Deirdra Harris Glover
Staff Writer
The Mississippi eCenter became a media hub last week as media professionals gathered to impart and share knowledge.
The JSU School of Journalism and Media Studies (SJMS) presented an open conference “Multimedia Platforms in the Digital Age” on April 7-8. The conference was a day and a half of panel discussions, culminating in a recognition banquet for students of distinction.
News directors, general managers, journalists and sports media professionals, along with multimedia, public relations and marketing specialists, gave advice and fielded questions from Jackson State University students, area high school and college students, and other working professionals.
Five keynote speakers addressed the assembled audience including Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon L. Clyburn gave the plenary address, “Information and Technology: The Key to Global Communication.” Clyburn stressed the importance of worldwide communications as a major component of burgeoning democracy.
“A free and open Internet is an important tool in organizing for populations that might otherwise go unheard,” said Clyburn.
JSU professor, award winning editorial cartoonist and author Marshall Ramsey entertained the conference luncheon attendees with cartoons and anecdotes relating to his journey in the field and social media, including conference takeaway, “If content is king, context is God.”
Kendra Brown, a junior mass communication major with a concentration in integrated marketing communications from Meridian, Miss., expressed how much she enjoyed Ramsey’s cartooning and his sense of humor.
“My favorite panel was “Social Media: Getting Your Message Across” because Marshall Ramsey has an amazing story of following your dreams and not giving up on them.”
Jerry Echols, field operations manager for FOX News, Washington, D.C., talked about the emerging technology for on-location production, including the challenges faced in countries like China, where the press has less freedom.
While ESPN’s Mike Wallace might be known for sports, he has used his background to shed light on the Haiti earthquake, Katrina aftermath in Mississippi, and the complexities of race in America. “I’m a news & community reporter, I cover what needs to be covered. If sports bleeds in, so be it.”
SJMS students moderated several discussion panels in major fields of study. During the news director’s panel, an intense debate broke out about local outlets’ ethics in posting “click-bait,” sensational or ill-timed content, with the most pressing example being WLBT’s recent viral video #pieceofburger.
The general managers panel tackled how mainstream media is rapidly evolving to meet the needs of an increasingly social populace. WAPT’s Ben Hart told the audience, “Today’s news competition is citizen journalists: things are already (on social outlets) before the media is ready to talk about it.”
The sports media panel proved that investigative reporters aren’t the only media professionals who are threatened for their work. JSUTV’s Rob Jay urged aspiring sportscasters to “stand by your beliefs, even when your fan base stands against you.
Public relations, marketing and advertising professionals urged students to cross-train in other aspects of media to better represent clients. Rick Looser of the Cirlot Agency reminded the crowd “every aspect of your personality and appearance paint a picture of your professionalism. Be consistent.”
A strong panel of weekly newspaper editors spoke to aspiring journalists about the essence of story-telling as a public service to demographics largely marginalized by mainstream media outlets. Jackson Advocate Alice Tisdale says that her staff is “building bridges, not digging ditches,” in the black community alongside the Mississippi Link staff and their editor, Shanderia Posey.
Donna Ladd, editor of the Jackson Free Press offered simple advice: “If you want to write impactful stories, you have to spend the time to report, then tell the story.”
The final keynote speaker preceded the recognition banquet: DeMarco Morgan, national correspondent with CBS News, and JSU alumnus. Morgan painted an emotional journey through doubt, faith, and hard work. William Kelly III, editor of the Blue and White Flash was excited to see his mentor address the department.
While Kelly won numerous awards at the banquet, including the Tim Brown Memorial Scholarship, he saw a larger
victory.
“I believe the highlight of the conference was how the students of all classifications were acknowledged and recognized by our department as a whole. It really makes you feel respected and appreciated considering so many people doubt the performance of mass communication majors,” said Kelly.
The conference was Livecast by JSUTV. For more information about the SJMS conference, follow the social media hashtag #SJMSConference2016.
Photos by Dr. Luis Almeida and William H. Kelly III
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