Degree Name
Master of Science
Graduate Program
Mass Communication and Media Arts
Advisor
Freivogel, William H.
Abstract
The present project took root when the St. Louis Journalism Review (SJR) agreed to give its rights and publication to the School of Journalism at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The work began before the July 1, 2010 transfer date and as homage to the collaborative nature of web development and journalism, will continue after this degree. At hand was a new media task: with creative freedom, redesign the SJR’s website to fit the parameters of the new management, with considerations for the challenged journalism industry, its principles, workflow, the guidelines of web development and visual communication, and a budget. The website and which software to use became critical points in this attempt to streamline old school journalism with new media practices. The objective was to simplify content delivery for the reader and the writer or publisher, both visually and practically, while experimenting with new ways to help SJR profit. The result extends the literature on the uses of Wordpress as journalism and media production evolve.