AAJA should be proud of this little website. It’s an important community resource in the online landscape of Pacific Northwest journalism sites. Don’t believe me? I too was shocked when a research study that came out at the 2010 Journalism That Matters conference put aajaseattle.org on the map – literally. Use the Zoom (+) button below and look at the center of the map.
Over the years, as the site’s founding editor, I’ve watched it grow and become a part of our chapter’s strategy for building community online and reaching out to members hungry for training, mentoring and jobs.
My vision for AAJASeattle.org was and still is a place for our members – especially students and freelancers – to post their profiles, share links to their stories and offer emerging, diverse journalists a platform to display their storytelling in new media (and maybe get constructive comments). I think it could realize that vision with a staff of three to five dedicated volunteers.
The chapter’s costs to keep the site up are minimal – a server hosting account and domain name – but the content our authors contribute is priceless.
The blog post items, which chronicle chapter news and turbulent times of our profession, come from members willing to donate their time. And sometimes we get photos and videos posted of chapter events.
With no advertising, no dedicated staff and sporadic blog posts, the site has attracted nearly 7,000 visits over the past year (yes, we track it using Google Analytics). We set up the site so that @aajaseattle sends out a tweet for every new post.
Now it’s time for a new editor with fresh ideas and energy to assume the duties and nurture the site’s evolution.
This is a great VOLUNTEER opportunity for anyone who hopes to be a web producer, blogger or site manager some day.
Skills you will develop as site editor:
Blogging about a community.
Recruiting and managing contributing writers.
Tracking and interpreting site analytics.
Managing the WordPress platform.
Skills we’d hope you have or are willing to learn if you want this gig:
Knowledge of basic HTML tags and how to tag content to improve search.
Knowledge of any blogging platform, i.e. WordPress, TypePad, Tumblr, Blogger.
Proficiency in editing copy.
Editorial judgment and basic understanding of libel, privacy and copyright.
The time commitment is minimal – an hour a week, perhaps – but you could spend more time if you want to create something cool. Definitely something to list on your resume when you apply for jobs at news websites.
If you’re interested in volunteering, please email Sanjay Bhatt, chapter president/aajaseattle.org editor, at sbhatt@seattletimes.com. Please write “AAJASeattle.org – Editor” in the subject line. Thanks!
Ben Huh, a former AAJA member and Northwestern University journalism grad, is founder and CEO of Seattle-based Cheezburger Network. He’s recently blogged about problems he sees with how news is presented online today, and ReadWriteWeb reports on a new news platform Huh is developing – The Moby Dick Project. Be sure to add your comments to the conversation!
The reception, which marks the 25th anniversary of AAJA Seattle’s flagship program, brings Thanh Tan from Austin, Texas, to share her experiences with this year’s scholarship winners.
Tan, a three-time NJC scholarship winner, is a multimedia reporter/producer for The Texas Tribune.
She previously worked at Idaho Public Television, a PBS station that serves a statewide audience.
While there, she was an Emmy award-winning producer/reporter/host for the longest-running legislative public affairs program in the West, Idaho Reports, moderator of The Idaho Debates, and a writer/producer for the flagship series Outdoor Idaho.
Prior to joining IdahoPTV, she was a general assignment reporter at the ABC affiliate in Portland, OR and a political reporter for KBCI-TV in Boise, ID. Her work has also appeared on the PBS NewsHour and This American Life.
She graduated with honors from the University of Southern California with degrees in International Relations and Broadcast Journalism.
AAJA Seattle members Sharon Chan and Karen Johnson are joining forces to hold a kickoff event for Hacks/Hackers Seattle on Nov. 11 at Havana in Capitol Hill.
Come out and show your support and learn about this interesting group!
There will be FREE food from Marination Mobile sponsored by Patch.com!
Hacks/Hackers is a group that was started by former AP bureau chief Burt Herman (now CEO of Storify), Aron Pilhofer of The New York Times, and Richard Gordon of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Hacks/Hackers meetups have become common now at national journalism conventions, including at this year’s Investigative Reporters and Editors convention in Las Vegas. (We gathered at the hotel bar, of course.) The group has received sponsorship from the Knight Foundation’s News Challenge and has attracted journalists and technologists from all over the country. Former New York Times reporter and AAJA member Jenny 8. Lee is a key organizer for Hacks/Hackers now.
Hacks/Hackers chapters are forming one by one across the nation, and our own Sharon and Karen have taken the initiative to get the Seattle one off the ground.
Chan, who covers Microsoft for The Seattle Times (and finishing her term this year as AAJA National President), sent out this invitation:
If you’re a journalist who cares about technology and the future of media, you should come. If you’re a technologist who cares about journalism and the future of media, you should come. Journalists call themselves “hacks,” someone who can churn out words in any situation. Hackers use the digital equivalent of duct tape to whip out code. Hacker-journalists try and bridge the two worlds.
Hacks/Hackers Seattle will bring all these people together — those who are working to help people make sense of their world. It’s for hackers exploring technologies to filter and visualize information, and for journalists who use technology to find and tell stories. In the age of information overload, all their work has become even more crucial.
We aim to help members find inspiration and think in new directions, bringing together potential collaborators for projects and new ventures.
RSVP and get your free ticket at http://seattlehackshackers.eventbrite.com.
For more information about Hacks and Hackers check out http://hackshackers.com.
The event is in partnership with AAJA Seattle and the Western Washington Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
SPJ Western Washington is kicking off its 5th Annual Fall Continuing Education series this month. Thanks to a partnership between the SPJ chapter and AAJA Seattle, our members can attend these workshops for free. Non-members pay $10 per session or $40 for the whole series.
All classes are from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in The Seattle Times auditorium. Pizza and bottled water will be provided.
The Seattle Times is located at 1120 John St., Seattle, WA 98109. Free parking is available in the visitor’s lot across the street.
Seating is limited so RSVP to Hilary Reeves, hilary.j.reeves@gmail.com by noon on the Friday prior to the class you plan to attend.
Oct. 11 The Portable Journalist: Using smart phones for reporting
The smart phone in your pocket is now your most important mobile reporting tool. Learn about how video stream direct to the web from your phone, maximizing twitter while live streaming, the best iPhone apps for journalism, mapping iPhone photos via rss and other practical advice.
Oct. 18 Branding yourself: Tips on how to stand out in today’s changing media landscape
Hear how some journalists and their news outlets or social media sites are making themselves stand out in a crowded environment. Learn from the local experts.
Josh Feit, PublicCola
John Cook, TechFlash
Monica Guzman, Intersect
Oct. 25 Improve your photography
A fancy DSLR or a simple camera phone is a tool. It is up to the photographer to understand light, composition, framing, moment, and the ability of a photograph to convey information. We’ll helps you understand what that tool can do for you.
Nov. 1 Entrepreneurial journalism: The nuts-and-bolts of starting your own web venture
Learn what it takes create and maintain a journalism web business, with tips on everything from financing to drawing an audience.
Sarah Stuteville, Common Language Project (moderator)
Tracy Record, West Seattle Blog
Caroline Li, Earthwalkermag.com
Michael McCarthy, LocalHealthGuide.com
Nov. 8 Build your own website
Learn how you can use WordPress to quickly get your own website up and running without a ton of technical experience.
Dale Steinke, co-editor of PhinneyWood.com; former Interactive News and Operations Manager at KING 5 TV
Since 1985, Seattle’s AAJA chapter has provided scholarships for students, professional development for journalists and service to the community in the Pacific Northwest. Learn More
Get involved
Want to be a part of AAJA Seattle? We're always looking for eager new members, volunteers and bloggers! Learn More
