Journalists from around the region will gather at the Reynolds School of Journalism for a day-long series of interactive digital storytelling workshops highlighting the people, topics and tools driving journalism innovation. Journalists from ProPublica, USA Today, NowThis and Reveal will present tools, tips and tactics for better engaging a digital audience through innovative journalism.
Online News Association community manager, Meghan Murphy, has been working to put this event together.
"We're thrilled to convene this group of digital journalists for a day of learning, inspiration and best practices," said Murphy. "Fostering connections among people doing this vital work is the heart of the ONA Local program, and we're grateful to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for supporting programs like this in local communities."
Participants will meet local storytellers and innovators and build their networks and reporting toolkit. Topics include audience engagement, revenue, cutting edge digital tools, live video and more. This digital journalism training is open to all members of the journalism community, but registration on . Light breakfast and lunch will be provided, and an optional happy hour after the event to give you extra time to discuss the themes of the day with speakers and attendees.
Expect to walk away with plenty of plenty of new connections doing great digital work in Nevada and beyond, inspirational examples, strategies and best practices on emerging platforms, as well as hands-on skills you can take back to your newsroom.
Workshop schedule
- 8:30-9 a.m.
Registration and Breakfast Open - 9-9:15 a.m.
Welcome and Opening Remarks
, Online News Association - 9:15-10:15 a.m.
Making Digital Tools Great Again
, NowThis/ONA LA, , USC Annenberg/ONA LA, and , Banjo/ONA Las Vegas
Digital journalism engages and empowers more consumers every day thanks to ever-evolving types of technology and the public's growing addiction to social media and multimedia content. These key influencers and longtime ONA contributors will help you stay connected with current tech trends, separate the facts from the internet's false information with the latest verification tools, and introduce emerging techniques for leveraging innovation to reach wider audiences.​ From the hottest mobile apps to productivity hacks, AR/VR breakthroughs to digital publishing trends - scoop up the latest and greatest to take back to your local ONA communities for even wider sharing and experimentation. - 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Break - 10:30-11:45 a.m.
Breakout One: Reaching New Audiences in the Age of the "Filter Bubble"
, Writer and Editor, USA TODAY OnPolitics/ONA DC, , SmartNews, and , Salt Lake City Public Radio; moderated by , CivImpact Labs/ONA SF
As journalists, how can we reach both "red" and "blue" audiences that don't talk to each other or understand each other's perspective on vital public issues? The November election raised serious questions, not only about the extent to which Americans are segregated into parallel universes of incompatible facts and beliefs, but about how successfully most news organizations have covered and informed all segments of the population across the political spectrum. In this session three storytellers with a knowledge of communities across the nation will share their insights into how you can best connect with increasingly insulated and polarized audiences.
Breakout Two: Instagram Strategies
, Sierra Nevada Media Group/ONA Reno
Do you have an InstaStrategy? Too many newsrooms lack direction when it comes to what and when to post to Instagram. More than any other platform, your Instagram audience will unfollow you for inconsistency. So, what angle can and should you take? This session is lead by Caren Roblin from ONA Reno, who has extensive Instagram experience, launching #Reno365 for @renogazettejournal in 2016, #ReinventingReno for @nnbw.bizweekly, #MeetYourNeighbor for @nevadaappeal, and more. Get the tips you need to effectively pivot your brand's Instagram account for consistency and growth - 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m.
Lunch - 1-4 p.m.
Podcast Star 101: Building blocks of audio storytelling
and , Reveal
Want to turn your stories into driveway moments and compelling audio narratives? In this intensive workshop, award-winning journalists from Reveal, the investigative radio show and podcast from The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, will explore best practices for compelling audio storytelling. You'll learn how to gather great sound in the field, get the most from your interviews, craft a rich narrative and build scenes and emotion into your writing. If you've never touched a mic or have even produced a few segments, this hands-on session will equip you with a solid how-to for maximizing your reporting with radio and podcasting in mind.
Please note: This is a hands-on workshop that will run concurrently to the two afternoon breakout sessions. The room is limited to 25 people, so pre-registration is required for this session. If you would like to attend, please plan to attend the whole session and select the ticket type "Attendee + Special Podcasting Workshop with Reveal" at registration. You only need to select one ticket type per person; the "Attendee + Special Podcasting Workshop with Reveal" ticket type will sign you up for the whole day. - 1:15-2:30 p.m.
Breakout Three: F*** it, We'll Do It Live!
, Banjo/ONA Las Vegas, and , KGW Media Group/ONA Portland
At the core of a good journalist is the ability to storytell, usually via the written word or a video package, but the emergence of live streaming has helped transform how stories are told. Further, everyday citizens are now going live to share their perspective and help journalists discover untold stories.​ ​This session brings together Victor Hernandez from ONA Las Vegas and Greg Retsinas from ONA Portland to discuss the state of the live streaming union, how it has influenced their perspective of covering stories, what it has done collectively for journalism and where trends may go next. This dynamic duo will also provide best practices for "going Live" and answer your questions.
Breakout Four: Working Remotely: How to Connect (and Disconnect!) from Your Newsroom
, Storyful/ONA Rocky Mountains, and , NowThis/ONA LA
Do you work remotely? Do you want to? Virtual workers face a common struggle: how to connect with your colleagues and feel part of the team, while still being able to unplug when needed. You can't join coworkers for weekly happy hour, or, technically, leave your office. NowThis Editor-At-Large Kim Bui and Storyful journalist Kelly Jones - who works from a camper! - chat about how they make it work - 2:30-2:45 p.m.
Break - 2:45-4 p.m.
Recipes for Revenue: Cooking up products to feed your news organization
, ProPublica - 4-4:30 p.m.
Closing remarks
