Using data visualization to tell a story 9/26/16

By Mary Ann DeSantis, Special to the SNPA eBulletin

Reporting data can often be boring for readers but it doesn't have to be, according to three up-and-coming journalists who presented a Data Visualization session at the recent News Industry Summit. Eli Murray and Nathaniel Lash, both of the Tampa Bay Times, along with Kara Dapena of the Miami Herald explained how data visualization provides insights to stories and offered tips for finding the right tools and people.

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Writing for mobile is easy, so why aren't we doing it? 9/20/16

By Jean Hodges, senior director of content, GateHouse Media

GateHouse Media has focused a lot of energy this year on serving its mobile audience. They've talked about blowing up traditional storytelling for some types of stories in favor of alternative story forms that work well on mobile. This article looks at how some traditional news websites (websites that grew out of print) handle stories as part of the mobile web experience.

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Attracting non-readers takes a maestro 9/19/16

By Mary Ann DeSantis, Special to the SNPA eBulletin

Author and presenter Tim Harrower knows how to capture an audience's attention. His colorful and eye-catching visuals during his Writing for Non-Readers sessions at the News Industry Summit captivated writers, editors and designers looking for ideas to engage more readers, especially those who are typically non-readers.

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NEWSCYCLE Solutions announces digital content management system release 9/12/16

NEWSCYCLE's ONSET 2016-2 includes an integrated Slack messaging tool, digital content placement options and URL tracking features.

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No cartoon? No problem! 9/12/16

By Ed Henninger

Many community newspapers I've seen (and I've seen hundreds!) struggle to find a visual element to place on the opinion page.

As result, they'll often place an editorial cartoon on the page that really has little interest for – or impact on – readers. They are there to be ... well ... there.

Here are three better ideas!

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How to approach mobile storytelling: Keep it simple 8/30/16

By Jean Hodges, senior director of content, GateHouse Media

When you have a tiny screen – and a mobile phone is diminutive compared to desktop – you have a bit of a challenge when it comes to storytelling. Namely, you've got to keep things simple.

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Use digital tools to enhance, not replace, tenets of solid reporting 8/30/16

By Jim Pumarlo

Meeting reader needs requires editors and reporters to multitask, and challenges are ratcheted up in today's digital newsroom. Here are a handful of elements – and accompanying digital tools – for ensuring your news product remains relevant to your readers and advertisers.

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How to write a killer mobile headline 8/9/16

By Jean Hodges, senior director of content, GateHouse Media

In the age of interruptions, mobile headlines need to be engaging – even compelling, and they shouldn't sound a bit like their print counterparts. Here are five tips for great mobile headlines.

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Hillary Clinton’s historic nomination was a teachable moment for page designers 8/9/16

Newsrooms across the country faced criticism when headlines announcing Hillary Clinton's historic presidential nomination were run side-by-side with photos of not the nominee, but of her husband and of former presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders. Many media outlets responded with defenses about the constraints they faced with deadlines, the timing of Clinton's appearance and the lack of available wire photos featuring Clinton from that day's events.

Here are some tips for turning these dilemmas into teachable moments.

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What do you do when the protests stop and racism remains? 7/25/16

By Tom Warhover, associate professor, Missouri School of Journalism

Hunger and race are two topics communities face every day. Few news organizations can sustain coverage of either over time.

How do we find and cover these stories, then? Reporting Stories Hidden in Plain Sight, a new web-based resource for journalists, is a first response.

The site contains a lot of literacy – definitions of terms, timelines and links to key data sets. There are also examples of good coverage of race and hunger and academic reports on the issues.

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