Getting started in digital journalism? Here's a selected reading list

By: James Breiner | 02/20/2011

All of these writers recommend other tools and websites that will keep you busy for weeks. Don´t hesitate to send me your own suggestions.

Eminently practical

Briggs, Mark. “Journalism Next: A Practical Guide to Digital Reporting and Publishing.” Washington: CQ Press, 2010. Tutorials, examples galore.

Luckie, Mark. “The Digital Journalist´s Handbook.” 2010. Luckie is the author of the 10,000 Words blog and has good advice on all aspects of producing media for the web.

Theory and practice

Doctor, Ken. “Newsonomics: Twelve New Trends That Will Shape the News You Get.” New York: St. Martin´s Press 2010. Good summary of what the future will be in online journalism with a focus on the business side.

Auletta, Ken. "Googled: The end of the World As We Know It." New York: Penguin Press, 2009. An inside look at the business of search, the growth of the world leader in digital advertising and issues of ethics and privacy.

Shirky, Clay. “Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing without Organizations.” New York: Penguin Books, 2008. Great stuff on the power of wikis, collaboration on the web, power law distribution that creates the long tail and the big winners.

Jarvis, Jeff. “What Would Google Do.” New York: Collins Business, 2009. Good introduction to how openness and transparency of web work against old media organizations, hierarchies, etc.

Email newsletters that I read daily

Mashable – technical innovations

PaidContent – the business side of digital media

Nieman lab – has timely articles on innovations and news and technology.

emarketer.com - has lots of relevant stats on how people are using the web, and how they´re doing business on the web.

Blogs that I look at regularly

Teaching Online Journalism Mindy McAdams is an excellent teacher, especially in the area of multimedia.

Buzz Machine Jeff Jarvis. Full of useful information.

Media Shift Alerts me to lots of trends.

Newsosaur Alan Mutter is a bright old hand.

Editors weblog Timely information on worldwide trends, focused on the business of journalism.

The Biz Blog Rick Edmonds has some of the best insights on trends in the business.

Multimedia Storytelling, this article by Jane Stevens is one I have used often in my own teaching.

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