Do you remember when the term "new media" referred simply to the Internet? Do you remember the "information super-highway?" A decade ago, we had no way of knowing how quickly and effortlessly we would all traverse that highway. Since digital communication is advancing at breakneck speed, and as new vehicles keep emerging for us to use as communicators, we necessarily have to continually update our course content.
What follows is a thought-provoking short video about the emergence of new media devices and concepts. What most emerging media affords the user is control. Users can control when and how they receive information. Those who convey the information can control the timeliness of the content, and the manner in which it allows the receiver to participate. In the coming weeks I will be posting information about Citizen Journalism, or more simply put, journalism that enables and encourages the masses to be mass communicators. But for today, please take a look at this video, and give some thought about how you can incorporate new media concepts into your teaching.
Some years ago, for example, when we taught feature writing, it was enough to instruct students on form and structure, good leads, use of quotes, etc. Today, because of emerging media, we have to teach our students how to tailor one piece for multiple media forms. 
What works in a traditional daily newspaper may not be compelling to the online reader. The luxury of magazine word count and story length is lost on those who use hand held devices, and whose attention span is shorter. The same can be said for visuals. The still photo that grabs a newspaper reader's attention above the fold on page one, might be mundane and old school for the consumer who relies on news and information web sites. Video, animation and more aggressive stimuli are called for in new media.
What works in a traditional daily newspaper may not be compelling to the online reader. The luxury of magazine word count and story length is lost on those who use hand held devices, and whose attention span is shorter. The same can be said for visuals. The still photo that grabs a newspaper reader's attention above the fold on page one, might be mundane and old school for the consumer who relies on news and information web sites. Video, animation and more aggressive stimuli are called for in new media.How will you address the need to teach the basics, to ensure that your students understand universal journalistic and media standards, and at the same time respect the onslaught of new media in which many of your students will be employed? Watch this:
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