By: Ajalee Pulley
HOUSTON - Students and media professionals took over Rice University for a day-long journalism conference, News Gathering: Diversity in the Digital Age, on Oct.3.
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The university's Multicultural Community Affairs joined forces with seven journalism advocacy groups to create this first-ever event aimed to deliver pertinent and practical information about the current affairs of journalism for future journalists and professionals.
Representatives from the Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals (HAHMP), the Houston Association of Black Journalists (HABJ), the Asian-American Journalism Association, (AAJA), the Houston Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) and El Gato Media Network (EGMN) were in attendance.
The conference offered 10 professional workshops, several student workshops, a career development clinic, and 38 panelists and presenters, including Lisa Falkenberg, Bill Balleza, Miya Shay, Art Rascon, Jerome Solomon, Aurora Losada, Dianne Solis, Nakia Cooper, Minerva Perez, Rebecca Briscoe, Monica Rhor, Lomi Kriel and Mike McGuff.
McGuff, who has built a name for himself as being an "industry insider," shared his rules for being accountable in the breaking news industry. He also gave tips on how to organically grow your social media audience.
"The most important thing to do on social media is you got to be interesting, you got have great content and you cannot be boring," McGuff said. "Tweet consistently because that is what's going to get people to follow you and be interested in you if you're continually giving great content. It is very important to have a good profile picture and a good bio for twitter and Facebook so people know who you are."
Briscoe, national entertainment and sports reporter for Houston Style Magazine, hosted a morning workshop on" Bringing Your "A" Game In and Out the Newsroom." She shared what she likes to call "pearls of wisdom" on how to cultivate and maintain solid relationships in the field.
"I was so glad to share valuable information to media professionals. It is imperative for us to know how to survive in the digital age," Briscoe said.
Falkenberg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Houston Chronicle columnist, delivered the keynote speech at the luncheon.
"Failure often leads to success. It just takes a little longer," she said.
An afternoon session, "Reinventing Your Career in the Digital Era," was led by Cooper.
Cooper, who is senior web editor at KPRC/ Click2Houston.com and owner of NewsWithAttitude.com, told others how they can expand their careers past the newsroom by increasing their branding power through personal blogs and websites, and social media.
"It is about creating your own opportunities. I am unlike any other woman you see in the newsrooms, or in front of the camera, today. I am a tall, curvaceous, 'plus size' woman who many told in the beginning would have to change my appearance to fit 'industry standards,'" Cooper said. "Forget that. I love the way I am, just as I am, and I have a fan base who just love Nakia. I write my own rules because I have grown my brand by being original, sassy and shooting straight from the hip. Most importantly, I know my stuff. I am a newsroom leader and am an expert in my field. What I wanted to give others who attended my workshop is freedom. The freedom that you gain from truly investing in yourself."
University of Houston student Brittany Taylor said she was inspired by Cooper and optimistic about her future.
"At the News gathering conference I was able to network with professionals, get my resume reviewed and receive advice and steps to take in media while being a college student. My biggest take away was hearing Nakia Cooper speak about creating you own uniqueness and identity, starting a blog, getting out to my community and knowing there are no limitations what I can do with myself in the media world," Taylor said. "I can now take that confidence in building my own brand by reinventing my career in the digital world."