The chapter discusses using HTML and XHTML. In my world at The Flint Journal, we don't necessarily need to know this code because we use a program called MoveableType in which our Web editor has set up specific coding for us to cut and paste to create items such as info boxes. Here's an example to the right that I often use (with other text, of course):
| "They're smart. It's like a stakeout. You don't want them to see you looking at them. It freaks them out. - Humane Society volunteer Diane Biega on capturing feral cats. |
One last though about Web editing. It is time consuming, especially when you're trying to juggle responsibilities with reporting or related to producing the print newspaper. Nevertheless, it has become an essential part of media and learning these tools are important. This conflict, especially given shrinking resources, is fueling some of the tough choices media companies are having to make, I believe. What do you think? What are your experiences with Web editing? What do you like or don't like about it, especially in comparison with working in other traditional media?
Lastly, the deadline to participate in the discussion and receive credit is midnight Monday.
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Web editing is becoming more and more important in journalism, but as with most technology, the human resources needed to do it are becoming less needed. As you said, technology has made it so the Web editor may not have to do much coding at all, instead focusing on content editing. In that case, the Web editor is mostly a glorified copy editor, and at some papers (like mine), IS a copy editor.
In fact, as I sit here typing this, I am at work after deadline after just having finished my Web editing duties for the night. Here, our Web content is directly related to our print content. In fact, we might as well call it what it is: shovelware. We have a program that reads the character and paragraph styles in InDesign right off the page, codes them for the Web, and exports XML files. All we have to do is tag them and map the styles, and change a headline or two for search-engine optimization. It's become a mind-numbingly brainless task, hardly befitting of what's supposed to be the "new wave" of journalism. Of course, that's not to say our Web site is anything special.
On The Michigan Times' Web site, it can actually be fun to change things and add code and video to different stories and locations within the site. We (and by "we" I mean John McKay) have recently embedded video, blogs and a Twitter account to our homepage that hopefully will make it more user-friendly. I have noticed a spike in our online traffic just since Dave Veenhuis has been named Web editor.
Overall, I think media companies will continue to pour more resources into the Web, but not until online revenue catches up to print revenue. Until then, I think you will still see the majority of the effort going toward the print product.
Speaking of after deadline, here I am - good morning all. John, Tim, Jon and I got chased out of the office late last night by campus security and I didn't get a chance to comment.
Chris Machniak mentioned info boxes in his post and it's funny because I just learned how to do that for our site. Mike Stechschulte knows this, but I'm not sure if Machniak knows that we use College Publisher for the Web site.
When dumping a story onto the Web, we have to cut then paste. In past issues, I've been pasting stories into a box similar to this comment box. This week, I switched the rich text feature on and it is liberating.
There are a number of options that you get with this format. I can now insert info boxes, by creating a table, use bullet points and numbering and even bold things without typing in the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) codes.
I can also format the text the way I want in Microsoft Word, then cut it and paste it into the table.
We featured audio clips from the memorial service for Matthew Hilton-Watson, but my favorite thing about the Web is the ability to embed video into a story. How complimentary is it to have a movie trailer on top of Jordan Climie's review of "I Love You, Man."
Krystle Holleman's story about the University of Michigan-Flint Hockey Club taking on the Flint Generals in an exhibition shootout will, eventually, feature video footage from the bench and the dressing room.
Emma Davis wrote a story about Open Mic Night. Her lede featured a student that overcame some nerves to perform in front of a dozen, or so, people. Thanks to the Web and a Flip Cam that Dr. Lewis loaned me, she actually sang in front of hundreds.
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