Southern DIGEST to feature podcasting, blogging on website

The Office of Student Media is happy to announce that it will now add podcasts and blogs to its roster of media outlets.
Assistant Director Christopher Jones, who has spearheaded the project, said Student Media is always trying to stay abreast of what is happening in the professional media world.
“Within the past three years, we have seen a boom in blogging and podcasting as a way of publishing and discussing the news…When students graduate from our program, we feel confidant that they can go to any newspaper, magazine or public relations firm and thrive well when working with new media outlets.”
A podcast is a form of digital media-like a radio broadcast-that can be listened to via the Internet and stored on a portable media player.
The podcasts will entail speeches from the motivational speaker series, one-on-one interviews, convocations and cultural events on campus.
“Podcasting will not only be for students and faculty on campus,” said Jones. “This will also give alumni and our online viewers a chance to be apart of Southern.”
For Amber R. Perry, EGO Magazine editor-in-chief, recording her first podcast was an experience she knows will help her professionally.
“Learning to blog and create podcast will help me in the ever competitive world of media. People are not just getting their news from newspapers or the nightly news. They want up to the minute updates wherever they are; in classrooms, on their cell phones, laptops.”
Posted on the DIGEST’s website, www.southerndigest.com/podcasts, listeners can check weekly for updates or can subscribe via iTunes.
Catherine Smith, a 1981 alumna, is pleased with the direction Student Media is taking.
“I am very proud that Student Media is surpassing most college news outlets by staying on top of what is going on in the real world. After graduation, these students’ résumés will stand out because of their experiences at the paper and magazine.”
Starting next week, Student Media plans to begin blogging the 2008 Student Government Association elections. A blog is an online journal that allows the blogger-one who writes the blog-to express their personal feelings and views on a topic. Student Media’s blogs intend to cover news, sports, opinions and entertainment. The site’s web address is blogs.southerndigest.com.
“There are so many things I always want to put in my story but cannot because of space and time,” said sports editor Larry Young. “With blogging I can expound more on sporting events and add commentary.”