Journalism is Evolving

This January my friend and co-worker (I like the term co-friend) Jaime and I were interviewed by Butler University for its journalism website. Earlier we had met with the head of the journalism department to discuss changes in the school's curriculum, and to say I'm jealous of the j-school kids who get to study in the new communications department is an understatement.

When we were at Butler the electronic, media arts and print journalism courses were completely separated. Now that we're on the grind at the publishing company, we pretty much do all three -- print and online writing, social media marketing, shooting and editing video, taking photographs, copy editing -- and although we learned a lot at Butler, many of the skills I have learned since graduating have been learned through experience and adapting my journalistic skills as necessary.

While adapting your skills is something that will happen to every graduate at their first job, and correspondingly at every new job thereafter, the fact that the new communications department at Butler is combining all three departments (electronic, media arts and print) will only make students more prepared.

Anyways, long story short, here's the story featuring me and Jaime. And here's a great article about entrepreneurial media in my home state of Michigan and how media as a whole is evolving. Tip for younger journalists -- learn every medium, because when you get hired, you'll have to know and do it all.

Running Around Kansas City

Last week I was in Kansas City for work. I had some extra time so I went for a run downtown. One thing that I like about this city is some of the unique architecture:

Barney Allis Plaza (photo from KCphotos.com)



Kansas City Star (KansasCity.com)

I'm a journogeek so I loved this building. What an awesome place to work.


Last time I was in KC I stopped by the Country Club Plaza. Pretty much every shopper's dream with Tiffany's, Coach, Burberry and about a hundred others.