WVPA Sharing

WVU multimedia news features available to WVPA newspapers

MORGANTOWN, W.Va — West Virginia University, in cooperation with the West Virginia Press Association, has again agreed to make a number of multi-platform news and feature packages available to member newspapers of the WVPA.

These are outstanding student-generated news packages for WVPA newspapers’ print and online editions.  Three story links are included with this email.

These packages are great for front page news, weekend features and that hard-to-attract student/young adult audience. Take a look. This is good work and it’s yours to use as long as you agree to the simple terms of use.

We think these stories can supplement your features staff work and build your online offerings.

Have your newsroom take a look and try the features. If you have questions or problems, call Don Smith at the WVPA, 304-342-1011, ext. 160, or contact professor John Temple at [email protected] or Alison Bass, assistant professor at the P.I. Reed School of Journalism at WVU, at [email protected] or 304-293-0393.

This is a real benefit and shows the value and quality of work coming from the P.I. Reed School of Journalism at WVU.  The WVPA greatly appreciates the efforts of John Temple and Alison Bass in making this happen.

Remember the names of these student journalists. They will be looking to start careers or serve internships very soon.

At the very bottom of this email, there are instructions on downloading and using the articles, photos and video.

MOUNTAINEER NEWS SERVICE STORY BUDGET Friday, February 17, 2014:

The Mountaineer News Service is produced by journalism students at West Virginia University.  Students from the P.I. Reed School of Journalism report, write and produce multi-platform news and feature packages about newsworthy subjects in West Virginia. News outlets who have registered with the news service or belong to the West Virginia Press Association may publish this content.  Users must adhere to the following terms of use:

·       Published packages must include the students’ bylines, followed by “Mountaineer News Service, West Virginia University.”  (Also feel free to add a link to our blog at: http://mountaineernewsservice.com/)

·       Editors must let students and faculty know via email when any element of a package has been published and provide a link to the publication’s website.

·       Please do not make significant editing changes without contacting the student journalists.

For information about a specific package or story, contact the student journalists listed beneath the budget line.   The following packages are available as of today:

Morgantown at high risk of a contaminated water supply:

http://mountaineernewsservice.com/?p=6779

Morgantown’s water supply is threatened by 55 potential contaminant sources along the banks of the Mon River, according to a state-commissioned report.  On top of the chemical contaminants in an industrial park near the water supply, toxic chemicals flow into the river downstream of the city’s water supply from Deckers Creek and the coal-powered power plant on Beechurst Avenue. Our multimedia package includes a 900-word story, a 2.5-minute audio slideshow and two photos with cutlines.

·      Bart Keeler, [email protected], Snellville, Ga.

·      Gus Willis, [email protected], Slatysville, W.Va.

·      Shanna Rose, [email protected], Wheeling, W.Va.

·      Brian Thorpe, [email protected], Gaithersburg, Md.

Native-American burial site bulldozed over for Suncrest Towne Centre

http://mountaineernewsservice.com/?p=6786

What is now a booming Morgantown mall known as the Suncrest Towne Centre used to be the home of an ancient burial ground for the now-extinct Monongahela tribe.  Some local officials say West Virginia University, which owned the burial site, forfeited the chance to become a top archaeological research institution by selling the land to private developers. Our package includes an 850-word story and two photos with cutlines.

·      Noelle Harris, [email protected], Terra Alta, West Virginia

·      Jeff Thomas, [email protected], East Orange, New Jersey

·      Zachary Voreh, [email protected], Bridgeport, West Virginia

Renewable energy source for West Virginia is blowing in the wind:

http://mountaineernewsservice.com/?p=6764

Even though the mountainous topography of West Virginia is well suited to wind power,  this form of renewable energy has yet to see much traction in the state because of the region’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. Making matters worse, Congress allowed a major tax credit for wind power to expire late last year. Our package on the future of wind power in West Virginia and its battle with coal includes a 900-word story, a three-minute audio slideshow and two photos with cutlines.

·      Adam King, [email protected], St. Albans, WV,

·      James Dutton, [email protected], Smyrna, DE,

·      Catrina Sedgwick, [email protected], Keyser, WV

– instructions on downloading  –

To assist your staff in using stories, photos and videos from WVU’s mountaineernewsservice stories, the WVPA ask WVU’s John Temple for download instructions. They are below:

From John (John Temple [email protected])

It should be easy for them to embed the video on their websites.  They should follow these steps to embed video:
—  On the top right corner of the video is a SHARE button.  If they click on that, they should see another button pop up that says EMBED.
— Click on EMBED and some code will pop up in a box.  There are some settings they can choose here: size, etc.
— Cut and paste the code into their website and they will have embedded the video.

For photos, they can just click on the photos to get a bigger version of it and then right-click and SAVE VERSION AS…  And then they have a copy of the photo and they can resize it as needed.

For text, they should be able to just cut and paste.

Again, I think this is a great service for our member newspapers. It’s sounds easy and it’s free. If you’re wanting West Virginia stories and videos, this is for you. We appreciate Alison Bass and WVU’s Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism efforts.

If you are using the stories, videos and photos, be sure to let the students know. If possible, let the WVPA know.

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