WikiLeaks lecture to examine limits of legal defenses

April Jaynes, Reporter

JSchool alumnus, Jonathan Peters, will discuss WikiLeaks’ legal protections at the Kappa Tau Alpha ceremony.

Jonathan Peters

On June 2^nd, the Kappa Tau Alpha induction ceremony will include a WikiLeaks lecture given by Jonathan Peters, JSchool alumnus, lawyers and doctorial student at the Missouri School of Journalism.

The KTA National Honor Society “recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication,” according to its website.  Students must be in the top ten percent of their journalism class for membership.

Peters, inducted into KTA during his senior year at Scripps, will give a brief lecture concerning legal prosecutions and implications of WikiLeaks for journalists.

WikiLeaks is a nonprofit media organization with the goal “to bring important news and information to the public” through a “high security anonymous drop box”, according to the organization’s website.

Peters recently wrote three articles published in the Harvard Law and Policy Review, Federal Communication Law Journal and Wired about WikiLeaks and the legal issues concerning the organization’s practices.

With his limited amount of time, Peters said he wants to give background on the WikiLeaks story and discuss some of the series of prosecutions.

“If the U.S government wanted to prosecute Assange or WikiLeaks, what statutes would they use and what First Amendment challenges would arise” are issues that Peters said he will explore at the ceremony.

Some of these statutes that Peters said could arise against WikiLeaks involve conspiracy theories, espionage, conversion of government property and computer fraud.

“I think they are grave implications for journalists,” Peters said.

Peters said he also plans to briefly discuss the federal court proceedings currently underway in the eastern district of Virginia.

“We don’t know a whole lot about it because of federal grand jury proceedings,” said Peters. Witnesses are the only ones who are not bound by the grand jury laws at this time, he said.

Subpoenas that reporters at Salon.com have found do not name WikiLeaks, but “describe in really general terms what WikiLeaks is,” Peters said.

Peters said he thinks the subpoena is an interesting document “because it is so ambiguous.”

Additionally, Peters said he will discuss is the reporter’s privilege.

“I think this is more of an academic issue than one that would actually arise,” he said.

Defining a journalist and determining who can claim the privilege are factors that Peters said affect the protection that the reporter’s privilege can provide for WikiLeaks.

“I think that it may be time, given the upheaval of the media landscape, especially during the last five to ten years, to re-visit the reporter’s privilege,” Peters said.

This summer, Peters will teach communication law at Scripps.

The KTA ceremony and lecture are open to the public and will take place in Scripps 111 at 5 p.m.

Socialize with the Society of Professional Journalists

April Jaynes, Reporter

Ohio University’s Society of Professional Journalists, winner of both the regional and national 2010 chapter titles, will elect the upcoming year’s executive staff today at 5 p.m. in Scripps 111.

Available positions include president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, programming chairs and publicity chair.  All JSchool students are encouraged to run for a position to join the SPJ team.

After the election, SPJ will hold a social for JSchool students at 8 p.m. in the Scripps Amphitheater. The social will include free ice cream and a showing of the movie Morning Glory, starring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton.

The movie characterizes the struggles of a young producer (Rachel McAdams) as she fights to increase the ratings of a morning show program. Does this movie hit the nail on the head for aspiring journalists? Join the SPJ social and decide for yourself!

SPJ encourages journalism students to come out tonight to take a study break with peers, ice cream and Morning Glory.

Journalists add new asset to their media toolbox

Story // April Jaynes, Reporter

Last Monday, April 25, Storify opened to public users, providing audiences with more story variety and a chance to tell their own.

“Storify”, a verb meaning, “to form or tell stories of; to narrate or describe in a story,” is an online platform that allows users to combine various types of social media, along with personal text, in a story.

The platform is simple to operate and offers a convenient approach to gathering information from social media sites.

www.storify.com

Users can input links and search Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google, Flickr and RSS feeds to aid in their storytelling by simply dragging and dropping the items into the story.

Co-founder and former AP reporter Burt Herman said in a New York Times article by Claire Cain Miller, “We’re really trying to put together computer science plus storytelling and journalism to think creatively about how you can blend the two worlds.”

The Storify blog said it was opening its beta to the public “so many more people have the chance to tell stories in this new form and join the future of storytelling online.”

Professor Hans Meyer said he received his private beta invitation the day before the site went public.

While Meyer says he’s not sure how many readers are aware of Storify; he said he thinks one of the reasons the platform exists is “because it recognizes the fact that a lot of people are getting their news from social media and they’re getting it in an unfiltered way.”

Prior to going public, experienced journalists have taken advantage of Storify’s user-friendly platform by providing audiences with reliable social media to aid in creating major news stories.

Andy Carvin, Senior Strategist and Social Media Desk for NPR, uses Storify to report on what’s happening in the Middle East and the crisis in North Africa.

The Storify blog also says that the day of Storify’s most views, consisting of more than half a million, came in March when the tragic earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.

Meyer said that Storify “encourages reporters to do the reporting” and allows journalists to organize information in a way that the average citizen doesn’t.

“We have to stop thinking that we’re the only ones who provide the content,” he said. “There’s lots of people tweeting. There’s lots of information out there, but journalists are the best at, and well trained for, analyzing that information, adapting it to the audience and checking it for accuracy.”

Meyer also said he hopes small news organizations that may not be experienced with social media sites will use Storify to help them integrate social media into their news coverage.

“When you’re using social media, it forces reporters to go beyond their traditional sources and to really look at members of their audience, see what they’re saying and see what value they add to the news story,” Meyer said.

Meyer encourages students to investigate Storify.

“Use it. Collect some tweets, comment on them and pull them together,” he said. “Let’s see what happens.”

How To: Focus your stories more proficiently

Story // April Jaynes, Reporter

It’s one of those nights again. The nights where you’re forced to immerse every  fiber of your being and every minute of your consciousness into the demanding academic tasks that you’ve so effortlessly avoided throughout the week.

However, this time sitting patiently upon your daunting mountain of work lies a notebook and recorder, just waiting to release the words and thoughts of the sources meant to assemble a story worthy of both publication and your affectionate attention.

Considering these grim circumstances, how does a good journalist provide the quality work and thought required to write a compelling story that simply deserves to be? Answer: with determination, coffee and, most importantly, focus.

Often, we must fight for our focus.  The  existence of this unfortunate fact has led me to compile a few tips that aid me in conquering my apathy and encroaching deadlines.

1) Macro Examination.  Consider the big picture of your story. Who or what does the issue, event or subject affect and why? Look over all of your notes, review your recorded interviews and get a feel of what’s really happening. A big picture perspective is often the essence of an article. It’s a starting point for you as a writer, and an end point for readers to ponder over after their eyes have left your words.

2) Look for Trends.  Go a little deeper and delve into the specifics of what your sources are saying.  Has anything been repeatedly brought up in your interviews? Why? Do you have all the angles on the re-occurring topic? Trends can provide the core of your article, and overlooking them could cost you true substance.

3) Determine Appropriate Structure.  Once you have the meaning of your article, it’s time to decide how you can most efficiently and effectively get the message across.  Are you reporting an event, investigating an issue or featuring an interesting subject? Will chronological order or order of importance work best?  A logical, appealing structure in a story goes a long way.  It gives you a pre-determined path to follow and your readers a thorough reading experience.

4) Write, write, and write. Here’s where you begin to pick up speed. You now know where your story is going and your words will follow accordingly. This is the part where your pre-determined focus releases itself through your frantically typing fingers and onto the lit-up screen in front of your weary eyes. If there’s room for error, it’s here. All that matters is that you cover all bases and let your focus blossom, even if you encounter a few rabbit trails along the way.

5) Delete Irrelevancies. Before you send off your story to be reviewed, dissected, and polished by your trusty editor, give it a run-through yourself. Weed out the nomadic sentences that haven’t quite found their place in the story. Ask yourself what you really need and what complements the message of your findings. Remove what doesn’t belong and you will finally have the pivoted, provoking article that you and your readers  desire.

Symposium guides young journalists

Story // April Jaynes, Reporter

Last week the annual Schuneman Symposium brought in recent Scripps grads, eminent journalists and media experts to shed light onto the uncertain, changing scope of journalism.

Robert McChesney with the Schunemans

Students, faculty members, and guests tuned in to pivotal lectures and stimulating discussions concerning new business models, the importance of multimedia skills and journalism’s future as an occupation throughout the conference.

Wednesday’s panel titled “Redesigning Your Reality” included six accomplished Scripps grads who took questions from the audience and offered practical advice to current journalism students whom have yet to enter the job field.

Panelist Lynn Walsh, video journalist and reporter for Texas Watchdog, stressed to students that “being honest and showing that you’re willing” is key.

Emphasis on multimedia experience, and not necessarily expertise, was reiterated among the panelists.

“Demonstrate that you have enough knowledge to get in the door, and then build on it,” said Phil Ewing, Pentagon correspondent for POLITICO.

Panelist Erica Ryan, digital news editor for NPR in Washington D.C., stressed that students should develop a specialization and particular topical interests because it isn’t as challenging to learn a new field of journalism as it is to learn a particular subject matter.

“They’re willing to give you the things that you don’t have as long as you give what you do have,” Ryan said.

Ryan also said if she could do anything differently prior to her journalism career she would have “taken more opportunities to fail” and studied abroad.

However, even for students with an honest, fearless and open attitude, the journalism field does not guarantee success and significant income.

Robert McChesney, co-founder of media reform organization Free Press, concluded the symposium with an analysis of journalism’s current problems as a product and occupation.

“We have to think about journalism as a public good, not a private good,” said McChesney. “The first duty of the democratic state is to actually have journalism. It’s not a right or an option, it’s a duty.”

McChesney said he advocates government subsidies for journalism, as our country once provided in the 1800’s and other leading democratic nations such as Norway, Denmark and Finland now provide. “They learned from us. We have to learn that lesson from ourselves too.”

Deteriorating quality and trivial priority of journalism were also issues that McChesney discussed. “A lot of our news is propaganda,” he said. “The Internet may or may not be responsible for killing journalism.”

He also said that while the Internet may seem to be widening the outlets for journalism it is actually “more concentrated, not more open” with “almost no middle class.”

Despite this perspective, McChesney said that embracing technology, creative ideas and the Internet will aid in the restoration of quality journalism. He encourages journalists to work with what may be aggravating the problem and “not fight it.”

McChesney said while he may not know the exact solution to the problems journalists face now, he has faith for the future of journalism because of it’s deep importance and duty to the American people.  “We can’t afford to lose future journalists. It’s not an option,” he said.

Symposium to stress fresh media models

Story // April Jaynes, Reporter

This year, The Schuneman Symposium on Photojournalism and New Media will yield several journalism experts at Ohio University’s Scripps JSchool to discuss the changing face of journalism, alternative business models, and new media on April 5-6.

Events scheduled to take place include topical lectures from nationally renowned experts, panels with successful alumni, and documentary showings.

Schuneman Symposium 2010: (Left to right) Panelists Jen Nedeau, Adam Conner, and Arian Smedley

“If you look at the list of speakers we have, we’ve got people who have sort of created their own outlets,” said Robert Stewart, Director of E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.

Grover Sanschagrin, Business Development and co-founder of PhotoShelter and Executive Producer/co-founder of SportsShooter.com, will kick off the symposium Tuesday at 3:10.

At 5:10, renowned photographer and Pulitzer Prize winner, John Kaplan, will show his documentary, Not as I Pictured, which tells the story of his successful journey through lymphoma treatment.

“In journalism, cancer stories are considered the biggest cliché,” said Kaplan. “But, when you get cancer, you don’t feel like a cliché, you just pray you can beat it. The film shares a powerful will to make it through the fear, and survive hardship, with serendipitous and surprisingly magical moments.”

Kaplan said his goal is to distribute 10,000 free copies of the documentary and he will discuss strategic communications for doing so.

Documentary producer Casey Hayward will discuss the process of distributing his film, which is about pediatric patient care for cancer, said Stewart. Both Kaplan and Hayward will focus on how to get important messages distributed in other ways than through the television or theaters said Stewart.

On Wednesday at 9:10, alumnus and communications worker for ProPublica Mike Webb will give his presentation entitled, “Are Nonprofit Newsrooms Moving into the Media?”  ProPublica is a nonprofit organization that works with media to fund investigative media projects. “Twenty years ago, there wouldn’t have been anything like ProPublica,” said Stewart.

Following Webb’s lecture, the panel “New Media/New Medicine” will take place at 10:10. Kaplan, Hayward and representatives from Scripps College of Communication and OU College of Osteopathic Medicine will participate.

At 2:10, photographer, author and significant contributor to National Geographic since 1964, William Albert Allard will give his presentation entitled “William Albert Allard: Five Decades.”

Schuneman Symposium 2010: Jose Azel, of Aurora and Quanta Productions

Next, a panel entitled “Redesigning Your Reality” will feature seven recent Scripps grads to share and discuss their experiences in the field.

One panelist, Garrett Downing, new media producer for WEWS, ABC’s Cleveland affiliate, does a little bit of everything. “On a broad scale, I basically run the website for our news organization. I do a lot of article writing, photo editing, video editing and then showcasing that content online,” said Downing. In addition to maintaining the organization’s website, Downing said he carries out social media strategies, shoots video and regularly appears on-air.

Another panelist, Jessica Beinecke is an award-winning international journalist for Washington D.C.’s Voice of America (VOA), and reports in Mandarin Chinese. “We as communicators need to be able to communicate with a global audience,” said Beinecke. “An international approach will give you a competitive advantage.” Beinecke also said she has a three-step process that helped her get to where she is today, of which she plans to share with students during the panel.

“Students in the audience will come out (of the symposium) thinking about their career differently,” said Stewart.

The final speaker, and whom Stewart described as the inspiration of this year’s symposium, Robert McChesney, co-founder of Free Press and host of Media Matters, will speak at 5:10.

McChesney’s presentation title is a quote from famous journalist Walter Lippmann, “In an exact sense the present crisis of western democracy is a crisis of journalism.”

In his lecture, McChesney said he will discuss the problems facing journalism today and “how we should understand those problems, how we should respond to them, why we should respond to them and why this is a crisis that is existential for us as a free people, but also a very solvable problem.”

Major problems McChesney will discuss are the lack of funding for, and quality of, journalism today. “The amount of resources to pay for journalism in our society are plummeting. We have far few reporters per capita than we did 25 years ago. We see newsrooms shrinking or disappearing, and the commitment to do quality reporting is just not there anymore,” McChesney said.

McChesney said he strongly argues for federal subsidies of journalism, as our nation once provided at the beginning of its history, and a high priority for quality reporting.

“Students are entering a world that’s not hospitable to doing journalism,” said McChesney. “But that doesn’t mean the work isn’t important. This country would not be worth living in without journalism.”

The Symposium is made possible each year by the generous donations of OU alumni R. Smith and Patricia Schuneman. All events are free, open to the public and will take place in the Baker University Center Theatre.

How to: Effortlessly Generate Story Ideas

Story // April Jaynes, Reporter

In today’s journalism world, it seems as if just about everything has been done. However, I’ve found one of the most challenging practices to be generating my own story ideas.

The fact of the matter is that we all want and need to contribute to our publications (not to mention some that may be our future employers) through more than just our articles, and pitching story ideas is a simple way to do so.  Along my amateur journalistic journey thus far, I’ve developed a few seemingly strange, yet simple techniques to aid me in my constant search for a potential story.

1) People Watch
While this technique could be one step away from acquiring a “creeper” status for yourself, it could also open your eyes to article-worthy topics you wouldn’t have otherwise found. Never underestimate the power of observation.

During my first month’s experience with college journalism, this brainstorming method helped me produce my first published story of which was initially my own idea. This was perhaps due to that fact that I had limited experience with generating story ideas or, even more likely, because it my first quarter in college. I had fallen into the habit of people watching in hopes of learning how to look like I knew what I was doing and to not seem like the ignorant, naive freshman that I was. (Was, being the key word.)

Whatever the excuse, I was pleased that my constant observations of other freshman harping about how dark and creepy it was outside when they had to walk home late at night sparked an idea to look into outside campus lighting. Even if my article didn’t quite turn out as I’d hoped, I’d like to think that it contributed in some way to the eventual new outside lights installed on campus this year.

2) Consult Social Networks
Newspapers, magazines, radio and TV aren’t the only media to provide story inspiration. Twitter and Facebook feeds are practically breeding grounds for countless potential stories. Where else can you find an individual’s ingenious thoughts on current political issues and colorful commentary on Charlie Sheen’s latest exploits in the same place? Without social networking feeds, you simply can’t.

As an added bonus, social networks provide insight into the minds of potential readers. Look at this method as an extension of the people watching you already do. Now you can actually see if the assumptions you’ve made about their thought processes actually coincide with what is, or at the very least, you can develop a dangerously relevant story that will hit home with the people you are so desperately trying to understand.

Even if this technique doesn’t develop into a hard news story, it can certainly generate the perfect topic for that column or blog you plan to start this quarter.

3) Take Advantage of Your Ignorance
The best way to ensure a well-informed story is to start with a completely oblivious reporter. No question seems too moronic to ask, and interviewees, who usually pick up on the reporter’s ignorance, speak in the layman’s terms required for the reporter’s successful understanding of the subject at hand.

The wide-open field is also a chance to expand your own mind and gain the knowledge you need to know about how to write the FOIA requests you may eventually have to file. At least, this is an issue I found myself running into.

Despite the initial intimidation you may feel from a completely foreign topic as a story idea, delve into it anyway. Your readers will appreciate your thorough investigation and you’ll learn something in the process.  Seize your ignorance, investigate your heart out and journal your findings for the readers you creep on for story ideas.

How To: Make an effective public records request

Story // April Jayne, Reporter

Since 1966, the Federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has enabled public access to certain public information ranging from budget records to liquor licenses. Public records are often the missing piece of the puzzle in a journalist’s search for truth.

Ohio University Professor Thomas Morrisey and Assistant Professor Aimee Edmondson in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism offer students guidance and helpful insight into the process of filing and carrying out a FOIA request.

Step 1: Determine Your Method
According to the Ohio Sunshine Laws, records requests are not required to be made in writing. Morrisey and Edmondson said sometimes a verbal request suffices, depending on the size of the public agency or the reporter’s relationship with the agency. If the requested information is affiliated with a local agency or if the reporter is familiar with the public agency, it’s not a bad idea to go the informal route at first, Morrisey said. However, the public agency may still ask the reporter to put a request in writing by e-mail or in a formal letter.

For first-timers requesting a FOIA, Edmondson said contacting a colleague and asking for an example letter to use as a template is a good way to start.

Step 2: Utilizing Your Template
Choosing a FOIA template is a simple, foundational step in requesting a record Edmondson recommends using templates found online at RCFP.org (The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press) or on SPLC.org (Student Press Law Center). With these template generators, reporters enter their contact information and indicate the agency they are contacting and the records they are requesting.

Of course, reporters can always make their own records request letters from scratch if preferred. Morrisey, into his second quarter of teaching J233 (Information Gathering) at Scripps, said he gives his students three example request letters from the Society of Professional Journalists’ “Unlocking the Power of Public Records.”

One letter is extremely polite, one is harsh and one is moderate. Morrisey then instructs students to craft their own letter. He said he encourages his students to “strike a balance” between indicating their rights and being considerate of the agency’s time and effort.

The wording of a records request is vital. Edmondson said sometimes it’s hard for a journalist to explain exactly what he or she is looking for, especially when the journalist is just starting out. She encourages students to keep sending in requests until the wording is just right and they receive the public records they’re looking for.

Step 3: Send in Your Request
There isn’t a set way to submit a FOIA request, which makes submission dependent on the agency that holds the public information the reporter is requesting. “Wherever the steward of the records is, that’s where you need to go,” Edmondson said. She said some examples of locations associated with specific record requests are the sheriff ’s office, the university’s legal department, the clerk of courts and the health department.

“When in doubt, file it [the request] and if you have the wrong agency, they’ll tell you where to take it,” Edmondson said.

She added that submitting the request letter through an attached e-mail or the postal service is also acceptable.

Step 4: Check-in
Being persistent is often the key to receiving records requests. Edmondson recommends checking in

on the status of the request a few days after it was made because many times the agency is hoping the reporter has forgotten about it.

“You kind of have to train public information officers that you’re not going away and that you’re going to keep asking for it,” she said.

Of course, there are exemptions and some records are hard to obtain because they involve controversial issues.

“If you get turned down once, ask again,” Edmondson said. “Don’t give up. Make sure that you have them show you where in the Ohio Sunshine Laws that the exemption is listed.”

Edmondson also tells students to not be intimidated by filing a FOIA request. Even if the student isn’t getting the desired records, she suggests continually asking for the records in a different way until the student finds what he or she is looking for.

“There’s nothing wrong with stumbling around,” she said.

Step 5: Finish What You Started
Journalism is about covering all bases, so the same goes for FOIA requests, even if the journalist doesn’t get the requested records in a timely manner. Keeping record of when every FOIA request was filed is a good way to ensure finality with a story. Edmonson said she keeps records of every request she has ever made and encourages students to do the same.

Edmondson said the worst thing a reporter can do is to not follow up with public records, even if they are received after a story’s deadline.

“Follow up. Get the information. You may need it later. You may never need it, but it’s the principle.”

Awards recognize achievements and advance opportunities

Story // April Jaynes, Reporter

In the journalism industry every journalist aims to stand out.  Prestigious awards not only provide a way to recognize past accomplishments, but they also create future opportunities.

National awards available to college journalists include the Hearst Journalism Awards Program, the College Press Freedom Award, Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards and the Roy W. Howard National Collegiate Reporting Award.

Established in 1960, the Hearst Journalism Awards Program intends “to provide support, encouragement and assistance to journalism education at the college and university level” through scholarships up to $500,000, according to the program’s website. The program holds six monthly writing competitions, three photojournalism competitions, two multimedia competitions and three broadcast news competitions (with one in radio and two in television).

The College Press Freedom Award is co-sponsored by the Student Press Law Center (SPLC) and Associated Collegiate Press to “recognize the college student or student news medium that has demonstrated outstanding support for college press freedom,” according to the SPLC’s website. The award is presented at the Associated Collegiate Press/College Media Advisors national fall convention.

A variety of awards are presented annually by the Society of Professional Journalists. The SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards present awards to applicants contributing work from a wide range of media.  It is inclusive of anything from print to television and includes different categories of journalism such as breaking news and feature writing.

“We try to be as all-encompassing as possible,” said Lauren Rochester, SPJ awards coordinator.

Rochester said that SPJ is currently trying to decide whether a blog qualifies for journalism and whether it would have enough news credibility to win an SPJ Mark of Excellence Award.

Close to 4,000 entries were submitted this year, Rochester said. “Students should see it as a great achievement to win because it is very competitive,” she added.

Students first compete at a regional level, and then winners advance to the national competition.

Chelsea Toy, an OU alumna and  assistant editor at Horse & Rider, won the prestigious Roy W. Howard National Collegiate Reporting Award in 2009, an award that honors the memory of the journalist who led Scripps Howard Newspapers from 1922 to 1953, according to the Scripps Howard Foundation’s website.

The award selects nine students who win a two-week, all-expenses paid trip to Korea and Japan.

Toy said she had to submit between four and six published clips along with an essay. Her investigative work with Athens News, travel experience and her coursework focus on international studies really contributed to her application process, Toy said.

She  said she also gained important connections through winning the Howard Award. Toy met the CEO of the Scripps Howard Foundation and also developed a sound relationship with her roommate during the trip.

“Those nine students are the movers and shakers in the industry. They’re the ones who are doing big things right now already,” Toy said.

“I’m not just some kid that wants to shake things up, I’m actually a pretty successful journalist,” Toy said about having earned the Howard Award.

Toy first heard of the award while working in the office of the School of Journalism when the award information was to be distributed to students through Scripps Notes. Toy said she thought, “I’d better apply for this just in case,” and advises students to not pass up any opportunities that they may encounter.

“When you’re winning these awards, it’s moving toward jump-starting your career,” Toy said. “Do as much traveling as you can, write as much as you can and always be looking for new ideas.”

Blog domains tailor to fulfill variety of needs

Story // April Jaynes, Reporter

The blogosphere offers a platform for journalists to showcase work, to establish an online presence and to share thoughts with the rest of the world. The more consideration in choosing a blog domain, the more effectively a blog can serve its purpose.

Erich Hiner, editor-in-chief of College Green, Ohio University’s online environmental magazine, said that the magazine uses WordPress.org instead of the free blog platform offered by WordPress.com because it is accessible and cheap.

“It costs little to nothing, and we decided to upgrade to make the site more of our own. We wanted it to look like a professionally coded website,” he said.

WordPress.org allows the user to own the domain name. Hiner said that with WordPress.org, the magazine staff is also able to alter the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) and change dimensions and placement of different objects.

“It gives you greater flexibility, but only if you know what you’re doing,” Hiner said.

An advantage of WordPress.com, aside from not having to pay a monthly hosting fee, is the ready-made tools that are not available for use with WordPress.org, Hiner said. These widgets range from slideshow tools handy for displaying video and photos to a built-in contact page.

The Essay, OU’s online feature magazine, also uses WordPress.org to display its content. The perks include a “user-friendly interface and its ability to sort and distribute a lot of data,” Director Mylan Cannon said in an e-mail.

Editor-in-chief of The Essay, Jennifer Strickland, said the magazine originally used Squarespace, another blogging website. It allowed the magazine to alter the format of the site but with a more complicated procedure, Strickland said.

“I can actually operate WordPress now,” Strickland said.

Strickland added that WordPress.org was not much different than her personal blog on WordPress.com, which she created for a class assignment.

Other blog platforms such as Tumblr, BlogSpot and Xanga, are targeted more for personal use.

“I use Tumblr for a photography blog,” said Kelly Doran, a freshman majoring in journalism. “It’s really easy. It’s not something that you have to watch a video so you can figure out how to work it. Anyone can work it.”

Doran said she is content in utilizing Tumblr for her photography blog and that posting pictures on the site is very convenient. After uploading the photo, the user simply adds a description with tags and the entry is complete.

Xanga is another personal blog platform that allows for more room for customized design. Nicole Reikowski, a freshman majoring in music therapy, said a friend with web experience designed her Xanga layout.

“I really like that you can customize the layout so much with Xanga, and I use it primarily as an online journal,” Reikowski said.

Though blogs are often utilized as forums for personal content, many students also opt to display them as résumé -worth content.

Hiner said in the past he has used WordPress.com to make a personal résumé that included a homepage, multiple drop-down menus, slideshows and embedded videos.

“It’s very easy and anyone can do it. If a student is looking to create a blog or website to impress potential employers, then I would recommend WordPress.com,” Hiner said.

TheCelebrityCafe.com Executive Editor and Publisher, Dominick Miserandino, said that when the company is searching for a web-oriented or reporting intern, the company does not prefer experience with a specific blog platform.

“There aren’t many blog platforms that aren’t commonly used,” Miserandino said. “There are very few contenders that take the majority of the market and they usually have very similar attributes. If you’re familiar with one, you can, generally speaking, improvise the other pretty well.”

Miserandino said 10 years ago it was a very different situation, and the company– in operation since 1996– has seen personal web experience change rapidly since inception. He added that the company doesn’t look for advanced web skills from its interns.

“The blog platforms usually accommodate for that,” he said. “It’s not so much their technical knowledge of the blogs anymore, but what they’ve done with blogs.”