Each week, MediaShift will list upcoming online trainings and courses for journalists and media people – with a focus on digital training. We’ll include our DigitalEd courses, as well as those from Mediabistro, NewsU, and others. If we’re missing anything, or you’d like to pay to promote your training in the “featured training” spot of our weekly post, please contact Mark Glaser at mark [at] mediashift [dot] org. Any non-MediaShift courses in the “featured training” slot are paid placements. Note: Course and training descriptions are excerpts, edited for length and clarity.
FEATURED TRAININGS
How to Clean Up Your Audio in Video Production
Learn a few easy tips on how to clean up your audio using any microphones and noise reduction. Good video deserves good audio whether it is for TV or the web. This webinar will attempt to show broadcasters and reporters a few tips on gathering clean audio and a few tips on cleaning up audio that may have background “hiss” or “hum.” It’s hard to hear these with the human ear but a microphone picks up all, so don’t let a bad mic or bad mic placement ruin an otherwise great video production. This webinar is designed for anyone from the novice to the professional filmmaker and video creator.
Featured Presenter: Paul Glover, Associate Professor, Henderson State University
Date and time: May 17, 2017, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Producer: MediaShift
Place: Online with BigMarker
Price: $39
Register here!
How to Use Instagram as a Reporting Tool
With more than 600 million people on Instagram, this popular photo-sharing platform has become a powerful tool for journalists around the world. My Instagram followers tagged along with me as I reported stories for PRI’s The World and the BBC from mountain villages in Nepal, truck yards in Pakistan, the multi-cultural neighborhoods of South Africa, and more. In this course, you’ll learn the principles of using Instagram to report and photograph stories in the field. Whether you’re covering a local protest or trekking on a glacier with scientists, Instagram can help you generate interest in your story before your final report airs or goes to press.
Featured Presenter: Sonia Narang, Multimedia Journalist
Date and time: May 24, 2017, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Producer: MediaShift
Place: Online with BigMarker
Price: $39
Register here!
How to Get the Most Out of Content Analytics
Do you want to get the most out of your analytics? Not sure where to start? A majority of digital media professionals don’t even have a common definition of audience engagement within their organization. This training will give you an overview of ways to get the most out of your analytics—starting with the best ways to define audience engagement. There’s also a chance for one-to-one feedback from the instructor.
Featured Presenter: Jeff Weisbein, KYA
Date and time: May 31, 2017, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Producer: MediaShift
Place: Online with BigMarker
Price: $39
Register here!
Snapchat for Journalists and Storytellers
Snapchat has become a legitimate distribution outlet for the media, including by CNN, the Wall Street Journal, Vox, Mashable, BuzzFeed and many more. This training will explain why Snapchat is here to stay — and how journalists and storytellers can use it to strengthen their audience engagement.
Featured Presenter: Tim Cigelske, MediaShift
Date and time: June 7, 2017, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Producer: MediaShift
Place: Online with BigMarker
Price: $39
Register here!
MAY 2017
Writers Without Editors: How to Edit Your Own Writing
In a world where speed is of the essence, there’s less time for the many layers of editing that have traditionally stood between writers and readers. Fortunately, if you write, you have a facility for language that you can use to edit. In this course, you’ll gain the skills you need to polish your own prose.
Date and time: May 8-26; Applications due May 1
Producer: Poynter NewsU
Place: Online
Price: $429
Web Headlines & SEO Essentials
Headlines appear on the Web with photos, graphics or other type, but usually they stand alone. That means you’ve only got a few words—and a few seconds—to tell readers what the story (or blog posting, video or photo gallery) is about. In this course, we’ll focus on considerations unique to the Web. Chief among these, of course, is SEO – a set of technologies and techniques that can bring more eyes to your content and more visitors to your site.
Date and time: May 12-30; Applications due May 10
Producer: Poynter News University
Place: Online
Price: $299
June 2017 & BEYOND
THREAD at Yale
THREAD at Yale is a gathering of professional journalists and storytellers that does not care whether you work in print, video, audio, photography, or some form we haven’t even thought of yet. At this program, a small group of storytellers will gather for three days and nights to learn from masters in the field. And from each other.
Date and time: June 11-14, 2017; Applications due May 1
Producer: Center for New York City Affairs at The New School
Place: New Haven, CT
Price: $1,895; Scholarships available
Creating Your Social Media Strategy
We know that the online reach of our content is more and more dependent on social platforms. We also know that each social platform has its own audience, community and style.
What does it mean to reach the audience and potential audience where they already are? How can we produce stories that respect and reflect the culture of each platform? What does success (quantitative and qualitative) look like on each platform? What opportunities exist on each for learning more about the people we serve? How can better use of each platform lead to audience growth, audience insights and better journalism?
Date and time: March 31 – April 1, 2017; Applications due March 28
Producer: Poynter News University
Place: Online
Price: $449 by Feb. 28; $499 afterward
ProPublica Data Institute
If you’re a journalism student or journalist currently residing in the United States, and passionate about learning how to use data, design and code to help tell stories, this workshop is for you.
Dates: June 7-21, 2017; Applications due March 31
Producer: ProPublica and the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting
Place: New York City
Price: Free
10th Annual King’s Data School
The University of King’s College Summer School in Data Journalism is Canada’s premier annual boot camp in basic data journalism skills.
Dates: June 19-23 and June 26-30, 2017
Producer: University of King’s College Summer School in Data Journalism
Place: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Price: Varies
Multimedia Reporting in Belize
This reporting trip will help students hone digital storytelling and production skills and improve researching, pitching and reporting skills on climate change, ocean and marine conservation and coastal erosion.
Date and time: July 22-Aug. 5, 2017
Producer: George Washington University and The Global Media Project
Place: Belize
Price: $7,903.18 (Estimate)
Digital Communication and Community Organization Summer School 2017
This summer school aims to rethink digital communication from the South. Classes will take place at the University of the Americas, Quito, and in Tena, Napo Province where we will participate in project-based collaborations with the Quijos Nationality. Project teams will get involved documenting Quijos language and cultural practices using digital communication tools and social media strategies. The project teams will include Quijos youth, who will co-direct the projects, developing media documentation and techniques for the documentation of the language and culture of the area.
Date and time: July 24-Aug. 2, 2017
Producer: Universidad de las Américas
Place: Quito, Ecuador
Price: $1,200
2017 Computer-Assisted Reporting Boot Camp
Learn to acquire electronic information, use spreadsheets and databases to analyze information and translate that information into stories. These boot camps are offered several times each year.
Dates: Aug. 6-10, 2017
Producer: Investigative Reporters and Editors
Place: Columbia, Mo.
Price: Varies
2017 Mapping Boot Camp
Learn how to uncover interesting news stories by mapping data with geographic information system (GIS) software. IRE and NICAR will conduct this hands-on training using QGiS. Participants should have basic knowledge in using relational database programs such as Microsoft Access.
Dates: Aug. 11-13, 2017
Producer: Investigative Reporters and Editors
Place: Columbia, Mo.
Price: Varies
1440 Service Week
Service Week is four days each year in which the 1440 campus offers only professional development programming for the nonprofit sector.
Dates: Sept. 4-8, 2017; Applications due May 1
Producer: 1440 Multiversity
Place: Scotts Valley, Calif.
Price: Free
COURSES ON DEMAND
How to Launch a Killer Newsletter
Newsletter expert Jacqueline Boltik, who helped develop projects such as Ann Friedman’s Weekly and the LA Times’ newsletters and journalism professor Daniela Gerson, who recently created Migratory Notes, break down what you need to know to make your newsletter take off. Newsletters are the most direct way to build an audience, and are expanding. The Skimm, the Post Most, Lenny Letter, LA Times’ Essential Californian, #awesomewomen are just a few examples of the varied forms in which they are developing.
Producer: MediaShift
Place: Online with BigMarker
Price: $19
Facebook Live for Journalists
In the changing world of social media, Facebook Live is the new big thing. Facebook’s own algorithm favors this live element, drawing more viewers and followers to your page. But, how can journalists use it effectively to get past the “gimmick” idea and make it something useful for viewers and for journalists? We’ll explore some of the best practices to maximize use and effectiveness of Facebook live for journalists and media organizations alike.
Producer: MediaShift
Place: Online with BigMarker
Price: $19
Building Trust on Facebook
How can journalists stand out in a minefield of misinformation? See what 14 newsrooms learned when they used their social platforms to experiment with trust-building strategies. We’ll show you what they tried, what worked for different kinds of newsrooms and what totally fell flat.
Producer: Poynter News University
Place: Online
Price: Free
Getting Started With 360-Degree Video
Been seeing all those great 360° news stories but don’t know where to start? Let us help. News organizations across the world have adopted 360° technology in their reporting process. From breaking news to documentaries, newsrooms are bringing their readers and viewers closer to the story. Don’t let those pricey 360° video rigs intimidate you. Getting started with immersive storytelling is easier than you think. This training will walk you through the process of choosing the right equipment, from camera to rigging gear, planning your shoot and knowing if 360° video works for your story. You will learn how 360° videos are edited and how to pick the right platform to host your story.
Place: Online with BigMarker
Producer: MediaShift
Price: $19
Savvy Digital Journalism: Best Practices for Writing for the Web
Master the basics of digital journalism. This course is for both novice journalists who want to lay the groundwork as a digital writer, as well as seasoned writers who may be shifting from print to web.
Place: Online
Producer: MediaBistro
Price: $129
Skills in 60: Instagram Marketing Starter Kit
Get Instagram savvy and build your brand! In just one hour, this course will teach you how to effectively market your Instagram presence by crafting visually creative content, analyze key metrics to grow your audience and navigate the ever-changing social media landscape.
Place: Online
Producer: MediaBistro
Price: $49
Infographics and Visual Data
When combined with a compelling narrative, infographics are one of the fastest and most effective ways to help viewers make connections and grasp complex topics. This course will teach you how to conceptualize, design, and execute infographics using free and simple tools.
Place: Online
Producer: MediaBistro
Price: $129
How to Build and Teach an Online Course
New technology and tools are transforming the learning experience and creating new opportunities — and challenges — for educators at high schools, community colleges, and four-year universities. In this online training, you’ll learn how to organize a course and plan modules in a learning management system — whether you’re transitioning an existing course or starting one from scratch. You’ll also get a chance to try out tech tools to enhance the online educational experience, understand how to develop relationships with students in an online environment and discover new techniques for creating robust discussion among students in the class.
Place: online
Producer: DigitalEd at MediaShift
Price: $19
Smarter Audience Analytics for Journalists
Do you get bored reading your own analytics report? Are you only reporting numbers. Analytics are a powerful tool, but only reporting pageviews and other statistics doesn’t change how a newsroom operates. In this training, we’ll look at how you can put analytics to work for you. What is your baseline? What measures do you use to determine a post’s success? What do analytics tell you about your audience? How can you turn that insight into actionable items by your staff? This session will help you utilize analytics to learn from your audience and find ways to build on successes.
Producer: DigitalEd at MediaShift
Place: Online
Price: $19
How to Make News Bots Work For You
Robot journalism is one of the year’s hot topics as more media brands are experimenting with the automated delivery of news on mobile. Some bots are completely automated services that mimic a normal text conversation, but most involve some human intervention. In this online training, John Keefe, Senior Editor for Data News & Journalism Technology at WNYC, will explain how bots work and how journalists can use them to enhance their reporting and improve efficiency.
Producer: DigitalEd at MediaShift and CUNYJ+
Place: Online
Price: $19
An Introduction to DocumentCloud
DocumentCloud is a catalog of primary source documents and a tool for annotating, organizing and publishing them on the web. Documents are contributed by journalists, researchers and archivists. We’re helping reporters get more out of documents and helping newsrooms make their online presence more engaging.
Place: online
Producer: Investigative Reporters & Editors
Price: free
Marketing with Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr
Market your brand using Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr. This course will give you the knowledge of each of these platforms and enable you to identify the most appropriate ways to implement them to meet your business objectives.
Place: online
Producer: Mediabistro
Price: $149
Skills in 60: Build an Editorial Calendar for Social Media Channels
This in-depth short course will show you how to develop integrated editorial content calendars and establish a robust production and publishing strategy across all your social channels. The video lessons will guide you on how to plan, create, distribute and analyze your editorial calendar for long term success.
Place: online
Producer: Mediabistro
Price: $49
Twitter Marketing
Become a better, smarter marketer with Twitter to generate word-of-mouth, create leads, and grow your business. From hashtag strategy to deep data dives, influencer outreach to employing an effective posting schedule, you’ll master Twitter 140 characters at a time.
Place: online
Producer: Mediabistro
Price: $129
Whose Truth? Tools for Smart Science Journalism in the Digital Age
As journalists, we ignore science not only at our own peril, but at the peril of our readers, viewers and listeners. In this course, you’ll learn to how make sense of scientific data and tell stories in ways that connect with your audience. You’ll get techniques and tips to improve your interviewing and reporting skills. You’ll also learn how to lift the veil from front groups to launch investigations based on informed fact-gathering. When you’re done, you’ll have a toolkit of ways to identify and overcome the barriers journalists face when reporting on science-related topics.
Place: online
Producer: Poynter’s NewsU
Price: free
Social Media Master Class Part I
MediaShift’s Social Media Editor Julie Keck will lead you through using some of the most powerful publishing tools any media professional can use. You can learn how to optimize your feeds, post the right amount each day, and help promote your content or projects better. You can establish yourself as an authority using the right mix of social media platforms and skills. And most of all, it’s fun. Don’t be intimidated or overwhelmed by social media – you can do it!
Place: online
Producer: DigitalEd at MediaShift
Price: $19
Social Media Master Class Part II
You’ve established yourself on social media, but you want to grow your audience. How do you get people talking about your content without seeming too self-promoting? Learn to harness the power of #hashtags, run a popular live Twitter chat, find out what’s trending today and how to jump in at the right moment with the right content.
Place: online
Producer: DigitalEd at MediaShift
Price: $19
DigitalEd: Smartphone Filmmaking 101
Whether you’re shooting coverage for your high-concept documentary, making a low-budget music video for your band, or shooting pick-ups for your corporate online PSA, there are a multitude ways to use your phone as a legitimate route for production. This training will illustrate the use of the iPhone as a low-budget professional production camera. We’ll include short practical tips on shooting techniques, emerging technology, apps and software alongside of traditional tips and tricks that can be added to a smartphone in order to make it a more robust production camera.
Place: online
Producer: DigitalEd at MediaShift
Price: $19
When a Staff Isn’t a Staff: Managing Freelancers
In today’s freelance economy, more and more workers are seeing the benefits of working as a freelancer or contractor. But what does that mean for the businesses that employ them? With a lean staff, many publications rely on freelance contributors, so it’s to everybody’s benefit to make that relationship a good one. Good freelancer relationships don’t just fall out of the sky. In this webinar, you’ll learn what makes freelancers happy (it’s more than just money!), how to cultivate good freelance relationships, and best practices for managing a sprawling, remote staff. With successful freelancer management, you’ll enjoy loyal, capable contributors and a robust publication.
Place: online
Producer: Poynter’s NewsU
Price: $29.95
How to Design a Brand
Learn how to design your brand by setting yourself apart from other businesses in your industry, build your own unique brand identity, conceptualize your logo design and creative direction, and apply your branding to establish credibility and increase exposure.
Place: online
Producer: CreatorUp
Price: $40
How to Crowdfund 10K
Learn how to raise $10,000 by designing a one-of-a-kind crowdfunding campaign. Learn how to set goals and better prepare yourself for a campaign launch. Once your campaign launches, you’ll be an expert on methods of raising the most money, and how to design a professional page.
Place: online
Producer: CreatorUp
Price: $30
How to Livestream on YouTube
Have you ever wanted to broadcast — live — but weren’t exactly sure how to do it, or what tools to use? Learn the technical nuts and bolds of how to livestream anything on YouTube, and how to market your show so people will see it.
Place: online
Producer: CreatorUp
Price: $25
How to Tell a Story to Build a Community
Do you need to build a following, but are not sure how to tell your story to grow your community? Learn how to tell a story that will help others relate to you and your mission to take action.
Place: online
Producer: CreatorUp
Price: $40
Verification: The Basics
When a violent protest, mass-scale accident, or natural hazard unfolds, information tends to get jumbled, causing fear and confusion. With the growing use of technology, we have witnessed innumerable false and fake stories being shared on social networks, including photoshopped images, or reuploaded diced videos from unrelated events in the past. With increasing frequency, journalists are required to master the skills and expertise to handle the information that circulates on the Internet and elsewhere. Complementing our recently launched resource, the Verification Handbook, this course will provide the basic knowledge and techniques of verification in the digital age.
Place: online
Producer: Learno
Price: free
Your Photojournalism Survival Kit with Ron Haviv
Ron Haviv brings two decades of experience in building a photojournalism career on carefully laid groundwork. In this course, you’ll learn how to identify a captivating story and organize a plan for shooting it; how to create a budget and a pitch letter; and how to plan for any eventuality during the shoot, and cope with setbacks when they strike.
Place: online
Producer: Ron Haviv, Emmy-nominated photojournalist
Price: $79
More course listings are available at MediaShift’s DigitalEd, Poynter’s NewsU, Berkeley Advanced Media Institute, Columbia Journalism School’s Continuing Education listings, Mediabistro and CreatorUp.
Bianca Fortis is the associate editor at MediaShift, a founding member of the Transborder Media storytelling collective and a social media consultant. Follow her on Twitter @biancafortis.
