Month: April 2015

Who are our readers and when are they most active on social media?

(Editor’s note: A few years ago they were running college newsrooms. As they begin their careers, college media alums now in the profession reflect on their collegiate experiences in this periodic series.)

By Kate Jacobson
Special to College Media Review

---

Six years ago, media companies were not that concerned about social media. Twitter was just catching on and Facebook was evolving from college kids sharing pictures to a vehicle for information.

Almost all media companies big and small have tried to find their own niche in the social media world. Large news organizations have dedicated employees to monitor and craft the company’s social media message, while others have had to improvise.

Back in 2011, I was the editor of The State News at Michigan State University. We were a college newspaper trying to find our place in the world of social media. When we were looking for better ways to reach our audience, we asked ourselves: How can we uniform our social media efforts and maximize the amount of people we reached? Continue reading “Key questions for developing social media policy”

Adviser was veteran of 22 years at Arkansas State

By Debra Chandler Landis
Editor, CMR

The tributes to the late Bonnie Thrasher continued to flow. Colleagues posted on the College Media Association listserv. Thrasher’s students at Arkansas State University, where she taught and advised The Herald for 22 years, produced a special edition in her honor. A journalism graduate of Arkansas State praised Thrasher’s tough-minded journalistic ways but also fondly called her a fellow “cat lady,” referring to the numerous felines Thrasher rescued over the years.

Thrasher, vice president of the CMA who also held positions of CMA secretary and treasurer, was active in several professional journalism organizations. She died in her sleep at home on March 31, with the Arkansas State University College of Media and Communication posting on its Facebook page: “We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved faculty member, colleague, mentor and friend Ms. Bonnie Thrasher. Kind words and positive thoughts to her family, friends and students in this difficult time.”

Between news of Thrasher’s death and an ensuing memorial service , CMA members, writing on the CMA listserv, painted a portrait with their words of a smart, dedicated, and witty colleague known as much for her dedication to journalism as for being a role model with straightforward talk accented by a lovely Southern accent.

Continue reading “Colleagues, students, others salute the late Bonnie Thrasher”

A-STATE HERALD PUBLISHES TRIBUTES FROM STUDENTS, COLLEAGUES

College Media Association Vice President Bonnie Thrasher, 53, of Jonesboro, Arkansas, died March 31, 2015 at her home.

Born July 7, 1961 in St. Charles, Missouri to Bill and Beverly Thrasher, Bonnie resided the last 22 years in Jonesboro after spending time in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Starkville, Mississippi where she attended college and graduate school. She was of the Baptist belief.

She was a member of the Arkansas State Media Board and adviser to the A State Herald. She served the national College Media Association in numerous volunteer positions, as secretary, treasurer and as Vice President at the time of her death.  Continue reading “Bonnie Thrasher, 1961-2015: CMA vice president”

Here’s a Baker’s Dozen ways to get and improve your visual content

By Robert G. Nulph

---

A student sits in front of her editing set-up. On one side of her desk is a sandwich piled so high it would make Jared proud; at her feet sits a 44-ounce big drink guaranteed to quench her thirst; and on the other side, sits a rainbow of SD cards.

Now, this could be a great dream, or the true definition of hell. It all depends on the work she does before she enters the field as well as during a shoot.

When instructing students in a practicum or lab setting, it’s hard to convince them to plan. They just want to jump in and presume they will land well, the heck with planning ahead! And for the first assignment, it’s tempting to let them run out the classroom door without planning and seeing how they land in that editing bay later (“miserable!”), learning a hard lesson about not planning. Such a lesson is similar to teaching News Writing students who don’t do their research in advance of their interviews. Continue reading “Great visuals are all part of a plan…”