COMM230W:

Lesson 2 Overview

 

Introduction

If you are contemplating a career in the media professions, you are exploring the field in a time of unprecedented upheaval and rapid change. Major newspapers that have thrived for a century are cutting back their publication schedules or going mostly online. Well-established radio and television stations, facing declining advertising revenues, are laying off news staffs. Indeed, the entire mass media industry, which appeared to be so solid a few short decades ago, is rapidly evolving into a digitally-driven, interactive enterprise. Here, the spoils go to those who can convey the news to audiences wherever they are and whenever they want it, on their own customizable terms as they consume and produce media all at once. As a media writer, you will be required to produce high-quality content across multiple platforms.

There is much to celebrate in today’s new media environment and to anticipate in your own potential media career. You have huge volumes of information at your fingertips and can converse with anyone in the world, thanks to the Internet and social media. Digital reporting tools (most of which are now contained in your smartphone) enable you to write, edit, photograph, shoot video, and instantaneously share your stories with readers, friends, and audiences from almost any location on the globe. It has never been easier to quickly convey breaking news and be an innovative content creator.

Amid this massive media churn, one thing will never go out of style: the need for skilled, professional writing, produced by people who know how to select interesting topics and tell compelling stories with accuracy and speed. Regardless of the channel, your writing skills will ensure you a rewarding career, provided that you take the time to build your skills and learn professional strategies now.

Objectives

Here are the objectives for this lesson:

• Discuss the major media professions in the modern media environment.
• Describe the changing landscape of 21st-century media.
• Demonstrate mastery of Associated Press style elements.

Lesson Readings and Activities

By the end of this lesson, make sure you have completed the readings and activities found in the Lesson 2 Course Schedule.

 

Industry Articles

Industry Videos

Watch these Industry Videos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professional Organizations

 

• The Public Relations Society of America (PRSSA)
• The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA)
• The American Marketing Association (AMA)
• The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)
• The Poynter Institute

Lesson 2 Wrap Up and Looking Ahead

 

Summary

In this lesson, we explored the changing landscape of twenty-first-century media and the many career opportunities that await aspiring journalists, public relations practitioners, and advertising professionals. We also examined the importance of being a strong storyteller and the ability to write well across multiple media platforms. Finally, we learned about how media writers employ professional strategy to understand their situation and audience, and how these two factors influence one another as messages are created.

Check and Double Check

By the end of this lesson, make sure you have completed the readings and activities found in the Lesson 2 Course Schedule.

Looking Ahead

In Lesson 3, we will learn about media writing style, the set of professional conventions that dictate how you approach and execute your writing. We will also practice AP style, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other writing conventions that separate professionals from amateurs.