Archive for the ‘Maps’ Category
Freshing up on my Flash
Last night I collaborated with The Alligator managing editor for online media, Ken Schwencke, a sweet and to-the-point infographic about proposed bus route changes around Gainesville.
I wrote the action script and made the design. Ken found the maps on the Gainesville Regional Transit System’s Web site. We copied some Google maps, and Ken overlayed the bus routes with the hoity toity Photoshop Pen tool — the most difficult part of the night.
I was glad I didn’t have a whole heap of trouble catching up on my Flash. It is really pretty intuitive once you’ve done it before. That was the first Flash I’d done since I made a small package for class a couple of months ago. Before then it had been more than a year.
Although this story and idea were sprung up on me, I commend Ken for thinking out of the box for different ways to present information on The Alligator’s Web site. The site’s multimedia section is growing as Ken has somehow motivated reporters to shoot video. Alligator photographer Charles Roop — great photographer — shot a video about a roller derby for today’s online edition as well. I’d be lying if I said I’d seen it already, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check it out!
Bleak outlook for student journalists
It’s something that we all have to come to grips with. We are graduating at a terrible time. The economy is in a slump, and our industry is suffering. I recently wrote about South Florida’s newspaper industry and how it’s in the crapper.
South Florida isn’t the only place feeling the pinch. Thousands of journalism-related jobs are being eliminated around the country. People are getting laid off, and positions are being eliminated.
Erica Smith at graphic designr made a map showing some of the journalism-related layoffs across the country. It’s pretty well done, all be it incomplete. I’m sure there are much more jobs than this that have been lost, but it’s testament to our fears of a tougher and tougher job market.
Here’s to hoping things can take a turn for the better, sooner rather than later.
Link came via my buddy at The Miami Herald, M.T.
Gainesville Explorer: Gainesville Rock Gym
*Go to this blog’s new address*
I shot and edited another video for The Alligator today. The videos I will be doing almost weekly are part of a series called “Gainesville Explorer.”
The idea is to go somewhere Gainesvillish every week and either make a video or a slideshow about the place. Although I’ve done the last two videos, the first place The Alligator did was Paynes Prairie. Jeremiah Stanley, an Alligator photographer, did an awesome job on an audio slideshow.
It’s a good way to promote local business in Gainesville as well as give students and others something to do other than go out to clubs and bars.
The video I just finished today is of the Gainesville Rock Gym. It’s a pretty cool place. The people are friendly, and there is plenty to do there. I’m particularly fond of this video because I like how it came out.
When the video is made live on the Alligator Web site, I will post a link. I also wanted to give my kudos to the lovely lady who is writing all the briefs for the Gainesville Explorer series, Lidia Dinkova.
Maps: another thing I’ve been fiddling with
I had to make a map for my reporting for online media class. There is no real journalistic value to it unless you live in Gainesville and want to check out some of my favorite eateries.
Because this entry has yet to have something useful in it, here is a list of sites for beginners to make maps:
A professor of mine, Dave Stanton, put together a really good slide presentation with plenty of good information on mapping for journalists.
Maps: another thing I’ve been fiddling with
I had to make a map for my reporting for online media class. There is no real journalistic value to it unless you live in Gainesville and want to check out some of my favorite eateries.
Because this entry has yet to have something useful in it, here is a list of sites for beginners to make maps:
A professor of mine, Dave Stanton, put together a really good slide presentation with plenty of good information on mapping for journalists.
