Internet Skills

Okay, I have some free time on my hands these days. Despite my repeated assertion that newspapers will never survive if they go to the Web, it's becoming apparent that I'll need online abilities to survive in today's news world.

Ten years ago, I fiddled with HTML enough to make one of those amateurish personal Web sites. I followed that up a few years later with a fairly amateur, and altogether lame, personal blog site. I built that using Dreamweaver, but it was fairly basic drag-and-drop stuff.

So, I ask now, what exactly do I need to know and how do I learn it? The technology is changing so rapidly that I'm not sure where to begin. Will basic HTML and the ability to use Dreamweaver land me a job? Should I take some classes? Do I need a degree? Is an hour a day of self-education enough? Is there a reporting workshop that I could attend?

 

Start by asking the tech guy that works at your paper. Unless they're someone that would run and tell the bosses you're trying to pad your resume by brushing up on HTML and such.

 

In which case, find him in a dark hallway and steal his lunch money just so it's not a total loss.

 

Well, I'm a freelance guy. So I could ask just about anybody. I figure this is a good place to start.

 

Honestly, the web publishing software is becoming so easy that you don't really even need training. I would say that reading more blogs and familiarizing yourself with what today's readers expect would be more helpful than technical training.

 

First of all -- are you wanting to stay a reporter, or are you open to learning other jobs such as a copy editor, designer, online producer, web designer, etc.?
The web skills required for a reporter are not as extensive as say, a web designer.

 

I would familiarize yourself with digital photo, audio and video formats, which ones work best for what purposes, how to optimize and properly upload them to the web, and learn the programs with which to do those things.

 

look for more porn. thehun is a good start.

 

Nunchuck skills, bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills ...

 

My interenet skills are still extremely raw, but here's a good place to start:
http://www.blogger.com/start
Just start your own blog. Tinker, have fun, and if people begin reading, you'll see how addictive it is.
Another good link
http://www.webmonkey.com/webmonkey/reference/html_cheatsheet/

I'd advised you to come up with a snazzy URL and buy it ... but then you have to host the site yourself or find a place to host it for you ... and that costs some money. Blogger is free.

As a former journalist, I can assure you I've never had this much fun. Even though it's netting me hardly any money, it's a creative outlet. And it's fun to not have a filter (except Dad, who occasionally calls in to say there are too many cusswords or too many photos of women; or when the soon-to-be father-in-law emails to say he likes the site, and I realize I just spent 100 words fawning over Jenn Sterger's tits).

 

At our place, we're much more interested in reporting and writing skills (for writers) and word skills (for editors) than we are about your HTML experience. We've hired people with pretty much zero of that. It's not hard to learn to be able to do the basics, and our production software handles much of the coming anyway.

A degree in this CERTAINLY is not necessary, unless you're making a complete career change.

 

How much hiring are said places doing, if you know, SF? I see a lot of openings for newspaper writing and editing jobs, but not so much for Web sites. Though, it's probable I'm not looking in all the right places, either.