and computer equipment all at once, that is the fault of technological limitations, not the skill of the journalist. To say a backpack journalist is a jack of all trades and a master of none is unfair, especially if things such as sound and visual quality are the only sources of complaint. When it comes to the longevity of the backpack journalist, I think the numbers speak for themselves. High percentages of firms employ convergence journalists, mostly with positive results. I think that could only mean good things for the employment outlook of this generation's backpack journalists.