The future of news in a digital, converged-media age was the topic of much discussion at the Online News Association’s 2003 Conference and Awards Banquet in Chicago, where two Belmont University journalism students helped produce the written and video news coverage of the event. Here’s a web page listing more coverage of blog-related ONA events. Some of the stories were written by Belmont University journalism students Chasity Gunn, news editor for the Vision, and Amanda Wheeler, arts & entertainment editor for the Vision.
Gunn’s story from the conference: Participants learn, share and celebrate online journalism. Excerpt:
The two-day conference gave the diverse group of participants opportunities to learn from each other, share best practices and discuss a range of issues challenging the industry. Chief among the latter: how to grow audience, how to make money and how to beat the competition.
Gunn also interviewed winners of various ONA awards for a series of video news reports, available online here.
Wheeler’s story from the conference: Technology fueled war coverage but allowed horrifying images. Excerpt:
New technology and equipment allowed journalists covering the Iraq war to send their stories home faster, but also raised new questions about what is appropriate to publish. A panel session on “Covering the war in a digital desert” at the Online News Association’s annual conference featured reporters, editors and a military officer who discussed how the war in Iraq was covered.
