We made it through ‘Making it in L.A.’

Eric Ulken on May 7, 2004

Today my colleagues in the multimedia reporting class and I presented our final project, a website called “Making it in L.A.” I think we’re all pretty happy with how it turned out. Let us know what you think by signing the guest book on the site.

Here’s a nice photo of me and my awesome teammates after the presentation.

That’s Eugene Lee, photographer extraordinaire; Janna Braun, our copy chief and resource person; Matt Myerhoff, stats editor and double-duty reporter; Heather Somers, issues editor; me (I was the design and big-picture person); Elizabeth Osder, our instructor; and Paritosh Bansal, profiles editor and production guru (or, as he put it, “outsourcing guy”).

Philips to make e-newspaper display

Eric Ulken on January 27, 2004

The Dutch consumer electronics giant Philips is set to mass-produce a flexible panel that can display printed material and rolls up into a pen-sized holder for portability. Obviously, potentially huge implications for the online news world here. Where can I get one?

ONA conference superlatives

Eric Ulken on November 17, 2003

I’m back from Evanston, and here are some scattered thoughts on the Online News Association conference (for more coherent thoughts, see our coverage):

Most quotable quote: “Everything has already been said, but not everyone has had a chance to say it.” –Esther Dyson, chairman, Edventure Holdings

Understatement of the weekend: “Newspapers as institutions are defensive, perfectionist cultures that don’t adapt easily.” –Jack Fuller, president of Tribune Publishing

Biggest disappointment: On-again, off-again Internet access. Fortunately the Panera Bread around the corner offered fast, free Wi-Fi.

Distance award: Again goes to Chris Janz of Australia’s News Interactive, who this year brought along his boss, Bill Burton. Added reward: They got to see their team rout New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup.

Coolest architecture: The new Tribune Interactive space in the former Chicago Tribune pressroom, where Friday night’s reception was held… I love the metaphor of the web operation replacing the presses.

Biggest head-scratcher: In the panel on the Iraq war coverage, Maj. Riccoh Player’s criticism that the media “made the decision to make this a bloodless war” by leaving out pictures of soldiers wounded or killed in battle. What does the Pentagon public affairs officer have against journalists displaying a little sensitivity?

Biggest terminology shift: MSNBC.com’s Dean Wright observed that the term “new media” is increasingly inaccurate, because the medium is no longer new. He’s right. I am going to start training myself not to use the term. (And one of these days I’ll have to rename my site, too.)

Most overused word: Blog.

Online newsies meet next week

Eric Ulken on November 4, 2003

Chicago — or, more precisely, Evanston, Ill. — is the place to be next week if you’re an online journalist. The Online News Association is holding its fourth annual conference Nov. 14-15. Noted blogger Andrew Sullivan and Tribune Publishing president Jack Fuller will be the keynoters.

Rich Gordon, of Northwestern University, and I are heading up the conference newsroom, which will be staffed by students from across the country. Stay tuned to the conference site for our coverage.