Former UGA students speak about advertising's trend toward digital multimedia

Reunited after 17 years apart, University of Georgia graduates Lisa Ryan Howard and Suzy Deering gave a joint speech about advertising’s trend away from traditional media and toward digital multimedia to more than 60 students and faculty members filling the Drewry Room in UGA's Journalism Building.

Howard serves as the vice president of digital and multimedia integration for the Condé Nast Media Group, which publishes monthly magazines such as Vogue, The New Yorker and Gourmet, as well as produces Web sites. Deering, the Executive Director of Sponsorships and Media at Verizon Wireless, joined Howard in the first Hearst Foundation-funded speech at Grady College. Both professionals agreed about the importance of understanding multimedia and emerging technologies, as all forms of marketing and advertising are heading toward a more digital future.

“The publishing industry has changed drastically,” Howard said. “We’re no longer just selling magazines. We’re selling solutions to our clients’ problems.”

Though magazines have actually grown in audience size in the past few years by 17.9 percent, Howard described the struggle to continually adapt to a changing media climate.

“It’s so much more than just that printed page,” Howard said. “It’s about taking our assets and coming together with our clients’ objectives. All the content we create ourselves.” Condé Nast has striven to become a company with a premium brand in determining content for their advertisers.

Deering works for Verizon Wireless, just one of Condé Nast’s clients, as their executive director of sponsorships and media. She monitors consumer reactions to Verizon purchases, such as their advertisements with Condé Nast. However, she leaves the advertising content decisions to experts like the magazine publisher.

“We know what our core strengths are, and we live and learn every day,” Deering said. She realized that delegating content choices to a publishing group such as Condé Nast would actually save Verizon time and money.

“It used to be that media was the last part of the picture. That’s changed,” Deering said. Most marketing and advertising strategies now incorporate multimedia techniques, and Deering stressed the importance of it all coming together as one campaign.

The two companies worked together on a campaign called “Movies Rock.” This strategy included distribution of print ads that featured popular movie characters clutching Verizon phones. It also guaranteed Verizon customers access to exclusive movie content through their phones by using V-Cast technology. Verizon’s Web site featured exclusive movie rights that allowed visitors to vote for their favorite of 10 movies. Condé Nast garnered the rights for popular movie songs, all exclusively granted to Verizon Wireless.

Advertising major and junior at UGA Danielle Pascual attended the speech and came away with more than she had expected.
“I was at the speech for my advertising strategies class but I thought the speakers were really good,” Pascual said. “I was really impressed at how high their positions were and how freely they came to speak at Grady College.”

She was also impressed with Howard’s interactive and 3-D virtual tour of what Condé Nast has to offer. “You usually think of Condé Nast as just print magazines so it was cool they put it in a digital media format,” Pascual said.

Deering’s presentation was not quite as interactive, but her PowerPoint presentation informed students about the client-driven side of advertising in multimedia. Both Deering and Howard were featured in Advertising Age’s “40 Under Forty” list of top young professionals in the industry.

Two of Advertising Age's "40 under forty" speak on how media roles are shaped

The first speakers of the Heart Visiting Professionals program, Lisa Ryan Howard and Suzy Deering, spoke today on how media deals are shaped and formed in the current media climate. The open lecture took place in the Drewry room and was followed by a reception with the speakers shortly after for graduate and senior level students. 

 

The pair of Howard and Deering attended The University of Georgia and graduated in 1992 with a degree from The Grady College of Journalism for Howard and one from the College of Family and Consumer Science for Deering. Coincidently they were both in the same advertising campaigns class during their undergraduate time at UGA. Their paths crossed again when they were seated across from each other in a business meeting some 15 to 17 years later.

 

Howard opened the lecture by attempting to show a cartoon on itunes from The New Yorker Animated Cartoon Series. While technical difficulties prevented audio from being played, Howard laughed the situation off and explained that like Bill Gates said, “If audio problems happened to him they can happen to anyone.”

 

As vice-president of digital and multimedia integration for Condé Nast Media Group, the bubbly and eager Howard explained it’s far from an easy job. One of the top monthly publishers of magazines and a leading creator of upscale lifestyle and business brands online, Condé Nast is determined to “connecting at the point of passion,” Howard said. She stressed the importance of creating content for all types of media outlets ranging from television, computers, phones, and to the latest trend: digital readers. “We create because we have to innovate,” she said.

 

One of the main themes of Howard’s presentation was the significance of becoming an in-house creative studio. According to her, with the presence of multiple technological devices influencing consumers, its imperative that a company be able to not only sell advertisements but sell solutions to the consumer’s problems as well. Become “multi-purpose marketers,” Howard said.

 

Two examples that were presented included Vanity Fair and The New Yorker magazines. These two publications were used to offer cutting-edge media specials to the public. Vanity Fair ‘s media site posted pictures of photography that didn’t make the magazines final cut or images the photographer himself enjoyed. The New Yorker’s focus was to take their brand to new places, Howard explained. She also told the audience that fear not, magazines are not dying and in fact the total magazine audience has grown despite the recent economic downturn. An “alpha” product Condé Nast has launched is a digital reader that gives the subscriber the opportunity to get a completely digital version of the magazine for only $49. Howard pointed out that one of the largest benefits to this product is the ability to email and share the articles or stories with numerous friends.  

 

A major partnership for Condé Nast is their work with Verizon Wireless. Executive director of sponsorships and media at Verizon, Deering oversees the media buying for $1.5 billion and searches for new ways to draw consumers toward their products. Verizon’s services include high-speed Internet, wireless connectivity, FiOS, and business solutions. Deering heavily enforced the concept that media buying needs to the front focus and companies need to truly know their consumer. “Technology has redefined the definition of entertainment,” Deering said. Research performed by Verizon has found that over 90 billion text messages were sent in the past quarter and the main types of phones sold are those containing a camera application. The main goal is connecting with the consumer and finding out what they want and how to get it to them, Deering said. “We can’t be content creators. We’ll leave that to the experts.”

 

Junior advertising major Anna Carr attended the lecture and found it highly interesting. While she went to the speaker because of a class requirement, she ended up learning more than she expected. “It was good to hear that magazines aren’t dying like people think. I can’t wait to see how advertising and the media combine even further in the future.” Carr said.

 

The duo of Deering and Howard presented the necessity of understanding media and all the fields that are associated with it. No longer should a company focus on one aspect of marketing or advertising, but become a well-rounded force that offers their client the solution to their problem. In the words of Deering, “never stop learning. I know it sounds like the mother in me but I couldn’t be more serious.”  

Multimedia Integration's Important Role in Advertising

Lisa Ryan Howard and Suzy Deering (pictured on left) discussed the growing role of multimedia and media integration as the first Hearst Visiting Professionals for the Hearst Foundation-funded program through the Grady College of Journalism.

Together, Howard and Deering presented "How Media Deals Are Shaped and Formed in the Current Media Climate" in Grady's Drewry Room to an enthralled crowd of almost 70 students on April 21. The pair utilized powerpoint as well as video and 3-D animation to illustrate the growing need for media integration in advertising today.

Howard is the Vice President of Digital and Media Integration for the Condé Nast Media Group, as well as being a graduate of Grady College in 1992. Deering also graduated from the University of Georgia in 1992 from the College of Family and Consumer Sciences and is currently the Executive Director of Sponsorships and Media at Verizon. The two women took a Campaigns class together during their time at the University, and were both included in AdAge's Top 40 Under 40 in 2007.

Howard and Deering were reacquainted long after their departures from the University of Georgia during a meeting between Verizon and the premium branded content company, Condé Nast. The two women say they stopped the high powered business conversations around them when they figured out they attended a class together during their undergraduate years at the University of Georgia.

Howard began the presentation by discussing the need for flexiblity in the current job market. "Dream jobs are very specific" she said, "you want to be as flexible as you can." Howard highlighted a detailed knowledge of traditional media as well as emerging technology as important things to immerse yourself with in order to be better prepared for a job in the real world. "You will define your own role" Howard said in reference to being a multimedia savant.

Deering echoed Howard's advice on being flexible when she discussed her own experiences. "When (someone) is coming to you your title doesn't matter, its your expertise," Deering said. Deering said she does not like the idea of being known as just the "media person" but enjoys her other title at work: "The Helpdesk." Deering said, "You have to be open to people, and never stop learning."

Howard described the success of her work at Condé Nast being a product of innovation. Especially in regards to multimedia usage and media integration. One instance of Condé Nast's innovation is the launch of The New Yorker digita edition beta. "The beta is nine months old now," said Howard. At first there was resistance to the digital edition due to the regional nature of the publication, but Howard said there are subscriptions from 184 countries out the 194 countries in the world.

Another innovative project was the Movies Rock campaign. Condé Nast worked with Verizon to incorporate print ads including Gina Gershon and Jeffrey Dean Morgan from P.S. I Love You. Condé Nast even cleared the rights for 10 movies and six songs as part of the Flix that Rock voting and VCast application from Verizon.

Clearly, Condé Nast is keeping their clients ahead of the media integration curve.

Deering discussed the necessity of the multi-screen platform. She explained the need to keep consumers informed via their phones, computers, televisions, and print media. "Not everyone has all of this" said Deering. But she wants to make sure eveyone has an equal opportunity to get the information from Verizon in the easiest and most convenient way possible.

Deering also mentioned the way technology has redefined the traditional definition of entertainment. Verizon's VCast application allows consumers to download songs, videos, and more onto their mobile devices. Deering wanted to include things like recipes as well. Some of her co-workers resisted the idea saying things like "recipes aren't entertainment," Deering said. She replied by saying "ask Food Network if recipes are entertainment."

Deering acknowledged the facts that consumers are demanding more on their own terms, including advertising. She said it is important to "address the behaviors and attitudes of consumers" when developing concept marketing, as opposed to strictly sticking to traditional demographics. Deering emphasized the importance of creating relationships in advertising, with clients as well as consumers.

Deering even described meeting with Tina Fey and showing her new mobile devices from Verizon that could be used as product placement in Fey's show 30 Rock. "I went in and showed her the handsets (mobile devices) and asked her to figure out the best way to use them." Deering showed a humorous clip from the show featuring Fey and Alec Baldwin with the Verizon handsets included. Deering established the importance of meeting with the writers in a product placement situation so that the placement feels more organic to the show and the audience.

The overall importance of multiscreen platforms and media integration as described by Howard and Deering showcase the technology's influence on this new age in journalism, as well as advertising.

Reeder Offers Sound Advice for Journalism Students in a Changing Industry

University of Georgia students of the Magazine Club and National Association of Black Journalists held a joint meeting last Thursday to hear the advice and experiences of Upscale magazine’s health and fitness columnist and assistant editor last Thursday. Sponsored by both organizations, Nina Reeder, a former Grady College of Journalism student, spoke to the group of 20 about what it takes to be a magazine journalist in the current world of printed publications. “If you want to make your first million by the time you’re 35, be a dentist, go to law school, don’t be in Grady.” Reeder said.

Reeder is an UGA alum who graduated in 2005 with a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism and a minor in Film Studies. During her senior year at the university, Reeder had an unpaid internship with her current employer, Upscale, a monthly entertainment and lifestyle magazine targeting African American females. Despite the daily 90-minute commute to Atlanta, she said it was the best internship she ever had. “I’d do the internship over again if I had the chance. But I’d start even earlier.”

One of the things Reeder said would begin to do earlier in her career is building writing samples, known in the journalism industry as clips, to show potential employers. “At the end of the day your clips will sell you.” The way to build clips, according to Reeder, is to start freelancing, and to start freelancing early. She encouraged the group, including underclassmen to start sending out pitches with clips now. “Freelancing is where the jobs for college kids are,” Reeder said, “As long as you’re freelancing, even once a month, it’s enough to get your name out there.”

Reeder also said the best way to score a freelancing job is to deliver an interesting and creative pitch. “I often hire the freelancers who write good pitches and have the clips to back it up,” Reeder said. Another important characteristic of a good pitch is its relevance for the publication it is sent to. Reeder said to always know who the potential audience you would be writing for is. “One time I got a pitch to do a cover story on Kathy Ireland, and it was a great pitch, but Upscale is not a publication who would do a cover story on Kathy Ireland.”

Reeder also spoke about the journalism industry as it transitions into being predominately electronic. For the up and coming journalists to be prepared for this change, Reeder stressed the importance of being Internet and computer savvy. “If you aren’t in a computer class, you should be,” said Reeder, She adds that new media and online publications are the future of print, and the job market for new media editors is growing as a result. “They’re looking for people who can write the news and then put it up on the Internet.” Reeder said.

For senior Haley McNeal who attended Reeder’s speech, the advice translated clearly and relevantly. “Hearing her speak about starting to intern sooner is something I can relate to. She definitely reinforced the importance of being prepared. But its encouraging to hear that the hard work is going to pay off and that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” McNeal said. The magazines major said while she shares Reeder’s regrets, seeing Reeder’s success keeps her hopes high about her own future in the industry.

From being an intern, to being in charge of interns, Reeder said that professionalism is paramount. “I know people watch ‘The Hills,’ but the real world is not like that. Take it seriously. LC and Heidi aren’t coming.” Furthermore, it is the interns who are professional and easy to work with, she said, are the ones who get recommended to other publications. Always be prepared and always bring your A-game,” Reeder said. As a regular editor, columnist, and freelancer, Reeder continues to be professional. “I’m still climbing up the ladder and trying to prove myself.”

Savage Sex, Love, and Money

On this day, informally dedicated to pot, green, and weed smokers everywhere, students took a reprieve from their favorite “extracurricular activity” to listen to someone speak on a topic that many find much more interesting and controversial than inhaling cannabis-sex.

An open and candid discussion about sex is the only thing that could keep this crowd of liberal and sexually diverse students from enjoying one of earth’s natural substances on April 20, known to many as national weed day. The leader, and most openly sexual person in the room, was none other than Dan Savage, weekly sex columnist and editor of The Stranger in Seattle, Washington.

Savage’s talk went much like his column, “Savage Love,” in which members of the audience illuminated by what Savage considered “very flattering light,” raised their hands and wrote down questions for Savage seeking his honest opinion and advice on their sex life and homosexual policy. Savage considers himself a gay “evangelist,” helping and guiding those in need. During his speech Savage said, “I’m in a good position to give people permission to do what they want because I’m a fag.”

For 18 years, Savage has been writing his column for The Stranger, where over 5,000 weekly submissions of intimate scenarios and curious questions for Savage are made for him to discuss in his column, the one place where readers know they will not be judged for any socially stigmatized behavior. Savage even took the time to welcome heterosexuals to his discussion by jokingly saying “…we’d like this to be a safe place for you tonight.”

Some of the questions that Savage tried his best to answer with a straight face, or without interjecting his own experiences down memory lane, included, “How do two women have sex,” “When is a fetish unhealthy,” and “Am I gay if I secretly think about men sexually.” The latter Savage answered by saying, “I tried to convince myself that I wasn’t gay by thinking about women sexually, but that was very unsuccessful because I only fantasized about flat chested girls with penises.”

Not all of the topics addressed were quite as personal as these. Barrington Morris, a Junior at the University of Georgia (UGA), was more concerned with Savage’s opinion on right versus left wing politics. Morris, who has been following Savage since December of last year when Savage made an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, knew he was going to be entertained by what Savage had to say but got a much more graphic images of the way Savage lives his life as a 44-year-old “pole lover” than he bargained for. “I came out tonight because I wanted to diversify myself. I didn’t know he was going to be so candid,” Morris said with a weary smile. “…but it was very interesting.”

Betsy Hanner, also a Junior at UGA, accompanied a friend to the discussion not knowing what to expect. She said, “Even though I didn’t agree with everything he said because I grew up in a very conservative community, I thought that he was hilarious and I loved that he was so open and honest.” Hanner admitted that she was not very familiar with the gay community but is interested in reading Savage’s column. “I want to read it because I feel like it’s geared toward everyone and not just homosexuals,” said Hanner. “I would read it for entertainment purposes and want to hear his point of view.”

Surprisingly, Savage was also raised in a highly conservative community where he was raised in a strong Catholic household in the city of Chicago. Growing up in such a different community than the one he has immersed himself in today, Savage has the unique benefit of understanding both sides of the homosexual debate. He said, “I’m not one of those gay people who tries to change what religious people think about me. I don’t care if you think I’m going to hell, I just want my civil rights just like the Jews and the Yoga instructors have theirs.” Now an Atheist, Savage focuses more of his energy on trying to change policy rather than change religious views on the homosexual lifestyle. When asked his opinion on sexting (defined as sending nude pictures via text messages according to CBS News), Savage said, “God bless Vermont for considering legalizing sexting.” Savage was also quick to add, “I have my phone right here if anyone would like to send me a dirty picture. I’d be happy to evaluate it for you.”

The open discussion of homosexual, heterosexual and all other variations of sex definitely caused spurts of giggles and laughter from the audience. Savage shared his philosophy on sex and love with the audience comparing sex to cake, being the “primal and dangerous state of human nature” and love to frosting, being the “thin veneer and human Juditsu move that makes relationships last long term.” He also compared monogamy to sobriety explaining that everyone “can fall off the bandwagon,” and bragged that gays know more about sex, are better at sex, and have much more sex than heterosexuals.

These unusual analogies and upfront ideologies are exactly why so many people are drawn to Savage’s witty articles, podcasts, and radio show week after week. Savage serves as the voice for heterosexuals in politics, a sex adviser to experimenting youth, and good ol’ entertainment for those who are able to access his frequently banned and racy sex column. Savage manages to do all of this while still maintaining his normal life as a husband and father to an adopted son. Savage probably even joined the rest of the nation in celebrating the unofficial holiday of 4/20. In the middle of his discussion he broke off into an aside, as he did many other times, saying, “I need some pot.”

Andrea Carson Coley Lecture Series: Michelle Cliff

Against the backdrop of the University of Georgia Chapel, a group of 50 people assembled to listen as prominent Jamaican-American author Michelle Cliff came to read sections of her writings and discuss her unique perspective of the gay and lesbian world as part of the Andrea Carson Coley Lecture Series.

The annual event sponsored by the family of deceased Women’s Studies Certificate student Andrea Coley, brings to campus outstanding scholars in the field of lesbian and gay studies. On Friday, April 17, Cliff became the 15th guest speaker for the event and followed a long line of distinguished scholars. Garnett Stokes, the Dean of Franklin’s College of Arts and Sciences, emphasized the depth of knowledge and distinction within this lecture series. “This event brings writers, thinkers, and activists. Michelle is a prolific and influential writer,” said Stokes.

On Friday, Cliff read excerpts of “Everything is now,” a collection of short fiction stories that draw heavily on Cliff’s real-life experiences in Jamaica and abroad. Her first reading “What would it be like,” explores an outsider’s perspective on Jamaica’s strong homophobic history. After the event, Cliff expounded upon the homophonic past of her home country and stated she had not been back since 1975. “Today Jamaica is more homophobic and advocates for the physical destruction of the gay community. Lesbians are known as sodomites,” said Cliff.

Two reoccurring themes resonate throughout most of Cliff’s writings: the complexities of being interracial and the power of friendship. Cliff’s stories always include a dominant friendship that cross social, gender, or race lines and provide a triumph of imagination. Even in real life, Cliff’s own life story provides a “really wonderful model of lesbian love,” said Chris Cuomo, the Director of Women’s Studies and a previous Coley Lecture Series speaker. Cliff has been partners with Adrienne Rich, a renowned poet, since 1976.

Although today Cliff is considered an important writer in the lesbian and gay field, she did not begin writing until she was 30. Relating a story from her childhood, Cliff explained to the crowd gathered that when she was a girl her parents read her diary to her entire family on the veranda of her home; this incident, although many years ago, had a “silencing effect” on her until she reached her 30’s. This event, her childhood in Jamaica, and her subsequent years abroad have had a strong influence on Cliff’s writings.

“I think my background and my opportunities to taste different cultures have had a strong influence on my writing,” said Cliff.

Although born in Jamaica, Cliff was educated at Wagner College in New York City and at the Warburg Institute at the University of London. In addition, Cliff has also held positions at Emory University and Trinity College.

After the event, Assistant Director of Women’s Studies, Cecilia Herles, stressed the importance of Cliff’s lecture. “This lecture helped raise awareness of lesbian and gay issues. It was touching and poignant and I think her work is an important step to acknowledge these issues,” said Herles.

“Everything is now” is available on pre-order and will be on sale May 5. For more information on Michelle Cliff or the Andrea Carson Coley Lecture Series, please visit the UGA Women’s Studies homepage.

Michelle Cliff speaks at the 15th Annual Lauren A. Coley Lecture

The Institute for Women’s Studies presented the 15th Annual Andrea Carson Coley Lecture on Friday, April 17th at the University of Georgia chapel. The lecture, given by Michelle Cliff, renowned author of such works as Abeng and No Telephone to Heaven was made possible by Andrew and Kathy Coley.

Each year, since 1995, the Andrea Carson Coley lecture has brought outstanding scholars in the field of lesbian and gay studies to campus. The lecture is presented in memory of their daughter Andrea, who was a certificate candidate in Women’s Studies. The lecture was preceded with a reception on the chapel lawn in honor of the Coley family. Guests were invited to speak with other women’s studies majors and advocates, the family, and Michelle Cliff.

Cliff, who was born in Jamaica and grew up both there and in the United States, is an advocate in women’s studies and an activist in gay and lesbian rights. She was educated in New York City and also at the Warburg Institute at the University of London. Michelle writes novels, short stories and poems based roughly on her own life experiences. Cliff’s lecture “Everything is Now” featured some of her own poems which were accompanied with commentary.

Chris Cuomo, director of Women Studies at the University of Georgia spoke first introducing Michelle. Cuomo spoke highly of Michelle and the Coley Family, who make the annual lectures possible for students at the university. Cuomo also thanked LGBT, Globes and the staff of the institute for women studies for their help coordinating the event.

Barnett Stokes, Dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences also spoke to introduce Ms. Cliff. “We have had extraordinary speakers for many years now and Michelle is certainly no exception” Stokes said. Stokes spoke of a new generation of writers within the field of women’s studies and gave much credit to Michelle for helping advance the education of others within the field of Women’s Studies.

In many of Cliff’s works, the reoccurring themes are the complexities of inter-raciality and the power of friendship across difference. Cliff describes friendship as a triumph of imagination and liberation in many of her works. “I wanted to write books I didn’t get a chance to read” Cliff said as she wrapped up her readings with questions from the audience.

Cliff first read her poem titled “What would it be like.” The poem, written from the perspective of someone who is not Jamaican, gives a rendition of what an outsider’s perspective would be towards the Jamaican culture that openly encourages hate and violence towards gay and lesbian people.

“I come from Jamaica and a culture that is extremely homophobic. There is a culture in Jamaica that advocates the physical destruction of gays and lesbians” Cliff said. Cliff has not returned to Jamaica since 1975 due to the violence, “The violence is becoming a lot more escalated now since there is a Jamaican gay community out in the open. It has a lot to do with the religious groups” Cliff said.

As a writer from Jamaica, Cliff attributes much of her writing as works inspired from Jamaica. “Jamaica formed my writing for the most part, and for the most part Jamaica formed me.” Cliff shared two more stories with the half-full university chapel. Cliff stressed that women’s oppression is fluid and that it doesn’t matter what race you come from.

One lecture attendee, Karen Schlenger has attended all 15 of the Coley lectures. “It is a good event in the Athens area that supports the gay and lesbian community. I had not heard of any of the readings Cliff shared today, but she is an important writer so I think it is important to hear” Schlenger said.

Cliff has been writing powerful works since the 1980s. Her newest work “If I could write this in fire” is just as powerful. For more information regarding the Lauren A. Coley lecture series, previous speakers and next years speaker, follow this link to the women’s studies Web site.

Grady-hosted panel discusses the importance of the internet to the world of television

After apologizing for his tardiness, Dr. Horace Newcomb of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications smiles as he looks out at the small crowd of University of Georgia faculty and students that sit before him.

"How many of you have seen the Susan Boyle video?" he asks over a low hum of chattering voices. Silently replying, nearly everyone in the audience raises their hand.

"How many of you have seen it more than once?" he then questions. 

Again, almost every hand goes up, and Dr. Horace Newcomb has just made his first point of the evening's panel: "viral videos" are now more "viral" (and powerful) than ever before. In the words of Dr. Newcomb, they are "blowing up."

Appearing live on Britain's Got Talent last Saturday night, 47-year-old Susan Boyle wowed a whopping 10 million British viewers as she sang I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables. Moments after the broadcast, a video of her astounding performace appeared on YouTube; having garnered nearly 16 million views worldwide since then, this 3-minutes-and-45-second-long stream has transformed the humble churchgoer into an international singing sensation, as well as increased the viewership of Britain's Got Talent.

Having this such dual effect, then, the "Susan Boyle story" speaks volumes for the changing relationship between television and the computer. Specifically, it demonstrates how the internet has become a place for audience interaction in the world of television through user-created online content.

One place where such interaction occurs is on online blogging and networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogspot.com. Aaron Barnhart, writer for the Kansas City Star newspaper and creator of the blog TVBarn, takes hold of the microphone and comments that the internet has the capability of making TV criticism more sophisticated. "There are many more channels to monitor now, and lots more content," he finishes. 

TV critic and author of "The Watcher" blog for ChicagoTribune, Maureen Ryan clears her throat and adds to Barnhart's comment with the following statement: "There is different discussion among different audiences. Some people talk about what happened, speculate and theorize. Some provide responses to what other people think."

Some people, Ryan continues, also like to comment about what Ryan herself thinks. 

"It's a two-way street," she says. "It's very edifying to get a wake-up call about what people actually care about vs. what I think they care about." 

Considering herself to be an "advocate for good TV," Ryan states that her first duty is to provide an analysis of what should be watched, and her second, to serve as a go-between for creators and consumers.

"I think it's important to try to absorb and reflect the intellifence of fans. Sometimes, I relate the comments of fans to produceers of shows," Ryan goes on to say. "Peoples' passionate responses can produce actual changes in their favorite TV shows."

In addition to providing a forum for discussion among fans (and critics), as well as possibly having some influence over what happens in episodes of shows, the web is also capabale of generating greater viewership of television programs.

"Social networking sites are a way for TV to be reinvigorated," states Alisa Perren, a professor at Georgia State University in Atlanta. "People see stuff online that makes them think 'must watch now!'" 

Additionaly, the web provides viewers with access to large amounts of information about television. 

The only issue with user-created online content, then, is money. 

According to Barnhart, an hour of scripted programming on a broadcast network during Prime Time television makes the network roughly $2 million. "There's no money in user-generated content," he continues. 

Amanda Lotz, a professor at the University of Michigan, who has remained relatively quiet until now, agrees: "Ad dollars make everything on television possible," she says. "I'd love it if the internet could be monitized...we need to come up with a value proposition that appeals to both sides." 

Though the attempt of the panel is to address just that question, as well as how the relationship between television and the internet will change in the coming years (and what that means in a larger context), no one, it seems, can provide a definitive answer; the answer lies in the future. 

In his closing statement, Dr. Newcomb says almost those words exactly: "We don't have anyanswers about anything," he says. "We only know that we're in a moment of transition now that is more intense than the transition from radio to television." 

UGA Alum Returns to Talk Value and Preservation of Historic Landscapes

From undergrads to grandparents, a group of 45 historic preservation enthusiasts gathered in the University of Georgia Chapel on Friday, to hear the insights and accomplishments of UGA alum and landscape preservation expert Suzanne Turner. Aided by a slideshow of historical landscapes, Turner spoke of her experiences as well as her hopes for the future of historic preservation.

Professor emeriti of Louisiana State University, Turner started her career in the UGA Landscape Architecture school after graduating from Emory University in Atlanta.
“I spent a lot of time complaining that the professors weren’t doing what they ought to, to preserve the historic landscapes that I felt were quickly disappearing,” Turner said.

After graduating from UGA she quickly turned her concern into action, doing everything from research and teaching to administration. Currently, Turner is working through her own firm, Suzanne Turner Associates and has made many successful contributions to preserving landscapes in both a public and private capacity.

Throughout her work and research, Turner has always put a lot of attention on her passion for preserving the disappearing landscapes, and interpreting the stories these landscapes provide. “Energy should be put on the story of the people and their landscapes,” said Turner.

One experience Turner specifically noted was her work in northern Louisiana along the Cane River. She showed a slide of a beautiful Creole-style garden she encountered in her years of research of the area. She pointed out the unique parterre made up of wine bottles lining the garden. “We in Louisiana are very resourceful,” she said.

Turner also voiced her concerns about the disappearance of such rural landscapes as the one she studied along the Cane River. “I’m not sure if the American public has land preservation on its radar. Land has become such a commodity instead of a sacred trust.” Turner said.

Continuing to elaborate on her concerns, she shifts the focus to the affects of the 2005 natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina, which ravaged the Gulf Coast and Greater New Orleans Area. In line with her passion for maintaining the relationship between people and their landscapes, Turner blamed Katrina for “the loss of the very fabric which held [the people] and the landscape together.” In addition to the effects on the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, some of New Orleans’ historical landscapes, like City Park also suffered greatly.

The park, built in 1854, has been a model of a historic landscape. Ironically, the year before the storm, plans had been drawn to remodel and modernize the park. Turner described the plans as including, “one of everything that is already passé. The history of the park was not in the scope.”
While Katrina succeeded in decimating the remodeling from moving forwards, it also succeeded in destroying archives, trees, and gardens. And although FEMA decided to give the park $42 million, Turner said the actual possibility of receiving the money is bleak. With the inability to restore some of the landscape, Turner touches on personal feelings of disappointment in, “knowing some of it is already heading for the wrecking ball.”

Despite these disillusions, Turner also recognizes positive measures being taken to preserve historic landscapes. One such measure is a project of Turner’s, which she calls her love.
The project is the restoration and research of the lands surrounding the historic Magnolia Plantation located in St. Francisville, Louisiana. Her work with the plantation represents the aspects of the industry she is so passionate about: uniting and preserving the stories of the land and the people who are tied to it. Turner said she has found the opportunity to do this with the discovery of a garden diary written by Martha Turnbull, the original mistress of the plantation. “The real story is what happened in the greenhouse, where for 60 years Martha recorded on a daily basis what happened in her garden,” said Turner.

While Turner has been working on the project for years, she jokes that she is finally ready to finish it. “I rarely finish a project on time,” said Turner. “I call it incubation, not procrastination. That’s something I learned here.”

Though challenges face the industry, Turner said she is optimistic about the future. She notes the shifts in American life as hurdles, but calls on her fellow landscape preservation professionals to be the change they want to see. Turner said, “Our challenge as professionals is to be the agents of landscape.”

The Fate of Historic Preservation in Times of Economic Downturn

The chapel on the University of Georgia’s campus, full of more than 175 years of memories, was a fitting site to host a discussion about historical preservation. Friday, preservationist Suzanne “Susan” Turner spoke to a group of about 45 attendees for the Sigma Pi Kappa’s annual preservation lecture concerning the influence of the current economic recession on the preservation of historical sites and gardens.

Turner emphasized the need for people to preserve places from the past in order to tell their stories. “I take for granted that people understand the value of historical places,” said Turner. “But people don’t; that’s why there’s people like me and some of you in the audience.”

April is historic preservation month at UGA. Turner’s speech was among many events hosted by Sigma Pi Kappa, which is an international honor society founded at UGA for professionals, students, and faculty of historic preservation. The group also hosted a cookout and exhibits for members and visitors.

Turner has enjoyed a long career as a preservationist. Some of her work has included completing cultural landscape reports for historic sites, analyzing the gardens of plantations, and heading her own preservation firm. Looking back on her time spent preserving antebellum homes in Louisiana, Turner said it was, “Analysis that gave me such pleasure to understand the landscape of my home state.”

Historical preservation both benefits and suffers in the current economic situation, according to Turner.

She said, “Today it is difficult to talk about the value on anything in this economic flux.” For many, the value of land has gone from the historical significance of a place, to the opportunity to make money. When economic times are good, people often spend money to change significant parts of historical places.

To illustrate this point, Turner spoke of one of her current projects working on a historic home in Houston, Texas. The garden, originally designed by the well-known planner Frederick Law Olmsted, has undergone significant changes per the request of the home’s current owner. The obvious disgust in Turner’s voice as she described the ostentatious planters, fountains, and conservatory the owner placed in the garden added to her spoken belief that they did not fit with the home’s style.

Sometimes, however, a historical place makes changes in order to remain functional. Turner discussed the famous New Orleans City Park. The beautiful historic site has allowed visitors peace and tranquility in the middle of the bustling city. In the years after the disastrous hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the park had to rebuild. As Turner said, “The hurricanes caused the loss of the very fabric that held [the people of New Orleans] together.”

FEMA had promised the park $42 million to help the efforts, and according to Turner, the park planners had to put reports together quickly. Problems arose, as there was little historical documentation for research and planning. Turner said, “The fate of the historic park is still not a high priority for park administrators.” As with the theme of her speech, Turner emphasized that the park planners have changed important historical aspects of landmarks in order to make money.

Historic preservation, however, may benefit in the face of the recession. Basing her argument off of Time magazine’s article, “The End of Excess: Is This Crisis Good for America?” Turner said that the economic crisis would benefit historic and cultural landscapes. No longer would people frivolously throw in money to change parts historical landmarks in the face of economic downturn.

Turner sees herself as an activist in maintaining the significant aspects of historic locales. She knows that she, and others like her, must work to keep landmarks preserved in order to tell the stories of the previous owners. As Turner said, “We must be agents of change in a shift that must happen.”

 

        

A panel of experts visits UGA to talk about the television and computer

According to a group of experts that visited the University of Georgia on Friday, there is more information about the primetime TV show Lost than there is porn.

Although this may not have gotten the direct message across, it shocked the audience that were at UGA's Miller Learning Center to attend a discussion on television and the computer. Led by Horace Newcomb, who is director of the Peabody Awards, the event had five panelists with two critics and three members of universities around the US that study how television and the computer affect each other.

One opinion shared by all five panelists and Newcomb was the idea that social networking sites online are affected by primetime TV. "Half of the top topics on Twitter are about television," Alisa Perren said. Perren also mentions the "race to a million followers" between Ashton Kutcher and CNN. "Both Kutcher and CNN found themselves on TV, so they are affecting the internet like every other TV personality through this race."

Twitter is not the only social networking site that combines television and the internet. On April 12, thousands of people used the status feature on Facebook to let others know about Susan Boyle and the YouTube video that came from her performance of Britain's Got Talent. Boyle is the 47-year-old woman who made her debut and shocked millions around the world by singing a song from Les Miserables called “I Dreamed a Dream.”

With Susan Boyle having over 15 million hits on YouTube, "this is a great example of a viral video," said Aaron Barnhart, a panelist and TV critic of http://www.tvbarn.com/. He mentions that a viral video "are blowing up" and becoming a lot more powerful recently.

Maureen Ryan, a TV critic for the Chicago Tribune, talks about the idea that discussions and people’s comments to these discussions are becoming “viral” as well. “People get really passionate about shows and the online discussion,” Ryan said. “Blogs add a level of experience to TV.”

Barnhart agrees with Ryan, although he thinks that the possibility of discussion on the internet about popular TV shows is a great addition to the connection between the audience and the critics. “People’s comments challenge us and how we are going to move forward in our jobs,” Barnhart said. “From the last two or three years, I am finally beginning to get this, as opposed to the 10 years before this.”

Another aspect to the internet is the idea that one can watch television shows online at their convenience. Hulu has become a major site where people are looking to view their favorite shows for free.

Because of the possibility for these discussions and the ability to watch popular TV shows online, some think that eventually the television will become outdated. However, according to Amanda Lotz, a panelist from the University of Michigan, people are using computers and televisions differently. “The idea that TVs are going to be obsolete in a few years is stupid,” she said. “It really depends on what works best at the time.”

Twitter and other social networking sites have actually caused more viewers to watch popular shows in real time on TVs. According to Perren, “Twitter and Facebook stimulate your mind and make you think about what you are watching and because other people’s responses are immediate, they are causing more people to watch the show while it is being aired.”

Despite all of the research done on this technology of the 21st century, the experts of the panel along with Newcomb can only come to one conclusion. This conclusion is that they know nothing. "We don't have answers about anything."

Metrics Lie Behind PR and Marketing

Speaking to the PRSSA on Wednesday, Edward O'Meara promised that he wasn't going to do math.

What he did do was talk about his work experience and knowledge. A graduate from both UGA, where he got an undergraduate degree in political science, and the graduate school of journalism at Northwestern University, O'Meara is a co-founder of the MediaHound agency. His main purpose in speaking was to give advice to students facing prospects in PR and related fields.

O'Meara told the group: "The reason I came here is to help you avoid being a 'schlockmeister' who's out there peddling [your product]."

The metric side of the marketing business, where O'Meara works, involves measuring the return made on marketing projects and investments. At MediaHound he is involved in processing marketing data to help businesses better utilize their resources and promote themselves through the news media.

He spoke to the students about the tasks and challenges they would face at their future jobs, urging them to consider above all else the impact of marketing work on their clients. Projected onto the large screen behind him, in one of the MLC's biggest rooms, were three images of himself. In one, he used his hands to cover his eyes, in another, his ears, and in the last, his mouth. O'Meara stressed the importance of examining one's own work from many perspectives.

"What is the best metric in PR?" he asked the group. After a few hesitant answering calls from the students, he admitted, to laughter: "There really isn't an answer."

Impact was mentioned again and again. CEOs and managers would expect to see results, O'Meara cautioned, and the impact the students' future work would have for their companies. The problem lies in the metrics, the measuring of that impact.

CEOs do not understand marketing, O'Meara said. Those people working in marketing must continually justify their budgets and get "ink" in publications like newspapers and trade magazines, visual results that show word of their company or product spreading.

He said: "It gets sweaty really fast when you get asked 'Where's the story?'"

O'Meara advised students on the best way to garner coveted ink and publicity: using information wisely and contacting specific reporters rather than blanketing editors at every major publication with form e-mails. Just measuring coverage is not an adequate metric, he added, but in the electronic age the marketing industry is still working out the standards to measure returns and response to marketing efforts.

With so much uncertainty in both the market and the current economy, O'Meara advised students: "Don't just chase fashion." Start, he said, with methods that have been proven to work. "Everybody has to be a contributor to revenue."

Though he did not inundate the students with math, like he promised, his speech clearly carried the message that their future employers would be doing just that.

Soundslide about Social Media and Journalism

Lizzy Nephew's Soundslide about Social Media Changing Journalism

Second Life Virtually Changes Education

Virtual worlds might seem like a game for tech savvy teens, but at The University of Georgia, a virtual world aficionado is educating professors about the benefits of utilizing Second Life in the classroom.

Today, David Miller, from the Center for Teaching and Learning, introduced two of the university's Second Life projects and explained avatars, islands and Linden Dollars. Second Life is a free virtual world built by its members who can create anything from schizophrenia simulators to replicas of the Sistine Chapel.

The Center of Teaching and Learning leads lectures that cover different education topics to help insure that university continues to maintain dynamic academics. Out of an audience of 15 adults, two took notes on their computer and only a few had explored Second Life.

According to Miller, "A lot of Universities are beginning to make use of virtual worlds, and they are building campuses in Second Life and other virtual worlds that are replicas of their own campuses. They are doing education environments where people can go and participate in scientific experiments and other types of experiments."

Two of the main projects that Miller introduced are The Georgia Museum of Art's virtual museum and a learning facility replicating Anse Bundren's house in William Faulkner's novel "As I Lay Dying."

According to Jenny Williams, the Public Relations Coordinator for the museum, she assisted in beginning the virtual museum because the actual museum closed for an expansion. The virtual museum allows the permanent collection to be accessible to the world.

Williams explained: "We're really excited about this being more than an educational tool for museum studies and art history students. It's also for those who may never get to visit The Georgia Museum of Art."

The virtual house dedicated to "As I Lay Dying" includes resources for visitors to learn more about the novel. Resources include Web pages, student monologue projects, a map of Faulkner's mythical Yoknapatawpha County, and monologues by other professors.

Paul Quick, the professor sponsoring Bundren's house, highlighted two of his top problems in Second Life: grading and copyright. Quick believes that students need more instruction when it comes to experimenting with Second Life. Quick said "I like the monologues, but this was certainly an experiment. I learned that I need a better rubric."

Quick also commented about copyright concerns associated with having a Great Depression room. In a similar situation, Williams discussed copyright issues for The Georgia Museum of Art: "Copyright is something we're dealing with a lot with this project particularly because we are putting real images in the gallery."

According to Williams, a large concern is the ability for people to capture virtual work through screen shots, but she said the resolution is usually too low to copy. Williams advised the audience to protect themselves against copyright issues by researching and following fair use guidelines.

Kelly Foster, a Research Professional at Carl Vinson Institute of Government, felt that the lecture focused too much on the basic elements of Second Life, but was excited about an opportunity to see the virtual projects. Foster attended the event because she plans to use Second Life to research the polling of young adults. She feels Second Life is more interactive than other media.

Miller believes that virtual worlds are changing communication, and educators must explore how to use these outlets for both research and communication. Miller began his closing statement by saying, "In the big picture of human culture, we're full of virtual worlds, but this one allows you to do some things that other virtual worlds do not. The interactivity and engagement with your avatar are very powerful."

Bloggers Attract Audiences, Spread Information

Today two different bloggers gave their opinions on how to create a successful blog and how to carry journalism to the blogosphere.

Bethany Keeley is a graduate PhD student at the University of Georgia, and writes for ThinkChristian as well as authoring the popular Unnecessary Quotes blog. Unnecessary Quotes gets between three thousand to four thousand hits on an average weekday, and around two thousand hits on weekend days.

Keeley said: “I guess I’m sort of a professional blogger, but it’s a side job for me. I’m really a professional scholar.”

She added that Unnecessary Quotes has an audience because the topic matter of the blog is “absurdly specific.”

The Internet is a large place and users do not want to wander around in cyberspace frantically searching through a blogger’s archives for a post on a specific idea. A focused blog draws a bigger audience than a blog that spreads itself over many subject areas. The audience knows what to expect and can look in certain places to find concentrated information on a particular topic.

Also speaking was Morgan Josey Glover, who has journalistic experience, is now the content manager for the Web site GoGreenTriad. Part of her duties include maintaining a blog. She said that the purpose of a blog was to direct readers to information available on other Web sites.

Glover said, “I would just say that journalism today is a lot more entrepreneurial.” She urged students to know how to work many different kinds of technology and feel comfortable interviewing with several different methods.

Her advice points out the nature of journalism today and how multimedia is affecting reporting. Reporters and news outlets must pay attention to more than just their print editions, because audiences want news in different platforms. Web sites, Twitter accounts, and blogs can be used to disseminate information and point readers back to the newspaper or magazine’s own site.

As new technology continues to attract audiences, reporters in the future will need to develop skills and practices for utilizing the technology. Reporters must follow the readers and speak to them in the ways they are using to speak to others.

Replay of Live Blog with "Unnecessary" Quotations Blogger

The "cool-ness" of Blogs

Professional blogger and phd student Bethany Keeley spoke to Geoffrey Graybeal's journalism 3410 lab Wed. April 7 on her experiences with blogging and writing for the web.

What began as a simple hobby to try and get attention and perhaps become cool, blogging quickly caught on with her friends and numerous followers alike. Keeley's personal blog is read by less than fifteen people which include her boyfriend, close friends, and family members. Her fame came with the popular site "The "blog" of "unnecessary" quotations".

"The "blog" of "unnecessary" quotations" earned her fame through collegehumor.com and a feature story by the AP. On days she was featured in news articles her blog hits soared and then returned to relatively normal a few days after.

Keeley confirms that she doesn't advertise for her site but interviews with MSNBC Online, MSN Online, and The Chicago Tribune helped her blog hits soar. "I have many imitators out there. People are afraid to make grammatical errors around me now- Don't be!" Keeley exclaims.

She enjoys reading such blogs as The New York Times , anything lefty or feminist , and keeping up with her friends personal blogs. Spending around 2-3 hours a day working and reading blogs flies by she explains. Keeley dedicates around 1-2 hours simply working on her quotations blog. Whether it's responding to comments or checking her 700 emails of photo submissions, she always finds herself spending far more time than she realizes dealing with blogs.

"If you ask me what I wanted to be famous for, punctuation definitely wouldn't have been it!". Keeley explains. She admits that if it weren't for the money and attention she probably wouldn't still be keeping up with the blog.

Another project Keeley is working on is blogging for a site called thinkchristian.net. She writes a group blog every other week on topics dealing with the intersection of faith and our culture. This new project is just another blog that spreads her name and gives her the opportunity to earn some extra cash on the side.

From the beginning blogging was meant to secretly try and earn some cool points but it ended up turning into so much more. "When you set out to be cool you almost never will be" Kelley comments.

Journalism in Online Media

Online journalism has been on the rise through outlets such as Twitter, blogs, and podcasts. Journalists are now able to cover the news almost instantiously by just the click of a button, or a "tweet."
Bethany Keeley, a popular online blogger and PhD student at the University of Georgia, has her own blog titled "Unnecessary quotations." Keeley's blog on average receives 2,000 to 4,000 hits a day. Featured are posts, accompanied by a picture of the use of unnecessary quotation marks. The blog can be found at www.unnecessaryquotes.com.
Today, Keeley can make up to $500 a month in advertising revenue on her blog. Keeley says, "I never would have thought that I would be known as a punctuation blogger." However, Keeley continues the blog because of the advertising revenue and attention.
Keeley can also be found on Twitter, under username bethaniqua. Currently, Keeley is in the top 25 Tweeters in the city of Athens, Georgia. Her followers total around 250.
Online journalism has become a popular media outlet for bloggers like Keeley. She says on a typical day she will spend a few hours reading other blogs such as the New York Times, Bitch PhD, feminist blogs, and thinkchristian.net .
Keeley's blog also takes up a few hours of her day. This includes sorting through email and posting to her blog.
Although Keeley does not consider herself a professional blogger, she receives several followers and fans. She recommends posting links to other similar blogs to generate publicity. Keeley enjoys blogging and social media, while at the same time being a student.

Journalism in Mass Media

Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, along with online blogs, are rapidly changing the face of journalism. Mass amounts of information are being shared through a touch of a button, and online journalism is slowing turning into the new "fad" for many ordinary users of the internet.

For Bethany Keeley, current creator and sustainer of 3 blogs on the internet, online journalism is a "part-time job". Her blog www.unnecessaryquotes.com receives upwards of 4,000 hits on a given day. The blog is updated everyday with a picture showcasing an example of a blatant misuse of quotations; Keeley, also known as 'bethaniqua' for Twitter addicts, also provides links to other blogs she enjoys and makes money on advertising posted on her website. While her blog may sound like a job, Keeley only spends "an hour or two a day working on the blog." She is a graduate student in the Department of Speech Communication at the University of Georgia and considers this her full-time job. For Keeley, www.unnecessaryquotes.com was started as something "funny and unique", but clearly this blog has turned into a classic example of the changing face of online journalism. Her blog was even featured in AP writer Jocelyn Noveck's article "Blogger `exposes' Annoying Quote Abuse".

The gap between print and online journalism is becoming more distinct as technology allows more information to be disseminated faster. Content manager for www.gogreentriad.com, Morgan Josey Glover has slowly transitioned from working in the print journalism arena to a full online journalist. Glover "still follows the principles of journalism, but now has the ability to get information out quicker"; this advantage has been created by using various online sites such as Twitter.

With opportunities constantly arising among the internet, graduate students and traditional print journalists are paving a new avenue for online journalism. Utilizing past journalism techniques with newly created technology tools, the future of journalism on the internet is intact.

Professional Bloggers Distinguish Blogs as an Important Medium for News and Information

Blogging is quickly becoming a popular and important source for information. Many newspapers and other media are using blogs to supplement their own stories in order to get the information to the public more quickly. Other than reporting stories, using and creating blogs for personal use is beginning to grow in popularity as well among web-users.

Morgan Josey Glover, a Content Manager and reporter for GoGreenTriad.com explains that blogs are not only important for getting information to the public quickly, but it is also important to point people in the right direction of other sites and professionals with more information.

In comparing newspapers and blogging, Josey explains, "newspapers need a lot of groud-work completed before they can actually start writing a story. Blogging is quick and provides immediate access to information even if it is not a full story." She goes on to add that blogging makes it easy to expand upon a story later when more information is obtained.

Bethany Keeley, a graduate student and professional blogger, started her own blog when she was in college. Her blog, which focuses on the humor of unncessary quotation marks, now has over 2,000 hits a day, and she may be considered a mini celebrity in the web-world. Keeley says that she finds blogs an important means for reactionary commentary on news and other information versus its common use as a means for reporting stories.

Keeley makes up to $500 a month from blogging on her site, where she posts up to four times a day. She laughs about being known as the "quotation girl", and snickers at the fact that "it is a fun party conversation versus talking about politics or religion that people sometimes find hard to relate to."

Both Keeley and Glover agree that blogging is becomming vastly important for companies and people everywhere to promote themselves and distribute information for the public.

Conventional Media vs Blogging: Battle for Supremacy

Wednesday in Journalism 3410 the students had the pleasure of having guest speaker Bethany Keeley, writer of unnecessaryquotes.com, and listening to a recorded interview with Morgan Josey Glover, blogger for gogreentriad.com, talk about their experience as bloggers and how it differs from conventional media.
Keeley’s blog, unnecessaryquotes.com, is a comedic approach to looking at the misuse of the quotation mark by showing pictures she, and others, find in everyday life. On the other hand, Glover, education reporter for News & Record, writes to inform her readers about ways they can go green. While both write with different purposes, they had the same praises for blogging. Blogging lets the writer manage the content themselves.
Reporting in real time, Glover said, is another perk to blogging. With conventional news stories, reporters may sit on information until the story is finished. Blogging allows the writer to get the story out quicker. Glover also said that journalists need to be comfortable with blogging to give themselves an edge in their field.

One downfall of blogging could be the attention span of the reader. “When I blog it is typically shorter” said Glover. Keeley’s posts to her blog were short as well. This concision is necessary for the online medium. However, that does not mean the blog could not be in depth. Hyperlinks allow a blog to link to other blogs or news stories to give more information to the reader.

Online journalism

In today's media, blogging is becoming an increasingly important tool for reporting and dissemenating information.

A regualar blogger since 2002, Bethany Keeley, a graduate student in the Department of Speech Communication at the University of Georgia, began the popular "unnecessary quotes" blog (www.unnecessaryquotes.com) in 2005 and recently acquired a job as a content writer for the ThinkChristian blog (www.thinkchristian.net)

According to Keeley, specificity is key when it comes to blog popularity.

"Unnecessary Quotes is so absurdly popular because it is so specific," said Keeley.


As Keeley has demonstrated with Unneccesary Quotes, blogging can be a fairly lucrative profression. After placing an ad unit from blogher.com directly onto the Unnecessary Quotes page, Keely makes $200 to $500 per month.

The popularity of Keely's blog has garnered her attention from mainstream media, such as MSNBC online, MSN, as well as from other bloggers.

Bethany Keeley-"Unnecessary Quotes"

Bethany Keeley, a PhD student at The University of Georgia by day and a blogger at night started blogging in 2004 on her own personal blog. Keeley received little attention from other internet users on this personal site. Little did she know she would soon become a big player in the blogger world. “If someone asked me, ‘Hey Bethany what do you think you are going to become famous for’? I definitely would not have guessed punctuation” Keeley explained early Wednesday morning.

As the booming “blogging” media developed, Keeley became fascinated in using the media as a way to obtain information. She does not report on a blog, but rather obtains reports from main stream media. “I see blogging as a reactive medium” she explained.

Keeley started her own blog in 2005 tracking the usage of “unnecessary” quotes. Fellow bloggers would take pictures of quotation marks used unnecessarily and send them to Keeley. The blog allows other users to post comments. Keeley did not obtain a URL until January 2009, now the blog can be found on the website unnecessaryquotes. The website gets around 3,000 to 4,000 hits during the week and around 2,000 on the weekend. The website has become so popular that Keeley received $500 in ad revenue from a company called blocher. Bethany does not do any advertising for the website, “I have no idea how the website started getting popular”.

Online blogging has become a major influencer in the way people attain their news. Twitter and Facebook have made the linking of information on the internet easier than in the past.
Currently, Bethany is a student and considers blogging a hobby. “I usually spend up to two hours a day blogging, but I do it in my breaks so it doesn’t really feel like work for me”. Bethany also writes for ThinkChristian.net where in her latest story she has related buying locally to her Christianity. Click on the links above to visit her blogs. You can get a good laugh on punctuation and information on buying locally.

Webbing

Looking for an easy way to make a quick buck? Take Bethany Keely’s route and make money from blogging. Keely’s “Unnecessary Quotation” blog ears her about $200/month, with a high one month of $500. “I just wanted to have fun,” said Keely when asked why she started her blog. Keely has been posting her personal blog since 2002, but started the “Unnecessary Quotation” blog in 2004. She never imagined that her blog would have grown to be what it is today, which, according to site meter, receives about 4,000 hits on an average weekday. “If someone asked me why I wanted to be famous,” says Keely, “I def wouldn’t have said punctuation.”

Blogs such as Keely’s are becoming more and more popular with this technological society that we live in today. Morgan Josey Glover, content manager for GoGreenTriad.com, examines the differences in blog writing, what she does now, and print writing what she used to do as a reporter for Greenboro News and Record, “I write for a specific audience that is concerned with environmental issues, such as climate change,” said Glover. She said when she was in print media her audiences were much more broad and she had to spend a great deal of time developing a full, lengthy story. Glover said, “I do real time publishing and editing, and in most cases I do all of my editing on my own. This allows me to release information much quicker.”

One things for sure, whether you’re writing a casual blog for entertainment purposes, or blogging for a company about new information, news media has taken a new form by being broadcast to a much more concise audience on the web.

Bethany Keeley Talks About Writing for the Web.

Writing for a web-based audience is a major part of journalism today. Writing for the web requires an extra set of skills that are not necessary for the traditional newspaper and magazine writing approach.

Bethany Keeley, a PhD graduate student at the University of Georgia is a contributing writer for ThinkChristian and authors the popular "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks. Keeley said that her approaches for post writing differ greatly between the two blogs.

With ThinkChristian, Keeley posts about a topic and how her Christian values relate to it or how she interprets the topic through the lens of her Christian values. However, on Unnecessary Quotes, Keeley's focus is on making snarky comments placed under picutres of signs with humorous punctuation errors.

Unnecessary Quotes appeals to a specifc audience because its content is "absurdly specific" said Keeley. On a regular weekday Unnecessary Quotes gets between 3000-4000 hits a day. The blog's popularity has lead to multiple interviews, including one with AP.

Keeley said she dislikes how the interviews and stories make her appear angry at the punctuation errors, which is not the case. "I don't want to be a grammar guru, I don't want to be a punctutation guru. I care about funny," said Keeley.

Keeley's advice to bloggers and web writers is to remember to keep it brief and concise because "people don't want to read something long." She also recommends blogging about something that interests or humors you, it will make it more fun for yourself and your readers.