It shows their curiosity and commitment, much like previous generations of journalists got noticed by writing for any publication that would have them. One of Lux's recent hires worked for an online union paper. Recruiters for Gannett newspapers, for instance, examine online college papers for evidence their alums have the right flair. No one can yet forecast whether multimedia journalism will become just one more specialty, or fundamentally remake the mold. But for newspeople restless about the future, taking a taste of new media seems wise.
Youth does help, it appears.
Online coverage is everywhere, from a real-time Super Bowl site visited by millions to CNN's multimedia daily news files to prodigious plans for covering the Summer Olympics and the presidential campaign online. The Newspaper Association of America's Web page lists over 150 newspapers with online services. These online specialty publications range from crude tracts to sophisticated electronic magazines, and the topics and titles have mushroomed, from Bible study to dream interpretation, from Bad Haircut to Dead Pig Digest. Online coverage of routine news is becoming, well, routine.