Beginning market research

Some reasons why society needs See the News:

-According to CBS news, half of the population has smart phones.

-According to Poynter Institute half of the population gets their news from said smartphone or online source.

-Photography is a $10 billion industry according to ibis World

-Sites like the New York Times and the Guardian have seen much success in recent years with the addition of a photojournalistic extension of the publication.

-There is a need for experienced photojournalists. With the rise of Twitter and such social media sites in recent years, anyone can “be a journalist.” Anyone with an account has the power to post a picture that may be misleading or fabricated and have it reach millions of people. The production of a site that features professional journalism that does not mislead the reader is necessary.

This is just the beginning stage of market research for See the News, but I've had some trouble finding more valuable information. If anyone sees anything that could be of use to my proposal, please let me know!

Share the news

Today, mostly every news story found online has a “Share” button somewhere around it. How many people are actually sending their stories to their Facebook or Twitter pages though? I think that there should be an incentive for sharing news. If you’re scrolling through Facebook and more news is scattered in your newsfeed, you’re more likely to read it. Helping to get others more involved in news consumption should be rewarded. I haven’t worked out exactly what should happen when someone shares a certain amount of stories, but maybe a slight reduction in subscription costs would be fair. After all, you are helping to bring more eyes to a news site’s page. People may say they’re not interested in going out of their way to get news and that word of mouth is effective enough, but new concepts and sites are everywhere, it just takes some exploring and sharing to find them.

Audio/visual journalism site

Until now I have been especially interested in telling the news via photography. Photos can covey a certain powerful message but what if I added audio to the equation? Here’s my idea: a site that features slideshows of pictures, but while the slideshows are playing, there is audio from the scene playing at the same time. You’re probably wondering why I wouldn’t just choose to take a video instead. With this approach, I think the reporter would have the opportunity to show off more variety in sights and sounds. A short caption that gives the reader an overview of the scene on a larger scale would prove to be help as well. This is just a random idea I had that combines senses to create one interactive platform unto which the news can be told. The reader would hopefully feel a sense of involvement with the presentation. Hopefully, the feeling of actually being on scene would be replicated. 

What's drawing people to journalism projects

The Russia Left Behind and Snowfall are two New York Times multimedia packages that I have been especially inspired by lately. They embody the future of journalism ad where the field is moving. A place of innovation and open ideas is what my fellow journalism colleagues and I have to look forward to. Stories can be told in an unimaginable number of ways. The use of photography, video, and the written word compliment each other to create a whole experience for the reader in these two examples. Never before seen web designs also play a large role in keeping readers engaged. In Snowfall, the people who were there take you step by step through the happenings of the day of the avalanche. In The Russia Left Behind, the page is set up with a road map on one side and as the reader scrolls, it’s like they’re sitting shotgun on a road trip across the country. I’ve introduced a few friends to the story and their initial reactions were: “Is this journalism?” and “This is so cool!” The ability to attract readers in non-traditional ways is key to keeping society engaged in journalism. It’s one thing if print journalism is dying, but there is no way that all platforms of journalism are decaying. Projects like this are inspiring to young journalists and news gatherers alike.

Class pitches last week

I learned a lot while watching half of the class pitch their entrepreneurial endeavors last week. What I gathered as the most important qualities of a pitch include: speaking engagement and simplicity. It remains essential to keep your audience engaged. I think that the best pitches use simple, comprehendible language. Pitches are not an opportunity to show off how smart you are or how many big words and large concepts you can describe. Keeping it simple and using basic language to communicate your idea will always work most efficiently. Simplicity in presentation design and speech are equally important. Graphics and pictures were something that I didn’t include in my presentation but I think added a creative dynamic to other presentations. I will consider revising my pitch to include more visual dynamics. Overall, though, I was very impressed with the word of my classmates and their abilities to articulate themselves professionally even just in our classroom. 

Pitch comments

Joel: such a creative idea. I think it can be engaging on a whole new level but I have just a few questions. What if a news story is ongoing or new developments come out while a game is being developed? I have no concept of how long it takes to develop a game, but just something to consider. You would also be walking a fine line of what is offensive and what is respectful entertainment. In regard to your pitch specifically, I definitely got a lot out of it. The slides are clean and professional looking. My only critique is that they’re slightly text heavy. I didn’t hear any sound when I was looking at it and this could just be a technical error, but much of what you mention could be expressed through words instead of text.

Allie: If you launched this site today, I would read it. I’ll be completely honest in saying that I would visit it once, but it would take a lot of intriguing, relevant information to keep me going back. This is the problem that many of us would have with our sites I think. It’s definitely wise that you’re going to avoid paid prescriptions. Like I said, it’s something that I see myself stumbling upon and being interested in at the moment, but I’m not sure if I would check it regularly and be willing to pay. It’s a unique idea; maybe just try to find a way to broaden your audience.

Corinne: You fence? Joking. But I’m a fan of this idea. I was really impressed with your pitch. The graphics you included were not too much and added to your presentation. Fencing seems like it’s own small world, but I think you could be the one to open our eyes and make us realize that there’s history, policy, and rules that we know nothing about. I’d definitely be interested in checking out this site and I know that I’d learn a ton.

Catie: In regard to your actual PowerPoint pitch, I would suggest making the print larger. I may have just missed it, but would this be an online or print publication? I think a wide audience would definitely admire this idea. There is a fine line in keeping content appropriate, professional, and accurate. Like my pitch, I think your business could benefit from being mostly online based but producing a print product annually or semi annually.

Ashley: Genius. I’d use it all the time. You should think about creating an app so more people could access your site on the go. Your pitch was very informative but I think you could afford to add a little more text to your slides. I don’t think you’d have a problem getting word out or finding an audience for your business. Once people, from college students to seasoned professionals, find out about it, it’s going to be everywhere. Good work!

Heather: You’ve got such a great team working for you that you can’t fail. But seriously, great idea. Your slides were slightly text heavy but I wasn’t really left with any questions after reading about your pitch. I like the design too. Simple, yet sophisticated. The graphic was well done too. Like I suggested to someone else, maybe your business could benefit from the creation of an app. Regardless, this is a site I could see myself using often.

“The Source” pitch: Not sure exactly who’s idea this is. Make sure to put your name and contact information on the first slide! I also think you should state what exactly your concept is a little earlier. Try to do this by the second slide so you don’t lose your audience before you even begin. The content sounds like it’s well thought out and you articulate yourself well. Try to put less on your slides and say more (I couldn’t get the audio to work so I’m not sure exactly what was said). But the idea is sound and you should definitely run with it.