Technology Tools Training for Journalists Workshop

Agenda | Speakers | Fellows | Resources

February 16 - February 20, 2009
University of California, Berkeley / Graduate School of Journalism

The Knight Digital Media Center at the University of California, Berkeley is accepting applications for 20 fellowships per workshop for editors and reporters to attend these training sessions that combine practical instruction in current and emerging technologies that impact news gathering and reporting with in-depth exploration of issues in online publishing. Readers increasingly hit the web for breaking news. Sites at the top of Google News, DIGG or the Drudge Report get thousands of new unique viewers and the corresponding revenue. The Technology Tools Workshop trains fellows to use the latest hardware and software for competitive advantage.

This Tech Tools Workshop presents the progression of media used in fast-changing stories—starting with quick text posts and moving through photos and video and finally ending with a full Flash feature presentation. The workshop provides hands-on training using Twitter for reporting, GPS-coded photos for generating news maps, dynamically updating a blog for breaking news, publishing photo galleries and audio slideshows, and generating video blog posts using Google Video and YouTube. The workshop will showcase successful examples incorporating user-generated content. The workshop will also train fellows to use Facebook and MySpace widgets for news distribution, and present the specific essential technical elements for ensuring that Google finds and indexes the story.

During four days of intense, hands-on instruction the fellows selected for the Technology Tools Workshop will:

• Blog breaking news using Twitter, YouTube and Google Video.
• Code photographs with GPS information and post the photos in interactive news maps.
• Produce and publish photo galleries and audio slideshows.
• Use templates and production automation to rapidly publish Flash stories.
• Incorporate user-generated content in breaking news stories.
• Use Facebook and MySpace widgets for news distribution.
• Learn technical specifics for optimizing breaking news rankings in Google.

The Knight Digital Media Center is a partnership of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and the University of California Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

WHO SHOULD APPLY: Professional print and broadcast journalists who want to develop technology skills to support their publication's Internet publishing effort. Fellowships include lodging, meals and instruction. Cost of travel to the workshop must be paid by the applicant's news organization.

WHEN AND WHERE: February 17-20, 2009

The workshop is held at the University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism, which is in North Gate Hall on the UC Berkeley campus. Presentations are conducted in the Edwin Bayley Library, and the training is done in our multimedia lab.

COST: We cover your hotel room and tax charges, and hotel expenses are billed directly to the Knight New Media Center. We provide breakfast, lunch and dinner each day of the workshop. It is expected that your news organization will pay for your travel to Berkeley and back to your home city/town.

HOW TO APPLY: An online application form and instructions are available at: http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/training

DEADLINE: Friday, October 17, 2008

QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please contact Alisha Diego Klatt, program specialist, at or (510) 642-3892.