Back in Sonoma County after six days of super-intense 12 hour bootcamp for independent journalists' blogging the new frontier of online storytelling at the Knight Digital Media Center in the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.
Twenty fellows from across the country (one in this temporary alternate reality from combat zone assignment) did a double take at day six breakfast spread, a surprise treat of authentic Brittany French Crepes cooked to special order in the Edwin R Bayley library.
The Knight Digital Media Center is housed jointly at Berkeley and the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication. Dedicated to helping good journalists and good journalism succeed in the 21st Century, fellowship workshops such as the Web Publishing for Independent Journalists seminar are vital in an age of increasing layoffs in newsrooms around the country.
As journalists explore new realms of storytelling potential via web publishing, new and emerging platforms are popping up in communities throughout the nation, particularly on the hyper-local level.
Anyone can write a blog or take a stab at throwing a community news project together. The key, however, is keeping afloat and rising to the top of regular online readership in a sustainable way so that independent reporting can thrive as a profession and stories continue to be told.
Web publishing offers a myriad opportunities once we explore the powerful tools available for storytelling delivery online. The 20 test fellows in this first-time offering for independents reporting outside of the newsroom had a highly focused whirlwind introduction to a wide variety of the following phenomenal tools and more thanks to the incredibly talented team at KDMC:
• Shooting good video and video editing • Using Photoshop to prepare images for publication• How to effectively sell advertising • Data visualization at the community level • Basic Mapping and Data-driven Maps • Search Engine Optimization and Google Analytics.
What does this mean for the future of Sonoma Country Life? Lots of great ideas bubbling away in the mental upload department. Thanks to all who continue to watch this space!
I'm impressed! Can't wait to hear more. I'll bet the stories you swapped with your peers were as interesting as what you learned!
Posted by: Frank SImpson | Sunday, March 28, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Well done! Wish I coulda had some of them crepes, too.
Posted by: Matthew Carter | Sunday, March 28, 2026 at 09:16 PM
hi Mathew, the crepes are at the Marin farmer's market on Sundays, I might have to make a produce trip for another taste!
Posted by: Frances | Monday, March 29, 2026 at 08:38 AM
If you leave this town again, I need to come with you!!!!
Posted by: Lesley | Wednesday, March 31, 2026 at 01:51 PM
I'm sure that can be arranged. What specific type of bootcamp would you be tempted by?
Posted by: Frances | Thursday, April 01, 2026 at 11:49 AM
Anthroplogie Bootcamp, followed by dinner and a movie or lunch and a movie or brunch and a movie or no movie just food, Anthropologie and a day out of P town!!
Posted by: Lesley | Thursday, April 01, 2026 at 02:35 PM