FLYING SOLO: Epitath or Epiphany BU NOW : of NEW Student Website
COLLEGE MEDIA CONFERENCE National Convention: NYC, SPRING 2010
DR. RICHARD GANAHL Bloomsburg University, PA
TRULY UNIQUE: An Indie Campus News Blog
* Anyone Posts * Multi-Platform * Comments * Calendar * Student Ed’s * Coop w/ Media * Polls * Videos * Podcasts * Slideshows
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‘.…anyone, anything, anyhow, anytime….’
BU NOW: MISSION
* Student Organization
* Indie Blog & Website
* Co-op & Con-verge
* Student Moderated
* Multiple Platforms
* Pics, Audio, Video
EXTREME COMPETITION
*Town Student Website
* BU Comm Office: 10 stds
* Campus Weekly: 17 stds
* Campus Radio: 16 stds
* Department Mag: 20 stds
* Department TV: 20 stds
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BU NOW: Happy Second Birthday To You!
BU NOW: TRAFFIC
* 70,229 visitors / 22 mo
* visits from 123 countries
* 157,795 page views
* 43,474 unique visitors
* over 16,267 video views
* top 5 stories = 31,615 hits
BU NOW: STAFF
* 520 registered users
* 160 story contributors
* two faculty advisors
* multiple departments
* 637 posts, 499 comments
* Facebook & Twitter
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Multi Media, Multi Platform Excellence
HOMECOMING 2009
* 9 stories w/ 13,371 hits
* combined 3 media efforts
* 3 videos, 2 op-eds & pics
* broke 23 pg Final Report
* Homecoming Forum Tags
* Homecoming Dance Tags
BLOCK PARTY 2009
* 10 stories w/ 10,811 hits
* combined 4 media efforts
* 4 vids, gonzo-j, op-ed, pic
* Forum: Mayor, C of P, BU
* extensive use of link-j
* Block Party Story Tags
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BU NOW FUTURE: Epitath or Epiphany?
E-INTERVIEWS ITEMS
1. What is convergence?
2. Initial BN expectations?
3. Did media help/hinder?
4. What has help/hinder?
5. In 5 years BN will…?
SAMPLE SELECTION
1. Students Media Leaders
2. Faculty/Staff Media Adv
3. Open end email Feb 2010
4. Sample size = 23 of 26
5. Names & depts deleted
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BU NOW FUTURE: E-Survey Findings
WHAT = CONVERGENCE
1. media working together
2. quality multimedia J
3. collaborative confed’tion
4. multiple media exper’nce
5. hubbed media integr’tion
INITIAL EXPECTATIONS
1. had NO idea what it was
2. risky and take long time
3. concerned @ competition
4. good things = to happen
5. didn’t expect such growth
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BU NOW FUTURE: Media Influences
MEDIA = HELP
1. we worked through it
2. cross platform portfolio
3. compliment not rival
4. BN = partnered & coop’d
5. BN = provided paper tab
MEDIA = HINDRANCE
1. tension and conflict
2. very possessive of staff
3. good vibes gone sour
4. fearful, power struggle
5. territorial & defensive
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BU NOW FUTURE: Factor Influences
FACTORS = HELPED
1. dedicated staff, advisors
2. tech & server support
3. $$ for media conference
4. range of student interest
5. BN’s innovative spirit
FACTORS = HINDRANCE
1. no department support
2. territorial, feuding faculty
3. technological ignorance
4. lack of university respect
5. small # of talented folks
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BU NOW FUTURE: In Five Years BN Will
SUGGESTIONS
1. BN NEEDS office space
2. merge paper & BU Now
3. develop ad revenue
4. break media walls down
5. open faculty minds
IN 5 YEARS BN WILL
1. our future = unimaginable
2. take on investigative J!
3. more media convergence
4. every students’ homepage
5. multi-billion dollar site!
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‘.…anyone, anything, anyhow, anytime….’
* BU Now video * James’ Reviews
* BN Slideshow * VOICE Stories
* Election 2008
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