How to blog, tweet and OMG! CATS!

I had the pleasure of hosting Rosemary Armao's journalism class at SUNY Albany this morning.
You might recognized Armao's voice as one of the hosts of WAMC's "The Media Project", which also hosts Freeman Publisher Ira Fusfeld.
I spoke about some of the Freeman's digital initiatives, some tools, and how they help improve journalism. Some of those initiatives are showcased below:

Digital initiatives

View more PowerPoint from Ivan Lajara

I was asked to give tips on blogging and Twitter, and I was probably incomprehensible as I tried to cram too much information into a lecture. I think I said something about cats. Repeatedly.

Still, I want to offer the prospective journalists a quick cheat-sheet on how to blog and how to use Twitter. There are others that are way better than me at this. But you're stuck with me, so here it goes.

Quick tips for blogging:
* What to blog. Do you have a passion? Then you have a blog.Write about what you talk about and about what interests you, your beat, etc.  Have fun.
* Don't make the post too long. Yes, sometimes you want to write long pieces, but generally speaking, a short post will do better (this is where your training as a concise writer comes in handy).
* Have a voice. If you are just starting, this is the best way to develop your voice. Be personal (though you don't have to if you don't want to). Be yourself. So, yes, add an image and at least a bio.

* Watch out for typos. This might be the copy editor in me, but typos, even in blogs, are not coolsies, unless you're doing it on purposies.
* Add an image. Humans are visual people (Pinterest, anyone?) and people respond better to posts with images than those without. It's not my fault, so don't blame me. It's just more attractive to read. If you don't have an image that fits your particular post, include a stock art image (I actually said "post pictures of cats!" during the lecture, but the point holds, as the image above wonderfully illustrates with cuteness).

 Quick tips for Twitter use.
* GET ON TWITTER. Now. I'll wait. (here's an explainer I wrote a while back)
* Are you in. Great! Update an image of yourself (or a cat). Add a bio (link to your blog!), contact info, etc. Don't make your account private. That beats the purpose of the whole thing.
* So what now? I'd give you a Top-10 list if uber media man Craig Kanalley hadn't written a most excellent one already,, for making the most of Twitter. And yes, as Sree Sreenivasan wrote, "make your tweets blue."

There's obviously, a lot more to this. But this should be enough to get you started.

You're welcomsies.

Photo credit: Cheezburger network.

The production god is dead. Long live the Internet

As you know, it's been a hard but transformative week for the Freeman, having moved print production to Troy. Yes, our mailroom and press employees were let go as a result. I've know many of them for many years and it has been difficult to see them go.

But along with that difficult move comes a ray of inspiration. Our future is looking bright and I'm glad I get to be a part of it.

If you need a refresher, here's Publisher's Ira Fusfeld addressing our future and an illuminating interview by the Watershed Post with Managing Editor Tony Adamis, which addresses "how to make the transition from being a newspaper – which is a good thing to be -- to being a multimedia journalism company."

I'll let Journal Register Company CEO John Patton explain why we are doing what we are doing.

Pulse of the Valley

* John-Antony Bruno, CEO of the Ulster County chapter of the American Red Cross, reveals that he was a Freeman carrier.

Stopped by the @DailyFreeman today and was pleased to see the Paper Carrier of the Year plaque with my name on it (1993) was still up.less than a minute ago via HootSuiteJohn-Anthony Bruno
jabruno101

* Craig Shelley, Scout Executive and CEO of the Jersey Shore Council of the Boy Scouts of America, thinks that revealing that you were a Freeman carrier is not so cool:

Dork RT: @jabruno101 Stopped by the @DailyFreeman today to see the Paper Carrier of the Year plaque with my name on it (1993) was still upless than a minute ago via OpenBeakCraig Shelley
craigshelley

* Kingston Alderman Tom Hoffay hates repetition. Kingston Alderman Tom Hoffay hates repetition. Kingston Alderman Tom Hoffay hates repetition. Kingston Alderman Tom Hoffay hates repetition. Kingston Alderman Tom Hoffay hates repetition.

Wondering why I keep getting tweeted the same news stories over & over each morning?less than a minute ago via webTom Hoffay
tomhoffay

Freeman publisher Ira Fusfeld does not care for vuvuzelas.

Here's the thing: Were it not for the constant buzzing of horns in the background, the #WorldCup telecasts would be putting me to sleep.less than a minute ago via TweetDeckIra Fusfeld
IraFusfeld

* Photographer Jen Kiaba begins an innovative "expe ..."

Hey, new blog post! So the brilliant Crissy from the Indie Biz Chicks had an inspiring idea: to do a blogging expe... http://bit.ly/cOZ0qOless than a minute ago via twitterfeedJen Kiaba
Jenkiaba

* Area techie and jazz singer Nancy Tierney is not having lunch with the famous CEO of Black Entertainment Television Bob Johnson.

Having lunch with the famous Bob Johnson. http://tweetphoto.com/27254052less than a minute ago via TweetDecknancytierney
nancytierney

* The Freeman needs your help with its version of parent company Journal Register Company's Ben Franklin Project.

We want your help with our stories for our very special July 4 edition! Let's do it! http://bit.ly/FreemanBFPbudget #JRC #JRCBenFranklinless than a minute ago via TweetDeckDailyFreeman
DailyFreeman

Part of that project, by the way, involves highlighting your tweets. Do you have or know of one? Send them! Post them at http://bit.ly/HVtweets or send me a tweet using #HVTweet.

Blog bits around the valley

* Freeman publisher Ira Fusfeld laments that news organizations peppered their tables at the White House Correspondents Dinner (aka #nerdprom) with celebrities. Not mentioned in the post is that one of those celebrities was Saugerties High School grad Jimmy Fallon.

* Ulster County Legislator Michael Madsen bravely doesn't comment on the controversy over organ donations by posting a news video about presumed consent for organ donations.

* Kingston Alderman Bill Reynolds has found the Kingston Waterfront. Spoiler alert: There's water.

* KingstonCitizens.org excitingly reads the Freeman's classified section and finds a legal notice.

* Porn?

* Food.

* Say cheese!

* Ulster County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach posts something someone else wrote.

* The Kingston Digital Corridor unveils its awesome map of Hot Spots in Kingston, showcasing only two sites with Wi-Fi. Off the top of my head I know at least 10. Not to worry, the corridor folks say, "Have one to add? Let us know, and we’ll get ‘em a HotSpot sticker!" What they don't say is how to let them know.

* Over at DragonSearch, Google sucks.

* Like, the folks at 90MilesNorth like to talk about Facebook changes like the 'like' button. Like, because Facebook sucks.

* Which reminds me, I have 100 fans who like me on Facebook.