February 2008
Upcoming Events | SJMC Media Hits | Awards and Kudos |
Publications, Presentations, and Research | Murphy Hall Happenings
Global Media-Diasporic Cultures Series
Laughing Mad: The Black Comic Persona in Post Soul America
Dr. Bambi Haggins, University of Michigan
Friday, February 15, 12:00 p.m.
Murphy Hall Conference Center, Room 100
Co-sponsored by SJMC; SJMC Diversity Initiatives Committee; Department of African American and African Studies; Office of the Vice President and Vice Provost for Equity and Diversity; Departments of American Indian Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, English, and Sociology; Asian American Studies program; Black Student Union; Chicano Studies program; Global Studies; PRISM; and the Immigration History Research Center. For more information, email Catherine Squires.
Book signing/discussion with SJMC alumna Giovanna Dell'Orto (Ph.D., 2004)
"The Hidden Power of the American Dream"
Tuesday, February 19, 4:00 p.m.
University Bookstore, Coffman Memorial Union
In her book, Dell’Orto asserts that America’s future as a super power is dependent on non-Americans believing in the American dream. She examines current European perceptions of America and why they are both seduced and disappointed by our country.
U of M Bookstores host national magazine preview event
Join local editors and writers at an open house celebration of the inaugural issue of “Contexts,” a national magazine of social behavior headquartered in Minnesota, at 4:00 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22 at University of Minnesota Bookstore in Coffman Memorial Union. Media and pop culture expert, radio host and university journalism lecturer John Rash will speak at the event. “Contexts,” a journal of the American Sociological Association, is edited by a team in the university’s sociology department and offers a smartly written, thought-provoking look at modern life and social behavior. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. University of Minnesota Bookstore is located in the lower level of Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E. , Minneapolis. For more information, contact Kari Erpenbach, bookstores marketing manager, at 612-625-6564.
A talk with journalist Eric Black
"One ink-stained wretch's quest for the sweet spot -- between the old journalism and the new -- where civil, substantive discourse can occur, even across the ideological divide"
Thursday, March 6, 4:00 p.m.
Nolte Center, Room 125
Eric Black was a journalist for the Star Tribune for three decades and founder of its blog, the Big Question, before setting out on his own in June of 2007. He now runs his own blog at www.ericblackink.com and is a participant in the Center for Independent Media's New Journalism Pilot Program. He hopes to use his new independence to find a middle ground between traditional and web-based journalism where the author's opinions are an integral part of the presentation of uncensored news. Sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Study. Cosponsored by the SJMC.
New Media Research Breakfast
Wednesday, March 12, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Murphy Hall Conference Center, Room 100
"Tubers: the why of YouTube"
Julie Jones, Ph.D. candidate, SJMC
Who are the producers of YouTube? What are they producing? Why YouTube is an area of interest for scholarship?
Julie Jones' doctoral research is on citizen producers and how this phenomenon intersects with traditional news media. Her dissertation investigates the connection between individual’s self-concepts and the videos they produce and post on sites such as YouTube, Yahoo Video, and other social media sites. Julie began her photojournalism career as a general news photographer in 1982. After 22 years, she left the industry to pursue her doctorate degree at the University of Minnesota. Please RSVP to 612-625-0576 or klose004@umn.edu.
Silha Center Director and Professor Jane Kirtley was a guest on TPT's "Almanac" on Friday, January 25, 2008, discussing the economic woes of the two Twin Cities' newspapers, as well as those of other newspapers around the country. She also was quoted in “Which comes first -- media coverage or campaign success?”, carried by Medill News Service on January 29, 2008. The article questioned if the success of political candidates at the polls is reflected in the amount of coverage, or if the coverage has given them strength at the polls.
The Newspaper Association of America’s Presstime publication quoted Nora Paul in the February 2008 article, "Words, Images and Sounds: Multimedia components enhance journalists’ abilities to present compelling stories online."
Associate professor Marco Yzer has been awarded an $82,000 grant from Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC), a National Cancer Institute funded program. The research project titled "The effects of information in the media on antecedents of weight control" is a cross-site project, which includes researchers from Case Western. Yzer will serve as principal investigator for the project.
Director of the Institute for New Media Studies Nora Paul was once again invited to be a judge for the annual Students Robotics Show held in December at the McNamara Center. The show is the culmination of six weeks of work for 210 engineering students who create computer-controlled machines that “do something interesting.” Students received a kit of parts, including a computer, and could add no more than $30 worth of their own materials. The robots must act for no more than 60 seconds and have at least one moving part, but it is up to the students whether the unique machines do something useful -- such as crushing pop cans or cleaning gutters -- or exist solely to amuse and delight like the dancing Altoids box. In January, the Committee for Concerned Journalists convened a gathering of online news producers, journalism educators, game scholars, and usability gurus to discuss how games can become part of a successful news content mix. Paul joined Josh Hatch (USA Today), Jennifer Carroll (Gannett News), Clark Aldrich (Games and Simulations in Online Learning ), Steve Krug (author of "Don’t Make Me Think), Don Wittikin (University of North Carolina) and others in a discussion led by Larry Dailey (University of Nevada Reno). The same month, Paul was asked to speak about new digital storytelling forms at the Star Tribune. PR Newswire hosted a morning discussion titled "Standing Out in a Crowd: creating media friendly websites and writing good copy." Nora Paul joined SJMC graduates Justin Piehowski of KSTP and John Vomhof Jr. of the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal in a panel as part of the "Media Coffee" series on Jan. 15.
Associate professor Marco Yzer was interviewed live for the Dutch radio show Met het oog op morgen ('With an eye on tomorrow'), a news and opinion radio show that has national coverage in the Netherlands. He was interviewed about "Super Tuesday" and the U.S. presidential elections.
Jane Kirtley's articles “Reporter's Privilege in the 21st Century” and “Shield laws face challenges, hostility”
were published in the Winter 2007/08 issue of Delaware Lawyer (vol. 25, no. 4) and Media Law Notes, the publication of the Law Division of AEJMC, vol. 36, no. 2 (Winter 2008), respectively.
Associate professor Mark Pedelty was featured in a MN Daily article about Professor Band Night, a concert of faculty rock bands that took place at Coffman Memorial Union's The Whole.
INMS hosts Eye Tracking Research Consortium in February
The Institute for New Media Studies and the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill journalism school held an EyeTracking Research Consortium on February 1 & 2 in Murphy Hall. Co-researchers Nora Paul and Laura Ruel invited online editors and multimedia producers from: Dallas Morning News, Detroit Free Press, Gannett Company/Des Moines Register, New York Times, San Jose Mercury News, Star Tribune, Time, Inc., USA Today, Washington Post, Yahoo! to be a part of this leading-edge research initiative focusing on practical research applications for the industry.
Each participant organization proposed a specific research project they felt would advance understanding of how particular design issues are affecting their online news audience’s experience. These presentations were the springboard for discussion about the second phase of DiSEL (Digital Storytelling Effects Lab) research studies. SJMC grad students working on the research projects include: Itai Himelboim, Julie Jones, and John Wirtz as well as grad students from the U’s College of Design and UNC.
The information gleaned from the new research studies will be shared with multimedia storytellers worldwide through published articles in Nora Paul and Laura Ruel’s column in ONA (Online News Association) and at conferences.
SJMC students visit Risdall Advertising Agency
Submitted by Tia Wilkins (B.A., ‘07)
Risdall Advertising Agency hosted yet another successful Intern-For-A-Day program to students from the SJMC. Twenty-five students attended a day long event in which they were given numerous “real world” advertising and marketing roles. Highlights of the day included an agency tour, brainstorming sessions, individual mentor meetings, and presentations from industry leaders. The students showed exceptional insights during the brainstorming sessions, where they were given scenarios from actual Risdall clients. Rose McKinney, President of Risdall McKinney Public Relations spoke to the interns on career paths in advertising and public relations, and what to expect as they begin their job search. Jim Sandstrom, President of Risdall Sandstrom Media Works and Josh Dahmes, Vice President of Online Marketing gave insights into new media and the ever-changing trends in advertising. John Risdall, Chairman, and Tom Wilson, President lead agency tours and spoke on agency culture.The day concluded with each intern receiving a paycheck. John Risdall thought this group of interns was the best yet. “Each year they keep getting better and better”, Risdall said. He was also impressed with how many of the interns were members of this years National Student Advertising Competition Team.
MinnPost takes top prize at SJMC Alumni Board's Annual Quiz Bowl
MinnPost beat out 5 other teams from WCCO-TV, Risdall Advertising, PRSSA, Star Tribune, and the Pioneer Press to win the 2008 SJMC Alumni Board Twin Cities Media Stars Quiz Bowl. Congrats to the MinnPost team—David Brauer, Don Effenberger, and Beth Hawkins. The winning team is pictured at right with Quiz Bowl host, Mike Gelfand.
SJMC student publishes story in Minnesota Parent magazine
A story on the costs of adoption that SJMC student Rachel Yuen wrote for Leyla Kokmen's Fall 2007 Magazine Writing class (Jour 3173W) was published in the February 2008 issue of Minnesota Parent magazine.
Alums: Alumni societies offer ways for you to stay active
For more information on how to become involved with the University of Minnesota Alumni Association and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication Alumni Society, contact Erica Giorgi in the CLA External Relations office at giorg003@umn.edu or 612-625-8837.
Submit items for the March issue of the Murphy Monthly
Deadline for publication is Friday, February 29, 2008.
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February 2008