News breaks faster than ever these days.
No longer tied exclusively to a print product, a story forms in a series of building blocks. We tweet, then we blog, then we analyze. This is the new process for newspapers around the country, both college and professional.
Turning the Daily Bruin News department into thinking Web-first is a challenge. It’s a new mode of thinking, ushering in a new generation of reporters who give increasing face to the phrase “Web journalist.” As news moves faster, so must we.
Personally, I couldn’t feel more energized. The opportunities for creativity, innovation and experimentation have never been more inviting.
With greater online presence, too, comes the ability for our News department to more strongly than ever engage with readers and deliver the best information possible.
This summer we added the “recommend” and “tweet” feature to the top of stories online. This is one of a number of steps we’ll be taking to measure feedback on our reporting.
We’re launching a pair of news columns that bring you varying degrees of exploration. Elizabeth Case is reporting from Germany during her period studying abroad. Damien Sutevski is following technology and science news.
Both are tweeting about their experiences and observations. I encourage you to follow them and ask them questions about their coverage.
We’ll be expanding our news blog, “Off the Press,” and bringing you daily posts. These will include not only breaking news, but an expanded look out at the world ““ photos, interesting bits of information and ways to better connect you to what’s going on.
At the same time, we commit ourselves to the highest quality journalism we can produce. It is our job to be your watchdogs, to work with integrity and stay rooted to the fundamental rule of giving voice to the voiceless. Where no one else is watching, you can bet that we will be.
As the field of journalism evolves, the delivery systems may change, but our mentalities won’t.
If you want to be part of the team, fill out an application to be a Daily Bruin News intern online. Help us break into the future.
Kelly is the 2011-2012 News editor. E-mail Kelly at dkelly@media.ucla.edu.