Where next for mobile journalism?

By Clyde Bentley on April 20, 2010 0 Comments

Clyde Bentley, 2009-2010 Fellow

Monday's "Going Mobile" conference here at RJI was truly an eye-opener to me.  Not the startling statistics about the rocketing growth rate of mobile in American life nor the amazing reports of new technology.

It was the faces.  The faces of my peers.

I won't say that journalists are afraid of the mobile future, but what was clear was the concern they have about whether they have the resources to meet the need of the cell phone-equipped readers.  Or viewers.  Or whatever we will call the mobile audience.

If you go back and review the streaming mobile archives of the sessions, what will stand out to you is the sincere desire of journalists to help each other take on this challenge.  It wasn't a brag session nor was it an "I can't tell you" competitive session.  It was show-and-tell in the share-one, share-all sense that our teachers of long ago tried to show us.

And repeatedly, I heard "can we do it again?"

This morning we will wrap up the conference with a more intense sharing session.  We will try to inventory our mobile dreams and explore the vast potential of our mobile future.  And then we will all go home.

So what next?  Officially, my Reynolds Fellowship ends in May.  I'll go back to the classroom and my now-revised research agenda.  But I won't be sitting at the computer each day absorbing the huge stream of updates about mobile advances nor will I be attending every conference I can to meet you face to face.

I've enjoyed this and I'm a little embarrassed by the praise I received Monday from the conference participants.  But I still am unclear about what you, the folks on the reading end of this blog, want for me.  Should I keep blogging and prodding you via the listserv?  Shall I shut it down and let you take the lead?  Or should I just focus on research that backs up your efforts?

Please let me know via comments, post to the list or - smile, smile - text messages.  The University of Missouri is unique in its flexibility to address the needs of the journalism profession -- but we take our cue from you.

Tune into the discussion this morning, ponder our future and speak out.

Clyde  (573-999-1580, bentleycl@missouri.edu, MOBILENEWS@PO.MISSOURI.EDU)

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