The Entrepreneurial Journalist's Toolkit

Book description

Today’s journalism and communication students need the tools to develop and maintain their own media businesses and freelance careers. In addition to mastering the basics of converged journalism practice, they need training in business entrepreneurship, mass communication and business law, and career and reputation management. The Entrepreneurial Journalist's Toolkit provides a solid foundation of multimedia journalism and also teaches readers to create solid business plans and develop funding proposals while maintaining high legal and ethical standards. This book details the process of pitching and working with clients, managing multi-platform communication campaigns to maximize reach, keeping the books, and filing taxes. It is provides everything a new or experienced journalist needs to get started as a media entrepreneur.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. PREFACE
  6. CHAPTER 1 Journalism’s New Frontier
    1. How we got here
    2. The “Web-first” revolution
    3. An early model
    4. Not a universal model for journalism
    5. A special case
    6. Summary
    7. Journalist’s toolkit
    8. Application
    9. Review questions
    10. References
  7. CHAPTER 2 Build on Tradition
    1. Why do journalism?
    2. The First Amendment and American press freedom
    3. Journalism is still special
    4. Journalism at a crossroads
    5. Summary
    6. Journalist’s toolkit
    7. Application
    8. Review questions
    9. References
  8. CHAPTER 3 A Converged World
    1. The converged journalist
    2. Text
    3. Images
    4. Video
    5. Audio
    6. Information Graphics
    7. Summary
    8. Journalist’s toolkit
    9. Application
    10. Review questions
  9. CHAPTER 4 Tools are Tools
    1. Essential skills are still essential
    2. Essential legacy skills for journalists
    3. Essential digital skills for journalists
    4. Summary
    5. Journalist’s toolkit
    6. Application
    7. Review questions
    8. References
  10. CHAPTER 5 Find Your Own Way
    1. The Red Bulletin
    2. Working for yourself
    3. Analytics are everything
    4. Why analytics?
    5. Summary
    6. Journalist’s toolkit
    7. Application
    8. Review questions
    9. References
  11. CHAPTER 6 Entrepreneurial Fundamentals
    1. What does entrepreneurial journalism mean?
    2. The democratizing news business
    3. Why does it matter?
    4. Entrepreneurial options for journalists
    5. Analyze the environment
    6. Business structure
    7. The business plan
    8. The strategic plan
    9. Efficiencies through (informal) partnerships
    10. To hire or not to hire an attorney
    11. Summary
    12. Journalist’s toolkit
    13. Application
    14. Review questions
    15. References
  12. CHAPTER 7 Don’t Forget the Story
    1. The human angle
    2. Ask the right questions
    3. Ask the right questions in the right way
    4. Elements of effective storytelling
    5. Don’t forget your role
    6. Summary
    7. Journalist’s toolkit
    8. Application
    9. Review questions
    10. References
  13. CHAPTER 8 Find Your Audience
    1. Profiling your audience
    2. Where are your audiences?
    3. Spreading the news online
    4. Targeting the message to the audience
    5. Citizen journalism on social media
    6. Summary
    7. Journalist’s toolkit
    8. Application
    9. Review questions
    10. References
  14. CHAPTER 9 Content and Distribution
    1. Create an engaging website as your online headquarters
    2. WordPress analytics
    3. Blogging
    4. Photo sharing
    5. Podcasting
    6. Post efficiently
    7. Cross-promote through social media
    8. Make it mobile
    9. Avoid online exposure
    10. Summary
    11. Journalist’s toolkit
    12. Application
    13. Review questions
    14. Reference
  15. CHAPTER 10 Brand and Market Yourself
    1. Your life online
    2. Build and protect your reputation
    3. Polish your elevator pitch
    4. Build your online portfolio
    5. Personal branding for professionals
    6. What is your brand?
    7. Summary
    8. Journalist’s toolkit
    9. Application
    10. Review questions
    11. References
  16. CHAPTER 11 Create and Manage Online Communities
    1. Community is king
    2. Job Description: Social Media Community Manager
    3. The social Web
    4. Learning from OkCupid
    5. Market research and measurement
    6. Ads, analytics, and optimization (SEO)
    7. The nature and needs of online communities
    8. Summary
    9. Journalist’s toolkit
    10. Application
    11. Review questions
    12. References
  17. CHAPTER 12 Strategic Planning and Management
    1. Revisiting the strategic plan
    2. Conducting a survey
    3. Conducting a focus group
    4. Analyzing findings
    5. Making adjustments and changing course
    6. What’s next?
    7. Summary
    8. Journalist’s toolkit
    9. Application
    10. Review questions
    11. References
  18. INDEX

Product information

  • Title: The Entrepreneurial Journalist's Toolkit
  • Author(s): Sara Kelly
  • Release date: February 2015
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781317597209