{JMC 335} Refelctions

Funding Journalism, a book that we're reading in JMC 335 which deals with how to create financially stable media in the digital age, makes the suggestion that media should consider price discrimination.

In price discrimination, a company would charge consumers more or less depending on the demand in each consumers' market area. For example, in 2000 it was discovered that Amazon.com was allegedly charging returning customers more than new customers for DVDs. Amazon denied the allegations, saying that they were testing consumer behavior and that the price changes had no correlation to customers' past buying habits.

Whether or not Amazon took part in price discrimination does not change the fact that this practice is alive and well in today's market. I've seen many instances where photographers, for example, will charge twice as much to shoot a wedding than they would to shoot a similar event such as a quinceanera or large birthday party.

I understand why this practice might be put in place. It's all about making the money. But I don't think it's a always a particularly ethical practice. Charging people more because they are desperate for your product or services generally doesn't seem like the humane thing to do.

At the same time, the types of price discrimination proposed in Funding Journalism includes practices like releasing news for a fee when it first breaks, but then releasing it for free (supported by ads) after a time. This would be similar to what TV networks do with shows--release them on the network, which customers have to pay for by getting cable, then releasing them on for-a-fee sites like Amazon and iTunes usually 24 hours or so after the show airs, and finally releasing them via free sites like Hulu or their own network sites usually around a week after the show first airs.

This type of price discrimination bothers me a lot less because it doesn't seem that it's taking advantage of someone's situation or need in order to make more money. It's simply offering premium services at a premium price.

--Lindsie

{JMC 335} Reflecting on a picture's worth

We've all heard the old adage, "A picture's worth a thousand words." Many have endorsed this message, emphasizing the role of photos and other graphics in reporting, marketing, books, social media and other mediums.

But, when it comes to a photos's worth, I'm a non-believer. A content atheist, if you will. There is no one type of content to rule them all. Have you ever seen a photo, only to want to know more about what is happening? That's why we have captions. And stories. To give the reader more.

There are a couple of things that pictures do that text cannot: Photos and graphics can grab the reader's attention. Also, in some research I've been doing, I encountered a 2000 study which suggested that photos help the reader to retain more of the information they read in-text.

So, will photos save the world? I think not. Will they save your publication, or suddenly make terrible writing fantastic? No. But are they one piece in the puzzle of good content? Absolutely.

--Lindsie

{JMC 335} Reflecting on social media, business and journalism

I recently ran into this article on what to expect from social media. It really resonated with what I've been feeling, what I've been reading on various blogs and books, and what I've been hearing in JMC 335.

Many expect social media to be magical, and maybe it is. But just like a witch's cauldron or mystic's crystal ball, there has got to be someone guiding it.

One has to drive content on twitter, facebook and google+ just like content is driven in more traditional media. Just like with more traditional media, an audience has to be actively sought and engaged; it doesn't just appear.

{JMC 335} And it begins

To give a brief overview to those of you who aren't Lance Kissler or one of my humble comrades from Whitworth's interactive journalism class (JMC 335), this semester I've been charged with the responsibility of creating a news package on a local non-profit.

Because I’m best known for my participation in the northwest wedding community, and because most of my beloved readers found me through this connection, I thought it would be best to feature a wedding-related non-profit.

So I searched. And searched. And searched. Non-profits who give away wedding gowns, or even complete weddings, to deserving couples can be found in Portland and Seattle and other cities … but not Spokane, where I’m currently located.

The next best thing? Possibly the equivalent to weddings for teen girls? Prom. Perfect substitute for my wedding-obsessed readers.

Me before prom with my now fiance. See, prom's important. It can lead to true love.

For my project, I’m looking at focusing on Julianne’s Prom Closet, a local non-profit that provides a prom dress “shopping” experience and a free dress to high school girls whose families wouldn’t be able to afford it otherwise.

I think it would be interesting to talk to Julianne Sullivan, who started the non-profit.


I would like to focus on covering girls during their "shopping" experience, including photographing, filming and writing about this.