Give the 'Net credit

I can’t say I know what the future holds for online video. I can say I definitely think video will always play a role in online news. In fact, I think reporters should look to use it more to establish themselves as expert sources on which audiences can rely. If YouTube has taught me anything it’s that you don’t have to be the most polished presenter with the highest production values. You just have to have compelling content. The more I play with it, the more I realize that online video can be some of the most compelling and most credible information available.

It just goes to show you that you can’t get to know someone from TV, and you can’t celebrate a birthday with virtual chocolates. I can’t wait until I get home tomorrow so we can eat the 12-pack I bought.

Even if it is in a small role, I’m excited to work on the Web Journal of Mass Communication Research because it’s exposing me to more online communication research, and I’m hoping that one day I can enhance the journal by adding a bit of my Web expertise.

I’m glad I attended “New Media Theory: How Far Have We Traveled?” conference because all of the presentations energized my research. I gained some valuable new directions and ideas. The most valuable insight, however, did not come from other academics but from the students who attended the conference. Not all journalism comes from legacy media. I preach that to my online journalism class all the time, but sometimes, in my zeal to help the traditional media make the transition, I forget.