journalism

This is an expanded version of a op/ed piece which originally appeared in The Day, of New London, Conn., on May 23, 2008.

"Newsout: Options and strategies for New England communities when the newsroom lights dim," is a one-day participatory conference co-sponsored by the New England News Forum (NENF) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the Boston University College of Communication and the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism. The conference will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Boston University's College of Communication, 640 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, on Sat., March 21, 2009. A $45 registration fee includes a box lunch. A $45 registration fee includes a box lunch and one-year membership in the NENF.

The news last week that Journal Register Co. might shutter two Connecticut newspapers is generating some interesting discussions.

MGP2006 alum Aldon Hynes, who lives on the Connecticut coast. He's posted some thoughts on his blog, Orient Lodge, entitled "The Future of the Newspaper." In reply, JTM-Silicon Valley alumn David Cohn talks about the premise behind Spot.us -- a site he launched Nov. 10 which allows the public to support journalism by direct contribution.

VIEW PROGRAM / On Saturday, June 28, 2008, the New England News Forum and the law firm of Prince, Lobel, Glovsky & Tye, LLP presented a unique, one-day workshop, "Sharing the News: Fresh Approaches to Reaching Students and Training Citizens." forged new links among New England college journalism educators, high-school newspaper advisors and journalism teachers, citizen journalists and bloggers.

Increased collaboration among citzens and newsrooms requires that citizens be given precise tasks with an obvious purpose, and strong guidance, especially about how to merger observation with opinion, according to the editor of a successful New Hampshire project. New Hampshire Public Radio is reporting on its year-long "Primary Place Online" project.