ciara's class(y) thoughts

Google Docs

2009-10-31T22:16:00.000-07:00

For the fourth edition of my blog for That's Melbourne, I tried to use a web-based program to format the look of the document. I will admit it was much harder to change the design elements, other than the templates that were provided. I can say that I prefer using iWork Pages to create documents, because I have unlimited control, however it was good (especially as part of a digital media course) to learn some techniques in an online format. Undoubtedly the program I used, Google Docs, will become more and more intuitive and user-friendly as technology continues to evolve, but for now I am satisfied. Please feel free to view my work here, and if you have any knowledge of online design programs, or ways to better utilise Google Docs, leave me a post! Cheers everyone, and I'll see you on your blog! And Happy Halloween!

2009-10-28T02:20:00.000-07:00

Who knew you could coin a phrase like "innovation journalism". Something to think about University of Melbourne...

2009-10-27T04:26:00.001-07:00

Here is the much anticipated (if only by myself) edition 3 of 4 of IN YOUR CITY: Melbourne. As always, I have included the fun part first, which is how I imagine the post will look in my ideal world. To reiterate, this is written for the blog section of Thats Melbourne, a great site which outlines some of the best things available at any given time in our awesome city.

And since the above images are completely unreadable, here is the content:

Hello my fellow Melbournians…hello Spring…hello SPRING RACING CARNIVAL! That’s right, it’s that time of year again when the flowers are blooming, the sun is shining and the smell of manure is in the air. Women in ridiculous heels and hats, men dressed to a t in a tie, and money literally growing—and wilting—on trees. No matter how much coverage the races, and more importantly the fashion, get in the magazines, newspapers, and splashed on the bus sides…I just cant get enough. So this edition of In Your City is expanding from a week to a whole season, focusing on some great ways to get involved in the racing shenanigans!

You may know all about Caulfield Cup, Derby Day and Oaks Day, or as my Canadian friend calls them—Caulfield Crop, Dorby Day and Oats Day—but there is so much more! These is just my top picks, so as always, if I have missed anything, let me know: cmichel@inyourcity.com.au. This is the most exciting time of year to be in Melbourne, so don’t miss out on all the horsing around!

Friday 23 October

Got a Flare for Fashion?

Are you the kind of person that doesnt even realise there are horses at the races? Are you just a ‘fashions on the field’ goer? If that sounds like you, this event was tailor made for you! Melbourne’s GPO Racing in Style Fashion Luncheon has all of the clothes and fascinators, without the grass stains at the end of the day. The entertainment value is unrivalled, and you will be among the first to view the newest spring fashion looks from some of Australia’s most talented designers. The event includes drinks, three-course luncheon, fashion shows throughout the day, and a goodie bag. That’s right…a goodie bag! Dress in your racing best, and be ready for a delicious day of fashion and fun!

Moonee Valley Racecourse

Saturday 31 October, Tuesday 3 November, Thursday 5 November

(Derby Day, Melbourne Cup Day, Oaks Day)

MYER Fashions on the Field

This may not be considered an event in itself, but to those of us who appreciate a great dress, on an even better pair of heels, would argue otherwise! And what is stopping you from getting involved! Registration is free…F…R…E…E…Don’t you just love the way that word sounds? All you have to do is your natural prancing around the field like the fashionista you are, and that includes you too boys! The prizes are unreal; couldn’t we all use a brand new Lexus IS 250C Prestige convertible?

Flemington Racecourse

Sunday 8 November

Does your whole family love the races?

Well this one loves you all right back! I love Frankston Cup Day. Well, yes, I do too, but that’s the name of the race! You can hardly go wrong on a day that shows you so much love. This one comes complete with sand sculptures on display, as well as a heap of activities for the whole family. Live music, fun rides and all kinds of activities for the kids. Make sure you deck out the kids in fashionable, ice-cream proof attire!

Cranbourne Racecourse

All Season

Got a thoroughbred in your head?

So maybe you don’t go for the feathers and silk (not even a little bit?). Well then check out the midweek racing! Benalla, Pakenham, Hamilton, Bendigo, Seymour, Stawell, Ballarat, Kyneton, Colac, Kilmore, Sale…the list goes on! You may have a bit of a drive on your hands, but why not make a holiday of it? Pack up your family, friends, or special someone, pile into the car and take a road trip! You deserve a little time off. And hey, place your bets right, and the trip could pay for itself!

All racecourses

13, 20, 28 November

Make a night of it!

There is no experience like watching the valiant beasts stampeding around the course in the dark heat of the summer night…and the horses are pretty cool too! Go for the food, go for the drinks, go for the people, and go for the experience of a lifetime! No sunnies or block required!

Moonee Valley Racecourse

2009-10-22T04:13:00.000-07:00

Crossword answer for Digital Meanderings: Disheartened.

Racism in comedy

2009-10-22T03:31:00.000-07:00

In the wake of the recent ‘Hey Hey It’s Saturday’ debacle that rocked the whole world, apparently, and undeservedly put Golliwogs onto the back shelves, I started thinking: how much is too much? Comedy has always walked a fine line between what is humorous and what is blatantly inappropriate, but when does it cross that line?

I recently discovered a show on ABC that dangerously straddles that line…and I love it. It’s called Hungry Beast, and it combines news and entertainment into a new blend of just plain wrong. Take for example the show’s perspective on race, spurred of course by the controversy mentioned earlier. They basically take a serious and confronting issue, and rip it to shreds. They are in your face about it, and unapologetic. And freakin funny! And check out this clip, which should make you chuckle, until the last scene, when you realise (SPOILER ALERT) that it is not only being funny but making a serious statement about the Australian perspective. (Have a browse around this page because if these two clips dont reel you in, you are bound to find something you like, that is if you have a good sense of humour and appreciate some creativity on your tv and web)

Isn’t this comedy at its best? Doesn’t every comedian basically just point out the elements of the real world in a clever and witty way that will make us laugh? Take your Jerry Seinfelds, Dane Cooks and Roves. Who can turn the camera on ourselves better than these guys? And who better? I don’t want politicians telling me I’m racist, nor do I want teachers, policemen, or peers. I want these guys to wrap it up in a nice shiny, pretty package of humour and blast it across the nation. Then I’ll listen.

If comedy can’t push the boundaries of social acceptance, who can?

iJournalism2.0

2009-10-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

Everyone seems to be talking about ‘citizen journalism’, as if it is a completely new phenomenon that has taken over news reporting. I know I mentioned it in an earlier post as a reason for the decline of newspaper popularity, but that is not to say that it doesn’t make a significant and quite relevant contribution to our understanding of current affairs. I don’t think that people picking up a camera or a pen (that one is purely metaphorical now because we all use computers for everything published) is damaging the ‘legitimacy’ of news. When it comes down to it, ‘professional’ journalists may have a more authoritative voice in certain things, but most things that other people are taking the time to write about are those that affect them personally, they are involved with in some way, or are extremely passionate about. It is that passion, which has traditionally been denounced in the pursuit of ‘objective’ reporting that makes these alternate, and often biased, sources of information desirable. The line between news and views in blogging is often blurred, and the result is an opinion driven perspective on the usually dry and repetitive news.

A prime example is a blog I found from an Afghani man writing from and about Afghanistan during the past few turbulent years. For 3 years he blogged consistently about the news and current affairs, some if which were in our news and some of which were omitted. Although his opinions may differ from those of our government (and the US and other governments) and media, and his self-expression and grammar may not be perfect, but he does provide a much needed, insider perspective on the issues. It is apparent from the amount of responses to each post that his voice is not only wanted, but needed, by interested parties around the world.

Another example is the very well-known and successful Obama campaign, which was predominantly online, viral, and 'grassroots' campaigning. A large contributor to the campaign was a variety of voices, unknown and celebrity, being heard through the power of non-professional publication, i.e. blogs, youtube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Will I Am's video, A New Day, (cannot be embedded) which I'm sure you have all seen, gives a glimpse into the idea of social change in news, politics, and entertainment.

This shift from the traditional, top-down dispersion of news will hopefully foster a generation of non-complacent, more inquisitive and influential readers and writers. The availability of varied opinions and perspectives relieves ‘traditional’ journalists from their obligation as gate-keepers of the news, and no longer does any government or corporation ‘own the news’.

2009-10-19T04:23:00.000-07:00

When I think of social networking like Facebook and Twitter, the first thing that comes to mind is pre-pubescent girls blasting what they had for breakfast, or how they hate studying, or even how sexy the newest star of the newest movie featuring the newest way to show off the newest Hollywood sex symbol’s boobs…is. And even John McCain’s well endowed and very un-shy daughter Meghan.

But wait! There’s more? According to The Hollywood Reporter, celebs (yes I am hip, and with it, and I use the shortened and inherently much cooler version of the word) are being banned from using certain forms of social media, including the reigning king of narcissism; Twitter. The legal action is spurred by the various SPOILER ALERT’s being posted around town. Paula Abdul dramatically resigned from American Idol on Twitter, Ryan Seacrest spilled the beans on Twitter about NBC's former co-chairman Ben Silverman’s resignation, and Greg Grunberg nearly caused an uproar with a few choice words about the future of Heroes 4^th season (read about it all here). Needless to say, Hollywood big wigs need to keep the talent under control, and have been enacting clauses to prevent such slips of the tongue, or type. Confidentiality is usually already written into contracts, but the new social mediums demand explicit forbidding. They have effectively taken out the middleman that used to be required to spill a story, and therefore must seem all too tempting to those privy to confidential information.

Marketing Mirroring Life

2009-10-19T04:11:00.000-07:00

“Don’t worry,” says Mum, “there are more fish in the sea.” Oh crap, she’s right! As a fresh-faced, soon to be recent graduate, how do you make yourself stand out from the crowd? You have a run-of-the-mill degree (1 of 700 to be handed out at graduation), you were involved in this club and that society and the other organisation, and had a part time job at Prince Alfred Hotel that you rocked up to hungover most days. You have a few friends that graduated last year and are still looking for solid work, and others that dove back into postgraduate or honours study with their tail between their legs. But then how do you make yourself marketable?

In a way, we are all marketing students. Life is one big marketing ploy. We market ourselves to potential employers and partners; we market our choices to our parents and siblings; and we market our ideas and dreams to ourselves. We should all be experts at this, right?

So what’s the difference when it comes to large scale marketing? Shouldn’t it be easy to convince all of Melbourne to drink Sprite, or wear CK cologne? Against a wall of ‘fish in the sea’, how do you make your product stand out? Why doesn’t mass email work? Why are billboards ignored? Why do we channel surf during ads? Because they are boring! Advertising and marketing has to take a fresh approach to catch the eye of consumers, and that’s what L’Oreal has figured out...sort of.

If marketing is life, why cant it also be second life? This Second Life phenomenon, if it can even be called that, has presented new ways for brands to infiltrate their audience. The verdict is still out for me on this one. Not sure I am convinced that this game, which just reminds me of the Sims on overdrive, will ever really take off the way Facebook and Twitter have. And also not convinced that virtual makeup will convince me to buy real makeup. Or subscribe to ABC for that matter. Check out these glamorous videos that attempt to describe what exactly it is. Any thoughts?

Assignment 3- part 2

2009-10-13T04:37:00.000-07:00

In all the excitement of my last blog, I didn't mention the website I'm writing for: the blog section of That's Melbourne. I already have something in mind for the third post, but before I get ahead of myself, here is post # 2, content and suggested layout.

Get Involved

In Your City: Melbourne

Hello again Melbourne residents, visitors and fans! After a successful first instalment of great events to attend in October, I am back with another ‘what’s on’ in Melbourne. This time I have scoured the city for not only great events to attend, but great ways to get involved and give back to this incredible city!

We all know that Melbourne is well known and loved for its vibrant lifestyle, dynamic cultural heritage, booming commercial ventures, funky and cool arts scene, and fantastic dining. But you may not be aware that Melbourne also hosts a variety of organisations that provide events and daily opportunities to lend a hand in the community. Know of any great causes to share? Email me @ cmichel@inyourcity.com.au

Why not spend this Saturday playing with orphans of the feline and canine variety, rallying for an important cause, or busting out your running shoes for the charity of your choice. With all these great ways to feel good about yourself, while helping keep Melbourne a happy and healthy place to live, what are you waiting for? A little time can go a long way!

Feeling Zen? Do the words “downward facing dog” mean anything to you? Then you could be a shoe in for a beginner’s yoga assistant! Make a difference to someone’s wellbeing, and feel the difference in your own temple of a body!

Saturdays and Sundays in November

Bring out your wild side! Have a soft spot for a furry, slobbery face? Volunteer at the Lost Dogs Home, and spend all day hanging out with little pups and kittens. This one hits home for me, as all of my cats and dogs are adopted from homes, and I have spent many hours volunteering. Animal shelter volunteers are crucial to the survival of stray, abandoned, and abused animals, and the experience is extremely rewarding! All snuggles and slobbers are free!

All the time!
Lost Dogs Home

Brotherly love! Feel like a little kids play? Young people today are faced with many opportunities to make bad decisions, but you can be a positive influence in someone’s life. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Melbourne has been connecting role models with kids in their community since 1980. The kids aren’t the only ones who benefit!

Anytime!
Anywhere!

Rally the troops! Want to be heard? Get involved in the hot topic, civil rights movement of our generation, right on our doorstep! A rally for same-sex marriage rights is being held, and its got your name on it! Come out to show your support, learn something about different lifestyles, or just to see the power of the masses! Rallies are being held concurrently in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra, and Brisbane! Lend a hand, or lend a voice!

Saturday 28 November, 1pm
State Library

Get in the spirit! Give yourself an early Christmas present! Everyone has a Santa costume somewhere in the house right? Well now is your chance to show it off! As if you need an excuse to get into the spirit, the Santa Fun Run is hosted by Variety, and will raise money for special children in need!

Sunday 22 November
Albert Park Lake

Assignment 3: Part 1

2009-10-11T21:34:00.000-07:00

I will start by saying, I really enjoyed this assignment! I know that is probably a rare occasion when students admit that something they were forced to do for credit actually stimulated an interest in the topic or method. Perhaps thats a cynical view on the traditional education system, or even just the product of a former science undergraduate student, either way it put a smile on my face, and I would only be so lucky as to have that as the outcome every day of my life. I am also just realising as I write this, that listening to upbeat music while blogging helps the creative and honest juices flowing. And I am also realising that I hate that expression!

Moving on, I'll give you a bit of background on my assignment and why it perked up my little eyes and ears. I chose to write (put together) a piece which would give locals a bit of a what's what in Melbourne. Basically I browsed around to find a collection of free events around the CBD for the week of October 19-25, 2009. I know its been done before, and it doesn't contain any earth shattering wisdom, but in the writing and researching, I learned a heap about Melbourne, that as a resident for over a year, I found embarrassing that I didn't know! For example, the Vic Markets have been around for over 130 years! And there are about 20 various markets around the city and suburbs every week! And the Victoria Barracks, which are just around the corner from where I live, were the administrative headquarters for the Australian Army during WWII! So in the midst of my googling, I gave myself a history lesson, found some great images, as well as put together a sweet list of things to do next week: all free! But the best part, which is what got me so excited, is that I discovered that I really enjoy the designing part. I really took pride in putting everything together, fiddling with colors and images, sizes and orientations, etc.

Now that I've rambled on about the thing, I'd better put it up! Here is the way I imagine it will look on a webpage with the capabilities for design:

So thats how I imagine the layout might look. The blue stars are links to more information about each event. Of course its unreadable, so here's my best attempt to make it look good on the restrictions of a blog page:

IN YOUR CITY

Melbourne

19-25 October 2009

Good morning! And welcome to another sunny day in Melbourne! We all know its not that common this time of year, so that’s just another reason to get out of bed, off the sofa, and away from the computer, to get outside and experience your very own vibrant, beautiful and exciting city of Melbourne!

I have put together a list of some of the gems our city has on offer this week, so you can get out there and make the most of it. You will find everything from tongue twisting poetry, to body twisting salsa style, to twisting on the edge of your million dollar seat.

There are an infinite number of things to experience in our city, and these are just a few to get you started. Have any upcoming Melbourne gems of your own to share? Email me @ cmichel@inyourcity.com.au

Now lets go experience Melbourne! After all, it is the “world’s most livable city”, so lets get living!

Highlights of this week:

Monday 19th: Passionate Tongues Poetry

Get out of your comfort zone and head to Brunswick to join in with some traditional and contemporary voices as they rant, rave and rhyme!

Noise Bar, 291 Albert St
7pm

Tuesday 20th: Free Tai Chi

Not to be confused with Chai Tea, this free session will have you hooked on the martial arts in no time!

Federation Square
7:30am-8:30am

Wednesday 21st: Free Salsa

No, not that kind! Free salsa lessons for beginners provided by the Salsa Foundation. Drinks, fun, and new friends. Dress casual, bring yur dancing shoes, and expect to be swinging!

Syn Bar, Level 1, 163 Russell St
5:30pm-7:30pm

Thursday 22nd: Millionaire Hotseat

Your 15 minutes of fortune and fame! Be part of the studio audience

22 Bendigo St, Richmond
12pm-5:30pm

Friday 23rd: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Your chance to experience the culture of our city through music. An unforgettable night!

Town Hall
7:30pm

Sunday 25th: Car Club Showcase

Have a soft spot for great, old cars? Maybe you will be in the city and have a few minutes to kill? Either way, this Sunday check out the coolest collection of vintage models, presented by Triumph Sports Owners Association, and squished into Fed Square!

Federation Square
11:00am-2:30pm

Don't Forget the Regulars!

National Gallery of Victoria (NGV)

Check out a free performance on cultural diversity, enjoy a scone in the tea room, then browse as many as six exhibitions featuring international as well as local artists. Persuasion features fashion in the age of Jane Austin, open until 8 November 2009.

180 St. Kilda Rd.

Melbourne Zoo

Bring your kids, grandma, boyfriend, colleagues; the zoo is a fun-filled day for everyone! More than 300 different species for the animal lover inside each of us. you can go ‘behind the scenes‘ with the elephants, lions, reptiles, kangaroos and gorillas...and I dont mean your in-laws!

Elliot Ave, Parkville

Parks and Gardens

Melbourne is one of the few cities in Australia to boast so many lush, green gardens in or around such a bustling and vibrant city lifestyle. Each is just a tram or a short walk, and with the summer months looming, what are you waiting for? Parks are the perfect place to get some exercise, have a picnic with friends, or catch up on some ‘me time’ with a good book. Check out some of the most (and least) popular at White Hat.

Melbourne Aquarium

Get up close and way too personal with sharks, turtles, and sting rays in the underwater tunnel experience! Look a shark in the eye as it devours a hand-fed meal at your fingertips!

Flinders & King St
9:30am-6pm daily

Melbourne: A "Market Town"

Our city has on offer an overwhelming amount of markets to choose from, each providing a little something different; a tasty treat, a one-of-a-kind artifact, a unique, hand-crafted specimen, or something completely unexpected! Go explore and see what you can find!

Chapel Street Bazaar

It has been likened to Alladin's Cave, for its vast and varied amount of collectables, memorabilia and antiques. The largest bazaar of its kind in the CBD, it has over 80 independent dealers buying and selling for your benefit!

217 chapel St, Prahran
10am-6pm daily

Croydon Market

One of the few markets that still employs a traditional, 100-word a minute auctioneer to unload its treasures. You can find everything from fresh produce, furniture, tools, craft and other goodies.

515 Kent Avenue, Croyden
8am-3pm Sunday & Monday

Lost and Found Market

This indoor market features anything and everything vintage: furniture, lighting, art, posters, clothes, books, records and collectables.

12 Smith Street, Collingwood
10am-6pm daily

North Court Markets

Located in the heart of the MelbUni campus, this one sells mainly second hand goods and crafts under a large sail. A great place to find deals on funky, cool stuff!

Tin Alley, Melbourne University
9am-5pm, Monday to Friday

Queen Victoria Market

You can’t call yourself a Melbournian without having visited the Vic markets! They have everything from Aussie souvenirs, to an overwhelming amount of fresh produce. This massive market has indoor and outdoor stalls, good finds and fun for tourists and locals alike!

Corner of Elizabeth & Victoria St
Closed Monday & Wednesday

The Rose Street Artists Market

Come and enjoy browsing genuine, individually hand-crafted items, a glass of wine, or a movie at the outdoor Junkyard Cinema.

60 Rose Street, Fitzroy
11am-5pm, Saturday & Sunday

Fact of the Week:

The Queen Victoria Markets opened in Melbourne in 1878, as a way to combine the many smaller markets in the city. The market is now a protected historic site!

iMarketing2.0

2009-09-26T04:19:00.000-07:00

So the new Vegemite spread has finally been named. And what a hum dinger it is.

iSnack2.0

Anyone else feeling a little overwhelmed and annoyed by products starting with i and ending with a decimal number? It means nothing. The idea of putting words together it to communicate a message, but all I can hear is "I'm not creative enough to think of something original, so I'll piggyback on the success of another company." The worst part is, from an entry pool of almost 50,000, this was the best Australia could come up with. A 27-year old daddy from WA received nothing for winning a competition that offered 50 pounds in 1923, according to an article on 7 News. With 85 years of inflation, that figure might have become a hefty prize today.

I'll give Kraft the benefit of the doubt for coming up with the idea to have a new and improved Vegemite, because as a non-Vegemite eater, I'm now hooked on this new product. So from a marketing standpoint, they have clawed their way into a new niche of money spenders, who were originally disgusted by the taste, smell and idea of their salty spread.

What is even more disheartening to me, however, is that when I went to Google to research further about this historic event, not one article could give me any new information. These articles gave me word for word the same story: The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald (both owned by Fairfax digital to be fair, The Western Australian, iPrime Newcastle (this one in particular should have done SOMETHING creative!), NewsTin, just to name a few.

I'll blame that on our reliance on media releases in journalism today. This can be attributed to the increase in technology which has led to a decrease in employees in the business. And this I find ironic when considering the topic of the articles.

There have been some severe reactions to not only the new name, but Vegemite and its little brother on this LiveLeak blog. A prime example of poor blogging etiquette toward the middle of the page. At least the blogs give a different opinion than the news sites. Maybe this is another contributing factor to the downfall of traditional news.

Another blog, itpints, has a collection of tweets of fairly humorous reactions to Kraft's announcement. Apparently it got more attention than the grand final today? I find that hard to believe. And to be honest, I dont know which is worse, tweeting about Geelong beating St Kilda or iSnack2.0?

Coming soon: iCrap and Crap 2.0

Design in Newspaper: Can it help?

2009-09-22T03:54:00.000-07:00

Maybe there is hope for you yet, Mr. Newspaper. Although the internet may be faster, more convenient, and infinitely better in so many ways, perhaps newspapers have some life left in them after all. The key, according to Jacek Utko, is design.

We are accustomed to newspapers coming in a certain shape, size, colour, texture, and basically any other description you can think of. Newspapers have been essentially the same for hundreds of years, give or take the invention of colour ink and recyclable paper. You expect a few big, square images on the front cover, which is folded over once, then to open up into a 2 page spread which varies little from the basic grid, and continues for approximately 20 pages, and repeats over 5 or 6 sections. Colours are always muted, images are similar in format, size and content, and typeface is the same size, colour and font throughout (besides headlines).

According to Utko, many of the solutions suggested o save newspapers, such as making it free, smaller, more niche focused or opinion driven are viable options, but in the long run they can only buy time. His answer is to recreate our image of the newspaper. We need to take something that is very text heavy, and content driven, and bring the appeal from the outside in. Utko believes that a newspaper has untapped potential for creativity, and that will ultimately be its saving grace.

He says, “the secret is that we were treating the whole newspaper as one piece, as one composition. Like music. And music has a rhythm, has ups and downs…flipping through pages is the readers experience, and I am responsible for this experience.”

I agree with his ideas about info-graphics, which you can hear at 3:40 in the clip. I know that I am a very visual learner, and colours and large images draw me in and entice me to read dense content. His ideas about improving the entire product through function and form make sense in theory, but to be put into effect would take a change-minded individual like himself at the front end of the movement.

I’m a little bit inspired from this motivational speech. But its easy when you’re sitting on top to say “to be good is not enough.” You may not agree with everything he has to say, Mr. Newspaper, but you’re hardly in a position to be picky now are you?

The Death of the Newspaper

2009-09-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

Its true that newspapers have taken a huge hit in recent years. But the question is does it matter?

Check out this clip from Season 5 of the tv series, The Wire, which shows the reality of many newsrooms today. The speaker comments on the current downward spiral that newspapers are caught in, and the reasons newspapers have to cut back on staff. So yes, it probably matters to journalists. And they hit the nail on the head when they point out that the internet being their main source of competition, is a “free source of news and opinion.”

Free being the operative word here. We have become a society addicted to our freebies. take the MX for example, which is much more prevalent on our trains and trams in Melbourne than any other publication, daily or not, fiction or news. Thats because its free, and its available.

And so what are the consequences of our gimme-gimme, freebie freebie attitude? The inevitable staff cutbacks mentioned in the clip. Less people doing more work. The quality has gone down, while quantity is expected to remain high. Journalists are spread thinner than ever, and now must write not only for newspapers, but also re-package their writing for radio, tv and also the web. The problem is that the internet does not make up for the work of 5 employees. It can make jobs easier, but cannot do the work itself.

There were fears when radio was first introduced, that it would put newspapers out of business, however a balance was struck between the two. The same threat appeared when tv came about, yet again there was a comfortable middle ground achieved. The difference this time, with the introduction of the internet, is the ability of anyone to publish news and opinion from anywhere at anytime. The dreaded 'citizen journalism' has become a legitimate source of facts and information.

But where does that leave the true and blue newspaper? Newspapers have been at the centre of what we know as democracy, dating back to a time when print publications were a way to voice opposing political opinions to a wide audience. Today, however, the reader is not necessarily the consumer, but rather being sold as the product. The newspaper stays in business by selling an audience to advertisers. And as the audience declines, mainly because news can be sourced from all over the internet, more quickly and specifically, the advertising dollars are disappearing as well.

The question then is, does it matter? It can be argued that the generation of newspaper readers (baby boomers and gen x) are upset, but gen y, which has grown up with and become accustomed to online news, are not bothered. This would suggest that print newspapers are merely a nostalgic comfort for some, but in reality only an inconvenient and bulky way to get news in the 21^st century.

Like climate change, the death of the newspaper is scary but inevitable unless serious changes are made. the one thing about the clip here that stands out to me, is that the boss is not open to suggestions, not asking for bright ideas to increase profit, but rather laying out the facts and just accepting there are no options.

But there are always options. Newspapers need to get creative. I'm going to have a think about this one, and get back to you with any of my suggestions for the future so, as they say, stay tuned...

Assignment 1 post

2009-08-31T00:25:00.000-07:00

*Disclaimer* This work was intended to be read in hard copy and is therefore written in a linear format, disregarding the rules I have outline in the piece itself.

The mark of a good webpage, among other things, must be that it delivers what the audience wants. The online reader is fickle, impatient and demands a lot of information in very little space. So in order to evaluate any website, I’ve found that I must first evaluate the visiting audience. To examine this point, I have chosen three university sports websites which can be compared in usability, cross-promotion, and content. The first is the sports website for the University of Melbourne, my current institute of higher learning. The next is my alma mater, the University of Miami and their Hurricane Sports page. And last I will look at the Australian University Games website, a program in which I will participate in September 2009, part of the Australian University Sport website. I have a personal connection to all of these schools and sports programs, and therefore can consider myself a member of the target audience of each.

The first website is the sports home page of the University of Melbourne. As an Australian university, sports are generally open to the entire student and staff population, as well as in most cases the general populace of Melbourne also. There are fees associated with participation, and the website’s aim is to get involvement (and thereby get income for the sports programs and departments). The article I chose is up on the main page of the website as featured content, and is linked with a teaser and option for more, as well as a liked image.

The copy of the article gives the basic rundown of the who, what, where, when and why of the particular event, in this case the men’s basketball team winning their division championship. There is a heading, which gives the most comprehensive information of the three articles, and specifies the key points of the article. Following are a date, and an author, then about 650 words of plain text broken up into 11 chunks. I will give the author credit for chunking, but that is about it. In order to accommodate our dynamic online reading style, online text must be scannable, according to Jakob Nielson. This includes highlighted keywords (including hypertext links), useful and meaningful sub-headings, and bulleted lists where necessary. This article ignores each of these techniques. Good online paragraphs should employ only one idea, but in this case the majority of ideas are scattered and the writing leaves much to be desired. The writing follows a somewhat inverted pyramid style, with the most important information at the beginning, however even this is poorly executed.

Following in suit, the article itself contains no links. Links are necessary for a sense of connectedness, to give the information on the page a context, and to make the article influential. Scott Karpoutlines how links transform online reading from scattered to organized, and create networks that can follow a linear or dynamic format. Clearly the reader in this instance is not intended to have further questions, need more information, or clarification about the article. However, at the very least the page could link to the Basketball division website, perhaps information about the team, or past articles relating to a similar topic. The page does have links to the parent page (The University of Melbourne), as well as easy navigation on the left hand side to the home page, and other areas of the website. Contact information for the author is given at the bottom, but in a non-linking format. This page loses more points for the inconvenience associated with having to copy and paste the email address.

In terms of design, the page is simple and easy to navigate, but certainly earns no credit for style or originality. The background does not distract from the text, the navigation buttons are easy to locate, understand and use, and formats are consistent throughout the website. One of the two graphics on the page has a caption, however neither provides an alt label (which is a caption given when your mouse scrolls over the image).

The University of Melbourne sports website is a host to many teams which are independently owned, and each pays ‘rent’ to use the school’s facilities. Therefore the school is not making money from the sports or players, and needless to say the men’s basketball division 2 championship would not have brought in any money, or school or team awareness. The website, and this page, are a reflection of this.

On the flip side of the coin, The University of Miami is a huge sports school, where a great deal of income is brought in by the sports programs. In particular, football, basketball and baseball. The university’s sports programs and website are sponsored by Nike, Gatorade, CSTV, CBS, JetBlue and MuscleMilk, among others. The aim of the website designers here is to inform current students, players and fans, and also to gain sponsorship from several areas. Just a look at the homepage tells a very different story from the previous example. There are flashing ads, an events calendar, scrolling headlines, sponsor links, shops, and a plethora of distracting, eye catching links. The chosen article is not even regarding a big-money team, or a big championship, but merely one win by the low-profile volleyball team. However, as part of the featured content, it is one of the scrolling headline images, and easy to click to with a link on the image, as well as the headline.

The article and the page as a whole show a much higher calibre of online writing and organisation than the first example. The article begins with a heading, then a sub-heading (kicker) for clarification. However the heading does not cover some of the most important points of the article, which are the records set by several players. Following the headings, we are given the date and location of the event. Immediately we are presented with two links to the box score (one in PDF format for convenience), to accompany the play by play we are about to read. Every step of the way, names are highlighted, and linked to the player biography on a separate page, forming a narrative for the reader to follow. The copy is chunked and organised in an easy to read, top-down manner. A link back to the homepage is embedded in the text itself. This page provides a high level of reader interactivity through links, multimedia, and colour. However, it is lacking in use of white space, which is important to help users reduce the cognitive load and digest chunks of information, according to Smashing Magazine.

At the bottom of the page, 26 other sites are linked, however they are all other CBS sponsored sites. Although readers should be wary of the same ownership of all pages, there are also links to related articles and college sports pages on the right hand side of the page. There are also links to every other area of the website, from other sports, to shopping, to tickets, to team rosters. It appears to be a trend with this style of website and writing, by the school and about the school, that any outside opinion is discounted, whereas a news website writing about unrelated and unaffiliated news would be wise to link to other sources and trusted sites.

This page has a higher standard of graphics, with only one associated picture and caption (excluding an alt label), but an overwhelming amount of sports related images, advertisements, and colourful text surrounding the article itself. It remains easy to navigate, but has much more choice, as well as distraction for the reader. The advertisements, although annoying on most websites, in this case are fairly unobtrusive, but give the page a sense of credibility, youthfulness and professionalism, which are important to the target audience.

The final example differs in the fact that it is not intended only to promote one school. Instead, it is set up to inform participants about Australian University Games, held once every year around Australia. Students are invited for 1 week of competition against other schools around the country. The parent website is Australian University Sport, associated with the Australian Government Sports Commission. The article I chose regards one student’s success at the World University Games.

The article is linked as a part of the scrolling headlines on the right side of the home page, and can also be accessed through a series of links from the left hand menu of the first page. The first page highlights several in-house articles, but also links to some outsourced articles from other news venues, including the Age, the Courier and the Sydney Morning Herald. This article, although the shortest and chunked into only 5 parts, it is the best example of the three of inverted pyramid style writing, giving the most important information first, and trickling down with details. The important information such as date, author and headline are given, however it does not have a subheading. The heading alludes to the key points in the article, which are the accomplishments of the students, but remains quite vague. The copy has no live links, but does have a lot of contact information at the bottom of the page for follow up, and a linked email address. The side bar of the article page cross-promotes related headlines, making navigation easier. As with the first article, the links on the left side and bottom take the reader back to other parts of the website, but not beyond the boundaries of Australian University Sport.

The graphics and texts are less visually appealing and easy to navigate than the university of Miami website, however funding may again be to blame here. The page is nonetheless easy to understand, and the article has a high level of readability because there are few distracting elements. The entertainment value is low, but information value is high. This page follows several of the outlined features of a good website, as pointed out by Robin Williams: the background does not compete with the text, it is easy to read but not too big, and the information is clear.

Each article has value in its own right, however the University of Miami article, and the whole website, do the best job of understanding and acknowledging their audience. The users of each site are likely to be university students interested in athletics. This target audience is likely to prefer a dynamic reading style, especially online reading, and so the best approach to reach this group is lots of graphics and multimedia. The second article also does the best job of linking to other parts of the website (in the text itself), and to other sites that may be of interest to the reader (despite being owned by the same parent company). Ultimately, there are infinite ways to make a good website, but following certain guidelines and writing for your audience are certainly among the most important for success.

Cricket

2009-08-29T06:31:00.001-07:00

Hello Australia. Hello kangaroos, and trams, and surfing (kinda), and 'cheers mate', and AFL, and cricket.

I'm still coming to terms with that last one. I like sports, I love playing and watching and cheering and drinking and scoring and 'barracking'. I do enjoy AFL despite sitting in the freezing cold wind and rain for 3 hours. But I have yet to come to terms with cricket. It goes for days, and very little happens.

Ive been doing my research, I want to be more informed and therefore perhaps enjoy cricket when the season comes back around. So here are some things I've found:

1. Cricket is a game of minute details

Everything from the way you grip and face the bat, to the wind and spin on the ball affect each play

2. Inches can make all the difference (as in most sports)

If the batsman stands even an inch closer to the bowler, he has less reaction time from when the ball leaver the bowler's hands, hits the pitch, and bounces back up toward his face.

3. Fielding is less boring than it looks

The fielders have to be ready everytime a ball is bowled because if not, thats the one time the ball will be hit in their direction (fact)

4. The captain has all the power

When it is gametime, unlike any other sport, the captain takes over and makes all the decisions, leaving the coach on the sidelines to just watch. Talk about pressure!

5. Each pitch is different

Home team advantage is more important in cricket than any other sport, as each pitch is completely different conditions, from temperature, to ground firmness, to oval shape and size.

Interesting stuff for a game that goes for days! Check out Nick Bryant's blog for more indepth coverage of the sport.

Sidenote: On my first ever flight to Australia, I was flying from Sydney to Melbourne, and scattered around the plane were boys in the same outfits. I assumed they were a club team of some sort, all looked very young. But I distinctly remember highlighted hair. Fast forward 2 days, I'm in Coles for the first time ever, checking out the cereal isle in this foreign country, and what do I see on the Weetbix box. Highlights. About seven of the boys from the plane. Turns out i was traveling with the Australian Cricket team. Kinda cool.

So, for anyone else having trouble getting into the spirit of the Ashes, I hope this helps! If you are an avid fan, have played since you can remember or just know a thing or two about the game, leave me a note! Until then, my next plan of attack is to get out there and take a swing!

New species of dinosaur discovered

2009-08-29T05:37:00.001-07:00

Every little boys dream has come true... a new species of dinosaur has been discovered!

Given the nickname Zac, the fossils of this new species were discovered on a sheep farm in Queensland. This is just 5 years after the largest dinosaur in the country, Cooper, was discovered in the very same place.

Read the article here for a full run down on the details, but you should know that Australia is in the middle of what experts are calling, a 'dinosaur rush'. Thats exciting for an animal lover and nerd-at-heart, who illegally keeps a kitten in her apartment, and watches Planet Earth before bed.

Jurassic Park, we all know is a family favourite and classic, but imagine witnessing the unearthing of a never-before seen species of dinosaur. I will assume it, like everything else, loses its appeal over time, and for the sheep farmer is now old news, but I would love to spend a day in the shoes of a paleontologist. Of course only on the day that the discovery is made, because other than that they are just sifting through dirt. Might as well be a construction worker.

Matilda, Clancy and Banjo were found earlier this year nearby:

Anyone have any personal dinosaur stories they would like to share with me, I'm all ears!

Blogging on the go

2009-08-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

Blogging has really revolutionised the way we do everything.

When we were younger we used to keep journals of our private thoughts, send paper notes in class, and send postcards from vacation spots. Nowadays, we can do all of that from our computer, and the magic of the internet. It still boggles my mind how many people use the internet daily, without having any clue what it actually is, or how it works (myself included).

Travel blogs are particularly interesting to me. They have taken once remote and virtually untouched corners of the world, and made them instantly accessible to the world. At one point it sufficed to send a piece of cardboard with an image of a tropical fish on one side, and scribbles of 'wish you were here' and 'having so much fun!' on the other. Now with digital cameras in one hand and pre-paid internet cards in the other, tourists are armed with everything they need to virtually share every detail of the trip with friends, family and strangers at the click of a button. Individuals are becoming the new authors of Lonely Planet and Frommers guide books.

Of course, those guides more than likely led the bloggers there in the first place, and we wonder why the grass is covered in tour buses, and the local bars are filled with cheesy music and backpackers. In reality, curiosity and human nature's desire to experience the exclusive are to blame here, and blog sites and travel guides are merely cashing in. A few good travel blogs I've found are The Sydney Morning Herald and Viator. Of course my personal favourites always belong to friends or family. Despite taking the fun out of the postcard, travel blogs are in fact a great way to stay in touch with friends and family on the move.

BLOGGING 101

2009-08-12T01:17:00.000-07:00

Technical writing, structural editing, journalism practice and theory…and blogging? As a publishing and communication student, I was prepared to take classes focused on editing, writing, and even basic level designing, but creating and following blogs didn’t even cross my radar.

But why is that? Why, as a student of the 21^st century, in a society dominated by Google, Facebook and Twitter, wouldn’t blogging be the first thing to come to mind? Why wouldn’t a $10,000-per-semester school recognise and represent this in their course structure? Perhaps the much-debated Melbourne Model, though loathed by arts students, has caught on to the need for ‘real life’ experiences in classroom setting education.

Then again, maybe the third highest grossing industry in Australian economy has found more ways to take our money.

I am a little embarrassed to admit that I am so far behind my peers, but I am, until now, a blogging virgin (minus 1 account: my letters from australia posted on my home school sports website here). However, I think a combination of things are at play here. To be brutally honest, the word ‘blog’ conjures up images of a pimple-faced, four-eyed, geeky (but not in a cute way) kid, sitting in the basement of his parents’ house, eating bbq chips, ogling pictures of Britney Spears, and commenting on his blog about the newest video game that he camped out for 2 days to buy for $200 and how he will one day rule the world and all the popular boys at school will be his minions.

That is of course not meant to offend anyone reading this, but as a psychology undergraduate major, my instinct is to use visuals to explain how each person’s individual experience and deep-seeded thoughts shape their view of the world around them. I find it hard to shake this stereotype of the ‘blogger’ despite considering myself smart enough to know it is grossly unfair. Just look here and here to see a testament to the wide variety of topics that can be blogged on. I still consider online dating in general a bit weird, and have not yet brought myself to see the value in reading celebrity ‘tweets,’ but I think this course will open my internet eyes to the blogging communities and possibilities.

As someone interested in future magazine publishing, I should be the first to jump on the digital publishing train. To think that one day I could make a career out of hours of web surfing, rather than cursing myself for time wasting.

Please don’t judge this blog based on this first post of self-centred verbal vomit. But I thought it would be unjust to expect you to be interested in this blog without giving you a bird’s eye view into my brain and background. So in a novice approach to blogging, I hope that I can interest, entertain, and engage you over the following semester (and beyond).

If not, leave a note J

greetings

2009-07-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Hello class, this is my blog :)