Writers advise aspiring journalists to stay current and be unique
Gaze into the Stars panelists Karen Unland, Colby Cosh, and Mack Male give an in depth discussion on the topic of The Next 'New Journalism' on Saturday Feb.6, 2010. Photo by Aden Cruz
by Aden Cruz
EDMONTON–Editors and writers recommend that aspiring journalists keep up with technology and focus on being marketable during the Gaze into the Stars conference at MacEwan University held Feb. 6.
Panelists Karen Unland, Colby Cosh, and Mack Male with moderator Dr. Rey Rosales of MacEwan University addressed many issues facing aspiring journalist, as well as what’s to be anticipated.
Stay Current with Technology
Unland, editor of edmontonjournal.com, urged journalism students to stay current and utilize new media technologies. “If you’re in journalism school right now, learn everything you can about the new technologies and new ways of telling your stories, and invent a new one of your own,” she said during the panel discussions.
Unland doesn’t just talk the talk. True to her own advice and leading by example, she tweeted about the event throughout the day.
Be Unique
In an interview after the panel discussions, Cosh, who is assistant editor and blogger of Maclean’s, explored the idea that aspiring journalists may someday need to market themselves as artists of their craft in order to compete with other content producers.
“I think what may happen partly in the digital media universe is that old fashioned journalism, old style journalism, becomes more artistic,” Cosh said. ”So you have to prepare to sell your self, I think, as more of an artist and less as a functionary or somebody who’s just doing a service.”
Cosh also conveyed that journalism students may find that every bit of experience counts so much more in the age of new media. “Anything in your life experience is going to be relevant going forward,” he said. “Any kind of incremental little edge is going to become outsized and more important, maybe more important than a journalism student expects.”
Though being prepared is never a bad idea, too much planning might be harmful as well, according to Cosh. “I would advise students against too much planning. They got to be ready to improvise, they got to go forward not knowing necessarily what they’re going to end up doing, and where they’re skills are going to put them.”
The message that individuality and passion are important factors of success in new media was palpable. “Flexibility is important, being ready for anything,” Cosh said. ”But also, being prepared to take advantage of what’s special about you; what’s special about your voice; what’s special about your knowledge; what do you know that other people don’t.”
Male, a prominent blogger in Edmonton, also shared his insights regarding individuality and passion. “It seems really simple, but I guess the best advice is to be your self,” he said on an interview after the panel discussions. “I really think it is about passion, finding what you’re passionate about and then following through with that on [your writing].”
Write a Blog
Male said, the most important advice he gives to people is to start, and write a blog. “I write things that I’m interested about, or that I’m passionate about, and I try and let that interest and passion show through in the writing,” he said. “I think that’s why people find it interesting, and that’s why people read it.”
There were 236 in attendance at the Gaze into the Stars conference Saturday.