Archives for the month of: September, 2008

There are probably dozens of obituaries and rememberances of Paul Newman out today from news sources big and small all over the world.

The actor, race car driver and philanthropist died Friday at his home in Westport, Conn., at the age of 83 after battling lung cancer.

Perhaps the most touching tribute comes from Newman’s Own, the food company founded by the actor and his author friend, A.E. Hotchner. While a journalistic approach would forbid the use of music, there’s a lot to be learned from the structure, simplicity and craft in the four-minute video below.

Garrett Hubbard takes questions during a live Q&A online.
(Photograph by H. Darr Beiser/USA Today © 2008, used with permission)

Click below to read some of Garrett’s answers.

  

Search giant Google announced Project 10 to the 100th today. If you thought the money for the Knight News Challenge was big, this could be even bigger.

Project 10 to the 100th is a $10 million grant to fund up to five ideas that will “change the world by helping as many people as possible.”

They’re looking for proposals in eight categories, including some in which news-related projects would fit very well: community, education, and the catch-all, “everything else.”

As Google prides itself on encouraging creativity, the company has only the broadest of evaluation criteria:

Reach: How many people would this idea affect?
Depth: How deeply are people impacted? How urgent is the need?
Attainability: Can this idea be implemented within a year or two?
Efficiency: How simple and cost-effective is your idea?
Longevity: How long will the idea’s impact last?

Proposals are due Oct. 20, and I’d encourage people interested in furthering and reshaping the mission of news to apply. Public voting begins Jan. 27.

Garrett Hubbard, video journalist for USA Today, has graciously agreed to a live chat about video journalism beginning 3:45 p.m. ET this Thursday on Ricochet. Click here to join in.

Staffers, freelancers and blogger alike can ask Garrett about how to creating arresting videos that tell engaging news stories.

Check out his work at his blog, Stories of Light and Color, and bring your questions. This will be a great opportunity to improve your technique and learn from someone in the field.

Here’s one example: “DNC Protest Turns Violent.” Garrett called it, “Definitely a day of adrenaline!

ONA08 Logo - Online News Association 2008 conference Washington DC

ONA08, the Online News Association’s national conference, has launched several sites online, where you can connect with others who will be in Washington, in person or in avatar, next week.

There’s:

  • A Twitter feed that’s the “control tower” for all things ONA08 online

My team, the ONA08 Social Media Subcommittee, wants to make ONA08 as much about community as it is about industry. I hope you’ll join the conference online and in person. And if you want to get a hold of me, send me a message or reach me on Twitter.

The Subcommittee members are Mary Ann Chick Whiteside, who will be among those liveblogging the conference; Paul Hyland, who’s been a creative sounding board and instrumental in gathering volunteers for on-site help; and Steven Lubetkin, who’s putting in a tremendous effort producing the podcasts. This conference is made possible in no small part because of them.

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