Friday, October 29, 2010

Another Change to the Future of Journalism?

Marketplace reports that hyper-local news websites where volunteers post updated news and events with their community are among the growing online trends. So while qualified and paid journalists are losing their jobs, citizens report the local news. Is this the future of journalism?

Click here to see the full story.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Keys to Networking

Networking is a very important factor to finding a job. The U.S. Department of Labor said that about five percent of job seekers find jobs through the open market. The open market consists of internet, print and help wanted ads.

24 percent of job seekers land jobs by cold-calling companies directly, and 23 percent find jobs through employment agencies, college career offices and executive-search firms.

However, 48 percent obtain jobs through referrals. These people get referrals by networking. Paired with an excellent resume, networking is one of the most important skills to be successful in their job search.

Click here for 8 Keys to Better Networking

Friday, October 22, 2010

Professional Social Networking Sites: Beyond Facebook


In high school we used MySpace, in college we were glued to Facebook and Twitter, but where do you go for social networking after your studies?

Did you know there are social networking websites that cater to professional and business groups and individuals? These sites provide the ability to list online resumes, connect with professors and employers, and even search for jobs in your area.

LinkedIn is a new professional networking sites that a lot of companies use to recruit new employees. Also, it's a good place to network with other alumni from your college. The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Alumni networking site is located here.

VisualCV is another great social networking site for those looking to display their online resume. However, VisualCV takes communicating to the next level. With this program, your recent achievements go beyond words. You can utilize multi-media to present recent projects you have created. This means any type of PowerPoint, SoundSlides, Podcast, video, photographs, artwork, large files of writing, and other various accomplishments. It makes the whole job searching process a little more entertaining for both the employer and the job seeker.

Now, after you've gotten the whole job security on lockdown (even though that may seem like an unknown concept in this recession) there are many social networking sites for business to connect to each other. Once you've acquired a group of contacts in your city by networking on MEETin.org, organize an event so that you can meet face-to-face

Another great social networking sites mainly for businesses is Focus. Focus is a business destination where business professionals can help each other with their purchase and other business decisions by accessing research and peer expertise. Most importantly, Focus provides open, quality information for all businesses that is freely available, easily accessible, and community powered.

*Also, if you're looking for a nanny/babysitting job to make it through the summer and aren't prepared for an internship. Care.com is a great place to social network between those needing a care provider and those looking for work.

For other various social networking sites go here.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Health Care Reform Covers College Grads

President Obama's Health Care Reform is in full swing this year, with many of its benefits reaching college and recent graduate populations. Obama explains the major changes in this three-minute video.


Video courtesy of YouTube user whitehouse

NPR Fires Employee of 10 Years Over Controversial Statement


National Public Radio (NPR) fired Juan Williams on Wednesday following some controversial comments Williams made about Muslims on The O'Reilly Factor on Monday night.

Williams appeared on The O'Reilly Factor to weight-in on a debate about the fears some Americans may have towards average Muslims following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
"I mean, look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country," Williams said. "But when I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."

Williams went on to say that despite this initial reaction, it is vital that Americans recognize that the attacks of 9/11 were committed by extremists.

Click here to watch the debate.


NPR CEO Vivian Schiller issued a formal statement on Wednesday acknowledging the termination of William's contract.
"Juan has been a valuable contributor to NPR and public radio for many years and we did not make this decision lightly or without regret. However, his remarks on 'The O'Reilly Factor' this past Monday were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR," she said.

Schiller spoke at an Atlanta Press Club meeting today, telling the audience that Williams should have kept his feelings about Muslims between himself and "his psychiatrist or his publicist."

Dozens of news outlets are weighing-in over NPR's decision to fire Williams, including the Washington Post, ABC News, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee issued a statement calling for federal funding cuts for NPR.

"While I have often enjoyed appearing on NPR programs and have been treated fairly and objectively, I will no longer accept interview requests from NPR as long as they are going to practice a form of censorship, and since NPR is funded with public funds, it IS a form of censorship. It is time for the taxpayers to start making cuts to federal spending, and I encourage the new Congress to start with NPR," Huckabee said.

For more coverage on this developing story, click here.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Northwest Public Radio SoundSlide

By Amanda Craven and Erica Magat

Cable 8 Prepares Students for the Real World

Adam Wallberg, president of Cable 8, and Marvin Marcello, Cable 8 adviser, describe new studio upgrades and how they give students experience in a professional environment.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Knowledge After College

In an opinion piece, a man from Towamencin, Penn. makes a startlingly insightful comparison between Ray Bradbury's dystopian novel "Fahrenheit 451," cerca 1950, and American society today. The book might sound familiar, but the world we live in seems shockingly estranged.

"33 percent of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.

42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.

80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year."


And the statistics get scarier. This opinion piece will make you think.... Then it will spur you to promise yourself, "Not me. Not ever."

Read it here.

Journalism Graduates Face Lowest Employment in 24 Years

Journalism students are facing the lowest level of employment in a 24-year history, according to a recent study by the University of Georgia.

The study surveyed more than 2,700 students who graduated in 2009 with a journalism or communication bachelor degree and found that only 55.5% were able to find full-time employment within a year of graduation. This number is down 4.9 points from 2008, and 14.7 points from 2007.

Graduates with a masters degree were slightly better off, holding an employment rate of 61.9% (3.5 points down from 2008.)

The results were published in the Annual Survey of Journalism and Mass Communication Graduates by the University of Georgia’s Center for International Mass Communication Training and Research.

In addition to low employment levels, the study revealed a stall in employee salaries and a continuous drop in benefits. The median annual wage currently stands at $30,000, a number that has not budged since 2006. As far as benefits, only 52.9% of graduates reported adequate medical coverage, a 6.3 point drop from 2009. Life insurance benefits also dropped from 49.1% to 41.7%.

Lee Becker, director of the research program at the University of Georgia and co-author of the report, offered a ray of hope for students hoping to obtain a job post-graduation.

In an interview with the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, Becker said that “in 2009, there was a clear growth line after October 31, which didn’t happen the year before.”

Other promising trends showed that 2009 graduates who were involved with web writing and design had an increase in employment from 50.6% to 58.2%.

The report concluded that “given that digital activities are certainly a key part of communication work; the suggestion is that the quality of the jobs the 2009 graduates took, on average, was at least slightly higher than had been true for the 2008 graduates.”

New NPR Initiative Turns Local Journalists Into Government Watchdogs

National Public Radio (NPR) announced a new journalism initiative today that aims to encourage comprehensive assessments of governmental impact on local communities.

The initiative, called Impact on Government, recently received a $1.8 million grant from the Open Society Foundations (OSF). OSF is a privately owned foundation that works with local education, public health, and independent media representatives to implement initiatives that seek to advance justice and ensure government accountability.

“This initiative will provide the public not just with information, but with the context they need to hold local governments to a higher level of accountability,” said NPR President and CEO Vivian Schiller in a press release today. “Our network provides a perfect vehicle for cross-state, cross-region and national analysis of the most critical issues facing our country."

Eight states will participate in this year-long study that kicks off March 2011. NPR is encouraging member stations to submit applications to join the initiative with the hope that all 50 states will eventually adopt the program.

Ann Beeson, the executive director of U.S. Programs at OSF, said in the release today that “a strong democracy requires a diverse, independent, and highly functioning watchdog press to help people hold the government and private sector accountable. The dramatic decline in news coverage at the state level has left millions of people significantly less informed about what is happening in their own backyards. We are confident that NPR, its member stations and partners can help fill that void with much needed in-depth and analytical reporting for communities of every size in every corner of the country.”

Impact of Government will focus on governmental issues and decisions that have the greatest impact on the public. The initiative aims to incorporate a wide range of public radio stations that will develop focused news coverage critical to their particular region. NPR will work as a home base, providing editorial, technical, and collaborative assistance for associated channels and helping individual stations to develop their own unique approach.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

On-line Classes Offered During Winter Break


WSU Pullman will launch a three-week online session during winter break 2010-11.

Students can take one online three-credit course between Dec. 18 and Jan. 7. Five courses will be available, each chosen based on high demand and its effect on degree completion. The courses are: Economics 102, Communications 101, Anthropology 316, General Education 110 and General Education 111.

“As a university, we must continue to explore different ways to help students make timely progress toward graduation,” said President Elson S. Floyd. “The winter session is a promising effort in that regard, and we will be closely monitoring its impact.”

Registration begins Nov. 8 - the same time as registration for spring semester - and ends Dec. 3. The fee is the same as regular tuition: $430 per credit for residents, $982 per credit for nonresidents.

More information and registration details are available at http://winter.wsu.edu

To Move Out or Not to Move Out, that is the Question...

According to MonsterTRAK’s 2007 survey of college students and recent grads, 48 percent of the Class of 2007 said they planned on living at home for at least a few years post graduation. Over 42 percent of graduates said they were living at home in a survey done in 2006.

Let’s face it, majority of college grads are in debt with over $20,000 in tuition loans. It is smart to live at home if you are in debt to get your finances in order, at least for a couple years.

Bill Coplin, author of 25 Ways to Make College Pay Off, thinks otherwise.
He said there are major downfalls of living at home post graduation.

First, he said the graduate will experience an “unrealistic level of comfort, making a break for independence difficult.” Second, he said, “The financial pressure to stick [with] a job and work hard is not there if he can quit and not become homeless.” His third point was that the graduate is unwilling to become an adult.

If you decide to move back in with your parents, make living easier for you and for them by following some of the tips called Make Living at Home Work for You.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Is Graduate school the right route?

Many students are relying on graduate school to further their education and help them get a leg up in the job world. A lot of school of communication graduates are told that experience is the most important commodity when applying for jobs in the field, but the Murrow College of Communication offers graduate programs for students that have an interest in furthering their education in communication-related studies.

Before making such a big decisions, Communication majors should weigh their pros and cons. First and foremost is money. With budget cuts, student loans and a poor economy, graduate school is a big investment. Before deciding to take the plunge, understand that the communication field is always changing. It is not plausible that you will be working in the exact same field, doing the exact same thing your whole life. When considering the ever-changing field, graduate school might seem like an extreme investment.

On the other hand,it may yield positive results. Blogger Penelope trunk lists 7 reasons why she thinks graduate school is overrated. Read here her reasons for heading straight for the workforce.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

How to Get Involved with the College of Communication


Washington State University Edward R. Murrow College of Communication is ranked 4th in the nation for a reason.

The college is the the only program in the Northwest that offers sequences in all six communication fields: advertising, broadcasting, communication, communication studies, journalism, and public relations. Along with all of these program is a large calendar events to invite the students to get involved. Build your resume, learn some valuable knowledge, and network with collegues and professors.

To attend future Edward R. Murrow College of Communication events check out the annual calendar: http://communication.wsu.edu/overview/news/calendar.htm

New Curriculum for Murrow Students

Worried about finding a job post-graduation? Never fear! The Murrow College of Communication has you covered with plans for a new, adaptive curriculum to better meet the needs of the current media environment.

Starting next fall, the college will be focusing their efforts on more technology, stronger writing skills, and a vibrant international program designed to give students ample experience and exposure.

The new program is also implementing additional Christmas courses for students who want to stay ahead during the long break.

Check out the full story at http://dailyevergreen.com/story/32605

Monday, October 4, 2010

Living Arrangements Post Graduation

The following audio productions discuss where current WSU students plan on living after they graduate.







Government Confuses 'Freedom of the Press' with 'Freedom to Oppress'

A Free Press Means Free From Government Control

In a new interview with Rolling Stone magazine, President Obama admits that media bias is a problem. "The golden age of an objective press was a pretty narrow span of time in our history."

According to a new article in The American Spectator, media bias starts before journalists graduate.

Some college officials, such as Columbia University President Lee Bollinger, think that the government should serve the roles of "guardian and supporter of the free press." In a recent letter to The Wall Street Journal titled "Journalism Needs Government Help," Bollinger advocated for "global broadcasters" and government intervention that is making a lot of journalists nervous.

The Spectator article states that "state control, propaganda and spin are the new models for American journalism according to the man in charge of one of the most prestigious journalism schools in the United States."

To read the rest of this article, visit http://spectator.org/archives/2010/10/04/a-free-press-means-free-from-g

Friday, October 1, 2010

Glenn Johnson Gives Advice to Murrow Students

This following audio clip consists of interviews with Glenn Johnson, Washington State University Broadcasting Professor and Pullman Mayor, and Jud Preece, Alumni Relations Marketing Director. Our conversion consisted of famous Murrow graduates, their outlook on the economy for future students, and ways in which students can connect with Murrow Alumni.

codebase="http://www.apple.com/qtactivex/qtplugin.cab" width="200" height="16">