TAKEAWAY: A simple but profound story. The formula is old. The results ever so powerful. Read on.
It’s the type of story that never goes out of style.
It was a good story 50 years ago, and it is today.
Call it an “invisible” story, or a personal essay,a slice of life, or just “a letter to Daddy.”
This story appeared in Huffington Post Tuesday and I think it is the type of good reading that should be in the radar of any editor in charge of content selection.
Headline: Dear ‘Daddy’ in Seat 16C
First paragraph:
Dear “Daddy,”—I don’t know your name, but Kate called you “daddy” for the entire flight last week and you kindly never corrected her. In fact, you didn’t even flinch as you could probably tell that she was not confusing you with her own “daddy,” but instead making a judgment regarding your level of “safety” for her. If she calls you “daddy” then you better believe she thinks you are allright.
The shelf life of the story: eternal.
The impact: perhaps ephemeral, but profoundly so.
When I read a story such as this, I am reminded about the perennial power of good storytelling. Forget the issue of platforms, of digital first or print last. The story comes first.
This piece shows it.
Read it here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shanell-mouland/dear-daddy-in-seat-16c_b_4585865.html
My Continuing Education Courses at Columbia University
One of the most exciting aspects of my semester as Hearst Digital Media Professional in Residence at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism is that it will not only allow me to teach a regular class for graduate students, but also, conduct three courses via the School’s Continuing Education Program.
The three courses, which are open to the public, are:
-Storytelling and the Media Quartet
Multi-Platform Design
The Role of Advertising/Branded Journalism in the Digital Age
A Multi-Platform Design & Storytelling 3-Series Bundle is available at a discounted price, which includes the aforementioned courses: Multi-Platform Design, Storytelling and the Media Quartet, and The Role of Advertising/Branded Journalism in the Digital Age. Register for the 3-course series.
Enrollment is limited so please act soon if you are interested in these courses.
About the three courses
The classes will run on a Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Storytelling and the Media Quartet
Overview: Readers get their news from multiple platforms, and today’s journalists must therefore learn to tell stories for and across these platforms. This short course will focus on design (visual presentation) and storytelling (story structures and genres) for mobile, tablet, web, and print.
Participants will leave with a better understanding of the role each platform plays. They will gain hands-on experience designing story prototypes for the major platforms, taking into account the unique characteristics of each
When: March 1, 2014
Where: Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, 2950 Broadway, New York, NY 10027
Multi-Platform Design
Overview: Our audience first comes in contact with content visually. Readers/users give us 10 seconds in which to attract them to the content in our products. This course will deal with the design elements that make each platform unique. It will present design as functionality through a variety of case studies across smartphones, online, print and tablets. Discussions will include typography, grids, story structures and color palettes.
Participants will gain the skills that will allow them to extend a design concept across platforms, while respecting the individual peculiarities and functionality of each. Participants will take part on a design sketching exercise.
When: March 8, 2014
Where: Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, 2950 Broadway, New York, NY 10027
The role of Advertising/Branded Journalism in the digital age
Overview: Based on industry forecasts, online advertising is growing so fast it will generate five times the revenue of print by 2018. And that means media companies have to move even faster to adapt their sales strategies. At the same time, in a world with an overabundance of messages, brands find it difficult to get their message across, which is why many are turning to established publications to team up with them in what’s referred to as “branded journalism”. This course will explore the strategies of branded journalism through successful case studies.
Participants will engage in an exercise taking a brand of a well known product through a branded journalism strategy.
When: March 15, 2014
Where: Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, 2950 Broadway, New York, NY 10027
For more information and to register, go here:
http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/page/843-continuing-education-offerings/638