Introducing the new Ohio Journalist, an online service for alumni and friends of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism in the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University.

We began this publishing experiment by deciding we were tired of talking about change and wanted to live it instead. Ohio Journalist has been a class project for decades as Jour 437. In the past it was a print magazine; in recent years articles often reported on the dramatic technological and economic changes occurring in the work world of our alumni. This quarter, students chose to practice those changes as well as report them. The result of that experiment is this Web, which replaces the magazine.

As a class we Skypped, Twittered, blogged and podcasted, not to mention created a few questionable verbs along the way. Editorial meetings were held via Facebook. To learn new ways of storytelling, we created slide shows, shot video, and designed animated GIFs. For most of us, including the instructor, this was the first we had tried these media.

The effort led us to talk with many alumni about change in their professions.

We found many alumni who were as overwhelmed by technology as we were. In the Tech Survival section we tried to provide resources and ideas that will help readers appreciate the professional opportunities of new tools.

Alumni whose daily lives have been affected by media changes were also easy to find. In The Daily Grind section we reported on these changes on a personal level, from multitasking to computer stressors.

In the third section, Changing Industry, we tried to look at the bigger picture, how the economy and technology together are changing media businesses and audiences.

Interactivity seems to be the rule of the future, so we included two blogs for you. One is about your techno pet peeves and the other is about technology overload.

The traditional alumni features are here as well, Alumni Notes, School News, and, of course, the usual request for donations. Some things will never change.

—Patricia Westfall, professor of journalism

2009 Staff

Tech Survival Team
Veronica DeSantos
Megan Greve
Brett Nuckles
Stefanie Toth

Daily Grind Team
Lisa Gumerman
Erin Pfeifer
Christie Succop
Meghan Thayer

Changing Industry Team
Abby Clary
Samantha Pirc
Christa Puccio
Mackenzie Smith

Advisor/Instructor
Professor Patricia Westfall

Consultant
Professor Robert Stewart